I. TAe Physical Body.

Of all the seven principles of man, the physical
body is of course the most apparent. It is the low-
est in the scale, and is the crudest manifestation of
the man. But this does not mean that the physical
should be despised or neglected. On the contrary,
it is a most necessary principle for the growth of
man in his present stage of development — the tem-
ple of the living Spirit — and it should be carefully
tended and cared for in order to render it a more per-
fect instrument. We have but to look around us
and see how the physical bodies of different men
show the different degrees of development under
mental control. It is a duty of each developed man
to train his body to the highest degree of perfection
in-order that it may be used to advantage. The
body should be kept in good health and condition
and trained to obey the orders of the miiidj, gather
than to rule the mind, as Is so often the case. The
care of the body, under tlie"iritelirgeht control of the
mind, is an important branch of Yogi philosophy,
and is known as " Hatha Yoga." We are preparing

!I5 YOGI PHILOSOPHY

a little text-book upon " Hatha Yoga," which will
soon be ready for the press, that will give the Yogi
teachings upon this most important branch of self-
development. The Yog i philo sophy teaches that
the physical body is built up_aE cells, each cell con-
taining within it a miniature " life," which controls
its action. These "lives " are really^ bits of intelli-
genFmmdof a certain degree of growth, which enable
the^cells to perform their work properly. These
bits of intellige,jice are» of course, subordinate to the
control of the central mind of the man^.and_will. read-
ily obey orders from headquarters^ giveneither sub-
consciously or consciously. These cell intelligences
manifest a perfect adaptation for their particular
work. The selective action of the cells, extracting
from the blood the nourishment needed and rejecting
that which is not required, is an instance of this
intelligence. The process of digestion, assimilation,
etc., shows the intelligence of the cells, either sepa-
rately or collectively, in groups. The healing of
wounds, the rush of the cells to the points where
they are most needed, and hundreds of other exam-
ples known to the student of physiology, all mean to
the Yogi student examples of the " life " within each
atom. Each atom is to the Yogi a living thing,
leading its own independent life. These atoms
combine into groups for some end, and the group
manifests a group-intelligence, as long as it remains
a group ; these groups again combining in turn, and

TUE FISST TBBEE PEINCJPLES, 9

forming bodies of a more complex nature, which
serve as vehicles for higher forms of consciousness.

When death comes to the physical body the cells
separate and scatter, and that which we call decay
sets in. The force which has held the cells together
is withdrawHf and it becomes free to go its own way
and form new combinations. Some go into the body
of the plants in the vicinity, and eventually find
themselves again in the body of an animal ; others
remain in the organism of the plant ; others remain
in the grovmd for a time, but the life of the atom
means incessant and constant change. As a leading
writer has said : " Death is but an aspect of life, and
the destruction of one material form is but a prelude
to the building up of another. "

We will not devote further space to the considera-
tion of the physical, as that is a subject by itself,
and, then, our students are no doubt anxious to be
led into subjects with which they are not quite so
familiar. So we will leave this first principle and
pass on to the second, wishing, however, again to
remind the student that the first step in Yogi devel-
opment consists of the mastery of the physical body
and its care and attention. We will have more to
say of this subject before we are through with this

course.

TAe Astral Body.

This second principle of man is not nearly so well
known as its physical brother, although it is closely

10 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

connected with the latter and is its exact counterpart
in appearance. The astral body has been known
to people in all ages, and has given rise to mdny
superstitions and mysteries, owing to a lack of knowl-
edge of its nature. It has been called the " ethereal
body"; the "fluidic body"; the "double"; the
"wraith"; the " Doppelganger," etc. It is com-
posed of matter of a finer quality than that compos-
ing our physical bodies, but matter none the less.
In order to give you a clearer idea of what we mean,
we will call your attention to water, which manifests
in several well-known forms. Water at a certain
temperature is known as ice, a hard, solid substance ;
at a little higher temperature it assumes its best-
known form, which we call " water " ; at a still higher
temperature it escapes in the form of a vapor which
we call " steam," although the real steam is invisible
to the human eye, and becomes apparent only when
it mixes with the air and has its temperature lowered
a little, when it becomes vapor visible to the eye,
and which vapor we call " steam."

The astral body is the exact counterpart of the
physical body and may be separated from it under
certain circumstances. Ordinarily, conscious sepa-
ration is a matter of considerable difficulty, but in
persons of a certain degree of psychical development
the astral body may be detached and often goes on
long journeys. To the clairvoyant vision the astral
body is seen looking exactly like its counterpart, the

TB.E FIBST TBBEE PRINCIPLES. ' '

physical body, and united to it by a slender silken
corHr~— -^- ._

The astral body exists some time after the death
of the person to whom it belongs, and under certain
circumstances it is visible to living persons, and is
called a "ghost. " There are other means whereby
the spirits of those who have passed on may become
manifest, and the astral shell which is sometimes
seen after it has been sloughed off by the soul which
has passed on is in such cases nothing more than a
corpse of finer matter than its physical counterpart.
In such cases it is possessed of no life or intelli-
gence, and is nothing more than a cloud seen in the
sky bearing a resemblance to a human form. It is
a shell, nothing more. The astral body of a dying
person is sometimes projected by an earnest desire,
and is at such times seen by friends and relatives
with whom he is in sympathy. There are many
cases of this kind on record, and the student proba-
bly is aware of occurrences of this kind. We will
have more to say about the astral body and astral
shells in other lessons in this course. We will have
occasion to go into further detail when we reach the
subject of the astral plane, and, in fact, the astral
body will form a part of several lessons.

The astral body is invisible to the ordinary eye,
but is readily perceived by those having clairvoyant
power of a certain degree. Under certain circum-
stances the astral body of a living person may be

12 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

seen by friends and others, the mental condition of
the persons and the observer having much to do with
the matter. Of course, the trained and developed
occultist is able to project his astral body consciously,
and may make it appear at will ; but such powers are
rare and are acquired only after a certain stage of
development is reached.

The adept sees the astral body rising from the
physical body as the hour of death approaches. It is
seen hovering over the physical body, to which it is
bound by a slender thread. When the thread snaps
the person is dead, and the soul passes on carrying
with it the astral body, which in turn is discarded
as the physical body has been before. It must be
remembered that the astral body is merely a finer
grade of matter, and that it is merely a vehicle for
the soul, just as is the physical, and that both are
discarded at the proper time. The astral body, like
the physical, disintegrates after the death of the per-
son, and persons of a psychic nature sometimes see
the dissolving fragments around cemeteries, in the
shape of violet light.

We are merely calling attention to the different
vehicles of the soul of man, his seven principles,
and we must hasten on to the next principle. We
would like to speak to you of the interesting phenom-
enon of the ego leaving the physical body in the
astral body while one is " asleep." We would like
to tell you just what occurs during sleep, and how

THE FIBST THREE FRINCIPLEa. 13

one may give orders to his astral self to gain certain
information or to Work out certain problems while
he is wrapped in sleep, but that belongs to another
phase of our subject, and we must pass on after
merely whetting your appetite. We wish you to get
these seven principles well fixed in your mind, so
that you may be able to understand the terms when
we use them later on.

3. Prana, or Vital Force.

We have said something of Prana in our little
book, "The Science of Breath," which many of you
have read. As we said in that book, Prana is uni-
versal energy, but in our consideration of it we will
confine ourselves to that manifestation of Prana
which we call vital force. This vital force is
found in all forms of life — from the amoeba to man
— from the most elementary form of plant life to the
highest form of animal life. Prana is all-pervading.
It is found in all things having life, and as the
occult philosophy teaches that life is in all things —
in every atom — the apparent lifelessness of some
things being only a lesser degree of manifestation,
we may understand that Prana is everywhere, in
everything, Prana is not the Ego, but is merely a
form of energy used by the Ego in its material mani-
festation. When the Ego departs from the physical
body, in what we all " death," the Prana, being no
longer under the control of the Ego, responds only

14 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

to the orders of the individual atoms or their groups,
which have formed the physical body, and as the
physical body disintegrates and is resolved back to
its original elements, each atom takes with it suffi-
cient Prana to enable it to form new combinations,
the unused Prana returning to the great universal
storehouse from whence it came. Prana is in all
forms of matter, and yet it is not matter — it is the
energy or force which animates matter. We have
gone into the matter of Prana in our little book pre-
viously referred to, and we do not wish to take up
the students' time in repeating what we said there.

But before taking up the next principle, we wish
to direct the student's attention to the fact that Prana
is the force underlying magnetic healing, much of
mental healing, absent treatment, etc. That which
has been spoken of by many as human magnetism is
really Prana.

In " Science of Breath," we have given you direc-
tions for increasing the Prana in your system ; dis-
tributing it over the body, strengthening each part
and organ and stimulating every cell. It may be di-
rected toward relieving pain in one's self and others by
sending to the affected part a supply of Prana ex-
tracted from the air. It may be projected to a dis-
tance so as to affect other persons. The thought of
the projector sends forth and colors the Prana gathered
for that purpose, and finds lodgment in the psychic
organism of the patient. Like the Marconi- waves

lUE FIRST TEHEE FBINCIFLES. 1 5

it is invisible to the eye of man (with the exception
of certain persons who have attained a high degree
of clairvoyant power) ; it passes through intervening
obstacles and seeks the person attuned to receive it.

This transferring of Prana under the direction of
the will is the underlying principle of thought
transference, telepathy, etc. One may surround
himself with an aura of Prana, colored with strong
positive thought, which will enable him to resist the
adverse thoujht waves of others, and which will en-
able him to live serene in an atmosphere of antago-
nistic and inharmonious thought.

We advise students to re-read that portion of " Sci-
ence of Breath " which deals with the use of Prana.
We purpose going into greater detail regarding this
phase of the subject, during the course of these les-
sons, but " Science of Breath " gives a good funda-
mental idea of the nature of Prana and the methods
of its use, and students will do well to refresh their
minds on this subject.

We do not wish to weary you by this description
of each of the seven principles, and we are aware that
you are impatient to enter into the more interesting
phases of the subject. But it is absolutely necessary
that you obtain a clear idea of these seven principles,
in order that you may understand that which follows,
and to obviate the necessity of your being " sent back "
to relearn the lesson which you have "skipped."
We had this idea in mind when we started this class

1 6 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

in November, 1903, instead of waiting until January,
1904, and we give you the November and December
lessons as " good measure," so as to be able to reach
the more interesting part of the subject by the Janu-
ary lesson.

We will leave the subject of Prana and will pass
on to the next principle ; but we trust that you will
not leave this part of the lesson until you have ac-
quired a clear idea of Prana and its qualities and
uses. Study your "Science of Breath" until you
understand something of Prana.

The Mental Principles.

The Western reader who has studied the writings
of some of the recent Western psychologists will
recognize in the Instinctive Mind certain attributes
of the so-called "subjective" or "subconscious"
minds spoken of so frequently by the said writers.
These writers discovered in man these characteristics,
as well as certain higher phases of the mind (coming
from the Spiritual Mind), and without stopping to
investigate further, they advanced a " new " theory
that man is possessed of two minds, i.e., the "objec-
tive" and "subjective," or as some have termed
them, the "conscious" and " subconscious." This
was all very well so far as it went, but these investi-
gators set the " conscious " mind aside and bundled
all the rest into their " subconscious " or "subjec-
tive " mind, ignoring the fact that they were mixing

TBE FIRST THEEE FEINCIFLES. 17

the highest and lowest qualities of mind and putting
them in the same class, and leaving the middle quali-
ty by itself. The " subjective mind " and the " sub-
conscious " theories are very confusing, as the student
finds grouped together the most sublime flashes of
genius and the silliest nothings of the man of low
development, the mind of the latter being almost
altogether "subjective."

To those who have read up on these theories, we
would say that such reading will materially help
them to understand the three mental principles of
man, if they will remember that the "conscious " or
"objective" mind corresponds very nearly with the
"Intellect" principle in the Yogi philosophy; and
that the lowest portions of the " subjective " or " sub-
conscious " mind are what the Yogis term the " In-
stinctive Mind" principle; while the higher and
sublime qualities which the Western writers have
noticed and have grouped with the lower qualities in
forming their "subjective mind" and "subconscious
mind " theories, is the " Spiritual Mind " principle
of the Yogis, with the difference that the " Spiritual
Mind" has additional properties and qualities of
which these Western theorists have never dreamed.
As we touch upon each of these three mental princi-
ples, you will see the points of resemblance and the
points of difference between the Yogi teachings and
the Western theories.

We wish it distinctly understood, however, that

l8 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

we do not desire to detract from the praise justly
earned by these Western investigators ; in fact, the
Yogis owe them a debt of gratitude for preparing
the Western mind for the fuller teachings. The stu-
dent who has read the works of the writers referred
to will find it very much easier to grasp the idea of
the three mental principles in man than if he had
never heard of any division in the functioning of the
mind of man. Our principal reason for calling at-
tention to the mistake of the Western dual-mind theo-
ries was that to the mind of the Yogi it is painful to
see that which he knows to be the highest manifes-
tation of mind, that which is the seat of inspiration
and flashes of genius, that which touches the pure
Spirit (the Spiritual Mind), which is just beginning
to awaken in men of development and growth — con-
fused and confounded with and placed in the same
class with the lowest mental principle (the Instinc-
tive Mind) which, while most necessary and useful
to rrian, under the direction of his higher principle,
is still something which is common to the most unde-
veloped man, even to the lower form of the animal
kingdom — yea, even to the plant life. We trust that
the student will free his mind of preconceived ideas
on this important subject, and will listen to what we
say before forming his final opinion. In our next
lesson, we will go into detail regarding each of the
three Mental Principles.

THE SECOND LESSON.

The Mental Principles.

In our First Lesson we called your attention
briefly to the three lower principles of man — i.e.,
(I) the physical body; (2) the astral body; (3)
Prana, or vital force. We also led up to the subject
of the mental principles, which form the fourth, fifth,
and sixth, respectively, of the seven principles of
man.

For convenience' sake, we will again enumerate
the four higher principles :

(7) Spirit.

(6) Spiritual mind.

(S) Intellect.

(4) Instinctive mind.

This terminology is more or less unsatisfactory, but
we adopt it in preference to the Sanscrit terms
which prove so puzzling and elusive to the average
Western student.

The three lower principles are the most material,
and the atoms of which they are composed are, of
course, indestructible, and go on forever in countless
forms and aspects; but these principles, so far as

19

20 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

the ego is concerned, are things merely to be used
in connection with a particular earth-life, just as man
uses clothing, heat, electricity, etc., and they form
no part of his higher nature.

