Enlightenment
Human Body
Human Spirit
Vision
Human Mind
Raja Yoga
Mind Power
Gnani Yoga
Adv.Philosophy
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Art of Living
Drahla
FourteenLessons
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A SERIES OF LESSONS
IN RAJA YOGA
By YOGI RAMACHARAKA
1906
"When
the soul sees itself as a Center
surrounded by its circumference
- when the Sun knows that it
is a Sun, surrounded by its whirling
planets-then is it
ready for the Wisdom and
Power of the Masters ."
PUBLISHERS' NOTICE
The
lessons
which compose this volume, originally
appeared in the shape of monthly
lessons, the first of
which was issued in October, 1905, and
the twelfth in September, 1906. These
lessons met with a hearty and generous
response from the public, and the
present volume is issued in response to
the demand for the lessons in a
permanent and durable form. There have been no changes
made in the text.
The
publishers
take the liberty to call the attention
of the reader to the great amount of
information condensed within the space given to
each lesson. Students have told us that
they have found it necessary to read and
study each lesson carefully,
in order to absorb the varied
information contained within its pages.
They have also stated that they have
found it advisable to re-read the
lessons several times, allowing an
interval between each reading and that
at each re-reading they would discover
information that had escaped them during
the course of the previous study. This
has been repeated to us so often that we
feel justified in mentioning it, that
other readers might avail themselves of
the same course and plan of study.
Following his usual
custom, the writer of the lessons has
declined to write a preface for this
book, claiming that the lessons speak for
themselves, and that those for whom they
are intended will receive the message
contained within them, without any
prefatory talk.
THE YOGI PUBLICATION SOCIETY.
THE
FIRST LESSON.
THE "I."
THE
SECOND
LESSON.
THE EGO'S
MENTAL TOOLS.
THE
THIRD LESSON.
THE EXPANSION
OF THE SELF.
THE
FOURTH LESSON.
MENTAL CONTROL.
THE
FIFTH LESSON.
THE CULTIVATION OF
ATTENTION.
THE
SIXTH LESSON.
CULTIVATION OF
PERCEPTION.
THE
SEVENTH LESSON.
THE UNFOLDMENT OF
CONSCIOUSNESS.
THE
EIGHTH LESSON.
THE HIGHLANDS AND
LOWLANDS OF MIND.
THE
FIRST
LESSON.
THE
"I."
In India,
the Candidates for Initiation into the
science of "Raja Yoga," when they
apply to the Yogi Masters for instruction,
are given a series of lessons designed to
enlighten them regarding the nature of the
Real Self, and to instruct them in the
secret knowledge whereby they may develop
the consciousness and realization of the
real "I" within them.
They are
shown how they may cast aside the erroneous
or imperfect knowledge regarding their real
identity.
Until the
Candidate masters this instruction, or at
least until the truth becomes fixed in his
consciousness, further instruction is denied
him, for it is held that until he has
awakened to a conscious realization of his
Actual Identity, he is not able to
understand the source of his power, and,
moreover, is not able to 'feel' within him
the power of the Will, which power underlies
the entire teachings of "Raja Yoga."
The Yogi
Masters are not satisfied if the Candidate
forms merely a clear intellectual
conception of this Actual Identity,
but they insist that he must 'feel' the
truth of the same - must become
'aware' of the Real Self - must enter
into a consciousness in which the
realization becomes a part of his
everyday self - in which the realizing
consciousness becomes the prevailing idea in
his mind, around which his entire thoughts
and actions revolve.
To some
Candidates, this realization comes like a
lightning flash the moment the attention is
directed toward it, while in other cases the
Candidates find it necessary to follow a
rigorous course of training before they
acquire the realization in consciousness.
