Revelation

The Life-power knows just what everything means, and has perfect memory of every thought that has ever taken form through the consciousness of any human being. There is no such thing as a secret, or a lost art. Said Jesus: 'Nothing is hidden that shall not be revealed.' His words are sober truth, without the slightest tinge of exaggeration.

So are these words from the Confessio of the True and Invisible Rosicrucian Order: 'Were it not an excellent thing ... so to live that neither the people which dwell beyond the Ganges, nor those which live in Peru might be able to keep their counsels from thee? So to read in one only book as to discern, understand, and remember whatsoever in all other books (which heretofore have been, are now, and hereafter shall come out) hath been, is and shall be, learned out of them?' Meditation is the process whereby these wonders are accomplished.

The name 'fish-hook,' moreover, is a clue to something else that happens in meditation. For human beings such as us, every kind of mental activity has physical accompaniments, and the physical changes caused by mental states are by no means limited to transformation of cells in the brain. It is to this fact that the letter-name Tzaddi refers.

You have learned that in the Hebrew alphabet the 'fish' is the letter Nun, and that to this letter is assigned Scorpio, the zodiacal sign governing reproduction. As a fish-hook draws fish out of the water to be eaten, so the right practice of meditation lifts up the nerve-force which energizes the organs governed by the sign Scorpio. So lifted up, this energy becomes food for the growth of the spiritual man.

It is on this account that continence and chastity are insisted upon in all books on spiritual development. Many persons, however, exaggerate and over-emphasize these requirements. They who suppose that celibacy is necessary to right meditation are sadly in error. On the contrary, the celibate life, because it is a life of repression, is a hindrance to spiritual unfoldment. The Bible contains accounts of men who ripened into the higher consciousness, and tells us that some of these men were fathers of large families. In these days, too, there are men and women of illumination who are by no means celibate. Clean living and control are indispensable. Control, however, implies right use, not suppression.

Until seekers for light come into possession of right knowledge concerning the true functions of sex, there must needs continue to be more or less running after false doctrines. This is not the place to elaborate on this theme. Those who are ready for more light will find it if they will but fix in mind these two points: 1. The sex-force has other uses than reproduction; 2. its misuse may consist either in employing it for mere sense-pleasure, or else in repressing it, because it is supposed to be inimical to spiritual growth.

The third stage of unfoldment, though it makes use of, and modifies, the nerve-force which is ordinarily employed in the sex function, has nothing to do with that function itself. Right meditation releases and lifts up the “serpent-power,” (Kundalini) stored in a nerve center at the base of the spine. In Yoga philosophy this is called the Muladhara chakra, or basic lotus. In modern physiology it is related to the sacral plexus. In these lessons it is called the Saturn center, and is thus directly connected with the planet which rules the sign Aquarius. In meditation the force stored in this center is made to rise, so that it energizes, in succession, six other centers, of which three are in the body, one in the throat, and two in the head.

These seven centers are symbolized in Key 17 by the eight-pointed white stars, surrounding the great yellow star. The latter indicates the source of the power which is modified in meditation. It is the cosmic energy, the “stellar radiance” or “astral light” mentioned by Eliphas Levi in the quotation you have read in the first lesson of Seven Steps in Practical Occultism. That force Levi described in terms that have enabled us to identify it with the prana of the Hindus and the ruach of the Hebrew scriptures.

Remember this always. In your work you are not trying to control some power that is your personal possession. You are simply learning how to obey certain laws of a universal energy that is none other than the Limitless Light whence all things proceed. Because the primary activity of that Light is a whirling motion, it is represented in Key 17 by an eight-rayed star, whose rays are like the eight spokes of the wheel shown in Key 10.

