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Part III: special
articles
Note: It is well for the student to carefully read and
study the following articles, as they have a distinct bearing on the preceding
lessons.
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ABSOLUTENESS AND RELATIVITY
Absolute is defined as, "Free from restrictions, unlimited,
unconditioned." "The Unlimited and Perfect Being, God."
Relativity is defined as, "Existence only as an object
of, or in relation to, a thinking mind." "A condition of dependence."
The Absolute, being Unconditioned, is Infinite and All;
It is that Which Is, or the Truth. It is axiomatic that the Truth, being
All, cannot be separated, limited nor divided; It must be Changeless, Complete,
Perfect and Uncreated.
Relativity is that which depends upon something else;
and if there be such a thing as relativity, it is not a thing of itself,
but only that which functions within the Absolute and depends on It.
We wish to affirm relativity without destroying Absoluteness.
This can be done only by realizing that the relative is not a thing apart
from, but is an experience in, the All-Comprehending Mind. The relative
does not contradict the Absolute, but affirms It; and the relative alone
guarantees that there is an Absolute.
The Absolute is Cause, the relative is effect; the Absolute
depends upon Itself, being Self-Existent; the relative must depend upon
the Absolute.
We should be careful not to deny the relative, simply
because it is not absolute. To suppose that there could be an Absolute
without a relative, would be to suppose that there could be an unexpressed
God or First Cause; this is unthinkable
and impossible. The Consciousness of God must be expressed,
hence the relative. The relative is not apart from, but is in the Absolute;
and, as such, it is perfectly good and necessary. Time, space, outline,
form, change, movement, action and reaction, manifestation and creation,
all are relative; but all are real.
Relativity subsists within existence and inherent Life
is potential and latent with limitless possibilities.
The relative and the Absolute do not contradict each other.
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THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
Evil will remain a problem as long as any one believes
in it. This may sound rather startling until one has taken the time to
think the matter through to a conclusion. Evil; of itself, is neither person,
place nor thing, but is only a certain use that we make of life. We call
that evil which we feel is the wrong thing to do; but our ideas of good
and evil change with the unfoldment of our thought about, and belief in,
life; for what was thought to be good yesterday, is to-day considered evil;
and what, yesterday, was considered to be evil, is to-day called good.
Generally speaking, we may consider evil to be that which
is destructive in its nature, and good to be that which is constructive
Evil, then, will disappear in the exact proportion that
we cease using destructive methods; and good will appear to the degree
that we embody constructive methods. To turn from evil and do good is the
desire of every soul who is consecrated to the Truth; this we can do only
as we cease talking about, believing in, or doing evil.
The problem of evil will continue to be a problem just
as long as we believe in it. Good will appear only as we embody it. Each
soul has within a sure test, a something which directs and guides it. This
Something is the Spirit of God and It knows no evil.
As there is no sin but a mistake, so there is no punishment
but an inevitable consequence. As long as we make mistakes
we shall be sinning; and just so long, we shall automatically be punished;
for the law is certain and sure. As we turn to the Good, we will stop doing
evil and, therefore, stop sinning.
The problem is solved as we turn from all that hurts,
all that is destructive, all that denies the Good, and turn with our whole
being into the light and toward the Truth. Evil is swallowed up in the
Good as we learn to live daily in the Presence of God. "I will forgive
their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more." That is, it will
be completely blotted out; it will cease to be.
With our whole heart, with our whole being, in sincerity
and honesty, with a complete trust in the Good, yearning toward It with
a soul- desire that will be satisfied, we should turn to God, as the Supreme
Presence, as the Complete Life, forsaking any belief in evil; we should
turn so completely to the Spirit that our souls will become illumined by
the Light Eternal.
Evil will cease to be when we stop looking at it; it never
really was and is but a supposition. Let us, then, turn to the Path of
Light and look to the God Within. Let us say, "Thou Infinite, Indwelling
God, within me, knowing no evil, teach me of Thy ways, and in Thy wisdom
make me wise. Almighty God within me, direct me into the way of the All
Good." Let us turn completely from any and every belief in evil and do
good. The problem will thus be solved and we shall realize that only the
Good remains.
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THE MEANING OF THE FALL
The story of the fall typifies race-experience as brought
about through its belief in duality. Man is created perfect; that is, he
starts on his journey as a perfect being, but he also starts as an individual;
and this, of course, means that he starts with self-choice. Self-choice
would have no real meaning unless it were backed by the power to externalize
this choice and experience
the effect of it. Man has the ability to choose and to
externalize his choice; for he is a real individuality.
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THE GARDEN OF EDEN
The Garden of Eden typifies man's original state of perfection
before he began to have experience. The Tree of Knowledge means the Life
Principle which can be used both ways. It bore the fruit of the knowledge
of both kinds of experience, good and evil, freedom and limitation. Man
must choose which kind of fruit he will eat. "Choose ye this day whom ye
will serve." Man makes his choice consciously but generally in ignorance.
The serpent typifies the Life Principle viewed from the materialistic viewpoint;
it casts man from his perfect state through his belief in duality and separation.
Man chose to depart from Good, and man alone must choose to return to It.
God lets him alone; for he is a free agent and may do as he wills with
himself. When man decides to return to his Father's House, he will find
that his Father is still there. "Act as though I am and I will be." "Onlook
the Deity and the Deity will onlook thee." "Be firm and ye shall be made
firm." "As though hast believed so be it done unto thee." "Ask and it shall
be given unto you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened
unto you." God's Creation is Perfect and we must wake to the fact and know
that we are now in the Kingdom of Heaven.
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SALVATION AND GRACE
As the fall of man was brought about through his own act,
so the rise of man will be accomplished through his own act. God already
Is. Salvation is not a thing but a Way; the way of salvation is through
the realization of man's unity with the Whole. Grace is the givingness
of the Spirit to Its Creation
and is not a special law, but is a specialized one. In
other words, Grace Is, but we need to recognize It. It is not something
that God imposed upon us, but is the logical result of the correct acceptance
of life and of a correct relationship to the Spirit.
We are saved by Grace to the extent that we believe in,
accept and seek to embody, the Law of Good; for the Law of Good is ever
a Law of Liberty and never one of limitation. Limitation is not a thing,
but is a belief. Freedom is a Divine Reality, while limitation is an illusion,
a false belief.
Salvation is an act of man and not an act of God. Man
damned himself and man must save himself, if he ever is saved. He will
save himself to the exact degree that he stops damning himself. He will
live in Heaven when he stops living in hell. He will be healed when he
stops being sick. He will become rich just as soon as he stops being poor.
He will become as God when he stops masquerading as the devil. He will
be happy when he stops being miserable. He will be at peace when he stops
becoming confused. He will be filled with joy when he stops thinking sadness.
He will live when he stops dying. He will be perfect when he stops looking
upon imperfection; and he will be saved when he stops damning himself.
HE WILL BE ONE WHEN HE STOPS BEING TWO. MAN, MAN, MAN, MAN, MAN, MAN, MAN;
"The great Thou—I—and the great I—Thou."