The four higher principles, on the contrary, go to
make up the thinking part of man — the intelligent
part, so to speak. Even the lowest of the four — the
instinctive mind, goes to form the higher part of the
man.

Those who have not considered the subject at all
are apt to regard as absurd the suggestion that the
mind of man functions on more than one plane.
Students of psychology, however, have long recog-
nized the varying phases of mentation, and many
theories have been advanced to account for the same.
Such students will find that the Yogi philosophy
alone gives the key to the mystery. Those who have
studied the dual-mind theories of certain Western
writers will also find it easier to conceive of tnore
than one plane of mentality.

At first sight it would seem that the conscicus,
reasoning part of man's mind did the most work — if,
indeed, not all of it. But a little reflection will show
us that the conscious, reasoning work of the mind is
but a small fraction of its task. Man's mind func-
tions on three planes of effort, each plane shading

imperceptibly into the planes on either side of it

the one next higher or the one next lower. The
student may think of the matter either as one mind

TEE MENTAL PRINCIPLES. 2 1

functioning along three lines, or as three minds shad-
ing into each other ; both views have more or less of
the truth in them ; the real truth is too complex to
be considered in detail in an elementary lesson. The
principal thing is to get the idea fixed in the mind —
to form mental pegs upon which to hang future in-
formation. We will touch briefly upon the several
"minds," or planes of mental effort, beginning with
the lowest, the instinctive mind.

(4) The Instinctive Mind.

This plane of mentation we share in connection
with the lower animals, in, at least, its lower forms.
It is the first plane of mentation reached in the scale
of evolution. Its lowest phases are along lines in
which consciousness is scarcely evident, and it ex-
tends from this lowly place in the scale until it mani-
fests a very high degree of consciousness in compari-
son with its lowest phases ; in fact, when it begins to
shade into the fifth principle, it is difficult to distin-
guish it from the lowest forms of the latter.

The first dawn of the instinctive mind may be
seen even in the mineral kingdom, more particularly
in crystals, etc. Then in the plant kingdom it grows
more distinct and higher in the scale, some of the
higher families of plants showing even a rudimentary
form of consciousness. Then in the world of the
lower animals are seen increasing manifestations of
the instinctive mind, from the almost plant-like in-

92 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

telligence of the lower forms until we reach a
degree almost equal to that of the lowest form of
human life. Then, among men, we see it shading
gradually into the fifth principle, the intellect, until
in the highest form of man to-day we see the fifth
principle, intellect, in control to a certain extent, and
subordinating the fourth principle to it, either wisely
or unwisely. But, remember this, that even the
highest form of man carries about with him the
fourth principle, the instinctive mind, and in vary-
ing degrees uses it, or is used by it. The instinc-
tive mind is most useful to man in this stage of his
development — he could not exist as a physical being
without it, in fact — and he may make a most valu-
able servant of it if he understands it ; but woe to
him if he allows it to remain in control or to usurp
prerogatives belonging to its higher brother. Now,
right here we must call your attention to the fact
that man is still a growing creature — he is not a fin-
ished product by any means. He has reached his
present stage of growth after a toilsome journey; but
it is merely sunrise yet, and the full day is afar off.
The fifth principle, the intellect, has unfolded to a
certain degree, particularly in the more advanced
men of to-day, "but the unfoldment is merely begin-
ning with many. Many men are but little more
than animals, and their minds function almost en-
tirely upon the instinctive plane. And all men of
to-day, with the exceptions of a few very highly de-

TSE MENTAL FSINCIPLES. 93

veloped individuals, have need to be on guard lest the
instinctive mind does not occasionally unduly assert
its power over them, when they are off their guard.

The lowest phase of the work of the instinctive
mind is akin to the same work manifesting in the
plant kingdom. The work of our bodies is per-
formed by this part of the mind. The constant work
of repair, replacement, change, digestion, assimila-
tion, elimination, etc., is being performed by this
part of the mind, all below the plane of conscious-
ness. The wondrous work of the body, in health
and sickness, is faithfully carried on by this part of
our minds, all without our conscious knowledge.
The intelligent work of every organ, part, and cell of
the body is under the superintendence of this part
of the mind. Read in " Science of Breath " of the
marvelous process of the circulation of the blood, its
purification, etc., and realize, faintly, what a wonder-
ful work is even this lowest phase of the instinctive
mind. We will show more of its workings in our
forthcoming work " Hatha Yoga," but any school
physiology will give you a clear idea of what it does,
although its writer does not tell the cause behind it.
This part of the work of the instinctive mind is well
performed in the lower animals, plants, and in man,
until the latter begins to unfold a little intellect,
when he often begins to meddle with the work prop-
erly Delonging to this plane of the mind, and sends
to it adverse suggestions, fear thoughts, etc. How-

24 yog: philosophy.

ever, this trouble is but temporary, as, when the in-
tellect unfolds a little farther, it sees the error into
which it has fallen and proceeds to rectify the trou-
ble and to prevent its recurrence.

But this is only a part of the province of the in-
stinctive mind. As the animal progressed along the
scale of evolution, certain things became necessary
for its protection and well-being. It could not reason
on these things, so that wonderful' intelligence dwell-
ing, subconsciously, in the instinctive mind unfolded
until it was able to grasp the situation and meet it.
It aroused the " fighting instinct " in the brute for its
preservation, and this action of the instinctive mind,
very good for its purpose and essential to the preser-
vation of the life of the animal, is still with us and
occasionally projects itself into our mentality with a
surprising degree of strength. There is a great deal
of the old animal fighting spirit in us yet, although
we have managed to control it and to hold it in re-
straint, thanks to the light obtained from our unfold-
ing higher faculties. The instinctive mind also
taught the animal how to build its nests, how to mi-
grate before approaching winter, how to hibernate,
and thousands of other things well known to students
of natural history. And it teaches us how to do the
many things which we perform instinctively, as it
also assumes tasks which we learn how to perform,
by means of our intellect, and which we pass on to
the instinctive mind, which afterward performs them

IRE MENTAL PRINCIPLES. 75

automatically or nearly so. It is astonishing how
many of our daily tasks are performed under the di-
rection of our instinctive mind, subject merely to a
casual supervision of the Intellect. When we learn
to do things " by heart," we have really mastered
them on the intellectual plane, and then passed them
on to the instinctive plane of mentation. The woman
with her sewing-machine, the man who runs his en-
gine, the painter with his brush, all find the instinc-
tive mind a good friend, in fact the intellect would
soon tire if it had these every-day tasks to perform.
Note the difference between learning to do a thing,
and then doing it after it has been learned. These
manifestations of the instinctive mind are of course
among its higher phases, and are due largely to its
contact with and blending with the unfolding intel-
lect.

The instinctive mind is also the " habit " mind.
The intellect (either that of the owner of the in-
stinctive mind, or of some other man) passes on
ideas to it, which it afterward faithfully carries out
to the letter, unless corrected or given better instruc-
tions, or worse ones, by the intellect of some one.

The instinctive mind is a queer storehouse. It is
full of things received from a variety of sources. It
contains many things which it has received through
heredity ; other things which have unfolded within
it, the seeds of which were sown at the time of the
primal impulse which started life along the path;

26 yOG/ PHILOSOPHY.

Other things which it has received from the intellect,
including suggestions from others, as well as thought-
waves sent out from the minds of others, w-hich have
taken lodgment within its corridors. All sorts of
foolishness as well as wisdom is there. We will
deal with this phase of the subject in future lessons,
under the head of Suggestion and Auto- Suggestion,
Thought Power, etc.

Instinctive mind manifests varying. degrees of con-
sciousness, varying from almost absolute subcon-
sciousness to the simple consciousness of the highest
of the lower animals and the lower forms of man.
Self-consciousness comes to man with the unfold-
ment of the intellect, and will be spoken of in its
proper place. Cosmic or universal consciousness
comes with the unfoldment of the spiritual mind
and will be touched upon later on. This gradual
growth of consciousness is a most interesting and im-
portant branch of the subject before us, and will be
referred to, and spoken of, at different points in this
course.

Before we pass on to the next principle, we must
call your attention to the fact that the instinctive
mind is the seat of the appetites, passions, desires,
instincts, sensations, feelings, and emotions of the
lower order, manifested in man as well as in the lower
animals. There are of course higher ideas, emotions,
aspirations, and desires, reaching the advanced man
from the unfolding spiritual mind, but the animal

ISE MENTAL PBINCIFLES. 77

desires, and the ordinary feelings, emotions, etc., be-
long to the instinctive mind. All the "feelings"
belonging to our passional and emotional nature be-
long to this plane. All animal desires, such as hun-
ger and thirst, sexual desires (on the physical plane) ;
all passions, such as physical love, hatred, envy, mal-
ice, jealousy, revenge, are a part of it. The desire
for the physical (unless as a means of reaching higher
things), the longing for the material, all belong to
this plane. The " lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eyes, the pride of life," are on this plane. This prin-
ciple is the most material of the three mental princi-
ples, and is the one which is apt to bind us the clos-
est to the earth and earthly things. Remember, that
we are not condemning material or " earthly " things
— they are all right in their place ; but man in his
unfoldment grows to see these things as only a means
to an end — only a step in the spiritual evolution.
And with clearer vision he ceases to be bound too
tightly to the material side of life, and, instead of re-
garding it as the end and aim of all things, sees that
it is, at the best, only a means to a higher end.

Many of the " brute " instincts are still with us,
and are much in evidence in undeveloped people.
Occultists learn to curb and control these lower in-
stincts, and to subordinate them to the higher mental
ideals which open up to them. Be not discouraged,
^ar student, if you find much of the animal still
•within you. It is no sign of " badness," or evil ; ir

28 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

fact the recognition of it by one is a sign that his
unfoldment has begun, for, before, the same thing
was there and not recognized for what it is, whereas
now it is both seen and recognized. Knowledge is
power : learn to know the remnants of the brute na-
ture within you and become a tamer of wild beasts.
The higher principles will always obtain the mastery,
but patience, perseverance, and faith are. required
for the task. These " brute " things were all right
in their time — the animal had need of them — they
were " good " for the purpose intended, but now that
man is reaching higher points on the path, he sees
clearer and learns to subordinate the lower parts of
himself to the higher. The lower instincts were
not implanted in your nature by " the devil " ; you
came by them honestly. They came in the process
of evolution as a proper and right thing, but have
been largely outgrown and can now be left behind.
So do not fear these inheritances from the past ; you
can put them aside or subordinate them to higher
things as you journey along the path. Do not despise
them, though you tread them under foot — they are
the steps upon which you have reached your present
high estate, and upon which you will attain still
greater heights.

(S) The Intellect.

We now reach the mental principle which distin-
guishes man from the brute. The first four princi-

TEE MENTAL PBINCIPLES. 39

pies man shares in common with the lower forms of
life, but when the fifth principle begins to unfold he
has reached an important stage of the journey along
the path of attainment. He feels his manhood
manifesting within him.

Now, remember, that there is no violent change or
marked transition from the consciousness of the
fourth principle into that of the fifth. As we have
before explained, these principles shade into each
other, and blend as do the colors of the spectrum.
As intellect unfolds, it illuminates faintly the fourth
principle, and endows instinctive life with reason.
Simple consciousness shades into self-consciousness.
Before the fifth principle dawns fairly, the creature
having the four principles well developed has pas-
sions but no reason ; emotions but no intellect ; de-
sires but no rationalized will. It is the subject
awaiting the monarch, the sleeper awaiting the
magic touch of the one who has been sent to awaken
him from the enchanter's deep sleep. It is the
brute awaiting the coming of that which will trans-
form it into a man.

In some of the lower animals, the fourth principle
has attracted to itself the lowest shading of the
fifth principle, and the animal manifests signs of a
faint reasoning. On the other hand, in some of the
lower forms of man — the Bushman, for example —
the fourth principle has scarcely been perceptibly
colored by the incoming fifth principle, and the

30 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

"man" is scarcely more than a brute, in fact is
more of a brute, mentally, than some of the higher
domesticated animals, who, having been for many
generations in close companionship with man, have
been colored by his mental emanations.

The first sign of the real unfoldment O'f the fifth
principle, intellect, is the dawning of self^conscious-
ness. In order more fully to understand this, let us
consider what consciousness really is.

Among the lower animals there is very little of
that which we call consciousness. The conscious-
ness of the lower animal forms is but little more than
mere sensation. Life in the early stages is almost
automatic. The mentation is almost entirely along
subconscious lines, and the mentation itself is only
that which is concerned with the physical life of
the animal — the satisfaction of its primitive wants.
After a bit, this primitive consciousness developed
into what psychologists term simple consciousness.
Simple consciousness is an " awareness " of outside
things — a perception and recognition of things other
than the inner self. The conscious attention is
turned outward. The animal, or low order of man,
cannot think of his hopes and fears, his aspirations,
his plans, his thoughts, and then compare them with
the like thoughts of others of his kind. He cannot
turn his gaze inward and speculate upon abstract
things. He simply takes things for granted and
asks no questions. He does not attempt to find

TEE MENTAL PBINCIPLES. 3 1

solutions for questions within himself, for he is not
aware that such questions exist.

With the advent of self-consciousness hian begins
to form a conception of the " I." He begins to com-
pare himself with others and to reason about it. He
takes mental stock, and draws conclusions from what
he finds in his mind. He begins to think for him-
self, to analyze, classify, separate, deduce, etc. As
he progresses he begins to think out things for him-
self, and passes along new and fresh suggestions to
his instinctive mind. He begins to rely upon his
own mind, rather than blindly accepting that which
emanates from the mind of others. He begins to
create for himself, and is no longer a mere mental
automaton.