People of little understanding are always bringing against this teaching the accusation that by it men seek to save themselves. It is, they say, an endeavor to lift man up by his own boot-straps. This is untrue. Ageless Wisdom again and again proclaims the folly of the man who thinks he can save himself. It tells us that little by little the Life-power ripens its personal centers to the point where they become able to understand and apply the perfect law of liberty. Each person’s liberation is a particular fulfillment of cosmic law, and from another point-of-view we must regard it as being a true work of “grace,” as an example of the perfect self-impartation of the One Life to one of its personal aspects.

The beginning of the way of meditation is concentration upon the things of the external world, upon the facts reported through the physical senses. The mood in which this concentration is undertaken is of the greatest importance. Whatever the particular object you select, bear in mind the fact that the Life-power already knows all about it, knows it just as it is, and perceives its true relation to all other objects. Make yourself receptive to the influx of this knowledge by holding your attention to the selected object in the expectant mood, confidently believing that the Life-power will impart such of its knowledge to you as you can use and apply.

As a result of this practice you will begin to perceive the unity behind the various appearances of the external world and, the longer you meditate, the deeper and clearer will be your understanding of that which is symbolized by the Wheel of Fortune. In fact, nothing is better as an object of meditation, than one of the Tarot pictures, or some combination of these Keys, because they speak a symbolic language already known to your subconsciousness, and their message has for its central theme the unity of life.

Gradually, as you continue to practice, you will begin to identify your personal consciousness with the consciousness of nature, or the Natural Intelligence. You will begin to know that the operations of your mind are linked to that great system described by Ezekiel as being composed of 'wheels within wheels.' This is the beginning of your practical experience of the truth of non-separateness. When you can see that all your mental states are phases in the manifestation of the one consciousness that directs the growth of trees and grasses, the flight of birds and insects, the flow of streams and the sweep of ocean currents; when you begin to feel that through your mind and body flows the power that holds the stars in their courses, the power that flames in countless suns, then you are beginning to exchange mere intellectual assent for that true knowledge which has been called the doctrine of the heart.

With this experience comes a new understanding of what is meant by 'Mother Nature,' or the feminine aspect of the Life-power. That is why all three Keys of Tarot which relate to the third stage of unfoldment so emphasize that phase of the One Reality. In Keys 3 and 17 the central figure is a woman — the same woman. In Key 10, the title of the design points to the working of the same feminine power, for this is the turning wheel of Fortuna, the goddess whom the Greeks called Panthea, or she in whom all feminine deities were synthesized.

She it is who makes meditation possible. For, as we have tried to make clear throughout this lesson, it is not we who meditate, but the Life-power that through our mental activity manifests its ability to meditate. That ability is expressed mainly through the operation of the universal subconsciousness, the Eternal Feminine. She meditates

through us. Our part of the practice consists largely in getting our notion of personal activity out of the way.

For the experience of the second stage of unfoldment, the swift, sharp flash of real perception, is called Exciting Intelligence because it sets up a subconscious response that takes form in meditation. In that moment the spiritual man is conceived in the womb of Prakriti, and the third and fourth stages of unfoldment correspond in many ways to the processes of physical gestation and birth. But this theme must be reserved for another time.

Let us take what space remains to make it perfectly clear that one need give no thought whatever to the physiological processes which accompany meditation, other than to recognize what takes place. For the present this is sufficient, and we would warn you against attempting to raise the serpent–power by any sort of concentration on any part of your physical body.

By this we do not mean that good results are not obtainable by such practice. We warn you because no two persons need just the same regimen in such specialized exercises; and to know what a student requires, his teacher must be able to exercise the clear vision whereby exact knowledge of the precise condition of the seven centers may be gained. We have given no detailed instruction in the technical practice of meditation, because these lessons are intended rather to give you a clear idea of what occurs in the seven stages of unfoldment, than to serve as a course of practical instruction. They are intended to give you a bird’s–eye view of the Path of Liberation, as a preparation for subsequent work which will take you over the Path itself.

