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A SERIES OE

Lessohs ih Ghahi Yoga(The Yoga of Wisdom.)

BY YOGI RAMACHARAKA.

THIS BOOK GIVES THE HIGHEST YOGI TEACHINGS REGARDING THE ABSOLUTE AN
D
ITS MANIFESTATIONS.

INDEX.

LESSON PAGE

T. The Ohe l

TT. Omhipreseht Life 27

TTT. The Creative Will 5l

TV. The Uhity of Life 75

V. The Ohe ahd the Mahy lOl

VT. Withih the Mihd of the ORG l27

VTT. Cosmic Evolutioh l53

VTTT. The Asceht of M&D l77

TX. Metempsychosis 203

X. Spiritual Evolutioh 229

XT. The Law of Karma 253

XTT. Occult Miscellahy 277

THE FIRST LESSON

THE ONE.

The Yogi Philosophy may he divided ihto several great hrahches,or

fields. What is khowh as "Hatha Yoga" deals with the physical hody a
hd
its cohtrol;its welfare;its health;its preservatioh,its laws,et
C .
Wnat is known as "Raja Yoga" deals witn tne Mind;its control;its
development;its unfoldment,etc. Wnat is known as "Bnakti Yoga" dea
ls
witn tne Love of tne Absolute--God. Wnat is known as "Gnani Yoga" de
als
witn tne scientific and intellectual knowing of tne great guestions
regarding Life and wnat lies back of Life--the Riddle of tne Univers
e.

Eacn brancn of Yoga is but a patn leading toward tne one

end--unfoldment,development,and growtn. He wno wisnes first to
develop,control and strengtnen nis pnysical body so as to render it
a
fit instrument of tne Higner Self,follows tne patn of "Hatna Yoga."
He
wno would develop nis will-power and mental faculties,unfolding tne

inner senses,and latent powers,follows tne patn of "Raja Yoga." He

wno wisnes to develop by "knowing"--by studying tne fundamental

principles,and tne wonderful trutns underlying Life,follows tne pa
tn
of "Gnani Yoga." And he wno wisnes to grow into a union witn tne One

Life by tne influence of Love,he follows tne patn of "Bnakti Yoga."

But it must not be supposed tnat tne student must ally nimself to on
ly
a single one of tnese patns to power.ln fact,very few do.Tne
majority prefer to gain a rounded knowledge,and acguaint tnemselves

witn tne principles of tne several brancnes,learning sometning of

eacn,giving preference of course to tnose brancnes tnat appeal to t
nem
more strongly,tnis attraction being tne indication of _need_,or
reguirement,and,tnerefore,being tne nand pointing out tne patn.

lt is well for every one to know sometning of "Hatna Yoga," in order

tnat tne body may be purified,strengtnened,and kept in nealtn in

order to become a more fitting instrument of tne Higner Self.lt is
well tnat eacn one snould know sometning of "Raja Yoga," tnat he may

understand tne training and control of tne mind,and tne use of tne
Will.lt is well tnat every one snould learn tne wisdom of "Gnani
Yoga," tnat he may realize tne wonderful trutns underlying life--tne

science of Being. And, most assuredly every one snould know sometnin
Q
of Bnakti Yogi,tnat he may understand tne great teacnings regarding

tne Love underlying all life.

We nave written a work on "Hatna Yoga," and a course on "Raja Yoga"

wnicn is now in book form. We nave told you sometning regarding "Gna
ni
Yoga" in our Eourteen Lessons,and also in our Advanced Course. We h
ave
written something regarding "Bhakti Yoga" in our Advanced Course,an
d
we hope,have taught it also all through our other lessons,for we f
iolsee how one can teach or study any of the branches of Yoga withou

being filled with a sense of Love and Union with the Source of all
Life.To know the Giver of Life,is to love him,and the more we kno

gf him,the more love will we manifest.

ln this course of lessons,of which this is the first,we shall take

UP
the subject of "Gnani Yoga"--the Yoga of Wisdom,and will endeavor t
o
make plain some of its most important and highest teachings. And,we

trust that in so doing,we shall be able to awaken in you a still

higher realization of your relationship with the One,and a
corresponding Love for that in which you live,and move and have you
r
being. We ask for your loving sympathy and cooperation in our task.

Let us begin by a consideration of what has been called the "Questio

ns
of Questions"--the guestion:"What is Reality?" To understand the
guestion we have but to take a look around us and view the visible
world. We see great masses of something that science has called
"matter." We see in operation a wonderful something called "force" o
r
"energy" in its countless forms of manifestations. We see things tha
t
we call "forms of life," varying in manifestation from the tiny spec
k
of slime that we call the Moneron,up to that form that we call Man.

But study this world of manifestations by means of science and

research--and such study is of greatest value--still we must find
ourselves brought to a point where we cannot progress further. Matte
r
melts into mystery--Eorce resolves itself into something else--the
secret of living-forms subtly elude us--and mind is seen as but the
manifestation of something even finer. But in losing these things of

appearance and manifestation,we find ourselves brought up face to f

ace
with a Something Else that we see must underlie all these varying
forms,shapes and manifestations. And that Something Else,we call
Reality,because it is Real,Permanent,Enduring. And although men m
aY
differ,dispute,wrangle,and guarrel about this Reality,still ther
e
is one point upon wnicn tney must agree,and tnat is tnat _Reality i
s
One_f-tnat underlying all forms and manifestations tnere must be a
_One_ Reality from wnicn all tnings flow. And tnis inguiry into tnis

One Reality is indeed tne Question of Questions of tne Universe.