And from a mere glimmering of conscious intelli-
gence, there has grown the highest intelligence of
to-day. A modern writer forcibly expresses the
growth in the following words : " For some hun-
dreds of years, upon the general plane of self-con-
sciousness, an ascent, to the human eye gradually,
but from the point of view of cosmic evolution rapid,
has been made. In a race, large- brained, walking
erect, gregarious, brutal, but king of all other brutes,
man in appearance but not in fact, was from the
highest simple-consciousness born the basic human
faculty self-consciousness, and its twin language.
From these and what went with these, through suffer-
ing, toil, and war ; through bestiality, savagery, bar-

32 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

barism ; through slavery, greed, effort ; through con-
quests infinite, through defeats overwhelming, through
struggle unending; through ages of aimless semi-
brutal existence ; through subsistence on berries and
roots ; through the use of the casually found stone
or stick ; through life in deep forests, with nuts and
seeds, and on the shores of waters with mollusks,
crustaceans, and fish for food ; through that greatest,
perhaps, of human victories, the domestication and
subjugation of fire; through the invention and art of
bow and arrow; through the taming of animals and
the breaking of them to labor; through the long
learning which led to the cultivation of the soil;
through the adobe brick and the building of houses
therefrom; through the smelting of metals and the
slow birth of the arts which rest upon these ; through
the slow making of alphabets and the evolution of
the written word; in short, through thousands of
centuries of human life, of human aspiration, of hu-
man growth, sprang the world of men and women as
it stands before us and within us to-day with all its
achievements and possessions."

Self-consciousness is a thing easy to comprehend,
but difficult to define. One writer has expressed it
well when he says that without self -consciousness a
creature may know ; but only by the aid of self-con-
sciousness is it possible for him to know tJiat he
knows.

And with this unfoldment of the intellect came

TBE MENTAL PSINCIPLES. ^^

the beginnings of all the wonderful achievements of
the human mind of to-day. But great "vs are these
achievements, these are as nothing to what is yet be-
fore the race. From victory on to victory will the
intellect progress. In its unfoldment, as it begins
to receive more and more light from the next highest
principle, the spiritual mind, it will achieve things
as yet undreamed of. And yet, poor mortal, remem-
ber, intellect is third from the highest in the scale
on the principles of man. There are two principles
as much higher than intellect, as intellect is higher
than the principle below — instinctive mind. Do
not make a God of intellect; do not allow the pride
of intellect to blind you.

The importance of the awakening of self-conscious-
ness may be more clearly recognized when we tell
you that the occult doctrine is that once the self-
consciousness is awakened into being, once the " I "
has been felt and recognized, the real awakened life
of the soul begins. We do not refer to the life that
comes after the spiritual awakening — that is a still
higher stage — but to the mental awakening of the
soul to the " I " consciousness. This is the stage
where the baby ego first begins its waking existence.
Previous to that time it has slumbered on, alive but
not conscious of itself, and now the time of labor
pains and birth is at hand. The soul has to meet
new conditions, and has many an obstacle to over-
come before it reaches spiritual manhood. Many

34 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

experiences will it undergo, many trials will it be
forced to meet; but still the progress is, on and on
and on.

At times there may be setbacks, and it may even
seem to retrograde, but such obstacles are soon sur-
mounted and the soul takes up its journey again.
There is no real going backward on the path, and
slow as the progress may seem, each of us is moving
steadily forward.

We had hoped to be able to reach the subject of
the sixth principle, spiritual mind, in this lesson,
but we see that we have not sufficient space at our
disposal, so we must defer that most interesting sub-
ject, as well as that of the seventh principle, spirit,
until the next lesson. We are aware that our stu-
dents are eager to press forward, and we are wasting
as little time as possible on the way ; but there are
certain fundamental truths which must be clearly un-
derstood before we dare take another step.

There are a number of lessons to be drawn from
the subjects of the instinctive mind and the intel-
lect, and this is as good a place as any in which to
consider them.

One of these lessons is that the awakening of in-
tellect does not necessarily make the creature a bet-
ter being, in the sense of being "good." While it
is true that an unfolding principle or faculty will
give an upward tendency to man, it is equally true
that some men are so closely wrapped in the folds of

ISE MENTAL PRINCIPLES. 35

the animal sheath — so steeped in the material side of
things — that the awakened intellect only tends to
give them increased powers to gratify their low
desires and inclinations. Man, if he chooses, may
excel the beasts in bestiality — he may descend to
depths of which the beast would never have thought.
The beast is governed solely by instinct, and his
actions, so prompted, are perfectly natural and proper,
and the animal is not blamed for following the im-
pulses of its nature. But man, in whom intellect
has unfolded, knows that it is contrary to his highest
nature to descend to the level of the beasts — ^yea,
lower by far. He adds to the brute desires the cun-
ning and intelligence which have come to him, and
deliberately prostitutes his higher principle to the
task of carrying out the magnified animal propensi-
ties. Very few animals abuse their desires — it is
left for some men to do so. The higher the degree
of intellect unfolded in a man, the greater the depths
of low passions, appetites, and desires possible to him.
He actually creates new brute desires, or rather,
builds edifices of his own upon the brute founda-
tions. It is unnecessary for us to state that all occul-
tists know that such a course will bring certain con-
sequences in its train, which will result in the soul
having to spend many weary years in retracing its
steps over the backward road it has trodden. Its
progress has been retarded, and it will be compelled
to retravei the road to freedom, in common with the

36 YOGI PHILOSVfJSY.

beast-like natures of undeveloped creatures whose
proper state of the journey it is, having an additional
burden in the shape of the horror of consciousness of
its surroundings, whereas its companions have no
such consciousness and consequently suffer not. If
you can imagine a civilized, refined man having to
live among Australian Bushmen for many years, with
a full recollection of what he has lost, you may form
a faint idea of the fate in store for one who deliber-
ately sinks his high powers to the accomplishment of
low ends and desires. But even for such a soul there
is escape — in time.

Let your higher nature be on guard and refuse to
be drawn back into the brute life which has been
passed through. Keep your gaze upward, and let
your motto be " Forward. " The brute nature may
exert a pull downward, but the spiritual mind will
give you a helping hand, and will sustain you if you
but trust to it. The intellect is between the two,
and may be influenced by either or both. Take
your choice, oh, struggling soul. Your help is with-
in you ; look to it, and refuse to be dragged back into
the mire of the animal mind. Manifest the "I"
within you and be strong. You are an immortal
soul, and are moving on and on and on to still
greater things. Peace be yours.

THE THIRD LESSON.

The Spiritual Principles.

In our Second Lesson we gave you a brief outline
of the Fourth and Fifth Principles of Man, /. e. , (4)
Instinctive Mind, and (5) Intellect. As we have
told you before, man has passed through the Fourth
Principle stage to its extreme, and has now passed
on to a consciousness of the Fifth Principle, Intel-
lect. Some of us have developed the Intellectual
stage to a considerable extent (although we have
practically conquered but a few square miles of the
new territory of the mind, and there is still a great
task before us), while other men seem to have a con-
sciousness almost altogether within the borders of
the Instinctive Mind, and have only a glimmering of
Intellect. Not only is this true of the savage races,
but many, very many of so-called " civilized " people
have not learned to do their own thinking, and seem
willing to allow others to do their thinking for them,
they following certain leaders with the stupid habit
of the sheep. But still the race is progressing,
slowly but_ surely, and many are thinking now who
never thought before — a greater number are refusing

37

38 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

to take their thinking second-hand, and are insisting
upon knowing for themselves.

When we consider that there are many men in
whom the Fifth Principle, the Intellect, has scarcely-
unfolded, and that the race in general has taken but
a few steps into the land of the Intellect, we begin
to realize how difficult it is for any of us except the
man or woman of exceptional spiritual unfoldment
to comprehend even faintly the still higher Princi-
ples. It is something like a man born blind trying
to comprehend light ; or one born deaf endeavoring
to form a mental concept of sound. One can only
form an idea of something akin to his experiences.
A man who has never tasted anything sweet cannot
form an idea of sugar. Without experience or con-
sciousness of a thing, our minds are unable to form a
concept.

But nearly all of us who have been attracted to
these lessons or who have attracted these lessons to
us, have had experiences which will enable us to com-
prehend something of the Sixth Principle — have had
glimmerings of consciousness which help us to under-
stand something of the Spiritual Mind. A tendency
toward the occult — the hunger of the soul for more
light — are indications that the Sixth Principle, Spirit-
ual Mind, is beginning to shade into our consciousness,
and, although it may be ages before we awaken into
full Spiritual Consciousness, we are still being influ-
enced and helped by it This spiritual unrest often

TSE SPIBIIVAL PBINCIPLES, 39

causes us great discomfort, until we find ourselves
on the right road to knowledge, and even thereafter
we feel more or less unsatisfied by the few crumbs
that drop to us from the table of Knowledge. But
despair not, seekers after the Truth ; these pains are
but the travail of spiritual birth — great things are
before you — take courage and fear not.

Toward the end of this lesson we will speak of the
process of " Illumination " or Spiritual Conscious-
ness, which has come, or is coming, to many of us,
and what we have to say may throw light upon many
experiences which have come to you, and for which
you have heretofore had no explanation.

We will now take up the subject of the Sixth
Principle, Spiritual Mind, which will be more or less
plain to those who have had glimmerings of con-
sciousness from this plane of the soul, but which will
be full of " hard sayings " and " dark corners " to
those who have not as yet reached this stage of un-
foldment. The Seventh Principle, The Spirit, how-
ever, is beyond the comprehension of any except the
few enlightened and highly developed souls, in and
out of the body, who are as far above the ordinary
man as the average enlightened man is above the
Bushman. We can but pass on to you enough to
give you a general intellectual idea of what is meant
by " Spirit " — the consciousness of it is still far be-
yond the race in its present stage. It is well, how-
ever, to know of the existence of Spirit, as it helps

40 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

US to unden^tand something of the Spiritual Mind,
which is Spirit's means of communication with the
Intellectual consciousness. The comprehension of
Spiritual Mind, however, opens up such a wonderful
world of thought that we are satisfied to leave the
understanding of Spirit until such time as we will
grow into a consciousness of it.

(6) The Spiritual Mind.

The Sixth Principle, Spiritual Mind, has been
styled by some writers "The Superconscious Mind,"
which term is a fairly good one, as it distinguishes
between the lower Subconscious Mind or Instinctive
Mind, the Conscious Mind or Intellect, and itself,
which latter, while outside of the realm of ordinary
human consciousness, is still a very different thing
from the lower or Instinctive Mind.

While the actual existence of the Spiritual Mind
has been made manifest to but a limited number of
the human race, there are many who are becoming
conscious of a higher " Something Within," which
leads them up to higher and nobler thoughts, desires,
aspirations, and deeds. And there is a still greater
number who receive a faint glimmering of the light
of the Spirit, and, though they know it not, are more
or less influenced by it. In fact, the entire race
receives some of its beneficent rays, although in
some cases the light is so bedimmed by the dense

TSE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES. 4»

material obstacles surrounding the man that his spirit-
ual twilight is almost akin to the blackness of night.
But man is ever unfolding, discarding sheath after
sheath, and is slowly coming home. The light will
eventually shine full upon all.

All that we consider good, noble, and great in the
human mind emanates from the Spiritual Mind and
is gradually unfolded into the ordinary conscious-
ness. Some Eastern writers prefer the term " pro-
jected" as more correctly indicating the process
whereby the ray of light is sent into the conscious-
ness of the man who has not yet reached the super-
human stage of full Spiritual Consciousness. All
that has come to man, in his evolution, which tends
toward nobility, true religious feeling, kindness, hu-
manity, justice, unselfish love, mercy, sympathy, etc.,
has come to him through his slowly unfolding Spirit-
ual Mind. His love of God and his love of Man has
come to him in this way. As the unfoldment goes
on, his idea of Justice enlarges ; he has more Com-
passion ; his feeling of Human Brotherhood increases ;
his idea of Love grows; and he increases in all the
qualities which men of all creeds pronounce " good,"
and which may all be summed up as the practical
attempt to live out the teachings of that great spirit-
ual Master, when He enunciated that great truth
(well understood by the occultists of all creeds, but
so little understood by many who claim to be follow-
ers of Him), saying, " And thou shalt love the Lord,

42 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength,"
and " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

As man's Spiritual Consciousness begins to unfold,
he begins to have an abiding sense of the reality
of the existence of the Supreme Power, and, growing
along with it, he finds the sense of Human Brother-
hood — of human relationship — gradually coming into
consciousness. He does not get these things from
his Instinctive Mind, nor does his Intellect make him
feel them. Spiritual Mind does not run contrary
to Intellect — it simply goes beyond Intellect. It
passes down to the Intellect certain truths which it
finds in its own regions of the mind, and Intellect
reasons about them. But they do not originate with
Intellect. Intellect is cold — Spiritual Consciousness
is warm and alive with high feeling.

Man's growth toward a better and fuller idea of
the Divine Power does not come from Intellect, al-
though the latter reasons upon the impressions re-
ceived and tries to form them into systems, creeds,
cults, etc. Nor does the Intellect give us our growing
sense of the relationship between man and man — the
Brotherhood of Man. Let us tell you why man is
kinder to his kind and to forms of life below him
than ever before. It is not alone because the Intel-
lect teaches him the value of kindness and love, for
man does not become kind or loving by cold reason-
ing. On the contrary, he becomes kind and loving

THE SPISITUAL PSINCIPLE&, ;3

because there arise within him certain impulseb- and
desires coming from some unknown place, which
render it impossible for him to be otherwise without
suffering discomfort and pain. These impulses are
as real as other desires and impulses, and as man
develops these impulses become more numerous and
much stronger. Look at the world of a few hundred
years ago, and look at it to-day, and see how much
kinder and more loving we are than in those days.
But do not boast of it, for we will seem as mere
savages to those who follow us and who will wonder
at our inhumanity to our brother-man from their
point of view.

As man unfolds spiritually he feels his relation-
ship to all mankind, and he begins to love his fellow-
man more and more. It hurts him to see others
suffering, and when it hurts him enough he tries to
do something to remedy it. As time goes on and
man develops, the terrible suffering which many
human beings undergo to-day will be impossible, for
the reason that the unfolding Spiritual Consciousness
of the race will make the pain felt so severely by all
that the race will not be able to stand it, and they
will insist upon matters being remedied. From the
inner recesses of the soul comes a protest against the
following of the lower animal nature, and, although
we may put it aside for a time, it will become more
and more persistent, until we are forced to heed it.
The old story of each person having two advisors,

4H YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

one at each ear, one whispering to him to follow the
higher teachings and the other tempting him to pur-
sue the lower path, is shown to be practically true by
the occult teaching regarding the three mental prin-
ciples. The Intellect represents the " I " conscious-
ness of the average person. This " I " has on one
side the Instinctive Mind sending him the old de-
sires of the former self — the impulses of the less
developed life of the animal or lower man, which
desires were all very well in lower stages of develop-
ment, but which are unworthy of the growing man.
On the other side is the Spiritual Mind, sending its
unfolding impulses into the Intellect, and endeavoring
to draw the consciousness up to itself — to aid in the
man's unfoldment and development, and to cause him
to master and control his lower nature.