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THE PERFECT UNIVERSE
We must realize the Perfect Universe if we wish to embody
the greatest good. If the Universe were not Perfect It could not exist
for a single moment. It is self-evident that we live in a Perfect Universe;
and, if so, then everything in It must also be perfect.
The Truth is Indivisible and Whole. God is Complete and
Perfect. A Perfect Cause must produce a Perfect Effect. Disregarding all
evidence to the contrary, the student of Truth will maintain that he lives
in a Perfect Universe and among
perfect people; he will regulate his thinking to meet
this necessity and will refuse to believe in its opposite. At first he
may appear to be weak; but as time goes on, he will prove to Itself that
his position is a correct one; for that which appears imperfect will begin
to slip from his experience.
To daily meditate on the Perfect Life and to daily embody
the Great Ideal is the way to sure salvation; this is a royal road to freedom
and is happiness to the soul of man. We cannot afford to believe in imperfection
for a single instant. Let us learn to look as God must look, with a Perfect
Vision; let us seek the Good and the True and believe in them with our
whole heart; let us say daily to our inner selves: "Perfect God within
me; Perfect Life within me, Which is God; Perfect Being within me, Which
is God, come forth into expression through me and become that which I am;
lead me into the paths of perfection and cause me to see only the Good."
By this practice, the soul will become illumined and will
acquaint itself with God and be at peace. "Be ye therefore perfect, even
as your Father Which is in heaven is Perfect."
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IMAGINATION AND WILL
Coué announced a great truth when he said that
imagination is superior to the will; but he did not explain the philosophy
behind this truth. It is a fact that what he said is true, but we wish
to analyze the fact and discover the reason back of it; for if anything
is true there is always a reason for its being true.
Will is an assumption, pure and simple. We do not will
to live; we live because we have life and cannot help living. The use of
the will could not make us anything that we are not; for it is not possible
to get out of a bag anything that the bag does not contain. We live because
life is within us. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when He said, "Which
of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature?"
We did not make Life and we cannot change It, but we can
use It; and the use of Life is through the imagination; because
this faculty has, at its roots, the very well-spring of
life and action. Imagination carries with it feeling and conviction, which
mean life and action; it awakens within us all the finer forces of nature
and stirs into action latent powers which otherwise would never come to
the surface.
At the very root of the whole matter we find that the
Creative Power of the universe does not create through will, but through
imagination, imaging, feeling, and knowing. To suppose that God must will
things to happen would be to suppose that God had some opposing force to
contend with.
Will power may be necessary in its place, but as a creative
agency it is non-existent; it is not creative but directive; and used from
this standpoint it is a wonderful force; whereas, used from any other angle,
it becomes destructive and will mentally weary the one using it. To feel
that we have to will things to happen casts doubt into the face of Creation
and presupposes that Life is not Self-Existent and Self-Propelling.
Imagination taps the very roots of Being and utilizes
the same Power that brought the worlds forth from Chaos. "The worlds were
framed by the word of God." Imagination is the power of the word, while
will is the directive agency, denoting the purpose for which the word is
spoken.
Man reproduces the power to create and, in his own life,
controls his destiny through the activity of his word. This word cannot
be willed; but it can be imagined, or imaged forth, into expression.
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HOW TO VISUALIZE
Visualizing means mentally seeing the things that you
wish to have or to do. When you mentally see the things you desire, and
see them very clearly, you are presenting Universal Mind with images of
thought; and, like the creative soil of the ground, It at once tends to
project them into form. If the thought image is clear it provides a good
mold; if it is imperfect the mold is a poor one. This does not mean that
one must set his mind or hold thought; it simply means
that he must think clearly. There is no power in holding thoughts; indeed,
the real secret of successful mental work is to loose thought and let Mind
operate upon it.
The first thing to do is to decide what you wish to image
into Mind. After having become composed in thought, begin to see the complete
outcome of your desires, in mental pictures. Suppose that you wish to demonstrate
a home; you should know just what kind of home you wish. Of course, if
you simply thought of house you would get something, but the more definite
the picture the better the results will be. In order to make the picture
complete, decide just what kind of a home you wish to live in; then, in
the silence of your thought, mentally look at this house; go from room
to room, stopping here and there to look at some piece of furniture or
at some picture on the wall. Make the whole thing real, as far as possible;
enter the house, sit down and feel that you are actually living there,
saying, "I am now living in this house." You have set a word in motion
through the Law which will bring a realization of your desire, unless you,
yourself, neutralize the picture by doubting it. Do this every day until
the house appears. Use the same process in visualizing anything.
In order that you may fully understand just what I mean,
I will illustrate by drawing a mental picture which I will ask you to follow
as you read these lines. Imagine that you are with me; we will suppose
that I am a man about six feet tall, with light hair and complexion. We
are sitting on the front porch of a house that is painted green; it is
a two-story house and sits quite far back from the road; there are tall
trees standing in front of the house through which the sun is shining.
We can see the little shadows as they play upon the porch through the open
spaces between the trees. The breeze is gently blowing and the leaves are
waving back and forth. I am talking to you, saying, "Let us take a walk
together." We immediately rise from our seats, which are made of wicker,
and walk down three stone steps to a gravel walk, leading to the street.
As we go out through a stone gate we are suddenly met by a dog which is
running along the street; he is a large, yellow dog, and is running rapidly.
We watch him as he runs, barking,
down the street, till he turns a corner,—and our picture
is at an end. Now, if you have carefully imaged each step in the above
picture, you will understand what visualizing means.
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THE SEQUENCE OF THE CREATIVE ORDER
In the creation of any form it is necessary for its image
to exist in Mind before it can come into realization in the external. The
Law, being only a neutral force, cannot initiate anything, and cannot,
of Itself, choose to create anything. It is a Doer only, not a Knower.
The Word alone knows; so we may assume that each word is a law unto itself,
through the One great Law of all Life.
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MAN'S CREATIVE POWER MARVELOUS
Man's creative power in his world is marvelous; for every
time he thinks he sets the Law in motion. As his thought sets the Law in
motion it is specializing It for some definite purpose; and in this way
his word becomes the law unto the thing which he speaks. Of course man
never really creates, but his use of Creative Power makes his word creative
through the Medium of Mind. This should give to all a sense of freedom
and a realization that there is neither competition nor monopoly. It leaves
each to work out his own salvation, not with fear or even trembling, but
with a calm sense of peace and assurance.
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CONCENTRATION
To concentrate means to bring to a point. To concentrate
the mentality means to bring the thinking to bear on one point of interest
and to hold it there. Concentration has little to do
with will power. Indeed, the misuse of will often renders
concentration impossible.
The simplest practice for concentration is always the
best. Nature always works along the lines of least resistance; and mental
power is only a force of nature and should always be thought of in a natural
way.
If you wish to concentrate on some particular idea or
thought, bring the attention to it; then hold it there, but without effort.
