,transcriber's ,notes ,obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected4 ,variations in hyphenation and ligatures have been standardised but all other spelling and punctuation remains unchanged4 ,in particular 99 are used frequently throughout in various quantities and spacings4 ,these have been reproduced as nearly as possible4 ,rythm is spelled thus throughout and has not been corrected ,italics are represented thus italic4 ,footnotes are presented at the end of each volume4 ,illustration ,,the ,,path4 ,a ,,magazine ,,devoted ,,to ,,the ,,brotherhood ,,of ,,humanity1 ,,theosophy ,,in ,,america1 ,,and ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,occult ,,science1 ,,philosophy1 ,,and ,,aryan ,,literature4 ,,vol4 ,i4--#ahhf-'g4 ,,published ,,and ,,edited ,,at ,,new ,,york ,,by ,,william ,q4 ,,judge4 #ahhg4 ,copyright #ahhg1 by ,,william ,q4 ,,judge4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i1 #ahhf-ahhg4 ,,index4 ,a ,,page ,a ,year on the ,path #cec ,activities in ,theosophy #cj1 #cb1 #fb1 #fd1 #ie1 #if1 #abg1 #aeh1 #aia1 #bbc ,animal ,magnetism and ,star ,colors #abi ,announcement #bhh ,apollonius and ,mahatmas #aig1 #bgd ,,aum #d ,b ,biogen ,series #abd ,body1 ,polarity of #hd ,boehme1 ,jacob1 on ,soul of ,man #adi ,buddha's ,religion1 ,nature and ,office of #bd ,c ,caballah of ,old ,testament #h1 #ajc1 #acd ,chela's ,diary1 ,hindu #fe1 #ig1 #aca1 #afi ,christianity1 ,what is ,true #cee ,common ,sense of ,theosophy #bbe ,corner ,stone1 ,the #bae ,correspondence #ei1 #ic1 #ie1 #abd1 #ahh1 #cbj ,d ,diary of ,hindu ,chela #fe1 #ig1 #aca1 #afi ,e ,effects of ,thought #cda ,elementals and ,elementary ,spirits #bhi1 #cba ,environment #cdf ,evolution of ,individual and ,reticence of ,mahatmas #ahd ,evolution and ,rotation #cjd ,g ,gates of ,gold1 ,through the #cgb ,h ,heralds from the ,unseen #cfa ,hermes ,trismegistus #afg ,hermetic ,philosophy #hg1 #aab1 #bha ,higher ,life1 ,living the #aad1 #aeb ,hindu ,chela's ,diary #fe1 #ig1 #aca1 #afi ,hindu ,symbolism #bbj1 #bea1 #ccd1 #cga ,human ,body1 ,polarity of #hd ,i ,individual ,evolution #ahd1 #cjd ,inworld and ,outworld #ef ,k ,kaballah #h1 #ajc1 #acd ,karma #age ,l ,light on the ,path #cce ,lines from ,lower ,levels #bfc ,literary ,notes #bh1 #ee1 #hi1 #ib1 #abd1 #aef1 #ahi1 #bbb1 #bhg1 #cai ,living the ,higher ,life #aad1 #aeb ,m ,magic1 ,considerations on #cgg ,mahatmas and ,apollonius #aig1 #bgd ,reticence of #ahd ,theosophical #beg ,man1 ,soul of #adi ,master1 ,teachings of1 ,the #bec1 #bgh ,mohammedanism or ,sufism #da1 #fh1 #ajh1 #aci1 #ahj1 #aii ,morals1 ,theosophic #afa1 #afe ,musings on ,true ,theosophist's ,path #aee1 #bjh1 #cci ,mystery of ,numbers #cg ,n ,nature and ,office of ,buddha's ,religion #bd ,numbers1 ,mystery of #cg ,o ,occultism1 ,poetical #baa1 #bde1 #bgj1 #cca1 #chc ,old ,testament ,caballah #h1 #ajc1 #acd ,p ,papyrus #cei ,path1 ,a ,year on the #cec ,light on the #cce ,the #ahh1 #ahi ,plato #ajb ,poetry #ef1 #chd ,poetical ,occultism #baa1 #bde1 #bgj1 #cca1 #chc ,polarity of ,human ,body #hd ,prophecy1 ,theosophical #bg1 #eg ,r ,reincarnation and ,spirits #bcb1 #cbj ,religion of ,buddha #bd ,reticence of ,mahatmas #ahd ,reviews #bh1 #ee1 #hi1 #ib1 #abd1 #aef1 #ahi1 #bbb1 #bhg1 #cai ,rosicrucians1 ,society of #bag ,rotation and ,individual ,evolution #cjd ,s ,salutatory #a ,sanscrit ,pronunciation #ie ,seership #ad ,singing ,silences #add ,society of the ,rosicrucians #bag ,solitude1 ,thoughts in #cjh ,soul of ,man #adi ,spirits and ,reincarnation1 ,theories ,about #bcb1 #cbj ,studies in the ,upanishads #cc1 #aba ,sufism #da1 #fh1 #ajh1 #aci1 #ahj1 #aii ,symbolism1 ,hindu #bbj1 #bea1 #ccd1 #cgj ,theosophical #ea ,t ,tea ,table ,talk #bhd1 #cad1 #cdh1 #chj ,teachings of ,the ,master #bec1 #bgh ,theories ,about ,reincarnation and ,spirits #bcb1 #cbj ,theosophic ,morals #afa1 #afe ,theosophical ,activities #cj1 #cb1 #fb1 #fd1 #ie1 #if1 #abg1 #aeh1 #aia1 #bbb1 #cag ,theosophical ,mahatmas #beg ,theosophical ,society1 ,what is the #aic1 #cjj ,theosophical ,symbolism #ea ,theosophist's ,path1 ,musings on the ,true #aee1 #bjh1 #cci ,theosophy1 ,common ,sense of #bbe ,thought ,effects #cda ,thoughts in ,solitude #cjh1 #cfg ,through the ,gates of ,gold #cgb ,true ,christianity1 ,what is #cee ,u ,udgitha1 ,what is the #fa ,universal ,unity #chd ,unwritten ,message ,becomes ,visible #ic ,upanishads1 ,studies in the #cc1 #aba ,w ,what is the ,theosophical ,society8 #aic1 #cjj ,what is ,true ,christianity8 #cee ,,aum ,unveil1 ,o ,thou who givest sustenance to the world1 that face of the true sun1 which is now hidden by a vase of golden light6 so that we may see the truth1 and know our whole duty4 ,in him who knows that all spiritual beings are the same in kind with the ,supreme ,spirit1 what room can there be for delusion of mind1 and what room for sorrow1 when he reflects on the identity of spirit4--,yajur ,veda4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,april1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #a4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,this magazine is not intended either to replace or to rival in ,america ,the ,theosophist1 nor any other journal now published in the interest of ,theosophy4 ,whether we are right in starting it the future alone will determine4 ,to us it appears that there is a field and a need for it in this country4 ,no cultivating of this field is necessary1 for it is already ripe4 ,the ,theosophist is the organ of the ,theosophical ,society1 now spread all over the civilized world1 its readers and subscribers are everywhere1 and yet there are many persons who will not subscribe for it although they are aware of its existence2 and furthermore1 being an ,indian publication1 it necessarily follows1 because of certain peculiar circumstances1 that it cannot be brought to the attention of a large class of persons whom this journal will endeavor to reach4 ,but while the founders of ,,the ,,path are ,theosophists1 they do not speak authoritatively for the ,theosophical ,society4 ,it is true that had they never heard of ,theosophy1 or were they not members of the ,society1 they would not have thought of bringing out this magazine1 the impulse for which arose directly from ,theosophical teachings and literature4 ,it is because they are men1 and therefore interested in anything concerning the human race1 that they have resolved to try on the one hand to point out to their fellows a ,path in which they have found hope for man1 and on the other to investigate all systems of ethics and philosophy claiming to lead directly to such a path1 regardless of the possibility that the highway may1 after all1 be in another direction from the one in which they are looking4 ,from their present standpoint it appears to them that the true path lies in the way pointed out by our ,aryan forefathers1 philosophers and sages1 whose light is still shining brightly1 albeit that this is now ,kali ,yuga1 or the age of darkness4 ,the solution of the problem1 8,what and ,where is the ,path to ,happiness10 has been discovered by those of old time4 ,they thought it was in the pursuit of ,raja ,yoga1 which is the highest science and the highest religion--a union of both4 ,in elaborating this1 they wrote much more than we can hope to master in the lifetime of this journal1 and they have had many kinds of followers1 many devotees1 who1 while earnestly desiring to arrive at truth1 have erred in favor of the letter of the teachings4 ,such are some of the mendicants of ,hindoostan who insist upon the verbal repetition of ,,om for thousands of times1 or upon the practice of postures and breathing alone1 forgetting that over all stands the real man1 at once the spectator of and sufferer by these mistakes4 ,this is not the path4 ,at the same time we do not intend to slight the results arrived at by others who lived within our own era4 ,they shall receive attention1 for it may be that the mind of the race has changed so as to make it necessary now to present truths in a garb which in former times was of no utility4 ,whatever the outer veil1 the truth remains ever the same4 ,the study of what is now called 8practical occultism0 has some interest for us1 and will receive the attention it may merit1 but is not the object of this journal4 ,we regard it as incidental to the journey along the path4 ,the traveller1 in going from one city to another1 has1 perhaps1 to cross several rivers2 may be his conveyance fails him and he is obliged to swim1 or he must1 in order to pass a great mountain1 know engineering in order to tunnel through it1 or is compelled to exercise the art of locating his exact position by observation of the sun2 but all that is only incidental to his main object of reaching his destination4 ,we admit the existence of hidden1 powerful forces in nature1 and believe that every day greater progress is made toward an understanding of them4 ,astral body formation1 clairvoyance1 looking into the astral light1 and controlling elementals1 is all possible1 but not all profitable4 ,the electrical current1 which when resisted in the carbon1 produces intense light1 may be brought into existence by any ignoramus1 who has the key to the engine room and can turn the crank that starts the dynamo1 but is unable to prevent his fellow man or himself from being instantly killed1 should that current accidentally be diverted through his body4 ,the control of these hidden forces is not easily obtained1 nor can phenomena be produced without danger1 and in our view the attainment of true wisdom is not by means of phenomena1 but through the development which begins within4 ,besides that1 mankind in the mass are not able to reach to phenomena1 while every one can understand right thought1 right speech1 and right action4 ,true occultism is clearly set forth in the ,bhagavat-,gita1 and ,light on the ,path1 where sufficient stress is laid upon practical occultism1 but after all1 ,krishna says1 the kingly science and the kingly mystery is devotion to and study of the light which comes from within4 ,the very first step in true mysticism and true occultism is to try to apprehend the meaning of ,universal ,brotherhood1 without which the very highest progress in the practice of magic turns to ashes in the mouth4 ,we appeal1 therefore1 to all who wish to raise themselves and their fellow creatures--man and beast--out of the thoughtless jog trot of selfish every-day life4 ,it is not thought that ,utopia can be established in a day2 but through the spreading of the idea of ,universal ,brotherhood1 the truth in all things may be discovered4 ,certainly1 if we all say that it is useless1 that such highly strung1 sentimental notions cannot obtain currency1 nothing will ever be done4 ,a beginning must be made1 and has been by the ,theosophical ,society4 ,although philanthropic institutions and schemes are constantly being brought forward by good and noble men and women1 vice1 selfishness1 brutality and the resulting misery1 seem to grow no less4 ,riches are accumulating in the hands of the few1 while the poor are ground harder every day as they increase in number4 ,prisons1 asylums for the outcast and the magdalen1 can be filled much faster than it is possible to erect them4 ,all this points unerringly to the existence of a vital error somewhere4 ,it shows that merely healing the outside by hanging a murderer or providing asylums and prisons1 will never reduce the number of criminals nor the hordes of children born and growing up in hot-beds of vice4 ,what is wanted is true knowledge of the spiritual condition of man1 his aim and destiny4 ,this is offered to a reasonable certainty in the ,aryan literature1 and those who must begin the reform1 are those who are so fortunate as to be placed in the world where they can see and think out the problems all are endeavoring to solve1 even if they know that the great day may not come until after their death4 ,such a study leads us to accept the utterance of ,prajapati to his sons3 8,be restrained1 be liberal1 be merciful20 it is the death of selfishness4 ,,aum6 ,the most sacred mystic syllable of the ,vedas1 is ,aum4 ,it is the first letter of the ,sanscrit alphabet1 and by some it is thought to be the sound made by a new born child when the breath is first drawn into the lungs4 ,the daily prayers of the ,hindu ,brahmin are begun and ended with it1 and the ancient sacred books say that with that syllable the gods themselves address the most ,holy ,one4 ,in the ,chandogya ,upanishad its praises are sung in these words3#a ,let a man meditate on the syllable ,,om called the udgitha1#b 99 99 it is the best of all essences1 the highest1 deserving the highest place1 the eighth4 ,it is then commanded to meditate on this syllable as the breath1 of two kinds1 in the body--the vital breath and the mere breath in the mouth or lungs1 for by this meditation come knowledge and proper performance of sacrifice4 ,in verse #aj is found3 8,now1 therefore1 it would seem to follow that both he who knows the true meaning of ,,om1 and he who does not1 perform the same sacrifice4 ,but this is not so1 for knowledge and ignorance are different4 ,the sacrifice which a man performs with knowledge1 faith and the ,upanishad is more powerful40 ,outwardly the same sacrifice is performed by both1 but that performed by him who has knowledge1 and has meditated on the secret meaning of ,,om partakes of the qualities inhering in ,,om1 which need just that knowledge and faith as the medium through which they may become visible and active4 ,if a jeweler and a mere ploughman sell a precious stone1 the knowledge of the former bears better fruit than the ignorance of the latter4 ,shankaracharya in his ,sharir ,bhashya1 dwells largely on ,,om1 and in the ,vayu ,purana1 a whole chapter is devoted to it4 ,now as ,vayu is air1 we can see in what direction the minds of those who were concerned with that purana were tending4 ,they were analyzing sound1 which will lead to discoveries of interest regarding the human spiritual and physical constitution4 ,in sound is tone1 and tone is one of the most important and deep reaching of all natural things4 ,by tone1 the natural man1 and the child1 express the feelings1 just as animals in their tones make known their nature4 ,the tone of the voice of the tiger is quite different from that of the dove1 as different as their natures are from each other1 and if the sights1 sounds and objects in the natural world mean anything1 or point the way to any laws underlying these differences1 then there is nothing puerile in considering the meaning of tone4 ,the ,padma ,purana says that3 8,the syllable ,,om is the leader of all prayers2 let it therefore be employed in the beginning of all prayers10 and ,manu1 in his laws1 ordains3 8,a ,brahmin1 at the beginning and end of a lesson on the ,vedas1 must always pronounce the syllable ,,om1 for unless ,,om precede1 his learning will slip away from him1 and unless it follows1 nothing will be long retained40 ,the celebrated ,hindoo ,raja1 ,ramohun ,roy1 in a treatise on this letter1 says3 8,,om1 when considered as one letter1 uttered by the help of one articulation1 is the symbol of the ,supreme ,spirit4 #8,one letter 7,,om7 is the emblem of the ,most ,high1 ,manu ,,ii1 #hc4' ,but when considered as a triliteral word consisting of 7a71 7u71 7m71 it implies the three ,vedas1 the three states of human nature1 the three divisions of the universe1 and the three deities--,brahma1 ,vishnu and ,siva1 agents in the creation1 preservation and destruction of this world2 or1 properly speaking1 the three principal attributes of the ,supreme ,being personified in those three deities4 ,in this sense it implies in fact the universe controlled by the ,supreme ,spirit40 ,now we may consider that there is pervading the whole universe a single homogeneous resonance1 sound1 or tone1 which acts1 so to speak1 as the awakener or vivifying power1 stirring all the molecules into action4 ,this is what is represented in all languages by the vowel a1 which takes precedence of all others4 ,this is the word1 the verbum1 the ,logos of ,st4 ,john of the ,christians1 who says3 8,in the beginning was the ,word1 and the word was with ,god1 and the word was ,god40#c ,this is creation1 for without this resonance or motion among the quiescent particles1 there would be no visible universe4 ,that is to say1 upon sound1 or as the ,aryans called it1 ,nada ,brahma 7divine resonance71 depends the evolution of the visible from the invisible4 ,but this sound a1 being produced1 at once alters itself into au1 so that the second sound u1 is that one made by the first in continuing its existence4 ,the vowel u1 which in itself is a compound one1 therefore represents preservation4 ,and the idea of preservation is contained also in creation1 or evolution1 for there could not be anything to preserve1 unless it had first come into existence4 ,if these two sounds1 so compounded into one1 were to proceed indefinitely1 there would be of course no destruction of them4 ,but it is not possible to continue the utterance further than the breath1 and whether the lips are compressed1 or the tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth1 or the organs behind that used1 there will be in the finishing of the utterance the closure or m sound1 which among the ,aryans had the meaning of stoppage4 ,in this last letter there is found the destruction of the whole word or letter4 ,to reproduce it a slight experiment will show that by no possibility can it be begun with m1 but that au invariably commences even the utterance of m itself4 ,without fear of successful contradiction1 it can be asserted that all speech begins with au1 and the ending1 or destruction of speech1 is in m4 ,the word 8tone0 is derived from the ,latin and ,greek words meaning sound and tone4 ,in the ,greek the word 8tonos0 means a 8stretching0 or 8straining40 ,as to the character of the sound1 the word 8tone0 is used to express all varieties1 such as high1 low1 grave1 acute1 sweet and harsh sounds4 ,in music it gives the peculiar quality of the sound produced1 and also distinguishes one instrument from another2 as rich tone1 reedy tone1 and so on4 ,in medicine1 it designates the state of the body1 but is there used more in the signification of strength1 and refers to strength or tension4 ,it is not difficult to connect the use of the word in medicine with the divine resonance of which we spoke1 because we may consider tension to be the vibration1 or quantity of vibration1 by which sound is apprehended by the ear1 and if the whole system gradually goes down so that its tone is lowered without stoppage1 the result will at last be dissolution for that collection of molecules4 ,in painting1 the tone also shows the general drift of the picture1 just as it indicates the same thing in morals and manners4 ,we say1 8a low tone of morals1 an elevated tone of sentiment1 a courtly tone of manners10 so that tone has a signification which is applied universally to either good or bad1 high or low4 ,and the only letter which we can use to express it1 or symbolize it1 is the a sound1 in its various changes1 long1 short and medium4 ,and just as the tone of manners1 of morals1 of painting1 of music1 means the real character of each1 in the same way the tones of the various creatures1 including man himself1 mean or express the real character2 and all together joined in the deep murmur of nature1 go to swell the ,nada ,brahma1 or ,divine resonance1 which at last is heard as the music of the spheres4 ,meditation on tone1 as expressed in this ,sanscrit word ,,om1 will lead us to a knowledge of the secret ,doctrine4 ,we find expressed in the merely mortal music the seven divisions of the divine essence1 for as the microcosm is the little copy of the macrocosm1 even the halting measures of man contain the little copy of the whole1 in the seven tones of the octave4 ,from that we are led to the seven colors1 and so forward and upward to the ,divine radiance which is the ,aum4 ,for the ,divine ,resonance1 spoken of above1 is not the ,divine ,light itself4 ,the ,resonance is only the outbreathing of the first sound of the entire ,aum4 ,this goes on during what the ,hindoos call a ,day of ,brahma1 which1 according to them1 lasts a thousand ages4#d ,it manifests itself not only as the power which stirs up and animates the particles of the ,universe1 but also in the evolution and dissolution of man1 of the animal and mineral kingdom1 and of solar systems4 ,among the ,aryans it was represented in the planetary system by ,mercury1 who has always been said to govern the intellectual faculties1 and to be the universal stimulator4 ,some old writers have said that it is shown through ,mercury1 amongst mankind1 by the universal talking of women4 ,and wherever this ,divine ,resonance is closed or stopped by death or other change1 the ,aum has been uttered there4 ,these utterances of ,aum are only the numerous microcosmic enunciations of the ,word1 which is uttered or completely ended1 to use the ,hermetic or mystical style of language1 only when the great ,brahm stops the outbreathing1 closes the vocalization1 by the m sound1 and thus causes the universal dissolution4 ,this universal dissolution is known in the ,sanscrit and in the secret ,doctrine1 as the ,maha ,pralaya2 ,maha being 8the great10 and ,pralaya 8dissolution40 ,and so1 after thus arguing1 the ancient ,rishees of ,india said3 8,nothing is begun or ended2 everything is changed1 and that which we call death is only a transformation40 ,in thus speaking they wished to be understood as referring to the manifested universe1 the so-called death of a sentient creature being only a transformation of energy1 or a change of the mode and place of manifestation of the ,divine ,resonance4 ,thus early in the history of the race the doctrine of conservation of energy was known and applied4 ,the ,divine ,resonance1 or the au sound1 is the universal energy1 which is conserved during each ,day of ,brahma1 and at the coming on of the great ,night is absorbed again into the whole4 ,continually appearing and disappearing it transforms itself again and again1 covered from time to time by a veil of matter called its visible manifestation1 and never lost1 but always changing itself from one form to another4 ,and herein can be seen the use and beauty of the ,sanscrit4 ,nada ,brahma is ,divine ,resonance2 that is1 after saying ,nada1 if we stopped with ,brahm1 logically we must infer that the m sound at the end of ,brahm signified the ,pralaya1 thus confuting the position that the ,divine ,resonance existed1 for if it had stopped it could not be resounding4 ,so they added an a at the end of the ,brahm1 making it possible to understand that as ,brahma the sound was still manifesting itself4 ,but time would not suffice to go into this subject as it deserves1 and these remarks are only intended as a feeble attempt to point out the real meaning and purpose of ,aum4 ,for the above reasons1 and out of the great respect we entertain for the wisdom of the ,aryans1 was the symbol adopted and placed upon the cover of this magazine and at the head of the text4 ,with us ,,om has a signification4 ,it represents the constant undercurrent of meditation1 which ought to be carried on by every man1 even while engaged in the necessary duties of this life4 ,there is for every conditioned being a target at which the aim is constantly directed4 ,even the very animal kingdom we do not except1 for it1 below us1 awaits its evolution into a higher state2 it unconsciously perhaps1 but nevertheless actually1 aims at the same target4 8,having taken the bow1 the great weapon1 let him place on it the arrow1 sharpened by devotion4 ,then1 having drawn it with a thought directed to that which is1 hit the mark1 ,o friend--the ,indestructible4 ,,om is the bow1 the ,self is the arrow1 ,brahman is called its aim4 ,it is to be hit by a man who is not thoughtless2 and then as the arrow becomes one with the target1 he will become one with ,brahman4 ,know him alone as the ,self1 and leave off other words4 ,he is the bridge of the ,immortal4 ,meditate on the ,self