LITMIR.BIZ

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throughout space. Our first glance therefore shows us that the

      All-originating Power must be in essence Unity and in manifestation

      Multiplicity, and that it manifests as Life and Beauty through the unerring

      adaptation of means to ends--that is so far as its cosmic manifestation of

      ends goes: what we want to do is to carry this manifestation still further

      by operation from an individual standpoint. To do this is precisely our

      place in the Order of Creation, but we must defer the question why we hold

      this place till later on.

      One of the earliest discoveries we all make is the existence of Matter. The

      bruised shins of our childhood convince us of its solidity, so now comes

      the question, Why does Matter exist? The answer is that if the form were

      not expressed in solid substance, things would be perpetually flowing into

      each other so that no identity could be maintained for a single moment. To

      this it might be replied that a condition of matter is conceivable in

      which, though in itself a plastic substance, in a fluent state, it might

      yet by the operation of will be held in any particular forms desired. The

      idea of such a condition of matter is no doubt conceivable, and when the

      fluent matter was thus held in particular forms you would have concrete

      matter just as we know it now, only with this difference, that it would

      return to its fluent state as soon as the supporting will was withdrawn.

      Now, as we shall see later on, this is precisely what matter really is,

      only the will which holds it together in concrete form is not individual

      but cosmic.

      In itself the Essence of Matter is precisely the fluent substance we have

      imagined, and as we shall see later on the knowledge of this fact, when

      realized in its proper order, is the basis of the legitimate control of

      mind over matter. But a world in which every individual possessed the power

      of concreting or fluxing matter at his own sweet will irrespective of any

      universal coordinating principle is altogether inconceivable--the conflict

      of wills would prevent such a world remaining in existence. On the other

      hand, if we conceive of a number of individuals each possessing this power

      and all employing it on the lines of a common cosmic unity, then the result

      would be precisely the same stable condition of matter with which we are

      familiar--this would be a necessity of fact for the masses who did not

      possess this power, and a necessity of principle for the few who did. So

      under these circumstances the same stable conditions of Nature would

      prevail as at present, varied only when the initiated ones perceived that

      the order of evolution would be furthered, and not hindered, by calling

      into action the higher laws. Such occasions would be of rare occurrence,

      and then the departure from the ordinary law would be regarded by the

      multitude as a miracle. Also we may be quite sure that no one who had

      attained this knowledge in the legitimate order would ever perform a

      "miracle" for his own personal aggrandizement or for the purpose of merely

      astonishing the beholders--to do so would be contrary to the first

      principle of the higher teaching which is that of profound reverence for

      the Unity of the All-originating Principle. The conception, therefore, of

      such a power over matter being possessed by certain individuals is in no

      way opposed to our ordinary recognition of concrete matter, and so we need

      not at present trouble ourselves to consider these exceptions.

      Another theory is that matter has no existence at all but is merely an

      illusion projected by our own minds. If so, then how is it that we all

      project identically similar images? On the supposition that each mind is

      independently projecting its own conception of matter a lady who goes to be

      fitted might be seen by her dressmaker as a cow. Generations of people have

      seen the Great Pyramid on the same spot; but on the supposition that each

      individual is projecting his own material world in entire independence of

      all other individuals there is no reason why any two persons should ever

      see the same thing in the same place. On the supposition of such an

      independent action by each separate mind, without any common factor binding

      them all to one particular mode of recognition, no intercourse between

      individuals would be possible--then, without the consciousness of relation

      to other individuals the consciousness of our own individuality would be

      lost, and so we should cease to have any conscious existence at all. If on

      the other hand we grant that there is, above the individual minds, a great

      Cosmic Mind which imposes upon them the necessity of all seeing the same

      image of Matter, then that image is not a projection of the individual

      minds but of the Cosmic Mind; and since the individual minds are themselves

      similar projections of the Cosmic Mind, matter is for them just as much a

      reality as their own existence. I doubt not that material substance is thus

      projected by the all-embracing Divine Mind; but so also are our own minds

      projected by it, and therefore the relation between them and matter is a

      real relation and not a merely fictitious one.

      I particularly wish the student to be clear on this point, that where two

      factors are projected from a common source their relation to each other

      becomes an absolute fact in respect of the factors themselves,

      notwithstanding that the power of changing that relation by substituting a

      different projection must necessarily always continue to reside in the

      originating source. To take a simple arithmetical example--by my power of

      mental projection working through my eyes and fingers I write 4 X 2. Here I

      have established a certain numerical relation which can only produce eight

      as its result. Again, I have power to change the factors and write 4 X 3,

      in which case 12 is the only possible result, and so on. Working in this

      way calculation becomes possible. But if every time I wrote 4 that figure

      possessed an independent power of setting down a different number by which

      to multiply itself, what would

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