At first you may find that the thought wavers; do not oppose this, but
mentally brush the wrong thought aside, much as you would brush a fly from
the face with the hand. Be sure that you make no great mental effort, feel
at ease and at peace, gently bringing the thought back to the point of
attention.
Let us illustrate this by supposing that one is going
to concentrate on the thought of happiness. Taking the word "happy" into
the mentality, say, "I am happy"; without effort or mentally trying, just
think the words, "I am happy." In a few minutes you may find that your
thought has begun to wander. Right here be sure and not bring the attention
back with a bang; just say again, "I am happy," making no effort to destroy
the other thought, but returning to the starting point, "I am happy." Make
the whole thing easy and natural, and soon you will find that you can hold
the attention as long as you desire.
It is always a mistake to oppose thoughts that interfere;
when one begins to do this he will at once find that he is resisting something,
thereby disrupting his whole meditation.
It is unnecessary to concentrate on an external object;
for CONCENTRATION IS ALWAYS FROM WITHIN AND NEVER FROM WITHOUT. The only
place that the mind can know is within itself.
In concentrating, lay aside all will power and resistance,
letting the thought realize the words upon which you wish to concentrate.
This will be found a simple but most effective method, and by far the most
prolific of results.
In teaching a child to concentrate, it is well to have
him take something in which he is particularly interested. As a child's
mind wanders more or less aimlessly about, it is well to
have him write some thought on paper; and, looking at
it, see how long he can center his interest on the mental picture that
the words suggest.
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THE MIRROR OF THE SUBJECTIVE
It has truly been said that Mind is a mirror. If we could
realize how completely this law works, no doubt we would greatly alter
our manner of thinking. It is impossible to create even the slightest thought
without causing some reflex action in Mind; and the deeper the emotion
the deeper will be the penetration of thought and the more complete will
be the reaction.
Thought is the most subtle of all the forces which we
know anything about, and but few understand what a tremendous power it
has, either for good or for ill. To learn how to control one's thought
means knowing how to control one's body and destiny.
Subjective mind can reason only deductively; consequently,
it is compelled, by reason of its nature, to accept whatever thought gains
entrance to it. So the mirror of Mind is, in reality, the working of the
law of cause and effect through the mentality. The subjective mind, being
the seat of memory, must contain all the thoughts which have ever gone
into it, whether these thoughts have been conscious or not. But when a
person is told that he has thoughts which he never consciously created
it is a little hard to understand. He must realize, however, that constant
contact with life opens the door to many impressions which were never consciously
created. This fact, together with the realization that whatever falls into
the subjective mind must be acted upon, answers the question.
Of course, we do not imagine that certain things are going
to happen to us; but we do think certain kinds of thoughts which, brought
to their logical conclusions, would produce definite effects. Remember
that the subjective mind reasons deductively only; and all this becomes
quite evident.
The subjective side of thought, being the creative agency
within, must at once set to work to produce anything which
is given it, no matter what the emotion may be. How wonderful! But this
shows how very careful one should be in choosing the kind and type of emotion
to be made into form; for something must happen to all the thoughts which
submerge.
The subjective mind never argues nor contradicts what
is put into it; the thought is at once accepted and acted upon. If one
says that he is sick, it at once begins to create a sick condition; for,
like a mirror, it reflects; and being creative, what it reflects it tends
to create and to cast forth as a condition.
Like any other natural force, subjective mind was not
created by man and he cannot change its mode of operation; but, while he
may not change a natural force, he may change his manner of approach to
it. Man cannot change his own inherent nature; but he can, and should,
learn to make the best use of all his forces. Subjective mind will never
change its own nature, but will always reflect to the thinker what he thinks
into it. Man did not make this law nor can he change it; but, like any
other law, once understood, it becomes an obedient servant.
The use of this law is entirely mental and is within the
grasp of every one; it is so simple that all can understand; it is the
law of mind in action, and this law is set in motion by correct thinking
and knowing.
But how few know why they think or what they think! How
few control even the slightest emotion or allow the emotions to express
in a constructive manner! No doubt the time will come when a complete control
of the subjective will be gained and man will then be much less limited.
But the race is made up of individuals, and the place
to begin is right at home. We, who have affirmed these great laws of mind
to be realities in the human experience, must so prove them in our expressions
of life that the rest, looking on, may read the sign and follow the signal.
It is possible to do this, and the reward is great.
At first the road may be hard and beset with many difficulties;
there may be failures and discouragements; but the
end is certain. We fall, only to rise again into a greater
realization of life and action; and, like the pilgrim of old, to renew
the journey. We shall need a backbone instead of a wishbone here as in
all other places. It is not in wishing but in knowing and in doing that
we shall find the reward of true merit. It behooves each one to make the
effort to consciously control the processes of his thought.
This does not mean sitting around in some dark corner
with the hand at the brow, impersonating Socrates or Plato; it means out
in the world, in the midst of affairs, at home and abroad, wherever our
work takes us. We need not leave the world; for we may engage in all of
its activities without being controlled by them; we may be in the world
of affairs as masters and not as slaves.
Surely this hope, held before the waiting thought, will
so stimulate our endeavors that we shall go forth into life and the great
game of living with a new song upon our lips and a new joy within, springing
forth into the dawn of a new day.
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PERSONALITY
Personality is the result of man's experience; it is the
sum total of all that he has said, done, felt, thought, hoped for and believed
in; it is the result of his reactions to the events of life as they come
and go. Factors to be considered in the development of personality are
heredity, race- suggestion, environment, child training, education, auto-suggestion
and, indeed, anything and everything that impinges upon consciousness.
Therefore, we are what we are and where we are because of the nature of
our accumulated consciousness.
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FACTORS NECESSARY FOR A DYNAMIC PERSONALITY
It goes without saying that all people desire a dynamic,
radiant personality; and it is self-evident that certain palates are essential
to produce this result. The external personality
really reflects the soul, and its building may be likened
to a mental garden where the harvest depends upon the kind of seed that
is sown. Each one chooses for himself just what kind of materials he will
use and each builds according to the pattern of his own desires. "Whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Just as a fine architect uses only
the best materials and plans most carefully how to construct his building,
so should we, in the building of personality, choose most carefully the
kind of materials we wish to use.
High Character.—First of all, it should be founded upon
the rock of high character, high ideals, and built for Eternity as well
as for to-day.
Sincerity.—Sincerity in every human relationship is essential.
Ability.—To be a master of one thing and to daily improve.
Enthusiasm.—A keen interest in people and things at home
and abroad; it has been called "The Fortune-Teller of Life." Enthusiasm
is compelling and sweeps everything before it.
Service.—Service is the keynote to success and implies
constructive work; also, loyalty to your work and to all concerned in it.
Wholesomeness.—A clean-minded man with high ideals is
always sought after. The reading of fine books, listening to good music
and becoming acquainted with the best in art and literature will soon implant
in the mentality a quality of wholesomeness that is most desirable.