The struggle between the higher and lower natures
has been noticed by all careful observers of the hu-
man mind and character, and many have been the
theories advanced to account for it. In former times
it was taught that man was being tempted by the
devil on the one hand, and helped by a guardian
angel on the other. But the truth is known to all
occultists that the struggle is between the two ele-
ments of man's nature, not exactly warring, but each
following its own line of effort, and the " I " being
torn and bruised in its efforts to adjust itself. The
Ego is in a transition stag? of consciousness, and the
struggle is quite painful at times, but the growing

TBE SFIBITUAL PSINCIPLES. 45

man in time rises above the attraction of the lower
nature, and dawning Spiritual Consciousness enables
him to understand the true state of affairs, and
aids him in asserting his mastery over the lower
self and in assuming a positive attitude toward it,
while at the same time he opens himself up to the
light from the Spiritual Mind and holds himself
in a negative attitude toward it, resisting not its
power.

The Spiritual Mind is also the source of the " in-
spiration " which certain poets, painters, sculptors,
writers, preachers, orators, and others have received
in all times and which they receive to-day. This is
the source from which the seer obtains his vision —
the prophet his foresight. Many have concentrated
themselves upon high ideals in their work, and have
received rare knowledge from this source, and have
attributed it to beings of another world — from angels,
spirits, from God Himself; but all came from within
— it was the voice of their Higher Self speaking to
them. We do not mean to say that no communica-
tions come to man from other intelligences — far
from this, we knoTif that higher intelligences do often
communicate with man through the channel of his
Spiritual Mind — but much that man has attributed to
outside intelligences has really come from himself.
And man, by the development of his Spiritual Con-
sciousness, may bring himself into a high relationship
and contact with this higher part of his nature, and

46 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

may thus become possessed of a knowledge of which
the Intellect has not dared dream.

Certain high psychic powers are also open to man
in this way, but such powers are rarely obtained by
one until he has risen above the attractions of the
lower part of his nature, for unless this were so man
might use these high gifts for base purposes. It is
only when man ceases to care for power for his per-
sonal use that power comes. Such is the Law.

When man learns of the existence of his Spiritual
mind and begins to recognize its promptings and
leadings, he strengthens his bond of communication
with it, and consequently receives light of a greater
brilliancy. When we learn to trust the Spirit, it
responds by sending us more frequent flashes of
illumination and enlightenment. As one unfolds in
Spiritual Consciousness he relies more upon this
Inner Voice, and is able more readily to distinguish
it from impulses from the lower planes of the mind.
He learns to follow Spirit's leadings and to allow it
to lend him a guiding hand. Many of us have learned
to know the reality of being " led by the Spirit." To
those who have experienced this leading we need not
say more, for they will recognize just what we mean.
Those who have not as yet experienced it must wait
until the time comes for them, for we cannot de-
scribe it, as there are no words to speak of these
things which are beyond words.

Toward the close of this lesson we will give a brief

TBE SFIBITUAL FBINCIPLES. 47

outline of some of the phases of " Illumination " or
awakening of Spiritual Consciousness, which has
come to some of us and will come to all in this or
future phases of their unfoldment. We must hasten
on to a brief consideration of that which can only be
faintly understood by any of us — the Seventh Prin-
ciple — Spirit.

(7) Sj>ini.

How shall we approach this subject, which even
the most advanced minds in the flesh to-day can but
faintly comprehend ? How can the finite express or
comprehend the infinite? Spirit, man's Seventh
Principle, is the Divine Spark — our most precious
inheritance from the Divine Power — a ray from the
Central Sun — the Real Self. Words cannot express
it. Our minds fail to grasp it. It is the soul of the
Soul. To understand it we must understand God,
for Spirit is a drop from the Spirit Ocean — a grain
of sand from the shores of the Infinite — a particle of
the Sacred Flame. It is that something within us
which is the cause of our evolution through all the
weary ages. It was the first to be, and yet it will be
the last to appear in full consciousness. When man
arrives at a full consciousness of Spirit, he will be
so much higher than man that such a being is at
present inconceivable to the Intellect. Confined in
many sheaths of matter, it has waited through the
long and weary ages for even a faint recognition, and

48 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

is content to wait for ages more until it is fully
brought into consciousness. Man will ascend many
steps of development — from man to archangel — be-
fore Spirit will fully claim its own. The Spirit is
that within man which closest approaches the Cen-
ter — is nearest to God. It is only in an occasional
precious moment that we are aware of the existence
of Spirit within us, and in such moments we are con-
scious of coming into the awful presence of the Un-
known. These moments may come when one is en-
gaged in deep religious thought — while reading a
poem bearing a precious message from soul to soul
— in some hour of affliction when all human aid has
failed us and when human words seem but mockery
— in a moment when all seems lost and we feel the
necessity of a direct word from a being higher than
ourselves. When these moments come they leave
with us a peace which never afterward entirely es-
capes us, and we are ever after changed beings. In
the moment of Illumination or the dawn of Spiritual
Consciousness we also feel the real presence of the
Spirit. In these moments we become conscious of
our relationship with and connection with the Center
of Life. Through the medium of the Spirit God
reveals Himself to Man.

We cannot dwell longer on this subject — it over-
powers one, and mere words seem too weak for use in
connection with it. Those who have felt the im-
pulses of the Spiritual Mind have been made faintly

TEM SPIRITUAL FEINCIPLES. 49

conscious of the abiding sense of the Spirit, although
they cannot grasp its full significance. And those
who have not experienced these things would not
understand us if we wrote volumes of our imperfect
and undeveloped conceptions of the subject. So we
will pass on, trusting that we have awakened in your
minds, at least a faint desire to be brought into a
closer communion and contact with this, the highest
part of Self— Self itself. The Peace of the Spirit
abide with you.

Illumination or Spiritual Consciousness.

With many, Spiritual Mind unfolds gradually. and
slowly, and, while one may feel a steady increase of
spiritual knowledge and consciousness, he may not
have experienced any marked and startling change.
Others have had moments of what is known as " Illu-
mination," when they seemed lifted almost out of
their normal state, and where they seemed to pass
into a higher plane of consciousness or being, which
left them more advanced than ever before, although
they could not carry back into consciousness a clear
recollection of what they had experienced while in
the exalted state of mind. These experiences- have
come to many persons, in different forms and degrees,
of all forms of religious beliefs, and have been gen-
erally associated with some feature of the particular
religious belief entertained by the person experienc-
ing the illumination. But advanced occultists recog-.

so YOGI PHILOSOPHY

nize all of these experiences as differing forms oi
one and the same thing — the dawning of the Spirit-
ual Consciousness — the unfoldment of the Spiritual
Mind. Some writers have styled this experience
"Cosmic Consciousness," which is a very appropriate
name, as the illumination, at least in its higher forms,
brings one in touch with the whole of Life, making
him feel a sense of kinship with all Life, high or
low, great or small, "good" or "bad."

These experiences, of course, vary materially ac-
cording to the degree of unfoldment of the individ-
ual, his previous training, his temperament, etc., but
certain characteristics are common to all. The most
common feeling is that of possessing almost complete
knowledge of all things — almost Omniscience. This
feeling exists only for a moment, and leaves one at
first in an agony of regret over what he has seen and
lost. Another feeling commonly experienced is that
of a certainty of immortality — a sense of actual being,
and the certainty of having always been, and of being
destined to always be. Another feeling is the total
slipping away of all fear and the acquirement of a
feeling of certainty, trust, and confidence, which is
beyond the comprehension of those who have never
experienced it. Then a feeling of love sweeps over
one — a love which takes in all Life, from those near
to one in the flesh to those at the farthest parts of
the universe — from those whom we hold as pure and
holy to those whom the world regards as vile, wicked,

THE SPIRITUAL PEINCIFLES. 5t

and utterly unworthy. All feelings of self-righteous-
ness and condemnation seem to slip away, and one's
love, like the light of the sun, falls upon all alike,
irrespective of their degree of development or " good-
ness."

To some these experiences have come as a deep,
reverent mood or feeling, which took complete pos-
session of them for a few moments or longer, while
others have seemed in a dream and have become con-
scious of a spiritual uplifting accompanied with a
sensation of being surrounded by a brilliant and all-
pervading light or glow. To some certain truths
have become manifest in the shape of symbols, the
true meaning of which did not become apparent per-
haps long afterward.

These experiences, when they have come to one,
have left him in a new state of mind, and he has
never been the same man afterward. Although the
keenness of the recollection has worn off, there re-
mains a certain memory which long afterward proves
a source of comfort and strength to him, especially
when he feels faint of faith and is shaken like a reed
by the winds of conflicting opinions and speculations
of the Intellect. The memory of such an experience
is a source of renewed strength — a haven of refuge
to which the weary soul flies for shelter from the out-
side world, which understands it not.

These experiences are usually also accompanied
with a sense of intense joy; in fact, the word and

52 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

thought " Joy " seems to be uppermost in the mind
at the time. But it is a joy not of ordinary experi-
ence — it is something which cannot be dreamed of
until after one has experienced it — it is a joy the
recollection of which will cause the blood to tingle
and the heart to throb whenever the mind reverts to
the experience. As we have already said, there also
comes a sense of a " knowing " of all things — an in-
tellectual illumination impossible to describe.

From the writings of the ancient philosophers of
all races, from the songs of the great poets of all
peoples, from the preachings of the prophets of all
religions and times we can gather traces of this
illumination which has come to them — this unfold-
ment of the Spiritual Consciousness. We have not
the space to enumerate these numerous instances.
One has told of it in one way, the other in another ;
but all tell practically the same story. All who have
experienced this illumination, even in a faint degree,
recognize the like experience in the tale, song, or
preaching of another, though centuries may roll be-
tween them. It is the song of the Soul, which when
once heard is never forgotten. Though it be sounded
by the crude instrument of the semibarbarous races
or the finished instrument of the talented musician
of to-day, its strains are plainly recognized. From
Old Egypt comes the song — from India in all ages
— from Ancient Greece and Rome — from the early
Christian saint — from the Quaker Friend — from the

TBE SPIRITUAL PSINCIFLES. 53

Catholic monasteries — from the Mohammedan mosque
— from the Chinese philosopher — from the legends
of the American Indian hero-prophet — it is always
the same strain, and it is swelling louder and louder,
as many more are taking it up and adding their voices
or the sounds of their instruments to the grand
chorus.

That much-misunderstood Western poet, Walt
Whitman, knew what he meant (and so do we) when
he blurted out in uncouth verse his strange experi-
ences. Read what he says — has it ever been better
expressed ?

'As in a swoon, one instant,
Another sun, ineiiable, full dazzles me,
And all the orbs I knew, and br^hter, unknown orbs.
One instant of the future land. Heaven's land."

And when he rouses himself from his ecstasy, he
cries :

" I cannot be awake, for nothing looks to me as it did before,
Or else I am awake for the first time, and all before has been
a mean sleep."

And we must join with him when he expresses man's

inability to describe intelligently this thing in these

words :

" When I try to tell the best I find, I cannot;
My tongue is ineffectual on its pivots,
My breath will not be obedient to its organs,
I become a dumb man."

May this great Joy of Illumination be yours, dear
students. And it will be yours when the proper

54 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

time comes. When it comes do not be dismayed,
and when it leaves you do not mourn its loss — it will
come again. Live on, reaching ever upward toward
your Real Self and opening up yourself to its influ-
ence. Be always willing to listen to the Voice of
The SHence — willing always to respond to the touch
of The Unseen Hand. In the little manual, " Light
on the Path," you will find many things which will
now perhaps seem plainer to you.

Do not fear again, for you have with you always
the Real Self, which is a spark from the Divine
Flame, and which will be as a lamp to your feet to
show you the way.

Peace be unto you.

THE FOURTH LESSON.

The Human Aura.

In our previous three lessons we called your atten-
tion briefly, in turn, to the Seven Principles of Man.
The subject of the Constitution of Man, however, is
incomplete without a reference to what occultists
know as the Human Aura. This forms a most inter-
esting part of the occult teachings, and reference to
it is to be found in the occult writings and traditions
of all races. Considerable misapprehension and con-
fusion regarding the Human Aura have arisen, and
the truth has been obscured by the various specula-
tions and theories of some of the writers on the sub-
ject. This is not to be wondered at when we remem-
ber that the Aura is visible only to those of highly
developed psychic power. Some possessing inferior
sight, which has enabled them to see only certain of
the grosser manifestations of the emanation constitut-
ing the Aura, have thought and taught that what
they saw was all that could be seen; while the real
truth is, that such people have seen but a part of the
whole thing, the remainder being reserved for those
of higher development.

55

56 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

Some teachers of late years have taught that the
Aura was really the several principles of man, pro-
jecting beyond the space occupied by his physical
body ; but this is only true in the same sense that
the light of the sun is a part of the sun — the rays of
the electric light a part of the light— the heat radiat-
ing from a stove the heat contained within the stove
— the odor of a flower the flower itself. The Aura
is really an emanation of one or more of the seven
principles of man — radiations sent forth from the
principle itself — and not, strictly speaking, a part of
the principle, except in the sense above referred to.

Each of the seven principles of which man is com-
posed radiates energy which is visible to the devel-
oped psychic senses of certain of our race. This
radiated energy is akin to the radiations known as
the " X-Ray," and like them is invisible to the
human eye unless aided by something which the hu-
man eye does not ordinarily possess. Some of the
grosser forms of the Aura are visible to those pos-
sessing a comparatively undeveloped grade of psychic
power, while the higher forms become visible only as
the psychic faculties develop in power. There are
but comparatively few in the flesh to-day who have
ever seen the Aura emanating from the sixth princi-
ple, the Spiritual Mind. And the Aura of the seventh
principle, the Spirit, is visible only to those beings
far higher in the scale than the human race as we
know it. The Aura emanating from the lower five

TEE HUMAN AUEA. 57

principles is seen by many of us who have developed
psychic power, our clearness of vision and range of
sight being determined by the particular state of
development we have reached.

We will try to give our students a general idea of
the Human Aura and a hasty outline of that which
pertains to it in this lesson, but it will readily be
seen that the subject is one that could not be ex-
hausted in a volume of considerable size. It is a
difficult matter to condense information of this na-
ture, but we trust to be able to convey a fairly clear
impression of the subject to those of our students
who will follow us closely.

