Speaker 1: The twelfth lesson subconscious Influences. In this lesson we wish
to touch upon a certain feature of subconscious mentation that
has been much dwelt upon by certain schools of Western
writers and students during the past twenty years, but which
has also been misunderstood and alas too often misused by
some of those who have been attracted to the subject.
We allude to what has been called the power of thought.
While this power is very real, and like any other
of the forces of nature, may be properly used and
applied in our every day life, still many students of
the power of the mind have misused it and have
stooped to practices worthy only of the followers of the
schools of black magic. We hear on all sides of
the use of treatments for selfish and often base ends.
Those following these practices seeming to be an utter ignorance
of the occult laws brought into operation, and the terrible
reaction inevitably falling to the lot of those practicing this
negative form of mental influence. We have been amazed at
the prevailing ignorance concerning the nature and effects of this
improper use of mental force, and at the same time
at the common custom of such selfish improper uses. This
more particularly when the true occultists knows that these things
are not necessary even to those who seek success by
mental forces. There is a true method of the use
of mental forces as well as an improper use. And
we trust that in this lesson we may be able
to bring the matter sharply and clearly before the minds
of our students. In our first course the fourteen Lessons,
in the several lessons entitled, respectively, thought dynamics, telepathy, et cetera,
and Psychic influence, we have given a general idea of
the effect of one mind upon other minds, and many
other writers have called the attention of the Western world
to the same facts. There has been a general awakening
of interest in this phase of the subject among the
Western people of late years, and many and wonderful are
the theories that have been advanced among the conflicting schools
regarding the matter. But notwithstanding the conflicting theories, there is
a general agreement upon the fundamental facts. They all agree
that the mental forces may be used to affect oneself
and others, and many have started in to use these
mental forces for their own selfish ends and purposes, believing
that they were fully justified in so doing, and being
unaware of the web of psychic causes and effects which
they were weaving around them by their practices. Now at
the beginning, let us impress upon the minds of our
students the fact, while it is undoubtedly true that people
who are unaware of the true sources of strength within
them may be, and often are, affected by mental force
exerted by others, it is equally true that no one
can be adversely affected in this way, providing he realizes
the eye within himself, which is the only real part
of him, and which is an impregnable tower of strength
against the assaults of others. There is no cause for
all of this fear that is being manifested by many
Western students of thought power, who are in constant dread
of being treated adversely by other people. The man or
woman who realizes the eye within may, by the slightest
exercise of the will, surround himself with the mental aur
which will repel adverse thought waves emanating from the minds
of others. Nay more than this, the habitual recognition of
the eye, and a few moments meditation upon it each
day will of itself erect such an aura, and will
charge this aura with a vitality that will turn back
adverse thought and cause it to return to the source
from which it came, where it will serve the good
purpose of bringing to the mistaken mind originating it the
conviction that such practices are hurtful and to be avoided.
This realization of the eye, which we brought out in
the first few lessons of the present series, is the
best and only real method of self protection. This may
be easily understood when we remind you that the whole
phenomena of mental influencing belongs to the illusion side of existence,
the negative side, and that the real and positive side must,
of necessity be stronger. Nothing can affect the real in you,
and the nearer you get to the real in realization
and understanding, the stronger do you become. This is the
whole secret. Think it over. But there are comparatively few
people who are able to rest firmly in the eye
consciousness all the time, and the others demand help while
they are growing to such. We would say, creep as
close to the realization of the eye a possible, and
rest your spiritual feet firmly upon the rock of the
real self. If you feel that people, circumstances, or things
are influencing you unduly, stand up boldly and deny the influence.
Say something like this, I deny the power or influence
of persons, circumstances, or things to adversely affect me. I
assert my reality, power and dominion over these things. These
words may seem very simple, but when uttered with the
consciousness of the truth underlying them, they become as a
mighty force. You will understand, of course, that there is
no magic or virtue in the words themselves, that is,
in the grouping of the letters forming the words, or
the sounds of the words, the virtue resting in the
idea of which the words are the expression. You will
be surprised at the effect of this statement upon depressing
or adverse influences surrounding you. If you, you who are
reading these words, now feel yourself subject to any adverse
or depressing influences, will then stand up erect, throwing your
shoulders back, raising your head, and looking boldly and fearlessly ahead,
and repeat these words firmly and with faith. You will
feel the adverse influences disappearing. You will almost see the
clouds falling back from you. Try it now before reading further,
and you will become conscious of a new strength and power.
