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A SERIES OF
Lessons
in Gnani Yoga
THE SEVENTH LESSON COSMIC
EVOLUTION.
We have now reached a most
interesting point in this course of
lessons, and a period of fascinating
study lies before us from now until
the close of the course. We have
acquainted ourselves with the
fundamental principles, and will now
proceed to witness these principles
in active operation. We have studied
the Yogi Teachings concerning the
Truth underlying all things, and
shall now pass on to a consideration
of the processof Cosmic Evolution;
the Cyclic Laws; the Law of
Spiritual Evolution, or
Reincarnation; the Law of Spiritual
Cause and Effect, or _Karma_; etc.
In this lesson we begin the story of
the upward progress of the Universe,
and its forms, shapes, and forces,
from the point of the "moment's
pause" following the ceasing of the
process of Involution--the point at
which Cosmic Evolution begins. Our
progress is now steadily upward, so
far as the evolution of Individual
Centres is concerned. We shall see
the principles returning to the
Principle--the centres returning to
the great Centre from which they
emanated during the process of
Involution. We shall study the long,
gradual, but steady ascent of Man,
in his journey toward god-hood. We
shall see the Building of an
Universe, and the Growth of the
Soul.
In our last lesson we have seen that
at the dawn of a Brahmic Day, the
Absolute begins the creation of a
new Universe. The Teachings inform
us that in the beginning, the
Absolute forms a Mental Image, or
Thought-Form of an Universal Mind
Principle, or Universal Mind-Stuff,
as some of the teachers express it.
Then this Universal Mind Principle
creates within itself the Universal
Energy Principle. Then this
Universal Energy Principle creates
within itself the Universal Matter
Principle. Thus, Energy is a product
of Mind; and Matter a product of
Energy.
The Teachings then further inform us
that from the rare, tenuous, subtle
form of Matter in which the
Universal Matter Principle first
appeared, there was produced forms
of Matter less rare; and so by easy
stages, and degrees, there appeared
grosser and still grosser forms of
matter, until finally there could be
no further involution into grosser
forms, and the Involutionary Process
ceased. Then ensued the "moment's
pause" of which the Yogi teachers
tell us. At that point Matter
existed as much grosser that the
grossest form of Matter now known to
us, as the latter is when compared
to the most subtle vapors known to
science. It is impossible to
describe these lower forms of
matter, for they have ages since
disappeared from view, and we would
have no words with which to describe
them. We can understand the
situation only by comparisons
similar to the above.
Succeeding the moment's pause, there
began the Evolutionary Process, or
Cosmic Evolution, which has gone on
ever since, and which will go on for
ages to come. From the grossest
forms of Matter there evolved forms
a little more refined, and so on and
on. From the simple elementarv
forms, evolved more complex and
intricate forms. And from these
forms combinations began to be
formed. And the urge was ever
upward.
But remember this, that all of this
Evolutionary Process is but a
Returning Home. It is the Ascent
after the Descent. It is not a
Creation but an Unfoldment. The
Descent was made by principles as
principles--the Ascent is being made
by Individualized Centres evolved
from the principles. Matter
manifests finer and finer forms, and
exhibits a greater and greater
subservience to Energy or Force. And
Energy or Force shows a greater and
greater degree of "mind" in it. But,
remember this, that there is Mind in
even the grossest form of Matter.
This must be so, for what springs
from a thing must contain the
elements of its cause.
And the Cosmic Evolution continues,
and must continue for aeons of time.
Higher and higher forms of Mind are
being manifested, and still higher
and higher forms will appear in the
scale, as the process continues. The
evolution is not only along material
lines, but has passed on to the
mental planes, and is now operating
along the spiritual lines as well.
And the end, and aim seems to be
that each Ego, after the experiences
of many lives, may unfold and
develop to a point where it may
become conscious of its Real Self,
and realize its identity with the
One Life, and the Spirit.
At this point we may be confronted
with the objection of the student of
material science, who will ask why
we begin our consideration of Cosmic
Evolution at a point in which matter
has reached the limit of its lowest
vibrations, manifesting in the
grossest possible form of matter.
These students may point to the fact
that Science begins its
consideration of evolution with the
_nebulae_, or faint cloudlike,
vaporous matter, from which the
planets were formed. But there is
only an apparent contradiction here.