The Yogi
Masters teach that there are two degrees of
this awakening consciousness of the Real
Self. The first, which they call "the
Consciousness of the 'I'," is the full
consciousness of ' real'
existence that comes to the Candidate, and
which causes him to ' know' that he is
a real entity having a life not depending
upon the body - life that will go on
in spite of the destruction of the
body - ' real' life, in fact. The
second degree, which they call "the
Consciousness of the 'I AM'," is the
consciousness of one's identity with the
Universal Life, and his relationship to, and
"in-touchness" with all life, expressed and
unexpressed. These two degrees of
consciousness come in time to all who seek
"The Path." To some it comes suddenly; to
others it dawns gradually; to many it comes
assisted by the exercises and practical work
of "Raja Yoga."
The first
lesson of the Yogi Masters to the
Candidates, leading up to the first degree,
above mentioned, is as follows: That the
Supreme Intelligence of the Universe -
the Absolute - has manifested the
being that we call Man - the highest
manifestation on this planet. The Absolute
has manifested an infinitude of forms of
life in the Universe, including distant
worlds, suns, planets, etc., many of these
forms being unknown to us on this planet,
and being impossible of conception by the
mind of the ordinary man. But these
lessons have nothing to do with that part
of the philosophy which deals with
these myriad forms of life, for our time
will be taken up with the unfoldment in the
mind of man of his true nature and power.
Before man attempts to solve the secrets of
the Universe without, he should master the
Universe within - the Kingdom of the
Self. When he has accomplished this, then he
may, and should, go forth to gain the outer
knowledge as a Master demanding its secrets,
rather than as a slave begging for the
crumbs from the table of knowledge. The
first knowledge for the Candidate is the
knowledge of the Self.
Man, the
highest manifestation of the Absolute, as
far as this planet is concerned, is a
wonderfully organized being - although
the average man understands but little of
his real nature. He comprises within his
physical, mental and spiritual make-up both
the highest and the lowest, as we have shown
in our previous lessons (the "Fourteen
Lessons" and the "Advanced Course"). In his
bones he manifests almost in the form of
mineral life, in fact, in his bones, body
and blood mineral substances actually exist.
The physical life of the body resembles the
life of the plant. Many of the physical
desires and emotions are akin to those
of the lower animals, and in the
undeveloped man these desires and emotions
predominate and overpower the higher nature,
which latter is scarcely in evidence. Then
Man has a set of mental characteristics that
are his own, and which are not possessed by
the lower animals (See "Fourteen Lessons").
And in addition to the mental faculties
common to all men, or rather, that are in
evidence in a greater or lesser degree among
all men, there are still higher faculties
latent within Man, which when manifested and
expressed render Man more than ordinary Man.
The unfoldment of these latent faculties is
possible to all who have reached the proper
stage of development, and the desire and
hunger of the student for this instruction
is caused by the pressure of these unfolding
latent faculties, crying to be born into
consciousness. Then there is that wonderful
thing, the Will, which is but faintly
understood by those ignorant of the Yogi
Philosophy - the Power of the
Ego - its birthright from the
Absolute.
But while
these mental and physical things ' belong'
to Man, they are ' not' the Man himself.
Before the Man is able to master, control,
and direct the things belonging to him
- his tools and instruments - he must
awaken to a realization of Himself. He must
be able to distinguish between the "I" and
the "Not I." And this is the first task
before the Candidate.
That which
is the Real Self of Man is the Divine Spark
sent forth from the Sacred Flame. It is the
Child of the Divine Parent. It is
Immortal - Eternal -
Indestructible - Invincible. It
possesses within itself Power, Wisdom, and
Reality. But like the infant that contains
within itself the sometime Man, the mind of
Man is unaware of its latent and potential
qualities, and does not know itself. As it
awakens and unfolds into the knowledge of
its real nature, it manifests its qualities,
and realizes what the Absolute has given it.
When the Real Self begins to awaken, it sets
aside from itself those things which are but
appendages to it, but which it, in its
half-waking state, had regarded as its Self.
Setting aside first this, and then that, it
finally discards all of the "Not I," leaving
the Real Self free and delivered from its
bondage to its appendages. Then it returns
to the discarded appendages, and makes use
of them.
In
considering the question: "What is the Real
Self?" let us first stop to examine what man
usually means when he says "I."