You are perfectly justified in thus denying adverse influence. You
have a perfect right to drive back threatening or depressing
thought clouds. You have a perfect right to take your
stand upon the rock of truth, your real self, and
demand your freedom. These negative thoughts of the world in general,
and of some people in particular, belong to the dark
side of life, and you have a right to demand
freedom from them. You do not belong to the same
idea of life, and it is your privilege, yes your duty,
to repel them and bid them disappear from your horizon.
You are a child of light, and it is your
right and duty to assert your freedom from the things
of darkness. You are merely asserting the truth when you
affirm your superiority and dominion over these dark forces, and
in the measure of your recognition and faith will be
the power at your disposal. Faith and recognition renders man
a god. If we could but fully recognize and realize
just what we are, we could rise above this entire
plane of negative, dark world of thought. But we have
become so blinded and stupefied with the race thought of
fear and weakness, and so hypnotize with the suggestions of
weakness that we hear on all sides of us, that
even the best of us find it hard to avoid
occasionally sinking back into the lower depths of despair and discouragement.
But let us remember this, brothers and sisters, that these
periods of backsliding become less frequent and lasts a shorter time.
As we proceed by and by we shall escape them altogether.
Some may think that we are laying too much stress
upon the negative side of the question, but we feel
that what we have said is timely and much needed
by many who read these lessons. There has been so
much said regarding this negative adverse power of thought, that
it is well that all should be taught that it
is in their power to rise above this thing, that
the weapon for its defeat is already in their hand.
The most advanced student may occasionally forget that he is
superior to the adverse influence of the race thought and
other clouds of thought influence that happen to be in
his neighborhood. When we think of how few there are
who are sending forth the positive, hopeful thought waves, and
how many are sending forth continually the thoughts of discouragement, fear,
and despair. It is no wonder that at times there
comes to us a feeling of discouragement, helplessness, and what's
the use? But we must be ever alert to stand
up and deny these things out of existence. So far
as our personal thought world is concerned, there is a
wonderful occult truth in the last sentence. We are the makers, preservers,
and destroyers of our personal thought world. We may bring
into it that which we desire to appear. We may
keep there what we wish, cultivating, developing, and unfolding the
thought forms that we desire. We may destroy that which
we wish to keep out. The eye is the master
of its thought world. Think over this great truth, O Student.
By desire we call into existence. By affirmation, we preserve
and encourage. By denial we destroy. The Hindus, in their
popular religious conceptions, picture the One Being as a trinity
composed of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva
the destroyer, not three gods, as is commonly supposed, but
a trinity composed of three aspects of deity or being.
The idea of the threefold being is also applicable to
the individual. As above, so below. The eye is the
being of the individual, and the thought world is its manifestation.
It creates, preserves, and destroys as it. Will. Carry this
idea with you and realize that your individual thought world
is your own field of manifestation. In it you are
constantly creating, constantly preserving, constantly destroying. And if you can
destroy anything in your own thought world, you rem move
it from its field of activity, so far as you
are concerned. And if you create anything in your own
thought world, you bring it into active being so far
as you are concerned. And if you preserve anything, you
keep it by you in effect and full operation and
influence in your life. This truth belongs to the higher
phases of the subject, for its explanation is inextricably bound
up in the explanation of the thing in itself, the absolute,
and its manifestations. But even what we have said above
should give to the alert student sufficient notice to cause
him to graft the facts of the case and to
apply the principles in his own life. If one lives
on the plane of the race thought. He is subject
to its laws, for the law of cause and effect
is in full operation on each plane of life. But
when one raises himself above the race thought and on
to the plane of the recognition of the real self,
the eye, then does he extricate himself from the lower
laws of cause and effect and places himself on a
higher plane of causation, in which he plays a much
higher part. And so we are constantly reminding you that
your tower of strength and refuge lies in the higher plane.