The nebulae were part of the Process
of Involution, and Science is right
when it holds that the gross forms
were produced from the finer. But
the process of change from finer to
grosser was _Involution_, not
Evolution. Do you see the
difference?
Evolution begins at the point when
the stage of Unfoldment commenced.
When the gross forms begin to yield
to the new upward urge, and unfold
into finer forms--then begins
Evolution.
We shall pass over the period of
Evolution in which Matter was
evolving into finer and still finer
forms, until at last it reached a
degree of vibration capable of
supporting that which we call
"life." Of course there is "life" in
all matter--even in the atom, as we
have shown in previous lessons. But
when we speak of "life," as we now
do, we mean what are generally
called "living forms." The Yogi
Teachings inform us that the lowest
forms of what we call "life" were
evolved from forms of high crystal
life, which indeed they very much
resemble. We have spoken of this
resemblance, in the previous lessons
of this series. And, so we shall
begin at the point where "living
forms" began.
Speaking now of our own planet, the
Earth, we find matter emerging from
the molten state in which it
manifested for ages. Gradually
cooling and stratifying, the Earth
contained none of those forms that
we call living forms. The
temperature of the Earth in that
period is estimated at about 15,000
times hotter than boiling water,
which would, of course, render
impossible the existence of any of
the present known forms of life. But
the Yogi Teachings inform us that
even in the molten mass there were
elementary forms that were to become
the ancestral forms of the later
living forms. These elementary forms
were composed of a vaporous,
peculiar form of matter, of minute
size,--little more than the atoms,
in fact, and yet, just a little more
advanced. From these elementary
forms, there gradually evolved, as
the Earth cooled and solidified,
other forms, and so on until at last
the first "living form" manifested.
As the globe cooled at the poles,
there was gradually created a
tropical climate, in which the
temperature was sufficiently cool to
support certain rudimentary forms of
life. In the rocks in the far
northern latitudes, there are found
abundant traces of fossils, which
goes to prove the correctness of the
Yogi Teachings of the origin of life
at the north pole, from which the
living forms gradually spread south
toward the equator, as the Earth's
surface cooled.
The elementary evolving life forms
were of a very simple structure, and
were but a degree above the
crystals. They were composed of
identically the same substance as
the crystals, the only difference
being that they displayed a greater
degree of mind. For that matter,
even the highest physical form known
to us today is composed of simple
chemical materials. And these
chemical materials are obtained,
either directly or indirectly, from
the air, water, or earth. The
principal materials composing the
physical bodies of plants, animals,
and man, are oxygen, carbon,
hydrogen, nitrogen, with a still
smaller proportion of sulphur and
phosphorus, and traces of a few
other elements. The material part of
all living things is alike--the
difference lies in the degree of
Mind controlling the matter in which
it is embodied.
Of these physical materials, carbon
is the most important to the living
forms. It seems to possess
properties capable of drawing to it
the other elements, and forcing them
into service. From carbon proceeds
what is called "protoplasm," the
material of which the cells of
animal and vegetable life is
composed. From protoplasm the almost
infinite varieties of living forms
have been built up by the process of
Evolution, working gradually and by
easy stages. Every living form is
made up, or composed, of a multitude
of single cells, and their
combinations. And every form
originates in a single cell which
rapidly multiplies and reproduces
itself until the form of the amoeba;
the plant; the animal; the man, is
completed. All living forms are but
a single cell multiplied. And every
cell is composed of protoplasm.
Therefore we must look for the
beginning of life in the grade of
matter called protoplasm. In this
both modern Science and the Yogi
Teachings agree fully.
In investigating protoplasm we are
made to realize the wonderful
qualities of its principal
constituent--Carbon. Carbon is the
wonder worker of the elements.
Manifesting in various forms, as the
diamond, graphite, coal,
protoplasm--is it not entitled to
respect? The Yogi Teachings inform
us that in Carbon we have that form
of matter which was evolved as the
physical basis of life. If any of
you doubt that
inorganic matter may be transformed
into living forms, let us refer you
to the plant life, in which you may
see the plants building up cells
every day from the inorganic,
chemical or mineral substances, in
the earth, air, and water. Nature
performs every day the miracle of
transforming chemicals and minerals
into living plant cells. And when
animal or man eats these plant
cells, so produced, they become
transformed into animal cells of
which the body is built up. What it
took Nature ages to do in the
beginning, is now performed in a few
hours, or minutes.