The lower
animals do not possess this "I" sense. They
are conscious of the outer world; of their
own desires and animal cravings and
feelings. But their consciousness has not
reached the Self-conscious stage. They are
not able to think of themselves as separate
entities, and to reflect upon their
thoughts. They are not possessed of a
consciousness of the Divine Spark -
the Ego - the Real Self. The Divine
Spark is hidden in the lower forms of
life - even in the lower forms of
human life - by many sheaths that shut
out its light. But, nevertheless, it is
there, always. It sleeps within the mind of
the savage - then, as he unfolds, it
begins to throw out its light. In you, the
Candidate, it is fighting hard to have its
beams pierce through the material coverings.
When the Real Self begins to arouse itself
from its sleep, its dreams vanish from it,
and it begins to see the world as it is, and
to recognize itself in Reality and not as
the distorted thing of its dreams.
The savage
and barbarian are scarcely conscious of the
"I." They are but a little above the animal
in point of consciousness, and their "I" is
almost entirely a matter of the
consciousness of the wants of the body; the
satisfaction of the appetites; the
gratification of the passions; the securing
of personal comfort; the expression of lust,
savage power, etc.
In the
savage the lower part of the Instinctive
Mind is the seat of the "I." (See "Fourteen
Lessons" for
explanation
of the several mental planes of man.) If the
savage could analyze his thoughts he would
say that the "I" was the physical body, the
said body having certain "feelings," "wants"
and "desires." The "I" of such a man is a
physical "I," the body representing
its form and substance. Not only is this
true of the savage, but even among so-called
"civilized" men of to-day we find many in
this stage. They have developed powers of
thinking and reasoning, but they do not
"live in their minds" as do some of their
brothers. They use their thinking powers for
the gratification of their bodily desires
and cravings, and really live on the plane
of the Instinctive Mind.
Such a
person may speak of "my mind," or "my soul,"
not from a high position where he looks upon
these things from the standpoint of a Master
who realizes his Real Self, but from below,
from the point-of-view of the man who lives
on the plane of the Instinctive Mind and who
sees above ' himself' the higher attributes.
To such people the body is the "I." Their
"I" is bound up with the senses, and that
which comes to them through the senses. Of
course, as Man advances in "culture" and
"civilization," his senses become educated,
and are satisfied only with more refined
things, while the less cultivated man is
perfectly satisfied with the more material
and gross sense gratifications. Much that we
call "cultivation" and "culture" is naught
but a cultivation of a more refined form of
sense gratification, instead of a real
advance in consciousness and unfoldment. It
is true that the advanced student and Master
is possessed of highly developed senses,
often far surpassing those of the ordinary
man, but in such cases the senses have been
cultivated under the mastery of the
Will, and are made servants of the Ego
instead of things hindering the progress of
the soul - they are made servants
instead of masters.
As Man
advances in the scale, he begins to have a
somewhat higher conception of the "I." He
begins to use his mind and reason, and he
passes on to the Mental Plane - his
mind begins to manifest upon the plane
of Intellect. He finds that there is
something within him that is higher
than the body. He finds that his mind seems
more ' real' to him than does the physical
part of him, and in times of deep thought
and study he is able almost to forget the
existence of the body.
In this
second stage, Man soon becomes perplexed. He
finds problems that demand an answer, but as
soon as he thinks he has answered them the
problems present themselves in a new phase,
and he is called upon to "explain his
explanation." The mind, even although not
controlled and directed by the Will, has a
wonderful range, but, nevertheless, Man
finds himself traveling around and around in
a circle, and realizes that he is confronted
continually by the Unknown. This disturbs
him, and the higher the stage of "book
learning" he attains, the more disturbed
does he become. The man of but little
knowledge does not see the existence of many
problems that force themselves before the
attention of the man of more knowledge, and
demand an explanation from him. The tortures
of the man who has attained the mental
growth that enables him to see the new
problems and the impossibility of their
answer, cannot be imagined by one who has
not advanced to that stage.
The man in
this stage of consciousness thinks of his
"I" as a mental thing, having a lower
companion, the body. He feels that he has
advanced, but yet his "I" does not give him
the answer to the riddles and questions that
perplex him. And he becomes most unhappy.