Find the deeper truths for yourself, by attentive study of the three Tarot Keys on which this text is based. Tarot has a particular message for you. There is a special application of the general truths it teaches, and that application has a direct bearing on the problems of your daily life. Remind yourself continually that the Knower seated in your heart has knowledge of this special application, and has power to communicate that knowledge to you. Listen for the voice of the Teacher within. Quiet your personal consciousness, and let the special manifestation of consciousness that you need find expression as your personal awareness of truth. Accustom yourself to study in this way, and you shall learn more than can be found in all the books.

The Tarot Keys from which this lesson is developed are the 18th, 11th, and 4th, corresponding respectively to the letters Qoph, Lamed and Heh, and to the Corporeal Intelligence, the Faithful Intelligence, and the Constituting Intelligence.

Qoph, you will recall, corresponds to the back of the head, the location of the medulla oblongata. This part of the brain contains the cell structures through which subconsciousness controls breathing, swallowing, and other vital functions. In this part of the brain are the instruments which the Life-power has developed through ages of evolution. Through the groups of cells located there we may come in touch with race-memories going back to the first emergence of animal life from water.

The medulla oblongata is like a bridge between self-consciousness and subconsciousness. In other lessons we have spoken of the reason for learning to control the breath as a means for reestablishing command of the whole cell-consciousness. The exercise whereby this is accomplished is one which modifies the cells of the medulla, establishing in them new habits of action which, in turn, modify the habits of many groups of cells in other parts of the body.

By impressing suggestions directly on the cells of the medulla, with the understanding that they are the media through which other cell groups may be brought under control of self-consciousness, much may be accomplished. Thus, when learning rhythmic breathing, if a clear idea of the cleansing office of the breath be held in mind, and formulated in a suggestion addressed directly to the cells of the medulla, progress will be more rapid. Speak to the cells just as you would speak to an animal you were training. The cells are animals, and they are surprisingly intelligent, and quick to respond to kindly, but firm, commands.

The back of the head, again, is the seat of another important center whose functions are utilized in the work of the fourth stage of unfoldment. This is the sight center. It is active in ordinary vision, but this is not its only office. All visual imagination is likewise dependent on the cells in this part of the brain. To improve ordinary vision, or to develop definite power of visual imagery, it is useful to stimulate these cells by direct auto-suggestion, very definitely formulated.

To do this, learn first just where the sight center and the medulla are located. At any good library you can find a book on anatomy giv-

ing diagrams of the organs of the brain. Get this information.

In using direct auto-suggestion to cell groups concerned with special functions, be careful not to prolong your concentration upon the cell group itself. Concentration on any part of the body increases the flow of blood to that part. Congestion results when it is overdone. Long concentration is unnecessary. Cells are centers of consciousness. They are not mere things. They are living beings. The kind of consciousness they have is always amenable to control by suggestion.

Prepare yourself by establishing a thorough intellectual grasp of the law of suggestion, as outlined in Seven Steps in Practical Occultism. Next learn the exact location of whatever cell group you wish to influence. Then deliberately arouse the mood of calm expectation that your suggestions will be obeyed. If you follow this course, you will be able to secure satisfactory results by a single concise and definite command. Such work should be done not oftener than once a day. Too much repetition will only congest the cells. Too much repetition, furthermore, is as a rule a symptom that you doubt your ability to control the cells. This doubt will act as a counter-suggestion to your command.

Sleep is another attribution to Qoph. It is while we sleep that the commands we give to the cell groups are executed. Hence the best time to do this work is just before you go to sleep. For most persons there is a moment, after going to bed, when thought begins to be disconnected. At this moment, it is possible to rouse oneself to full wakefulness. This is the best time to give the chosen command.

With other persons, however, sleep comes suddenly, like night in the tropics, with no twilight period before it. If you are one of these, give your suggestions just before going to bed, while sitting comfortably in a chair, prepare for your auto-suggestions by sitting still, and deliberately inducing a state of reverie. Let the mind images troop past before your mental vision, but expect them to slow down, until they come almost to a standstill.

