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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13142-0.txt b/13142-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3989fef --- /dev/null +++ b/13142-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,942 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13142 *** + +SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND THE WAY TO POWER + +by + +L. W. ROGERS + +Price 25 Cents + +1922 + + + + + + + +"We may be either the suffering slaves of nature or the happy masters +of her laws." + + + + +SELF DEVELOPMENT AND THE WAY TO POWER + + +It is the natural right of every human being to be happy--to escape +all the miseries of life. Happiness is the normal condition, as +natural as the landscapes and the seasons. It is unnatural to suffer +and it is only because of our ignorance that we do suffer. Happiness +is the product of wisdom. To attain perfect wisdom, to comprehend +fully the purpose of life, to realize completely the relationship of +human beings to each other, is to put an end to all suffering, to +escape every ill and evil that afflicts us. Perfect wisdom is +unshadowed joy. + +Why do we suffer in life? Because in the scheme of nature we are being +forced forward in evolution and we lack the spiritual illumination +that alone can light the way and enable us to move safely among the +obstacles that lie before us. Usually we do not even see or suspect +the presence of trouble until it suddenly leaps upon us like a +concealed tiger. One day our family circle is complete and happy. A +week later death has come and gone and joy is replaced with agony. +Today we have a friend. Tomorrow he will be an enemy and we do not +know why. A little while ago we had wealth and all material luxuries. +There was a sudden change and now we have only poverty and misery and +yet we seek in vain for a reason why this should be. There was a time +when we had health and strength; but they have both departed and no +trace of a reason appears. Aside from these greater tragedies of life +innumerable things of lesser consequence continually bring to us +little miseries and minor heartaches. We most earnestly desire to +avoid them but we never see them until they strike us, until in the +darkness of our ignorance we blunder upon them. The thing we lack is +the spiritual illumination that will enable us to look far and wide, +finding the hidden causes of human suffering and revealing the method +by which they may be avoided; and if we can but reach illumination the +evolutionary journey can be made both comfortably and swiftly. It is +as though we must pass through a long, dark room filled with furniture +promiscuously scattered about. In the darkness our progress would be +slow and painful and our bruises many. But if we could press a button +that would turn on the electric light we could then make the same +journey quickly and with perfect safety and comfort. + +The old method of education was to store the mind with as many facts, +or supposed facts, as could be accumulated and to give a certain +exterior polish to the personality. The theory was that when a man was +born he was a completed human being and that all that could be done +for him was to load him up with information that would be used with +more or less skill, according to the native ability he happened to be +born with. The theosophical idea is that the physical man, and all +that constitutes his life in the physical world, is but a very partial +expression of the self; that in the ego of each there is practically +unlimited power and wisdom; that these may be brought through into +expression in the physical world as the physical body and its +invisible counterparts, which together constitute the complex vehicle +of the ego's manifestation, are evolved and adapted to the purpose; +and that in exact proportion that conscious effort is given to such +self-development will spiritual illumination be achieved and wisdom +attained. Thus the light that leads to happiness is kindled from +within and the evolutionary journey that all are making may be robbed +of its suffering. + +Why does death bring misery? Chiefly because it separates us from +those we love. But when we have evolved the faculty of clairvoyance, +in our work of self-development, the separation vanishes and our +"dead" friends are as much with us as the living. The only other +reason why death brings grief or fear is because we do not understand +it and comprehend the part it plays in human evolution. But the moment +our ignorance gives way to comprehension such fear vanishes and a +serene happiness takes its place. + +Why do we have enemies from whose words or acts we suffer? Because in +our limited physical consciousness we do not perceive the unity of all +life and realize that our wrong thinking and doing must react upon us +through other people--a situation from which there is no possible +escape except through ceasing to think evil and then patiently +awaiting the time when the causes we have already generated are fully +exhausted. When spiritual illumination comes, and we no longer stumble +in the night of ignorance, the last enemy will disappear and we shall +make no more forever. + +Why do people suffer from poverty and disease? Only because of our +blundering ignorance that makes their existence possible for us, and +because we do not comprehend their meaning and their lessons, nor know +the attitude to assume toward them. Had we but the wisdom to +understand why they come to people, why they are necessary factors in +their evolution, they would trouble us no longer. When nature's lesson +is fully learned these mute teachers will vanish. + +And so it is with all forms of suffering we experience. They are at +once reactions from our ignorant blunderings and instructors that +point out the better way. When we have comprehended the lessons they +teach they are no longer necessary and disappear. + +Thus our evolution is going forward and has gone forward in the past. +We know that the human race has passed through a long evolution during +which it has acquired five senses by which knowledge is gained. Nobody +who has given thought to the subject will make the mistake of +supposing that this evolution is completed and that the five senses +are all we shall ever possess. + +In this long evolutionary journey the next thing we shall do is to +develop the sixth sense. Some people have already done so and all are +approaching it. This dawning sense is called clairvoyance. Fair +investigation will show that the clairvoyant possesses certain powers +not common to the majority of people. This is merely the beginning of +the development of the sixth sense, and probably with the majority of +clairvoyants it goes no further than etheric and lower astral sight. +In other words, they are able to raise the consciousness only to a +grade of matter a little beyond the grasp of ordinary vision, while +the properly developed, trained clairvoyant raises his consciousness +two full planes beyond. + +The higher the consciousness is raised the further the horizon of +knowledge extends and the clairvoyant is able to hand down information +that appears quite miraculous; but it is perfectly natural. If a +certain person were born blind and had never understood any more about +eyesight than most people understand about clairvoyance; if this +person could know how many doorways were in a large building only by +groping along with his hands and thus acquiring the knowledge by +touch, and another person who could see should glance along the block +and instantly tell the blind man the correct number, that would be to +the blind man a miracle. Now, when a clairvoyant sees things at a +distance where the physical eye cannot reach he really does nothing +more remarkable. When we see a thing we receive the vibrations caused +by light. That gives the information. When the clairvoyant "sees" at a +distance through what we mistakenly call solid substances he receives +vibrations of matter so fine that it interpenetrates solids as the +ether does. + +Every human being must make, and is making, this long evolutionary +journey from spiritual infancy to godlike power and perfection, but +there are two ways in which it may be done. We may, as the vast +majority do, accept the process of unconscious evolution and submit to +nature's whip and spur that continuously urge the thoughtless and +indifferent forward until they finally reach the goal. Or, we may +choose conscious evolution and work intelligently with nature, thus +making progress that is comparatively of enormous rapidity and at the +same time avoid much of what Hamlet called the "slings and arrows of +outrageous fortune." + +The degree to which mind can control circumstances and dominate matter +is far greater than is generally believed. Our impressions about +matter are very illusory. No form of matter is permanent. Change goes +on everywhere at every instant, by physical laws in the physical body +and by astral and mental laws in our invisible bodies. We are not the +same being, physically, mentally or spiritually, any two days in +succession. The very soul itself is subject to this law of change. It +may expand and shine out through the physical organism resplendent, or +it may only faintly glimmer through a constantly coarsening body. + +What is the law of soul growth? Through adherence to what principle +may we reach spiritual illumination? There are certain well +established facts about the laws of growth that we should not overlook +when seeking the way forward. Nothing whatever can grow without use, +without activity. Inaction causes atrophy. Physiologists tell us that +if the arm be tied to the body so that it cannot be used it will in +time become so enfeebled, that it is of no further service. It will +wither away. That is nature's law of economy. She never gives life +where it is useless, where it can not, or will not, be utilized. On +the other hand, exercise increases power. To increase the size and +strength of muscles we must use them. This is just as true of mental +and moral faculties as it is of the physical body. The only way to +make the brain keen and powerful is to exercise it by original +thinking. One way to gain soul powers is to give free play to the +loftiest aspirations of which we are capable, and to do it +systematically instead of at random. We grow to be like the things we +think about. Now, the reverse of all this must be equally true. To +give no thought to higher things, to become completely absorbed in +material affairs, is to stifle the soul, to invite spiritual atrophy. + +Turning our attention to nature we shall find in the parasite +convincing proof of all this. The parasite, whether plant or animal, +is living evidence that to refuse or neglect to use an organ or +faculty results in being deprived of it. The dodder, says Drummond, +has roots like other plants, but when it fixes sucker discs on the +branches of neighboring plants and begins to get its food through +them, its roots perish. When it fails to use them it loses them. He +also points to the hermit-crab as an illustration of this great fact +in nature, that disuse means loss, and that to shirk responsibility is +the road to degeneration. The hermit-crab was once equipped with a +hard shell and with as good means of locomotion as other crabs. But +instead of courageously following the hardy life of other crustaceans +it formed the bad habit of taking up its residence in the cast-off +shells of mollusks. This made life easy and indolent. But it paid the +price of all shirking. In time it lost four legs, while the shell over +the vital portion of its body degenerated to a thin membrane which +leaves it practically helpless when it is out of its captured home. +And this is the certain result of all shirking of responsibility. +There may be an apparent temporary gain, but it always means greater +loss, either immediate or remote. So nature punishes inaction with +atrophy. Whatever is not used finally ceases to be. In plain language, +apathy, inaction, idleness, uselessness, is the road to degeneration. +On the other hand, aspiration and activity mean growth, development, +power. + +So we grow, physically, mentally and morally, by activity, by exercise +of the organs or the faculties we desire to possess. It is only by the +constant exercise of these things that we can grow at all. When this +great law of nature is understood we see at once how it is that life +is full of trouble; why it is that the whole visible world seems to be +designed to keep us constantly at work physically and mentally, to +challenge our resourcefulness in improving our physical, social and +political conditions, to continually try our patience and to forever +test our courage. It is the way of development. It is the price of +progress. + +The universe is a training school for evolving intelligence--a vast +gymnasium for the development of moral fibre. We become mentally +clever by playing at the game of life. We match our courage against +its adversities and acquire fearlessness. We try our optimism against +its disappointments and learn cheerfulness. We pit our patience +against its failures and gain persistence. We are torn from the +pinnacle of ambition by opponents and learn toleration of others. We +fall from the heights of vanity and pride, and learn to be modest and +humble. We encounter pain and sorrow and learn sympathy with +suffering. It is only by such experiences that we can grow to rounded +measure. It is only in an environment thus adapted to our spiritual +development that we can evolve the latent powers within us. + +Such is the universe in which we find ourselves and from it there is +no escape. No man can avoid life--not even the foolish one who, when +the difficulties before him appear for the moment overwhelming, tries +to escape them by suicide. A man cannot die. He can only choose how he +will live. He may either helplessly drift through the world suffering +from all the ills and evils that make so many unhappy or he may choose +the method of conscious evolution that alone makes life truly +successful. We may be either the suffering slaves of nature or the +happy masters of her laws. + +Now, all powers possessed by any