The Yogi Teachings, again on
all-fours with modern Science,
inform us that living forms had
their beginning in water. In the
slimy bed of the polar seas the
simple cell-forms appeared, having
their origin in the transitional
stages before mentioned. The first
living forms were a lowly form of
plant life, consisting of a single
cell. From these forms were evolved
forms composed of groups of cells,
and so proceeded the work of
evolution, from the lower form to
the higher, ever in an upward path.
As we have said, the single cell is
the physical centre, or parent, of
every living form. It contains what
is known as the _nucleus_, or
kernel, which seems to be more
highly organized than the rest of
the material of the cell--it may be
considered as the "brain" of the
cell, if you wish to use your
imagination a little. The single
cell reproduces itself by growth and
division, or separation. Each cell
manifests the functions of life,
whether it be a single-celled
creature, or a cell which with
billions of others, goes to make up
a higher form.
It feels, feeds, grows, and
reproduces itself. In the
single-celled creature, the one cell
performs all of the functions, of
course. But as the forms become more
complex, the many cells composing a
form perform certain functions which
are allotted to it, the division of
labor resulting in a higher
manifestation. This is true not only
in the case of animal forms, but
also in the case of plant forms. The
cells in the bone, muscle,
nerve-tissue and blood of the animal
differ according to their offices;
and the same is true in the cells in
the sap, stem, root, leaf, seed and
flower of the plant.
As we have said, the cells multiply
by division, after a period of
growth. The cell grows by material
taken into its substance, as food.
When sufficient food has been
partaken, and enough new material
accumulated to cause the cell to
attain a certain size, then it
divides, or separates into two
cells, the division being equal, and
the point of cleavage being at the
kernel or nucleus. As the two parts
separate, the protoplasm of each
groups itself around its nucleus,
and two living forms exist where
there was but one a moment before.
And then each of the two cells
proceed to grow rapidly, and then
separate, and so on to the end, each
cell multiplying into millions, as
time passes.
Ascending in the scale, we next find
the living forms composed of
cell-groups. These cell-groups are
formed by single cells dividing, and
then subdividing, but instead of
passing on their way they group
themselves in clusters, or masses.
There are millions of forms of these
cell-group creatures, among which we
find the sponges, polyps, etc.
In the early forms of life it is
difficult to distinguish between the
animal and the plant forms, in fact
the early forms partake of the
qualities of both. But as we advance
in the scale a little there is seen
a decided "branching out," and one
large branch is formed of the
evolving plant forms, and the other
of the evolving animal forms. The
plant-branch begins with the
sea-weeds, and passes on to the
fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, pines
and palm-ferns, grasses, etc., then
to the trees, shrubs and herbs. The
animal-branch begins with the
_monera_, or single-cell forms,
which are little more than a drop of
sticky, glue-like protoplasm. Then
it passes on to the _amoebae_, which
begins to show a slight difference
in its parts. Then on the
_foraminifera_, which secretes a
shell of lime from the water. Then
on a step higher to the
_polycystina_, which secretes a
shell, or skeleton of flint-like
material from the water. Then come
the sponges. Then the coral-animals,
anemones and jelly-fish. Then come
the sea-lilies, star-fish, etc. Then
the various families of worms. Then
the crabs, spiders, centipedes,
insects. Then come the mollusca,
which include the oysters, clams and
other shell-fish; snails,
cuttle-fish, sea-squirts, etc. All
of the above families of
animal-forms are what are known as
"invertebrates," that is, without a
backbone.
Then we come to the "vertebrates,"
or animals having a backbone. First
we see the fish family with its
thousands of forms. Then come the
amphibia, which include the toads,
frogs, etc. Then come the reptiles,
which include the serpents, lizards,
crocodiles, turtles, etc. Then come
the great family of birds, with its
wonderful variety of forms, sizes,
and characteristics. Then come the
mammals, the name of which comes
from the Latin word meaning "the
breast," the characteristic of which
group comes from the fact that they
nourish their young by milk, or
similar fluid, secreted by the
mother. The mammals are the highest
form of the vertebrates.