No 'iron will' effort is required for this. At all times you are master of your mental imagery, but until you know that you are master, and exercise your birthright for specific ends, you achieve no constructive results. Always remember that you do not have to acquire power to control your thoughts. You simply have to learn the technique for exercising this control effectively. You are like one sitting in the driver's seat of an automobile. The power to drive the engine and steer the car is already yours; but you have to learn what levers to pull, what pedals to press, and how to use the wheel. It takes no 'iron will' to drive a car, and none to gain control of mental imagery. Information and practice are the two essentials. These lessons supply the information. You must do the practicing.

By merely expecting your mental images to slow down, you do ex-

actly what is needed to make them go slower and slower, until a single image seems to stay a long time before your mental gaze. What really happens is that a single image is being reproduced over and over again. The stream of consciousness flows on, much as a strip of film passes through a projection-machine; but you seem to be 'holding the thought' because the image does not change form. To explain this is not easy. It is the effect that Patanjali had in mind when he wrote: 'The binding of the perceiving consciousness to a certain region is attention.'

The consciousness you are particularly concerned with in the fourth stage of unfoldment is the Corporeal Intelligence, or the body consciousness, the mental activity of the cell groups in your body. If you have done well the work of the third stage of unfoldment, you realize that all phases of your consciousness are expressions of the Natural Intelligence, or the mental activity that pervades all nature. Now you are more particularly concerned with the forms assumed by this universal mental activity, as it flows through the various groups of cells that make up your body.

Under exceptional conditions, as in the overcoming of disease, it is sometimes advisable to talk to the cell groups composing specific organs of the body, such as the stomach, kidneys or liver. This, however, should not be attempted by beginners. It is better and safer to think of the medulla, so to speak, as the 'office' of subconsciousness. The latter can be depended on to carry out whatever instructions you give. It knows, far better than you do, just what groups of cells in your body are doing each specific kind of work. Consequently, you will be certain to get excellent results if you simply formulate your commands to subconsciousness and turn them in at the 'office,' by a brief concentration on the medulla, as you give the command.

The concentration on the sight center, and the giving of suggestions to the cells of this group, are intended to make this instrument of self-consciousness more efficient. Sight, you will recall, is one of the attributions of the letter Heh and the Emperor. In its esoteric meaning, sight is not only the physical faculty and its metaphysical counterpart. The power to visualize is the most important aspect of the discriminative faculty. Full exercise of this faculty demands adequate organization of its instrument in the brain, because an indispensable preliminary to right discrimination is the ability to see things as they are. We must be able to do this before we can attain any real measure of success in our efforts to classify our experiences according to their similarities or differences.

Such classification is an important part of the development that goes on in the fourth stage of unfoldment. Meditation has been compared to fishing in the ocean of subconsciousness. Right discrimination, based on clear physical and mental vision, enables one to know

which of the “fish” caught in meditation are good for food.

Much has been written about systems of logic. After all, every such system is a tabulation of what happens when a person sees clearly, and arranges what he sees. Our various experiences are like parts of a jigsaw puzzle. Their relations to each other are self-revealing. Ideas and facts fit together, but only by looking at them attentively may we discover the connections. Error and ignorance, as well as truth and wisdom, have distinguishing marks which cannot be hidden from one who has clear vision.

This vision is just true seeing. It is neither supernatural nor miraculous. Every one of us is a center of expression for THAT which already knows all truth. As long as we believe in personal action, as long as we are deluded by the illusion of separateness, we are unable to make use of this interior wisdom.

When, however, we have passed through the third stage of unfoldment, the Light begins to shine through us. When we have identified our mental activities as being in reality specialized operations of a universal Intelligence, we begin to see that the Life-power’s knowledge of every detail of its manifestation must be always available to us.