Such men often develop into Pessimists, and
consider the whole of life as utterly evil
and disappointing - a curse rather
than a blessing. Pessimism belongs to this
plane, for neither the Physical Plane man or
the Spiritual Plane man have this curse of
Pessimism. The former man has no such
disquieting thoughts, for he is almost
entirely absorbed in gratifying his animal
nature, while the latter man recognizes his
mind as an instrument of himself, rather
than as ' himself' , and knows it to be
imperfect in its present stage of growth. He
knows that he has in himself the key to all
knowledge - locked up in the Ego
- and which the trained mind, cultivated,
developed and guided by the awakened Will,
may grasp as it unfolds.
Knowing
this the advanced man no longer despairs,
and, recognizing his real nature, and his
possibilities, as he awakens into a
consciousness of his powers and
capabilities, he laughs at the old
despondent, pessimistic ideas, and discards
them like a worn-out garment. Man on the
Mental Plane of consciousness is like a huge
elephant who knows not his own strength.
He could
break down barriers and assert himself over
nearly any condition or environment, but in
his ignorance of his real condition and
power he may be mastered by a puny driver,
or frightened by the rustling of a piece of
paper.
When the
Candidate becomes an Initiate - when
he passes from the purely Mental Plane on to
the Spiritual Plane - he realizes that
the "I," the Real Self - is something
higher than either body or mind, and that
both of the latter may be used as tools and
instruments by the Ego or "I." This
knowledge is not reached by purely
intellectual reasoning, although such
efforts of the mind are often necessary to
help in the unfoldment, and the Masters so
use it. The real knowledge, however, comes
as a special form of consciousness. The
Candidate becomes "aware" of the real "I,"
and this consciousness being attained, he
passes to the rank of the Initiates. When
the Initiate passes the second degree of
consciousness, and begins to grow into a
realization of his relationship to
the Whole - when he begins to manifest
the Expansion of Self - then is he on
the road to Mastership.
In the
present lesson we shall endeavor to point
out to the Candidate the methods of
developing or increasing the realization of
this "I" consciousness - this first
degree work. We give the following exercises
or development drills for the Candidate to
practice. He will find that a careful and
conscientious following of these directions
will tend to unfold in him a sufficient
degree of the "I" consciousness, to
enable him to enter into higher stages
of development and power. All that is
necessary is for the Candidate to feel
within himself the dawn of the wakening
consciousness, or awareness of the Real
Self. The higher stages of the "I"
consciousness come gradually, for once on
the Path there is no retrogression or going
backward. There may be pauses on the
journey, but there is no such thing as
actually losing that which is once gained on
The Path.
This "I"
consciousness, even in its highest stages,
is but a preliminary step toward what is
called "Illumination," and which signifies
the awakening of the Initiate to a
realization of his actual connection with
and relation to the Whole. The full sight of
the glory of the "I," is but a faint
reflected glow of "Illumination." The
Candidate, once that he enters fully into
the "I" consciousness, becomes an
"Initiate." And the Initiate who enters into
the dawn of Illumination takes his first
step upon the road to Mastery. The
Initiation is the awakening of the soul to a
knowledge of its real existence - the
Illumination is the revelation of the real
nature of the soul, and of its relationship
with the Whole.After the first dawn of the
"I" consciousness has been attained, the
Candidate is more able to grasp the means of
developing the consciousness to a still
higher degree - is more able to use
the powers latent within him; to control his
own mental states; to manifest a Centre of
Consciousness and Influence that will
radiate into the outer world which is always
striving and hunting for such centres around
which it may revolve.
Man must
master himself before he can hope to exert
an influence beyond himself. There is no
royal road to unfoldment and power -
each step must be taken in turn, and each
Candidate must take the step himself, and by
his own effort. But he may, and will, be
aided by the helping hand of the
teachers who have traveled The Path before
him, and who know just when that helping
hand is needed to lift the Candidate over
the rough places.