But nevertheless we must deal with the things and laws
of the lower plane, because very few who read these
lessons are able to rest entirely upon the higher plane.
The great majority of them have done no more than
to lift themselves partially onto the higher plane, and they
are consequently living on both planes, partly in each, the
consequence being that there is a struggle between the conflicting
laws of the two planes. The present stage is one
of the hardest on the path of attainment, and resembles
the birth pains of the physical body. But you are
being borne into a higher plane, and the pain, after
becoming the most acute, will begin to ease, and in
the end will disappear, and then will come peace and calm.
When the pain becomes the most acute, then be cheered
with the certainty that you have reached the crisis of
your new spiritual birth, and that you will soon gain peace.
And then you will see that the peace and bliss
will be worth all the pain and struggle. Be brave,
fellow followers of the path. Deliverance is nigh. Soon will
come the silence that follows the storm. The pain that
you are experiencing, awe well, do we know that you
are experiencing. The pain is not punishment, but is a
necessary part of your growth. All life follows this plan.
The pains of labor and birth ever precede the deliverance.
Such is life, and life is based upon truth, and
all is well with the world. We did not intend
to speak of these things in this lesson, but as
we write, there comes to us a great cry for
help and a word of encouragement and hope from the
class which is taking this course of lessons, and we
feel bound to respond as we have done. Peace be
with you one and all. And now we will begin
our consideration of the laws governing what we have called
subconscious influence. All students of the occult are aware of
the fact that men may be and are largely influenced
by the thoughts of others. Not only is this the
case in instances where thoughts are directed from the mind
of one person to the mind of another, but also
when there is no special direction or intention in the
thought sent forth, The vibrations of thoughts linger in the
astral atmosphere long after the effort that sent forth the
thought has passed. The astral atmosphere is charged with the
vibrations of thinkers of many years past, and still possesses
sufficient vitality to affect those whose minds are ready to
receive them as at this time. And we all attract
to us thought vibrations corresponding in nature with those which
we are in the habit of entertaining. The law of
attraction is in full operation, and one who makes the
study of the subject may see instances of it on
all sides. We invite to ourselves these thought vibrations by
maintaining and entertaining thoughts along certain lines. If we cultivate
a habit of thinking along the lines of cheerfulness, brightness,
and optimism, we attract to ourselves similar thought vibrations of others,
and we will find that before long we will find
all sorts of cheerful thoughts pouring into our minds from
all directions. And likewise, if we harbor thoughts of gloom, despair, pessimism,
we lay ourselves open to the influx of similar thoughts
which have emanated from the minds of others. Thoughts of anger, hate,
or jealousy attract similar things, thoughts which serve to feed
the flame and keep alive the fire of these low emotions.
Thoughts of love tend to draw to ourselves the loving
thoughts of others, which tend to fill us with a
glow of loving emotion. And not only are we affected
in this way by the thoughts of others, but what
is known as suggestion also plays an important part in
this matter of subconscious influence. We find that the mind
has a tendency to reproduce the emotions, moods, shades of thought,
and feelings of other persons, as evidence by their attitude, appearance,
facial expression, or words. If we associate with persons of
a gloomy temperament, we run the risk of catching their
mental trouble by the law of suggestion. Unless we understand
this law and counteract it. In the same way. We
find that cheerfulness is contagious, and if we keep in
the company of cheerful people, we are very apt to
take on their mental quality. The same rule applies to
frequently the company of unsuccessful or successful people, as the
case may be. If we allow ourselves to take up
the suggestions constantly emanating from them, we will find that
our minds will begin to reproduce the tones, attitudes, characteristics, dispositions,
and traits of the other persons, and before long we
will be living on the same mental plane. As we
have repeatedly said, these things are true only when we
allow ourselves to take on the impressions. But unless one
has mastered the law of suggestion and understands its principles
and operations, he is more or less apt to be
affected by it. All of you readily recall the effect
of certain persons upon others with whom they come in contact.