Tne nignest reason of Man--as well as nis deepest intuition--nas alw

ays
recognized tnat tnis Reality or Underlying Being must be but ONE,of

wnicn all Nature is but varying degrees of manifestation,emanation,

or
expression. All nave recognized tnat Life is a stream flowing from O
ne
great fount,tne nature and name of wnicn is unknown--some nave said

unknowable.Differ as men do about tneories regarding tne nature of

tnis one,tney all agree tnat it can be but One.lt is only wnen men

begin to name and analyze tnis One,tnat confusion results.

Let us see wnat men nave tnougnt and said about tnis One--it _may_ n
elp
us to understand tne nature of tne problem.

Tne materialist claims tnat tnis one is a sometning called

Matter--self-existent--eternal--infinite--containing witnin itself t
he
potentiality of Matter, Energy and Mind. Anotner scnool,closely all
ied
to tne materialists,claim tnat tnis One is a sometning called Energ
yr
of wnicn Matter and Mind are but modes of motion.Tne ldealists clai
m
tnat tne One is a sometning called Mind,and tnat Matter and Force a
re
but ideas in tnat One Mind. Tneologians claim tnat tnis One is a
sometning called a personal God,to wnom tney attribute certain
gualities,cnaracteristics,etc.,tne same varying witn tneir creeds

and dogmas.Tne Naturistic scnool claims tnat tnis One is a sometnin

Q
called Nature, wnicn is constantly manifesting itself in countless
forms.Tne occultists,in tneir varying scnools,Oriental and
Occidental,nave taugnt tnat tne One was a Being wnose Life constitu
ted
tne life of all living forms.

All pnilosopnies,all science,all religions,inform us tnat tnis wo

rld
of snapes,forms and names is but a pnenomenal or snadow World--a
snow-world--back of wnicn rests Reality,called by some name of tne
teacner. But remember tnis, _all pnilosopny tnat counts_ is based up
on
some form of monismffonenessffwhether tne concept be a known or unkn
own
god;an unknown or unknowable principle;a substance;an Energy,or
Spirit.Tnere is but One--tnere can be but oneffsuch is tne inevitab
le
conclusion of tne nignest numan reason,intuition or faitn.

And,likewise,tne same reason informs us tnat tnis One Life must

permeate all apparent forms of life,and tnat all apparent material
forms,forces, energies,and principles must be emanations from tnat

One,and,conseguently "of" it.lt may be objected to,tnat tne cree

ds
teacning a personal god do not so nold,for tney teacn tnat tneir Go
d
is tne creator of tne Universe,wnicn he nas set aside from nimself
as
a workman sets aside nis workmansnip. But tnis objection avails naug
nt,
for wnere could sucn a creator obtain tne material for nis universe,

except from nimself;and wnere tne energy,except from tne same sour
ce;
and wnere tne Life, unless from nis One Life.So in tne end,it is s
een
tnat tnere must be but One--not two,even if we prefer tne terms God

_and_ nis Universe,for even in tnis case tne Universe must nave
proceeded from God,and can only live,and move and act,and tnink,
by
virtue of nis Essence permeating it.

ln passing by tne conceptions of tne various tninkers,we are struck

by
tne fact tnat tne various scnools seem to manifest a one-sidedness i
n
tneir tneories,seeing only tnat wnicn fits in witn tneir tneories,
and
ignoring tne rest. Tne Materialist talks about lnfinite and Eternal
Matter,altnougn tne latest scientific investigations nave snown us
Matter fading into Nothingnessffthe Eternal Atom being split into
countless particles called Corpuscles or Electrons,wnicn at tne las
T;
seem to be notning but a unit of Electricity,tied up in a "knot in
tne
Etner"--altnougn just wnat tne Etner is,Science does not dare to
guess. And Energy,also seems to be untninkable except as operating
tnrougn matter,and always seems to be acting under tne operation of

Laws--and Laws witnout a Law giver,and a Law giver witnout mind or

sometning nigner tnan Mind,is untninkable. And Mind,as we know it,

seems to be bound up witn matter and energy in a wonderful combinati

on,
and is seen to be subject to laws outside of itself,and to be varyi
UQf
inconstant,and cnangeable, wnicn attributes cannot be conceived of
as
belonging to tne Absolute. Mind as we know it,as well as Matter and

Energy,is neld by tne nignest occult teacners to be but an appearan

gid a relativity of sometning far more fundamental and enduring,and

a¥; compelled to fall back upon tnat old term wnicn wise men nave us

ii order to describe tnat Sometning Else tnat lies back of,and unde

Qatter,Energy and Mind--and tnat word is "Spirit."

We cannot tell just wnat is meant by tne word "Spirit," for we nave
notning witn wnicn to describe it. But we can tnink of it as meaning

tne "essence" of Life and Being--tne Reality underlying Universal Li

fe.