Success.—A consciousness of success must be developed;
this can be done by creating clear pictures of success and working toward
them daily. Decision and assertion are aids to this end and must not be
overlooked.
Self-Confidence.—Implies peace and poise and knowing what
to do in every situation.
Power and Strength.—Are also born of peace and poise.
Sense of Humor.—This is most necessary to have, as it
lightens the burdens of life and makes one's self and others happy. Without
it things seem dull and drear.
This has no barb or sting and implies the ability to laugh
at one's own expense.
Good Manners.—Not servile but courteous.
Tact.—Saying or doing the right thing at the right time.
Thoroughness.—Implies system and the ability to carry
things out to a definite conclusion. This quality is essential to success.
Charm.—Personal charm is that indefinable something which
makes every one a friend. It is the result of genuine friendliness, sympathy,
kindliness and unselfish interest in others.
Magnetism.—The result of an abundant vitality on the physical
plane; of intellect and temperament on the mental plane; and of atmosphere
or consciousness on the Spiritual plane.
Tenderness.—Sympathetic union with people; real compassion.
Love.—The Universal Urge to express, the Self-givingness
of Spirit.
Originality.—Try to create; do not imitate; think for
yourself. Read Emerson's Essay on "Self-Reliance."
Incentive.—Have wholesome ambitions and definite objectives
which are constructive in their nature. Any ambition is wholesome which
brings only good results to one's self and all concerned.
Suitable Humility, Simplicity and Genuineness.—These attributes
keep one from being over-ambitious and from being too aggressive.
Emotional Control.—Presupposes poise and self-mastery.
Spirituality.—Looking for the good in all and having faith,
belief, and trust.
Health.—Is a great factor in creating a dynamic, vibrant
personality.
Voice.—A clear, resonant, well-modulated tone at all times.
Dress.—Clothes reflect one's idea of "The Eternal fitness
of things." Colors particularly have a peculiarly subtle effect on the
wearer and upon those with whom he comes in contact.
Strictly speaking, personality is the use that we make
of our individuality. Individuality means that which we really are; it
means the point in Life where we exist and can say, I AM. Perhaps it could
be defined as a point in Mind where Life recognizes Itself as some Person.
Each person is an Individualized Center of God-Consciousness, a self- knowing
center of Life and Action.
It follows, then, that personality is much greater than
it seems to be; for it is the use of Divine Individuality and has, back
of it, a limitless possibility. It is the coming forth of God, or Life,
into Self-Expression.
Man's personality is not a thing to be lightly spoken
of or decried as human or ineffective. Within and behind it are boundless
possibilities, and few, indeed, realize what a tremendous power it wields,
either for good or for ill.
To-day we are hearing much about this power and the way
to develop it; for as yet we express only in part, being unaware of the
Whole. Latent forces surge to express through man; Divine impulse seek
expression through him; a Cosmic Urge forever beats against the threshold
of his consciousness, demanding expression; hence, all his subtle longings
and unspoken thoughts.
To develop or express the self is the great need of the
human race; but though feeling, sensing, inwardly knowing and realizing
a greater good, man stumbles blindly along the pathway of life, expressing
only in part.
Like all the other faculties of the Great Within, personality
may be consciously unfolded and expressed, if we let it come through.
We all desire a powerful personality, and all may have
one if they pay attention to a few fundamental facts of Being; for personality
is the expression of something that already exists and simply needs to
be allowed to come forth.
Any one wishing to develop a pleasing personality must
first become pleasant. He must think pleasing thoughts. All animosity and
vindictiveness must be swept aside if the soul is to express itself in
terms of greatness.
There is no place for smallness in the full life and no
place for meanness in the liberal mind. A broad-minded, tolerant
attitude must be maintained toward all. This is not a
goody-goody idea but a plain statement of fact.
A sense of calm and peace is essential to a well-rounded
personality. The din and roar of the outer struggle for existence must
not find entrance to the soul if Reality is to be expressed.
Poise and balance are the mainsprings of reality and cannot
be overlooked. We are not attracted to people who are always fussed up
and fretful, who are never satisfied and are always unhappy. Misery and
unhappiness are unknown to the Spirit of man, and we should make them unknown
to the outer man.
Sensitiveness and morbidity must be swept side as unworthy
of the great Ideal. Refuse to have the feelings hurt. Friends do not wish
to hurt the feelings of those whom they love, and none but friends need
be admitted.
Personality is but half expressed until we realize that
within we are complete. Wholeness is the keynote to perfection and self-esteem
is not egotism but is self-realization. Completion is from within and not
from without; and no one can add to, or take from, that which is already
complete. The Soul and Spirit are already perfect and whole.
Love is the great loadstone of Life; and without this
quality of Spirit, shining through Life's action, everything becomes dull
and drear. Goodness and human kindness are the handmaids of Love and Life,
and cannot be separated from Reality.
Irritation, vexation and confusion go hand in hand to
rob man of his birthright to peace, comfort and harmony. As children of
the dust they must be brushed aside as unfit companions of the soul.
Anger and malice, revenge and animosity cannot breathe
the same atmosphere as goodness and purity, and they will fall away as
we climb to those heights where the Indwelling Spirit lives.
Self-confidence and courage go hand in hand with real
worth and are but the declarations of man's Wholeness. There is nothing
petty or little about greatness.
Mental alertness and animation but signify that man lives
in a life of everlasting interests and activities.
Honesty and sincerity show forth the fundamental principles
of Being, and without them man expresses only a make-shift
of himself, a false and deluded sense of Reality. No real
person can be dishonest or insincere. Truth alone shines to Eternal Day.
The complete, well-rounded, dynamic personality contains
all of these qualities and attributes; and they will come forth into expression
to the exact degree that we allow them to flow through us.
Personality is not false but real; it is the shining through
of the Real Self,—the man God made.
Physical appearance has but little to do with those inner,
subtle powers of attraction which decide what the Indwelling Ego is to
attract to Itself. The Inner Man transcends all that is external and compels
attention without effort. To be conscious of this Inner Self is to know
the Real Man, to know the truth about personality and the power of attraction.
As a rose unfolds, so the personality of man unfolds and blossoms forth
into complete expression.
A few simple practices will soon develop such a powerful
personality that it will become a magnet, drawing to its center with a
force that cannot be denied. THESE PRACTICES BEGIN AND END WITHIN MAN;
FOR HE IS THE CENTER OF HIS OWN UNIVERSE, AND NOTHING HAPPENS TO HIM UNLESS
HE LETS IT.
Know that Life flows through you and cannot be hindered
in Its expression. Know that the All Good is yours now. Act, think, believe,
speak as though you were now all that you have ever dreamed. AND BE SURE
THAT YOU BELIEVE THE SAME THING ABOUT ALL PEOPLE, FOR NONE OF US LIVES
UNTO HIMSELF ALONE, BUT EACH LIVES UNTO ALL, WITHIN THE ONE LIFE.
Live constantly from this inner conviction, never stooping
to anything less than the All Good; and you will soon discover that something
is taking place that never took place before in your experience. DO NOT
TRY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN; SIMPLY KNOW THAT THEY ARE HAPPENING.