We bid the
Candidate to pay strict attention to the
following instruction, as it is all
important. Do not slight any part of it, for
we are giving you only what is necessary,
and are stating it as briefly as possible.
Pay attention, and follow the instruction
closely. This lesson must be mastered before
you progress. And it must be practiced not
only now, but at many stages of the journey,
until full Initiation and Illumination is
yours.
RULES
AND
EXERCISES DESIGNED TO AID THE CANDIDATE IN
HIS INITIATION.
The first
instruction along the line of Initiation is
designed to awaken the mind to a full
realization and
consciousness
of
the
individuality of the "I." The Candidate is
taught to relax his body, and to calm his
mind and to meditate upon the "I" until it
is presented clearly and sharply before the
consciousness. We herewith give directions
for producing the desired physical and
mental condition, in which meditation and
concentration are more readily practiced.
This state of Meditation will be referred to
in subsequent exercises, so the Candidate is
advised to acquaint himself thoroughly with
it.
STATE
OF
MEDITATION.
If
possible, retire to a quiet place or room,
where you do not fear interruption, so that
your mind may feel secure and at rest. Of
course, the ideal condition cannot always be
obtained, in which case you must do the best
you can. The idea is that you should be able
to abstract yourself, so far as is possible,
from distracting impressions, and you should
be alone with yourself - in communion
with your Real Self.
It is well
to place yourself in an easy chair, or on a
couch, so that you may relax the muscles and
free the tension of your nerves. You should
be able to "let go" all over, allowing every
muscle to become limp, until a feeling
of perfect peace and restful calm permeates
every particle of your being. Rest the body
and calm the mind. This condition is best in
the earlier stages of the practice, although
after the Candidate has acquired a degree of
mastery he will be able to obtain the
physical relaxation and mental calm whenever
and wherever he desires.
But he must
guard against acquiring a "dreamy" way of
going around, wrapped in meditation when he
should be attending to the affairs of life.
' Remember
this' , the State of Meditation should be
entirely under the control of the Will, and
should be entered into only deliberately and
at the proper times. The Will must be master
of this, as well as of every other mental
state. The Initiates are not "day dreamers,"
but men and women having full control of
themselves and their moods. The "I"
consciousness while developed by meditation
and consciousness, soon becomes a fixed item
of consciousness, and does not have to be
produced by meditation. In time of trial,
doubt, or trouble, the consciousness may be
brightened by an effort of the Will (as we
shall explain in subsequent lessons) without
going into the State of Meditation.
THE
REALIZATION
OF
THE "I."
The
Candidate must first acquaint himself with
the reality of the "I," before he will be
able to learn its real nature. This is the
first step. Let the Candidate place himself
in the State of Meditation, as heretofore
described. Then let him concentrate his
entire attention upon his Individual Self,
shutting out all thought of the outside
world, and other persons. Let him form in
his mind the idea of himself as a ' real'
thing - an actual being - an
individual entity - a Sun around which
revolves the world. He must see himself as
the Centre around which the whole world
revolves. Let not a false modesty, or sense
of depreciation interfere with this idea,
for you are not denying the right of others
to also consider themselves centres. You
are, in fact, a centre of
consciousness - made so by the
Absolute - and you are awakening to
the fact. Until the Ego recognizes itself as
a Centre of Thought, Influence and Power, it
will not be able to ' manifest' these
qualities. And in proportion as it
recognizes its position as a centre, so will
it be able to manifest its qualities. It is
not necessary that you should compare
yourself with others, or imagine yourself
greater or higher than them. In fact, such
comparisons are to be regretted, and are
unworthy of the advanced Ego, being a mark
and indication of a lack of development,
rather than the reverse. In the Meditation
simply ignore all consideration of the
respective qualities of others, and endeavor
to realize the fact that YOU are a great
Centre of Consciousness - a Centre of
Power - a Centre of Influence -
a Centre of Thought. And that like the
planets circling around the sun, so does
your world revolve around YOU who are its
centre. It will not be necessary for you to
argue out this matter, or to convince
yourself of its truth by intellectual
reasoning.