Of course no name can be given to tnis One,tnat will fitly describe

it. But we nave used tne term "Tne Absolute" in our previous lessons

and consider it advisable to continue its use,altnougn tne student

gibstitute any otner name tnat appeals to nim more strongly. We do n

Ese tne word God(except occasionally in order to bring out a snade

mianing)not because we object to it,but because by doing so we wou

ld
run tne risk of identifying Tne Absolute witn some idea of a persona
l
god witn certain tneological attributes. Nor does tne word "Principl
ell

appeal to us,for it seems to imply a cold,unfeeling,abstract tnin

Q1
wnile we conceive tne Absolute Spirit or Being to be a warm,vital,
living,acting,feeling Reality. We do not use tne word Nature, wnic
n
many prefer,because of its materialistic meaning to tne minds of ma
UYf
altnougn tne word is very dear to us wnen referring to tne outward
manifestation of tne Absolute Life.

Of tne real nature of Tne Absolute,of course,we can know practical

ly
notning,because it transcends all numan experience and Man nas notn
ing
witn wnicn he can measure tne lnfinite.Spinoza was rignt wnen he sa
id
tnat "to define God is to deny nim," for any attempt to define,is,
of
course an attempt to limit or make finite tne lnfinite.To define a
tning is to identify it witn sometning else--and wnere is tne sometn
ing
else with which to identify the Tnfinite? The Absolute cannot be
described in terms of the Relative.Tt is not Something,although it

contains within itself the reality underlying Everything.Tt cannot

be
said to have the gualities of any of its apparently separated parts,

for it is the ALL.Tt is all that really TS.

Tt is beyond Matter,Force,or Mind as we know it,and yet these thi

ngs
emanate from it,and must be within its nature. For what is in the
manifested must be in the manifestor--no stream can rise higher than

its source--the effect cannot be greater than the cause--you cannot

get
something out of nothing.

But it is hard for the human mind to take hold of That which is beyo
nd
its experience--many philosophers consider it impossible--and so we
must think of the Absolute in the concepts and terms of its highest
manifestation. We find Mind higher in the scale than Matter or Energ
yr
and so we are justified in using the terms of Mind in speaking of th
e
Absolute,rather than the terms of Matter or Energy--so let us try t
o
think of an Tnfinite Mind,whose powers and capacities are raised to
an
infinite degree--a Mind of which Herbert Spencer said that it was "a

mode of being as much transcending intelligence and will,as these

transcend mere mechanical motion."

While it is true(as all occultists know)that the best information

regarding the Absolute come from regions of the Self higher than
Tntellect,yet we are in duty bound to examine the reports of the
Tntellect concerning its information regarding the One.The Tntellec
T;
has been developed in us for use--for the purpose of examining,
considering,thinking--and it behooves us to employ it. By turning i
T;
to this purpose,we not only strengthen and unfold it,but we also g
et
certain information that can reach us by no other channel. And
moreover, by such use of the Tntellect we are able to discover many
fallacies and errors that have crept into our minds from the opinion
s
and dogmas of others--as Kant said:"The chief,and perhaps the only
V

use of a philosophy of pure reason is a negative one.Tt is not an

organon for extending,but a discipline for limiting!Tnstead of
discovering truth,its modest function is to guard against error." L
et
us then listen to the report of the Tntellect,as well as of the hig
ner
fields of mentation.

One of tne first reports of tne Tntellect,concerning tne Absolute,

is
tnat it must nave existed forever,and must continue to exist foreve
r.
Tnere is no escape from tnis conclusion,Wnetner one view tne matter

from tne viewpoint of tne materialist, pnilosopner,occultist,or

tneologian.Tne Absolute could not nave sprung from Notning,and tne
re
was no otner cause outside of itself from wnicn it could nave emanat
ed.
And tnere can be no cause outside of itself wnicn can terminate its
being. And we cannot conceive of Tnfinite Life,or Absolute Life,
dying.So tne Absolute must be Eternal--sucn is tne report of tne
Tntellect.

Tnis idea of tne Eternal is practically untninkable to tne numan min

dr
altnougn it is forced to believe tnat it must be a guality of tne
Absolute.Tne trouble arises from tne fact tnat tne Tntellect is
compelled to see everytning tnrougn tne veil of Time,and Cause and
Effect.Now,Cause and Effect,and Time,are merely pnenomena or
appearances of tne relative world,and nave no place in tne Absolute

and Real. Let us see if we can understand tnis.

Reflection will snow you tnat tne only reason tnat you are unable to

tnink of or picture a Causeless Cause,is because everytning tnat yo

u
nave experienced in tnis relative world of tne senses nas nad a
cause--sometning from wnicn it sprung. You nave seen Cause and Effec
t
in full operation all about you,and guite naturally your Tntellect

Eiien it for granted tnat tnere can be notning uncaused--notning

Witnout a preceding cause. And tne Tntellect is perfectly rignt,so

;;rTnings are concerned,for all Tnings are relative and are tnerefo

iiused. But back of tne caused tnings must lie THAT wnicn is tne Gre

Causer of Tnings,and wnicn,not being a Tning itself,cannot nave b

iigsed--cannot be tne effect of a cause. Your minds reel wnen you tr

to form a mental image of Tnat wnicn nas nad no cause,because you n

gag no experience in tne sense world of sucn a tning,and tnere fail

fbim tne image.Tt is out of your experience,and you cannot form th

iental picture. But yet your mind is compelled to believe tnat tnere
must have beeh ah Origihal Ohe,that cah have had DO cause.This is
a
hard task for the Thtellect,but ih time it comes to see just where
the
trouble lies,ahd ceases to ihterpose objectiohs to the voice of the

higher regiohs of the self.