Daily realize your Unity with the Whole and the Unity
of the Whole with you. YOU WILL SOON DEVELOP SUCH
A POWERFUL PERSONALITY THAT ALL WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH
YOU WILL WISH TO REMAIN IN YOUR PRESENCE.
· ·
·
REPRESSION AND SUBLIMATION
THE SPIRIT OF SEX
We have discovered, from the preceding chapters, that
the Universe is threefold in Its nature. It is Spirit, Soul and Body; Spirit
as the active, projective, masculine factor; Soul as the receptive, creative,
feminine factor; and Body, which is the result of the union of Spirit with
Soul. The Spirit impregnates the Soul with Its Ideas, and the Soul gives
form to these Ideas and clothes them with flesh. But this is the Trinity
of Unity, a Triune Oneness; for the Three are really one.
Life is Androgynous, i.e., It contains within Itself both
the masculine and the feminine factors. The male and the female of Creation
come from One Principle; all come from the One and all will return to the
One; all are now in the One and will forever remain in the One.
DESIRE
Back of all manifestation must be the desire to create,
the urge to express; this is called the "Divine Urge." But this Urge, operating
as Law produces energy. Desire gathers energy for creative purposes and
utilizes power to express itself. So dynamic is this Urge that it will
cause a little seed to break open the most solid earth, in order that it
may express itself in the form of a plant. It is the coming forth of Spirit
into expression, the loosing of energy into action, and is apparent in
all Creation.
THE SPIRIT IS EXPRESSED
The Spirit, being Absolute, is always expressed; It has
no unfulfilled desires. IT IS ALWAYS SATISFIED AND
HAPPY BECAUSE IT IS ALWAYS EXPRESSED. Creation is the
result of the desire of Spirit to express Itself; It is the unfoldment
of the Divine Ideas, Evolution is the time and process of this unfoldment.
Involution is the idea in Mind, and evolution is the coming forth of the
idea into expression. Involution precedes evolution, and evolution follows
involution with a mathematical precision, propelled by an Immutable Law.
That which is involved must evolve, else the Spirit would
remain unexpressed. As this is unthinkable, we may set it down that evolution,
or the manifestation of desire and energy, is bound to take place whenever
desire sets power and energy in motion. From this law we cannot hope to
escape, and it would be useless to make the attempt.
MAN REËNACTS THE DIVINE NATURE
Man, as we have discussed, reënacts the Divine Nature
and makes use of the same Laws that God uses. We find in man the same androgynous
nature that we find in God. This nature we call his objective and subjective
faculties. His objective mentality impregnates his subjective with ideas;
and in its turn, the subjective, gathering force and energy, projects these
ideas into forms.
Back of every act of man is some form of desire to express.
This desire, of course, is purely mental in its nature. All that man is,
is his mentality, both conscious and subconscious, plus what he expresses.
The Divine Urge is strong in man and constantly causes
him to seek some form of self-expression. It is Divine because It is the
desire of Spirit to express Itself through him; and like all the other
forces of Nature, this energy can work through man only at his bidding;
consciously or unconsciously, for he is an individual and has self-choice.
This Urge or Energy is called "Libido," which means "The
emotional craving, or wish, behind all human activities, the repression
of which leads to psycho-neuroses."
CONGESTED EMOTIONS
The energy set in motion through this urge is the dynamic
power of Mind, and unless it becomes expressed, it will congest and cause
a conflict within the mentality.
Inhibited action produces conflicts and complexes which
mentally tear and bind; and as they manifest their physical correspondents,
they produce nervous disorders. It is claimed that a large percentage of
diseases is caused by the suppression of some form of emotion. This does
not necessarily mean the suppression of the sex emotion, but might mean
any desire that remains unexpressed. Some form of desire is back of every
impulse that the mind can conceive, some impulse to express life. Any unexpressed
desire will eventually cause a complex. Things will stand just so much
pressure and no more; when the limit is reached an explosion will follow,
unless some avenue for expression is provided.
IRRITATION, AGITATION AND FEAR
People who are constantly being irritated have suppressed
some desire to speak their minds. It may not appear as though this were
the cause, but thought is very subtle, and only a careful study of its
workings reveals the real facts. All irritation and agitation are mental
in their cause, and a sense of calm and peace alone can heal them.
Fear is an intense emotion, and if bottled up, secretes
poison in the system. Fear must be removed from the mentality if one is
to be healed and is to function normally.
Anger, malice, vindictiveness and kindred emotions are
but subtle forms of fear arising from a sense of inferiority. All of these
emotions must be swept off the board if one is to gain peace, calm and
poise. The union of peace, with calm and poise, alone can give birth to
power; for without these attributes of reality, power is dissipated and
lost in the shuffle.
IF WE WERE EXPRESSED
If we were completely expressed we would never become
sick or unhappy. The average person goes through life expressed
only in part and always with a sense of incompletion and
dissatisfaction. Something must be done to make the individual complete
if he is to remain normal and happy and really live.
EMOTION AND INTELLECT
Emotion is strong in man, and in the well-balanced person
it is controlled by the intellect; but in many people there is a conflict
between the emotions and the intellect; and in too many cases the emotion
gains the ascendancy.
Our strongest emotions center around the ideas of fear,
hate, love, sex and worship, with all of their many ramifications and meanings.
Emotion, uncontrolled, produces chaos; unexpressed it
produces confusion, conflict and complex; for energy will have an outlet.
Bottled up, it creates a pressure that is the cause of much damage to the
physical man, and produces most of our nervous disorders. Expression is
normal when the intellect decides how the emotion is going to manifest.
"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth
his spirit than he that taketh a city."
THE CONFLICT OF DESIRE
When an emotion conflicts with the will and becomes suppressed
it returns to its subjective state, but remains active; it will come up
in some other form; it will not be put down. It may remain in a subjective
state for years; but eventually, unless neutralized, it will manifest.
Let one go for years with some unexpressed longing and he will have created
such a desire that it will have become irresistible in its inclination
toward expression.
People often become seething caldrons within because of
inhibited action. Energy must find an outlet.
THE EMOTION OF SEX
Human love and the affections often go hand in hand with
sex desire, even when not recognized as such. An affectionate nature is
generally a passionate one. Love is the most wonderful thing in the world
and creates the highest form of energy known to the mind of man. It will
be expressed at the level of the passions or else become transmuted into
Spiritual Coin of real and lasting value. But the ideas on sex are likely
to become over- emphasized in modern literature along these lines. Sex
is normal in its proper sphere; if it were not, it would not be; for nature
does nothing without some good and ample reason.
THE TRUE MEANING OF LOVE
The true meaning of love is a wonderful thing; for it
is the desire of the soul to express itself in terms of creation. Creation
is brought about only through the self-givingness of the lover to the object
of his love. This is why, when we love people, we will go to the limit
to help or serve them; nothing is too great, no sacrifice is enough. The
true lover gives all and is unhappy in not having still more of himself
to give to the object of his adoration.