as ,,om4 ,hail to you that you may cross beyond the sea of darkness40#e ,,hadji-,,erinn4 ,,aum6 ,,kabbalah4 ,the ,kabbalah was formerly a tradition1 as the word implies1 and is generally supposed to have originated with the ,jewish ,rabbins4 ,the word is of ,hebrew origin1 but the esoteric science it represents did not originate with the ,jews2 they merely recorded what had previously been traditional4 ,the ,kabbalah is a system of philosophy and theosophy1 that was obtained at a very remote period of time by the wise men of the east1 through the unfoldment of the intuitive perceptions4 ,self consciousness forms the basis of mind1 and knowledge is acquired through the reception of activities from without1 which are recorded in consciousness2 there are two sources through which knowledge is received--one subjective1 the other objective4 ,the former gives us a knowledge of the causal side of the cosmos1 and the latter1 the objective or material side1 which is the world of effects1 on account of being evolved from the former4 8,the outward doth from the inward roll1 ,and the inward dwells in the inmost soul40 ,if this be true1 the great first cause--,god1 has evolved out of ,himself the esoteric or subjective world1 in which ,he is to be found manifested4 ,out of the subjective1 by change of energy and substance through law1 ,he evolved the objective world4 ,therefore1 the antecedents of the objective are to be found in the unseen or invisible portion of the universe4 ,in a work we are preparing for the press1 which has been a study for over thirty years1 we will show what spirit is1 that it is self-generating and self-sustaining1 and from it1 through volition1 the cosmos was evolved4 ,do not understand by the above remark that spirit becomes matter1 through evolution1 and that the universe is a huge ,divine ,personality4 ,we have too high a conception and reverence for ,deity1 to suppose for an instant1 that ,he became a material being through the evolution of the universe4 ,he is not in any manner personally associated with either the esoteric or exoteric cosmos4 ,spirit is distinct from matter but not from energy2 energy is the source of matter4 ,it is therefore through energy and law that ,god is associated with the universe4 ,the law is ,his ,providence1 and ,his will the executive4 ,a miracle is an impossibility1 for it requires a suspension of the law upon which the universe is reared4 ,to suspend this law for one moment1 would disarrange the harmony of the entire universe4 ,therefore1 the suspension of this unique law1 which controls energy in the production of substance and matter1 would immediately suspend evolution1 and the entire universe and all that is associated with it1 would at once become disintegrated4 ,the ,providential law1 being one of harmony1 applies to everything outside of the spirit of ,god1 and therefore cannot be violated with impunity4 ,the beauties of nature result from its harmony1 and when it is violated1 discord ensues4 ,we see this in nationalities1 society1 individuals1 and in fact in all departments of nature4 ,if the violation goes beyond certain limits1 revolution is the result1 and if it is not corrected1 destruction naturally follows4 ,the greater the violation the more difficult it is to overcome the discordancy4 ,dissipation is sure to be rewarded with sickness1 and if carried too far1 with death4 ,luxury and licentiousness1 if persisted in1 will destroy society as well as nationalities4 ,history affords us ample proof of this4 ,this law1 no matter how slightly violated1 brings its comparative punishment1 and when obeyed1 its corresponding reward4 ,after these preliminary remarks1 we turn to our subject1 the ,kabbalah1 and show how it has been preserved and transmitted or handed down from one generation to another4 ,the study of external nature alone affords us no evidence of a future life--on the contrary1 it tends to disprove it1 which accounts for the agnostic belief1 which has become so prevalent of late years4 ,in the investigation of external phenomena1 we recognize matter1 energy and life2 the latter we are told is the result of protoplasmic cell action--the same of mind4 ,the continuity observed through all the departments of nature1 implies that there is a law controlling energy in the production of forms4 ,if energy had nothing to guide it1 its movements would be erratic1 and nature would become a conglomerate discordant mass4 ,now1 the existence of a law implies a law giver1 for it is not self-creating or self-sustaining1 therefore we logically conclude that there is something back of material nature that is not recognized by the external senses4 ,what proof have we of the existence of an external world1 except through consciousness8 ,an unborn child1 if it possessed reasoning faculties1 would deny the existence of its own mother4 ,a person born blind can have no conception of the beauties of nature1 and if the sense of touch be suspended with that of sight1 we could form no conception of solidity4 ,if born deaf1 of the harmony and discord of sound or of music4 ,we therefore perceive that we can have no conception of the existence of an external world1 except through neural activities recorded in consciousness1 and without the unfoldment of the inner consciousness1 we can form no opinion of a future life4 ,in fact1 logically speaking1 we have the same grounds for denying its existence as we would have of the external world1 providing objective consciousness was closed4 ,this accounts for the doubt1 uncertainty1 and fear respecting the future1 which is intensified by the present system of religious teachings4 ,the spiritual world is as much a reality as this1 in fact more so1 for it undergoes no change1 as this one does4 ,the study of ,theosophy has demonstrated to the writer that there is another source of knowledge which can only be acquired through the cultivation of a plane of consciousness1 which is not reached by objective neural activities1 but can be by unfoldment of inner consciousness4 ,it is the development of this state of consciousness that brings us en rapport with the esoteric world4 ,the question now arises1 how are we to develop this much desired condition8 ,it can only be accomplished through the harmony of the moral attributes of the spirit4 ,harmony is the only passport to ,heaven1 and the absence of harmony1 which is discord1 is the only passport to what christianity terms ,hell4 ,therefore1 heaven and hell are only conditions of the spirit1 which are beautifully illustrated in the #bjth chapter of the ,apocalypse1 where it describes the angel descending from heaven1 having the key of the bottomless pit1 and a chain4 ,with the key he unlocked hell1 and with the chain he bound the devil for a thousand years4 ,the angel is the representative of holiness and purity1 which is only attained through the harmony of the spirit2 the key is a symbol of light1 and the chain that of truth2 hell is supposed to be the abode of darkness1 and the devil a spirit of falsehood and error4 ,we will now ask the question1 is there anything to banish darkness1 but light8 ,anything to disperse falsehood and error1 but truth8 ,christ was an ,essene1 and this secret order was a branch of the ,kabbalah4 ,st4 ,john was his favorite disciple1 whom he fully initiated into the mysteries4 ,during this disciple's exile on the ,isle of ,patmos or ,patmo1 he wrote the ,apocalypse1 which is a profound ,kabbalistic production1 describing the unity1 duality1 ternary and septenary of the ,kabbalah4 ,the ancient adepts found from experience1 that in order to develop the interior or subjective consciousness1 it was necessary 7allegorically speaking7 to 8wear the cloak of ,apollonius20 that is1 to withdraw from the outer world1 practice to the fullest extent1 self-denial1 and spend their wakeful moments in esoteric meditation4 ,in order to isolate themselves from society1 they established secret sanctuaries1 in which they met for mutual communion and religious exercises4 ,as they advanced in spiritual knowledge they found that there were various grades of harmony in the subjective or spiritual world1 and each individual on leaving this life gravitated1 as it were1 to the sphere with which he was in harmony4 ,they divided their sanctuaries into seven degrees to correspond with the harmonies in esoteric nature1 and to each degree there were three years of spiritual probation4 ,as harmony results from the analogy of contraries1 there were as many degrees of discord as there were of harmonies4 ,the former they designated hell4 ,the material cosmos1 that is what we call the external world1 was1 as it were1 middle ground between the two1 which they called ,hades1 into which the soul passed at death1 and the spirit was made cognizant of its record while on earth4 ,physical death1 they claimed was merely a change from a physical to a spiritual condition2 the soul or spiritual body being formed at the same time that the physical was1 but in a very different manner4 ,after death1 the soul either ascended or descended1 depending not upon gravity1 but upon harmony4 ,it will thus be perceived that each degree in the sanctuary required a separate or distinct initiation for each one1 which was intended to represent a higher state of moral and intellectual advancement4 ,the last or seventh degree was the one of perfection which brought about illumination1 when the subjective world was as much a reality to the inward or subjective consciousness as the outward world is to the objective4 ,when this condition of moral and intellectual unfoldment was obtained1 all interest in this life was gone and the spirit longed for separation from its physical casket4 ,the neophyte seeking spiritual knowledge could only attain to the wisdom of the different degrees by advancing morally1 so as to be in harmony with the degrees4 ,the knowledge thus obtained was never recorded1 but communicated verbally in symbolic language4 ,by this means it was kept a profound secret1 and handed down traditionally4 ,the first record we have of the ,kabbalah was made by ,rabbi ,akiba and ,rabbi ,simeon ,ben ,jochai2 the former compiled ,the ,sepher ,jetzirah1 8,book of ,creation10 and the latter1 ,the ,sepherhaz ,sohar1 8,book of ,light40 ,the first is regarded by the ,kabbalist at the key of the second4 ,the ,sohar has never been translated1 and as a late ,bishop of the ,church of ,england justly states1 never will be by a ,christian4 ,this is owing to its symbolic character1 which can only be interpreted by a ,kabbalist4 ,it is in three volumes1 in unpointed ,hebrew1 and consists of a mixture of ,armenic and ,semetic languages4 ,the ,sepher ,jetzirah may be procured in three languages1 the ,hebrew1 ,latin and ,german4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,a4 and ,,fig4 ,b4 ,we now come to the most interesting part of our subject4 ,the key to the ,kabbalah is the 8,word10 consisting of four ,hebrew letters1 which may be arranged in a cross inclosed in a circle1 ,fig4 ,a4 ,the ,christian ,kabbalist inserted the ,hebrew letter ,sin1 as a representative of ,christ in the ineffable name1 ,fig4 ,b4 ,the four-lettered name was the one given to ,moses on the ,mount1 with the understanding that it represented his 7,jehovah7 verbalization in the universe4 ,the ,word was held in profound reverence by all1 ,kabbalists as well as the ,jews1 and all ancient secret orders1 and was never spoken audibly1 in fact never mentioned1 except in the last initiation1 when it was whispered in the initiate's ear by the ,grand ,master of ,ceremonies4 ,the knowledge and power the ,word confers upon the recipient of its meaning is given in a fragment of a clavicle of ,solomon3 8,i1 ,solomon1 ,king of ,israel and ,palmyra1 have sought and obtained in part1 the ,holy ,chocmah1 which is the wisdom of ,adonai4 ,i have become ,king of the spirit of heaven and of earth1 master of the inhabitants of the air1 and the souls of the sea1 because ,i procured the key of the occult gate of light4 ,i have accomplished great things by the virtue of ,schema ,hamphorasch1 and by the thirty-two paths of the ,sepher ,jetzirah4 ,number1 weight and measure determine the form of all things1 substance is one1 and ,god created it eternally4 ,happy is he who knows the letters and numbers2 numbers are ideas1 and ideas are forces1 and forces ,elohim4 ,the synthesis of ,elohim is ,schema4 ,schema is one1 and its pillars are two1 its power is three1 its form four4 ,its reflection gives eight1 and eight multiplied by three1 gives the twenty-four thrones of wisdom4 ,on each throne rests a crown of three jewels1 each jewel bears a name1 each name an absolute idea4 ,there are seventy-two names on the twenty-four crowns of ,schema4 ,thou shalt write these names on thirty-six talismans1 two on each talisman--one on each side4 ,thou shalt divide these talismans into four series of nine each1 according to the number of the letters of the ,schema4 ,on the first series engrave the letter ,jod1 figure of the blooming rod of ,aaron2 on the second series the letter ,he1 figure of the cup of ,joseph2 on the third series the letter ,vau1 the figure of the source of ,david1 my ,father2 on the fourth series the letter ,he1 the figure of the ,jewish shekel4 ,the thirty-six talismans will be a book that will contain all the secrets of nature1 and by their divers combinations1 thou wilt make the ,genii and ,angels speak40 ,the ,schema represents the four-lettered name2 when mathematically constructed into seventy-two different forms1 it is called ,schema-hamphorasch1 and represents seventy-two paths of wisdom1 which constitute the keys of universal science4 ,the history of the ,kabbalah is yet to be written1 which can only be accomplished by one versed in its secrets4 ,historians have not done it justice1 they have debased it by associating it with necromancy or the black art1 which is to the ,kabbalah what false religion is to pure ,christianity4 ,the kernel lies hidden in the rubbish of the past1 where it has been preserved for future generations4 ,when it is disrobed of its vile and obnoxious covering it will be found to have lost none of its beauty and brilliancy4 ,the light of the ,orient has been preserved by the wise men of the east1 in symbols and allegorical language1 and when the time arrives1 which is not far distant1 someone possessing the key1 which is the ,word1 will unlock its mysteries and bring it forth in its divine purity1 to enlighten the present and future generations4 ,the cycle of ,tritheme1 which commenced in #ahgh1 will prepare someone to bring it forth from its oblivion1 and through its teachings a new train of thought will be instituted and an impetus given to the moral and emotional development which will be the harbinger of a bright future4 ,science will take new strides1 religion will throw aside her thread-bare garment and assume a new dress1 which will accord with the teachings and example of ,christ4 ,when this occurs1 the conflict between religion and science will cease and harmony be established4 ,the two then will be like brother and sister1 aiding each other in the development of the intellectual and moral attributes of the spirit4 ,it is no fault of science that a difference between them has occurred1 it has advanced while religion has been carrying on a warfare about creeds and dogmas1 which has retarded her progress4 ,christianity of to-day is as different from what it was in the first and second centuries of the ,christian era1 as modern masonry is different from what it was in ancient times4 ,religion has attempted to control humanity through fear1 having created a devil to keep man in subjection1 and force the belief that ,god1 who is the quintessence of purity and holiness1 is a vindictive and angry being1 who takes delight in chastising those who through ignorance violate the ,divine ,law4 ,while this religious conflict has been progressing1 christianity has gradually lost its hold on the public mind4 ,at the same time humanity longs to know something of the future which science cannot give4 ,how is this emotional or moral want to be supplied8 for humanity cannot progress intellectually beyond objective knowledge1 without the development of the moral attributes4 ,we venture the assertion that if the same advancement had been made in the development of the emotional attributes of the spirit1 as has been in the intellectual1 there would have been no agnosticism1 and science would be far in advance of what it is4 ,science has about reached the limit of objective knowledge and cannot advance until it acquires a knowledge of this world's antecedents1 which will enable it to correct numerous errors and give an impetus to further development4 ,this cannot be done so long as they ignore the existence of a subjective consciousness4 ,the ,kabbalah embodies both philosophy and theosophy4 ,the former gives us a knowledge of the universe1 and the latter teaches man how to know himself and his ,god4 ,it will also elevate masonry and all secret organizations having their rise from it1 by showing that ancient masonry was not merely a social and beneficial order like modern masonry1 but an organization for the unfolding of the moral and intellectual attributes4 ,the ,kabbalah has shown its fruits in philosophy through such minds as ,thales1 ,solon1 ,plato1 ,pythagoras1 ,gethe1 and many others4 ,in religion through ,zoroaster1 ,confucius1 ,christ1 ,old and ,new ,testament1 and the ,early ,christians1 and later through the ,united ,brethren1 to which ,jacob ,behmen belonged1 and other theosophic sects4 ,if the views we have advanced be correct1 that it is through the development of the inner consciousness that man attains to a knowledge of the subjective or causal world1 and that the knowledge of the ,kabbalah will enable us to unfold these faculties1 how urgent we all should be to have its secrets revealed4 ,,seth ,,pancoast4 ,,seership4 ,the following remarks are not intended to be a critique upon the literary merits or demerits of the poem which is taken as the subject of criticism4 ,in #ahhb1 ,the ,theosophist#f published a review of 8,the ,seer1 a ,prophetic ,poem10 by ,mr4 ,h4 ,g4 ,hellon1 and as clairvoyance is much talked of in the ,west1 it seemed advisable to use the verses of this poet for the purpose of inquiring1 to some extent1 into the western views of ,seership1 and of laying before my fellow seekers the views of one brought up in a totally different school4 ,i have not yet been able to understand with the slightest degree of distinctness1 what state is known as 8,seership0 in the language of western mysticism4 ,after trying to analyze the states of many a 8seer10 ,i am as far as ever from any probability of becoming wiser on the subject1 as understood here1 because it appears to me that no classification whatever exists of the different states as exhibited on this side of the globe1 but all the different states are heterogeneously mixed4 ,we see the state of merely catching glimpses in the astral light1 denominated seership1 at the same time that the very highest illustrations of that state are called trances4 ,as far as ,i have yet been able to discover1 8,seership10 as thus understood here1 does not come up to the level of ,sushupti1 which is the dreamless state in which the mystic's highest consciousness--composed of his highest intellectual and ethical faculties--hunts for and seizes any knowledge he may be in need of4 ,in this state the mystic's lower nature is at rest 7paralyzed73 only his highest nature roams into the ideal world in quest of food4 ,by lower nature1 ,i mean his physical1 astral or psychic1 lower emotional and intellectual principles1 including the lower fifth4#g ,yet even the knowledge obtained during the ,sushupti state must be regarded1 from this plane1 as theoretical and liable to be mixed upon resuming the application of the body1 with falsehood and with the preconception of the mystic's ordinary waking state1 as compared with the true knowledge acquired during the several initiations4 ,there is no guarantee held out for any mystic that any experience1 researches or knowledge that may come within his reach in any other state whatever1 is accurate1 except in the mysteries of initiation4 ,but all these different states are necessary to growth4 ,yagrata--our waking state1 in which all our physical and vital organs1 senses and faculties find their necessary exercise and development1 is needed to prevent the physical organization from collapsing4 ,swapna--dream state1 in which are included all the various states of consciousness between ,yagrata and ,sushupti1 such as somnambulism1 trance1 dreams1 visions1 c4--is necessary for the physical faculties to enjoy rest1 and for the lower emotional and astral faculties to live1 become active1 and develop2 and ,sushupti state1 comes about in order that the consciousnesses of both ,yagrata and ,swapna states may enjoy rest1 and for the fifth principle1 which is the one active in ,sushupti1 to develop itself by appropriate exercise4 ,in the equilibrium of these three states lies true progress4 ,the knowledge acquired during ,sushupti state1 might or might not be brought back to one's physical consciousness2 all depends upon his desires1 and according as his lower consciousnesses are or are not prepared to receive and retain that knowledge4 ,the avenues of the ideal world are carefully guarded by elementals from the trespass of the profane4 ,lytton makes ,mejnour say3#h 8,we place our tests in ordeals that purify the passions and elevate the desires4 ,and nature in this controls and assists us1 for it places awful guardians and unsurmountable barriers between the ambitions of vice and the heaven of loftier science40 ,the desire for physical enjoyment1 if rightly directed1 becomes elevated1 as a desire for something higher1 gradually becoming converted into a desire to do good to others1 and thus ascending1 ceases to be a desire1 and is transformed into an element of the sixth principle4 ,the control by nature to which ,mejnour refers1 in found in the natural maximum and minimum limits2 there cannot be too much ascension1 nor can the descent be too quick or too low4 ,the assistance of nature is found in the ,turya state1 in which the adept takes one step and nature helps for another4 ,in the ,sushupti state1 one might or might not find the object of his earnest search1 and as soon as it is found1 the moment the desire to bring it back to normal consciousness arises2 that moment ,sushupti state is at an end for the time being4 ,but one might often find himself in an awkward position1 when he has left that state4 ,the doors for the descent of the truth into the lower nature are closed4 ,then his position is beautifully described in an ,indian proverb3 8,the bran in the mouth and the fire are both lost40 ,this is an allusion to a poor girl who is eating bran1 and at the same time wants to kindle the fire just going out before her4 ,she blows it with the bran in her mouth2 the bran falls on the dying ashes1 extinguishing them completely2 she is thus a double loser4 ,in the ,sushupti state1 the anxiety which is felt to bring back the experience to consciousness1 acts as the bran with the fire4 ,anxiety to have or to do1 instead of being a help as some imagine1 is a direct injury1 and if permitted to grow in our waking moments1 will act with all the greater force on the plane of ,sushupti4 ,the result of these failures is clearly set forth by ,patanjali4#i ,even where the doors to the lower consciousness are open1 the knowledge brought back from ,sushupti state1 might1 owing to the distractions and difficulties of the direct and indirect routes of ascent and descent1 be lost on the way either partially or wholly1 or become mixed up with misconceptions and falsehood4 ,but in this search for knowledge in ,sushupti1 there must not remain a spark of indifference or idle inquisitiveness in the higher consciousness4 ,not even a jot of lurking hesitation about entering into the state1 nor doubt about its desirability1 nor about the usefulness or accuracy