human being, no matter how exalted +his position in evolution, or how sublime his spiritual power, are +latent in all human beings and can, in time, be developed and brought +into action. Of course there is no magic rule by which the ignoramus +can instantly become wise or by which a brutal man can be at once +transformed into a saint. It may require scores of incarnations to +accomplish a work so great, but when a man reaches the point in his +evolution where he begins to comprehend the purpose of life, and to +evolve the will to put forth his energies in co-operation with nature, +his rise to wisdom and power may be swift indeed. But this +transformation from the darkness of ignorance to spiritual +illumination, from helplessness "in the fell clutch of circumstance" +to power over nature, must be brought about by his own efforts, for it +is a process of evolution--of forcing the latent to become the active. +Therefore one must resolve to take oneself in hand for definite and +systematic self-development. Nobody else can do the work for us. +Certain moral qualities must be gained before there can be spiritual +illumination and genuine wisdom and such qualities, or virtues, have +to be evolved by the laws under which all growth occurs. It is just as +impossible to acquire a moral quality by reading about its +desirability as to evolve muscular strength by watching the +performance of a group of athletes. To gain muscular strength one must +take part in the physical activities that produce it. He must live the +athletic life. To win spiritual strength and supremacy he must live +the spiritual life. There is no other way. He must first learn what +mental and moral qualities are essential, and how to gain them, and +then set earnestly about the work of acquiring them. + +The first thing necessary is to get a clear understanding of the fact +that the physical body is not the self but only a vehicle or +instrument through which the self is being manifested in the visible +world. The body is as much your instrument as the hand is, or as your +pen is. It is a thing which you, the self, use and a clear conception +of this fact--a feeling that this is the fact--is the first step +toward that absolute control of the physical body that lays the +foundation for success in conscious evolution. When we feel that in +managing the physical body we are controlling something that is not +ourself we are fairly started on the right road. + +Now, there are three things that a person must possess to be +successful in self-development. If he has not these three +qualifications he will make but little progress; but, fortunately, any +lacking quality can be evolved and if one does not possess these three +necessities his first work is to create them. These three things are +an ardent desire, an iron will and an alert intelligence. Why are +these three qualifications essential to success and what purpose do +they serve? + +Desire is nature's motor power--the propulsive force that pushes +everything forward in its evolution. It is desire that stimulates to +action. Desire drives the animal into the activities that evolve its +physical body and sharpen its intelligence. If it had no desire it +would lie inert and perish. But the desire for food, for drink, for +association with its kind, impel it to action, and the result is the +evolution of strength, skill and intelligence in proportion to the +intensity of its desires. To gratify these desires it will accept +battle no matter how great may be the odds against it and will +unhesitatingly risk life itself in the combat. Desire not only induces +the activity that develops physical strength and beauty, but also has +its finer effects. Hunger compels the animal not only to seek food, +but to pit its cunning against that of its prey. Driven forward by +desire it develops, among other qualities, strength, courage, +patience, endurance, intelligence. + +Desire plays the same role with man at his higher stage of evolution. +It stimulates him to action; and always as his activity satisfies his +original desire a new one replaces the old and lures him on to renewed +exertion. The average young man beginning his business career, desires +only a comfortable cottage. But when that is attained he wants a +mansion. He soon tires of the mansion and wants a palace. Then he +wants several--at the seaside, in the city, and on the mountains. At +first he is satisfied with a horse; then he demands an automobile, and +finally a steam yacht. He sets out as a youth to earn a livelihood and +welcomes a small salary. But the desire for money pushes him into +business for himself and he works tirelessly for a competence. He +feels that a small fortune should satisfy anybody but when he gets it +he wants to be a millionaire. If he succeeds in that he then desires +to become a multi-millionaire. + +Whether the desire is for wealth, or for fame, or for power, the same +result follows--when the desire is satisfied a greater one takes its +place and spurs the ambitious one to still further exertion. He grasps +the prize he believes to contain complete satisfaction only to +discover that while he was pursuing it desire had grown beyond it, and +so the goal he would attain is always far ahead of him. Thus are we +tricked and apparently mocked by nature until we finally awake to the +fact that all the objects of desire--the fine raiment, the jewels, the +palaces, the wealth, the power, are but vain and empty things; and +that the real reward for all our efforts to secure them is not these +objects at all _but the new powers we have evolved in getting them;_ +powers that we did not before possess and which we should not have +evolved but for nature's great propulsive force--desire. The man who +accumulates a fortune by many years of persistent effort in organizing +and developing a business enterprise, by careful planning and deep +thinking, may naturally enough look upon the fortune he will possess +for a few years before it passes on to others, as his reward. But the +truth is that it is a very transient and perishable and worthless +thing compared to the new powers that were unconsciously evolved in +getting it--powers that will be retained by the man and be brought +into use in future incarnations. + +Desire, then, plays a most important role in human evolution. It +awakens, stimulates, propels. What wind is to the ship, what steam is +to the locomotive, desire is to the human being. + +It has been written in a great book, "Kill out desire," and elsewhere +it is written, "Resist not evil." We may find, in similar exalted +pronouncements, truths that are very useful to disciples but which +might be confusing and misleading to the man of the world if he +attempted to literally apply them. Perhaps for the average mortal +"kill out desire" might be interpreted "transmute desire." Without +desire man would be in a deathlike and dangerous condition--a +condition in which further progress would be impossible. But by +transmuting the lower desires into the higher he moves steadily +forward and upward without losing the motive power that urges him +forever onward. + +To transmute desire, to continually replace the lower with the higher, +really is killing desire out but it is doing it by the slow and safe +evolutionary process. As to crushing it suddenly, that is simply +impossible; but substitution may work wonders. Suppose, for example, +that a young man is a gambler and his parents are much distressed +about it. The common and foolish course is to lecture him on the sin +of gambling and to tearfully urge him to associate only with very +proper young men. But the young gambler is not in the least interested +in that sort of a life, which appears to him to be a kind of living +death, and such entreaty does not move him. His parents would do +better by looking more closely into the case. Why is he a gambler? He +desires money. He seeks excitement. He wants to live in an atmosphere +of intense life and activity. Very well. These desires are quite right +in themselves. It is useless to try to crush them. It is nonsense to +argue that he does not want these things. Clearly enough he does want +them and that is precisely why he gambles. Then do not attempt the +impossibility of killing the desire but change the objects of his +desires. Say to him: "You desire money and a life full of turbulence +and excitement. Well, you can get all that in a better and a +legitimate way and have the respect of your friends besides. You can +go into politics. That is a field within the pale of the law and in it +you can have scope for all the energy and activity and intensity of +life you long for, with all the element of chance which you find so +attractive." And when the young man has had his fling there and tires +of it then something else can be attempted. But to try to crush desire +and curb the outrushing life is both foolish and impossible. We can +only direct it. + +There are, of course, certain gross desires that must be gotten rid of +by the most direct and least objectionable method, and when one really +desires to be free from a given vice or moral weakness and sets +earnestly and intelligently about it his release is not so difficult +as the complete tyranny of most vices would lead one to suppose. There +is a process by which any of us may be free if we will take the +trouble to patiently put it into practice. This method will apply to +any desire from which we wish to be released. For example, let us take +the person who has a settled desire for alcoholic stimulants but +really wishes to be rid of it forever. Many people who are thus +afflicted to the point where they occasionally become intoxicated +feel, when they recover their normal condition, that no price would be +too great to pay for freedom from this humiliating habit. As a rule +such a man tries to close his eyes to his shame and forget it, +promising himself that he will be stronger when the temptation again +assails him. But it is just this putting it aside, this casting it out +of his mind, that perpetuates his weakness. He instinctively shrinks +from dwelling upon the thought of whither he is drifting. So he puts +the unpleasant subject aside altogether and when the inner desire +asserts itself again he finds himself precisely as helpless as before. + +Now, his certain method of escape from this tyranny of desire is to +turn his mind resolutely to an examination of the whole question. Let +him look the facts in the face, however humiliating they may be. He +should call his imagination to his assistance. It should be used to +picture to himself his future if he does not succeed in breaking up +the unfortunate slavery of the desire nature. He should think of the +fact that as he grows older the situation grows worse. He should +picture himself as the helpless, repulsive sot, with feeble body and +weakening mind, and reflect upon the humiliation he must endure, the +poverty he must face, and the physical and mental pain he must bear in +the future if he now fails to break the desire ties that bind him. +This creates in him a feeling of repulsion toward the cause of it all; +and if he continues to think daily upon this hideous picture of what +he is slowly drifting toward--if he daily regards it all with a +feeling of slight repulsion--then even within a month or two he will +find that his desire for drink is slowly fading out. + +This is as true of all other desires that enslave us. The desire for +alcoholic stimulants merely illustrates the principle involved. Any +desire from which one wishes to be free may be escaped by the same +method. But one who would free himself from the desire-nature should +not make the mistake of creating a feeling of intense hostility toward +the thing he seeks to escape; for hatred is also a tie. He should +merely reach a position of complete indifference. He should think of +it not with settled hostility, but with slight repulsion; and if he +does that daily, mentally dwelling upon the pain and humiliation it +causes, he will find the ties loosening, the desire weakening. + +Desire is a force that may be beneficial or detrimental, according to +its use. As we may eradicate a desire so may we create a desire. How, +then, may one who seeks the highest self-development use desire, this +propulsive force of nature, to help himself forward? He should desire +spiritual progress most earnestly, for without such desire he cannot +succeed. Therefore if the aspirant does not have the ardent desire for +spiritual illumination he must create it. To accomplish this let him +again call imagination to his assistance. Let him picture himself as +having his power for usefulness many times multiplied by occult +development. He should think of himself as possessing the inner sight +that enables him to understand the difficulties of others and to +comprehend their sorrows. He should daily think of the fact that this +would so broaden and quicken his sympathies that he would be +enormously more useful in the world than he can now possibly be and +that he could become a source of happiness to thousands. Let him +reflect that as he gets farther along in occult development and in +unselfishness and spirituality he may have the inestimable privilege +of coming into contact with some of the exalted intelligences that +watch over and assist the struggling aspirants on their upward way. He +should daily recall the fact that he is now moving forward toward a +freer, richer, more joyous life than he has yet known and that every +effort brings him nearer to its realization. Thus dwelling on the +subject in its various aspects he creates the ardent desire that +serves to propel him forward. + +If he feels that these things make an ideal a little too high for him +at present he may reach that point by degrees. He may at first dwell +in thought upon the personal satisfaction that would come from the +possession of astral sight. Let him reflect upon what it would mean to +be conscious of the invisible world; to have all its wonders laid open +before him; to be able to consciously meet the so-called dead, +including his own friends and relatives; to be able to have the +positive personal proof that we survive the death of the physical +body; to be able to become one