One has a faculty of inspiring with vigor and energy
those in whose company he happens to be. Another depresses
those around him and is avoided as a human wet blanket.
Another will cause a feeling of uneasiness and those around
him by reason of his prevailing attitude of distrust, suspicion,
and low cunning. Some carry an atmosphere of health around them,
while others seem to be surrounded with a sickly aura
of disease, even when their physical condition does not seem
to indicate the lack of health. Mental states have a
subtle way of impressing themselves upon us, and the student
who will take the trouble to closely observe those with
whom he comes in contact will receive a liberal education.
Along these lines, there is, of course a great difference
in the degree of suggestibility among different persons. There are
those who are almost immune, while at the other end
of the line are to be found others who are
so constantly and strongly impressed by the suggestions of others,
conscious or unconscious, that they may be said to scarcely
have any independent thought or will of their own. But
nearly all persons are suggestible to a greater or lesser degree.
It must not be supposed, from what we have said
that all suggestions are bad, harmful, or undesirable. Many suggestions
are very good for us, and coming at the right time,
have aided us much. But nevertheless, it is well to
always let your own mind pass upon these suggestions before
allowing them to manifest in your subconscious mind. Let the
final decision be your own and not the will of another.
Although you may have considered outside suggestions in connection with
the matter Part two, remember always that you are an individual,
having a mind and will of your own. Rest firmly
upon the base of your eye consciousness, and you will
find yourself able to manifest a wonderful strength against the
adverse suggestions of others. Be your own suggestion, train and
influence your subconscious mind yourself, and do not allow it
to be tampered with by the suggestions of others. Grow
the sense of individuality. There has been much written of
recent years in the Western world regarding the effect of
the mental attitude upon success and attainment upon the material plane.
While much of this is nothing but the wildest imagining,
still there remains a very firm and solid substratum of
truth underlying it all. It is undoubtedly true that one's
prevailing mental attitude is constantly manifesting and objectifying itself in
his life. Things, circumstances, people, plans all seem to fit
into the general ideal of the strong mental attitude of
a man, and this from the operation of mental law
along a number of lines of action. In the first place,
the mind, when directed toward a certain set of objects,
becomes very alert to discover things concerning those objects, to
seize upon things, opportunities, persons, ideas, and facts tending to
promote the objects thought of. The man who is looking
for facts to prove certain theories invariably finds them, and
is also quite likely to overlook facts tending to disprove
his theory. The optimists and the pessimists, passing along the
same streets, each sees thousands of examples tending to fit
in with his idea. As Kay says, when one is
engaged in seeking for a thing, if he keep the
image of it clearly before the mind, he will be
very likely to find it, And that too, probably word
would otherwise have escaped his notice. So when one is
engaged in thinking on a subject, thoughts of things resembling
it or bearing upon it, and tending to illustrate it
come up on every side. Truly, we may well say
of the mind, as has been said of the eye,
that it perceives only what it brings within the power
of perceiving. John Burroughs has well said regarding this, that
no one ever found the walking fern who did not
have the walking fern in his mind. A person whose
eye is full of Indian relics picks them up in
every field he walks through. They are quickly recognized because
the eye has been commissioned to find them. When the
mind is kept firmly fixed upon some ideal or aim,
its whole and varied powers are bent toward the realization
and manifestation of that ideal. In thousands of ways, the
mind will operate to objectify the subjective mental attitude, a
great proportion of the mental effort being accomplished along subconscious lines.
It is of the greatest importance to one who wishes
to succeed in any undertaking to keep before his mind's
eye a clear mental image of that which he desires.