First among the mammals we find the
aplacentals, or those which bring
forth immature young, which are
grouped into two divisions, _i.e_.,
(1) the _monotremes_, or one-vented
animals, in which group belong the
duck-bills, spiny ant-eaters, etc.;
and (2) the _marsupials_, or pouched
animals, in which group belong the
kangaroo, opossum, etc.
The next highest form among the
mammals are known as the
_placentals_, or those which bring
forth mature young. In this class
are found the ant-eaters, sloth,
manatee, the whale and porpoise, the
horse, cow, sheep, and other hoofed
animals; the elephant, seal, the
dog, wolf, lion, tiger, and all
flesh eating animals; the hares,
rats, mice, and ail other gnawing
animals; the bats, moles, and other
insect-feeders; then come the great
family of apes, from the small
monkeys up to the orang-outang,
chimpanzee, and other forms nearly
approaching man. And then comes the
highest, Man, from the Kaffir,
Bush-man, Cave-man, and Digger
Indian, up through the many stages
until the highest forms of our own
race are reached.
From the Monera to Man is a long
path, containing many stages, but it
is a path including all the
intermediate forms. The Yogi
Teachings hold to the theory of
evolution, as maintained by modern
Science, but it goes still further,
for it holds not only that the
physical forms are subject to the
evolutionary process, but that also
the "souls" embodied in these forms
are subject to the evolutionary
process. In other words the Yogi
Teachings hold that there is a
twin-process of evolution under way,
the main object of which is to
develop "souls," but which also
finds it necessary to evolve higher
and higher forms of physical bodies
for these constantly advancing souls
to occupy.
Let us take a hasty glance at the
ascending forms of animal life, as
they rise in the evolutionary scale.
By so doing we can witness the
growth of the soul, within them, as
manifested by the higher and higher
physical forms which are used as
channels of expression by the souls
within. Let us first study
soul-evolution from the outer
viewpoint, before we proceed to
examine it from the inner. By so
doing we will have a fuller idea of
the process than if we ignored the
outer and proceed at once to the
inner. Despise not the outer form,
for it has always been, and is now,
the Temple of the Soul, which the
latter is remodelling and rebuilding
in order to accommodate its
constantly increasing needs and
demands.
Let us begin with the _Protozoa_, or
one-celled forms--the lowest form of
animal life. The lowest form of this
lowest class is that remarkable
creature that we have mentioned in
previous lessons--the Moneron. This
creature lives in water, the natural
element in which organic life is
believed to have had its beginning.
It is a very tiny, shapeless,
colorless, slimy, sticky
mass--something like a tiny drop of
glue--alike all over and in its
mass, and without organs or parts of
any kind. Some have claimed that
below the field of the microscope
there may be something like
elementary organs in the Moneron,
but so far as the human eye may
discover there is no evidence of
anything of the kind. It has no
organs or parts with which to
perform particular functions, as is
the case with the higher forms of
life. These functions, as you know,
may be classed into three groups,
_i.e._, nutrition, reproduction, and
relation--that is, the function of
feeding, the function of reproducing
its kind, and the function of
receiving and responding to the
impressions of the outside world.
All of these three classes of
functions the Moneron performs--but
_with any part of its body, or with
all of it_.
Every part, or the whole, of the
Moneron absorbs food and oxygen--it
is all mouth and lungs. Every part,
or the whole, digests the food--it
is all stomach. Every part, or the
whole, performs the reproductive
function--it is all reproductive
organism. Every part of it senses
the impressions from outside, and
responds to it--it is all organs of
sense, and organs of motion. It
envelops its prey as a drop of glue
surrounds a particle of sand, and
then absorbs the substance of the
prey into its own substance. It
moves by prolonging any part of
itself outward in a sort of
tail-like appendage, which it uses
as a "foot," or "finger" with which
to propel itself; draw itself to, or
push itself away from an object.
This prolongation is called a
_pseudopod_, or "false-foot." When
it gets through using the
"false-foot" for the particular
purpose, it simply draws back into
itself that portion which had been
protruded for the purpose.
It performs the functions of
digestion, assimilation,
elimination, etc., perfectly, just
as the higher forms of life--but it
has no organs for the functions, and
performs them severally, and
collectively with any, or all parts
of its body. What the higher animals
perform with intricate organs and
parts--heart, stomach, lungs, liver,
kidneys, etc., etc.--this tiny
creature performs _without organs_,
and with its entire body, or any
part thereof. The function of
reproduction is startlingly simple
in the case of the Moneron. It
simply divides itself in two parts,
and that is all there is to it.