Because of our emotional nature, love is generally expressed
through the sex desire. But too great an expression of this desire is destructive,
for it depletes the vitality and demagnetizes the one who overindulges.
This is the meaning, and the whole meaning, of the story of Samson and
Delilah. "He that hath an ear, let him hear." All people look, and occasionally
someone sees.
SEX NOT NECESSARY TO THE EXPRESSION OF LOVE
The sex relationship is not necessary to the expression
of real love. Love is the givingness of the self, and if this givingness
is complete sex will take care of itself. But energy must have some outlet.
It is only when the unexpressed desire remains
in the subjective that destruction follows in its wake
and strews the shores of time with human derelicts. Liberty and license,
freedom and bondage, heaven and hell, happiness and misery, good and bad,
all, all, are tied up in human desires. Energy is energy and will be expressed
or blow the top off, just as a pipe will stand only so much pressure before
bursting. Millions are daily being blown up, mentally and physically, through
the suppression of desires. Desire is a dynamic force and must be taken
into account.
WHEN SEX BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE
Sex desire becomes destructive only when it remains an
unexpressed longing. This theory is not put forth to encourage free love
nor to advocate indiscriminate relationships; for neither the one nor the
other is believed in by the writer. It is stated as a fact patent to any
thinking person. "Libido," may be expressed through more than one avenue;
through transmutation, freeing life's energies and lifting them into an
avenue of constructive expression; or through sublimation, transfusing
the essence of energy into high action and producing a magnetism that is
irresistible and wonderful in its scope. The atmosphere of one thus charged
is complete; for the energy then takes the form of real Love and is the
highest and most powerful vibration on the physical plane.
MALE AND FEMALE
Man, coming from Unity, is both male and female, and has,
within himself, both attributes of reality. In some the male predominates;
in others the female. We have two distinct types in man and woman; but
they are types of one fundamental principle. There is also an intermediate
sex; that is, one in which the two attributes seem to be almost equally
balanced. The greatest men and women of the ages have belonged to this
type, for it is a more complete balance between the two which are really
one. But this is too great a topic to discuss in this course of lessons.
The solution to the problem of desire is to transmute
any destructive tendency into some form of action that is constructive.
However, an intellectual form of expression alone will not do this, for
only those things to which we may give the complete self will solve the
problem. Love is the givingness of the self to the object of its adoration.
We should all have something that we love to do, something that will completely
express the self, something that will loose the energies of Life into action
and transmute the power into creative work. We should learn to love all
people and not just some people.
It is very disastrous to feel that we cannot live unless
we possess some one individual, body and soul. This is not love but is
an idea of possession, which often becomes an obsession. No soul is really
complete until he feels compete within himself.
This does not exclude the great human relationships which
mean so much to all of us; but it does take the sting out of life and does
free the individual to love all, adore some, and find happiness everywhere.
To feel that love is unrequited creates a longing so intense
that it tears the very heart out of life, and throws the one so feeling
into a fit of despondency from which it is, indeed, hard to recover. This
feeling is met in the Truth by knowing that Love is Eternal and Real and
cannot be added to nor taken from.
This may seem like a hard teaching; but the problems of
humanity deal largely with the human relationships and until they are harmonized,
there can be no lasting happiness.
Happiness is from within, like all the other qualities
of the Spirit. Within, Man is already complete and perfect; but he needs
to realize this truth.
I can imagine some one saying: "This is too impersonal
a teaching." It is not impersonal at all; this does not mean that we care
less for people; indeed, we shall find that for the first time in life
we shall really care; but the sting will have gone.
Refuse to have the feelings hurt. Refuse yourself the
pleasure
and morbidity of sensitiveness. Come out of the emotional
intoxication and be YOURSELF. Never allow the thought to become depressed
nor morbid. Engage in some form of activity that will express the better
self. Do not attempt to draw life from others; live the life that God gave
you; it is ample and complete. "But," people will say, "I believe in affinities."
If by this one means that each is only one-half of a real person and must
find the other half in order to be expressed, he is mistaken. Such persons
usually find a second affinity as soon as the first disappears. We all
have a natural affinity for each other, since we all live in One Common
Mind and in One Unified Spirit. It is all right if we wish to specialize
on some particular love; but the hurt will remain unless love has a broader
scope than when narrowed down to one single person.
Live, love and laugh! Let the heart be glad and free;
rejoice in the thought of life and be happy. Realize God, in and through
all, and unify with the Whole. Why take fragments when the Whole is here
for the asking?
PSYCHO-ANALYSIS
Psycho-analysis is a system of analyzing the soul, or
the subjective mentality. It is a mental process of diagnosis which seems
to be technically perfect when used by those who understand it. It goes
into the past and unearths the objectively forgotten emotions, brings them
to light and causes them to be self-seen and so dissipated. It is based
upon the theory that Nature is Perfect and when let alone will flow through
man in a perfect state of health. The purpose of the analysis is to uncover
the complex and heal the conflict, through removing it. It takes into account
every experience that the individual has ever had, paying much attention
to his early training, and more especially to his mental reactions to life.
It is a wonderful system, and in the hands of the right
people, is prolific of much good. But, in the thought of the writer, it
is a thing without a soul, a skeleton without flesh. It lacks the warmth,
the fire and the reality of spiritual realization. It is useless to remove
a mental complex, unless at
the same time we place in its stead a real realization
of what life means. It is useless to tear down unless, at the same time,
we build up. The proper analysis of the soul, coupled with real spiritual
recognition, will do wonders, however, and is well worth while.
SELF-ANALYSIS
Go through a process of self-analysis; look into your
own past and carefully remove every complex. This is easily done by the
one who is not afraid to look himself in the face. Find out what you are
afraid of and convince the mentality that there is nothing to fear. Look
the world squarely in the face; sift the mentality to its depths, removing
every obstruction that inhibits the free flow of those great spiritual
realizations, such as will be found in the meditations that follow these
lessons.
METAPHYSICS
The right kind of mental work will go beneath the surface
and destroy the subjective cause of the complex, thereby easing the conflict.
It will then supply a Spiritual Realization that will open the avenues
of thought to the great Whole. This alone is real and lasting.
· ·
·
THE ATONEMENT
Atonement is defined as reconciliation: "To make an expiation
for sin or a sinner," and "To be at one." The definition for sin is, "To
commit sin, transgress, neglect or disregard the Divine Law; to do wrong
or offend." Literally speaking, sin means missing the mark or making a
mistake. "There is no sin but a mistake and no punishment but a consequence."
To assume that man could sin against God would be to suppose that a Divine
Law could be broken. To suppose that Divine Law could be broken would be
to assume that man has
the power to destroy Divine Harmony and wreck the universe
with his actions.
Man may have power to go contrary to Law, but certainly
he has no power to break it. Man cannot break a law, but the law can break
him if he goes contrary to it.