He should picture the thing desired in himself as securing
it until it becomes on real. In this way, he
calls to his aid his entiremental force and power along
the subconscious lines, and, as it were, makes a clear
path over which he may walk to accomplishment. Bain says
regarding this, by aiming at a new construction, we must
clearly conceive what is aimed at. Where we have a
very distinct and intelligible model before us, we are in
a fair way to succeed. In proportion. As the ideal
is dim and wavering, we stagger or miscarry. Maudsley says,
we cannot do an act voluntarily unless we know what
we are going to do, and we cannot know exactly
what we are going to do until we have taught
ourselves to do it. Carpenter says the continued concentration of
attention upon a certain idea gives it a dominant power,
not only over the mind, but over the body. Muller
says the idea of our own strength gives strength to
our movements. A person who is confident of affecting anything
by muscular efforts will do it more easily than one
not so confident of his own power. Tanner says, to
believe firmly is almost tanamont in the end to accomplishment.
Extraordinary instances are related, showing the influence of the will
over even involuntary muscles. Along the same lines, many Western
writers have added their testimony to the Yogi principle of
the manifestation of thought into action. K has written. A
clear and accurate idea of what we wish to do
and how it is to be effected is of the
utmost value and importance in all of the affairs of life.
A man's conduct naturally shapes itself according to the ideas
in his mind, and nothing contributes more to success in
life than having a high ideal and keeping it constantly
in view. Where such is the case, one can hardly
fail in attaining it. Numerous unexpected circumstances will be found
to conspire to bring it about, and even what seemed
at first to be hostile may be converted into means
for its furtherance. While by having it constantly before the mind,
he will be ever ready to take advantage of any
favoring circumstances that may present themselves. Along the same lines,
Foster has written these remarkable words, It is wonderful how
even the casualties of life seem to bow to a
spirit that will not bow to them and yield to
subserve a design which they may, in their first apparent tendency,
threaten to frustrate. When a firm, decisive spirit is recognized.
It is curious to see how the space clears around
a man and leaves him room and freedom. Simpson has
said a passionate desire and an unwearied will can perform
impossibilities or what seemed to be such to the cold
and feeble, And Maudsley gives to aspiring youth a great
truth when he says thus it is that aspirations are
often prophesies, the harbingers of what a man shall be
in a condition to perform. And we may conclude the
paragraph by quoting lytton dream, O youth, dream manfully and nobly,
and thy dream shall be prophets. This principle of the
power of the mental image is strongly impressed upon the
mind of the sheilah or student by the Yogi teachers.
The student is taught that just as the house is
erected in accordance with the plan of the architect, so
is one's life built in accordance with the prevailing mental image.
The mind subconsciously molds itself around the prevailing mental image
or attitude, and then proceeds to draw upon the outer
world for material with which to build in accordance with
the plan. Not only is one's character built in this way,
but the circumstances and incidents of his life fallow the
same rule. The Yogi student is instructed into the mysteries
of the power of the mind in this direction, not
that he may make use of it to build up
material success or to realize his personal desires, for he
is taught to avoid these things. But he is fully
instructed nevertheless, that he may understand the workings of the
law around him. And it is a fact well known
to close students of the occult that the few who
have attained extraordinarily high degrees of development make use of
this power in order to help the race. Many a
world movement has been directed by the mind or minds
of some of these advanced souls, who are able to
see the ideal of evolution ahead of the race, and
by visualizing the same and concentrating upon it in meditation,
actually hastened the progress of the evolutionary wave and cause
to actually manifest that which they saw and upon which
they had meditated. It is true that some occultists have
used similar plans to further their own selfish personal ends,
often without fully realizing just what power they were employing.
But this merely illustrates the old fact that the forces
of nature may be used rightly and wrongly. It is
all the more reason why those who are desirous of
advancing the race, of assisting in the evolution of the world,
should make use of this mighty power in their work.
Success is not reprehensible, notwithstanding the fact that many have
interpreted and applied the word in such a matter as
to make it appear as if it had no other
meaning or application other than the crude, material, selfish one
generally attributed to it. By reason of its misuse, the
Western world is playing its part in the evolution of
the race, and its keynote is accomplishment. Those who have
advanced so high that they are able to view the
world of men as one sees a valley from a
mountain peak, recognize what this strenuous Western life means. They
seem mighty forces in operation, mighty principles being worked out
by those who little dream of the ultimate significance that
which they are doing. Mighty things are before the Western
world today, Wonderful changes are going on. Great things are
in the womb of time, and the hour of birth
draws near. The men and women in the Western world
feel within them the mighty urge to accomplish something, to
take an active part in the great drama of life.