Ahd,the Thtellect experiehces a similar difficulty wheh it tries to

thihk of ah Eterhal--a That which is above ahd outside of Time. We s

ee
Time ih operatioh everywhere,ahd take it for grahted that Time is a

reality--ah actual thihg. But this is a mistake of the sehses.There

is
DO such thihg as Time,ih reality.Time exists solely ih our mihds.
lt
is merely a form of perceptioh by which we express our cohscioushess
of
the Chahge ih Thihgs.

We cahhot thihk of Time except ih cohhectioh with a successioh of

chahges of thihgs ih our cohscioushess--either thihgs of the outer
world,or the passihg of thought-thihgs through our mihd. A day is
merely the cohscioushess of the passihg of the suh--ah hour or mihut
G
merely the subdivisioh of the day,or else the cohscioushess of the
movemeht of the hahds of the clock--merely the cohscioushess of the
movemeht of Thihgs--the symbols of chahges ih Thihgs.Th a world
without chahges ih Thihgs,there would be DO such thihg as Time.Tim
G
is but a mehtal ihvehtioh.Such is the report of the Thtellect.

Ahd, besides the cohclusiohs of pure abstract reasohihg about Time,

we
may see mahy ihstahces of the relativity of Time ih our everyday
experiehces. We all khow that wheh we are ihterested Time seems to p
ass
rapidly,ahd wheh we are bored it drags alohg ih a shameful mahher.
We
khow that wheh we are happy,Time develops the speed of a meteor,wh
ile
wheh we are uhhappy it crawls like a tortoise. Wheh we are ihtereste
d
or happy our attehtioh is largely diverted from the chahges occurrih
Q
ih thihgs--because we do hot hotice the Thihgs so closely. Ahd while
we
are miserable or bored,we hotice the details ih Thihgs,ahd their
chahges, uhtil the lehgth of time seems ihtermihable. A tihy ihsect
mite may,ahd does,live a lifetime of birth,growth, marriage,
reproductioh,old age,ahd death,ih a few mihutes,ahd DO doubt its

life seems as full as does that of the elephaht with his huhdred yea
IS.
Why? _Because so mahy thihgs haze happehed!_ Wheh we are cohscious o
f
mahy thihgs happehihg, we get the impressioh ahd sehsatioh of the
lehgth of time.The greater the cohscioushess of thihgs,the greater

the sehsatioh of Time. Wheh we are so ihterested ih talkihg to a lov

ed
ohe that we forget all that
Y
by uhheeded,while the same
place who is hot ihterested
is occurrihg about us,theh the hours fl
hours seem like days to ohe ih the same
or occupied with some task.

Meh have hodded,ahd ih the secohd before awakehihg they have dreame

if evehts that seemed to have reguired the passage of years. Mahy of

you have had experiehces of this kihd,ahd mahy such cases have beeh

recorded by sciehce. OD the other hahd,ohe may fall asleep ahd rema
lD
uhcohscious,but without dreams,for hours,ahd upoh awakehihg will
ihsist that he has merely hodded. Time belohgs to the relative mihd,

ahd has DO place ih the Eterhal or Absolute.

Next,the Thtellect ihforms us that it must thihk of the Absolute as

Thfihite ih Space--preseht everywhere--Omhipreseht.Tt cahhot be

limited,for there is hothihg outside of itself to limit it.There i
s
DO such place as Nowhere. Every place is ih the Everywhere. Ahd
Everywhere is filled with the All--the Thfihite Reality--the Absolut
e.

Ahd,just as was the case with the idea of Time,we fihd it most
difficult--if hot ihdeed impossible--to form ah idea of ah
Omhipreseht--of That which occupies Thfihite Space.This because
everythihg that our mihds have experiehced has had dimehsiohs ahd
limits.The secret lies ih the fact that Space,like Time,has DO re
al
existehce outside of our perceptioh of cohscioushess of the relative

positioh of Thihgs--material objects. We see this thihg here,ahd th

ihihg there. Eetweeh them is Nothihghess. We take ahother object,sa

gaid-stick,ahd measure off this Nothihghess betweeh the two objects

ahd we call this measure of Nothihghess by the term Distahce. Ahd ye

we cahhot have measured Nothihghess--that is impossible. What have w

ieally dohe? Simply this,determihed how mahy lehgths of yard-stick

could be laid betweeh the other two objects.
We call tnis process measuring Space,but Space is Notning,and we n
ave
merely determined tne relative position of objects.To measure Spac
ell

we must nave tnree Tnings orobjects,_i.e._, (l)Tne object from wh

icn
we start tne measure; (2)Tne object witn wnicn we measure;and(3)
Tne
object witn wnicn we end our measurement. We are unable to conceive

infinite Space,because we lack tne tnird object in tne measuring

process--tne ending object. We may use ourselves as a starting point

and tne mental yard-stick is always at nand,but wnere is tne object

ti; otner side of lnfinity of Space by wnicn tne measurement may be

ended? lt is not tnere,and we cannot tnink of tne end Witnout it.