of the knowledge gleaned on former occasions1 or to be presently gleaned4 ,if there is any such doubt or hesitancy1 his progress is retarded4 ,nor can there be any cheating or hypocrisy1 nor any laughing in the sleeve4 ,in our normal wakeful state it always happens that when we believe we are earnestly aspiring1 some one or more of the elements of one or more of our lower consciousnesses belie us1 make us feel deluded and laugh at us1 for such is the self-inconsistent nature of desire4 ,in this state1 which we are considering there are subjective and objective states1 or classes of knowledge and experience1 even as there are the same in ,yagrata4 ,so1 therefore1 great care should be taken to make your aims and aspirations as high as possible while in your normal condition4 ,woe to him who would dare to trifle with the means placed at his disposal in the shape of ,sushupti4 ,one of the most effectual ways in which western mystics could trifle with this1 is to seek for the missing links of evolution1 so as to bring that knowledge to the normal consciousness1 and then with it to extend the domain of 8scientific0 knowledge4 ,of course1 from the moment such a desire is entertained1 the one who has it is shut out from ,sushupti4#aj ,the mystic might be interested in analyzing the real nature of the objective world1 or in soaring up to the feet of ,manus1#aa to the spheres where ,manava intellect is busy shaping the mould for a future religion1 or had been shaping that of a past religion4 ,but here the maximum and minimum limits by which nature controls1 are again to be taken account of4 ,one essential feature of ,sushupti is1 as far as can now be understood1 that the mystic must get at all truths through but one source1 or path1 viz3 through the divine world pertaining to his own lodge 7or teacher71 and through this path he might soar as high as he can1 though how much knowledge he can get is an open question4 ,let us now inquire what state is the seership of the author of our poem 8,the ,seer10 and try to discover the 8hare's horns0 in it4 ,later on we may try to peep into the states of ,swedenborg1 ,p4 ,b4 ,randolph1 and a few of the 8trained1 untrained1 natural born1 self-taught1 crystal1 and magic mirror seers40 ,i look at this poem solely to point out mistakes so as to obtain materials for our study4 ,there are beauties and truths in it which all can enjoy4 ,in ancient days it was all very well for mystics to write figuratively so as to keep sacred things from the profane4 ,then symbolism was rife in the air with mysticism1 and all the allegories were understood at once by those for whom they were intended4 ,but times have changed4 ,in this materialistic age it is known that the wildest misconceptions exist in the minds of many who are mystically and spiritually inclined4 ,the generality of mystics and their followers are not free from the superstitions and prejudices which have in church and science their counterpart4 ,therefore in my humble opinion there can be no justification for writing allegorically on mysticism1 and by publication1 placing such writings within reach of all4 ,to do so is positively mischievous4 ,if allegorical writings1 and misleading novels are intended to popularize mysticism by removing existing prejudices1 then the writers ought to express their motives4 ,it is an open question whether the benefit resulting from such popularization is not more than counterbalanced by the injury worked to helpless votaries of mysticism1 who are misled4 ,and there is less justification for our present allegorical writers than there was for those of ,lytton's time4 ,moreover1 in the present quarter of our century1 veils are thrown by symbolical or misleading utterances1 over much that can be safely given out in plain words4 ,with these general remarks let us turn to 8,the ,seer40 ,in the ,invocation1 addressed evidently to the ,seer's guru1#ab we find these words3 8,when in delicious dreams ,i leave this life1 ,and in sweet trance unveil its mysteries2 ,give me thy light1 thy love1 thy truth divine60 ,trance here means only one of the various states known as cataleptic or somnambulic1 but certainly neither ,turya nor ,sushupti4 ,in such a trance state very few of the mysteries of 8this life10 or even of the state of trance itself1 could be unveiled4 ,the so-called ,seer can 8enjoy0 as harmlessly and as uselessly as a boy who idly swims in the lagoon1 where he gains no knowledge and may end his sport in death4 ,even so is the one who swims1 cuts capers1 in the astral light1 and becomes lost in something strange which surpasses all his comprehension4 ,the difference between such a ,seer and the ordinary sensualist1 is1 that the first indulges both his astral and physical senses to excess1 while the latter his physical senses only4 ,these occultists fancy that they have removed their interest from self1 when in reality they have only enlarged the limits of experience and desire1 and transferred their interest to the things which concern their larger span of life4#ac ,invoking a ,guru's blessings on your own higher nature for the purpose of sustaining you in this trance state1 is as blasphemous and reprehensible an act of assisting descent1 and conversion of higher into lower energies1 as to invoke your ,guru to help you in excessive wine drinking2 for the astral world is also material4 ,to be able to solve the mysteries of any consciousness whatever1 even of the lowest physical1 while in trance1 is as vain a boast of the hunters for such a state1 as that of physiologists or mesmerists4 ,while you are in trance state1 if you are not ethical enough in your nature1 you will be tempted and forced1 by your powerful lower elements1 to pry into the secrets of your neighbors1 and then1 on returning to your normal state1 to slander them4 ,the surest way to draw down your higher nature into the miry abyss of your physical and astral world1 and thus to animalize yourself1 is to go into trance or to aspire for clairvoyance4 8,and thou1 7,guru7 left me looking upward through the veil1 ,to gaze into thy goal and follow thee60 ,these lines are highly presumptuous4 ,it is impossible1 even for a very high ,hierophant1 in any of his states whatever1 to gaze into his ,guru's goal2#ad his subjective consciousness can but barely come up to the level of the normal or objective consciousness of his ,guru4 ,it is only during the initiation that the initiated sees not only his own immediate goal1 but also ,nirvana1 which of course includes his ,guru's goal also2 but after the ceremony is over he recollects only his own immediate goal for his next 8class10 but nothing beyond that4#ae ,this is what is meant by the ,god ,jehovah saying to ,moses3 8,and ,i will take away mine hand and ,thou shalt see my back1 but my face shall not be seen40 ,and in the ,rig ,veda it is said3#af 8,dark is the path of ,thee1 who art bright2 the light is before ,thee40 ,mr4 ,hellon opens his poem with a quotation from ,zanoni3 8,man's first initiation is in trance2 in dreams commence all human knowledge1 in dreams he hovers over measureless space1 the first faint bridge between spirit and spirit--this world and the world beyond40 ,as this is a passage often quoted approvingly1 and recognized as containing no misconceptions1 ,i may be permitted to pass a few remarks1 first1 upon its intrinsic merits1 and secondly1 on ,lytton himself and his ,zanoni4 ,i shall not speak of the rage which prevails among mystical writers1 for quoting without understanding what they quote4 ,in ,swapna state man gets human1 unreliable knowledge1 while divine knowledge begins to come in ,sushupti state4 ,lytton has here thrown a gilded globule of erroneous ideas to mislead the unworthy and inquisitive mysticism hunters1 who unconsciously price the globule4 ,it is not too much to say that such statements in these days1 instead of aiding us to discover the true path1 but give rise to numberless patent remedies for the evils of life1 remedies which can never accomplish a cure4 ,man-made edifices called true ,raja ,yoga1#ag evolved in trance1 arise confronting each other1 conflicting with each other1 and out of harmony in themselves4 ,then not only endless disputation arises1 but also bigotry1 while the devoted and innocent seekers after truth are misled1 and scientific1 intelligent1 competent men1 are scared away from any attempt to examine the claims of the true science4 ,as soon as some one sided objective truth is discovered by a ,mesmer1 a defender of ancient ,yoga ,vidya1#ah blows a trumpet crying out1 8,yoga is self mesmerization1 mesmerism is the key to it1 and animal magnetism develops spirituality and is itself spirit1 ,god1 ,atman10 deluding himself with the idea that he is assisting humanity and the cause of truth1 unconscious of the fact that he is thus only degrading ,yoga ,vidya4 ,the ignorant medium contends that her 8control0 is divine4 ,there seems to be little difference between the claims of these two classes of dupes1 and the materialist who sets up a protoplasm in the place of ,god4 ,among the innumerable hosts of desecrated terms are ,trance1 ,yoga1 ,turya1 initiation1 c4 ,it is therefore no wonder that ,lytton1 in a novel1 has desecrated it and misapplied it to a mere semi-cataleptic state4 ,i1 for one prefer1 always to limit the term ,initiation to its true sense1 viz41 those sacred ceremonies in which alone 8,isis is unveiled40 ,man's first initiation is not in trance1 as ,lytton means4 ,trance is an artificial1 waking1 somnambulistic state1 in which one can learn nothing at all about the real nature of the elements of our physical consciousness1 and much less any of any other4 ,none of ,lytton's admirers seems to have thought that he was chaffing at occultism1 although he believed in it1 and was not anxious to throw pearls before swine4 ,such a hierophant as ,mejnour--not ,lytton himself--could not have mistaken the tomfoolery of somnambulism for even the first steps in ,raja ,yoga4 ,this can be seen from the way in which ,lytton gives out absolutely erroneous ideas about occultism1 while at the same time he shows a knowledge which he could not have1 did he believe himself in his own chaffing4 ,it is pretty well recognized that he at last failed1 after some progress in occultism as a high accepted disciple4 ,his ,glyndon might be ,lytton1 and ,glyndon's sister ,lady ,lytton4 ,the hieroglyphics of a book given him to decipher1 and which he brought out as ,zanoni1 must be allegorical4 ,the book is really the master's ideas which the pupil's highest consciousness endeavors to read4 ,but they were only the mere commonplaces of the master's mind4 ,the profane and the cowardly always say that the master descends to the plane of the pupil4 ,such can never happen4 ,and precipitation of messages from the master is only possible when the pupil's highest ethical and intuitive faculties reach the level of the master's normal and objective state4 ,in ,zanoni1 this is veiled by the assertion that he had to read the hieroglyphics--they did not speak to him4 ,and he confesses in the preface that he is by no means sure that he has correctly deciphered them4 8,enthusiasm10 he says1 8is when that part of the soul which is above intellect1 soars up to the ,gods1 and there derives the inspiration40 ,errors will therefore be due to wilful misstatements or to his difficulty in reading the cipher4 8,in dreams ,i see a world so fair1 ,that life would love to linger there2 ,and pass from this to that bright sphere4 ,in dreams ecstatic1 pure and free1 ,strange forms my inward senses see1 ,while hands mysterious welcome me40 ,such indefinite descriptions are worse than useless4 ,the inward senses are psychic senses1 and their perceiving strange forms and mere appearances in the astral world is not useful or instructive4 ,forms and appearances in the astral light are legion1 and take their shape not only from the seer's mind unknown to himself1 but are also in many cases1 reflections for other people's minds4 8,oh1 why should mine be ever less ,and light ineffable bless ,thee1 in thy starry loneliness10 seems to be utterly unethical4 ,here the seer is in the first place jealous of the light possessed by his guru1 or he is grasping in the dark1 ignorant even of the rationale of himself being in lower states than his guru4 ,however1 ,mr4 ,hellon has not erred about the existence of such a feeling4 ,it does and should exist in the trance and dreaming state4 ,in our ordinary waking state1 attachments1 desires1 c41 are the very life of our physical senses1 and in the same way the emotional energies manifest themselves on the astral plane in order to feed and fatten the seer's astral senses1 sustaining them during his trance state4 ,unless thus animated1 his astral nature would come to rest4 ,no proof is therefore needed for the proposition that any state which is sustained by desires and passions cannot be regarded as anything more than as a means for developing one part of the animal nature4 ,van ,helmont is of the same opinion as ,mr4 ,hellon4#ai ,we cannot1 therefore1 for a moment believe that in such a state the 8,i0 of that state is ,atman4#bj ,it is only the false 8,i02 the vehicle for the real one4 ,it is ,ahankra--lower self1 or individuality of the waking state1 for even in trance state1 the lower sixth principle plays no greater part and develops no more than in the wakeful state4 ,the change is only in the field of action3 from the waking one to the astral plane1 the physical one remaining more or less at rest4 ,were it otherwise1 we would find somnambules day by day exhibiting increase of intellect1 whereas this does not occur4 ,suppose that we induce the trance state in an illiterate man4 ,he can then read from the astral counterpart of ,herbert ,spencer or ,patanjali's books as many pages as we desire1 or even the unpublished ideas of ,spencer2 but he can never make a comparison between the two systems1 unless that has already been done by some other mind in no matter what language4 ,nor can any somnambule analyze and describe the complicated machinery of the astral faculties1 much less of the emotional ones1 or of the fifth principle4 ,for in order to be analyzed they must be at rest so that the higher self may carry on the analysis4 ,so when ,mr4 ,hellon says3 8,a trance steals o'er my spirit now10 he is undoubtedly wrong1 as ,atman1 or spirit1 cannot go into a trance4 ,when a lower plane energy ascends to a higher plane it becomes silent there for a while until by contact with the denizens of its new home its powers are animated4 ,the somnambulic state has two conditions1 7a7 waking1 which is psycho-physiological or astro-physical2 7b7 sleeping1 which is psychical4 ,in these two the trance steals partly or completely only over the physical consciousness and senses4 8,and from my forehead peers the sight10 etc4 ,this1 with much that follows1 is pure imagination or misconception4 ,as for instance1 8floating from sphere to sphere40 ,in this state the seer is confined to but one sphere--the astral or psycho-physiological--no higher one can he even comprehend4 ,speaking of the period when the sixth sense shall be developed1 he says3 8,no mystery then her sons shall find1 ,within the compass of mankind2 ,the one shall read the other's mind40 ,in this the seer shows even a want of theoretical knowledge of the period spoken of4 ,he has madly rushed into the astral world without a knowledge of the philosophy of the mystics4 ,even though the twelfth sense were developed--let alone the physical sixth--it shall ever remain as difficult as it is now1 for people to read one another's mind4 ,such is the mystery of ,manas4#ba ,he is evidently deluded by seeing the apparent triumphs during a transitional period of a race's mental development1 of those minds abnormally developed which are able to look into the minds of others2 and yet they do that only partially4 ,if one with a highly developed sixth principle were to indulge for only six times in reading other's minds1 he would surely drain that development down to fatten the mind and desires4 ,moreover1 ,mr4 ,hellon's seer seems to be totally unaware of the fact that the object of developing higher faculties is not to peer into the minds of others1 and that the economy of the occult world gives an important privilege to the mystic1 in that the pages of his life and manas shall be carefully locked up against inquisitive prowlers1 the key safely deposited with his guru1 who never lends it to any one else4 ,if with the occult world the laws of nature are so strict1 how much more should they be with people in general4 ,otherwise1 nothing would be safe4 ,the sixth sense would then be as delusive and a curse to the ignorant as sight and learning are now4 ,nor shall this sixth sense man be 8perfect40 ,truth for him shall be as difficult to attain through his 8sense10 as it is now4 ,the horizon shall have only widened1 and what we are now acquiring as truth will have passed into history1 into literature1 into axiom4 8,sense0 is always nothing else than a channel for desire to flow through and torment ourselves and others4 ,the whole poem is misleading1 especially such expressions as3 8,his spirit views the world's turmoil2 behold his body feed the soil4--,a sixth sense race borne ages since1 to ,god's own zone40 ,our higher self--,atman--can never 8view the world's turmoil10 nor behold the body4 ,for supposing that it did view the body or the world's turmoil1 it would be attracted to them1 descending to the physical plane1 where it would be converted more or less into physical nature4 ,and the elevation of a sixth sense race unphilosophically supposes the raising up of that sense1 which certainly has only to do with our physical nature1 at most our astro-physical nature1 to the sphere of ,god or ,atman4 ,by merely training the psychical powers true progress is not gained1 but only the enjoyment of those powers2 a sort of alcohol on the astral plane1 which results in unfavorable ,karma4 ,the true path to divine wisdom is in performing our duty unselfishly in the station in which we are placed1 for thereby we convert lower nature into higher1 following ,dharma--our whole duty4 ,,murdhna ,,joti4 ,,the ,,nature ,,and ,,office ,,of ,,buddha',s ,,religion4 ,from a dissertation by the ,rt4 ,rev4 ,h4 ,sumangala1 ,high ,priest of ,adam's ,peak1 ,ceylon4#bb ,what must a religion chiefly reveal8 ,a religion1 as such1 must for the most part propound what is not generally seen and felt in the nature of sentient beings4 ,it must also proclaim 8the ways and means0 by which the good of the world is attained4 ,these teachings are essential to a religion or it would1 at best1 become only a system of philosophy or a science of nature4 ,we find these two essentials fully treated in the religion of ,buddha4 ,buddha says3#bc 8,the world has mounted on the passions and is suspended therefrom--that is1 the thoughts of men are hanging down from the lusts and other evils4 ,the whole world is encompassed by decay2 and ,death overwhelms us all1 7consumption and decay ever slowly but steadily creep in and eat into each and everything in existence1 and it is here likened to something like land encircled by sea74 ,nature has subjected us to birth1 decay and death1 and the deeds of our past lives are covered by the terrors of death from our view1 although the time of their action is not very far removed from our present state of existence4 ,hence it is that we do not view the scenes of our past births4 ,human life before it arrives at its final destiny1 is ever inseparable from ,jti1 ,jar1 ,marana1 etc41 7birth1 infirmities1 death1 etc474 ,as we are at present we are in sorrow and pain1 and we have not yet obtained the highest object of our being4 ,it behooves us1 therefore1 to exert ourselves everytime and by all means to attain to our summum ultimum1 and we have to use and practice #8the ways and means' shown in religion in earnestness and integrity40 ,now what are they as set forth in ,buddhism8 8,the man who is ever fully in the observance of the precepts of morality2 who sees and understands things well and truly2 who has perfect and serene command over his thoughts2 and who has his mind fixed well in proper contemplation4 ,i say1 that such a man alone will safely pass over the dreadful torrent of metempsychosis1 which is indeed hard to be gone over safely and without meeting with great obstacles and difficulties40 ,the way to holiness of being1 to destruction of sorrows1 pain and sufferings1 and to the path to ,nirvana and to its attainment1 is1 the starting of memory1 on the body1 on sensation1 on mind and on the true doctrines1 largely discoursed on by the ,lord ,gautama ,buddha4 8,men are sanctified by their deeds1 their learning1 their religious behavior1 their morals1 and by leading a holy life2 they do not become holy by race or wealth40#bd ,buddha has opened up to us a supreme path for sanctification2 described in detail in many verses of ,his ,dharm4#be ,he says3 8,oh ,bhikkus6 what is the holy path which ought to be walked over to destroy pain and sorrows8 ,it is the ariya path1 consisting of eight members or component parts1 which are3 ,right ,seeing or correct belief2 right ,thinking2 right ,words2 right ,actions2 right ,living2 right ,exertions2 right ,recollecting2 and right ,composing of ,mind--the practice of ,yoga40 ,of all the paths this1 the eight membered one1 is the ,supremest2 of the ,truths1 the fourfold one is the highest2 of all classes of knowledge1 that of ,nirvana is the most excellent1 and of all bipeds ,buddha is the highest and most supremely exalted and enlightened4 ,i4 ,right seeing is the correct and full comprehension of the four facts or divisions1 which are3 ,sorrows1 the origin of sorrows1 the destruction of sorrows1 and the ways and means to be used for that destruction4 ,now this ,right seeing may be viewed in two ways1 7#a7 worldly1 7#b7 over-worldly1 or above the worldly way4 ,the first is understanding1 while still we have not overcome our lusts1 passions and desires1 the effects of good and bad actions1 and that such acts alone brought about the effects2 the second is brought about by destroying lust1 anger1 c41 and rightly comprehending what are known as the 8four supreme verities40 ,,ii4 ,right ,thinking includes1 pondering on the abandoning of all merely worldly happiness1 bad desires1 anger1 c41 and the cherishing of thoughts to live separated from them all2 loathing to take life1 and the continued mental exercise of the determination not to hurt a sentient being4 ,,iii4 ,right ,speech avoids lying1 slandering1 uttering rough or vulgar words1 and vain babbling or empty talk4 ,,iv4 ,right ,actions is1 sanctifying the body by refraining from killing1 stealing1 enjoying unlawful sexual intercourse1 c4 ,v4 ,right ,living is1 obtaining a livelihood by being worthily employed1 supporting one's self4 ,,vi4 ,right ,exertion is1 to labor willingly and earnestly to prevent evil thoughts from arising in the mind1 nipping even the buds of such thoughts already sprung1 and by nourishing good thoughts and by creating morally virtuous ideas when heart and mind are vacant and empty of them4 ,,vii4 ,the seventh is the four above mentioned--in possession4 ,,viii4 ,the last member includes the four dhynas4 ,samm ,samdhi1 or ,right ,meditation1 is the last member of the ,supreme ,path4 ,in religion ,samdhis are of various natures1 but now we will confine ourselves to one particular ,samdhi4 ,it is that state of mind in which dispersed thoughts are brought together and concentrated on one particular object4 ,the chief feature is composure of the mind1 and its essential characteristic is the restriction of thoughts from dispersion4 ,stability aids its sustentation and undisturbed happiness is its natural result4 ,the primary stage of this state of mind is known as ,upachra ,samdhi1#bf the second1 or advanced stage1 as ,uppan ,samdhi4#bg ,it is also divided into two classes4 ,lokiya#bh which any one may enter into2 and ,lokuttara1#bi which can be entered into only by those who are free from worldly