The
knowledge does not come in that way. It
comes in the shape of a realization of the
truth gradually dawning upon your
consciousness through meditation and
concentration. Carry this thought of
yourself as a "Centre of Consciousness
- Influence - Power" with you, ' for
it is an occult truth,' and in the
proportion that you are able, to realize it
so will be your ability to manifest the
qualities named.
No matter
how humble may be your position - no
matter how hard may be your lot - no
matter how deficient in educational
advantages you may be - still you
would not change your "I" with the most
fortunate, wisest and highest man or woman
in the world. You may doubt this, but think
for a moment and you will see that we are
right. When you say that you "would like to
be" this person or that, you really mean
that ' you' would like to have their degree
of intelligence, power, wealth, position, or
what not. What you want is something that is
theirs, or something akin to it. But you
would not for a moment wish to merge your '
identity' with theirs, or to exchange '
selves' . Think of this for a moment To '
be' the other person you would have to let '
yourself' die, and instead of ' yourself'
you would be the other person. The real '
you' would be wiped out of existence, and
you would not be ' you' at all, but would be
' he' .
If you can
but grasp this idea you will see that not
for a moment would you be willing for such
an exchange. Of course such an exchange is
impossible. The "I" of you cannot be wiped
out. It is eternal, and will go on, and on,
and on, to higher and higher states -
but it always will be the same "I." Just as
you, although a far different sort of person
from your childhood self, still you
recognize that the same "I" is there, and
always has been there. And although you will
attain knowledge, experience, power and
wisdom in the coming years, the same "I"
will be there. The "I" is the Divine Spark
and cannot be extinguished.
The
majority of people in the present stage of
the race development have but a faint
conception of the reality of the "I." They
accept the statement of its existence, and
are conscious of themselves as an eating,
sleeping, living creature - something
like a higher form of animal. But they have
not awakened to an "awareness" or
realization of the "I," which must
come to all who become real centres of
Influence and Power. Some men have stumbled
into this consciousness, or a degree of it,
without understanding the matter. They have
"felt" the truth of it, and they have
stepped out from the ranks of the
commonplace people of the world, and have
become powers for good or bad. This is
unfortunate to some extent, as this
"awareness" without the knowledge that
should accompany it may bring pain to the
individual and others.
The
Candidate must meditate upon the "I," and
recognize it - 'feel' it -
to be a Centre. This is his first task.
Impress
upon your mind the word "I," in this sense
and understanding, and let it sink deep down
into your consciousness, so that it will
become a part of you. And when you say "I,"
you must accompany the word with the picture
of your Ego as a Centre of Consciousness,
and Thought, and Power, and Influence. See
yourself thus, surrounded by your world.
Wherever you go, there goes the Centre of
your world. YOU are the Centre, and all
outside of you revolves around that Centre.
This is the first great lesson on the road
to Initiation. Learn it!
The Yogi
Masters teach the Candidates that their
realization of the "I" as a Centre may be
hastened by going into the Silence, or State
of Meditation, and repeating their first
name over slowly, deliberately and solemnly
a number of times. This exercise tends to
cause the mind to centre upon the "I," and
many cases of dawning Initiation have
resulted from this practice. Many original
thinkers have stumbled upon this method,
without having been taught it. A noted
example is that of Lord Tennyson, who has
written that he attained a degree of
Initiation in this way. He would repeat his
own name, over and over, and the same time
meditating upon hisidentity, and he reports
that he would become conscious and "aware"
of his reality and immortality - in short
would recognize himself as a ' real' center
of consciousness.
We think we
have given you the key to the first stage of
meditation and concentration. Before passing
on, let us quote from one of the old Hindu
Masters. He says, regarding this matter:
"When the soul sees itself as a Centre
surrounded by its circumference - when the
Sun knows that it is a Sun, and is
surrounded by its whirling planets - then is
it ready for the Wisdom and Power of the
Masters."
THE
KNOWLEDGE
OF
THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE "I" FROM THE BODY.