As we have already stated, each principle radiates
energy which, combining, constitutes what is known
as the Human Aura. The Aura of each principle,
if the other principles be removed, would occupy the
same space as that filled by the Aura of all or any of
the other principles. In other words, the several
Auras of the different principles interpenetrate each
other, and, being of different rates of vibration, do
not interfere one with the other. When we speak of
The Aura, we mean the entire Aura of the man, visi-
ble to one of psychic sight. When we speak of the
Aura emanating from any particular principle, we
distinctly refer to the principle.

The grossest form of the human Aura is, of course,
that emanating from the physical body. This is
sometimes spoken of as the " Health Aura," as it is

58 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

a sure indication of the state of the physical health
of the person from whose body it radiates. Like all
other forms of the Aura, it extends from the body
to a distance of two to three feet, depending upon
certain circumstances which need not be mentioned
at this place. Like all other forms of the Aura, it
is oval or egg-shaped. (This shape common to the
several manifestations of the Aura has caused some
writers to refer to it as the "Auric Egg.") The
physical Aura is practically colorless (or possibly
almost a bluish-white, resembling the color of clear
water), but possessing a peculiar feature not pos-
sessed by the other manifestations of Aura, inasmuch
as to the psychic vision it appears to be " streaked "
by numerous fine lines extending like stiff bristles
from the body outward. In normal health and vital-
ity these " bristles " stand out stiffly, while in cases
of impaired vitality or poor health they droop like
the soft hair on an animal, and in some cases present
the appearance of a ruffled coat of hair, the several
"hairs" standing out in all directions, tangled,
twisted, and curled. This phenomenon is occasioned
by the current of prana energizing the body to a
greater or lesser extent, the healthy body having the
normal supply of prana, while the diseased or weak
body suffers from an insufficient supply. This physi-
cal Aura is seen by many having a very limited de-
gree of psychic sight and to whom the higher forms
of Aura are invisible. To the developed psychic it

THE SUMAN AX7BA. 59

is sometimes difficult to distinguish, owing to its
being obscured by the colors in the higher forms of
Aura, the psychic, in order to observe it, being com-
pelled to inhibit the impressions of the higher forms
of Aura and to admit only the vibration of the par-
ticular form of Aura which he wishes to observe.
Particles detached from the physical Aura remain
around the spot or place where the person has been,
and a strongly developed sense found in dogs and
other animals enables them to follow up the " scent "
of the person or animal they are tracking.

The Aura emanating from the second principle, or
Astral Body, is, like the principle itself, of a vapor-
like appearance and color, having a resemblance to
steam just before it dissolves and disappears from
sight. It is difficult to distinguish when it is inter-
mingled with the other forms of Aura, but when the
astral body is seen apart from the physical body its
Aura may be perceived, particularly if the observer
is not open to the vibrations from the principles
sending forth Auras of various colors. Those of
our readers who have ever seen an astral form, or
what is commonly called a "ghost" of high or
low degree, will probably remember having seen a
cloudy egg-shape vapor surrounding the more dis-
tinct figure of the astral form. This faint, vapor-
like, oval cloud was the astral Aura. It, of course,
becomes visible to one to whom an astral form
" materializes. "

6o YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

The Aura of the third principle, or Prana, is diflfi-
cult to describe except to those who have seen the
" X-Ray." It looks something like a vapory cloud
of the color and appearance of an electric spark. In
fact, all manifestations of Prana resemble electric
light or sparks. Prana has a faint rosy tint when it
is in or near the body, but loses this hue as it gets a
few inches away. Persons of psychic sight see
plainly the spark-like particles of Prana being shaken
from the finger-tips of persons giving so-called " mag-
netic treatments " or making mesmeric passes. It
may also be seen by many persons who make no
claims of psychic sight, to whom it appears like
heated air arising from a stove or from the heated
ground, that is to say, as a colorless something pulsat-
ing and vibrating. This pranic Aura is sometimes
drawn away from a healthy strong person by a weak
person who is lacking in vitality and who draws
away from the strong one that which is needed by
the weak one. In cases of this kind, the person
drawn upon without his consent will experience a
feeling of languor and lassitude after being in the
company of the person who has absorbed a share of
his vitality. In "Science of Breath," on page 6 1,
under the head " (2) Forming an Aura," we have
given a method whereby one may render himself im-
mune to this form of vampirism, conscious or uncon-
scious. This method, while given in the book for
another purpose, is equally efficacious in this in-

THE HUMAN AUEA. 6i

Stance. A stronger effect may be produced by form-
ing a mental image of an Auric shell through which
no force can escape or no outside influence enter
without one's own consent. One may in this way
also guard himself against infection from sources
which might seriously affect him unless so protected.
The pranic Aura is also poured out in mesmeric
passes or psychic " treatments " of the sick, but in
such cases the trained operator regulates the flow
and takes the trouble to replenish the supply of prana
within his system, which will generate and emanate
a constant flow of pranic Aura. We need not dwell
upon these points, as they are fully described in
" Science of Breath,'' which book will be read with a
new light by the student who reads and thinks over
what we have said about this feature of the Human
Aura. The little book in question was written for
the general public, who, while they will receive much
benefit from it, cannot read from it the meaning
which becomes perfectly clear to the student as he
passes from stage to stage of these lessons. The
little book, simple and unpretentious as it is, has
many things hidden away in it which may only be
read by the one who is able to understand. The stu-
dent is advised to re-read the little book from time
to time and notice how many things he finds in it
which he never before discovered.

We now approach the most interesting features
concerning the Human Aura, and we think that some

62 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

of the facts to be stated in this lesson will be a
revelation even to many who are perfectly familiar
with the three manifestations of the Aura which we
have just mentioned. Some may doubt many of the
statements which will be made, but we beg to say to
such people that they have the means at their disposal
to develop and unfold psychic powers of a sufficient
degree to see these things for themselves as thou-
sands of others before them have done. Nothing of
the occult teachings need remain hidden to any one
who doubts. Every one may enter the occult world
for himself — providing he pays the price of attain-
ment, which price is not of gold or silver, but of the
renunciation of the lower self and the devotion to
that which is highest in man. Some, it is true,
break into the psychic world without having fitted
and purified themselves by the proper methods, but to
such the acquired faculties are a curse rather than a
blessing, and such are compelled to retrace their
steps with much suffering until they enter in by the
right door, the key of which is readily found by all
who seek for it in the proper spirit.

To return to the higher manifestations of the
Human Aura, we again call your attention to the
fact that the Aura is seen by the psychic observer as
a luminous cloud, nearly oval in shape, extending
from two feet to three feet in all directions from the
body. It does not terminate abruptly, but gradually
fades into faintness until it disappears entirely. It

TSE SUM AN AVE A. 63

really extends quite a distance beyond its visible
point. It presents the appearance of a luminous
cloud of constantly shifting colors, certain colors,
however, being predominant in each person, from
reasons which we will consider in a few moments.
These colors originate from certain mental states of
the person whom the Aura surrounds. Each thought,
emotion, or feeling is manifested by a certain shade
or combination of colors belonging to that particular
thought, emotion, or feeling, which color or colors
manifest themselves in the Aura of that particular
mental principle in which the thought, emotion, or
feeling naturally originates, and are of course visible
to the observer studying the composite Aura of the
thinker. The developed psychic may read the thoughts
of a person as he can the pages of an open book,
providing he understands the language of the Auric
colors, which, of course, all developed occultists do,
although the person who stumbles accidentally into
the psychic world on rare occasions will see nothing
but the reflection of wonderful colors appearing in a
luminous cloud, the meaning of which is not knowh
to him.

We think it better, before proceeding further, to
give you a general idea of these Auric colors, and the
thought, feeling, or emotion to which each belongs.
These colors shade and blend into thousands of com-
binations, but the following table will perhaps give
you a fair idea of the subject, and will enable you

64 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

more readily to understand what we will have to say
a little later on in this lesson.

Auric Colors and Their Meanings.

Black represents hatred, malice, revenge, and simi-
lar feelings.

Gray, of a bright shade, represents selfishness.

Gray, of a peculiar shade (almost that of a corpse),
represents fear and terror.

Gray, of a dark shade, represents depression and
melancholy.

Green, of a dirty shade, represents jealousy. If
much anger is mingled with the jealousy, it will ap-
pear as red flashes on the green background.

Green, of almost a slate-color shade, represents low
deceit.

Green, of a peculiar bright shade, represents toler-
ance to the opinions and beliefs of others, easy ad-
justment to changing conditions, adaptability, tact,
politeness, worldly wisdom, etc., and qualities which
some might possibly consider "refined deceit."

Red, of a shade resembling the dull flame when
it bursts out of a burning building, mingled with the
smoke, represents sensuality and the animal passions.

Red, seen in the shape of bright-red flashes resem-
bling the lightning flash in shape, indicates anger.
These are usually shown on a black background in
the case of anger arising from hatred or malice, but
in cases of anger arising from jealousy they appear

TBE HUMAN AURA. 65

jin a greenish background. Anger arising from in-
dignation or defense of a supposed "right," lacks
these backgrounds, and usually shows as red flashes
independent of a background.

Crimson represents love, varying in shade accord-
ing to the character of the passion. A gross sensual
love will be a dull and heavy crimson, while one
mixed with higher feelings will appear in lighter
and more pleasing shades. A very high form of love
shows a color almost approaching a beautiful rose
color.

Brown, of a reddish tinge, represents avarice and
greed.

Orange, of a bright shade, represents pride and am-
bition.

Yellow, in its various shades, represents intellect-
ual power. If the intellect contents itself with
things of a low order, the shade is a dark, dull yel-
low ; and as the field of the intellect rises to higher
levels, the color grows brighter and clearer, a beau
tiful golden yellow betokening great intellectual at-
tainment, broad and brilliant reasoning, etc.

Blue, of a dark shade, represents religious thought,
emotion, and feeling. This color, however, varies in
clearness according to the degree of unselfishness
manifest in the religious conception. The shades
and degrees of clearness vary from a dull indigo to a
beautiful rich violet, the latter representing the
highest religious feeling.

66 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

Light Blue, of a peculiarly clear and luminous
shade, represents spirituality. Some of the higher
degrees of spirituality observed in ordinary mankind
show themselves in this shade of blue filled with
luminous bright points, sparkling and twinkling like
stars on a clear winter night.

The student will remember that these colors form
endless combinations and blendings, and show them-
selves in greatly varying degrees of brightness and
size, all of which have meanings to the developed
occultist.

In addition to the colors mentioned above, there
are several others for which we have no names, as
they are outside of the colors visible in the spec-
trum, and consequently science, not being able to
perceive them, has not thought it necessary to bestow
definite names upon them, although theoretically
they are known to exist. Science tells us that there
exist what are known as "ultra-violet" rays and
" ultra-red " rays, neither of which can be followed
by the human eye, even with the aid of mechanical
appliances, the vibrations being beyond our senses.
These two "ultra" colors (and several others un-
known to science) are known to occultists and may
be seen by the person of a certain degree of psychic
power. The significance of this statement may be
more fully grasped when we state that when seen in
the Human Aura either of these "ultra" colors indi-
cates psychic development, the degree of intensity

XHE B.UMAN AVE A. 67

depending upon the degree of development. Another
remarkable fact, to those who have not thought of
the matter, is that the " ultra-violet " color in the
Aura indicates psychic development when used on a
high and unselfish plane, while " the ultra-red " color,
when seen in the Human Aura, indicates that the
person has psychic development, but is using the
same for selfish and unworthy purposes — "black
magic," in fact. The "ultra-violet" rays lie just
outside of one extreme of the visible spectrum
known to science, while the "ultra-red" rays lie just
beyond the other extreme. The vibrations of the
first are too high for the ordinary human eye to sense,
while the second consists of vibrations as much too
low as the first is too high. And the real difference
between the two forms of psychic power is as great
as is indicated by the respective positions of these
two " ultra '' colors. In addition to the two " ultra "
colors just alluded to, there is another which is invis-
ible to the ordinary sight — the true primary yellow,
which is indicative of the Spiritual Illumination and
which is faintly seen around the heads of the spiritu-
ally great. The color which we are taught is charac-
teristic of the seventh principle. Spirit, is said to be
of pure white light, of a peculiar brilliancy, the like
of which has never been seen by human eyes — in
fact, the very existence of absolute " white light " is
denied by Western science.

The Aura emanating from the Instinctive Mind

68 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

consists principally of the heavier and duller shades.
In sleep, when the mind is quiet, there appears chiefly
a certain dull red, which indicates that the Instinc-
tive Mind is merely performing the animal functions
of the body. This shade, of course, is always appa-
rent, but during the waking hours is often obscured
by the brighter shades of the passing thoughts, emo-
tions, or feelings.

Right here it would be well to state that even
when the mind is calm there hover in the Aura the
shades indicative of the predominant tendencies of
the man, so that his stage of advancement and devel-
opment as well as his "tastes " and other features of
his personality may be easily distinguished. When
the mind is swept by a strong passion, feeling, or
emotion, the entire Aura seems to be colored by the
particular shade or shades representing it. For in-
stance, a violent fit of anger causes the whole Aura
to show bright red flashes upon a black background,
almost eclipsing the other colors. This state lasts
for a longer or shorter time, according to the strength
of the passion. If people could but have a glimpse
of the Human Aura when so colored, they would be-
come so horrified at the dreadful sight that they would

never again permit themselves to fly into a rage it

resembles the flames and smoke of the " pit " which
is referred to in certain orthodox churches, and, in
fact, the human mind in such a condition becomes a
veritable hell temporarily. A strong wave of love

TEE HUMAN AURA. 69

sweeping over the mind will cause the entire Aura to
show crimson, the shade depending upon the charac-
ter of the passion. Likewise, a burst of religious
feeling will bestow upon the entire Aura a blue tinge,
as explained in the table of colors. In short, a strong
emotion, feeling, or passion causes the entire Aura to
take on its color while the feeling lasts. You will
see from what we have said that there are two aspects
to the color feature of the Aura ; the first depending
upon the predominant thoughts habitually manifest-
ing in the mind of the person ; the second depending
upon the particular feeling, emotion, or passion (if
any) being manifested at the particular time. The
passing color disappears when the feeling dies away,
although a feeling, passion, or emotion repeatedly
manifested shows itself in time upon the habitual
Auric color. The habitual color shown in the Aura,
of course, changes gradually from time to time as the
character of the person improves or changes. The
habitual colors shown indicate the "general charac-
ter " of the person ; the passing colors show what
feeling, emotion, or passion (if any) is dominating
him at that particular time.