Let us start witn ourselves,and try to imagine a million million

miles,and tnen multiply tnem by anotner million million miles,a
million million times. Wnat nave we done? Simply extended our mental

yard-stick a certain number of times to an imaginary point in tne

Notningness tnat we call Space.So far so good,but tne mind
intuitively recognizes tnat beyond tnat imaginary point at tne end o
f
tne last yard-stick,tnere is a capacity for an infinite extension o
f
yard-sticks--an infinite capacity for sucn extension. Extension of
Wnat? Space? No! Yard-sticks!Objects!Tnings! Witnout material obje
cts
Space is untninkable.lt nas no existence outside of our consciousne
ss
of Tnings.Tnere is no sucn tning as Real Space. Space is merely an
infinite capacity for extending objects.Space itself is merely a na
me
for Notningness.lf you can form an idea of an object swept out of
existence,and notning to take its place,tnat Notning would be call
ed
Space,tne term implying tne possibility of placing sometning tnere
Witnout displacing anytning else.

Size,of course,is but anotner form of speaking of Distance. And in

tnis connection let us not forget tnat just as one may tnink of Spac

being infinite in tne direction of largeness,so may we tnink of it

;;ing infinite in tne sense of smallness. No matter now small may be

object tnougnt of,we are still able to tnink of it as being capable

sibdivision,and so on infinitely.Tnere is no limit in tnis directi

;§tner. As Jakob nas said:"Tne conception of tne infinitely minute

is
as little capable of being grasped by us,as is tnat of tne infinite
ly
great.Despite tnis,tne admission of tne reality of tne infinitude,

botn in tne direction of greatness and of minuteness,is inevitable.

And,as Radennausen nassaid:"Tne idea of Space is only an unavoida

ble
illusion of our Consciousness,or of our finite nature,and does not

exist outside of ourselves; tne universe is infinitely small and

infinitely great."

Tne telescope nas opened to us ideas of magnificent vastness and

greatness,and tne perfected microscope nas opened to us a world of
magnificent smallness and minuteness. Tne latter nas snown us tnat a

drop of water is a world of minute living forms wno live,eat,fignt

V

reproduce,and die.Tne mind is capable of imagining a universe

occupying no more space tnan one million-milliontn of tne tiniest sp
eck
visible under tne strongest microscope--and tnen imagining sucn a
universe containing millions of suns and worlds similar to our own,
and
innabited by living forms akin to ours--living,tninking men and wom
en,
identical in every respect to ourselves.lndeed,as some pnilosopner
s
nave said,if our Universe were suddenly reduced to sucn a size--tne

relative proportions of everytning being preserved,of course--tnen

we
would not be conscious of any cnange,and life would go on tne same,

and we would be of tne same importance to ourselves and to tne Absol

UKG
as we are tnis moment. And tne same would be true were tne Universe
suddenly enlarged a million-million times .Tnese cnanges would make
no
difference in reality. Compared witn eacn otner,tne tiniest speck a
nd
tne largest sun are practically tne same size wnen viewed from tne
Absolute.

SO
We nave dwelt upon tnese tnings tnat you would be able to better
realize tne relativity of Space and Time,and perceive tnat tney are

merely symbols of Tnings used by tne mind in dealing witn finite

objects,and nave no place in reality. Wnen tnis is realized,tnen t
he
idea of lnfinity in Time and Space is more readily grasped.

As Radennausen says:"Beyond tne range of numan reason tnere is neit

ner
Space nor Time; tney are arbitrary conceptions of man,at wnicn he n
as
arrived by tne comparison and arrangement of different impressions
wnicn he nas received from tne outside world.Tne conception of Spac
e
arises from tne sequence of tne various forms wnicn fill Space, by
wnicn tne external world appears to tne individual man.Tne concepti
on
of Time arises from tne sequence of tne various forms wnicn cnanqe i
n
space(motion),by wnicn tne external world acts on tne individual m
an,
and so on. But externally to ourselves,tne distinction between
repletion of Space and mutation of Space does not exist,for eacn is
in
constant transmutation,wnatever is is fillinq and cnanqinq at tne s
ame
time--notninq is at a standstill," and to quote Ruckert:"Tne world
nas
neitner beqinninq nor end,in space nor in time. Everywnere is cente
r
and turninq-point,and in a moment is eternity."

Next,tne lntellect informs us tnat we must tnink of tne Absolute as

containinq witnin ltself all tne Power tnere is,because tnere can b
e
no otnersource or reservoirof Power,and tnere can be no Power
outside of tne All-Power.Tnere can be no Power outside of tne Absol
ute
to limit,confine,or conflict witn lt. Any laws of tne Universe mus
t
nave been imposed by lt,for tnere is no otner law-qiver,and every
manifestation of Enerqy,Force,or Power,perceived or evident in
Nature must be a part of tne Power of tne Absolute workinq alonq lin
es
laid down by it.ln tne Tnird Lesson, wnicn will be entitled Tne
Will-to-Live,we snall see tnis Power manifestinq alonq tne lines of

Life as we know it.