There is no male or female sex in
its case--it combines both within
itself. The reproductive process is
even far more simple than the
"budding" of plants. You may turn
one of these wonderful creatures
inside out, and still it goes on the
even tenor of its way, in no manner
disturbed or affected. It is simply
a "living drop of glue," which eats,
digests, receives impressions and
responds thereto, and reproduces
itself. This tiny glue-drop performs
virtually the same life functions as
do the higher complex forms of
living things. Which is the greater
"miracle"--the Moneron or Man?
A slight step upward from the
Moneron brings us to the Amoeba. The
name of this new creature is derived
from the Greek word meaning
"change," and has been bestowed
because the creature is constantly
changing its shape. This continual
change of shape is caused by a
continuous prolongation and
drawing-in of its pseudopods, or
"false-feet," which also gives the
creature the appearance of a
"many-fingered" organism. This
creature shows the first step toward
"parts," for it has something like a
membrane or "skin" at its surface,
and a "nucleus" at its centre, and
also an expanding and contracting
cavity within its substance, which
it uses for holding, digesting and
distributing its food, and also for
storing and distributing its
oxygen--an elementary combination of
stomach and lungs! So you see that
the amoeba has taken a step upward
from the moneron, and is beginning
to appreciate the convenience of
parts and organs. It is interesting
to note, in this connection, that
while the ordinary cells of the
higher animal body resemble the
monera in many ways, still the white
corpuscles in the blood of man and
the animals bear a startling
resemblance to the amoebae so far as
regards size, general structure, and
movements, and are in fact known to
Science as "amoeboids." The white
corpuscles change their shape, take
in food in an intelligent manner,
and live a comparatively independent
life, their movements showing
independent "thought" and "will."
Some of the amoebae (the diatoms,
for instance) secrete solid matter
from the water, and build therefrom
shells or houses, which serve to
protect them from their enemies.
These shells are full of tiny holes,
through which the pseudopods are
extended in their search for food,
and for purposes of movement. Some
of these shells are composed of
secreted lime, and others of a
flinty substance, the "selection" of
these substances from the ether
mineral particles in the water,
evidencing a degree cf "thought,"
and mind, even in these lowly
creatures. The skeletons of these
tiny creatures form vast deposits of
chalk and similar substances.
Next higher in the scale are the
Infusoria. These creatures differ
from the amoebae inasmuch as instead
of pseudopods, they have developed
tiny vibrating filaments, or
thread-like appendages, which are
used for drawing in their prey and
for moving about. These filaments
are permanent, and are not temporary
like the pseudopods of the monera or
amoebae--they are the first signs of
permanent hands and feet. These
creatures have also discovered the
possibilities of organs and parts,
to a still greater degree than have
their cousins the amoebae, and have
evolved something like a
mouth-opening (very rudimentary) and
also a short gullet through which
they pass their food and
oxygen--_they have developed the
first signs of a throat, wind-pipe
and food-passage_.
Next come the family of Sponges, the
soft skeletons of which form the
useful article of everyday use.
There are many forms who weave a
home of far more delicacy and beauty
than their more familiar and homely
brothers. The sponge creature itself
is a slimy, soft creature, which
fills in the spaces in its spongy
skeleton. It is fastened to one
spot, and gathers in its food from
the water around it (and oxygen as
well), by means of numerous
whip-like filaments called _cilia_,
which flash through the water
driving in the food and oxygen to
the inner positions of its body. The
water thus drawn in, as well as the
refuse from the food, is then driven
out in the same manner. It is
interesting to note that in the
organisms of the higher animals,
including man, there are numerous
cilia performing offices in
connection with nutrition, etc. When
Nature perfects an instrument, it is
very apt to retain it, even in the
higher forms, although in the latter
its importance may be dwarfed by
higher ones.