The student who has read the preceding lessons
will realize readily that as the man develops and un-
folds he becomes less and less the prey of passing
passions, emotions, or feelings emanating from the
Instinctive Mind, and that Intellect, and then Spiri-
tual Mind, manifest themselves instead of lying dor-

70 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

mant in a latent condition. Remembering this, he
will readily see how great a difference there must be
between the Aura of an undeveloped man and that of
the developed man. The one is a mass of dull,
heavy, gross colors, the entire mass being frequently
flooded by the color of some passing emotion, feeling,
or passion. The other shows the higher colors and
is very much clearer, being but little disturbed by
feelings, emotions, and passions, all of which have
been brought largely under the control of the will.

The man who has Intellect well developed shows
an Aura flooded with the beautiful golden yellow be-
tokening intellectuality. This color in such cases is
particularly apparent in the upper part of the Aura,
surrounding the head and shoulders of the man, the
more animal colors sinking to the lower part of the
Aura. Read the remarks under the head of " Yel-
low" in the color table in this lesson. When the
man's Intellect has absorbed the idea of spirituality
and devotes itself to the acquirement of spiritual
power, development, and unfoldment, this yellow will
show around its edges a light blue of a peculiarly
clear and luminous shade. This peculiar light blue
is indicative of what is generally called " spirituality,"
but which is simply " intellectual-spirituality," if you
will pardon the use of the somewhat paradoxical term
— it is not the same thing as Spiritual Mind, but is
merely Intellect impregnated by Spiritual Mind, to
use another poor term. In some cases of a high

TSB BUMAN AVRA. 71

development of this intellectual state, the luminous
light blue shows as a broad fringe around the golden
yellow of the Intellect, the fringe or border often
being larger than the center itself, and in addition, in
special cases, the light blue is filled with brilliant
luminous points, sparkling and twinkling like stars
on a clear winter night. These bright points indi-
cate that the color of the Aura of the Spiritual Mind
is asserting itself, and shows that Spiritual Conscious-
ness has either been made momentarily evident to
the man or is about to be made so in the near future.
This is a point upon which much confusion has
arisen in the minds of students and even teachers of
occultism. The next paragraph will also have some
bearing upon the matter.

The Aura emanating from the Spiritual Mind, or
sixth principle, bears the color of the true primary
yellow, which is invisible to ordinary sight and which
cannot be reproduced artificially by man. It centers
around the head of the spiritually illumined, and at
times produces a peculiar glow which can even be
seen by undeveloped people. This is particularly
true when the spiritually developed person is engaged
in earnest discourse or teaching, at which times his
countenance seems fairly to glow and to possess a
luminosity of a peculiar kind. The nimbus shown in
pictures of the great spiritual leaders of the race is
the result of a tradition arising from a fact actually
experienced by the early followers of such leaders.

72 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

The "halo" or "glory" shown on pictures arises
from the same fact. When we again look upon
Hoffman's wonderful picture, " Gethsemane," we will
experience a new understanding of the mystic glow
around the head of the great spiritual Teacher whose
deep and true teachings have been obscured from the
minds of many of those who claim His name, by
reason of the ignorance of the generations of teachers
who have lived since His death, but whose teachings
are a living truth to occultists of all races, lands, and
outward apparent differences of belief.

Of the Aura of the seventh principle. Spirit, we
can -say but little, and that little has been handed
down to us by tradition. We are told that it con-
sists of a " pure white " light, something unknown to
science. No man among us has ever seen this light
and none of us ever will (in this stage of develop-
ment). The sight of this wonderful effulgence is
reserved for beings far higher in the scale than are
we, but who were once mortals like unto us, and like
whom we shall in due time be. " We are Sons of
God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be " ;
but we are on The Path, and Those who have gone
before send back cheering messages to us. After
long ages we are going home.

THE FIFTH LESSON.

Thought Dynamics.

Had these lessons been written twenty years ago,
instead of to-day, it would have been a most difficult
taskto have awakened the understanding of the West-
ern public to the importance of the power of thought,
its nature, its effects. Twenty years ago but com-
paratively few people in the Western world knew any-
thing about the subject in question, and, outside of a
few occultists, the words of the teacher would have
been regarded as the wildest utterances. But, during
the time mentioned, the Western world has been
slowly educated to at least a partial understanding of
the power of thought, and echoes of the great Orien-
tal teachings on this subject have reached the ears of
nearly every thinking person in the Western world,
this being particularly true of Great Britain and
America.

This awakening is in accordance with natural laws,
and is a part of the evolution of the race. It is true
that much of the teaching has come from persons
who have had but a partial awakening to the truth,
and consequently the teachings have been more or

73

74 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

less crude and imperfect and more or less colored by
the personal theories and speculations of the various
teachers who have been writing and speaking upon
the subject. The average Western student, who has
been interested in the various movements which may
be roughly grouped together under the style of " The
New Thought, " has been more or less confused by
the apparently conflicting theories and teachings
which have resulted from the various speculations
and theories of the numerous teachers who have
sprung up, grown, and in many cases afterward " gone
to seed." But a careful analysis will show that
underlying all of the teachings are certain funda-
mental facts which the awakened mind grasps as
truth. All of these teachers have done good work,
and, in fact, the teachings of each have reached cer-
tain minds which needed the particular thing taught
by the particular teacher, and which teaching was the
very best possible, considering the particular stage
of development of the student. Many students have
obtained much good from certain teachers, and have
then grown beyond the teacher and his teaching, and
have in turn become teachers themselves, giving forth
to others the truth as it came to them, more or less
colored by their own personality.

The careful student who has taken the trouble to
run down to fundamental principles the teachings of
these new schools of thought, will have discovered
that they all rest upon the Oriental teachings which

TEOVGET DYNAMICS. 75

reach back beyond written history, and which have
been the common property of occultists of all ages
and races. This " New Thought " is really the oldest
thought, but the modern presentation of it comes as
a new thing to those who hear it to-day, and the new
movement is entitled to full credit for its work, and
the advanced occultist knows that the fundamental
truth lying underneath all of these conflicting theories
will be gradually uncovered and brought to light, the
speculations and pet theories of the various teachers
being thrown aside.

The majority of those who read this lesson will
have heard something of this subject of the power
of thought, and will have doubtless had many experi-
ences of its effect. So this lesson may come as an
old story to nearly all of the members of the Class,
but we will endeavor to give a brief, plain outline of
the Yogi teachings upon the subject, which may
help to reconcile some of the apparently conflicting
theories which have been previously considered.

We shall not attempt to explain what thought is
— that is too complicated a subject for elementary
lessons. But we will begin by explaining some of
its properties, laws, and effects. We avoid the the-
ory for the time being, and get down to the " prac-
tical " side of the question.

You will remember what we said in our last lesson
about the Aura. We explained that the Aura was
projected into space by the several principles of man,

76 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

just as is the light of the sun, the heat of a stove,
the odor of a flower, etc. Each of these sources
throws off vibrations, which we call light, heat, or
odor, respectively. In one sense these emanations
are minute particles of the thing which throws them
off. In this connection we must also remember that
the thing throwing off the emanations may be after-
ward withdrawn, but the emanations still remain for
a greater or lesser time. For instance, astronomy
teaches that a distant star may be destroyed, and yet
the light rays thrown off from it will continue on
their journey, and may be seen by us of the Earth
years and years after the star itself has been de-
stroyed — in fact, what we really see at any time are
the rays of the star which left it many years before,
the time, of course, depending upon the distance of
the star from the earth. In the same way a fire in a
stove may be extinguished, and yet the heat will re-
main in the room for a long time afterward. Like-
wise, a small particle of musk may be exposed in a
room and then removed, and yet the odor will be
perceptible for a long time. In the same way
thoughts may be in active existence which have been
sent out years before by some person, whose entire
mental character may have changed or who, in fact,
may have passed out of the body long since. Places
and localities are often permeated by the thought of
persons who formerly lived there, who have moved
away or died many years ago.

TEOUGHT DYNAMICS. 77

The mind is continually throwing off emanations,
which may be seen as the Aura extending a few feet
from the person, and which usually becomes thinner
and less easily perceived as it extends away from the
sender. We are constantly sending forth thought-
waves (to use a favorite term), and these waves, after
the initial force of projection is expended, float along
like clouds, mixing with other thought-waves of the
same character, and extending often to far distant
parts of the earth. Some of the thought emanations
remain around the place from which they were
sent forth, and unless disturbed by strong thoughts
of a contrary nature will remain but slightly
changed for many years. Other thoughts sent
forth with a definite purpose or under a strong
desire, emotion, or passion, will go forth rapidly
toward the object to whom they are directed. We
shall see instances of this as we proceed with this
lesson.

The majority of persons put very little force into
their thought; in fact, thinking with them becomes
almost a mechanical process, and consequently their
thought-waves have very little motion imparted to
them and do not travel very far, unless drawn by some
other person of similar thought who attracts them to
him. (We are merely stating general principles as
we go along, repeating them when necessary, so that
the student will gradually absorb the idea. We con-
sider this conversational method the most effective

78 YOGI PHItCfSOPHY.

form of teaching — far more sc. than the usual " cut-
and-dried" form.)

We wish the student to particularly understand
that when we say "Thoughts are Things," we are
not using the words in a figurative sense or in a fan-
ciful way, but that we are expressing a literal truth.
We mean that thought is as much a "thing" as is
light, heat, electricity, or similar forms of manifesta-
tions. Thought can be seen by the psychic sight ;
can be felt by the sensitive ; and, if the proper in-
struments were in existence, could be weighed.
Thought, after being sent forth, is of a cloudy ap-
pearance, bearing the color belonging to it, as de-
scribed in our lesson on the Aura. It is like a thin
vapor (the degree of density varying), and is just as
real as the air around us or the vapor of steam or the
numerous gases with which we are acquainted. And
it has power, just as have all of these forms of vapor
which we have just mentioned.

In this place let us mention that when a thought is
sent forth with strength, it usually carries with it a
certain amount of Prana, which gives it additional
power and strength, and often produces startling
effects. The Prana practically " vitalizes " it in some
cases, and makes of it almost a living force. We
will have more to say on this point a little later on.

So, friends and students, please remember always
that when we speak of thoughts being real things, we
mean just what we say. It may be necessary for you

XEOUGEl DYNAMICS. 79

to fix this fact in your minds by picturing the mind
as sending forth thought emanations. Some find the
picture of the throwing off of light-waves an easy way
to fix the idea in their minds. Others prefer the
illustration of the throwing off of heat by a stove.
Others find it easier to think of a flower throwing
off a strong perfume. And one student (now far ad-
vanced) preferred to think of thought emanations as
akin to the steam being projected from a boiling tea-
kettle. Take your choice or invent illustrations of
your own, but get the idea fixed in your minds some
way. It is much easier to work out these things
by means of a material illustration than to attempt to
carry an abstract idea in the mind.

While, as a rule, the power of thought of a certain
kind depends upon the strength with which it has
been projected, there is another element of strength
which enables thoughts to manifest power. We al-
lude to the tendency of thought to attract to itself
other thoughts of a similar nature and thus combine
force. Not only does thought along any lines tend
to attract to the thinker corresponding thought at-
tracted from the thought-atmosphere within the field
of attraction, but thoughts have a tendency to flock
together — to coalesce, to blend together. The aver-
age thought-atmosphere of a community is the com-
posite thoughts of the people composing that commu-
nity. Places, like persons, have their peculiarities,
their characteristics, their strong and weak points.

8o YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

their prevailing atmosphere. This fact is apparent
to all who have- thought at all upon these lines, but
the matter is usually dismissed without any attempt
at explanation. But it must be apparent that the
place itself is not an entity, and that these charac-
teristics are not inherent in them, but must have
some cause or origin. The occultist knows that this
thought-atmosphere of a village, town, city, or nation
is the composite thought of those dwelling in it or
who have previously dwelt there. Strangers coming
into the community feel the changed atmosphere
about it, and, unless they find it in harmony with
their own mental character, they feel uncomfortable
and desire to leave the place. If one, not under-
standing the laws operating in the thought world,
remains long in a place, he is most likely to be influ-
enced by the prevailing thought-atmosphere, and in
spite of himself a change begins to be manifest in
him and he sinks or rises to the level of the prevail-
ing thought.

In the older countries the characteristics of the
leading cities of the nation have grown more or less
alike, although there are still many points of differ-
ence which the stranger at once feels when he visits
them. But in America, where the country is larger
and newer, the differences to be noticed in localities
are most marked. This is true not only in different
sections of the country, but in cities near each
other. Let the thoughtful stranger visit in turn the

THOUGHT DYNAMICS. 8 1

leading cities of the United States, and he will be
struck with the spirit of each place, each having
its own personality and characteristics, the result of
certain lines of thought on the part of the early set-
tlers of the place, which in turn affected the new-
comers, who added their thought emanations to the
atmosphere of the place, and so on, from time to
time, until the several cities have grown farther apart
in their characteristics than have many different
nationalities. Let the stranger visit in turn, say
Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Denver,
and San Francisco, and he will notice the greatest
differences in the characteristics of each place. This
difference does not appear so strongly when he talks
to individual citizens, but is quite noticeable when
he opens himself up to the " spirit of the place. "
People often speak of these characteristics as " the
air " of the place, and the real explanation has been
given above — it is the thought-atmosphere of the
town. These characteristics may be modified or even
greatly changed by a new set of people settling in a
town. A few energetic thinkers will send forth
strong waves of thought in their every-day life, which
will soon color the composite thought of the place.
The thought of one strong thinker will overcome the
weak, purposeless thought of very many people who
send forth only negative thoughts. The positive
is a sure antidote to the negative. In the same
way the " spirit " of the nation is a composite of the

82 YOGI rHILOSOPHY.

" spirit " of its several parts. If one removes to a
town in which the greatest energy is being mani-
fested, he soon feels the effect of the positive thought
around him, which awakens similar thoughts within
himself. If one removes to a sleepy, " dead " com-
munity, his activities will become deadened and he
will gradually sink to the level of the town. Of
course, the man or woman who has built up a strong,
positive individuality will not be affected so easily
as the one of opposite characteristics, and, in fact, he
may even act as a leaven for the mass ; but in a gen-
eral way the average person is greatly influenced by
the composite thought-atmosphere of the locality in
which he spends most of his time.