There is no doubt but that all of man's troubles come
from his disregard of law, through ignorance. There can be no doubt that
much of his trouble will be over when he comes to understand the law, and
to consciously coöperate with it.
We live in a Universe of Law and a Universe of Love. The
Law of God is Perfect, and the Love of God is also Perfect. The Law of
God is the way in which the Spirit works; the Love of God is the Self-Givingness
of the Spirit to Its Creation. The unity of Love and Law produce a harmonious
Universe and a Perfect Creation.
Man, because of his individuality and the use that he
makes of it, may go contrary to both Love and Law; but so long as he does
this he will suffer. This is the real meaning of sin and punishment.
Man has gone contrary to the Law of Harmony and Love,
and no doubt this is the reason for all his troubles. He will be saved
to the degree that he returns to a state of harmony and unity with God
and with Life. He can do this only as he first comes to realize that God
is Love and that he lives in a Universe of Law.
The greater lesson that can be taught to the race is the
lesson of Love and of Law. The lesson of Love teaches us that Life gives
and that God is Good; while the lesson of Law teaches that there is a way
to freedom through real Love.
If Love is the Self-Givingness of Spirit, then that man
who most completely loves, will most completely give of himself to Life.
The man who loves his work gives himself to it; the one who loves his art
gives himself to it. We give ourselves to our friends and to our families
and to the causes which we really love. Love is always the giving of the
self to something; but the idea of self-givingness is not a morbid one
and should never be thought of in this light.
We have always thought of the Atonement of Jesus as the
act of His giving Himself, through suffering on the cross,
as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. But God surely does not need
that any man shall suffer for Him, nor sacrifice himself to please Him.
This would, indeed, be a limited idea of the Divine Being. God does not
need an At-one-ment, since He is already at one with himself and with all
Creation. It is man, not God, who needs an At-one-ment. The act of atonement
must be on the part of man and not of God. Man may need salvation, but
God is already conscious of Complete Life and Being.
MAN'S WHOLE TROUBLE
Man's whole trouble lies in the fact that he believes
himself to be separated from the Source of Life. He believes in duality.
The At-one- ment is made to the degree that he realizes the Unity of Good.
Man needs, and always has needed, to know the Truth about himself and God;
and anything that helps to fill this need would be an act of atonement.
Now a man who had reached the understanding at which Jesus
must have arrived would find the ordinary channels of expression inadequate
to portray His concept of Life. Jesus could have had no desire to become
rich; neither did He wish to be made a king, nor to receive the plaudits
of the world. He wished to show to the world what the Love of God could
really mean in the lives of men; He wished to show that the Self-Givingness
of Spirit is complete; to prove that Life completely gives of Itself to
Its Creation. This he could do only to the degree that He let God become
Man through His own Individuality.
CAREFUL PREPARATION
The whole thought and attention of Jesus was given to
the accomplishment of one supreme purpose: to show that God is a Living
Reality in the lives of all men. He must show the Nature of the Divine
Being; he must take the place of God and reveal the Love and tender care
of the Creator for Its
Creation. No more complete plan was ever organized in
the mentality of an individual than the plan of Jesus to prove the reality
of Spirit.
His thought, being psychic, that is, being able to read
mental causes, told Him just what would happen if He did this. (See chapter
on Prophecy in lesson on Psychic Phenomena.) He knew that he would have
to suffer physical agony, and for a time, at least, be misunderstood and
abused. He also knew that the lesson would prove for all time that God
is Love. He knew that in the end the lesson which He was to teach would
be accepted by all; and in this way He would become a Living Witness to
the reality of Divine Love and Goodness.
Carefully He worked out His plan and patiently He waited
for the right time to come to complete His life work; and when this time
came, He unflinchingly gave of Himself to the necessity of the case. Man
must come to understand God if he is ever to realize his own nature; he
must come to know Spirit as a Living Reality and not as a myth.
THE VICARIOUS ATONEMENT
The Vicarious Atonement was the conscious giving of the
Self to the needs of the human race—an example for all time that God is
Love. Jesus perfectly understood the Law of Life and consciously chose
to make an example of Himself that would cause all people to see what a
real At-one- ment could mean. In order to do this, He had to take on the
sins of the world; that is, He had to enter into men's mistakes in order
to rectify them; not because God demanded this, but because man needed
the example.
The suffering of Jesus, as He contacted the disorders
of men's minds, was His vicarious atonement for the race. It was a wonderful
example of what one man could do in proving the Unity of Good.
Any person who contacts the race-mind with the desire
to lift it above its own level, will, thereby, go through a vicarious atonement.
But the thought of morbidity that theology had given to the message of
atonement is entirely erroneous. It is not a morbid thing but a glorious
one. Atonement could
not be morbid, but must always produce a realization of
Unity and of Good. The life of Jesus is not a sad story, but is the account
of a Man Who so completely realized His own At-one-ment that He had realization
to spare and to give to all who believe in His teaching. His life was a
triumphant march from the cradle into Eternity, and not from the cradle
to the grave. He swallowed the grave in victory, because of His At-one-ment.
Jesus left no grave and no dead man behind Him.
The At-one-ment, then, is a glorious recognition of fulfillment
and completion. The vicarious part is lost in the greater realization of
Unity and of Good. Jesus is the most Triumphant Figure of all history and
the only Man, of Whom we have record, Who completely knew His own Nature.
All thought of sin, shame, iniquity, poverty, sickness, obscurity and death
are swept away with the empty tomb. No wonder that this lesson still remains
and His teachings still hold good, for Reality never changes.
THE GIVINGNESS OF SPIRIT
As the human side of Jesus gave way, more and more, to
the Divine Realization, He more and more completely became Divine; that
is, He more completely became God, Incarnated in and through Man. In this
mystic way He took the place of God, and we may, perhaps, say that through
Him God proved the Love of God. Of course this is a crude way of putting
it, but it does serve to point a moral and is, perhaps, the best way that
we can conceive of the greatest lesson of all history.
THE WORLD HAS LEARNED ALL THAT IT SHOULD
THROUGH SUFFERING
The world has learned all that it should through suffering.
God does not demand that man suffer; and man suffers simply because he
is ignorant of his own nature and because he misuses his power. Jesus proved
the Truth and departed this life in joy, having fulfilled His Divine Mission.
The lesson has been taught and the evidence is complete. The grave has
been swallowed up in the Victory of Life and Love; and
the tomb is empty for all time. "Why seek ye the living among the dead?"
The time has come for rejoicing and not for sorrowing; for the fulfillment
of that peace which was promised. "Peace I leave with you." There need
be no more sorrowing nor crying; for Reality is now known. Life is Triumphant
and Love reigns Supreme.
OUR PART IN THE ATONEMENT
The Vicarious Atonement is over, but the real At-one-ment
has only begun. We are just beginning to realize what Love and Life mean.
Every time we give of ourselves to others, helping them to overcome their
troubles, we are performing an At-one-ment; we are proving the Unity of
Good.