And they are right in giving full expression to this
urge and are doing well in using every legitimate means
in the line of expression. And this idea of the
mental attitude or the mental image, is one of the
greatest factors in this striving for success. In this lesson,
we do not purpose giving success talks for our students.
These lessons are intended to feel another field, and there
are many other channels of information along the lines named.
What we wish to do is to point out to
our students the meaning of all this strenu striving of
the age in the Western world, and the leading principle
employed therein The great achievements of the material world are
being accomplished by means of the power of the mind.
Men are beginning to understand that thought manifests itself in action,
and that thought attracts to itself the things, persons, and
circumstances in harmony with itself. The power of mind is
being manifest in hundreds of ways. The power of desire
back by faith and will, is beginning to be recognized
as one of the greatest of known dynamic forces. The
life of the race is entering into a new and
strange stage of development and evolution, and in the years
to come, mind will be seen more clearly, and still
more clearly to be the great principle underlying the world
of material things and happenings. That all is mind is
more than a dreamy metaphysical utterance is being recognized by
the leaders in the world's thought. As we have said,
great changes are before the world and the race, and
every year brings us nearer to the beginning of them.
In fact, the beginning is already upon us. Let any
thinker stop and reflect over the wonderful changes of the
past six years since the dawning of the twentieth century,
and he will be dull, indeed, if he sees not
the trend of affairs. We are entering into a new
great cycle of the race, and the old is being
prepared for being dropped off like an old worn out
husk Ol. Conventions, ideals, customs, laws, ethics, and things sociological, economical, theological, philosophical,
and metaphysical have been outgrown and are about to be
shed by the race. The great cauldron of human thought
is bubbling away fiercely, and many things are rising to
its surface. Like all great changes, the good will come
only with much pain. All birth is with pain. The
race feels the pain and perpetual unrest, but knows not
what is the disease nor the remedy. Many false cases
of diagnosis and prescription are even now noticeable, and will
become still more in evidence as the years roll by.
Many self style saviors of the race prescribers for the
pain of the soul and mind will arise and fall.
But out of it all will come that for which
the race now waits. The changes that are before us
are as great as the changes and thought in life
described in the late novel by H. G. Wells entitled
In the Days of the Comet. In fact, mister Wells
has indicated in that story some of the very changes
that the advanced souls of the race have informed their
students are before the race. The prophetic insight of the
writer named seems marvelous until one realizes that even that
writer is being used as a part of the mental
machinery of the change itself. But the change will not
come about by reason of the new gas caused by
the brushing of the Earth's surface by a passing comet.
It will come from the unfolding of the race mind.
The process being now under weigh are not the signs
of mental unrest and discomfort becoming more and more apparent
as the days go by. The pain is growing greater,
and the race is beginning to fret and chafe and moan.
It knows not what it wants, but it knows that
it feels pain and wants something to relieve that pain.
The old things are beginning to totter and fall, and
ideas rendered sacred by years of observance are being brushed
aside with a startling display of irreverence. Under the surface
of our civilization, we may hear the straining and groaning
of the ideas and principles that are striving to force
their way out on to the plane of manifestation. Men
are running hither and thither, crying for a leader and
a savior. They are trying this thing and that thing,
but they find not that which they seek. They cry
for satisfaction, but it eludes them. And yet all this
search and disappointment is part of the great change, and
is preparing the race for that which must come. And
yet the relief will not come from any thing or things.
It will come from within. Just as when in Well's
story things righted themselves when the vapor of the comet
had cleared men's minds, so will things take their new
places when the mind of the race becomes cleared by
the new unfoldment that is even now under way. Men
are beginning to feel each other's pains. They find themselves
unsatisfied by the old rule of every man for himself,
and the devil take the hindmost. It used to content
the successful, but now it doesn't seem to be so satisfying.
The man on top is becoming lonesome and dissatisfied and discontented.