Many of the
Candidates find themselves prevented from a
full realization of the "I" (even after they
have begun to grasp it) by the confusing of
the reality of the "I" with the sense of the
physical body. This is a stumbling block
that is easily overcome by meditation and
concentration, the independence of the "I"
often becoming manifest to the Candidate in
a flash, upon the proper thought being used
as the subject of meditation.
The
exercise is given as follows: Place yourself
in the State of Meditation, and think of
YOURSELF - as your clothes. Realize that you
are able to leave the body, and still be the
same "I." Picture yourself as doing this,
and looking down upon your body. Think of
the body as a shell from which you may
emerge without affecting your identity.
Think of yourself as mastering and
controlling the body that you occupy, and
using it to the best advantage, making it
healthy, strong and vigorous, but still
being merely a shell or covering for the
real "You."
Think
of
the
body as composed of atoms and cells which
are constantly changing, but which are held
together by the force of your Ego, and which
you can improve at Will. Realize that you
are merely inhabiting the body, and using it
for your convenience, just as you might use
a house.
In
meditating further, ignore the body
entirely, and place your thought upon the
Real "I"
that you
are beginning to feel to be "you," and you
will find that your identity - your" - is
something entirely apart from the body. You
may now say "my body" with a new meaning.
Divorce the idea of your being a physical
being, and realize that you are above body.
But
do
not
let this conception and realization cause
you to ignore the body. You must regard the
body as the Temple of the Spirit, and care
for it, and make it a fit habitation for the
"I." Do not be frightened if, during
this meditation, you happen to experience
the sensation of being out of the body for a
few moments, and of returning to it when you
are through with the exercise. The Ego is
able (in the case of the advanced Initiate)
of soaring above the confines of the body,
but it never severs its connection at such
times. It is merely as if one were to look
out of the window of a room, seeing what was
going on outside, and drawing in his head
when he wishes. He does not leave the room,
although he may place his head outside in
order to observe what is doing in the
street. We do not advise the Candidate to
try to cultivate this sensation - but if it
comes naturally during meditation, do
not fear.
REALIZING
THE
IMMORTALITY AND INVINCIBILITY OF THE EGO.
While the
majority accept on faith the belief in the
Immortality of the Soul, yet but few are
aware that it may be demonstrated by the
soul itself. The Yogi Masters teach the
Candidates this lesson, as follows: The
Candidate places himself in the State of
Meditation, or at least in a thoughtful
frame of mind, and then endeavors to
"imagine" himself as "dead: - that is, he
tries to form a mental conception of himself
as dead. This, at first thought, appears a
very easy thing to imagine, but as a matter
of fact it is ' impossible' to do so, for
the Ego refuses to entertain the
proposition, and finds it impossible to
imagine it. Try it for yourself.
You
will
find that you may be able to imagine your '
body' as lying still and lifeless, but the
same thought finds that in so doing ' You'
are standing and looking at the body. So you
see that ' You' are not dead at all, even in
imagination, although the body may be. Or,
if you refuse to disentangle yourself from
your body, in imagination, you may think of
your body as dead but ' You' who refuse to
leave it are still ' alive' and
recognize the dead body as a thing apart
from your Real Self. No matter how you may
twist it you ' cannot' imagine yourself as
dead. The Ego insists upon being ' alive' in
any of these thoughts, and thus finds that
it has within itself the sense and assurance
of Immortality. In case of sleep or stupor
resulting from a blow, or from narcotics
or anaesthetics, the mind is
apparently blank, but the "I" is conscious
of a continuity of existence. And so one may
imagine himself as being in an unconscious
state, or asleep, quite easily, and sees the
possibility of such a state, but when it
comes to imagining the "I" as dead, the mind
utterly refuses to do the work. This
wonderful fact that the soul carries within
itself the evidence of its own immortality
is a glorious thing, but one must have
reached a degree of unfoldment before he is
able to grasp its full significance.