In the same way dwellings, business-places, build-
ings, etc., take on the predominant thought of those
inhabiting them or who have dwelt in them. Some
places are notoriously "unlucky," and, although this
condition may be reversed by the man or woman of
strong will, the average person is affected by it.
Some houses carry with them an atmosphere of sun-
shine, good-fellowship, and good cheer, while others
are cold and repellent. A place of business is very
apt to reflect the prevailing thought of those at the
head of the enterprise or those who direct its affairs.
Certain shops inspire confidence in patrons, while
others cause one to keep a tight clutch on the
pocketbook and a close eye on the clerks.

Places in which crimes have been committed often

TBOUGBT DYNAMICS. 83

carry with them an unpleasant atmosphere, which
originally arose from the strong thoughts sent forth
from those participating in the occurrence, both the
criminal and the victim. The atmosphere of a prison
is horrifying to the sensitive. The atmosphere of a
place of vice or scene of low animal pleasures is
suffocating to one of higher mental traits. The at-
mosphere of a hospital is apt to influence those visit-
ing it. The atmosphere of an old church is apt to
produce in the mind of the visitor a feeling of quiet
and calm. We are speaking in generalities, of
course, as there are many influences modifying and
changing these tendencies.

Thus it is with individuals. Some carry about
them an atmosphere of cheer, sunniness, and courage,
while others bring into a room a feeling of inharmony,
distrust, and uneasiness. Many act as "kill-joys"
and as dampers upon enthusiasm and free expression.
Hundreds of instances illustrating this fact might
be cited, but the student may supply these from his
own experience and observation.

The various waves of thought sent forth by people
attract and are attracted by thoughts of a similar char-
acter. They form thought strata in the astral space,
just as clouds fall into groups in the atmosphere.
This does not mean that each stratum of thought
occupies a certain portion of space to the exclusion
of all other thought clouds. On the contrary, these
thought particles forming the clouds are of different

§4 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

degrees of vibration, and the same space may be
filled with thought matter of a thousand kinds, pass-
ing freely about and interpenetrating, without inter-
ference with each other, but not assimilating except
with thoughts of similar character, although tempo-
rary combinations may be formed in some cases.
We cannot go into detail regarding this in this les-
son, and merely wish to give the student a general
idea of the subject, upon which he may build from
time to time.

Each individual draws to himself the thoughts
corresponding to those produced by his own mind,
and he is of course in turn influenced by these at-
tracted thoughts. It is a case of adding fuel to the
fire. Let one harbor thoughts of malice or hate for
any length of time, and he will be horrified at the
vile flood of thoughts which come pouring into his
mind. And the longer he persists in the mental
state the worse matters will get with him. He is
making himself a center for thoughts of that kind.
And if he keeps it up until it becomes habitual to
him, he will attract to himself circumstances and
conditions which will give him an opportunity to
manifest these thoughts in action. Not only does a
mental state attract similar thoughts to it, but it
leads the thinker into circumstances and conditions
calculated to enable him to make use of these
thoughts and inclinations which he has been harbor-
ing. Let one's mind dwell on the animal passions,

TROVGHT DYNAMICS. 85

and all nature will seem to conspire to lead him into
position whereby these passions may be gratified.

On the other hand, let one cultivate the habit of
thinking higher and better thoughts, and he will in
time be drawn into conditions in harmony with the
habit of thought, and will also draw to himself other
thoughts which will readily coalesce with his own.
Not only is this true, but each person will draw to
himself other people of similar thoughts, and will in
turn be drawn to them. We really make our own
surroundings and company by our thoughts of yester-
day or to-day. Yesterday's thoughts influence us to
a greater or lesser extent, but to-day's thought will
gradually supplant and drive out the cast-off thoughts
of the past if we will that such shall be so.

We have said that thought charged with Prana
manifested a much stronger force than the ordinary
thought. In fact, all positive thought is sent forth
charged with more or less Prana. The man of strong
will sending forth a vigorous positive thought uncon-
sciously (or consciously if he understands the sub-
ject) sends with it a supply of Prana proportioned to
the force with which the thought was propelled.
Such thoughts are often sent like a bullet to the
Tiark, instead of drifting along slowly like an ordi-
nary thought emanation. Some public speakers have
acquired this art, and one can fairly feel the impact
of the thought behind their utterances. A strong,
vigorous thinker, whose thought is charged strongly

86 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

with Prana, often creates what are known as Thought-
Forms — that is to say, thoughts possessing such vital-
ity that they become almost like living forces. Such
thought-forms, when they come into one's psychic
atmosphere, possess almost the same power that the
person sending them would possess were he present,
urging his thought upon you in an earnest conversa-
tion. Those high in occult development frequently
send thought- forms to aid and help their fellow-
beings when in distress or need, and many of us have
experienced the effect of helpful thoughts sent in
this manner while we did not dream of the cause of
the changed feeling which came over us, bringing
with it the consciousness of renewed strength and
courage.

While thought-forms are often sent out uncon-
sciously by men of selfish desires and aims and many
are affected by them, we wish to say that there need
be no fear of any one being affected against his own
good if he will maintain a mental atmosphere of
Love and Confidence. These two conditions will
repel the strongest thought-wave which may either
be directed against one or which may be encountered
in the astral atmosphere. The higher the order of
thought the stronger it is, and the weakest person,
providing his mind is filled with Universal Love and
Confidence in the One Power, is many times stronger
than the person of the strongest power who would
stoop to use that power for selfish ends. The high-

THOUGHT DYNAMICS. 87

est powers of this kind can be possessed only by
those of great spiritual development, who have long
since left behind them the low aims and ambitions
of undeveloped man. Such persons are constantly
sending forth thought-waves of strength and help,
which may be drawn upon by those who need such
help. All that one has to do is to make the mental
demand for help from those who are able to give it,
and at once they attract to themselves the waves of
the strong, helpful spiritual thought which is being
constantly emanated from the minds of the helpers of
the race, both in the flesh and out of it. Were the
race at the mercy of those of selfish thoughts, it
would have perished long since, but things are other-
wise ordered.

The only things to be feared in the world of
thought-forms are those corresponding with any base
thoughts which we may be entertaining ourselves.
For instance, if we entertain low, selfish thoughts,
we are open to thought-forms of similar character
which may be lurking in the psychic atmosphere,
which may take hold of our minds and urge us on
to the doing of things which we would have shrunk
from doing in the beginning. We have the right to
invite what mental guests we wish — let us be careful
to whom we issue invitations.

Our strong desires create thought-forms which
work toward the gratification of those desires, be
they good or bad. We draw things toward us and

88 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

are drawn toward things by these thought-forms.
They become powerful helpers, and never sleep in
their work. Let us be careful how we send them
forth. Send forth no strong thought-desire unless it
meet with the approval of the Highest Self. Other-
wise you will become enmeshed in the consequences
arising from it, and will suffer much in learning the
lesson that psychic powers must not be used for un-
worthy ends. You are punished by such things, not
for them. Above all, never under any circumstances
send forth a strong desire-thought to injure another,
for there is but one consequence of such an act and
the experience will prove a bitter lesson. Such a
person is usually hanged on the gallows he builds for
others. Evil thought projected against a pure mind
will rebound at once to the sender, and will gather
force from the impact. We must apologize to our
students for laying so much stress on these matters,
but as there is always the chance of lessons of this
kind falling into the hands of those unprepared to
receive them, it is necessary for the warning to accom-
pany anything written on the subject, in order to
prevent thoughtless persons using the information
improperly and thereby injuring themselves as well
as others. It is the " Danger " signal displayed for
the careless or thoughtless.

Those who have made a study of the dynamics of
thought are aware of the wonderful possibilities open
for those who wish to take advantage of the stored-

TBOVGET DYNAMICS. 89

up thought which has emanated from the minds of
thinkers in the past and present, and which is open
to the demand and attraction of the one who may
wish to use it and who knows how to avail himself
of it.

There has been but little written on this phase of
the subject, which fact is somewhat surprising when
one considers the wonderful possibilities open to
those who wish to take advantage of them. Much
thought has been sent forth upon all subjects, and
the man who is working along any line to-day may
attract to himself most helpful thoughts relating to
his favorite subject. In fact, some of the greatest
inventions and most wonderful plans have come to
some of the world's great people in this way, al-
though those to whom they came have not realized
from whence their information originated. Many a
man has been thinking intently upon a certain sub-
ject, and has thrown himself open to the outside
thought influences which have rushed toward his
receptive mind, and lo ! the desired plan — the miss-
ing link — came into the field of consciousness.

Unexpressed thought, originally sent out with con-
siderable force of desire, constantly seeks for expres-
sion and outlet, and is easily drawn to the mind of
one who will express it in action. That is to say, if
an ingenious thinker evolves ideas which he has not
the energy or ability to express in action, to take ad
vantage of, the strong thoughts on the subject which

90 YOG/ PHILOSOPHY.

he throws-off will for years after seek other minds as
a channel of expression ; and when such thoughts are
attracted by a man of sufficient energy to manifest
them, they will pour into his mind like a flood until
he seems to be inspired.

If one is working upon some problem which baffles
him, he will do well to assume a receptive attitude
toward thoughts along the same line, and it is ex-
tremely likely that when he has almost ceased to
think of the matter at all the solution will flash be-
fore him as if by magic. Some of the world's great-
est thinkers, writers, speakers, and inventors have
experienced examples of this law of the thought
world, although but few of them have realized the
cause behind it. The astral world is full of excellent
unexpressed thoughts waiting for the one who will
express them and use them up. This is merely a
hint of Si great truth — let those make use of it who
are ready for it.

In the same -way one may draw to himself strong,
helpful thought, which will aid him in overcoming
fits of depression and discouragement. There is an
immense amount of stored-up energy in the thought
world, and any one who needs it may draw to himself
that which he requires. It is simply a matter of
demanding your own. The world's stored-up thought
is yours — why do not you take it }

THE SIXTH LESSON.

Telepathy and Clairvoyance.

Telepathy may be roughly defined as the communi-
cation of mind with mind, other than by means of the
five senses to which material science limits man, viz :
sight ; hearing ; smell ; taste and touch — sight, hearing
and touch being the senses most commonly used. Ac-
cording to material science, it would follow that if two
minds were placed beyond the possibility of ordinary
sense communication, there could be no communica-
tion. And, if there should prove to be communication
under such circumstances, it would be a reasonable
inference that man possessed senses other than the
five which have been allotted him, or recognized in him,
by material science.

Occultists, however, know that man has other senses
and faculties than those taken into consideration by
material science. Without going too deeply into this
subject, and confining ourselves to the purposes of this
lesson, we may say that besides the five physical senses
he has five astral senses (counterparts of the physical
senses), operating on the astral plane, by which he
may see, hear, taste, smell, and even feel, without the

91

92 1 001 PHIL080PHT.

use of the physical organs usually associated with the
use of these senses. More than this, he has a special
sixth physical sense (for which we have no Englisii
term), by which he becomes aware of the thoughts
emanating from the minds of others, even though the
other minds may be far removed from him in space.

There is one great point of difference between this
special sixth physical sense and the five astral senses.
The difference is this: The five astral senses are
astral counterparts of the five physical senses, function-
ing upon the astral plane just as the five physical
senses function upon the physical plane, there being
an astral sense corresponding wiith each physical or-
gan, although the astral impression is not received
through the physical organ, but reaches the conscious-
ness along lines of its own, just as does the impression
received through the physical channels. But this spe-
cial sixth physical sense (let us call it "the telepathic
sense," for want of a better name) has both a physical
organ through which it receives impressions, and also
an astral sense counterpart, just as have the other
physical senses. In other words, it has an organ just
as truly physical as is the nose, the eye, the ear,
through which it receives the ordinary "telepathic"
impressions, and which is used in all cases coming
under the head of "telepathy." The astral counterpart
is used on the astral plane, in certain forms of clair-
voyance. Now for the telepathic physical organ,
through which the brain receives the vibrations, or
thought-waves, emanating from the minds of others.

TELEPATHY AND CLAIRVOYANCE. 93

Imbedded in the brain, near the middle of the skull,
almost directly above the top of the spinal column, is
to be found a small body, or gland, of reddish-gray
color, cone-shaped, attached to the floor of the third
ventricle of the brain, in front of the cerebellum. It
is a mass of nervous matter, containing corpuscles
resembling nerve cells, and also containing small con-
cretions of gritty, calcareous particles, sometimes called
"brain sand." This body is known to Western physi-
cal science as the "Pineal Gland," or "Pineal Body,"
the term "pineal" having been given it by reason of its
shape, which resembles that of a pine-cone.

Western scientists are completely at sea regarding
the function, purpose and use of this organ of the
brain (for an organ it is). Their text-books dismiss
the matter with the solemn statement, "the function of
the pineal body is not understood," and no attempt is
made to account for the presence and purposes of the
"corpuscles resembling nerve cells," or the "brain
sand." Some of the text-book writers, however, note
the fact that this organ is larger in children than in
adults, and more developed in adult females than in
adult males — a most significant statement.

The Yogis have known for centuries that this
"Pineal Body" is the organ through which the brain
receives impressions by the medium of vibrations
caused by thoughts projected from other brains — the
organ of "telepathic" communication, in short. It is
not necessary for this organ to have an outward open-
ing, as has the ear, nose and eye, for thought-vibra-
tions penetrate matter of the consistency of the physi-

94 rOOI PEILOSOPHT.

cal body, just as easily as light- vibrations penetrate
glass, or X-ray-vibrations pass through wood, stone,
etc. The nearest illustration of the character of
thought-vibrations is found in the vibrations sent forth
and received in "wireless telegraphy." The little
"pineal body" of the brain, is the receiving instrument
of the wireless telegraphy of the mind.

When one "thinks" he sets up vibrations of greater
or lesser intensity in the surrounding ether, which
radiate from him in all directions just as light-waves
radiate from their source. These vibrations striking
upon the telepathic organ in other brains cause a brain
action which reproduces the thought in the brain of
the recipient. This reproduced thought may pass into
the field of consciousness, or it may remain in the
region of the Instinctive Mind, according to circum-
stances.

In our last lesson, "Thought Dynamics," we spoke
of the influence and power of thought, and we suggest
that, after finishing the present lesson, the student re-
read the Fifth Lesson, in order to fix the two lessons
together in his mind. In the previous lesson we told
what thought-waves did — in this one we tell how they
are received.