His success seems to appall him in some mysterious manner,
and the man underneath feels stirring within himself. Strange longings
and desires, and dissatisfaction andtions are arising, and new and
startling ideas are being suddenly advanced, supported and opposed, and
the relations between people seem to be unsatisfactory. The old rules, laws,
and bounds are proving irksome. New strange and wild thoughts
are coming into the minds of people which they dare
not utter to their friends. And yet these same friends
are finding similar ideas within themselves. And somehow underneath it
all is to be found a certain honesty. Yes, there
is where the trouble seems to come. The world is
tiring of hypocrisy and dishonesty in all human relations, and
is crying aloud to be led back some way to
truth and honesty in thought and action. But it does
not see the way out, and it will not see
the way out until the race mind unfolds still further,
and the pain of the new enfullment is stirring the
race to its depths, from the deep recesses of the
race mind arising to the surface, old passions, relics from
the cave dweller days, and all sorts of ugly mental
relics of the past. And they will continue to rise
and show themselves until at last the bubbling pot will
begin to quiet down, and then will come a new piece,
and the best will come to the surface. The essence
of all the experiences of the race. To our students,
we would say, during the struggle ahead of the race,
play well your part, doing the best you can, living
each day by itself, meeting each new phase of life
with confidence and courage. Be not diluted by appearances, nor
follow after strange profits. Let the evolutionary processes work themselves out,
and do you fall in with the wave without struggling
and without overmuch striving. The law is working itself out. Well.
Of that be assured. Those who have entered into even
a partial understanding and recognition of the one life underlying
will find that they will be as the chosen people
during the changes that are coming to the race. They
have attained that which the race is reaching toward in
pain and travail, and the force behind the law will
carry them along, for they will be the leaven that
is to lighten the great mass of the race and
the new dispensation. Not by deed or by action, but
by thought. Will these people leaven the mass. The thought
is even now at work, and all who read these
words are playing a part in the work, although they
may know it not. If the race could realize its
truth of the one life underlying today, the change would
occur in a moment. But it will not come in
that way. When this understanding gradually dawns upon the race,
this new consciousness then will things take their proper places,
and the lion and the lamb lie down together in peace.
We have thought it well to say these things in
this the last lesson of this course. They are needed words.
They will serve to point out the way to those
who are able to read. Watch, and wait for the
silence that will follow the storm. In this series of lessons,
we have endeavored to give you a plain, practical presentation
of some of the more important features of Raja yoga.
But this phase of the subject, as important and interesting
as it is, is not the highest phase of the
great Yoga teachings. It is merely the preparation of the
soil of the mind for what comes afterward. The phase
called nanny yoga, the yoga of wisdom, is the highest
of all the various phases of yoga, although each of
the lower steps is important in itself. We find ourselves
approaching the phase of our work for which we have
long wished. Those who have advised and directed this work
have counseled us to deal with the less advanced and
simpler phases in order to prepare the minds of those
who might be interested, so that they would be ready
for the higher teachings. At times we have felt an
impatience for the coming of the day when we would
be able to teach the highest that has come to us,
and now the time seems to have come. Following this course,
we will begin a series of lessons in Nani Yoga,
the yoga of wisdom, and which we will pass on
to our students, the highest teachings regarding the reality and
its manifestations, the one and the many, The teachings that
all is mind will be explained in such a manner
as to be understood by all who have followed us
so far. We will be able to impart to you
the higher truths about spiritual evolution sometimes called reincarnation, as
well as spiritual cause and effect, often called karma. The
highest truths about these important subjects are often obscured by
popular misconceptions occasioned by partial teachings. We trust that you
are students, will wish to follow us still higher, higher
than we have ventured so far, and we assure you
that there is a truth to be seen and known
that is as much higher than the other phases upon
which we have touched, as those phases have been higher
than the current beliefs of the masses of the race.
We trust that the powers of knowledge may guide and
direct us, that we may be able to convey our
message so that it may be accepted and understood. We
thank our students who have traveled thus far with us,
and we assure them that their loving sympathy has ever
been a help and an inspiration to us. Peace be
with you. End of a series of lessons in Raja
yoga by Yogi Ramashiraka.