The
Candidate is advised to investigate the
above statement for himself, by meditation
and concentration, for in order that the "I"
may know its true nature and possibilities,
it must realize that it cannot be destroyed
or killed. It must know what it is before it
is able to manifest its nature. So do not
leave this part of the teaching until you
have mastered it. And it is well
occasionally to return to it, in order that
you may impress upon the mind the fact of
your immortal and eternal nature. The mere
glimmering of this conception of truth will
give you an increased sense of strength and
power, and you will find that your Self has
expanded and grown, and that you are more of
a power and Centre than you have heretofore
realized.
The
following exercises are useful in bringing
about a realization of the
invincibility of the Ego - its superiority
to the elements.
Place
yourself in the State of Meditation, and
imagine the "I" as withdrawn from the body.
See it passing through the tests of air,
fire and water unharmed. The body being out
of the way, the soul is seen to be able of
passing through the air at will - of
floating like a bird - of soaring - of
traveling in the ether. It may be seen as
able to pass through fire without harm and
without sensation, for the elements affect
only the physical body, not the Real "I."
Likewise it may be seen as passing through
water without discomfort or danger or hurt.
This
meditation will give you a sense of
superiority and strength, and will show you
something of the nature of the real "I." It
is true that you are confined in the body,
and the body may be affected by the
elements, but the knowledge that the Real
"I" is superior to the body - superior to
the elements that affect the body - and
cannot be injured any more than it can be
killed, is wonderful, and tends to develop
the full "I" consciousness within you. For
You - the Real "I: - are not body. You are
Spirit. The Ego is Immortal and Invincible,
and cannot be killed and harmed. When you
enter into this realization and
consciousness, you will feel an influx of
strength and power impossible to describe.
Fear will fall from you like a worn-out
cloak, and you will feel that you are "born
again." An understanding of this thought,
will show you that the things that we have
been fearing cannot affect the Real "I," but
must rest content with hurting the physical
body. And they may be warded off from the
physical body by a proper understanding and
application of the Will.
In our next
lesson, you will be taught how to separate
the "I" from the mechanism of the mind - how
you may realize your mastery of the mind,
just as you now realize your independence of
the body. This knowledge must be imparted to
you by degrees, and you must place your feet
firmly upon one round of the ladder before
you take the next step.
The
watchword of this First Lesson is "I." And
the Candidate must enter fully into its
meaning before he is able to progress. He
must realize his real existence -
independent of the body. He must see himself
as invincible and impervious to
harm, hurt, or death. He must see
himself as a great Centre of
Consciousness - a Sun around which his world
revolves.
Then will
come to him a new strength. He will feel a
calm dignity and power, which will be
apparent to those with whom he
comes in contact.
He will be
able to look the world in the face without
flinching, and without fear, for he will
realize the nature and power of the "I." He
will realize that he is a Centre of Po wet -
of Influence. He will realize that nothing
can harm the "I," and that no matter how the
storms of life may dash upon the
personality, the real "I" - the Individuality -
is unharmed.Like a rock that stands
steadfast throughout the storm, so does the
"I" stand through the tempests of the life
of personality. And he will know that as he
grows in realization, he will be able to
control these storms and bid them be still.
In the
words of one of the Yogi Masters: "The 'I'
is eternal. It passes unharmed through the
fire, the air, the water. Sword and
spear cannot kill or wound it. It cannot
die. The trials of the physical life are but
as dreams to it. Resting
secure in the knowledge of the 'I,' Man may
smile at the worst the world has to offer,
and raising his hand he may bid
them disappear into the mist from which they
emerged.
Blessed is
he who can say (understandingly) 'I'."
So dear
Candidate, we leave you to master the First
Lesson. Be not discouraged if your progress be
slow. Be not cast down if you slip back a
step after having gained it. You will gain
two at the next step.
Success and realization will be yours.
Mastery is before. You will Attain. You will
Accomplish.
Peace
be with you.
MANTRAMS
(AFFIRMATIONS)
FOR THE FIRST LESSON.
"I" am a
Centre. Around me revolves my world.
"I" am a
Centre of Influence and Power.
"I" am a
Centre of Thought and Consciousness.
"I" am
Independent of the Body.
"I" am
Immortal and cannot be Destroyed.
"I" am
Invincible and cannot be Injured.
Mind
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