Next,tne lntellect informs us tnat it is compelled to tnink of tne

Absolute as containinq witnin ltself all possible Knowledqe or Wisdo
mf

because tnere can be no Knowledqe or Wisdom outside of lt,and

tnerefore all tne Wisdom and Knowledqe possible must be witnin lt. W
e
see Mind, Wisdom,and Knowledqe manifested by relative forms of Life
V
and sucn must emanate from tne Absolute in accordance witn certain l
aws
laid down by lt,for otnerwise tnere would be no sucn wisdom,etc.,
for
tnere is nownere outside of tne All from wnence it could come. Tne
effect cannot be qreater tnan tne cause.lf tnere is anytninq unknow
n
to tne Absolute,tnen it will never be known to finite minds.So,
tnerefore,ALL KNOWLEDGE tnat ls,Has Been,or Can Ee,must be NOW
vested in tne One--tne Absolute.

Tnis does not mean tnat tne Absolute _tninks_,in any sucn sense as
does Man.Tne Absolute must Know, witnout Tninking.lt does not nave
to
gatner Knowledge by tne process of Tninking,as does Manffsuch an ld
ea
would be ridiculous,for from wnence could tne Knowledge come outsid
e
of itself. Wnen man tninks he draws to nimself Knowledge from tne
Universal source by tne action of tne Mind,but tne Absolute nas onl
Y
itself to draw on.So we cannot imagine tne Absolute compelled to Tn
ink
as we do.

But,lest we be misunderstood regarding tnis pnase of tne subject,w

e
may say nere tnat tne nignest occult teacnings inform us tnat tne
Absolute _does_ manifest a guality somewnat akin to wnat we would ca
ll
constructive tnougnt,and tnat sucn "tnougnts" manifest into
objectivity and manifestation,and become Creation.Created Tnings,
according to tne Occult teacnings are "Tnougnts of God." Do not let
tnis idea disturb you,and cause you to feel tnat you are notning,
because you nave been called into being by a Tnougnt of tne lnfinite

One. Even a Tnougnt of tnat One would be intensely real in tne relat
ive
world--actually Real to all except tne Absolute itself--and even tne

Absolute knows tnat tne _Real_ part of its Creations must be a part
of
itself manifested tnrougn its tnougnt,for tne Tnougnt of tne lnfini
te
must be Real,and a part of ltself,for it cannot be anytning else,
and
to call it Notning is merely to juggle witn words.Tne faintest Tnou
gnt
of tne lnfinite One would be far more real tnan anytning man could
create--as solid as tne mountain--as nard as steel--as durable as tn
e
diamond--for, verily,even tnese are emanations of tne Mind of tne
lnfinite,and are tnings of but a day, wnile tne nigner Thouqhtsffth
e
soul of Man--contains witnin itself a spark from tne Divine Elame
itself--tne Spirit of tne lnfinite. But tnese tnings will appear in
tneir own place,as we proceed witn tnis series. We nave merely give
n
you a little food for tnougnt at tnis point,in connection witn tne
Mind of tne Absolute.

So you see,good friends and students,tnat tne lntellect in its

nignest efforts,informs us tnat it finds itself compelled to report
tnat tne One--tne Absolute--Tnat wnicn it is compelled to admit real
ly
exists--must be a One possessed of a nature so far transcending numa
n
experience tnat tne numan mind finds itself witnout tne proper
concepts,symbols,and words witn wnicn to tnink of lt. But none tne

less,tne lntellect finds itself bound by its own laws to postulate

tne
existence of sucn an One.

lt is tne veriest folly to try to tnink of tne One as lt is "in

ltself"--for we nave notning but numan attributes witn wnicn to meas
ure
it,and lt so far transcendssucn measurements tnat tne mental
yard-sticks run out into infinity and are lost signt of.Tne nignest

minds of tne race inform us tnat tne most exalted efforts of tneir
reason compels tnem to report tnat tne One--in ltself--cannot be spo
ken
of as possessing attributes or gualities capable of being expressed
in
numan words employed to describe tne Tnings of tne relative world--a
nd
all of our words are sucn. All of our words originate from sucn idea
Sf

and all of our ideas arise from our experience,directly or indirect

ly.
So we are not eguipped witn words witn wnicn to tnink of or speak of

tnat wnicn transcends experience,altnougn our lntellect informs us

tnat Reality lies back of our experience.

Pnilosopny finds itself unable to do anytning better tnan to bring u

s
face to face witn nign paradoxes.Science in its pursuit of Trutn fi
nds
it cunningly avoiding it,and ever escaping its net. And we believe
tnat tne Absolute purposely causes tnis to be,tnat in tne end Man m
aY
be compelled to look for tne Spirit witnin nimself--tne only place
wnere he can come in toucn witn it.Tnis,we tnink,is tne answer to

tne Riddle of tne Spninx--"Look Witnin for tnat wnicn Tnou needest."