· ·
·
THE PERSONALITY OF GOD
In our metaphysical abstractions we have come to the conclusion
that God, or First Cause, must be Infinite; and it is difficult to perceive
how a power which is Infinite can, at the same time, be personal. Yet the
soul longs for a responsive universe; and the heart yearns for a God Who
responds to the human desire.
To take from the individual his idea of God as a personally
responsive Intelligence, and leave him only a cold, unresponsive Law, is
to rob the individual of his greatest birthright and to throw him, naked
and bare, into the midst of an Eternity which holds no attraction.
To think of the Universe in terms of Law only, is to make
of God only an Infinite It, a cold an bitter Principle, lacking that warmth
and color which the soul craves.
This difficulty is removed when we realize that the Law
of Mind is like any other law; it is a natural force, and, like all law,
should be thought of from this angle. But back of, and working in and through
the Law, there is a responsive Intelligence
and a knowing Spirit, Which is God, the Father of all;
and Who responds to all.
We will think of Mind, then, as Law, and of God as Love;
we will use the Law and love the Spirit back of, and through, the Law.
In this way, we will be robbed of nothing, but will see that the way to
freedom is through Love and by Law.
· ·
·
JESUS AS A SAVIOUR
Jesus stands forth from the pages of human history as
the greatest Figure of all time. His teachings contain the greatest lesson
ever given to the human race; and His life and works, while on earth, provide
the grandest example that was ever given to man.
In the Higher Thought no attempt is made to rob Jesus
of His greatness or to refute His teachings; indeed, the Higher Thought
Movement is based upon the words and the works of this, the most remarkable
Personality that ever graced our planet with His presence; and, until a
greater figure appears, Jesus will still remain the great Wayshower to
mankind, the great Saviour of the race.
Let us not waste time, then, in theological discussions
which lead nowhere; but, following the example set before us, let us also
do the works which He did. "The works that I do, shall he do also; and
greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
· ·
·
SELF-EXISTENT LIFE
The most important thing that any student of the Truth
can understand is the real meaning of self-existence. Whatever the nature
of First Cause is, It must be Self-Existent, or else It could not be at
all. It is, perhaps, hard to comprehend that there must be, and is, a Power
which exists simply because It
is what It Is; and yet this is the mainspring of all right
metaphysical work and endeavor.
We must come to believe in, and trust, that Power of Life
and Intelligence which is God, or First Cause. We must understand that
we deal with First Cause whenever we think, at any, and at all, times.
If we had to gather energy with which to energize the Creative Principle
of Life, where should we go to get the energy with which to energize It?
We are constantly thrown back upon the fundamental proposition
that Life already Is; and that we use a Power which already Is. Let us
then, without doubt or fear, throw our word into that Great Receptivity
and trust It to do the work.
· ·
·
THE SUPREME AFFIRMATION
Strange as it may seem, the human thought can affirm only;
it can never deny; for, even at the moment of denial, it really affirms
the presence of that which it denies.
We speak of denials and affirmations as though they were
opposed to each other, but such is not the case. Fear and faith are but
different ways of expressing positive beliefs about something. Fear is
a positive belief that we will experience something that we do not wish
to have happen, while faith is a positive belief that we will experience
something that we do wish to have happen.
The nature of Being is such that real denial is impossible;
for there is but One Mind in the Universe, and It is always "yea and amen."
We are constantly affirming our way through life; and
since affirmation is the only mental action possible, it behooves us to
find the greatest affirmation and use it.
The Supreme Affirmation is, "I AM"; and, as such, It was
given to Moses. This affirmation is constantly with us, and every time
we speak we use it in some form. We must be careful to use it only as an
upbuilding force.
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CHRIST AND ANTICHRIST
The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of one who understands
the Law and who uses It for constructive purposes only.
The spirit of Antichrist is the spirit of one who, understanding
the Law, uses It for destructive purposes.
The Law, of Itself, is neither good nor bad, but is a
Neutral Force, obeying all, and may be used for any purpose. But those
truly instructed in the Law will never attempt to use It destructively;
for they will understand that, by so doing, they would subject themselves
to the very power which they have set in motion.
There is a power surrounding us which can be used either
way, that is, constructively or destructively; but one instructed in the
Truth will use this power only for the good of all. A most solemn warning
is given to any one who would be so rash as to misuse his power.
If the thought is kept close to Good, to Love and to the
Spirit, and if there is never any desire to do other than that which is
constructive, there is no danger.
The Law is there to use and It is a Law of Liberty to
all who constructively contact It. Anything which makes for a greater expression
of life, either for the individual or for the race, and which has no element
of destruction in it, is good.
We should not hesitate to use the Law for the benefit
of our personal affairs or those of our friends or for any who ask our
help; but we should be very careful to use It constructively.
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EVOLUTION
All emerge from that One Whose Being is ever present and
Whose Life, robed in numberless forms, is manifest throughout all Creation.
Creation is the logical result of the outpush of Life
into self- expression. It is the coming forth of Spirit into manifestation,
the externalization of an internal idea, through the objectification of
a subjective image.
The One encompasses and flows through the All, spilling
Itself into numberless forms and shapes. These forms and shapes, propelled
by a Divine Urge which brings them into being, seek still further expression
because of the dynamic power with which they are equipped.
This is the real meaning of evolution; for evolution is
the result of intelligence and not its cause.
Each evolving thing has, within itself, an impulse implanted
by the Divine; and since the Divine is Limitless and Perfect, It must and
will, ultimately, bring all Creation to a state of perfect manifestation.
That which, to the human eye, appears as imperfect, is
imperfect only because the human eye sees imperfectly or in part; i.e.,
the human does not see the real idea back of the external image.
There is a philosophy which states that there is a "Becoming
God," and which attempts to prove this assertion through evolution; but
this philosophy is inconsistent with the ultimate nature of Reality; for,
if ultimate Reality were in a state of "becoming,' from what source would
It gather Its impulse to become, and from whence would It draw Its power
to express Itself?
A "becoming" or evolving God, or First Cause, is not consistent
with true philosophy; while, on the other hand, an unfolding God, or First
Cause, is consistent with Reality.
It is one thing to say that God is unfolding through His
Idea of Himself but quite another thing to say that He is gradually becoming
conscious of Himself. One is true while the other is false.
A "becoming" God implies a state of imperfection, or a
state of being which does not recognize its perfection, at the very root
of all being. An unfolding God implies a forever-out-pouring Spirit and
a forever- manifesting Deity, or First Cause.
The unfoldment of this First Cause is what we call evolution.
Since this unfoldment is not yet complete, i.e., since the idea is still
in an unfolding state, it appears as though we lived in an imperfect universe.
To a few, who have been able to see behind the veil of
matter, the perfect idea has been apparent; and these few have
given to the world its greatest code of law, morals and
ethics. These few have been the great mystics of the race, and to them
the world owes a debt which can be paid only to the degree that the world
comes to understand their teachings.
Evolution is the time and the process through which an
idea unfolds to a higher state of manifestation; and since ideas are Divine
Realities, evolution will forever go on.
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