desires4 ,the first is a preliminary step to the attainment of the second4 ,for the first1 the devotee must give himself up to devotion in the manner prescribed in #c;d1 #dth and #eth angas of the ,arya astangikamarga chatuparisuddhi silas1 and then free himself from the ten worldly troubles1 which arise3 from building houses2 connections with family2 excessive gains2 the duties of a teacher2 from manual work2 journeys for another or for one's own gain2 sickness of teacher1 pupils and parents2 bodily sufferings2 constant study1 and worldly power and its loss4 ,being free from these he must then be acquainted with the systematic process of meditation1 instructed by a friend or an eminent preceptor4 ,meditation is of two classes4 ,first1 that wherein the devotee exercises universal love of mankind1 reflects that death is close at hand1 and that the human body being liable to decay is not to be regarded with consideration4 ,the second is that which applies to a man according to his moral nature4#cj ,these are forty in number4 ,taking one let us see how meditation should be practised4 ,man's moral nature is divided into six classes3 ,sensuous1 irascible1 ignorant1 faithful1 discreet1 reflective4 ,the first three are evil1 and the last three good qualities4 ,if in any man's nature an evil and virtue combine1 that which predominates will influence his moral character4 ,the process of meditation1 then1 is to be decided by the preceptor according to the tendency of the moral character as thus influenced4#ca ,the devotee then seeks retirement resigned to ,buddha4 ,a ,,prophecy ,,about ,,theosophy4 ,there are alleged to exist in ,india certain ,sibylline books called ,nadigrandhams4 ,as the name indicates1 they are compilations of astrological statements or predictions1 and are supposed to contain actual prophecies fitting into the lives of inquirers as well as into the history of a village4 ,they resemble the ,sibylline books of ,rome1 which prophesied1 it is said1 for over two hundred years1 all the important events in the affairs of the ,eternal ,city4 ,in ,may1 #ahhe1 ,col4 ,h4 ,s4 ,olcott1 ,president of the ,theosophical ,society1 hearing of some of these books in ,madras1 had an interview at the headquarters with the astrologer who possessed them1 in the presence of two witnesses4 ,in reporting the predictions in the ,may article#cb he left certain blanks saying that he would speak regarding it in twelve months1 and that the unpublished portion concerned the welfare of the society4 ,the prophecy was3 8,the society is now1 ,april #c1 #ahhe1 passing through a dark cycle1 which began ,august #bd1 #ahhd2 it will last nine months and sixteen days more1 making seventeen months for the whole period4 ,by the end of fourteen months next following the seventeen dark months1 the society will have increased threefold in power and strength1 and some who have joined it and worked for its advancement1 shall attain gnyanam4#cc ,the society will live and survive its founders for many years1 becoming a lasting power for good2 it will survive the fall of governments4 ,and you 7,h4 ,s4 ,o47 will live from this hour1 twenty-eight years1 five months1 six days1 fourteen hours1 and on your death the society will have #aef principal branches1 not counting minor ones1 with #ej1jjj enrolled members2 before that1 many branches will rise and expire1 and many members come and go40 ,at the time the society was founded in #ahge1 the editor of this journal was present in ,new ,york when the proposed name was discussed1 and it was prophesied after the selection had been made1 that the organization was destined to accomplish a great work1 far beyond the ideas of those present4 ,since then many members have followed the example of ,buddha's proud disciples and deserted the cause--others have remained4 ,in ,paris1 in #ahhd1 the ,coulomb scandal had not exploded1 but warnings of it were heard4 ,one night in the ,rue ,notre ,dame des ,champs1 an astrologer consulted a nadigrandham for a reply to queries as to what was brewing4 ,the reply was3#cd 8,a conspiracy2 but all will be suddenly discovered1 and will come to nothing40 ,such was the result as to the discovery and for the balance of the later prophecy let time disclose4 8,the desire of the pious shall be accomplished40 ,,reviews ,,and ,,notes4 ,,apollonius ,,of ,,tyana4#ce--,this volume is the result of a gage thrown down by a well known ,brooklyn clergyman1 who some few years ago said that he 8challenged any one to produce anything which rises to the sublimity of the miracles of #8the ,blessed ,redeemer1' or the simplicity of his life1 or to produce from the dust of eighteen centuries1 a record of the life1 sayings and doings of any personage so well attested1 and by so many reputable witnesses1 as is that of our ,savior in the account of ,matthew40 ,when we reflect upon the well known fact that the writings of the alleged time of ,jesus1 contain no reference to him1 and that every precept of morality ascribed to him1 can be found abundantly through the well attested and written sayings of his predecessors1 and upon the grave doubts clustering about the same ,matthew gospel1 we are not surprised to find that ,mr4 ,tredwell has succeeded in fully meeting the challenge4 ,but no one ever suspected the 8,brooklyn clergyman0 of being in earnest or of expecting any reply4 ,the book before us is replete with information1 and especially in its bibliographical references4 ,our only regret is that the author has altogether put aside the so-called miracles of ,apollonius4 ,we would like to see1 in treating the subject1 those occurrences taken account of1 not as miracles1 but as actual incidents1 the result of natural forces1 and not subject to chance1 nor being a proof of claims to divinity4 ,in the preface he well says1 that error courts investigation and is nearly always the prelude to the discovery of truth1 but1 8,falsehood seeks exemption from every scientific rgime1 and recoils from the light and scrutiny of investigation1 and postulates its own canon1 setting up a claim to miraculous interposition2 such is revelation40 ,and further on he quotes the celebrated ,moody1 who said3 8,it is not only every man's privilege1 but every man's duty to make honest inquiry into the truth of the gospel2 but should we conclude that it is not true1 then we will surely be damned40 ,this book1 and that of ,john ,henry ,newman1 ,d4 ,d41 on the same subject1 with ,rev4 ,edward ,berwick's translation of the great philosopher's life by ,philostrates1 should be in the library of every student1 for comparison1 if for nothing else4#cf ,a great deal of time and careful study have been devoted to the preparation of this book1 from a love of the subject1 which increased so fast as the author proceeded1 and grew so strong1 that he says he entirely forgot the clergyman who stirred him up to the task4 ,we are sorry that lack of space prevents us from going further into this valuable work4 ,,the ,,secret ,,doctrine4--,madame ,h4 ,p4 ,blavatsky is now engaged upon this work1 in ,germany1 where she went last year for her health4 ,the subject is interesting1 and the result of the author's endeavors will mark an era4 ,it will not only be an amplification and explanation of ,isis ,unveiled1 but will contain mines of further information4 ,there will be in it verbatim passages from the ,book of ,dgyan and ,limri of ,tsong-ka-po1 and old commentaries1 to which hitherto1 access has not been possible1 and great attention will be paid to the doctrine of ,human ,evolution1 to ,divine or ,white ,magic1 and ,human or ,black ,magic4 ,the portion in which the subject of the ,divine ,hermaphrodite is considered1 should be of absorbing interest4 ,it will be divided in four parts3 ,archaic1 ,ancient1 ,medival and ,modern1 presenting the complete sequences of the development of ,occultism and ,magic in their religious and anti-religious aspects4 ,,bible ,,myths1 ,,and ,,their ,,parallels ,,in ,,other ,,religions4--,j4 ,w4 ,bouton1 ,new ,york2 ,royal #hvo41 #fjj pages4--,this book should be in the hands of all students4 ,it is clearly the result of years of patient and plodding research made over a vast field of reading4 ,by an overwhelming amount of evidence1 the author proves that that which is miraculous1 found in the ,new ,testament1 cannot be of ,christian origin1 nor can anything of the same kind found in the ,old ,testament be of ,hebrew origin1 the conclusion being irresistible1 that if the ,christian ,bibles are of ,divine origin1 so must also be all the other and older books which contain these parallels4 ,orthodoxy has passed this work over in silence1 leaving the people still in their ignorance4 ,one clerical paper said that those whose theological opinions or faith was not settled should avoid the book4 ,truth-seekers1 however1 cannot afford to avoid it4 ,,what ,,is ,,theosophy8--,by a fellow of the ,theosophical ,society4 ,cupples1 ,upham ,co41 ,boston1 #ahhf4--,this little book has just come out of the press1 and is very attractively dressed4 ,the sheets1 all loose1 have been merely placed between covers1 which are tightly bound with cords of the same color as the covers4 ,it is dedicated by the author to a son whose inquiring mind daily asked his father and mother1 8,what is ,theosophy80 ,the result is good1 and we are sure that this unpretentious little waif will do much toward aiding the cause2 for when mothers and fathers all over the land see that there are families in which ,theosophy is preached and practised1 as this book evidences1 they will feel attracted to it4 ,the author rightly says1 that 8,theosophy means ,god's wisdom40 ,the principal ,aryan doctrines of use to the west1 are adverted to1 such as ,karma1 ,reincarnation1 ,devachan1 and ,nirvana4 ,one of the exalted beings referred to by the author has said1 8that it is quite probable that the sons of ,theosophists will become ,theosophists40 ,such is undoubtedly the case1 and if the parents of other children will follow the example to be found in the family of our author1 by inquiring into and trying to practise real ,theosophy1 teaching it to their children1 instead of sneering at phenomena which never were claimed to be ,theosophy1 the great ,day will soon dawn when our race may prepare to take a higher place4 ,this book is written in an easy1 pleasant style4 ,on page #ag we find3 8,in a small apple seed there lies the harvest of many summers1 and in the human soul there lie the possibilities of hundreds of lives40 ,true1 and more true1 that there may be tens of thousands of lives in the human soul4 ,natural arguments thus addressed to children produce great effects in their minds and life1 and as from children grow the men1 we ought to see to it that our own theories are right before we permit the youthful ones to drift with a prevailing current1 and when we are really convinced of our own it should be inculcated4 ,,theosophical ,,activities4 ,,the ,,rochester ,,branch4--,this is the elder brother in ,america4 ,it was formed in #ahhb1 by ,mr4 ,w4 ,b4 ,shelley and ,mrs4 ,j4 ,w4 ,cables1 who had been engaged with several friends1 before that1 in studying the problems presented to thinking minds in life and death4 ,the coincidence is rather curious between the first ,theosophical ,branch starting in ,rochester and the first sounding there so many years ago of the spiritualistic rappings4 ,a great deal has been done by this ,branch4 ,they have constantly studied ,the ,theosophist1 and many people have1 so to say1 made pilgrimages there to become members of the ,society4 ,here was started the first distinctively ,american ,theosophical paper4 ,it is called ,the ,occult ,word1 and appears monthly4 ,we believe the ,branch meets in ,mrs4 ,cables' house1 at #dj ,ambrose street1 where inquirers in that section should address her1 as she is willing to answer all4 ,we would also suggest that correspondents enclose return postage1 which is in the majority of cases ignored or forgotten4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,aryan ,,theosophical ,,society ,,of ,,new ,,york4--,this ,branch was formed with the idea of cementing together the ,new ,york members taken into the ,parent ,society while ,col4 ,olcott and ,madame ,blavatsky were here1 but it was found that a good many had merely joined under the impression that it was a new kind of spiritualism1 and then had retired4 ,but some staunch ones remaining1 the ,branch has grown gradually4 ,every now and then it holds meetings1 to which a great many are admitted who are not members4 ,bro4 ,gopal ,vinayak ,joshee1 of ,bombay1 now travelling here1 delivered an address on ,theosophy in ,india and ,america1 and on the same evening ,bro4 ,judge explained the object1 drift and method of ,theosophy1 and also read a paper on ,jacob ,bhme4 ,in ,march1 ,bro4 ,a4 ,gebhard delivered a short lecture on 8,the ,ideals of ,richard ,wagner1 as they bear on ,theosophy40 ,several visitors from ,boston attended1 and a general discussion on ancient myths in the light of ,theosophical ideas was held4 ,on ,march #beth1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,bjerregaard1 of the ,astor ,library1 gave an address on ,historic ,cycles1 but we then were so near going to press that we cannot give its substance4 ,the ,branch is actively engaged in spreading ,theosophical literature1 and now has requests for books from all parts of the ,u4 ,s4 ,it has reprinted ,mrs4 ,sinnett's 8,purpose of ,theosophy0 very cheap in form1 but well done1 and has other reprints in mind4 ,at present1 meetings are held in a private house of a member1 but other permanent quarters will soon be obtained4 ,all inquiries should be addressed to the ,secretary1 box #b1fei1 ,new ,york ,city4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,pioneer ,,theosophical ,,society ,,of ,,st4 ,,louis1 was formed in #ahhd1 by the efforts of ,brother ,elliott ,b4 ,page1 who is also ,secretary of the ,american ,board of ,control4 ,it is pursuing its way quietly and surely1 and has sent out some members to other parts of the ,united ,states1 whose influence will further spread the cause of ,universal ,brotherhood4 ,brother ,page's address is #cja ,south ,main ,street1 ,st4 ,louis1 ,mo4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,cincinnati4--,a branch is ready here1 and no doubt will be very active4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,chicago ,,branch was founded the #bgth of ,november1 #ahhe1 ,stanley ,b4 ,sexton1 ,president1 ,no4 #b ,park ,row1 ,dr4 ,w4 ,phelon1 ,corresponding ,secretary1 #fbi ,w4 ,fulton4 ,meetings are held every ,sunday at #b ,p4 ,m4 ,all the fellows except the ,president are a little over a year old in ,theosophy4 ,the ,president became an ,f4 ,t4 ,s4 in #ahgi4 ,one of the members is ,rev4 ,mr4 ,hoisington1 the blind lecturer on ,egypt1 who is one of our most earnest workers1 and has been a ,theosophist for many years4 ,we are all working with heart and soul for the spread of ,theosophy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,branch ,,in ,,malden1 ,massachusetts1 originated in the spring of #ahhe1 with a few persons who casually discovered that they had mutually had an interest in ,theosophy4 ,informal meetings were held to discuss ,theosophical subjects1 and were conducted in this way without organization until ,december #bg1 when a formal organization was affected under the customary provisional charter from the ,american ,board of ,control4 ,the name chosen was the ,malden ,branch1 ,theosophical ,society4 ,at the organization valuable assistance was rendered by ,brothers ,arthur ,h4 ,gebhard of ,new ,york1 and ,hollis ,b4 ,page and ,charles ,r4 ,kendall of ,boston4 ,two open meetings were held the past winter1 at which addresses were made by ,brothers ,william ,q4 ,judge and ,arthur ,h4 ,gebhard1 respectively1 and considerable outside interest was awakened4 ,the members have devoted themselves chiefly to the spiritual1 moral and philosophical aspects of the subject1 and have laid little stress upon the phenomenal1 and have discouraged marvel-seekers from membership4 ,the ,president is ,sylvester ,baxter1 and ,frank ,s4 ,collins is ,secretary4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,society',s ,,extent may be understood by the number and ramification of its branches1 of which in ,india there are #ajf2 in ,europe1 #g2 in the ,united ,states1 #i2 in ,australia1 #a2 and the ,west ,indies1 #a4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,boston has a ,branch of the ,society also4 ,in various intellectual circles in the city there is much discussion of ,theosophical literature1 and in general1 of the subject4 ,notwithstanding recent malicious attacks on our harmless and studious ,brotherhood1 the current of truth flowing through the ,society's channels makes itself felt in ,boston4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,american ,,board ,,of ,,control4--,the general and routine work of the ,society in ,america1 is under the jurisdiction of the ,board of ,control1 of which the ,president is ,prof4 ,elliott ,coues1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 and the ,secretary1 ,elliott ,b4 ,page1 #cja ,south ,main ,street1 ,st4 ,louis1 ,mo4 ,a resolution has been passed by this ,board1 which is binding on all members1 that no publication shall be issued as a ,theosophical one1 without previous consent obtained from the officers of the ,board4 ,this is wise1 as it will tend to prevent unauthorized declarations of so-called ,theosophical doctrine from being laid at the door of the ,society4 ,all members1 therefore1 intending to make publication1 should address the ,secretary of the ,board4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,word and the verses at the head of this text1 contain the verbal exposition of the symbol on the cover1 which is1 in one aspect1 the radiating of the ,great ,all4 ,he who knows this is fortunate and will learn to pronounce the syllable ,,aum6 ,,footnotes3 #a ,khandogya ,upanishad1 #ast ,khanda4 ,see ,vol4 #a1 ,sacred ,books of the ,east4 ,mller4 #b ,hymn of ,praise to ,brahm4 #c ,st4 ,john4 ,c4 ,i1 v4 #a4 #d ,see ,bagavad-,gita4 #e ,mundaka ,upanishad1 ,,ii1 ,kh4 #b4 7,mller's ,tr47 #f ,see ,theosophist1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 p4 #agg4 #g ,see ,esoteric ,buddhism for the sevenfold classification adopted by many ,theosophists4 #h ,zanoni1 ,book ,,iv1 ,chapter #b4 #i ,patanjali's ,yoga ,aphorisms1 #cj #ca1 ,part ,i4 #aj ,the following from the ,kaushitaki ,upanishad1 7see ,max ,muller's translation1 and also that published in the ,bibliotheka ,indica1 with ,sankaracharya's commentary--,cowell's tran47 may be of interest to students4 8,agatasatru to him3 ,blki1 where did this person here sleep8 ,where was he8 ,whence did he come back8 ,blki did not know4 ,and ,agatasatru said to him3 #8,where this person here slept1 where he was1 whence he thus came back1 is this3 ,the arteries of the heart called ,hita extend from the heart of the person towards the surrounding body4 ,small as a hair divided a thousand times1 they stand1 full of a thin fluid of various colors1 white1 black1 yellow1 red4 ,in these the person is when sleeping1 he sees no dream 7,sushupti74 ,then he becomes one with that prna 7breath7 alone4'0 7,elsewhere the number of these arteries is said to be #aja47 8,and as a razor might be fitted in a razor case1 or as fire in the fire place1 even thus this conscious self enters into the self of the body1 to the very hair and nails2 he is the master of all1 and eats with and enjoys with them4 ,so long as ,indra did not understand that self1 the ,asuras 7lower principles in man7 conquered him4 ,when he understood it1 he conquered the ,asuras1 and obtained the pre-eminence among all gods4 ,and thus also he who knows this obtains pre-eminence1 sovereignty1 supremacy40 ,and in the ,khandogya ,upanishad1 ,,vi ,prap4 #h1 ,kh4 #a3 8,when the man sleeps here1 my dear son1 he becomes united with the ,true--in ,sushupti sleep--he is gone to his own self4 ,therefore they say1 he sleeps 7,swapita71 because he is gone 7apita7 to his own 7sva740 ,and in ,prasna ,up ,,ii1 #a1 8,there are #aja arteries from the heart2 one of them penetrates the crown of the head2 moving upwards by it man reaches the immortal2 the others serve for departing in different directions40 ,,ed4 #aa ,this opens up an intensely interesting and highly important subject1 which cannot be here treated of1 but which will be in future papers4 ,meanwhile1 ,theosophists can exercise their intuition in respect to it4 ,,ed4 #ab ,guru1 a spiritual teacher4 #ac ,vide ,light on the ,path1 ,rule #a1 note1 part #a4 #ad ,there is one exceptional case where the ,guru's goal is seen1 and then the ,guru has to die1 for there can be no two equals4 #ae ,there is no contradiction between this and the preceding paragraph where it is said 8,to see the ,guru's goal is impossible40 ,during the initiation ceremony1 there is no separateness between those engaged in it4 ,they all become one whole1 and therefore1 even the ,high ,hierophant1 while engaged in an initiation1 is no more his separate self1 but is only a part of the whole1 of which the candidate is also a part1 and then1 for the time being1 having as much power and knowledge as the very highest present4 ,,ed4 #af ,rig ,veda1 ,,iv1 ,,vii1 #i4 #ag ,divine science4 #ah 8,the knowledge of ,yoga1 which is1 joining with your higher self40 #ai ,see ,zanoni1 ,book ,,iv1 c4 iii4 #bj ,highest soul4 #ba ,fifth principle4 #bb ,see ,vol4 #a1 ,theosophist4 #bc ,taubaya uddito lk2 jarya pari vrato3 ,maccuna pihito loko2 ,dukkhe ,loko patitthito4 #bd ,kammam vijj dhammca2 ,silam jivita muttamam2 ,etena macc sujjhanti3 ,na-gottna dhanenav4 #be ,code of laws4 #bf ,restraining thoughts from being dispersed4 #bg ,effecting complete reconciliation and composure of mind4 #bh ,worldly4 #bi ,superhuman4 #cj ,this means the particular kind which each man1 because of heredity1 education and class1 exercises4 ,it is also known as using the path pertaining to the ,lodge or ,ray1 to which the one meditating1 belongs4--,,ed4 #ca ,see ,bagavad-,gita1 c4 #ad4--;,,ed4 #cb ,see ,no4 #fh 7,may1 #ahhf7 ,theosophist4 #cc ,gnyanam is translated 8higher knowledge10 which does not merely mean acquirement of greater so-called mortal or ordinary knowledge1 but that kind of knowledge which is only attained by rising to higher spiritual planes1 and which transcends the highest of ordinary knowledge of the greatest literati or scientist4 #cd ,this was written then to various persons in ,paris1 ,london1 ,new ,york1 and ,india4 #ce ,by ,d4 ,m4 ,tredwell4 ,published by ,fred ,tredwell1 #gh ,nassau ,st41 ,new ,york1 #ahhf4 #cf ,the ,life of ,apollonius1 c41 ,hist4 of ,chr4 ,church1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #cdh4 ,the ,life of ,apollonius1 of ,tyana1 by ,philostrates1 tr4 by ,rev4 ,edward ,berwick1 ,ireland 7#ahji74 ,,aum ,the departure of the soul atom from the bosom of ,divinity1 is a radiation from the life of the great ,all1 who expends his strength in order that he may grow again and live by its return4 ,god thereby acquires a new vital force provided by all the transformations that the soul atom has undergone4 ,its return is the final reward4 ,such is the secret of the evolution of the great ,being and of the ,supreme ,soul4--,book of ,pitris4 ,the soul is the assemblage of the ,gods4 ,the universe rests in the ,supreme ,soul4 ,it is the soul that accomplishes the series of acts emanating from animate beings4 ,so the man who recognizes the ,supreme ,soul as present in his own soul1 understands that it is his duty to be kind and true to all1 and the most fortunate destiny that he could have desired is that of being finally absorbed in ,brahma4--,manu41 ,v4 #ab4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,may1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #b4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,,studies ,,in ,,the ,,upanishads4 ,,by ,a ,,student4 ,many ,american theosophists are asking1 8,what are the ,upanishads80 ,they are a portion of the ancient ,aryan