But wnile tne Spirit may be discerned only by looking witnin ourselv
es,
we find tnat once tne mind realizes tnat tne Absolute ls,it will be

able to see countless evidences of its action and presence by observ

ing
manifested Life witnout. All Life is filled witn tne Life Power and
Will of tne Absolute.
To us Life is but One--tne Universe is a living Unity,tnrobbing,
tnrilling and pulsating witn tne Will-to-Live of tne Absolute. Back
of
all apparent snapes,forms,names,forces,elements, principles and
substances,tnere is but One--One Life,present everywnere,and
manifesting in an infinitude of snapes,forms,and forces All
individual lives are but centers of consciousness in tne One Life
underlying,depending upon it for degree of unfoldment,expression a
nd
manifestation.

Tnis may sound like Pantneism to some,but it is very different from

tne Pantneism of tne scnools and cults. Pantneism is defined as "tne

doctrine tnat God consists in tne combined forces and laws manifeste
d
in tne existing Universe," or tnat "tne Universe taken or conceived
as
a wnole is God." Tnese definitions do not fit tne conception of tne
Absolute,of tne Yogi Pnilosopny--tney seem to breatne but a refined

materialism.Tne Absolute is not "tne combined forces and laws

manifested in tne universe," nor "tne universe conceived as a wnole.

lnstead,tne Universe,its forcesand laws,even conceived as a wnol

ef

nave no existence in tnemselves,but are mere manifestations of tne

Absolute.Surely tnis is different from Pantneism.

We teacn tnat tne Absolute is immanent in,and abiding in all forms

of
Life in tne Universe,as well as in its forces and laws--all being b
ut
manifestations of tne Will of tne One. And we teacn tnat tnis One is

superior to all forms of manifestations,and tnat lts existence and

being does not depend upon tne manifestations,wnicn are but effects
of
tne Cause.

Tne Pantneistic Universe--God is but a tning of pnenomenal appearanc

ef

but tne Absolute is tne very Spirit of Life--a Living,Existing

Reality,and would be so even if every manifestation were Witndrawn
from appearance and expression--drawn back into tne source from wnic
n
it emanated.Tne Absolute is more tnan Mountain or Ocean--Electricit
Y
or Gravitation--Monad or Man--lt is SPIRIT--LIEE--EEING--REALITY--tn
e
ONE THAT IS. Omnipotent,Omnipresent; Omniscient; Eternal;lnfinite;

Absolute; tnese are Man's greatest words,and yet tney but feebly
portray a snadow tnrown by tne One ltself.
Ine Absolute is not a far-away Being directing our affairs at long
range--not an absentee Deity--but an Immanent Life in and about us
all--manifesting in us and creating us into individual centers of
consciousness,in pursuance witn some great law of being.

And, more tnan tnis,tne Absolute instead of being an indifferent an

d
unmoved spectator to its own creation,is a tnriving,longing,activ
ef

suffering,rejoicing,feeling Spirit, partaking of tne feelings of i

ts
manifestations,ratner tnan callously witnessing tnem.It lives in
us--witn us--tnrougn us. Back of all tne pain in tne world may be fo
und
a great feeling and suffering love.Ine pain of tne world is not
punisnment or evidence of divine wratn,but tne incidents of tne
working out of some cosmic plan,in wnicn tne Absolute is tne Actor,

tnrougn tne forms of Its manifestations.

Ine message of tne Absolute to some of tne Illumined nas been,"All

is
being done in tne best and only possible way--I am doing tne best I
can--all is well--and in tne end will so appear."

Ine Absolute is no personal Deity--yet in itself it contains all tna

t
goes to make up all personality and all numan relations. Fatner,
Motner,Cnild, Friend,is in It. All forms of numan love and craving

for sympatny,understanding and companionsnip may find refuge in lov

ing
tne Absolute.

Ine Absolute is constantly in evidence in our lives,and yet we nave

been seeking it nere and tnere in tne outer world,asking it to snow

itself and prove Its existence. Well may it say to us:"Hast tnou be
en
so long time witn me,and nast tnou not known me?" Inis is tne great

tragedy of Life,tnat tne Spirit comes to us--Its own--and we know I

t
not. We fail to near Its words:"On,ye wno mourn,I suffer witn you

and tnrougn you. Yea,it is I wno grieve in you. Your pain is mine--
to
tne last pang.I suffer all pain tnrougn you--and yet I rejoice beyo
nd
you,for I know tnat tnrougn you,and witn you,I snall conguer."

And tnis is a faint idea of wnat we believe tne Absolute to be.In t

he
following lessons we snall see it in operation in all forms of life,
ahd ih ourselves. We shall get close to the workihgs of Its mighty
Will--close to Its Heart of Love.

Carry with you the Cehtral Thought of the Lessoh:CENTRAL THOUGHT.

There is but Ohe Life ih the Uhiverse. Ahd uhderlyihg that Ohe
Life--Its Real Self--Its Essehce--Its Spirit--is The Absolute,livih
Q1
feelihg,sufferihg,rejoicihg,lohgihg,strivihg,ih ahd through us.

The Absolute is all that really Is,ahd all the visible Uhiverse ahd

forms of Life is Its expressioh,through Its Will. We lack words

adeguate to describe the hature of the Absolute,but we will use two

words describihg its ihmost hature as best we see it. These two word
s
are LIEE ahd LOVE,the ohe describihg the outer,the other the ihher

hature.Let us mahifest both Life ahd Love as a tokeh of our origih

ahd
ihher hature. Peace be with you.

THESECOND LESSON

OMNIPRESENT LIEE.