Jesus used to say that he judged nothing of himself, that all his decisions were based on the instruction of the Father. What he did, he promised we should do, because he knew that the Life-power’s ability to distinguish truth from error is always ready to express itself through human beings who have grown sufficiently ripe.

Hence, by directing attention to the sight center, fully expecting that it will be an effective instrument for self-conscious manifestation of the Life-power, you will begin to exercise clear vision. Some, to be sure, have developed this vision without knowing anything about the sight center. Our aim, it should be remembered, is so to apply cosmic laws that we may bring about a quicker ripening. We are not trying to follow a “royal road,” because even though we make quicker progress, it is by a way more difficult than that which raises the level of consciousness little by little through the centuries. The way we follow demands patience, courage and, more than all else, persistent practice. By it we may advance more rapidly, through intelligent cooperation with the Life-power’s method of self-expression. That method we now begin to understand in part, and we look forward confidently to a day when it shall be made known to us in all its glorious perfection.

Part of our practice consists in continually reminding ourselves that the constructive and regulative tendency of the Life-power is an immediate presence in our daily lives. This is what is meant by the Constituting Intelligence. It has its root in the wisdom of Spirit, and it is ever at work toward the production of beautiful results.

The Life-power knows itself perfectly. Not for an instant can it lack clear perception of all the principles involved and evolving in its com-

plex scheme of self-manifestation. Because this is true, behind the outflow of the cosmic life through its personal centers there is always a complete and accurate knowledge of all causes and motives entering into what may be called the 'personal equation.' The ancient maxim, 'Know thyself,' is perfectly realized by the one Spirit at the heart of every human life.

This is what Tarot means by picturing the Constituting Intelligence as the Emperor, seated on his throne in Aries, that is to say, in the part of the body governed by Aries, the brain. The human body is the temple of the Life-power, and in the brain is the throne of the mode of universal consciousness which constitutes creation 'in the darkness of the world.' The 'world' is the microcosm, Man. Its darkness is the inertia (the Tamas quality of yoga philosophy) of the physical organism. The Constituting Intelligence enthroned in the brain is one with the power that makes everything in the universe what it is. That power works always to establish in the realm of Name and Form an image of the perfect balance and symmetry of the inner life.

In the fourth stage of spiritual unfoldment this work of the Constituting Intelligence begins to be perceived by the seeker for light. It is apprehended as a vivid personal experience. One begins to know at first hand that the Intelligence which formulates the constitution of the universe is not far off, but is imminent in human life, and is expressing itself through groups of living cells located in the head.

From this, its throne of living flesh, it directs the work of all the cell groups whose aggregate consciousness is the Corporeal Intelligence represented by Key 18. This real presence of the Life-power (with all its perfect attributes) in the temple of human personality, is what we mean when we say: 'The Kingdom of Spirit is embodied in my flesh.' We do not mean this figuratively. The same power that flung the worlds into space, the same power that holds the stars in their courses, the same directive Intelligence that builds up every form we know from crystal to man, is now expressing its perfect knowledge of itself and of its method of self-expression (the Kingdom) through every human brain.

This fact, but vaguely apprehended while yet we are unripe, begins, in the fourth stage of unfoldment, to be a vital part of our daily experience. Thus we begin to see that our participation in the work of liberation is by no means a 'lifting of ourselves by our bootstraps.' Thus are we set free from that fertile source of fear and doubt, the notion that we have nothing better than our petty personal powers to rely on for escape from bondage.

We need to dwell on the truth that the Constituting Intelligence works through our minds to perfect the beauty of the Life-power's manifestation in our flesh. Through such meditation we formulate (or rather, we stand aside, and let the One Self formulate) a mind image

which makes a deep impression on subconsciousness. By this means every cell in our bodies is, in its own degree, raised in consciousness from the old, false thought that the directing principle in our lives is the illusive personal will, into the new, true thought that each of these millions of cells is an instrument and vehicle for the Guiding Power of the universe.