The next step in the ascending scale
of life-forms is occupied by the
_polyps_, which are found in water,
fastened to floating matter. The
polyps fasten themselves to this
floating matter, with their mouths
downward, from the latter dangling
certain tentacles, or thin, long
arms. These tentacles contain small
thread-like coils in contact with a
poisonous fluid, and enclosed in a
cell. When the tentacles come in
contact with the prey of the
creature, or with anything that is
sensed as a possible enemy, they
contract around the object and the
little cells burst and the tiny
thread-like coils are released and
twist themselves like a loop around
the object, poisoning it with the
secreted fluid. Some of the polyps
secrete flint-like tubes, which they
inhabit, and from the ends of which
they emerge like flowers. From these
parent polyps emerge clusters of
young, resembling buds. These
bud-like young afterwards become
what are known as jelly-fishes,
etc., which in turn reproduce
themselves--but here is a
wonder--the jelly-fish lay eggs,
which when hatched produce
stationary polyps like their
grandparent, and not moving
creatures like their parents. The
jelly-fishes have a comparatively
complex organism. They have an
intricate system of canal-like
passages with which to convey their
food and oxygen to the various
parts. They also have something like
muscles, which contract and enable
the creature to "swim." They also
possess a "nervous system," and,
most wonderful of all, they have
rudimentary eyes and ears. Their
tentacles, like those of the
parent-polyp, secrete the poisonous
fluid which is discharged into prey
or enemy.
Akin to the polyps are the
sea-anemones, with their beautiful
colors, and still more complex
structure and organism, the
tentacles of which resemble the
petals of a flower. Varying slightly
from these are the coral-creatures,
which form in colonies and the
skeletons of which form the coral
trees and branches, and other forms,
with which we are familiar.
Passing on to the next highest
family of life-forms, we see the
spiny-bodied sea-creatures, such as
the sea-urchin, star-fish, etc.,
which possess a thick, hard skin,
covered by spines or prickly
projections. These creatures abound
in numerous species. The star-fish
has rays projecting from a common
centre, which gives it its name,
while the sea-urchin resembles a
ball. The sea-lilies, with their
stems and flowers (so-called) belong
to this family, as do also the
sea-cucumbers, whose name is
obtained from their shape and
general appearance, but which are
animals possessing a comparatively
complex organism, one of the
features of which is a stomach which
may be discarded at will and
replaced by a new one. These
creatures have a well defined
nervous system, and have eyes, and
some of them even rudimentary
eyelids.
Ascending the scale of life-forms,
we next observe the great family of
the _Annulosa_, or jointed
creatures, which comprises the
various families of the worm, the
crab, the spider, the ant, etc. In
this great family are grouped nearly
four-fifths of the known life-forms.
Their bodies are well formed and
they have nervous systems running
along the body and consisting of two
thin threads, knotted at different
points into ganglia or masses of
nerve cells similar to those
possessed by the higher animals.
They possess eyes and other sense
organs, in some cases highly
developed. They possess organs,
corresponding to the heart, and have
a well-developed digestive
apparatus. Note this advance in the
nutritive organism: the moneron
takes its food at any point of its
body; the amoeba takes its food by
means of its "false-feet," and
drives it through its body by a
rhythmic movement of its substance;
the polyp distributes its food to
its various parts by means of the
water which it absorbs with the
food; the _sea-urchin and star-fish_
distribute their food by canals in
their bodies which open directly
into the water; in the higher forms
of the _annulosa_, the food is
distributed by a fluid resembling
blood, which carries the nourishment
to every part and organ, and which
carries away the waste matter, the
blood being propelled through the
body by a rudimentary heart. The
oxygen is distributed by each of
these forms in a corresponding way,
the higher forms having rudimentary
lungs and respiratory organs. Step
by step the life-forms are
perfected, and the organs necessary
to perform certain definite
functions are evolved from
rudimentary to perfected forms.
The families of worms are the
humblest members of the great family
of the Annulosa. Next come the
creatures called Rotifers, which are
very minute. Then come the
Crustacea, so called from their
crustlike shell. This group includes
the crabs, lobsters, etc., and
closely resembles the insects. In
fact, some of the best authorities
believe that the insects and the
crustacea spring from the same
parent form, and some of the Yogi
authorities hold to this belief,
while others do not attempt to pass
upon it, deeming it immaterial,
inasmuch as all life-forms have a
common origin. The western
scientists pay great attention to
outward details, while the Oriental
mind is apt to pass over these
details as of slight importance,
preferring to seek the cause back of
the outward form. On one point both
the Yogi teachers and the scientists
absolutely agree, and that is that
the family of insect life had its
origin in some aquatic creature.