of the "invisible helpers" of the +world; to have available the priceless advantages of the astral region +and to bring the consciousness of all this into the physical life. +That is certainly something worth all the time and effort required to +attain it. Thus thinking constantly of the widened life and added +powers it would confer, the desire to move forward in self-development +will be greatly stimulated. But the student should always keep it in +mind that the real purpose of acquiring new powers is to increase his +capacity for service to the race, and that he who falls short of that +ideal walks upon dangerous ground. + +The second requisite is a firm will. It should not be forgotten that +an unusual and difficult thing is being attempted in which a person of +weak will cannot possibly hope to succeed. Even in the ordinary life +of the world considerable will power is essential to success. To +succeed in business, to become expert in a profession, or to +completely master an art, requires strong will, determination, +perseverance. The difficulties in occult development are still greater +and, while it is true that any degree of effort is well worth while, +the weaklings will not go far. Only those with the indomitable will +that knows neither surrender nor compromise may hope for a large +measure of success. Once the will is thoroughly aroused and brought +into action every hindrance in the way will be swept aside. + + "The human will, that force unseen, + The offspring of a deathless soul, + Can hew a way to any goal + Tho' walls of granite intervene. + + * * * * * + + "Be not impatient of delay, + But wait as one who understands. + When spirit rises and commands + The gods are ready to obey." + +Mighty, indeed, is this force when aroused. But a person may be easily +deceived about his will. He is likely to think that his will is much +stronger than it really is. He may say to himself, "Oh, yes, I would +go through anything for the sake of the higher life and spiritual +illumination." But that is no guarantee that after a few months of +monotonous work he may not abandon it unless he adopts the wise plan +of strengthening his will as he moves forward. Let him begin this by +testing his present strength of will, but let him not be discouraged +by the result. He should remember that whatever he lacks in will power +he can evolve by proper effort. + +To find out whether he really has much strength of will a person may +begin to observe to what extent he permits his daily plans to be +modified, or entirely changed, by the things that run counter to his +will. Does he hold steadfastly to his purpose or does he weakly +surrender to small obstacles? Has he the will power to even begin the +day as he has planned it? The evening before he decides that he will +rise at six o'clock the next morning. He knows there are certain +excellent reasons why he should do so and he retires with the matter +fully decided. It is positively settled that at exactly six o'clock +the day's program shall begin. But when the clock strikes that hour +the next morning he feels strongly disinclined to obey the summons. It +involves some bodily discomfort to rise at that moment and he +concludes that, after all, perhaps he was a bit hasty the evening +before in fixing upon that hour! Whereupon he reconsiders the matter +and makes it seven; and when that time arrives he generously extends +it to eight o'clock. The hour, of course, is unimportant. But whatever +may have been the hour that was previously determined upon the keeping +of that determination is of the greatest importance and the failure to +put the resolution into effect is evidence of the possession of a weak +will. + +Now all this proves that such persons have very little real will +power, for they permit the desire for trifling bodily comfort to set +their plans aside. Such persons are still slaves to the physical body +and weakly permit it to upset carefully outlined programs. They are +not yet ready for good work in occult development, where real success +can come only to those who have steadfast strength of purpose. + +People who fail to assert the will and bring the body into complete +subjection probably little realize what a price they pay for a +trifling physical pleasure; for until we voluntarily take the right +course we have not escaped the evolutionary necessity of compulsion +and may reasonably expect sooner or later to be thrown into an +environment that will apply the stimulus we still need to arouse the +will. It may be unpleasant while it is occurring, but what better +fortune could befall an indolent man than to find himself in +circumstances where his poverty or other necessity compels him to +subordinate bodily comfort to the reign of the will? Nature provides +the lessons we require. We may wisely co-operate with her and thus +escape the sting. But so long as we need the lesson we may be quite +sure that it awaits us. + +All the business activities of the world are developing the will. +Through them will and desire work together in evolving latent powers. +Desire arouses will power. A man desires wealth and the desire plunges +him into business activities and stimulates the will by which he +overcomes all the difficulties that lie in his way. Ardent desire for +an education arouses the will of the student and the awakened will +triumphs over poverty and all other barriers between him and the +coveted diploma. If a man stands at a lower point in evolution where +he has not the ambition for intellectual culture nor for fame nor for +wealth, but only the desire for shelter and food, still that primitive +desire forces him into action; and while his will power will be +evolved only in proportion to the strength of the desire that prompts +him, it must nevertheless grow. Instead of rising at a certain hour +because the will decrees it he may rise only because he knows his +livelihood depends upon it. But he is learning the same lesson--the +overcoming of the inertia of the physical body--albeit it is +compulsory instead of voluntary. But all this is unconscious +evolution. It is the long, slow, painful process. It is the only way +possible for those who are not wise enough to co-operate with nature +in her evolutionary work and thus rise above the necessity of +compulsion. + +How, then, may we develop the will when it is so weak that we are +still the slaves of nature instead of the masters of destiny? Will +power, like any other faculty, may be cultivated and made strong. To +do this one may plan in advance what he will do under certain +circumstances and then carry out the program without evasion or +hesitation when the time arrives. His forethought will enable him to +do this if he does not undertake things too difficult at first. Let +him resolve to do at a certain hour some small thing which, in the +ordinary course of his duties, he sees is necessary but unpleasant; +and then firmly resolve in advance that exactly at the appointed time +he will do it. Thus fortified before the trial comes he will probably +go successfully through with it. After once deciding upon the time +there should be no postponement and not an instant's delay when the +moment arrives. + +One of the things we have to learn is to overcome the inertia of the +physical body and many people are not really awake on the physical +plane because they have not done so. To a certain extent they are +"dead" within the physical body for it is a condition much nearer +death than that supposed death of one who no longer has the physical +body. The inert mass of physical matter in which such people are +functioning leaves them only half alive until they have aroused +themselves from its domination. They remind one of the lines: + + "Life is a mystery, death is a doubt, + And some folks are dead + While they're walking about!" + +This inertia of the physical body that so often renders people nearly +useless is very largely a matter of habit and can be overcome to a +surprising degree by simply using a little will-power. Everybody is +familiar with the fact that it is sometimes much easier to think and +act than at other times. But perhaps it is not so well known that the +dull periods can invariably be overcome by an effort of the will and +the physical body be made to do its proper work. An actor or lecturer +after months of continuous work may find the brain and body growing +tired and dull. He may feel when going before his audience that he has +not an idea nor the wit to express it were someone else to furnish it. +Yet by an effort of the will he can quickly overcome the condition and +change from stupidity to mental alertness and intensity of thought. +The self is never tired. It is only the physical body that grows +weary. It is true that it has its limitations and must not be +overtaxed and driven beyond endurance as a tired horse is sometimes +cruelly urged forward with whip and spur. Judgment must always be used +in determining one's capacity for work. But that which is to be done +should never be done draggingly, with the inertia of the physical body +marring the work. We should be fully awake instead of "dead" while we +"are walking about." If a person resolves to be the master of the body +he may soon acquire the power to arouse it to activity and alertness +during all his waking hours, very much as one may acquire the habit of +keen observation and be conscious of what is occurring in his vicinity +instead of being carelessly unconscious of the major portion of what +is going on immediately about him. + +This matter of giving attention to the things that may properly engage +the mind, and of using the will to arouse and control it, is of very +great importance. Is it not what we call "paying attention" that makes +the connection between the ego and the objective world? Giving +attention is a process of consciousness. The person who fails in +attention misses the purpose of life and throws away valuable time and +opportunity. To give attention is to be alive and awake and in a +condition to make the most of limited physical life. Yet many people +cannot give sustained attention to an ordinary conversation nor direct +the mind with sufficient precision to state a simple fact without +wandering aimlessly about in the effort, bringing in various +incidental matters until the original subject, instead of being made +clear, is obscured in a maze of unimportant details or lost sight of +altogether. + +Such habits of mind should be put resolutely aside by one who would +hasten self-development. The attention should be fixed deliberately +upon the subject in hand, whatever it may be, and nothing should be +permitted to break the connection between that and the mind. Whether +it is a conversation or a book, or a manual task, or a problem being +silently worked out intellectually, it should have undivided attention +until the mind is ready for something else. + +Perhaps few of us give to any subject the close attention which alone +can prove its own effectiveness and demonstrate the fact that there +goes with such steadily sustained attention a subtle power of +extended, or accentuated, consciousness. When ten minutes is given to +a certain subject and other thoughts are constantly intruding, so that +when the ten minutes have passed only five minutes have actually been +devoted to the subject, the result is by no means a half of what would +have been accomplished had the whole of the ten minutes been given to +uninterrupted attention. The time thus spent in wavering attention is +practically without effect. The connection between mind and subject +has not been complete. Mind and subject were, so to say, out of focus. +Attention must be sustained to the point where it becomes +concentration. The mind must be used as a sun-glass can be used. Hold +the glass between sun and paper, out of focus, for an hour and nothing +will happen. A yellow circle of light falls on the paper and that is +all. But bring it into perfect focus, concentrating the rays to the +finest possible point, and the paper turns brown and finally bursts +into the fire that will consume it. They are the same rays that were +previously ineffective. Concentration produced results. + +The mind must be brought under such complete control of the will that +it can be manipulated like a search-light, turned in this direction or +that, or flung full upon some obscure subject and held steadily there +till it illuminates every detail of it, as the search-light sends a +dazzling ray through space and shows every rock and tree on a hillside +far away through the darkness of the night. + +The third necessity is keen intelligence. The force of desire, +directed by the will, must be supplemented by an alert mind. There is +a popular notion that good motives are sufficient in themselves and +that when one has the desire to attain spiritual illumination, plus +the will to achieve, nothing more is needed but purity of purpose. But +this is a misconception. It is true that the mystic makes devotion the +vital thing in his spiritual growth; and it is also true that the +three paths of action, knowledge and devotion blend and become one at +a higher stage. But while there are methods of development in which +intellect is not at first made a chief factor it can by no means be +ignored in the long-run; nor are we now considering those methods. A +good intellect, therefore, is a necessary part of the equipment. + +Good motives play a most important part, indeed, in occult progress. +They safeguard the aspirant on his upward way. Without pure motives, +without a large measure of unselfishness, the greatest dangers would +encompass him. But good motives cannot take the place of good sense +and relieve him of the necessity of thinking. He must develop judgment +and discrimination. There are things he must know, and he must use his +knowledge, or difficulties will follow no matter how noble may be his +intentions. Suppose, for illustration, that two men set out upon a +dark might to cross a wild and rugged piece of ground--one with bad +motives and the other with good. One is going out to rob a house and +if need be, to kill anybody who might try to interfere with his plans. +His motives are very bad but he has perfect knowledge of the dangerous +ground