literature which this journal has set itself to help lay before theosophists of ,america1 to the end that whatever in them is good and true may be brought out4 ,as ,max ,muller says1 hitherto the ,upanishads have not received at the hands of ,sanskrit and oriental scholars1 that treatment which in the eyes of philosophers and theologians they seem so fully to deserve4 ,he also calls them 8ancient theosophic treatises0 and declares that his real love for ,sanskrit literature was first kindled by them4#cg ,they have received no treatment at all in the ,united ,states1 because they are almost absolutely unknown in the original tongue in this country1 and in translations1 have been but little studied here4 ,europe and ,america differ in this1 that while in ,england and ,germany nearly all such study is confined to the book-worm or the theologian1 here there is such a general diffusion of pretty fair education in the people1 that the study of these books1 as translated1 may be made popular1 a thing which in ,europe is perhaps impossible4 ,muller returned to the study of the ,upanishads after a period of thirty years1 during which he had devoted himself to the hymns and ,brahmanas of the ,vedas1 and found his interest in them undiminished4 ,as for the period of these treatises1 he says that has been fixed provisionally1 at about #hjj ,b4 ,c4 ,the word means 8secret charm10 8philosophical doctrine20 and more strictly1 8to sit down near40 ,hindu theologians say the ,upanishads belong to revealed religion in opposition to that which is traditional4 ,in the opinion of our friend ,muller1 to whom all western students must ever remain grateful no matter how much they may disagree with his views as to the ,vedas being the lispings of baby man1 8the earliest of these philosophical treatises will always maintain a place in the literature of the world1 among the most astounding productions of the human mind in any age and in any country40#ch ,professor ,weber placed the number of ,upanishads at #bceci2 in #ahfe ,muller put them at #adi1 and others added to that number1 so that even to-day the actual figures are not known4 ,indeed it is held by several ,orientalists1 that before they assumed their present form1 a large mass of traditional ,upanishads must have existed4 ,the meaning of the word which ought to be borne most in mind is1 8secret knowledge1 or true knowledge0 although there may be a ,upanishad or secret knowledge1 which is false4 ,in the ,chandogya ,upanishad 7,i1 #a17 after describing the deeper meaning of ,,om1 it is said that the sacrifice which a man performs with knowledge1 with faith1 and with the ,upanishad1 i4 e4 with an understanding of the secret charm1 or underlying principles and effects1 is more powerful than when with faith1 the only knowledge possessed is of the rites themselves1 their origin and regularity4 ,the sacrifice referred to is1 not alone the one offered on the altar in the temple1 but that daily sacrifice which every breath and every thought1 brings about in ourselves4 ,,the ,,mundaka ,,upanishad4 ,this is in the ,atharva ,veda4 ,although it has the form of a mantra1 it is not to be used in the sacrifices1 as its sole object is to teach the highest knowledge1 the knowledge of ,brahman1 which cannot be obtained by either worship or sacrifices4 ,offerings to the ,gods1 in no matter what mode or church1 restraining of the breath1 penances1 or cultivation of the psychic senses1 will not lead to the true knowledge4 ,yet some works have to be performed1 and many persons require works1 sacrifices and penances as stepping stones to a higher life4 ,in the progress of these works and sacrificial performances1 errors are gradually discovered by the individual himself4 ,he can then remove them4 ,so the ,hindu commentators have explained the title of this ,upanishad as the 8shaving0 one4 ,that is1 it cuts off the errors of the mind like a razor4 ,it is said by ,european scholars that the title has not yet been explained4 ,this may be quite correct for them1 but it is very certain the ,hindu explanation appears to the ,hindu mind to be a very good one4 ,let us proceed4 ,,first ,,mundaka4 ,this means1 first shaving1 or beginning of the process for removing error4 ,it may be considered as a division equivalent to 8first title10 after which follow the lesser divisions1 as3 ,first ,khanda4 8#a4 ,brahma was the first of the ,devas1 the maker of the universe1 the preserver of the world4 ,he told the knowledge of ,brahman1 the foundation of all knowledge1 to his eldest son ,atharva40 ,here at once should be noted1 that although in ,hindu theology we find ,brahma1 ,vishnu and ,siva1 as the creator1 preserver and destroyer1 forming the ,trinity1 the ,upanishad now before us--for cutting away error--has not such a division4 ,it says ,brahma is first1 also the maker and the preserver4 ,even knowledge that is true for certain stages of development becomes error when we rise up into the higher planes and desire to know the true4 ,similarly we find ,buddha in his congregation teaching his disciples by means of the 8three vehicles10 but when he had raised them to the higher plane1 he informed them that these vehicles might be discarded and sat or truth be approached through one vehicle4 ,the knowledge here spoken of is ,brahman knowledge which is the supreme vehicle4 8#b4 ,whatever ,brahma told ,atharvan that knowledge ,atharvan told to ,angir1 he told it to ,satyavaha ,bharadvaga1 and he in succession told it to ,angiras4 8#c4 ,saunaka1 the great householder1 approached ,angiras respectfully and asked #8,sir1 what is that through which if it is known1 everything else becomes known8' 8#d4 ,he said to him3 #8,two kinds of knowledge must be known1 this is what all who know ,brahman tell us1 the higher and the lower knowledge4 8#e4 #8,the lower knowledge is the ,rig-,veda1 ,yajur-,veda1 ,sama-,veda1 ,atharva-,veda ,phonetics1 ,ceremonial1 ,grammar1 ,etymology1 ,metre and ,astronomy2 but the higher knowledge is that by which the ,indestructible 7,brahma7 is apprehended4 8#f4 #8,that which cannot be seen nor seized1 which has no origin and is without qualities1 no eyes nor ears1 no hands nor feet1 the eternal1 the all pervading1 infinitesimal1 that which is imperishable1 that is what is regarded by the wise as the source of all beings4 8#g4 #8,as the spider sends forth and draws in its thread1 as plants grow on the earth1 as from every man hairs spring forth on the head and the body1 thus does everything arise here from the ,indestructible4 8#h4 #8,the ,brahman swells by means of meditation2 hence is produced matter2 from matter mind1 breath and intellect1 the seven worlds1 and from the works performed by men in the worlds1 the eternal effects1 rewards and punishment of works4 8#i4 #8,from ,him who perceives all and who knows all1 whose meditation consists of knowledge1 from that highest ,brahman is born that other ,hiranyagarbha--name1 form1 and matter4'0 ,this ,khanda unfolds broadly the whole philosophy4 ,the following ones go into particulars4 ,it is very easy here to see that the imperishable doctrine could not be communicated directly by the ,great ,brahma to man1 but it has to be filtered down through various channels4 ,the communicator of it to mortals1 however1 would be regarded by his finite auditors as a god4 ,the same method is observable in the ,bagavad-,gita 7ch4 ,,iv7 where ,krishna says to ,arjuna that 8this never failing doctrine ,i formerly taught unto ,vivaswat and he to ,manu1 who told it to ,ikswaku1 succeeding whom came the ,rajarshis who studied it40 ,manu is regarded as of a wholly ,divine nature although not the ,great ,brahm4 ,now1 when ,angiras1 as detailed in the ,upanishad1 had received this higher knowledge1 he was approached by a great householder1 by name ,saunaka4 ,this has reference to an ancient mode of life in ,india when ,saunaka would be called a grihastha1 or one who was performing all his duties to his family1 his tribe1 and his nation while still in the world4 ,all the while1 however1 he studied the knowledge of ,brahman1 so that when the proper time came for him to give up those duties of life1 he could either die or retire to solitude4 ,it was not considered then to be a virtue for one to violently sever all ties and assume the garb and life of a mendicant devoted to religious contemplation1 but the better way was thought to be that one which resulted in our1 so to speak1 consuming all the ,karma of our family in ourselves4 ,otherwise it would inevitably result that if he retired with many duties unfulfilled1 they waited1 figuratively speaking1 for him1 sure to attach to him in a succeeding incarnation and to work him either injury or obstruction4 ,so it was thought better to work out all such results in the present life as far as possible4 ,we find here also a foreshadowing of some ideas held by the ,greek philosophers4 ,in the third verse1 the question is asked3 8,what is that through which when it is known1 the knower thereof knows everything else40 ,some of the ,greeks said that we must first ascend to the general1 from which descent to the particular is easy4 ,such1 however1 is directly opposite to the modern method1 which delights in going from particulars to generals1 from effects to causes4 ,the true knowledge proceeds as shown in the ,upanishad4 ,by endeavoring to attain to the ,universal ,soul of all1 the knowledge of the particular parts may be gained4 ,this is not easy1 but it is easy to try4 ,at the same time do not forsake modern methods altogether1 which correspond to the lower knowledge spoken of in ,verse #e4 ,therefore ,angiras says3 ,two kinds of knowledge1 the lower and the higher1 must be known4 ,here and there are persons who seem not to need the lower knowledge1 who pay no attention to it1 and who apprehend the higher flights impossible for others4 ,this is what is known as the result of past births4 ,in previous incarnations these persons studied upon all the lower planes so that their spiritual perceptions do not now need that help and training which the lower knowledge gives to others4 ,they are approaching that state which is beautifully described by ,longfellow in his 8,rain in ,summer10 in these words3-- 8,thus the seer1 ,with vision clear1 ,sees forms appear and disappear1 ,in the perpetual round of strange1 ,mysterious change ,from birth to death1 from death to birth2 ,from earth to heaven1 from heaven to earth2 ',till glimpses more sublime1 ,of things unseen before1 ,unto his wondering eyes reveal ,the ,universe1 as an immeasurable wheel ,turning forevermore ,in the rapid and rushing river of ,time40 7,to be continued47 ,,the ,,mystery ,,of ,,numbers4 ,in a previous article on the ,kabbalah1 we spoke of it as being a tradition embodying a noble philosophy1 which is but slightly understood1 owing to its symbolical representations4 ,there were three forms of symbols introduced by the ,ancient ,theosophists to express their thoughts and convey their ideas from one to another4 ,the object of the symbolic language was for the purpose of preventing their esoteric knowledge from becoming public property and to obviate persecution from those who were in authority and held different views4 ,these three forms were3 hieroglyphics1 numbers and allegories4 ,it is the ,kabbalistic science of numbers of which we purpose to speak4 ,deity in constructing the universe1 employed but few means to accomplish a great purpose4 ,they consisted of energy and law4 ,the former is under control of the latter4 ,the first act was the positing of energy1 which formed substance4 ,in this manner ,he converted chaos1 which was a motionless1 dark abyss1 into activity and light4 ,light is not energy1 but primarily resulted from the activity of atomic substance4 ,god creates all things by number1 weight and measure1 and with an arithmetical and geometrical precision4 ,the universal continuity observed in nature is owing to the law that controls energy4 ,any interference with this law throws energy out of harmony1 producing discord1 and consequently a varying of continuity4 ,every seed has within it an individual life energy which gives to it when developed into a plant or tree its type and form4 ,any external interference induces a struggle for life in the forces in maintaining their ancestral types and forms4 ,heredity may produce the same by interfering with the law controlling development4 ,the ,kabbalists never intended to convey the idea that numbers possessed special virtues4 ,they merely represent them2 for example #c represents a life entity2 without this ternary combination it would be impossible for life to exist4 ,the self-existing ,deity is a ,triune ,entity2 so is every individual life form4 ,whether it be a ,monera1 the lowest structureless life organism1 or ,man1 the highest in the scale of living beings4 ,number three is therefore called the generating number4 ,again1 #g is the harmonic numeral1 there being seven primary grades of harmony1 and in order to extend it1 the scale of seven must be repeated1 and every repetition lessens the harmony and tends to discord4 ,the ,sepher ,jetzirah1 which is recognized by the ,kabbalist as the key of the ,sohar1 is a wonderful and obscure work4 ,its wisdom is represented in ten numbers and twenty-two letters4 ,from the numbers 8are drawn or cut0 the twenty-two letters which are divided into three mothers1 seven double and twelve single letters4 ,according to the ,sepher there were three acts of creation2 #ast1 ,conception or ,idea2 #bnd1 ,the ,word2 #crd1 ,the ,writings4 ,for example1 first1 ,god conceived in ,his own mind1 the archetype of the universe which constituted the design2 second1 the ,word represents the law and the energy it controls and directs in carrying out the design2 third1 the product arising from the second constitute the writings4 ,the ,sepher ,jetzirah teaches that the hidden ways of wisdom are in the ten sephiroth1 which are usually termed spheres4 ,the ,hebrews use the word 8ways10 which with us mean degrees1 forms or species4 ,these hidden ways are the workings of the forces producing differentiation of forms1 which represents the twenty-two letters1 which are expressed as one in three1 and three in seven1 and seven in twelve1 making twenty-two4 ,the ten sephiroth interest us the most for they represent the unity and synthesis of numbers and the manifestations of ,deity in nature4 ,the first sefir is called the ,crown on account of its being the abode of the ,en ,soph#dj the unmanifested infinite ,being2 but the first form by which he became known was the ,memra or 8word10 which is represented by the first three sephiroth1 namely1 ,kether1 8the ,crown10 ,chochma1 8wisdom10 ,binah1 8understanding40#da ,to express it more clearly1 the first three sephiroth comprise a ,triune ,entity1 the verbalized spirit of ,god consisting of self-consciousness1 wisdom and love which embodied the ,word1 8the heavenly man10 8the man on high10 7,ezekiel ,i1 #bf71 the ,adam ,kadmon of the ,kabbalist1 the ,paradisical ,adam of ,genesis1 the ,christ of the ,christians and the ,buddha of the ,buddhists4 ,in order to be understood1 we will state that the ,triune spirit of the world contains the word1 and is therefore the source of energy and life in both the subjective and objective worlds1 and in fact is the source of all that exists outside of spirit4 ,it is under the direction of spirit in developing forms and giving them activity and life4 ,we thus perceive how a knowledge of the word gives us an insight into the work of ,god in creation4 ,jacob ,behmen was a mystic1 and acquainted with the meaning of the word which he obtained through illumination or the unfolding of inner consciousness4 ,what he called the ,signatura ,rerum--the signature of all things--is the word4 ,he describes it as coming from a triune entity1 which he locates in the super-celestial world4 ,it is first manifested in the subjective or esoteric world1 and afterwards in the objective4 ,he also alludes to the septenary which he applies to the external world2 he could not have understood the laws of harmony or he would not have made this application1 for it applies to both the subjective and objective worlds4 ,we will now explain the ,tetractys of ,pythagoras2 before doing so1 however1 we have a few remarks to make regarding his ,kabbalistic knowledge4 ,he is said to have been initiated into the secrets of nature by ,daniel and ,ezekiel1 and subsequently admitted into the ,egyptian ,sanctuaries upon a personal recommendation by ,king ,amosis4 ,his tetractys proves that he was thoroughly familiar with theosophical science1 which enabled him to study nature and arrive at correct conclusions4 ,it is a noted fact that he was familiar with the movements of the heavenly bodies2 which science did not reveal until centuries after his death4 ,if he mistook some of its details1 his substantial correctness was none the less wonderful4 ,he was the founder of the renowned school of ,crotona1 about five hundred years before ,christ4 ,he maintained that the ,sun is the centre of a system around which all the planets revolve1 and that the fixed stars were each the centre of a system4 ,he also believed that the planets were inhabited and that they and our earth are ever revolving in harmonious order--8keeping up a grand celestial concert1 inaudible to man1 but as a music of the spheres audible to ,god40 ,he was not permitted to declare publicly all that he knew1 but taught it privately to a few chosen friends4 ,he was also familiar with the laws of attraction and repulsion1 which constituted one of the most important duties of the sanctuaries4 ,newton was led to the discovery of these forces through the study of the ,kabbalah4 ,speaking of ,pythagoras calls to mind the ,kabbalistic enigma written by ,plato and sent to ,dionysius3 8all things surround our ,king1 7,god7 ,he is the cause of all things3 seconds for seconds and thirds for thirds40 ,this expresses the division of the ,sephiroth4 ,plato was an earnest and most intelligent ,kabbalist4 ,we will now explain for the first time the ,tetractys of ,pythagoras1 which reveals the numerical meaning of the word4 ,we remark1 however1 before doing so1 that there is a greater enigma attached to it than is expressed by the numbers1 which we cannot give for several reasons4 ,one is1 the name has never been imparted2 when obtained1 it was through self illumination2 another is1 it would open the doors of masonry1 and reveal the secrets of the order4 ,it is the key to mysticism--to religion and universal science4 ,in the ,tetractys the four letters composing the name1 are arranged in a triangular form1 enclosed with a double circle4#db ,the numerical division he has made applies to the super-celestial1 celestial and material worlds3 ,illustration3 ,the ,tetractys of ,pythagoras4 ,super ,celestial4--,the first series of numbers #a1 #b1 #c1 #d of the tetractys refers to the super-celestial world4 #a is the unity of ,god represented thus3 ,god in nothing4 #b is the duality of ,god4 #c is the spirit of a triune entity4 #d is ,divine volition1 capable of determining choice and forming a purpose1 and manifesting activity4 ,celestial4--,the above numerals are combined in the following order3--#abc--the manifestation of the word1 in the celestial world4 #bce--substance or quintescent matter1 produced by the activity of the word4 #cdg--the law of harmony--the providence of ,god in ,nature4 ,the celestial world is called by the ,kabbalist the world of harmony1 which none can occupy save the pure in spirit4 ,harmony is the only passport to ,heaven4 ,material4--,the numeral #a1 which represents the unity of ,god1 is not represented in this world--we only have the following numerals3 #bcdi--;humanity with the word unmanifested in the spirit4 ,yet it exists and can be made manifest through harmony of the spirit4 ,it not being manifested debars humanity from the pleasure of enjoying the light of the celestial world4 ,it is for this reason the ,kabbalist called it the world of darkness or ,hades4 ,it is also called the world of discord4 ,there are as many grades of discord here as there are harmonies in the world above4 ,when man throws off the material covering of his soul1 his consciousness reveals to him his moral standard and he gravitates to the sphere with which he is in accord4 ,if harmonious he ascends1 if discordant he descends4 #aj is the synthesis of numbers4 ,in the beginning before ,deity manifested himself1 it stood thus 2 in the consummation of creation it became reversed1 thus #aj4 ,,seth ,,pancoast4 ,,sufism1 ,,or ,,theosophy ,,from ,,the ,,standpoint ,,of ,,mohammedanism4 ,a ,chapter from a ,,ms4 work designed as a text book for ,students in ,mysticism4 ,,by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,bjerregaard1 ,stud4 ,theos4 ,in ,two ,parts3--,part ,i1 ,texts2 ,part ,,ii1 ,symbols4 ,the spirit of ,sufism is best expressed in the couplet of ,katebi3 8,last night a nightingale sung his song1 perched on a high cypress1 when the rose1 on hearing his plaintive warbling1 shed tears in the garden1 soft as the dews of heaven40 ,,introduction4 ,sufism has not yet received fair treatment in any publication that has appeared in ,western literature4 ,the reason is that no ,western writer upon the subject has endeavored to understand it1 either because of an intellectual bias or from willful perversion4 ,most treatises are written under strong dogmatic prejudices1 or by persons intellectually and morally incapable of rising to the ,a ,b ,c of a spiritual philosophy4 ,the present attempt to represent the doctrines and practices of ,sufism has been made in the hope of overcoming the effect of these evils4 ,we have studied patiently ,sufism from ,sufi works and claim to be in full sympathy with our subject4 ,that which we here present to the judgment of the candid reader is a part of a larger work we have been engaged on for many years2 a work designed as a text book for students in ,mysticism4 ,this fact1 the intention of making a text book for reference on all mystic questions1 will account for the unusual method adopted in this series of articles4 ,in the first part we shall give a resum of ,sufi doctrine with copious quotations from ,sufi works4 ,in the second we shall give a full exposition of ,sufi practices and symbols4 ,the following is a partial list of works consulted and quoted without further reference3 ,tholuck1 ,sufismus1 sive theosophia persarum--,tholuck1 ,blthensammlung der morgenl4 ,mystik--,malcolm1 ,hist4 of ,persia--,trans4 of the lit4 soc4 of ,bombay1 vol4 ,i1 art4 by ,capt4 ,graham--,j4 von ,hammer1 ,geschichte der ,schnen ,redeknste ,persiens1 mit einer ,blthenlese--,garcin de ,tassy1 la poesie phil4 et rel4 chez les ,persans1 in ,rev4 cont4 #ahef--;,fleischer1 uber die farbigen ,lichterscheinungen der ,sufis1 in ,zeitsh4 f4 morgl4 ,geselsch4 vol4 #af--;,g4 ,p4 ,brown1 ,the ,dervishes1 or ,oriental ,spiritualism--,journal of ,am4 ,orient4 ,soc41 vol4 #h--,the ,dabistan1 or school of sects--,e4 ,h4 ,palmer1 ,oriental ,mysticism--,persian ,poetry by ,s4 ,robinson--,th4 ,p4 ,hughes1 ,dict4 of ,islam--,ousely1 ,biographical notices of ,persian poets--,omar ,khayyam1 see ed4 illust4 by ,vedder--,al ,gazzali1 la perle precieuse1 par ,l4 ,gautier--,allegories recits poetiques traduit de l'arabe1 du persan c41 par ,garcin de ,tassy--,al ,gazzali1 ,alchemy of ,happiness tr4 by ,h4 ,a4 ,homes--,hammer-,purgstall1 ,literatur-,geschichte der ,araber--,the works of ,nizami1 ,saadi1 ,attar1 ,jellalladin ,rumi1 ,hafiz1 ,jami1 ,hatifi1 c41 in ,english1 ,french1 ,german and ,latin translations--,lane's transl4 of the ,quran--c41 c4 ,,part ,i4--,,texts4 ,,origin ,,of ,,sufism4 ,it is generally conceded among the ,sufis that one of the great founders of their system1 as found in ,islam1 was the adopted son and son-in-law of the ,prophet1 ,ali-ibn-,abi-,talib4 ,but it is also admitted that their religious system has always existed in the world1 prior to ,mohammed4 ,it is known that a tribe1 ,sufah1 from whom possibly the name is derived1 in 8the time of ignorance0 separated themselves