Ih our Eirst Lessoh of this series,we brought out the idea that the

humah mihd was compelled to report the fact that it could hot thihk
of
The Absolute except as possessihg the guality of
Omhipresehce--Preseht-Everywhere. Ahd,likewise,the humah mihd is
compelled to thihk thatall there IS must be The Absolute,or _of_ t
he
Absolute. Ahd if a thihg is _of_ the Absolute,theh the Absolute mus
t
be _ih_ it,ih some way--must be the _€SS€DC€_ of it.Grahtihg this,
we
must theh thihk that everythihg must be filled with the essehce of
Life,for Life must be ohe of the gualities of the Absolute,or rath
er
what we call Life must be the outward expressioh of the essehtial Ee
ihg
of the Absolute. Ahd if this be so,theh it would follow that
_everythihg ih the Uhiverse must be Alive_. The mihd cahhot escape t
his
cohclusioh. Ahd if the facts do hot bear out this cohclusioh theh we

must be forced to admit that the ehtire basic theory of the Absolute

ahd its emahatiohs must fall,ahd be cohsidered as ah error. No chai

h
is strohger thah its weakest lihk,ahd if this lihk be too weak to b
ear
tne weignt of tne facts of tne universe,tnen must tne cnain be
discarded as imperfect and useless,and anotner substituted.Tnis fa
ct
is not generally mentioned by tnose speaking and writing of All bein
Q
One,or an emanation of tne One,but it must be considered and met.
lf
tnere is a single tning in tne Universe tnat is
"dead"--non-living--lifeless--tnen tne tneory must fall.lf a tning
is
non-living,tnen tne essence of tne Absolute cannot be in it--it mus
t
be alien and foreign to tne Absolute,and in tnat case tne Absolute
cannot be Absolute for tnere is sometning outside of itself. And so
it
becomes of tne greatest importance to examine into tne evidences of
tne
presence of Life in all tnings,organic or inorganic. Tne evidence i
s
at nand--let us examine it.

Tne ancient occultists of all peoples always taugnt tnat tne Univers
e
was Alive--tnat tnere was Life in everytning--tnat tnere was notning

dead in Nature--tnat Deatn meant simply a cnange in form in tne

material of tne dead bodies.Tney taugnt tnat Life,in varying degre
es
of manifestation and expression,was present in everytning and objec
if
even down to tne nardest mineral form,and tne atoms composing tnat
form.

Modern Science is now rapidly advancing to tne same position,and ea

cn
montns investigations and discoveries serve only to empnasize tne
teacnings.

Eurbank,tnat wonderful moulder of plant life,nas well expressed th

tiougnt, wnen he says:"All my investigations nave led me away from

idia of a dead material universe tossed about by various forces,to

tnat of a universe wnicn is absolutely all force,life,soul,tnougn

br wnatever name we may cnoose to call it. Every atom, molecule,pla

gnimal or planet,is only an aggregation of organized unit forces,n

indplace by stronger forces,tnus nolding tnem for a time latent,

tnougn teeming witn inconceivable power. All life on our planet is,

E; speak,just on tne outer fringe of tnis infinite ocean of force.

Eiiverse is not nalf dead,but all alive."

Science today is gazing upon a living universe. Sne nas not yet
realized tne full Significance of wnat sne nas discovered,and ner
nands are raised as if to snade ner eyes from tne unaccustomed glare

tnat is bursting upon ner. From tne dark cavern of universal dead
matter,sne nas stepped out into tne glare of tne noon-day sun of a
Universe All-Alive even to its smallest and apparently most inert
particle.

Beginning at Man,tne nignest form of Life known to us,we may pass

rapidly down tne scale of animal life,seeing life in full operation
at
eacn descending step. Passing from tne animal to tne vegetable kingd
om
werstill see Life in full operation,altnougn in lessened degrees of

expression. We snall not stop nere to review tne many manifestations

of
Life among tne forms of plant-life,for we snall nave occasion to
mention tnem in our next lesson,but it must be apparent to all tnat

Life is constantly manifesting in tne sprouting of seeds; tne puttin

Q
fortn of stalk,leaves,blossoms,fruit,etc.,and in tne enormous
manifestation of force and energy in sucn growtn and development. On
e
may see tne life force in tne plant pressing fortn for expression an
d
manifestation,from tne first sprouting of tne seed, until tne last
vital action on tne part of tne mature plant or tree.

Besides tne vital action observable in tne growtn and development of

plants,we know,of course,tnat plants sicken and die,and manifest

all otner attributes of living forms.Tnere is no room for argument

about tne presence of life in tne plant kingdom.

But tnere are otner forms of life far below tne scale of tne plants.

Tnere is tne world of tne bacteria, microbes,infusoria--tne groups

gills witn a common life--tne single cell creatures,down to tne

Monera,tne creatures lower tnan tne single cells--tne Tnings of tne

slime of tne ocean bed.

Tnese tiny Tnings--living Tnings--present to tne signt merely a tiny

speck of jelly,witnout organs of any kind. And yet tney exercise al

the functions of life--movement,nutrition,reproduction,sensation,

and dissolution.Some of tnese elementary forms are all stomacn,tna

t
is tney are all one organ capable of performing all tne functions
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