he is to cross and he will therefore travel over it in safety. +The other man has the best of motives. He is going to spend the night +with a sick and helpless neighbor. But he has no knowledge of the +rough and treacherous ground he must cross in the darkness and his +good motives will not insure him against stumbling over the stones or +falling into a ditch and breaking his arm. Good motives are not +enough. We must know! Progress in occultism is impossible without +knowledge. + +But how is a keen, alert intelligence to be acquired if we do not +possess it? Like any other latent faculty or power it may be evolved. +As the physical strength may be steadily increased by constant +exercise of the muscles, so mind may increase in power by systematic +work. It should be exercised in original thinking. A stated period, if +only a quarter of an hour daily, can be set aside for the purpose. A +book on a serious subject will furnish material but the too common +method of reading, of following the author lazily and accepting +whatever he sets forth as a matter of course, is of little value. One +must read with discrimination, receiving the ideas offered as a +juryman would receive testimony from a witness, considering it from +every possible viewpoint, examining it in the light of known facts, +turning it over in the mind, weighing it thoughtfully, and accepting +or rejecting according to its reasonableness or its lack of reason. In +such mental work for intellectual growth each paragraph can be +considered by itself and only a small portion of the time should be +given to the reading while the remainder is devoted to pondering over +what has been read. Of course a specific study is an advantage and +perhaps nothing is better than to study occultism, thinking deeply +upon the problems of human evolution. + +Another method that goes admirably with such work is the close +observation and study of all the life in manifestation about us. We +should try to comprehend people, to observe and understand them. Every +word, act and facial expression has its meaning to be caught and +interpreted. All this will not only sharpen the wits but also +strengthen human sympathy for it enables us the better to know the +difficulties and sorrows of others. If such practices are followed +faithfully day by day the growth will be steady. + +Still another useful practice is to exercise the imagination, the art +of creating mental pictures with no physical object present. The face +of an absent friend can be called up in the mind and reproduced in +every detail--the color of the eyes and hair, the various moods and +expressions. Or one's childhood home can be recalled and the +imagination made to reconstruct it. The house being complete the +landscape can be reproduced, with the hills, trees and roads. Repeated +practice at "seeing mentally" is of the greatest value in occult +development. + +While the aspirant is thus working to improve the three essential +qualifications of desire, will and intelligence--to intensify his +desire to possess powers for the helping of others, to strengthen the +will to get such powers, and to steadily improve the intellect--he +should also be giving most earnest attention to meditation, for it is +through this practice that the most remarkable results may be produced +in the transformation of his bodies, visible and invisible, through +which the ego manifests itself in the physical world. In the degree +that these are organized and made sensitive and responsive they cease +to be limitations of consciousness. Such sensitiveness and +responsiveness may be brought about by meditation, together with +proper attention to the purification of the physical and astral +bodies; for purity and sensitiveness go together. + +Meditation is a subject so very important to the aspirant that +specific instructions should guide him. The average person, used to +the turbulent life of occidental civilization, will find it a +sufficiently difficult matter to control the mind, and to finally +acquire the power to direct it as he desires, even with all the +conditions in his favor. The serene hours of morning are the most +favorable of the twenty-four for meditation. Regularity has a magic of +its own and the hour should be the same each morning. To be alone in +surroundings as quiet as possible is another essential. The most +desirable time for meditation is soon after awakening in the morning. +Before turning the mind to any of the business affairs of the day let +the aspirant sit calmly down and mediate upon any wholesome thought, +like patience, courage or compassion, keeping the mind steadily upon +the subject for five minutes. + +Two very important things are being accomplished by such meditation. +First, we are getting control of the mind and learning to direct it +where and how we choose; and, second, we are attracting and building +into the bodies we possess certain grades of imponderable matter that +will make thinking and acting along these lines easier and easier for +us until they are established habits and we actually become in daily +life patient, courageous and compassionate. Whatever qualities or +virtues we desire to possess may be gained through the art of +meditation and the effort to live up to the ideal dwelt upon daily by +the mind. + +While it is absolutely true that any human being can make of himself +that which he desires to be--can literally raise himself to any ideal +he is capable of conceiving--it must not be supposed that it can be +done in a short time and by intermittent effort. We sometimes hear it +said that all we need do is to realize that all power is within us, +when, presto! we are the thing we would be! It is quite true that we +must realize their existence before we can call the latent powers into +expression; but the work of arousing the latent into the active is a +process of growth, of actual evolutionary change. The physical body as +it is now is not sensitive enough to respond to subtle vibrations. Its +brain is not capable of receiving and registering the delicate +vibrations sent outward by the ego, and the task of changing it so +that it can do so is not a trifling or easy one. But every effort +produces its effect and to the persistent and patient devotee of +self-development the final result is certain. But it is not a matter +of miraculous accomplishment. It is a process of inner growth. There +are, it is quite true, cases in which people who have entered upon +this method of self-development have, in a short time, attained +spiritual illumination, becoming fully conscious of the invisible +world and its inhabitants while awake in the physical body; extending +the horizon of consciousness to include both worlds, and coming into +possession of the higher clairvoyance that enables one to trace past +causes and modify impending effects. But such people are those who +have given so much attention to self-development in past lives that +they have now but little more to do in order to come into full +possession of occult powers. Sometimes it requires little more than +the turning of their attention to the matter. Becoming a member of the +Theosophical Society or seriously taking up theosophical studies is +sometimes the final step that leads to the opening of the inner sight. + +But how can one know to what point he may have advanced in the past +and where he now stands? How may we know whether there is but a little +work ahead or a great deal? We cannot know; nor is it important to +know. The person who should take up the task merely because he thinks +there is little to do would certainly fail. The very fact that he +would not venture upon the undertaking if he thought the task a +difficult one is evidence that he has not the qualifications necessary +for the success of the occult student. Unless he is filled with a +longing to possess greater power to be used in the service of +humanity, and fired with an enthusiasm that would hesitate at no +difficulties, he has not yet reached the point in his evolution where +he awaits only the final steps that will make him a disciple. But even +the absence of the keen desire for spiritual progress, which is the +best evidence of the probability of success, should not deter anybody +from entering upon the systematic study of theosophy and devoting to +it all the time and energy he can; nor should the thought that many +years might pass without producing any very remarkable results lead +him to conclude that the undertaking would not be a profitable one. +The time will come with each human being when he will step out of the +great throng that drifts with the tide and enter upon the course of +conscious evolution, assisting nature instead of ignoring her +beneficent plan; and since it is but a question of time the sooner a +beginning is made the better, for the sooner will suffering cease. + +There should be a word of warning about the folly of trying to reach +spiritual illumination by artificial methods. Astral sight is +sometimes quickly developed by crystal gazing and also by a certain +regulation of the breathing. For two reasons such methods should be +avoided. One is that any powers thus gained can not be permanent, and +the other is that they may be more or less dangerous. Many people have +made physical wrecks of themselves or have become insane by some of +these methods. + +There are those who advertise to quickly teach clairvoyance, for a +consideration, as though spiritual powers could really be conferred +instead of evolved! It is true that efforts toward the evolution of +such powers may be enormously aided by teachers, but such instruction +can not be bought, and the offer to furnish it for money is the best +evidence of its worthlessness. Those who teach this ancient wisdom +select their own pupils from the morally fit, and tuition can be paid +only in devotion to truth and service to humanity. That is the only +road that leads to instruction worth having, and until the aspirant is +firmly upon that sound moral ground he is much better off without +powers, the selfish use of which would lead to certain disaster. + +But how shall the pupil find the teacher? He need not find him, at +first, so far as the limited consciousness is concerned. Long before +he knows anything of it in his waking hours he may be receiving +instruction while he is out of the physical body during the hours of +sleep. The teacher finds the pupil long before the pupil suspects that +the teacher exists; and since it is the pupil who has the limited +consciousness it is quite natural that it should be so. Thus it is +inevitable that all who enter upon the way that leads to spiritual +illumination must long remain ignorant of the fact that any teachers +are interested in them or that anybody is giving the slightest +attention to them. Naturally enough one cannot know until the moment +arrives when his brain has become sufficiently sensitive to retain a +memory of at least a fragment of his superphysical experiences. + +But what leads to the selection of the pupil? His earnestness, his +unselfishness, his devotion, his spiritual aspirations. There is an +old occult maxim to the effect that when the pupil is ready the Master +is waiting. They have need of many more than are ready to be taught. +Those who lead and enlighten watch eagerly for all who will qualify +themselves to enter upon the upward way. Every human being gets +exactly what he fits himself to receive. He cannot possibly be +overlooked. By his spiritual aspiration each lights the lamp in the +window of his soul and to the watchers from the heights that light +against the background of the overwhelming materiality of our times +must be as the sun in a cloudless sky. Other things come later but +these simpler things, to realize the necessity for conscious +evolution, to comprehend the method of soul development, to take full +control of the mind and the physical body, to resolutely curb the +grosser desires and to give free rein to the higher aspirations are +the first infant steps in the self-development that leads to +illumination. Then we begin to discover that this very desire for +greater spiritual power is generating a force that carries us forward +and upward. We soon begin to observe actual progress. The brain +becomes clearer, the intellect keener. Our sphere of influence grows +wider, our friendships become warmer. Aspiration lifts us into a new +and radiant life, and the wondrous powers of the soul begin to become +a conscious possession. And to this soul growth there is no limit. The +aspirant will go on and on in this life and others with an +ever-extending horizon of consciousness until he has the mental grasp +of a Plato, the vivid imagination of a Dante, the intuitive perception +of a Shakespeare. It is not by the outward acquirement of facts that +such men become wise and great. It is by developing the soul from +within until it illuminates the brain with that flood of light called +genius. + +And when, through the strife and storm, we finally reach the +tranquility of the inner peace we shall comprehend the great fact that +life really is joy when lived in the possession of spiritual power and +in perfect harmony with the laws of the universe. With even these +first steps in occult achievement the aspirant enters upon a higher +and more satisfactory life than he has ever known. Literally he +becomes a new man. Gradually the old desires and impulses fade away +and new and nobler aspirations take their place. He has learned +obedience to law only to find that obedience was the road to conquest. +He has risen above the gross and sensuous by the power of conscious +evolution; and, looking back upon what he has been with neither regret +nor apology, he comprehends that significant thought of Tennyson: On +stepping stones of their dead selves men rise to higher things. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13142 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..af01b54 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13142 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13142) diff --git a/old/13142.txt b/old/13142.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..32337a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13142.