Both hold that the wings of the
insect have been evolved from organs
primarily used for breathing
purposes by the ancestor when it
took short aerial flights, the need
for means of flight afterwards
acting to develop these rudimentary
organs into perfected wings. There
need be no more wonder expressed at
this change than in the case of the
transformation of the insect from
grub to chrysalis, and then to
insect. In fact this process is a
reproduction of the stages through
which the life-form passed during
the long ages between sea-creature
and land-insect.
We need not take up much of your
time in speaking of the wonderful
complex organism of some of the
insect family, which are next on the
scale above the crustacea. The
wonders of spider-life--the almost
human life of the ants--the spirit
of the beehive--and all the rest of
the wonders of insect life are
familiar to all of our readers. A
study of some good book on the life
of the higher forms of the insect
family will prove of value to
anyone, for it will open his or her
eyes to the wonderful manifestation
of life and mind among these
creatures.
Remember the remark of Darwin, that
the brain of the ant, although not
much larger than a pin point, "is
one of the most marvelous atoms of
matter in the world, perhaps more so
than the brain of man."
Closely allied to the crustacea is
the sub-family of the _mollusca_,
which includes the oyster, clams,
and similar creatures; also the
snails, cuttle-fish, slugs,
nautilus, sea-squirts, etc., etc.
Some are protected by a hard shell,
while others have a gristly outer
skin, serving as an armor, while
others still are naked. Those having
shells secrete the material for
their construction from the water.
Some of them are fixed to rocks,
etc., while others roam at will.
Strange as it may appear at first
sight, some of the higher forms of
the mollusca show signs of a
rudimentary vertebra, and science
has hazarded the opinion that the
sea-squirts and similar creatures
were descended from some ancestor
from whom also descended the
vertebrate animals, of which man is
the highest form known today on this
planet. We shall mention this
connection in our next lesson, where
we will take up the story of "The
Ascent of Man" from the lowly
vertebrate forms.
And now, in closing this lesson, we
must remind the reader that we are
not teaching Evolution as it is
conceived by modern science. We are
viewing it from the opposite
viewpoint of the Yogi Teaching.
Modern Science teaches that Mind is
a by-product of the evolving
material forms--while the Yogi
Teachings hold that there was Mind
involved in the lowest form, and
that that Mind constantly pressing
forward for unfoldment compelled the
gradual evolution, or unfoldment of
the slowly advancing degrees of
organization and function. Science
teaches that "function precedes
organization," that is, that a form
performs certain functions,
imperfectly and crudely, before it
evolves the organs suitable for the
functioning. For instance the lower
forms digested food before they
evolved stomachs--the latter coming
to meet the need. But the Yogi
Teachings go further and claim that
"desire precedes function," that is,
that the lowly life form "desires"
to have digestive apparatus, in
order to proceed in the evolutionary
scale, before it begins the
functioning that brings about the
more complex organism. There is ever
the "urge" of the Mind which craves
unfoldment, and which the creature
feels as a dim desire, which grows
stronger and stronger as time goes
on. Some yield more readily to the
urge, and such become the parents of
possible higher forms. "Many are
called, but few are chosen," and so
matters move along slowly from
generation to generation, a few
forms serving to carry on the
evolutionary urge to their
descendants. But is always the
Evolutionary Urge of the imprisoned
Mind striving to cast aside its
sheaths and to have more perfect
machinery with which, and through
which, to manifest and express
itself? This is the difference
between the "Evolution" of Modern
Science and the "Unfoldment" of the
Yogi Teachings. The one is all
material, with mind as a mere
by-product, while the other is all
Mind, with matter as a tool and
instrument of expression and
manifestation.
As we have said in this lesson--and
as we shall point out to you in
detail in future
lessons--accompanying this evolution
of bodies there is an evolution of
"souls" producing the former. This
evolution of souls is a basic
principle of the Yogi Teachings, but
it is first necessary that you
acquaint yourselves with the
evolution of bodies and forms,
before you may fully grasp the
higher teachings.
Our next lesson will be entitled
"The Ascent of Man," in which the
rise of man--that is, his body--from
the lowly forms of the vertebrates
is shown. In the same lesson we
shall begin our consideration of the
"evolution of souls." We trust that
the students are carefully studying
the details of each lesson, for
every lesson has its part in the
grand whole of the Teachings.
Mind
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