Telepathy then, for the purpose of this lesson, may
be considered as the receiving by a person, consciously
or unconsciously, of vibrations, or thought-Waves, sent
forth, consciously or unconsciously, from the minds of
others. Thus, deliberate thought-transferrence between
two or more people is Telepathy; and so, also, is the
absorption by a person of the thought-vibrations in

TELEPATHT AND CLAIBVOYANCE. 95

the atmosphere sent out by other thinkers without any
desire to reach him. Thought-waves vary in intensity
and force, as we have explained in the previous lesson.
Concentration, upon the part of the sender or receiver,
or both, of course greatly intensifies the force of the
sending, and the accuracy and clearness of the re-
ceiving.

Clairvoyance.

It is very difficult for us to intelligently speak of
the phenomena coming under the head of Clairvoyance
without going into the subject of the Astral Plane, ."s
Clairvoyance is an incident of the Astral Plane and
belongs to that subject. But we cannot go into de-
tails regarding the Astral Plane, as we intend to devote
an entire lesson to that subject, so we must go on
with the subject before us, with the understanding that
the student will be given an explanation of the naturo
and incidents of the Astral Plane in due time. For tha
purpose of this lesson, however, we must ask the
student to accept the statement that man has within
him faculties which enable him to "sense" vibration?
which are not responded to by his ordinary physical
organs of sense. Each physical sense has its corres-
ponding astral sense, which is open to the vibrations
alluded to and which interpret such vibrations and
pass them on the consciousness of man.

Thus, the astral sight enables man to receive astral
light-vibrations from an enormous distance; to receive
these rays through solid objects ; to perceive thought-
forms in the ether, etc. Astral hearing enables one t«

96 YOOI PHIL OS OPEY.

receive astral sound-vibrations from enormous dis-
tances, and after a long time has elapsed, the fine vibra-
tions still remaining in existence. The other astral
senses correspond to the other physical senses, except
that like the astral senses of seeing and hearing they
are an extension of the physical senses. We think that
the matter was well, if rather crudely, expressed to us,
several years ago, by an uneducated psychic, who, after
endeavoring to explain the resemblance of her astral
senses to her physical ones, at last said, awkwardly:
"The astral senses are just the same as the physical
ones — only more so." We do not think that we can
improve upon the explanation of this uneducated
woman.

All persons have the astral senses alluded to, but
comparatively few have developed them so that they
can consciously use them. Some have occasional
flashes of astral sensing, but are not conscious of the
source of their impressions, they merely knowing that
"something came into their mind," and often dismiss-
ing the impression as an idle fancy. Those awakening
into astral sensing are often as clumsy and awkward
as is the infant when the physical senses begin to re-
ceive and translate impressions. The infant has to
gauge distance in receiving impressions through the
eye and ear, and also in the matter of touch. The
infant in psychism has to pass through a similar ex-
perience, hence the confusing and unsatisfactory re-
sults at the beginning.

TELEPATHY AND CLAIBVOTANCE. Si-

Simple Clairvoyance.

In order to intelligently understand the several forms
of clairvoyant phenomena, more particularly those
forms which manifest in what we will call "space clair-
voyance," i. e., the power to see things at great dis-
tances, we must accept as facts the occult teachings
^ which the latest discoveries of modern physical science
are verifying) that all forms of matter are constantly
throwing forth radiations in all directions. These
astral rays are many times more subtle and fine than
ordinary light rays, but they travel in the same manner
and are caught up and registered by the astral sense
of sight Just as are ordinary light rays by the physical
organs of sight. Like ordinary light rays these astral
light rays move on infinitely, and the highly developed
and trained astral senses of the advanced occulist regis-
ter impressions from distances incredible to the average
reader who has not studied these matters. These astral
light rays penetrate and pass through solid material ob-
jects with comparatively no difficulty, and the densest
bodies become almost transparent to the trained clair-
voyant vision.

In all of the several forms of clairvoyance herein
noted, there are of course various degrees of clairvoy-
ant power on the part of the clairvoyant. Some mani-
fest extraordinary power, others average, and the ma-
jority possess only occasional and more or less rudi-
mentary power of sensing on the astral plane. This
is the case with simple clairvoyance as well as with the
higher forms, which we will presently describe. Ac-

98, YOGI PHILOSOPHY.

cordingly, one may possess some of the characteristics
of simple clairvoyance and lack the others.

By simple clairveyance we mean the power to receive
astral impressions from near by, the clairvoyant not
possessing the power to see distant things or to sense
things occurring in the past or present. To the person
possessing a full degree of simple clairvoyance there
occurs the phenomenon of receiving astral light waves
through solid objects. He, literally, sees things
"through a stone wall." Solid objects become semi-
transparent, and he senses the vibrations passing
through them just as does the observer with the proper
apparatus sense the X Rays which have passed through
a solid object. He is able to observe things transpir-
ing in an adjoining room, and behind closed doors. He
may read the contents of sealed letters, by practice.
He may see several yards into the earth beneath his
feet, and observe the minerals which may be there. He
may see through the body of a person near him, and
may also observe the working of^the internal organs,
and distinguish the cause of physical ailments,' in many
cases. He may see the aura of persons with whom he
comes in contact, observing the auric colors and thus
ascertaining the quality of thought emanating from
their minds. He may, by clairaudient power, hear
things which are being said beyond the range of or-
dinary hearing. He becomes sensitive to the thoughts
of others, owing to the exercise of his astral telepathic
powers, which are many times keener than his ordinary
telepathic senses. He may see disembodied spirits and
other astral forms, which will be explained in the les-

TELEPATE¥ AND CLAIRVOYANCE. 99

son treating on that subject. In short, a new world
of impressions is opened out before him. In some rare
cases persons possessing simple clairvoyance gradu-
ally develop the faculty of magnifying the size of small
objects at will — that is, through their astral vision they
are able to adjust the focus so as to bring the astral
image of the object before them enlarged to any de-
sired size, just as does the person using the microscope.
This faculty, however, is quite rare, and is seldom
found to have been developed spontaneously — the fac-
ulty usually being possessed only by those of advanced
and developed occult powers. A variation of this fac-
ulty will be noticed under the head of space clairvoy-
ance, which we take up next.

Space Clairvoyance.

There are several means whereby the psychic or de-
veloped occultist may perceive people, things, scenes
and events far removed from the observer, and far be-
yond the range of the physical vision. Two of these
means only wilL come under the head of this lesson,
the other methoas belonging to the higher planes of life,
and being beyond the power of any but the adepts and
most advanced occultists. The two methods alluded to
come, strictly speaking, under the head of space clair-
voyance on the astral plane, and therefore form a part
of this lesson. The first of these methods consist of
what we have described as simple clairvoyance, on an
increased scale, by reason of the development of the
faculty of focusing upon far distant objects and bring-

100 YOGI PHlLOaOPHT.

ing them to view by means of what occultists know as
"the astral tube," which will be described in the fol-
lowing paragraphs. The second method consists in
projecting the astral body, consciously or uncon-
sciously, and practically observing the scene on the
spot, through the astral vision. This method will also
be described a little later on in this lesson.

We have described the astral light rays emanating
from all objects by means of which the astral vision
becomes possible. And under the head of simple clair-
voyance we have told you how the clairvoyant may
observe near-by objects through his astral vision, just
as he may through his physical sight, the astral light
rays being used in the one case, just as are the ordinary
light rays in the other. But just as one is unable to
perceive a far removed object through his ordinary
physical vision, altliough the light rays are not inter-
rupted, so is the simple clairvoyant unable to "see" far
removed objects by means of his astral vision, although
the astral light rays are uninterrupted. On the physi-
cal plane, man, in order to see things beyond his nor-
mal vision, must make use of the telescope. Like-
wise, on the astral plane, he must call into operation
some assistance to the simple astral vision, in order to
receive a clear impression of things far off. This as-
sistance, however, comes from within his own astral
organism, and consists of a peculiar astral faculty which
acts as the lens of a telescope and magnifies the rays
received from afar, rendering them sufficiently large to
be distinguished by the mind. This power is "tele-
scopic" in effect, although it is really by a variation of

TELEPAIEY AND CLAIRVOYANCE. 101

that "microscopic" faculty noted under the head of
simple clairvoyance. This telescopic faculty varies very
much in psychics, some being able to see but a few
miles, while others receive impressions just as easily
from all parts of the earth, and a few have been able to
occasionally perceive scenes on other planets.

This telescopic astral vision is usually operated in
connection with what occultists have called the "astral
telescope," which is akin to the "astral telegraph,"
"astral current," etc., all of which are but variations pf
the "astral tube." The astral tube is caused by the
forming of a thought current on the astral plane (held
together by a strong supply of prana projected along
with the thought), which current renders far easier the
passage of astral vibrations of all kinds, whether they
be telepathic thought-vibrations, astral light-vibrations,
or astral sound-vibrations. It is the bringing of the
observer and the observed — the projector and the re-
cipient — or the two persons in harmony — into a closer
condition of rapport. The astral tube is the means
whereby quite a variety of psychic phenomena is made
possible.

In the case of astral telescopic vision, or "space
clairvoyance," the clairvoyant, either consciously or un-
consciously, sets up an astral tube connecting him with
the distant scene. The astral light-vibrations reach
him more easily by this method, and the outside im-
pressions are inhibited or shut out, so that the mind
receives only the impressions from the point focused
upon. These impressions reach the clairvoyant, and
are magnified by his "telescopic" faculty and are then

i03 YOGI PEILOSOPHY.

plainly perceived by his astral vision. This "telescopic"
faculty, remember, acts merely as the lens through
which the astral light rays pass, and by which they
are magnified to a size sufficiently large to be distin-
guished by the astral vision, just as the ordinary light
rays are magnified for the ordinary vision by the lens
of the telescope. The analogy is a very close one, and
will help you to form a clear mental idea of the
process.

The "astral tube" is usually formed by the will of the
clairvoyant, or by his strong desire, which has almost
as much force. At times, howtever, the conditions being
favorable, any idle thought may cause the erection of
the astral current and the clairvoyant will see scenes
unthought of, or even unknown to him. The idle
thought may have formed a connection with other psy-
chic currents, or have been attracted in certain direc-
tions by any of a thousand and one psychic causes
under the law of attraction and association; but the
will of the operator is usually sufficient to shut out the
careless adjustments and to establish a speedy connec-
tion with the desired person or place. Many persons
have this faculty well under the control ; others find it
coming and going spontaneously ; others are devoid of
it, except under mesmeric influence, etc. Many have
found the crystal ball, or similar object, an easy means
of creating the astral tube, the crystal being
used as a sort of starting point. Crystal-

gazing is merely space clairvoyance by use oi
the astral tube, the scenes perceived by the observer

TELEPATHY AND CLAIEFOTANCE. 103

being seen by this means. We have space merely to
state the general principles of this great subject, in
order to give the student an intelligent idea of the sev-
eral forms of psychic phenomena. We regret that we
have not the opportunity to relate the interesting in-
stances of clairvoyant power which have been recorded
by eminent writers on this subject, and which are well
attested from a scientific point of view. However, we
are not starting to prove the existence of clairvoyance
to you — ^we must assume that you know it to be a fact,
or are at least not antagonistic to the idea. Our space
must be devoted to a brief description and explanation
of this phenomenon, rather than to any attempt to
prove its reality to sceptics. It is a matter which, after
all, every man must prove to his own satisfaction by his
own experience, and which no outside proof will estab-
lish.

The second method of seeing things far removed
from us by space, consists in the projecting of the
astral body, consciously or unsconsciously, and practi-
cally observing the scene on the spot, by means of the
astral vision. This is a more difficult and rarer method
than the ordinary "astral tube" method, just described,
although many persons travel in the astral and per-
ceive scenes which they think are seen in a dream or
"in the mind's eye."

We have described the astral body in a previous les-
son. It is possible for one to project their astral body,
or travel in their astral body, to any point within the
limits of this planet, although very few people are con-
scious of their ability to so travel, and considerable

104 YOGI PHILOSOPHT.

practice and caution is necessary for the beginner.
Once on the spot the astral traveler may see what is
going on around him, and is not confined to the small
scene to which the psychic using the "astral tube" is
restricted. His astral body follows his desires or
will, and goes where it is ordered. The trained occult-
ist merely wishes to be at a certain place, and his astral
travels there with the rapidity of light, or even more
rapidly. Of course, the untrained occultist has no such
degree of control over his astral body, and is more or
less clumsy in his management of it. People often
travel in their astral body in their sleep ; a smaller num-
ber travel imsconsciously in their waking moments,
and a few have acquired the knowledge enabling them
to travel consciously and at will in their waking mo-
ments. The astral body is always connected with the
physical body by a thin, silklike, astral thread, and the
communication between the two is maintained. We
will have more to say on the subject of the astral
body in our Tenth Lesson, which treats of the Astral
Plane. We merely allude to it here, in order to ex-
plain that what is called clairvoyance is sometimes
accomplished by its aid, although it is a higher form
of psychic power than the other forms of clairvoyance
mentioned by us so far.

Past Time Clairvoyance.

Time clairvoyance, so far as regards the sensing of
past events, is not a rare faculty among advanced
occultists — in fact, it may be termed a common one

TELEPATHY AND CLAIRVOYANCE. 106

nmoi^'g such people. And the same faculty, imperfectly
manifested, is found among many ordinary psychics
who are not acquainted with the nature of their
powiefi^ Among this last mentioned class of people
time clakyoyance is more or less unsatisfactory be-
cause imperfect and misleading, from causes which will
be seen presently'.

The statement thit one ma} see past events and
scenes, even by astral vision, will readily be seen to re-
quire an entirely different explanation from that given
of simple and space clairvoyance, for in the latter
cases the clairvoyant sees that which is actually occur-
ring somewhere at the time it is seen, or at least, a
few seconds previous, whereas, in the latter case^ the
clairvoyant sees something which has occurred, per-
haps ages ago, and after apparently all records of it
have perished. Ah, that is just the explanation — "ap-
parently perished." O'ccultists know that nothing ever
perishes, and that there are in existence on the higher
planes of matter, imperishable and unalterable records
of every scene, act, thought, and thing that ever ex-
isted or occurred. These akasic records are not on the
astral plane, but are on a plane far above it, but they
are mirrored on the astral plane, just as is the sky and
clouds reflected in the body of the lake, and the ob-
server who cannot see the sky itself may see its counter-