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1335 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Self-Development and the Way to Power, by L. +W. Rogers + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Self-Development and the Way to Power + +Author: L. W. Rogers + +Release Date: August 9, 2004 [eBook #13142] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND THE WAY TO +POWER*** + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Keith M. Eckrich, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND THE WAY TO POWER + +by + +L. W. ROGERS + +Price 25 Cents + +1922 + + + + + + + +"We may be either the suffering slaves of nature or the happy masters +of her laws." + + + + +SELF DEVELOPMENT AND THE WAY TO POWER + + +It is the natural right of every human being to be happy--to escape +all the miseries of life. Happiness is the normal condition, as +natural as the landscapes and the seasons. It is unnatural to suffer +and it is only because of our ignorance that we do suffer. Happiness +is the product of wisdom. To attain perfect wisdom, to comprehend +fully the purpose of life, to realize completely the relationship of +human beings to each other, is to put an end to all suffering, to +escape every ill and evil that afflicts us. Perfect wisdom is +unshadowed joy. + +Why do we suffer in life? Because in the scheme of nature we are being +forced forward in evolution and we lack the spiritual illumination +that alone can light the way and enable us to move safely among the +obstacles that lie before us. Usually we do not even see or suspect +the presence of trouble until it suddenly leaps upon us like a +concealed tiger. One day our family circle is complete and happy. A +week later death has come and gone and joy is replaced with agony. +Today we have a friend. Tomorrow he will be an enemy and we do not +know why. A little while ago we had wealth and all material luxuries. +There was a sudden change and now we have only poverty and misery and +yet we seek in vain for a reason why this should be. There was a time +when we had health and strength; but they have both departed and no +trace of a reason appears. Aside from these greater tragedies of life +innumerable things of lesser consequence continually bring to us +little miseries and minor heartaches. We most earnestly desire to +avoid them but we never see them until they strike us, until in the +darkness of our ignorance we blunder upon them. The thing we lack is +the spiritual illumination that will enable us to look far and wide, +finding the hidden causes of human suffering and revealing the method +by which they may be avoided; and if we can but reach illumination the +evolutionary journey can be made both comfortably and swiftly. It is +as though we must pass through a long, dark room filled with furniture +promiscuously scattered about. In the darkness our progress would be +slow and painful and our bruises many. But if we could press a button +that would turn on the electric light we could then make the same +journey quickly and with perfect safety and comfort. + +The old method of education was to store the mind with as many facts, +or supposed facts, as could be accumulated and to give a certain +exterior polish to the personality. The theory was that when a man was +born he was a completed human being and that all that could be done +for him was to load him up with information that would be used with +more or less skill, according to the native ability he happened to be +born with. The theosophical idea is that the physical man, and all +that constitutes his life in the physical world, is but a very partial +expression of the self; that in the ego of each there is practically +unlimited power and wisdom; that these may be brought through into +expression in the physical world as the physical body and its +invisible counterparts, which together constitute the complex vehicle +of the ego's manifestation, are evolved and adapted to the purpose; +and that in exact proportion that conscious effort is given to such +self-development will spiritual illumination be achieved and wisdom +attained. Thus the light that leads to happiness is kindled from +within and the evolutionary journey that all are making may be robbed +of its suffering. + +Why does death bring misery? Chiefly because it separates us from +those we love. But when we have evolved the faculty of clairvoyance, +in our work of self-development, the separation vanishes and our +"dead" friends are as much with us as the living. The only other +reason why death brings grief or fear is because we do not understand +it and comprehend the part it plays in human evolution. But the moment +our ignorance gives way to comprehension such fear vanishes and a +serene happiness takes its place. + +Why do we have enemies from whose words or acts we suffer? Because in +our limited physical consciousness we do not perceive the unity of all +life and realize that our wrong thinking and doing must react upon us +through other people--a situation from which there is no possible +escape except through ceasing to think evil and then patiently +awaiting the time when the causes we have already generated are fully +exhausted. When spiritual illumination comes, and we no longer stumble +in the night of ignorance, the last enemy will disappear and we shall +make no more forever. + +Why do people suffer from poverty and disease? Only because of our +blundering ignorance that makes their existence possible for us, and +because we do not comprehend their meaning and their lessons, nor know +the attitude to assume toward them. Had we but the wisdom to +understand why they come to people, why they are necessary factors in +their evolution, they would trouble us no longer. When nature's lesson +is fully learned these mute teachers will vanish. + +And so it is with all forms of suffering we experience. They are at +once reactions from our ignorant blunderings and instructors that +point out the better way. When we have comprehended the lessons they +teach they are no longer necessary and disappear. + +Thus our evolution is going forward and has gone forward in the past. +We know that the human race has passed through a long evolution during +which it has acquired five senses by which knowledge is gained. Nobody +who has given thought to the subject will make the mistake of +supposing that this evolution is completed and that the five senses +are all we shall ever possess. + +In this long evolutionary journey the next thing we shall do is to +develop the sixth sense. Some people have already done so and all are +approaching it. This dawning sense is called clairvoyance. Fair +investigation will show that the clairvoyant possesses certain powers +not common to the majority of people. This is merely the beginning of +the development of the sixth sense, and probably with the majority of +clairvoyants it goes no further than etheric and lower astral sight. +In other words, they are able to raise the consciousness only to a +grade of matter a little beyond the grasp of ordinary vision, while +the properly developed, trained clairvoyant raises his consciousness +two full planes beyond. + +The higher the consciousness is raised the further the horizon of +knowledge extends and the clairvoyant is able to hand down information +that appears quite miraculous; but it is perfectly natural. If a +certain person were born blind and had never understood any more about +eyesight than most people understand about clairvoyance; if this +person could know how many doorways were in a large building only by +groping along with his hands and thus acquiring the knowledge by +touch, and another person who could see should glance along the block +and instantly tell the blind man the correct number, that would be to +the blind man a miracle. Now, when a clairvoyant sees things at a +distance where the physical eye cannot reach he really does nothing +more remarkable. When we see a thing we receive the vibrations caused +by light. That gives the information. When the clairvoyant "sees" at a +distance through what we mistakenly call solid substances he receives +vibrations of matter so fine that it interpenetrates solids as the +ether does. + +Every human being must make, and is making, this long evolutionary +journey from spiritual infancy to godlike power and perfection, but +there are two ways in which it may be done. We may, as the vast +majority do, accept the process of unconscious evolution and submit to +nature's whip and spur that continuously urge the thoughtless and +indifferent forward until they finally reach the goal. Or, we may +choose conscious evolution and work intelligently with nature, thus +making progress that is comparatively of enormous rapidity and at the +same time avoid much of what Hamlet called the "slings and arrows of +outrageous fortune." + +The degree to which mind can control circumstances and dominate matter +is far greater than is generally believed. Our impressions about +matter are very illusory. No form of matter is permanent. Change goes +on everywhere at every instant, by physical laws in the physical body +and by astral and mental laws in our invisible bodies. We are not the +same being, physically, mentally or spiritually, any two days in +succession. The very soul itself is subject to this law of change. It +may expand and shine out through the physical organism resplendent, or +it may only faintly glimmer through a constantly coarsening body. + +What is the law of soul growth? Through adherence to what principle +may we reach spiritual illumination? There are certain well +established facts about the laws of growth that we should not overlook +when seeking the way forward. Nothing whatever can grow without use, +without activity. Inaction causes atrophy. Physiologists tell us that +if the arm be tied to the body so that it cannot be used it will in +time become so enfeebled, that it is of no further service. It will +wither away. That is nature's law of economy. She never gives life +where it is useless, where it can not, or will not, be utilized. On +the other hand, exercise increases power. To increase the size and +strength of muscles we must use them. This is just as true of mental +and moral faculties as it is of the physical body. The only way to +make the brain keen and powerful is to exercise it by original +thinking. One way to gain soul powers is to give free play to the +loftiest aspirations of which we are capable, and to do it +systematically instead of at random. We grow to be like the things we +think about. Now, the reverse of all this must be equally true. To +give no thought to higher things, to become completely absorbed in +material affairs, is to stifle the soul, to invite spiritual atrophy. + +Turning our attention to nature we shall find in the parasite +convincing proof of all this. The parasite, whether plant or animal, +is living evidence that to refuse or neglect to use an organ or +faculty results in being deprived of it. The dodder, says Drummond, +has roots like other plants, but when it fixes sucker discs on the +branches of neighboring plants and begins to get its food through +them, its roots perish. When it fails to use them it loses them. He +also points to the hermit-crab as an illustration of this great fact +in nature, that disuse means loss, and that to shirk responsibility is +the road to degeneration. The hermit-crab was once equipped with a +hard shell and with as good means of locomotion as other crabs. But +instead of courageously following the hardy life of other crustaceans +it formed the bad habit of taking up its residence in the cast-off +shells of mollusks. This made life easy and indolent. But it paid the +price of all shirking. In time it lost four legs, while the shell over +the vital portion of its body degenerated to a thin membrane which +leaves it practically helpless when it is out of its captured home. +And this is the certain result of all shirking of responsibility. +There may be an apparent temporary gain, but it always means greater +loss, either immediate or remote. So nature punishes inaction with +atrophy. Whatever is not used finally ceases to be. In plain language, +apathy, inaction, idleness, uselessness, is the road to degeneration. +On the other hand, aspiration and activity mean growth, development, +power. + +So we grow, physically, mentally and morally, by activity, by exercise +of the organs or the faculties we desire to possess. It is only by the +constant exercise of these things that we can grow at all. When this +great law of nature is understood we see at once how it is that life +is full of trouble; why it is that the whole visible world seems to be +designed to keep us constantly at work physically and mentally, to +challenge our resourcefulness in improving our physical, social and +political conditions, to continually try our patience and to forever +test our courage. It is the way of development. It is the price of +progress. + +The universe is a training school for evolving intelligence--a vast +gymnasium for the development of moral fibre. We become mentally +clever by playing at the game of life. We match our courage against +its adversities and acquire fearlessness. We try our optimism against +its disappointments and learn cheerfulness. We pit our patience +against its failures and gain persistence. We are torn from the +pinnacle of ambition by opponents and learn toleration of others. We +fall from the heights of vanity and pride, and learn to be modest and +humble. We encounter pain and sorrow and learn sympathy with +suffering. It is only by such experiences that we can grow to rounded +measure. It is only in an environment thus adapted to our spiritual +development that we can evolve the latent powers within us. + +Such is the universe in which we find ourselves and from it there is +no escape. No man can avoid life--not even the foolish one who, when +the difficulties before him appear for the moment overwhelming, tries +to escape them by suicide. A man cannot die. He can only choose how he +will live. He may either helplessly drift through the world suffering +from all the ills and evils that make so many unhappy or he may choose +the method of conscious evolution that alone makes life truly +successful. We may be either the suffering slaves of nature or the +happy masters of her laws. + +Now, all powers possessed by any human being, no matter how exalted +his position in evolution, or how sublime his spiritual power, are +latent in all human beings and can, in time, be developed and brought +into action. Of course there is no magic rule by which the ignoramus +can instantly become wise or by which a brutal man can be at once +transformed into a saint. It may require scores of incarnations to +accomplish a work so great, but when a man reaches the point in his +evolution where he begins to comprehend the purpose of life, and to +evolve the will to put forth his energies in co-operation with nature, +his rise to wisdom and power may be swift indeed. But this +transformation from the darkness of ignorance to spiritual +illumination, from helplessness "in the fell clutch of circumstance" +to power over nature, must be brought about by his own efforts, for it +is a process of evolution--of forcing the latent to become the active. +Therefore one must resolve to take oneself in hand for definite and +systematic self-development. Nobody else can do the work for us. +Certain moral qualities must be gained before there can be spiritual +illumination and genuine wisdom and such qualities, or virtues, have +to be evolved by the laws under which all growth occurs. It is just as +impossible to acquire a moral quality by reading about its +desirability as to evolve muscular strength by watching the +performance of a group of athletes. To gain muscular strength one must +take part in the physical activities that produce it. He must live the +athletic life. To win spiritual strength and supremacy he must live +the spiritual life. There is no other way. He must first learn what +mental and moral qualities are essential, and how to gain them, and +then set earnestly about the work of acquiring them. + +The first thing necessary is to get a clear understanding of the fact +that the physical body is not the self but only a vehicle or +instrument through which the self is being manifested in the visible +world. The body is as much your instrument as the hand is, or as your +pen is. It is a thing which you, the self, use and a clear conception +of this fact--a feeling that this is the fact--is the first step +toward that absolute control of the physical body that lays the +foundation for success in conscious evolution. When we feel that in +managing the physical body we are controlling something that is not +ourself we are fairly started on the right road. + +Now, there are three things that a person must possess to be +successful in self-development. If he has not these three +qualifications he will make but little progress; but, fortunately, any +lacking quality can be evolved and if one does not possess these three +necessities his first work is to create them. These three things are +an ardent desire, an iron will and an alert intelligence. Why are +these three qualifications essential to success and what purpose do +they serve? + +Desire is nature's motor power--the propulsive force that pushes +everything forward in its evolution. It is desire that stimulates to +action. Desire drives the animal into the activities that evolve its +physical body and sharpen its intelligence. If it had no desire it +would lie inert and perish. But the desire for food, for drink, for +association with its kind, impel it to action, and the result is the +evolution of strength, skill and intelligence in proportion to the +intensity of its desires. To gratify these desires it will accept +battle no matter how great may be the odds against it and will +unhesitatingly risk life itself in the combat. Desire not only induces +the activity that develops physical strength and beauty, but also has +its finer effects. Hunger compels the animal not only to seek food, +but to pit its cunning against that of its prey. Driven forward by +desire it develops, among other qualities, strength, courage, +patience, endurance, intelligence. + +Desire plays the same role with man at his higher stage of evolution. +It stimulates him to action; and always as his activity satisfies his +original desire a new one replaces the old and lures him on to renewed +exertion. The average young man beginning his business career, desires +only a comfortable cottage. But when that is attained he wants a +mansion. He soon tires of the mansion and wants a palace. Then he +wants several--at the seaside, in the city, and on the mountains. At +first he is satisfied with a horse; then he demands an automobile, and +finally a steam yacht. He sets out as a youth to earn a livelihood and +welcomes a small salary. But the desire for money pushes him into +business for himself and he works tirelessly for a competence. He +feels that a small fortune should satisfy anybody but when he gets it +he wants to be a millionaire. If he succeeds in that he then desires +to become a multi-millionaire. + +Whether the desire is for wealth, or for fame, or for power, the same +result follows--when the desire is satisfied a greater one takes its +place and spurs the ambitious one to still further exertion. He grasps +the prize he believes to contain complete satisfaction only to +discover that while he was pursuing it desire had grown beyond it, and +so the goal he would attain is always far ahead of him. Thus are we +tricked and apparently mocked by nature until we finally awake to the +fact that all the objects of desire--the fine raiment, the jewels, the +palaces, the wealth, the power, are but vain and empty things; and +that the real reward for all our efforts to secure them is not these +objects at all _but the new powers we have evolved in getting them;_ +powers that we did not before possess and which we should not have +evolved but for nature's great propulsive force--desire. The man who +accumulates a fortune by many years of persistent effort in organizing +and developing a business enterprise, by careful planning and deep +thinking, may naturally enough look upon the fortune he will possess +for a few years before it passes on to others, as his reward. But the +truth is that it is a very transient and perishable and worthless +thing compared to the new powers that were unconsciously evolved in +getting it--powers that will be retained by the man and be brought +into use in future incarnations. + +Desire, then, plays a most important role in human evolution. It +awakens, stimulates, propels. What wind is to the ship, what steam is +to the locomotive, desire is to the human being. + +It has been written in a great book, "Kill out desire," and elsewhere +it is written, "Resist not evil." We may find, in similar exalted +pronouncements, truths that are very useful to disciples but which +might be confusing and misleading to the man of the world if he +attempted to literally apply them. Perhaps for the average mortal +"kill out desire" might be interpreted "transmute desire." Without +desire man would be in a deathlike and dangerous condition--a +condition in which further progress would be impossible. But by +transmuting the lower desires into the higher he moves steadily +forward and upward without losing the motive power that urges him +forever onward. + +To transmute desire, to continually replace the lower with the higher, +really is killing desire out but it is doing it by the slow and safe +evolutionary process. As to crushing it suddenly, that is simply +impossible; but substitution may work wonders. Suppose, for example, +that a young man is a gambler and his parents are much distressed +about it. The common and foolish course is to lecture him on the sin +of gambling and to tearfully urge him to associate only with very +proper young men. But the young gambler is not in the least interested +in that sort of a life, which appears to him to be a kind of living +death, and such entreaty does not move him. His parents would do +better by looking more closely into the case. Why is he a gambler? He +desires money. He seeks excitement. He wants to live in an atmosphere +of intense life and activity. Very well. These desires are quite right +in themselves. It is useless to try to crush them. It is nonsense to +argue that he does not want these things. Clearly enough he does want +them and that is precisely why he gambles. Then do not attempt the +impossibility of killing the desire but change the objects of his +desires. Say to him: "You desire money and a life full of turbulence +and excitement. Well, you can get all that in a better and a +legitimate way and have the respect of your friends besides. You can +go into politics. That is a field within the pale of the law and in it +you can have scope for all the energy and activity and intensity of +life you long for, with all the element of chance which you find so +attractive." And when the young man has had his fling there and tires +of it then something else can be attempted. But to try to crush desire +and curb the outrushing life is both foolish and impossible. We can +only direct it. + +There are, of course, certain gross desires that must be gotten rid of +by the most direct and least objectionable method, and when one really +desires to be free from a given vice or moral weakness and sets +earnestly and intelligently about it his release is not so difficult +as the complete tyranny of most vices would lead one to suppose. There +is a process by which any of us may be free if we will take the +trouble to patiently put it into practice. This method will apply to +any desire from which we wish to be released. For example, let us take +the person who has a settled desire for alcoholic stimulants but +really wishes to be rid of it forever. Many people who are thus +afflicted to the point where they occasionally become intoxicated +feel, when they recover their normal condition, that no price would be +too great to pay for freedom from this humiliating habit. As a rule +such a man tries to close his eyes to his shame and forget it, +promising himself that he will be stronger when the temptation again +assails him. But it is just this putting it aside, this casting it out +of his mind, that perpetuates his weakness. He instinctively shrinks +from dwelling upon the thought of whither he is drifting. So he puts +the unpleasant subject aside altogether and when the inner desire +asserts itself again he finds himself precisely as helpless as before. + +Now, his certain method of escape from this tyranny of desire is to +turn his mind resolutely to an examination of the whole question. Let +him look the facts in the face, however humiliating they may be. He +should call his imagination to his assistance. It should be used to +picture to himself his future if he does not succeed in breaking up +the unfortunate slavery of the desire nature. He should think of the +fact that as he grows older the situation grows worse. He should +picture himself as the helpless, repulsive sot, with feeble body and +weakening mind, and reflect upon the humiliation he must endure, the +poverty he must face, and the physical and mental pain he must bear in +the future if he now fails to break the desire ties that bind him. +This creates in him a feeling of repulsion toward the cause of it all; +and if he continues to think daily upon this hideous picture of what +he is slowly drifting toward--if he daily regards it all with a +feeling of slight repulsion--then even within a month or two he will +find that his desire for drink is slowly fading out. + +This is as true of all other desires that enslave us. The desire for +alcoholic stimulants merely illustrates the principle involved. Any +desire from which one wishes to be free may be escaped by the same +method. But one who would free himself from the desire-nature should +not make the mistake of creating a feeling of intense hostility toward +the thing he seeks to escape; for hatred is also a tie. He should +merely reach a position of complete indifference. He should think of +it not with settled hostility, but with slight repulsion; and if he +does that daily, mentally dwelling upon the pain and humiliation it +causes, he will find the ties loosening, the desire weakening. + +Desire is a force that may be beneficial or detrimental, according to +its use. As we may eradicate a desire so may we create a desire. How, +then, may one who seeks the highest self-development use desire, this +propulsive force of nature, to help himself forward? He should desire +spiritual progress most earnestly, for without such desire he cannot +succeed. Therefore if the aspirant does not have the ardent desire for +spiritual illumination he must create it. To accomplish this let him +again call imagination to his assistance. Let him picture himself as +having his power for usefulness many times multiplied by occult +development. He should think of himself as possessing the inner sight +that enables him to understand the difficulties of others and to +comprehend their sorrows. He should daily think of the fact that this +would so broaden and quicken his sympathies that he would be +enormously more useful in the world than he can now possibly be and +that he could become a source of happiness to thousands. Let him +reflect that as he gets farther along in occult development and in +unselfishness and spirituality he may have the inestimable privilege +of coming into contact with some of the exalted intelligences that +watch over and assist the struggling aspirants on their upward way. He +should daily recall the fact that he is now moving forward toward a +freer, richer, more joyous life than he has yet known and that every +effort brings him nearer to its realization. Thus dwelling on the +subject in its various aspects he creates the ardent desire that +serves to propel him forward. + +If he feels that these things make an ideal a little too high for him +at present he may reach that point by degrees. He may at first dwell +in thought upon the personal satisfaction that would come from the +possession of astral sight. Let him reflect upon what it would mean to +be conscious of the invisible world; to have all its wonders laid open +before him; to be able to consciously meet the so-called dead, +including his own friends and relatives; to be able to have the +positive personal proof that we survive the death of the physical +body; to be able to become one of the "invisible helpers" of the +world; to have available the priceless advantages of the astral region +and to bring the consciousness of all this into the physical life. +That is certainly something worth all the time and effort required to +attain it. Thus thinking constantly of the widened life and added +powers it would confer, the desire to move forward in self-development +will be greatly stimulated. But the student should always keep it in +mind that the real purpose of acquiring new powers is to increase his +capacity for service to the race, and that he who falls short of that +ideal walks upon dangerous ground. + +The second requisite is a firm will. It should not be forgotten that +an unusual and difficult thing is being attempted in which a person of +weak will cannot possibly hope to succeed. Even in the ordinary life +of the world considerable will power is essential to success. To +succeed in business, to become expert in a profession, or to +completely master an art, requires strong will, determination, +perseverance. The difficulties in occult development are still greater +and, while it is true that any degree of effort is well worth while, +the weaklings will not go far. Only those with the indomitable will +that knows neither surrender nor compromise may hope for a large +measure of success. Once the will is thoroughly aroused and brought +into action every hindrance in the way will be swept aside. + + "The human will, that force unseen, + The offspring of a deathless soul, + Can hew a way to any goal + Tho' walls of granite intervene. + + * * * * * + + "Be not impatient of delay, + But wait as one who understands. + When spirit rises and commands + The gods are ready to obey." + +Mighty, indeed, is this force when aroused. But a person may be easily +deceived about his will. He is likely to think that his will is much +stronger than it really is. He may say to himself, "Oh, yes, I would +go through anything for the sake of the higher life and spiritual +illumination." But that is no guarantee that after a few months of +monotonous work he may not abandon it unless he adopts the wise plan +of strengthening his will as he moves forward. Let him begin this by +testing his present strength of will, but let him not be discouraged +by the result. He should remember that whatever he lacks in will power +he can evolve by proper effort. + +To find out whether he really has much strength of will a person may +begin to observe to what extent he permits his daily plans to be +modified, or entirely changed, by the things that run counter to his +will. Does he hold steadfastly to his purpose or does he weakly +surrender to small obstacles? Has he the will power to even begin the +day as he has planned it? The evening before he decides that he will +rise at six o'clock the next morning. He knows there are certain +excellent reasons why he should do so and he retires with the matter +fully decided. It is positively settled that at exactly six o'clock +the day's program shall begin. But when the clock strikes that hour +the next morning he feels strongly disinclined to obey the summons. It +involves some bodily discomfort to rise at that moment and he +concludes that, after all, perhaps he was a bit hasty the evening +before in fixing upon that hour! Whereupon he reconsiders the matter +and makes it seven; and when that time arrives he generously extends +it to eight o'clock. The hour, of course, is unimportant. But whatever +may have been the hour that was previously determined upon the keeping +of that determination is of the greatest importance and the failure to +put the resolution into effect is evidence of the possession of a weak +will. + +Now all this proves that such persons have very little real will +power, for they permit the desire for trifling bodily comfort to set +their plans aside. Such persons are still slaves to the physical body +and weakly permit it to upset carefully outlined programs. They are +not yet ready for good work in occult development, where real success +can come only to those who have steadfast strength of purpose. + +People who fail to assert the will and bring the body into complete +subjection probably little realize what a price they pay for a +trifling physical pleasure; for until we voluntarily take the right +course we have not escaped the evolutionary necessity of compulsion +and may reasonably expect sooner or later to be thrown into an +environment that will apply the stimulus we still need to arouse the +will. It may be unpleasant while it is occurring, but what better +fortune could befall an indolent man than to find himself in +circumstances where his poverty or other necessity compels him to +subordinate bodily comfort to the reign of the will? Nature provides +the lessons we require. We may wisely co-operate with her and thus +escape the sting. But so long as we need the lesson we may be quite +sure that it awaits us. + +All the business activities of the world are developing the will. +Through them will and desire work together in evolving latent powers. +Desire arouses will power. A man desires wealth and the desire plunges +him into business activities and stimulates the will by which he +overcomes all the difficulties that lie in his way. Ardent desire for +an education arouses the will of the student and the awakened will +triumphs over poverty and all other barriers between him and the +coveted diploma. If a man stands at a lower point in evolution where +he has not the ambition for intellectual culture nor for fame nor for +wealth, but only the desire for shelter and food, still that primitive +desire forces him into action; and while his will power will be +evolved only in proportion to the strength of the desire that prompts +him, it must nevertheless grow. Instead of rising at a certain hour +because the will decrees it he may rise only because he knows his +livelihood depends upon it. But he is learning the same lesson--the +overcoming of the inertia of the physical body--albeit it is +compulsory instead of voluntary. But all this is unconscious +evolution. It is the long, slow, painful process. It is the only way +possible for those who are not wise enough to co-operate with nature +in her evolutionary work and thus rise above the necessity of +compulsion. + +How, then, may we develop the will when it is so weak that we are +still the slaves of nature instead of the masters of destiny? Will +power, like any other faculty, may be cultivated and made strong. To +do this one may plan in advance what he will do under certain +circumstances and then carry out the program without evasion or +hesitation when the time arrives. His forethought will enable him to +do this if he does not undertake things too difficult at first. Let +him resolve to do at a certain hour some small thing which, in the +ordinary course of his duties, he sees is necessary but unpleasant; +and then firmly resolve in advance that exactly at the appointed time +he will do it. Thus fortified before the trial comes he will probably +go successfully through with it. After once deciding upon the time +there should be no postponement and not an instant's delay when the +moment arrives. + +One of the things we have to learn is to overcome the inertia of the +physical body and many people are not really awake on the physical +plane because they have not done so. To a certain extent they are +"dead" within the physical body for it is a condition much nearer +death than that supposed death of one who no longer has the physical +body. The inert mass of physical matter in which such people are +functioning leaves them only half alive until they have aroused +themselves from its domination. They remind one of the lines: + + "Life is a mystery, death is a doubt, + And some folks are dead + While they're walking about!" + +This inertia of the physical body that so often renders people nearly +useless is very largely a matter of habit and can be overcome to a +surprising degree by simply using a little will-power. Everybody is +familiar with the fact that it is sometimes much easier to think and +act than at other times. But perhaps it is not so well known that the +dull periods can invariably be overcome by an effort of the will and +the physical body be made to do its proper work. An actor or lecturer +after months of continuous work may find the brain and body growing +tired and dull. He may feel when going before his audience that he has +not an idea nor the wit to express it were someone else to furnish it. +Yet by an effort of the will he can quickly overcome the condition and +change from stupidity to mental alertness and intensity of thought. +The self is never tired. It is only the physical body that grows +weary. It is true that it has its limitations and must not be +overtaxed and driven beyond endurance as a tired horse is sometimes +cruelly urged forward with whip and spur. Judgment must always be used +in determining one's capacity for work. But that which is to be done +should never be done draggingly, with the inertia of the physical body +marring the work. We should be fully awake instead of "dead" while we +"are walking about." If a person resolves to be the master of the body +he may soon acquire the power to arouse it to activity and alertness +during all his waking hours, very much as one may acquire the habit of +keen observation and be conscious of what is occurring in his vicinity +instead of being carelessly unconscious of the major portion of what +is going on immediately about him. + +This matter of giving attention to the things that may properly engage +the mind, and of using the will to arouse and control it, is of very +great importance. Is it not what we call "paying attention" that makes +the connection between the ego and the objective world? Giving +attention is a process of consciousness. The person who fails in +attention misses the purpose of life and throws away valuable time and +opportunity. To give attention is to be alive and awake and in a +condition to make the most of limited physical life. Yet many people +cannot give sustained attention to an ordinary conversation nor direct +the mind with sufficient precision to state a simple fact without +wandering aimlessly about in the effort, bringing in various +incidental matters until the original subject, instead of being made +clear, is obscured in a maze of unimportant details or lost sight of +altogether. + +Such habits of mind should be put resolutely aside by one who would +hasten self-development. The attention should be fixed deliberately +upon the subject in hand, whatever it may be, and nothing should be +permitted to break the connection between that and the mind. Whether +it is a conversation or a book, or a manual task, or a problem being +silently worked out intellectually, it should have undivided attention +until the mind is ready for something else. + +Perhaps few of us give to any subject the close attention which alone +can prove its own effectiveness and demonstrate the fact that there +goes with such steadily sustained attention a subtle power of +extended, or accentuated, consciousness. When ten minutes is given to +a certain subject and other thoughts are constantly intruding, so that +when the ten minutes have passed only five minutes have actually been +devoted to the subject, the result is by no means a half of what would +have been accomplished had the whole of the ten minutes been given to +uninterrupted attention. The time thus spent in wavering attention is +practically without effect. The connection between mind and subject +has not been complete. Mind and subject were, so to say, out of focus. +Attention must be sustained to the point where it becomes +concentration. The mind must be used as a sun-glass can be used. Hold +the glass between sun and paper, out of focus, for an hour and nothing +will happen. A yellow circle of light falls on the paper and that is +all. But bring it into perfect focus, concentrating the rays to the +finest possible point, and the paper turns brown and finally bursts +into the fire that will consume it. They are the same rays that were +previously ineffective. Concentration produced results. + +The mind must be brought under such complete control of the will that +it can be manipulated like a search-light, turned in this direction or +that, or flung full upon some obscure subject and held steadily there +till it illuminates every detail of it, as the search-light sends a +dazzling ray through space and shows every rock and tree on a hillside +far away through the darkness of the night. + +The third necessity is keen intelligence. The force of desire, +directed by the will, must be supplemented by an alert mind. There is +a popular notion that good motives are sufficient in themselves and +that when one has the desire to attain spiritual illumination, plus +the will to achieve, nothing more is needed but purity of purpose. But +this is a misconception. It is true that the mystic makes devotion the +vital thing in his spiritual growth; and it is also true that the +three paths of action, knowledge and devotion blend and become one at +a higher stage. But while there are methods of development in which +intellect is not at first made a chief factor it can by no means be +ignored in the long-run; nor are we now considering those methods. A +good intellect, therefore, is a necessary part of the equipment. + +Good motives play a most important part, indeed, in occult progress. +They safeguard the aspirant on his upward way. Without pure motives, +without a large measure of unselfishness, the greatest dangers would +encompass him. But good motives cannot take the place of good sense +and relieve him of the necessity of thinking. He must develop judgment +and discrimination. There are things he must know, and he must use his +knowledge, or difficulties will follow no matter how noble may be his +intentions. Suppose, for illustration, that two men set out upon a +dark might to cross a wild and rugged piece of ground--one with bad +motives and the other with good. One is going out to rob a house and +if need be, to kill anybody who might try to interfere with his plans. +His motives are very bad but he has perfect knowledge of the dangerous +ground he is to cross and he will therefore travel over it in safety. +The other man has the best of motives. He is going to spend the night +with a sick and helpless neighbor. But he has no knowledge of the +rough and treacherous ground he must cross in the darkness and his +good motives will not insure him against stumbling over the stones or +falling into a ditch and breaking his arm. Good motives are not +enough. We must know! Progress in occultism is impossible without +knowledge. + +But how is a keen, alert intelligence to be acquired if we do not +possess it? Like any other latent faculty or power it may be evolved. +As the physical strength may be steadily increased by constant +exercise of the muscles, so mind may increase in power by systematic +work. It should be exercised in original thinking. A stated period, if +only a quarter of an hour daily, can be set aside for the purpose. A +book on a serious subject will furnish material but the too common +method of reading, of following the author lazily and accepting +whatever he sets forth as a matter of course, is of little value. One +must read with discrimination, receiving the ideas offered as a +juryman would receive testimony from a witness, considering it from +every possible viewpoint, examining it in the light of known facts, +turning it over in the mind, weighing it thoughtfully, and accepting +or rejecting according to its reasonableness or its lack of reason. In +such mental work for intellectual growth each paragraph can be +considered by itself and only a small portion of the time should be +given to the reading while the remainder is devoted to pondering over +what has been read. Of course a specific study is an advantage and +perhaps nothing is better than to study occultism, thinking deeply +upon the problems of human evolution. + +Another method that goes admirably with such work is the close +observation and study of all the life in manifestation about us. We +should try to comprehend people, to observe and understand them. Every +word, act and facial expression has its meaning to be caught and +interpreted. All this will not only sharpen the wits but also +strengthen human sympathy for it enables us the better to know the +difficulties and sorrows of others. If such practices are followed +faithfully day by day the growth will be steady. + +Still another useful practice is to exercise the imagination, the art +of creating mental pictures with no physical object present. The face +of an absent friend can be called up in the mind and reproduced in +every detail--the color of the eyes and hair, the various moods and +expressions. Or one's childhood home can be recalled and the +imagination made to reconstruct it. The house being complete the +landscape can be reproduced, with the hills, trees and roads. Repeated +practice at "seeing mentally" is of the greatest value in occult +development. + +While the aspirant is thus working to improve the three essential +qualifications of desire, will and intelligence--to intensify his +desire to possess powers for the helping of others, to strengthen the +will to get such powers, and to steadily improve the intellect--he +should also be giving most earnest attention to meditation, for it is +through this practice that the most remarkable results may be produced +in the transformation of his bodies, visible and invisible, through +which the ego manifests itself in the physical world. In the degree +that these are organized and made sensitive and responsive they cease +to be limitations of consciousness. Such sensitiveness and +responsiveness may be brought about by meditation, together with +proper attention to the purification of the physical and astral +bodies; for purity and sensitiveness go together. + +Meditation is a subject so very important to the aspirant that +specific instructions should guide him. The average person, used to +the turbulent life of occidental civilization, will find it a +sufficiently difficult matter to control the mind, and to finally +acquire the power to direct it as he desires, even with all the +conditions in his favor. The serene hours of morning are the most +favorable of the twenty-four for meditation. Regularity has a magic of +its own and the hour should be the same each morning. To be alone in +surroundings as quiet as possible is another essential. The most +desirable time for meditation is soon after awakening in the morning. +Before turning the mind to any of the business affairs of the day let +the aspirant sit calmly down and mediate upon any wholesome thought, +like patience, courage or compassion, keeping the mind steadily upon +the subject for five minutes. + +Two very important things are being accomplished by such meditation. +First, we are getting control of the mind and learning to direct it +where and how we choose; and, second, we are attracting and building +into the bodies we possess certain grades of imponderable matter that +will make thinking and acting along these lines easier and easier for +us until they are established habits and we actually become in daily +life patient, courageous and compassionate. Whatever qualities or +virtues we desire to possess may be gained through the art of +meditation and the effort to live up to the ideal dwelt upon daily by +the mind. + +While it is absolutely true that any human being can make of himself +that which he desires to be--can literally raise himself to any ideal +he is capable of conceiving--it must not be supposed that it can be +done in a short time and by intermittent effort. We sometimes hear it +said that all we need do is to realize that all power is within us, +when, presto! we are the thing we would be! It is quite true that we +must realize their existence before we can call the latent powers into +expression; but the work of arousing the latent into the active is a +process of growth, of actual evolutionary change. The physical body as +it is now is not sensitive enough to respond to subtle vibrations. Its +brain is not capable of receiving and registering the delicate +vibrations sent outward by the ego, and the task of changing it so +that it can do so is not a trifling or easy one. But every effort +produces its effect and to the persistent and patient devotee of +self-development the final result is certain. But it is not a matter +of miraculous accomplishment. It is a process of inner growth. There +are, it is quite true, cases in which people who have entered upon +this method of self-development have, in a short time, attained +spiritual illumination, becoming fully conscious of the invisible +world and its inhabitants while awake in the physical body; extending +the horizon of consciousness to include both worlds, and coming into +possession of the higher clairvoyance that enables one to trace past +causes and modify impending effects. But such people are those who +have given so much attention to self-development in past lives that +they have now but little more to do in order to come into full +possession of occult powers. Sometimes it requires little more than +the turning of their attention to the matter. Becoming a member of the +Theosophical Society or seriously taking up theosophical studies is +sometimes the final step that leads to the opening of the inner sight. + +But how can one know to what point he may have advanced in the past +and where he now stands? How may we know whether there is but a little +work ahead or a great deal? We cannot know; nor is it important to +know. The person who should take up the task merely because he thinks +there is little to do would certainly fail. The very fact that he +would not venture upon the undertaking if he thought the task a +difficult one is evidence that he has not the qualifications necessary +for the success of the occult student. Unless he is filled with a +longing to possess greater power to be used in the service of +humanity, and fired with an enthusiasm that would hesitate at no +difficulties, he has not yet reached the point in his evolution where +he awaits only the final steps that will make him a disciple. But even +the absence of the keen desire for spiritual progress, which is the +best evidence of the probability of success, should not deter anybody +from entering upon the systematic study of theosophy and devoting to +it all the time and energy he can; nor should the thought that many +years might pass without producing any very remarkable results lead +him to conclude that the undertaking would not be a profitable one. +The time will come with each human being when he will step out of the +great throng that drifts with the tide and enter upon the course of +conscious evolution, assisting nature instead of ignoring her +beneficent plan; and since it is but a question of time the sooner a +beginning is made the better, for the sooner will suffering cease. + +There should be a word of warning about the folly of trying to reach +spiritual illumination by artificial methods. Astral sight is +sometimes quickly developed by crystal gazing and also by a certain +regulation of the breathing. For two reasons such methods should be +avoided. One is that any powers thus gained can not be permanent, and +the other is that they may be more or less dangerous. Many people have +made physical wrecks of themselves or have become insane by some of +these methods. + +There are those who advertise to quickly teach clairvoyance, for a +consideration, as though spiritual powers could really be conferred +instead of evolved! It is true that efforts toward the evolution of +such powers may be enormously aided by teachers, but such instruction +can not be bought, and the offer to furnish it for money is the best +evidence of its worthlessness. Those who teach this ancient wisdom +select their own pupils from the morally fit, and tuition can be paid +only in devotion to truth and service to humanity. That is the only +road that leads to instruction worth having, and until the aspirant is +firmly upon that sound moral ground he is much better off without +powers, the selfish use of which would lead to certain disaster. + +But how shall the pupil find the teacher? He need not find him, at +first, so far as the limited consciousness is concerned. Long before +he knows anything of it in his waking hours he may be receiving +instruction while he is out of the physical body during the hours of +sleep. The teacher finds the pupil long before the pupil suspects that +the teacher exists; and since it is the pupil who has the limited +consciousness it is quite natural that it should be so. Thus it is +inevitable that all who enter upon the way that leads to spiritual +illumination must long remain ignorant of the fact that any teachers +are interested in them or that anybody is giving the slightest +attention to them. Naturally enough one cannot know until the moment +arrives when his brain has become sufficiently sensitive to retain a +memory of at least a fragment of his superphysical experiences. + +But what leads to the selection of the pupil? His earnestness, his +unselfishness, his devotion, his spiritual aspirations. There is an +old occult maxim to the effect that when the pupil is ready the Master +is waiting. They have need of many more than are ready to be taught. +Those who lead and enlighten watch eagerly for all who will qualify +themselves to enter upon the upward way. Every human being gets +exactly what he fits himself to receive. He cannot possibly be +overlooked. By his spiritual aspiration each lights the lamp in the +window of his soul and to the watchers from the heights that light +against the background of the overwhelming materiality of our times +must be as the sun in a cloudless sky. Other things come later but +these simpler things, to realize the necessity for conscious +evolution, to comprehend the method of soul development, to take full +control of the mind and the physical body, to resolutely curb the +grosser desires and to give free rein to the higher aspirations are +the first infant steps in the self-development that leads to +illumination. Then we begin to discover that this very desire for +greater spiritual power is generating a force that carries us forward +and upward. We soon begin to observe actual progress. The brain +becomes clearer, the intellect keener. Our sphere of influence grows +wider, our friendships become warmer. Aspiration lifts us into a new +and radiant life, and the wondrous powers of the soul begin to become +a conscious possession. And to this soul growth there is no limit. The +aspirant will go on and on in this life and others with an +ever-extending horizon of consciousness until he has the mental grasp +of a Plato, the vivid imagination of a Dante, the intuitive perception +of a Shakespeare. It is not by the outward acquirement of facts that +such men become wise and great. It is by developing the soul from +within until it illuminates the brain with that flood of light called +genius. + +And when, through the strife and storm, we finally reach the +tranquility of the inner peace we shall comprehend the great fact that +life really is joy when lived in the possession of spiritual power and +in perfect harmony with the laws of the universe. With even these +first steps in occult achievement the aspirant enters upon a higher +and more satisfactory life than he has ever known. Literally he +becomes a new man. Gradually the old desires and impulses fade away +and new and nobler aspirations take their place. He has learned +obedience to law only to find that obedience was the road to conquest. +He has risen above the gross and sensuous by the power of conscious +evolution; and, looking back upon what he has been with neither regret +nor apology, he comprehends that significant thought of Tennyson: On +stepping stones of their dead selves men rise to higher things. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND THE WAY TO +POWER*** + + +******* This file should be named 13142.txt or 13142.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/1/4/13142 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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