from the world and devoted themselves to spiritual exercises like those of the present ,sufis4 ,sufism in its best known forms must thus be considered to be the philosophy of ,mohammedanism and to represent the protest of the human soul against the formalism and barrenness of the letter of the ,quran4 ,still there is much in favor of ,schmlder's assertion 7,essai sur les ecoles philos4 chez les ,arabes7 that ,sufism is neither a philosophical system nor the creed of a religious sect1 but simply a way of living4 ,perhaps the simplest statement is this3 ,sufism is theosophy from the standpoint of ,mohammedanism4 ,said-,abul-,chair 7about ,a4 ,d4 #hbj7 is often called the author of ,sufism4 ,abu ,hashem 7,a4 ,d4 #gfg7 has been called the first ,sufi4 ,the ,dabistan maintains the identity of the pure ,sufis and that of ,platonism and it has popularly been supposed that ,sufism has borrowed very much from the ,vedanta and from ,plato and ,aristotle2 it has even been confidently asserted that the similarity is so striking to the student1 that it is a most easy matter to find identical statements in either of them4 ,we must confess that our study does not prove the assertion4 ,the similarity is to be accounted for by the universality of truth4 ,,etymology4 ,the root of the word implies wisdom1 the ,greek ,sophia1 purity1 spirituality1 etc4 ,some have connected it with sf1 wool1 on account of the woolen garment worn by the devotees4 ,graham#dc maintains that 8any person or a person of any religion or sect1 may be a ,sfi4 ,the mystery lies in this3 a total disengagement of the mind from all temporal concerns and worldly pursuits2 an entire throwing off not only of every superstition1 doubt1 or the like1 but of the practical mode of worship1 ceremonies1 etc41 laid down in every religion1 which the ,mohammedans term ,sheriat1 being the law1 or canonical law2 and entertaining solely mental abstraction1 and contemplation of the soul and ,deity1 their affinity1 etc40 ,in short1 ,sufism may be termed the religion of the heart1 as opposed to formalism and ritualism4 8,traces of the ,sufi doctrine exist in some shape or other in every region of the world4 ,it is to be found in the most splendid theogonies of the ancient school of ,greece and of the modern philosophers of ,europe4 ,it is the dream of the most ignorant and the most learned1 and is seen at one time indulging in the shade of ease1 at another traversing the pathless desert40 7,malcolm ,hist4 of ,persia47 ,abu-,said-,abul-,chair1 the accredited founder of ,sufism1 when asked what ,sufism was1 answered3 8,what you have in the head1 give it up2 what you have in the hand1 throw it away2 whatever may meet you1 depart not from it40 ,dschuneid1 a ,sufi ,shaikh1 thus defined ,sufism3 8,to liberate the mind from the violence of the passions1 to put off nature's claims1 to extirpate human nature1 to repress the sensual instinct1 to acquire spiritual qualities1 to be elevated through an understanding of wisdom1 and to practice that which is good--that is the aim of ,sufism40 ,abul ,hussein ,nuri thus expressed himself3 8,sufism is neither precept nor doctrine1 but something inborn4 ,if it were a precept1 it could be followed2 if it were a doctrine1 it could be learned2 it is rather something inborn--and as the ,quran says3 #8,ye are created in the image of ,god4' ,evidently no one can1 either by application or by teaching1 possess himself of the likeness of ,god40 ,,sufi ,,doctrines4 ,,deity4 ,the ,deity alone ,,is and permeates all things4 ,all visible and invisible things are an emanation from ,deity1 and are not absolutely distinct from it4 ,one sect 8the ,unionists10 believe that ,god is as one with every enlightened being4 ,they compare the ,almighty to a flame1 and their souls to charcoal2 and say1 that in the same manner that charcoal when it meets flame1 becomes flame1 the immortal part1 from its union with ,god becomes ,god4 ,according to the ,dabistan1 the presence of the universal ,deity is fivefold4 ,the first is the presence of 8the absolute mystery40 ,the absolute mystery is one with 8the invariable prototypes0 7or realities of things74 ,the second is the presence of 8the relative mystery10 and this belongs to pure intellects and spirits4 ,the third is the presence of 8the mysterious relation10 which is nearest to the absolute evidence2 this is the world of similitude or dream4 ,the fourth is the presence of the 8absolute evidence0 which reaches from the centre of the earth to the middle of the ninth empyrean heaven4 ,the fifth is 8the presence of the rest10 and this is the universe in an extensive1 and mankind in a restricted acceptation4 ,silvestre de ,sacy gives the following explanation to the above from ,jorjani4 ,the five divine presences are 7#a7 the presence of the absolute absence 7or mystery72 its world is the world of the fixed substances in the scientific presence4 ,to the presence of the absolute mystery is opposed3 7#b7 the presence of the absolute assistance2 it is the world of the throne or seat of ,god1 of the four elemental natures4 7#c7 ,the presence of the relative absence2 this is divided into two parts3 ,the one nearer the presence of the absolute mystery2 the world of which is that of spirits1 which belong to what is called intelligences and bare souls2 the other3 7#d7 ,nearer the presence of the absolute assistance2 the world of which is that of models 7images74 7#e7 ,the presence which comprises the four preceding ones1 and its world is the world of mankind1 a world which reunites all the worlds1 and all they contain4 ,,good ,,and ,,evil3 ,,ethics4 ,there is no absolute difference between ,good and ,evil2 all that exists1 exists in unity and ,god is the real author of all the acts of mankind4 ,the ,sufi says that evil only came into the world through ignorance1 and that ignorance is the cause of error and disunion among men4 ,the following tale answers to the point3 8,four travelers--a ,turk1 an ,arab1 a ,persian1 and a ,greek1 having met together1 decided to take their meal in common1 and as each one had but ten paras1 they consulted together as to what should be purchased with the money4 ,the first said ,uzum1 the second ,ineb1 the third decided in favor of ,inghur1 and the fourth insisted upon ,stafilion4 ,on this a dispute arose between them and they were about to come to blows1 when a peasant passing by happened to know all four of their tongues1 and brought them a basket of grapes4 ,they now found out1 greatly to their astonishment1 that each one had what he desired40 ,they believe the emanating principle1 proceeding from ,god1 can do nothing without ,his will and can refrain from nothing that ,he wills4 ,some of them deny the existence of evil on the ground that nothing but good can come from ,god4 ,the ,dabistan3 ,one sect1 8the ,eternals10 conceive that man is taught his duty by a mysterious order of priesthood1#dd whose number and ranks are fixed1 and who rise in gradation from the lowest paths to the sublimest height of divine knowledge4 ,another sect1 8the ,enlightened10 teach that men's actions should neither proceed from fear of punishment nor the hope of reward1 but from innate love of virtue1 and detestation of vice4 ,,the ,,soul1 ,,its ,,life ,,and ,,conditions4 ,the soul existed before the body and is confined in it like in a cage4 ,to the ,sufi1 death is liberation and return to the ,deity4 ,the soul is confined in a body 7metempsychosis7 to be purified1 to fulfill its destination1 the union with ,deity4 ,without the grace of ,god 7,fazlu allah7 no soul can attain this union1 but ,god's grace can be obtained by fervently asking for it4 ,the soul of man is of ,god1 not from ,god1 an exile from ,him2 it lives in the body as in a prison and banishment from ,god4 ,before its exile the soul saw ,truth1 but here it only has glimpses 8to awaken the slumbering memory of the past40 ,the object of all ,sufi teaching is to lead the soul onward by degrees to reach that stage again4 8,you say #8the sea and the waves1' but in that remark you do not believe that you signify distinct objects1 for the sea when it heaves produces waves1 and the waves when they settle down again become sea2 in the same manner men are the waves of ,god1 and after death return to ,his bosom4 ,or1 you trace with ink upon paper the letters of the alphabet1 a1 b1 c2 but these letters are not distinct from the ink which enabled you to write them2 in the same manner the creation is the alphabet of ,god1 and is lost in ,him40 ,,religions are matters of indifference2 still they serve as stepping-stones to realities4 ,some are more useful than others1 among which is al-,islam1 of which ,sufism is the true philosophy4 ,,the ,,world1 c4 ,the world is life and intellect1 as far as the mineral kingdom2 but the manifestation of intellect in everybody is determined by the temperature of the human constitution4 ,sometimes beauty attains an excellence which is uttered with ecstacy1 and becomes a modulation more powerful than that which strikes the ear2 and this is the work of the prophet4 ,,the ,,tarigah ,,or 8,,journey ,,of ,,life0 ,,and ,,its ,,states4 ,the main duty of this life is ,meditation on the ,unity of ,deity 7wahdaniyah71 the ,remembrance of ,god's ,name 7,zikr71 and ,progression in the ,tarigah 7the ,path1 the ,journey of ,life74 ,human life is a journey 7safar7 and the seekers after ,god are travellers 7salik74 ,perfect knowledge 7marifah7 of ,deity as diffused throughout creation is the purpose of the journey4 ,sufism is the guide1 and the end of the journey1 is ,union with ,god4 ,the natural state of every human being is nasut4 ,in this state the disciple can not yet observe the ,law 7shariat74 ,this is the lowest form of spiritual existence4 ,the states in the ,tarigah are the following3 ,the first state is called ,shariat--the state of law or method4 ,the student's passions are in this degree checked by a rigid observance of ritual1 c41 whereby he learns human nature and to respect order and finds out for himself the rudiments of a knowledge of ,god4 ,the second state is ,tureequt or the way1 or road4 ,this state implies mental or spiritual worship1 abstracted totally from the above4 ,the student learns to see the propdeutic nature of ceremonies and devotes himself to realities4 ,at this stage the ascetic exercises begin and he holds communion with ,melkut or the angelic world4 ,the third state1 ,huqeequt1 or the state of truth is the state of inspiration or greater natural knowledge4 ,the ,sufi now lives no more in faith but in subjective truth and spiritual power2 he has seen the similarity of ,god's nature and his own2 all antinomies are destroyed1 even sin disappears from his reflections4 ,the fourth and last state is ,marifut or union of spirit and soul with ,god4 8,union 7with ,god7 is reality1 or the state1 truth and perception of things1 when there is neither lord nor servant40 ,still 8the man of ,god is not ,god2 but he is not separate from ,god40 ,at this stage man's 8corporeal veil will be removed1 and his emancipated soul will mix again with the glorious essence1 from which it had been separated1 though not divided40#de ,aziz ibn ,muhammad ,nafasi in a book called al-,maqsadu #8l-,aqsa or the 8,remotest ,aim10 7trans4 in ,e4 ,h4 ,palmer's ,oriental ,mysticism7 marks out the journey a little differently from that already described4 ,when a man possessing the necessary requirements of fully developed reasoning powers turns to them for a resolution of his doubts and uncertainties concerning the real nature of the ,godhead1 he is called a talib 8a searcher after ,god40 ,if he has further desire for progress he is called a 8murid0 or 8one who inclines10 and he places himself under the instruction and guidance of a teacher and becomes a 8traveller40 ,the first stage of his journey is called 8ubudiyah0 or 8service0 and is as described above4 ,the second stage is ishq or 8love40 ,he loves ,god4 ,the divine love filling his heart1 it expels all other loves and brings him to the third stage1 ,zuhd or 8seclusion40 ,he occupies himself exclusively with contemplation of ,god and his attributes1 and comes to the fourth state1 ,marifah or 8knowledge40 ,when settled he is come to the fifth stage1 wajd or 8ecstasy40 ,he now receives revelations and soon reaches the sixth stage1 that of hagigah or 8truth10 and proceeds to the final state1 that of 8wasl10 or 8union with ,god40 ,he has now finished the journey and remains in the state he has come to1 still going on1 however1 progressing in depth of understanding4 ,finally he comes to 8the total absorption into ,deity40 ,the ,zikr1 or ecstatic exercises belonging to the training on this journey1 will be explained in our second part3 ,symbols4 ,,the ,,seven ,,way-,,stations ,,of ,,pilgrimage are these3#df ,the first degree consists of penitence1 obedience1 and meditation1 and in this degree the light is1 as it were1 green4 ,the second degree is the purity of the ,spirit from satanic qualities1 violence1 and brutality1 because as long as the spirit is the slave of satanic qualities1 it is subject to concupiscence1 and this is the quality of fire4 ,in this state ,iblis evinces his strength1 and when the spirit is liberated from this1 it is distressed with the quality of fierceness1 which may be said to be flashing and this is conformable to the property of wind4 ,then it becomes insatiable 7lit4 eager after anything to excess71 and this is similar to water4 ,after this it obtains quietness1 and this quality resembles earth 7i4 e4 apathy or cessation from all action74 ,in the degree of repose1 the light is as it were1 blue1 and the utmost reach of one's progress is the earthly dominion4 ,the third degree is the manifestation of the heart1 by laudable qualities1 which is similar to red light1 and the utmost reach of its progress is the middle of the upper dominion2 and in this station the heart praises ,god1 and sees the light of worship and spiritual qualities4 ,the fourth degree is the applying of the constitution to nothing else but to ,god1 and this is similar to yellow light1 and the utmost reach of its progress is the midst of the heavenly ,malkat 8dominion40 ,the fifth degree of the soul is that which resembles white light1 and the utmost aim of its progress is the extreme heavenly dominion4 ,the sixth degree is the hidden1 which is like a black light1 and the utmost reach of its progress is 8the world of power40 ,the seventh degree is 8the evanescence of evanescence10 which is 8annihilation0 and 8eternal life10 and is colorless4 ,it is absorption in ,god1 non-existence and effacement of the imaginary in the true being1 like the loss of a drop of water in the ocean4 ,it is eternal life as the union of the drop with the sea4 8,annihilation0 is not to be taken in the common acceptation1 but in a higher sense1 8annihilation in ,god40 ,,sufi ,,symbolical ,,language4 ,the ,sufis inculcate the doctrine1 8,adore the ,deity in his creatures40 ,it is said in a verse of the ,quran--8,it is not given to man that the ,deity should speak to him3 if it does so it is by inspirations1 or through a veil40 ,thus all the efforts of man should tend to raise the veil of divine love and to the annihilation of the individuality which separates him from the ,divine essence2 and this expression 8raise up the veil10 has remained in the language of the ,east as expressive of great intimacy4 ,one of the most violent and able of the enemies of the ,sufis1 says that they deem everything in the world a type of the beauty and power of the ,deity and adds that it appears from both their actions and writings1 that it is in the red cheeks of beautiful damsels that they contemplate its beauty2 and in the 8impious0 daring of ,nimrod and of ,pharaoh1 that they see and admire the omnipotence of its power4#dg ,the ,persian commentator ,suruni says in regard to sexual love3 8the beauty of the wife is a ray from ,god and not from the beloved herself4 ,the ,mystic recognizes the fact of the divine beauty everywhere in creation1 and loves because he in beauty sees a revelation of the blessings of the divine name4 ,it is therefore the prophet says he prefers these three things to all others3 women1 incense1 and enjoyments40 ,jellaladdin ,rumi said3 8,they 7the ,sufis7 profess eager desire1 but with no carnal affection1 and circulate the cup1 but no material goblet2 since all things are spiritual1 all is mystery within mystery40 ,jami exclaims1 addressing the ,deity3 ,sometimes the wine1 sometimes the cup we call ,thee6 ,sometimes the lure1 sometimes the net we call ,thee6 ,except ,thy name1 there is not a letter on the tablet of the universe3 ,say1 by what name shall we call ,thee8 ,nizami explains himself3 ,think not that when ,i praise wine ,i mean the juice of the grape2 ,i mean that wine which raiseth me above self4 8,my cup-bearer0 is to perform my vow to ,god2 8,my morning draught from the tavern0 is the wine of self oblivion4 99 99 99 99 99 ,by heaven so long as ,i have enjoyed existence1 ,never hath the tip of my lip been stained with wine6 ,in regard to ,hafis it is maintained that by wine he invariably means devotion2 and his admirers have gone so far as to compose a dictionary of words of the language1 as they call it1 of the ,sufis4 ,in that vocabulary sleep is explained by meditation on the divine perfections1 and perfume by hope of divine favor2 gales 7i4 e4 ,zephyrs7 are illapses of grace2 kisses and embraces1 the raptures of piety2 idolators1 infidels1 and libertines are men of the purest religion1 and their idol is the creator himself2 the tavern is the cell where the searcher after truth becomes intoxicated with the wine of divine love4 ,read with this key to the esoteric meaning1 ,mr4 ,clouston says1 the gazelles of ,hafis are no longer anacreontic and bacchanalian effusions1 but ecstatic lucubrations on the love of man to his creator4 ,the keeper1 or wine seller1 the spiritual instructor2 beauty denotes the perfection of the supreme being2 tresses and curls are the expansion and infiniteness of his glory2 lips1 the hidden and inscrutable mysteries of his essence2 down on the cheek1 the world of spirits1 who encircle the creator's throne2 and a black mole is the point of indivisible unity2 lastly1 wantonness1 mirth and ebriety1 mean religious ardor1 ecstasy and abstraction from all terrestrial thoughts and contempt for all worldly things4 ,mohemmed ,missiree3 ,on the ,tesavuf1 or spiritual life of the ,sufis4 ,translated from the ,turkish by ,john ,p4 ,brown1 ,esq41 of the ,american embassy at ,constantinople4 7,in ,journ4 of ,am4 ,orient4 ,soc4 vol4 viii473 ,what is the beginning of at-,tesavuf8 ,faith1 which has six pillars1 namely3 7#a7 ,belief in ,god1 7#b7 in ,his ,angels1 7#c7 in ,his ,books1 7#d7 in ,his ,prophets1 7#e7 and in the ,last ,day1 and 7#f7 in ,his decree of ,good and ,evil4 ,what is the result of the ,tesavuf8 ,it is not only the reciting with the tongue of these pillars of faith but also establishing them in the heart4 ,what is the distinction between a ,sufi and an ordinary person8 ,the knowledge of an ordinary person is a 8counterfeit faith0 whereas that of the ,sufi is 8true faith40 ,what do you mean by 8counterfeit faith80 ,it is that which an ordinary person has derived from his forefathers1 or from the teachers and preachers of his own day1 without knowing why it is essential that a man should believe in these six articles for his soul's salvation4 ,what is the proof of faith8 ,the proof of faith consists in a search being made for the true origin of each of these six pillars of faith1 until the enquirer arrives at 8the ,truth40 ,the ,sufis regard certain things as lawful which are forbidden4 ,for instance1 they enjoin the use of wine1 wine-shops1 the wine-cup1 sweethearts2 they speak of the curls of their mistresses1 and the moles on their faces1 cheeks1 c41 and compare the furrows on their brows to verses of the ,quran4 ,what does this mean8 ,the ,sufis often exchange the external features of all things for the internal1 the corporeal for the spiritual1 and thus give an imaginary signification to outward forms4 ,they behold objects of a precious nature in their natural character and for this reason the greater part of their words have a spiritual and figurative meaning4 ,for instance1 when1 like ,hafis1 they mention wine1 they mean a knowledge of ,god1 which1 figuratively considered1 is the love of ,god4 ,wine1 viewed figuratively1 is also love2 love and affection are here the same thing4 ,the wine-shop1 with them1 means 8spiritual director10 for his heart is said to be the depository of the love of ,god4 ,the sweetheart means the excellent preceptor1 because1 when anyone sees his beloved1 he admires her perfect proportions1 with a heart full of love4 ,as the lover delights in the presence of his sweetheart1 so the ,salik rejoices in the company of his beloved preceptor4 ,the sweetheart is the object of a worldly affection1 but the preceptor of a spiritual attachment4 ,the curls or ringlets of the beloved are the grateful praises of the preceptor1 tending to bind the affections of the disciple2 the moles on her face signify that when the pupil1 at times1 beholds the total absence of all worldly wants on the part of the preceptor1 he also abandons all the desires of both worlds--he perhaps even goes so far as to desire nothing else in life than his preceptor2 the furrows on the brow of the beloved one1 which they compare to verses of the ,quran1 mean the light of the heart of the preceptor2 they are compared to verses of the ,quran1 because the attributes of ,god1 in accordance with the injunction of the ,prophet1 8,be ye endued with divine qualities10 are possessed by the preceptor4 7,to be continued47 ,,theosophical ,,symbolism4 ,the number #g has1 ever since the ,theosophical ,society was founded ,november #agth1 #ahge1 played a prominent part in all its affairs1 and1 as usual1 the symbols which particularly relate or pertain to the ,society are in number1 seven4 ,they are3 first the seal of the ,society2 second1 the serpent biting his tail2 third1 the gnostic cross near the serpent's head2 fourth1 the interlaced triangles2 fifth1 the cruxansata in the centre2 sixth1 the pin of the ,society1 composed of a cruxansata entwined by a serpent1 forming together ,t4 ,s42 and seventh1 ,,om the sacred ,vedic word4 ,the seal of the ,society contains all of the symbols enumerated1 excepting aum1 and is the synthesis of them4 ,it1 in fact1 expresses what the ,society is itself1 and contains1 or ought to1 in symbolic form1 the doctrines which many of its members adhere to4 ,a symbol to be properly so called1 must be contained in the idea or ideas which it is intended to represent4 ,as a symbol of a house could never be the prow of a boat1 or the wing of a bird1 but must be contained somewhere in the form of the house itself2 that is1 it must be an actual part chosen to represent or stand for the whole4 ,it need not be the whole1 but may be a lower form or species used as the representative of a higher of the same kind4 ,the word is derived from the ,greek words meaning to throw with1 that is to throw together4 ,to be a just and correct symbol1 it should be such as that the moment it is seen by one versed in symbolism1 its meaning and application become easily apparent4 ,the ,egyptians adopted to represent the soul passing back to its source1 after the trial in the ,hall of ,two ,truths1 a winged globe1 for a globe is a symbol of either the ,supreme ,soul or a portion of it1 and the wings were added to represent its life and flight to the upper spheres4 ,in another branch of their symbology they represented justice by a scale which gives a just balance2 while even there in the ,hall of ,two ,truths1 they reverted again to the other mode and symbolized the man being weighed by justice1 in the form of his heart over against the feather of truth in the opposite pan of the scales4 ,there is one very curious hieroglyph of the ,egyptians which deserves some study by those of curious mind4 ,here we will merely point it out1 remarking that there is a mine of great value in the ,egyptian method of picturing their ideas of the macrocosm4 ,in one of the numerous papyri now in the ,british ,museum1 there is a picture of a globe being held up by a beetle by means of his head and two fore legs1 while he is standing upon a sort of pedestal which has certain divisions1 looking on the whole1 like a section of an hour glass crossed by horizontal lines that project from each side4 ,this pedestal represents stability2 but what does the whole mean or shadow forth8 ,those who can follow up suggestions should direct their thoughts to the relation which the ,sun bears to the earth in its orbital revolution4 ,to proceed with our analysis3 ,the second symbol is the serpent biting his tail4 ,this is wisdom1 and eternity4 ,it is eternity1 because that has neither beginning nor end and therefore the ring is formed by serpent swallowing his tail4 ,there is an old hermetic symbol similar to this1 in which the circle is formed by two serpents interlaced and each swallowing the tail of the other one4 ,no doubt the symbolism in that is1 in respect to the duality of the manifested ,all1 and hence1 two serpents inextricably entwined4 ,furthermore1 the scales of the reptiles form the figures of facettes or diamonds1 which shadow forth the illimitable diversity of the aspects of wisdom or truth4 ,this is not due to any want of coherence or congruity in truth itself1 but solely to the diverse views which each individual takes of the one ,truth4 ,these reflecting facettes are the beings composing the macrocosm3 each one has developed himself only to a certain degree1 and therefore can only appreciate and reflect that amount of wisdom which has fallen to his lot4 ,as he passes again and again through the form of man1 he slowly develops other various powers of appreciating more truth1 and so at the last may become one with the whole--the perfect man1 able to know and to feel completely his union with all4 ,this is when he has acquired the highest ,yoga4 ,so in our experience and in history and ethnology we find individuals1 nations and races1 whose want of responsiveness to certain ideas1 and others whose power to grasp them1 can only be explained by the doctrines of ,reincarnation and ,karma4 ,if those doctrines are not accepted1 there is no escape from a blank negation4 ,it is not necessary to express the duality of the ,supreme ,soul by two serpents1 because in the third component part of the ,seal1 elsewhere1 that is symbolized by the interlaced triangles4 ,one of these is white1 that one with the point uppermost1 and the other is black with its apex directed downward4 ,they are intertwined because the dual nature of the ,supreme1 while in manifestation1 is not separate in its parts4 ,each atom of matter1 so called1 has also its atom of spirit ,this is what the ,bagavad-,gita#dh denominates ,purusha and ,prakriti1 and ,krishna there says that he is at once ,purusha and ,prakriti1 he is alike the very best and the very worst of men4 ,these triangles also mean1 8the manifested universe40 ,it is one of the oldest and most beautiful of symbols1 and can be discovered among all nations1 not only those now inhabiting the earth1 but also in the monuments1 carvings and other remains of the great races who have left us the gigantic structures now silent as far as the voice of man is concerned1 but resounding with speech for those who care to listen4 ,they seem to be full of ideas turned into stone4 ,the triangles thus combined form in the interior space1 a six sided plane figure4 ,this is the manifested world4 ,six is the number of the world1 and #fff is the great mystery which is related to the symbol4 ,st4 ,john talks of this number4 ,around the six sided centre are the six triangles projecting into the spiritual world1 and touching the enclosed serpent of wisdom4 ,in an old book1 this is made by the great head of the ,lord rising above the horizon of the ocean of matter1 with the arms just raised so that they make the upper half of the triangle4 ,this is the 8long face10 or macrocoscopos1 as it is called4 ,as it rises slowly and majestically1 the placid water below reflects it in reverse1 and thus makes the whole double triangle4 ,the lower one is dark and forbidding in its aspect1 but at the same time the upper part of the darker one is itself light1 for it is formed by the majestic head of this ,adam ,kadmon4 ,thus they shade into one another4 ,and this is a perfect symbolism1 for it clearly figures the way in which day shades into night1 and evil into good4 ,in ourselves we find both1 or as the ,christian ,st4 ,paul says1 the natural and spiritual man are always together warring against each other1 so that what we would do we cannot1 and what we desire not to be guilty of1 the darker half of man compels us to do4 ,but ink and paper fails us in the task of trying to elucidate this great symbol4 ,go to ,hermes1 to ,st4 ,john1 the ,caballah1 the ,hindu books1 wherever you please1 and there will you find the seven times seven meanings of the interlaced triangles4 ,,om is the ,sacred ,vedic syllable3 let us repeat it with a thought directed to its true meaning4#di ,within the small circle1 placed upon the serpent1 is a cross with its ends turned back4 ,this is called the ,gnostic ,cross4 ,it signifies evolution1 among other ideas1 for the turning back of its ends is caused by the revolving of the two diameters of the circle4 ,the vertical diameter is the spirit moving down and bisecting the horizontal4 ,this completed1 the revolution round the great circle commences1 and that motion is represented in the symbol by the ends turned back4 ,in ,chapter ,,iii4 of ,bagavad-,gita1 ,krishna says3 8,he who in this life does not cause this cycle1 thus already revolved1 to continue revolving lives to no purpose1 a life of sin1 indulging his senses40 ,that is1 we must assist the great wheel of evolution and not oppose it2 we must try to help in the great work of returning to the source from whence we came1 and constantly endeavor to convert lower nature into higher1 not only that of ourselves1 but also of our fellow men and of the whole animated world4 ,this cross is also the symbol of the ,hindu ,chakkra1 or discus1 of ,vishnu4 ,in the ,mahabharata is described the conflict between the ,asuras and ,devas1 for the possession of the vase of ,amreeta which had been churned with infinite trouble1 from the ocean1 and which the ,asuras desired to take for themselves4 ,the conflict began when ,rahu1 an ,asura1 assuming the form of a ,deva1 began drinking the ambrosia4 ,in this case the ,amreeta was spiritual wisdom1 material existence1 immortality1 and also magic power4 ,the deceit of ,rahu was discovered before he had swallowed1 and then the battle began4 8,in the midst of this dreadful hurry and confusion of the fight1 ,nar and ,narayan entered the field together4 ,narayan beholding a celestial bow in the hands of ,nar1 it reminded him of his ,chakkra1 the destroyer of the ,asuras4 ,the faithful weapon1 ready at the mind's call1 flew down from heaven with direct and refulgent speed1 beautiful1 yet terrible to behold4 ,and being arrived1 glowing like the sacrificial flame1 and spreading terror around1 ,narayan with his right arm formed like the elephantine trunk1 hurled forth the ponderous orb1 the speedy messenger1 and glorious ruin of hostile towns1 who raging like the final all destroying fire1 shot bounding with desolating force1 killing thousands of the ,asuras in his rapid flight1 burning and involving1 like the lambent flame1 and cutting down all that would oppose him4 ,anon he climbeth the heavens from whence he came40 7,mahabharata1 ,book ,i1 ,chap #ae47 ,ezekiel1 of the ,jews1 saw this wheel1 when he was among the captives by the river ,chebar in ,chaldea4 ,in a vision he saw the four beasts and the man of the ,apocalypse1 and with them 8for each of the four faces10 was a wheel1 of the colour of a beryl2 it was 8as a wheel within a wheel10 and they went wherever the living creatures went1 8for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels40 ,all of this appeared terrible to him1 for he says3 8,and when they went ,i heard a noise like the noise of great waters1 like the voice of the ,almighty1 a noise of tumult like the noise of a host40 ,there are many other meanings concealed in this symbol1 as in all the others4 ,in the center of the interlaced triangles is placed the ,cruxansata4 ,this is also extremely ancient4 ,in the old ,egyptian papyri it is frequently found4 ,it signifies life4 ,as ,isis stands before the candidate1 or the soul1 upon his entry1 she holds in one hand this cross1 while he holds up his hand that he may not look upon her face4 ,in another there is a winged figure1 whose wings are attached to the arms1 and in each hand is held the same cross4 ,among other things we find here the horizontal and vertical diameters once more1 but conjoined with the circle placed on top4 ,this is the same as the old astrological sign for ,venus4 ,but in the seal1 its chief and most important meaning is the regenerated man4 ,here in the centre1 after passing the different degrees and cycles1 both spirit and matter are united in the intelligent regenerated man1 who stands in the middle knowing all things in the manifested universe4 ,he has triumphed over death and holds the cross of life4 ,the last theosophical symbol is1 the pin of the ,society1 adopted early in its history but not used much4 ,it is the cross we have just been considering1 entwined in such a way by a serpent1 that the combination makes ,t ,s as a monogram4 ,the foregoing is not exhaustive4 ,every symbol should have seven meanings of principal value1 and out of every one of those we have been considering can be drawn that number of significations4 ,intelligent study of them will be beneficial1 for when a consistent symbol1 embodying many ideas is found and meditated upon1 the thought or view of the symbol brings up each idea at once before the mind4 ,,nilakant4 ,,reviews4 ,,the ,,secret ,,doctrine ,,of ,,the ,,ancient ,,mysteries4--,an essay by ,j4 ,d4 ,buck1 7,robert ,clarke ,co41 ,cincinnati1 ,o474 ,this little pamphlet of #cb pages1 is an essay read by ,dr4 ,buck before the ,liberal ,club of ,cincinnati4 ,the author tries to show that one truth has run all through the ,ancient ,mysteries1 and later1 is even to be found in the ,christian ,church4 ,his hint on p4 #bb1 that 8the ,apostolic ,catholic ,church possessed the ,secret ,doctrine1 that some of its clergy apprehended the great truths1 but that there was wisdom for the priests and command for the people10 is full of truth4 ,at the present day the great ,jesuit ,college possesses much knowledge of the theurgy which is a part of the practice of the ,secret ,doctrine1 and if all the magical practices of the disciples of ,loyola were known1 the ,christian world would be startled4 ,they know enough of forecasting the future to fear all such movements as the ,theosophical ,society1 and have tried1 as they still try1 to undermine it within its own borders4 ,anyone who reads ,dr4 ,buck's essay with a candid spirit1 will agree with him that one core of truth underlies all religions1 and will feel the refreshing influence of the author's clear mind and solid sense4 ,,inworld4 ,a poem taken from the ,january number of 8,the ,dial10 #ahdb1 the organ of the ,transcendentalists1 edited by ,,ralph ,,waldo ,,emerson4 ,amid the watches of the windy night ,a poet sat1 and listened to the flow ,of his own changeful thoughts1 until there passed ,a vision by him1 murmuring as it moved1 ,a wild and mystic lay--to which his thoughts ,and pen kept time--and thus the measure ran3 ,all is but as it seems1 ,the round1 green earth1 ,with river and glen2 ,the din and the mirth ,of the busy1 busy men2 ,the world's great fever ,throbbing forever2 ,the creed of the sage1 ,the hope of the age1 ,all things we cherish1 ,all that live and all that perish1 ,these are but inner dreams4 ,the great world goeth on ,to thy dreaming2 ,to thee alone ,hearts are making their moan1 ,eyes are streaming4 ,thine is the white moon turning night to day1 ,thine is the dark wood sleeping in her ray4 ,thee the winter chills1 ,thee the spring time thrills2 ,all things nod to thee-- ,all things come to see ,if thou art dreaming on4 ,if thy dream should break1 ,and thou should'st awake1 ,all things would be gone4 ,nothing is1 if thou art not1 ,from thee as from a root ,the blossoming stars upshoot1 ,the flower cups drink the rain4 ,joy and grief and weary pain ,spring aloft from thee1 ,and toss their branches free4 ,thou are under1 over all2 ,thou dost hold and cover all2 ,thou art ,atlas--thou art ,jove3-- ,the mightiest truth ,hath all its youth ,from thy enveloping thought4 ,thy thought itself lay in thy earliest love4 ,nature keeps time to thee ,with voice unbroken3 ,still doth she rhyme to thee ,when thou hast spoken4 ,when the sun shines to thee1 ',tis thy own joy1 ,opening mines to thee ,nought can destroy4 ,when the blast moans to thee ,still doth the wind ,echo the tones to thee ,of thy own mind4 ,laughter but saddens thee ,when thou art sad1 ,life is not life to thee1 ,but as thou livest1 ,labor is strife to thee ,when thou least strivest3-- ,more did the spirit sing1 and made the night1 ,most musical with inward melodies1 ,but vanished soon1 and left the listening bard ,wrapt in unearthly silence--till the morn ,reared up the screen that shuts the spirit world ,from loftiest poet and from wisest sage4 ,,outworld4 ,the sun was shining on the busy earth4 ,all men and things were moving on their way-- ,the old1 old way which we call life4 ,the soul ,shrank from the giant grasp of ,space and ,time1 ,yet1 for it was1 her dreamy hour half yielded ,to the omnipotent delusion--and looked out ,on the broad glare of things1 and felt itself ,dwindling before the universe3 ,then came unto the bard ,another spirit with another voice1 ,and sang3-- ,said he1 that all but seems8 ,said he1 the world is void and lonely1 ,a strange vast crowd of dreams ,coming to thee only8 ,and that thy feeble soul ,hath such a strong control ,o'er sovereign ,space and sovereign ,time ,and all their train sublime8 ,said he1 thou art the eye ,reflecting all that is-- ,the ear that hears1 while it creates ,all sounds and harmonies-- ,the central sense that bides amid ,all shows and tunes and realities8 ,listen mortal while the sound ,of this life intense is flowing6 ,dost thou find all things around ,go as thou art going8 ,dost thou dream that thou art free1 ,making1 destroying all that thou dost see ,in the unfettered might of thy soul's liberty8 ,lo1 an atom troubles thee4 ,one bodily fibre crushes thee1 ,one nerve tortures and maddens thee1 ,one drop of blood is death to thee4 ,art thou but a withering leaf1 ,for a summer season brief ,clinging to the tree1 #8,till the winds of circumstance1 ,whirling in their hourly dance1 ,prove too much for thee8 ,art thou but a speck1 a mote ,in the system universal8 ,art thou but a passing note ,woven in the great rehearsal8 ,canst thou roll back the tide of ,thought ,and unmake the creed of the age1 ,and unteach the wisdom taught ,by the prophet and the sage8 ,art thou but a shadow ,chasing o'er a meadow8 ,the great world goes on ,spite of thy dreaming2 ,not to be alone ,hearts are making their moan ,and tear-drops streaming1 ,and the mighty voice of ,nature ,is thy parent1 not thy creature1 ,is no pupil but thy teacher3 ,and the world would still move on ,were thy soul forever flown4 ,for while thou dreamest on enfolded ,in nature's wide embrace1 ,all thy life is daily moulded ,by her informing grace4 ,and ,time and ,space must reign ,and rule o'er thee forever1 ,and the ,outworld lifts its chain ,from off thy spirit never2 ,but in the dream of thy half-waking fever ,thou shalt be mocked with gleam and show ,of truths thou pinest for1 and yet canst never know4 ,and then the ,spirit fled and left the bard ,still wondering--for he felt that voices twain ,had come from different spheres with different truths ,that seemed at war and yet agreed in one4 ,c4 ,,another ,,theosophical ,,prophecy4 ,in the first number of ,,the ,,path was inserted a prophecy made from certain books in ,india called ,nadigrandhams1 respecting the ,society4 ,this called forth from the ,n4 ,y4 ,sun1 that model of journalism1 a long tirade about the superficial knowledge which it claims pervades the ,society on the subject of oriental philosophy4 ,unfortunately for the learned editorial writer in that paper1 he never before heard of ,nadigrandhams1 which are almost as common in ,india as the ,sun is here1 nor does he appear to know what a ,nadi may be1 nor a ,grandham1 either4 ,but without trying to drag the daily press of this country into the path of oriental knowledge1 we will proceed to record another prophecy or two4 ,the first will seem rather bold1 but is placed far enough in the future to give it some value as a test4 ,it is this3--,the ,sanscrit language will one day be again the language used by man upon this earth1 first in science and in metaphysics1 and later on in common life4 ,even in the lifetime of the ,sun's witty writer1 he will see the terms now preserved in that noblest of languages creeping into the literature and the press of the day1 cropping up in reviews1 appearing in various books and treatises1 until even such men as he will begin perhaps to feel that they all along had been ignorantly talking of 8thought0 when they meant 8cerebration10 and of 8philosophy0 when they meant 8philology10 and that they had been airing a superficial knowledge gained from cyclopdias of the mere lower powers of intellect1 when in fact they were totally ignorant of what is really elementary knowledge4 ,so this new language cannot be ,english1 not even the ,english acquired by the reporter of daily papers who ascends fortuitously to the editorial rooms--but will be one which is scientific in all that makes a language1 and has been enriched by ages of study of metaphysics and the true science4 ,the second prophecy is nearer our day1 and may be interesting4--,it is based upon cyclic changes4 ,this is a period of such a change1 and we refer to the columns of the ,n4 ,y4 ,sun of the time when the famous brilliant sunsets were chronicled and discussed not long ago for the same prognostication4 ,no matter about dates2 they are not to be given2 but facts may be4 ,this glorious country1 free as it is1 will not long be calm3 ,unrest is the word for this cycle4 ,the people will rise4 ,for what1 who can tell8 ,the statesman who can see for what the uprising will be might take measures to counteract4 ,but all your measures can not turn back the iron will of fate4 ,and even the ,city of ,new ,york will not be able to point its finger at ,cincinnati and ,st4 ,louis4 ,let those whose ears can hear the whispers1 and the noise of the gathering clouds1 of the future1 take notice2 let them read1 if they know how1 the physiognomy of the ,united ,states1 whereon the mighty hand of nature has traced the furrows to indicate the character of the moral storms that will pursue their course no matter what the legislation may be4 ,but enough4 ,theosophists can go on unmoved1 for they know that as ,krishna said to ,arjuna1 these bodies are not the real man1 and that 8no one has ever been non-existent nor shall any of us ever cease to exist40 ,,correspondence4 ,,theosophy4 ,a ,,letter ,,from ,a ,,friend4 ,,dear ,,brother3 8,it rejoices us all here more than ,i can tell you1 to know that you have made such a start in ,america with ,theosophy4 ,we have had so many things to pull us back1 that it has been quite as much as we could manage to keep our heads above water1 and this not so much from the action of our enemies as from the apathy of our friends4 ,it is strange to me to see how little faith there is in the power of truth1 even among those who ought to realize this most strongly4 ,why should we fear and fold our hands when men speak evil of us or of the cause1 why should we imagine that any attack on individual members can effect the position we take as a group or that theosophy can be endangered thereby8 ,how few understand what theosophy is2 they look upon it as solely an intellectual movement that can be damned by the folly of its adherents2 they little dream of the strength that underlies the apparently inconsistent workings of this manifestation of truth which we call the ,theosophical ,society4 ,and there is one thing which ,i believe establishes more than any other1 the fact that the ,society as a whole has true vitality within it1 and that is the visible action of ,karma in its developments4 8,see how the mistaken value given to phenomena in the early history of the ,society1 brought immediately its ,karmic development in the troubles then1 and whenever any undue importance has been given either to individualities or any particular line of practice1 it is always on that particular point that the next attack comes4 ,so that while fully realizing that as an organization1 the ,t4 ,s4 is defective in some things1 ,i yet believe that there is a power within it that will purge it from its defects and carry it on in spite of the attacks of its enemies and what is worse still1 the follies of its friends4 ,what ,i do feel more and more is the necessity that we should remember and constantly keep before us what it is we are working for and not think we accomplish our end when we number our converts in the world of fashion1 and gather around us men and women who vainly hope for psychic powers and the arts of fortune telling and reading the future4 ,i do not fear black magic in our midst1 but ,i do feel very strongly that there are many who will sink to the level of mere wonder-seekers and that they will become the prey of elemental influences4 8,what can be done to make men realize1 as you say1 a sense of universal brotherhood and the true meaning of ,theosophy4 ,well1 let us join you in ,america and the few here who do realize that psychism is not spirituality1 and let us try to stir the hearts of men with the living truths of ,theosophy4 8,i am most anxious1 and have been for a long time1 that we should address ourselves to another stratum of society than that 7the intellectual and the fashionable7 which we have sought4 ,it is not that ,i would depreciate intellect2 if ,i err in that matter it is in putting too much stress on intellectual development4 ,but ,i am beginning to realize that the lower intellect can only deal with physical facts and that it can never develop ideas2 these can only be apprehended by the higher intellectual faculties1 and the ethical and emotional nature of man has also its higher and lower aspects4 8,i wish very much that we had a literature calculated to appeal to the general masses1 and ,i think that we should resolutely turn our attention to this object4 ,i think the little book that ,dr4 ,buck has just published very useful and ,i should be glad to see many more such little works treating of the various points of doctrine such as ,reincarnation1 ,karma1 c4 ,it is also encouraging to see such efforts as that contained in the small book lately out--,what is ,theosophy8 ,doubtless1 in connection with that1 for it seems to have been written for the author's children1 you will call to mind what was written by one of the adepts1 not so long ago3 #8there is a great likelihood that the sons of theosophists will become theosophists1' and will quite agree with me in the idea that we need a literature1 not solely for highly intellectual persons1 but of a more simple character1 which attempts to appeal to ordinary common sense minds1 who are really fainting for such mental and moral assistance1 which is not reached by the more pretentious works4 ,indeed1 we all need this4 ,it is fortunate that we have been able to live through the tide of mere psychism and bare intellectuality which threatened nearly to swamp us4 ,and you know to whom we owe our escape1 and now1 that there are ten or twelve members left who are prepared to work on independently of perturbation1 ,i think it a clear gain4 ,what does it matter to us whether ,h4 ,p4 ,blavatsky has or has not fulfilled all of her duties1 or whether investigation has cast doubt into the minds of some4 ,in so far as she has done her duty1 her work will remain1 and if perchance she has come to the end of her capabilities--which ,i do not admit--it is for us to carry on what she has thus far done4 8,in ,america ,i hope you will not fall into running after wonders and psychic gifts to the detriment of true philosophical and moral progress4 8,believe me to be1 fraternally yours1 ,a40 ,,note4--,the whole of this letter should be carefully studied1 and in particular the point that ,karma brings its attacks just on the point or persons where or by whom stress has been laid on phenomena4 ,it may be accepted as almost axiomatic by our members1 that if any group or single person has paid too undue attention to phenomena1 to astralism1 psychism1 or whatever it is called1 there will develop the next trouble or attack upon the ,society4 ,it has been authoritatively stated by one of the great ,beings who are behind this movement1 that it must prosper by moral worth and philosophy1 and not by phenomena4 ,let us well beware then4 ,phenomena1 powers--or siddhis as the ,hindu say--are only incidental4 ,our real object is to spread ,universal ,brotherhood1 in which task we necessarily explain phenomena1 but the ,society is not a ,hall for ,occultism1 and that has also been asserted by an adept in ,india in reply to letters written him by certain well-known ,englishmen who desired to establish a ,branch then which should control all literature and phenomena4 ,there are no secrets to be given out to any select persons1 for no one receives a secret inaccessible to the rest1 until he has acquired the right to it1 and the proper sense to know when and to whom it is to be given out4--,,ed4 ,,what ,,is ,,the ,,udgitha8 ,,jamestown1 ,april #afth1 #ahhf4 ,,dear ,,brother3--,will you kindly explain1 through ,,the ,,path1 what is to be understood by the ,udgitha1 or hymn of praise to ,brahm8 ,with best wishes for the success of your enterprise1 ,i remain1 ,fraternally yours1 ,l4 ,j4 ,this is a vital question4 ,it may have arisen from the peculiarity of the word inquired about1 or it may be that our brother really knows the importance of the point4 ,we refer him to the article upon ,,om in the ,april number4 ,om is the ,udgitha1 and ,,om has been explained in that article4 ,read between the lines2 and read also the 8,upanishad ,notes0 in this month's ,,path4 ,in the ,maitrayana-,brahmana-,upanishad1 7,pr4 ,,vi71 it is said3 8,the ,udgitha1 called ,pranava1 the leader1 the bright1 the sleepless1 free from old age and death1 three footed1 7waking1 dream1 and deep sleep71 consisting of three letters and likewise to be known as fivefold1 is placed in the cave of the heart40 ,this is the ,self4 ,not the mere body or the faculties of the brain1 but the ,highest ,self4 ,and that must be meditated on1 or worshipped1 with a constant meditation4 ,hymn of praise1 then1 means that we accept the existence of that ,self and aspire to or adore ,him4 ,therefore1 it is said again1 in the same ,upanishad3 8,in the beginning ,brahman was all this4 ,he was one1 and infinite4 99 99 99 ,the ,highest ,self is not to be fixed1 he is unlimited1 unborn1 not to be reasoned about1 not to be conceived4 ,he is1 like the ether1 everywhere1 and at the destruction of the ,universe1 he alone is awake4 ,thus from that ether he wakes all this world1 which consists of 7his7 thought only1 and by him alone is all this meditated on1 and in him it is dissolved4 ,his is that luminous form which shines in the sun1 and the manifold light in the smokeless fire4 ,he who is in the fire1 and he who is in the heart1 and he who is in the sun1 they are one and the same4 ,he who knows this becomes one with the ,one40 ,now 8to know0 this1 does not mean to merely apprehend the statement1 but actually become personally acquainted with it by interior experience4 ,and this is difficult4 ,but it is to be sought after4 ,and the first step to it is the attempt to realize universal brotherhood1 for when one becomes identified with the ,one1 who is all1 he 8participates in the souls of all creatures20 surely then the first step in the path is universal brotherhood4 ,the hymn of praise to ,brahm 7which is ,brahman7 is the real object of this magazine1 and of our existence4 ,the hymn is used1 in the sacrifice1 when verbally expressed1 and we can offer it in our daily existence1 in each act1 whether eating1 sleeping1 waking1 or in any state4 ,a man can hardly incorporate this idea in his being and not be spiritually and morally benefited4 ,but we cannot fully explain here1 as it is to be constantly referred to in this magazine4--,,ed4 ,,theosophical ,,activities4 ,,aryan ,,theosophical ,,society ,,of ,,new ,,york4--,this branch has established the nucleus of a library to consist of ,theosophical1 ,metaphysical1 ,occult1 ,aryan1 and other literature4 ,it already numbers about fifty volumes1 some of which are loaned pending further accumulations and the acquirement of a proper place to keep them4 ,it is hoped that this will grow to be of great value4 ,a fund for the purpose has also been started4 ,during ,april the contributions have been3 ,a ,friend1 #e2 ,mr4 ,b4 ,x41 #c3 ,c41 nine books3 ,hist4 of ,witchcraft in ,salem2 ,zend ,avesta2 ,what is ,theosophy82 ,mother ,clothed with the ,sun2 ,footfalls on the ,boundaries of ,another ,world1 c42 from ,dr4 ,seth ,pancoast1 ,red and ,blue ,light4 ,the books will be loaned to resident members upon giving receipt for a definite period4 ,donations of books or money towards the fund1 can be sent to ,,the ,,path1 or the ,pres't of the ,a4 ,t4 ,s41 box #bfei1 ,new ,york ,city4 ,several other books are promised and will be in hand before next month4 ,the ,branch is actively engaged in spreading ,theosophical literature1 and now has requests for books from all parts of the ,u4 ,s4 ,it has reprinted ,mrs4 ,sinnett's 8,purpose of ,theosophy0 very cheap in form1 but well done1 and has other reprints in mind4 ,since last month1 permanent quarters have been obtained1 where the library will be established4 ,private meetings are also held from time to time among the members1 for study and discussion4 ,mr4 ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,bjerregaard finished his course of lectures on 8,historic and ,individual ,cycles40 ,all inquiries should be addressed to the ,secretary1 ,box #bfei1 ,new ,york ,city4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,cincinnati4--,since our ,april issue the members here have been steadily at work1 and among other things accomplished1 is the printing of ,dr4 ,buck's essay upon the 8,secret ,doctrine of the ,ancient ,mysteries40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,boston4--,interest in ,boston continues unabated4 ,a member of the ,aryan ,branch of ,new ,york has been spending a month in ,boston1 discussing the philosophy and ethics to be found in theosophical literature1 and it is to be hoped that the work done will be permanent1 founded as it is in ethics and not upon phenomena4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,bullel4--,brother ,krishnarao ,b4 ,bullel1 a ,bombay member1 who has been studying medicine in ,new ,york1 and who constantly attended the meetings of the ,aryan ,branch1 graduated from the ,homopathic ,medical ,college1 of ,new ,york1 with honors4 ,he sailed for home on ,april #adth1 on the steamer ,america1 intending to stop in ,london4 ,he carries back with him the best wishes of his ,american brothers1 and a good report of the progress of the ,cause here4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,olcott4--,col4 ,h4 ,s4 ,olcott has lately been in ,ceylon looking after the work there4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,leadbeater was with him1 and will remain on the ,island1 where ,theosophy is very strong1 to work for the ,society4 ,a theosophical paper1 in ,singhalese1 was started there some years ago1 and still flourishes4 ,the ,colonel has just recovered from a slight attack of fever contracted in his journeys1 but his vigor remains unabated4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,exposures4--,in reply to several inquiries made here1 and also sent to ,london from the ,u4 ,s41 we beg to say that it is true that the ,society for ,psychical ,research sent a prejudiced expert to ,india1 who exposed nothing except his own bias4 ,among other things1 he thought he had proved that the writing of alleged adepts was only ,mme4 ,blavatsky's disguised hand4 ,but since then1 a well-known ,german member has submitted specimens of adept writing1 together with ,mme4 ,blavatsky's1 to one of the best calligraphic experts in ,germany1 who certifies that the messages which have been impugned were not written by her4 ,mme4 ,blavatsky is now in ,europe1 for her health1 but she may be expected to return very soon to ,india1 spy-theory and missionaries1 to the contrary notwithstanding4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,american ,,board ,,of ,,control4--,the general and routine work of the ,society in ,america1 is under the jurisdiction of the ,board of ,control1 of which the ,secretary is ,elliott ,b4 ,page1 #cja ,south ,main ,street1 ,st4 ,louis1 ,mo4 ,a resolution has been passed by this ,board1 which is binding on all members1 that no publication shall be issued as a ,theosophical one1 without previous consent obtained from the officers of the ,board4 ,this is wise1 as it will tend to prevent unauthorized declarations of so-called ,theosophical doctrine from being laid at the door of the ,society4 ,all members1 therefore1 intending to make publication1 should address the ,secretary of the ,board4 ,,yoga ,,vidya or the ,knowledge of ,yoga1 is the name by which in ,india psychic practices1 or astralism1 or seeking after astral-body formation1 or inducing clairvoyance and the like1 is most commonly known4 ,at the same time1 ,true ,yoga1 called ,raja ,yoga1 is a different thing4 ,in the ,march ,theosophist a member writes giving the name of one who will instruct in these practices1 and the ,editor replied3 8,we cannot endorse the writer's opinion as to the benefits of ,yoga ,vidya4 ,for one or two who succeed in it1 hundreds fail and wreck both body and mind1 through its dangerous practices1 and even if physical results are obtained they are not invariably followed by spiritual illumination40 ,it certainly thus appears that our ,society is not in favor of such practices1 no matter if some of its members indulge in them4 ,,admission ,,to ,,the ,,society is open to any person of full age1 who is in sympathy with its objects1 willing to abide by its rules2 and is obtained by signing an application which sets forth the above in a form which is provided4 ,this must be countersigned by any two active members in good standing4 ,the entrance fee is #e and one belonging to a ,branch should also pay the annual dues thereof4 ,applications can be made to ,presidents of ,branches or other officers4 ,persons may become members of ,branches or unattached members of the ,general ,society4 99 99 99 99 99 ,all that we are is the result of what we have thought2 it is founded on our thoughts2 it is made up of our thoughts4 ,if a man speaks or acts with an evil thought pain follows him as the wheel follows the foot of him who draws the carriage4 ,all that we are is the result of what we have thought2 it is founded on our thoughts2 it is made up of our thoughts4 ,if a man speaks or acts with a pure thought1 happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him4--,dhammapada4 ,receive this law1 young men2 keep1 read1 fathom1 teach1 promulgate and preach it to all beings4 ,i am not avaricious nor narrow minded2 ,i am confident and willing to impart ,buddha knowledge1 or knowledge of the self-born4 ,i am a bountiful giver1 young men1 and ye should follow my example2 imitate me in liberality1 showing this knowledge1 and preaching this code of laws and conduct to those who shall successively gather round you1 and rouse unbelieving persons to accept this law4 ,by so doing ye will acquit your debt to the ,tathagatas4--,saddharma ,pundarika4 ,,om4 ,,footnotes3 #cg ,sacred ,books of the ,east1 ,vol4 ,i1 lxv4 #ch ,sacred ,books1 c41 ,vol4 ,i1 lxvii4 #ci ,hist4 of ,sans4 ,lit41 p4 #aee1 note4 #dj ,from the negatives en and am1 and the noun ,soph 8end or terminus40 #da ,see ,kabbalah1 published by ,r4 ,worthington1 #ggj ,broadway1 ,n4 ,y4 #db ,see ,kabbalah1 ,page #dg4 #dc ,trans4 ,bomb4 lit4 ,soc4 ,comp4 the ,dabistan4 #dd ,the ,dabistan3 ,the prophet is a person who is sent to the people as their guide to the perfection which is fixed for them in the presence of ,god1 according to the exigency of the dispositions determined by the fixed substances1 whether it be the perfection of faith1 or another4 #de ,it is to this state the ,sufis refer ,mohammed's words3 8,i have moments when neither prophet nor angel can comprehend me40 #df ,from the ,dabistan4 ,comp4 ,zeitschrift d4 morgl4 ,gesellsch4 #af art4 by ,fleischer ,ueber die farbigen lichterscheinungen der ,sufis4 #dg ,j4 ,p4 ,brown1 ,dervishes pp4 #ccc4 #dh ,bagavad-,gita1 ch4 #ac2 id4 ch4 #aj4 #di ,path1 ,no4 #a4 p4 #bd4 ,,aum ,the great ,all1 which is constantly in motion1 and is constantly undergoing change in the visible and invisible universe1 is like the tree which perpetuates itself by the seed and is incessantly creating the same identical types4--,book of ,pitris4 ,nothing is commenced or ended4 ,everything is transformed4 ,life and death are only modes of transformation which rule the vital molecule from plant up to ,brahma himself4-,atharva ,veda4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,june1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #c4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the authors name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,a ,,hindu ,,chela',s ,,diary4#ej ,in the month of ,december he arrived at ,benares1 on what he hoped would be his last pilgrimage4 ,as much as ,i am able to decipher of this curious manuscript1 written in a mixture of ,tamil--the ,south ,indian language--with ,mahratta1 which1 as you know1 is entirely dissimilar1 shows that he had made many pilgrimages to ,india's sacred places1 whether by mere impulse or upon actual direction1 ,i know not4 ,if he had been only any ordinary religiously disposed ,hindu we might be able to come to some judgment hereupon1 for the pilgrimages might have been made in order to gain merit1 but as he must long ago have risen above the flowery chains of even the ,vedas1 we cannot really tell for what reason these journeys were made4 ,although1 as you know1 ,i have long had possession of these papers1 the time had not until now seemed ripe to give them out4 ,he had1 when ,i received them1 already long passed away from these busy scenes to those far busier1 and now ,i give you liberty to print the fragmentary tale without description of his person4 ,these people are1 you know1 not disposed to have accurate descriptions of themselves floating about4 ,they being real disciples1 never like to say that they are1 a manner quite contrary to that of those famed professors of occult science who opportunely or inopportunely declare their supposed chelaship from the house top4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 8,twice before have ,i seen these silent temples standing by the rolling flood of sacred ,ganges4 ,they have not changed1 but in me what changes have occurred6 ,and yet that cannot be1 for the ,i changeth not1 but only the veil wrapped about1 is either torn away or more closely and thickly folded round to the disguising of the reality4 99 99 99 ,it is now seven months since ,i began to use the privilege of listening to ,kunla4 ,each time before1 that ,i came to see him1 implacable fate drove me back4 ,it was ,karma1 the just law1 which compels when we would not1 that prevented me4 ,had ,i faltered then and returned to the life then even so far in the past1 my fate in this incarnation would have been sealed--and he would have said nothing4 ,why8 ,happy was ,i that ,i knew the silence would have not indicated in him any loss of interest in my welfare1 but only that the same ,karma prevented interference4 ,very soon after first seeing him ,i felt that he was not what he appeared exteriorly to be4 ,then the feeling grew into a belief within a short time so strong that four or five times ,i thought of throwing myself at his feet and begging him to reveal himself to me4 ,but ,i thought that was useless1 as ,i knew that ,i was quite impure and could not be trusted with that secret4 ,if ,i remained silent ,i thought that he would confide to me whenever he found me worthy of it4 ,i thought he must be some great ,hindu ,adept who had assumed that illusionary form4 ,but there this difficulty arose1 for ,i knew that he received letters from various relatives in different parts1 and this would compel him to practice the illusion all over the globe1 for some of those relatives were in other countries1 where he had been too4 ,various explanations suggested themselves to me4 99 99 99 ,i was right in my original conception of ,kunla that he is some great ,indian ,adept4 ,of this subject ,i constantly talked with him since---- although ,i fear ,i am not1 and perhaps shall not be in this life worthy of their company4 ,my inclination has always been in this direction4 ,i always thought of retiring from this world and giving myself up to devotion4 ,to ,kunla ,i often expressed this intention1 so that ,i might study this philosophy1 which alone can make man happy in this world4 ,but then he usually asked me what ,i would do there alone8 ,he said that instead of gaining my object ,i might perhaps become insane by being left alone in the jungles with no one to guide me2 that ,i was foolish enough to think that by going into the jungles ,i could fall in with an adept2 and that if ,i really wanted to gain my object ,i should have to work in the reform in and through which ,i had met so many good men and himself also1 and when the ,higher ,ones1 whom ,i dare not mention by any other names1 were satisfied with me they themselves would call me away from the busy world and teach me in private4 ,and when ,i foolishly asked him many times to give me the names and addresses of some of those ,higher ,ones he said once to me3 #8,one of our ,brothers has told me that as you are so much after me ,i had better tell you once for all that ,i have no right to give you any information about them1 but if you go on asking ,hindus you meet what they know about the matter you might hear of them1 and one of those ,higher ,ones may perhaps throw himself in your way without your knowing him1 and will tell you what you should do4' ,these were orders1 and ,i knew ,i must wait1 and still ,i knew that through ,kunla only would ,i have my object fulfilled4 99 99 99 8,i then asked one or two of my own countrymen1 and one of them said he had seen two or three such men1 but that they were not quite what he thought to be #8,raj ,yogs' ,he also said he had heard of a man who had appeared several times in ,benares1 but that nobody knew where he lived4 ,my disappointment grew more bitter1 but ,i never lost the firm confidence that ,adepts do live in ,india and can still be found among us4 ,no doubt too there are a few in other countries1 else why had ,kunla been to them4 99 99 99 ,in consequence of a letter from ,vishnurama1 who said that a certain ,x#ea lived in ,benares1 and that ,swamiji ,k knew him4 ,however1 for certain reasons ,i could not address ,swamiji ,k directly1 and when ,i asked him if he knew ,x he replied3 8,if there be such a man here at all he is not known40 ,thus evasively on many occasions he answered me1 and ,i saw that all my expectations in going to ,benares were only airy castles4 ,i thought ,i had gained only the consolation that ,i was doing a part of my duty4 ,so ,i wrote again to ,nilakant3 8,as directed by you ,i have neither let him know what ,i know of him nor what my own intentions are4 ,he seems to think that in this ,i am working to make money1 and as yet ,i have kept him in the dark as regards myself1 and am myself groping in the dark4 ,expecting enlightenment from you1 etc40 99 99 99 ,the other day ,nilakant came suddenly here and ,i met ,sw4 ,k4 and him together1 when to my surprise ,k at once mentioned ,x1 saying he knew him well and that he often came to see him1 and then he offered to take us there4 ,but just as we were going1 arrived at the place an ,english officer who had done ,kunla a service in some past time4 ,he had in some way heard of ,x and was permitted to come4 ,such are the complications of ,karma4 ,it was absolutely necessary that he should go too1 although no doubt his ,european education would never permit him to more than half accept the doctrine of ,karma1 so interwoven backward and forwards in our lives1 both those now1 that past and that to come4 ,at the interview with ,x1 ,i could gain nothing1 and so we came away4 ,the next day came ,x to see us4 ,he never speaks of himself1 but as #8this body4' ,he told me that he had first been in the body of a ,fakir1 who1 upon having his hand disabled by a shot he received while he passed the fortress of ,bhurtpore1 had to change his body and choose another1 the one he was now in4 ,a child of about seven years of age was dying at that time1 and so1 before the complete physical death1 this ,fakir had entered the body and afterwards used it as his own4 ,he is1 therefore1 doubly not what he seems to be4 ,as a ,fakir he had studied ,yoga science for #fe years1 but that study having been arrested at the time he was disabled1 leaving him unequal to the task he had to perform1 he had to choose this other one4 ,in his present body he is #ec years1 and consequently the inner ,x is #aah years old4 99 99 99 ,in the night ,i heard him talking with ,kunla1 and found that each had the same ,guru1 who himself is a very great ,adept1 whose age is #cjj years1 although in appearance he seems to be only #djeb4 ,he will in a few centuries enter the body of a ,kshatriya#ec1 and do some great deeds for ,india1 but the time had not yet come40 ,to be continued4 ,,sufism1 ,,or ,,theosophy ,,from ,,the ,,standpoint ,,of ,,mohammedanism4 ,a ,chapter from a ,,ms4 work designed as a text book for ,students in ,mysticism4 ,,by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,bjerregaard1 ,stud4 ,theos4 ,in ,two ,parts3--,part ,i1 ,texts2 ,part ,,ii1 ,symbols4 ,the spirit of ,sufism is best expressed in the couplet of ,katobi3 8,last night a nightingale sung his song1 perched on a high cypress1 when the rose1 on hearing his plaintive warbling1 shed tears in the garden1 soft as the dews of heaven40 7,,continued47 ,,sufi ,,ecstasy4 ,,motto3 8,highest nature wills the capture2 8,light to light60 the instinct cries2 ,and in agonizing rapture falls the moth1 and bravely dies4 ,think not what thou art1 ,believer2 think but what thou mayest become ,for the ,world is thy deceiver1 and the ,light thy only home40 7,palm ,leaves47 ,,abulfazl 7,a4,d4 #aeie73 ,o ,lord1 whose secrets are for ever veiled1 ,and whose perfection knows not a beginning6 ,end and beginning both are lost in thee2 ,no trace of them is found in thy eternal realm4 ,my words are lame2 my tongue1 a stony tract2 ,slow wings my foot1 and wide is the expanse4 ,confused are my thoughts2 but this is thy best praise-- ,in ecstacy alone ,i see thee face to face6 ,,shems ,,tebreez3 ,what advice1 ,o ,musselmans8 ,i don't know myself2 ,i#ed am neither ,christian nor ,jew1 nor am ,i a fire-worshipper nor ,musselman4 ,i am not from the ,east or ,west1 nor am ,i of land or fire4 ,i am not from the country of ,iran1 nor am ,i from the land of ,khoorassan4 ,i am neither of water nor air1 nor am ,i of fire or earth4 ,i am not of ,adam or ,eve1 nor am ,i of the inhabitants of paradise4 ,my place is no place1 my sign is without sign3 ,i have neither body nor soul1--what is there then8 ,i am the soul of my ,beloved4#ee ,when ,i took out my heart1 the two worlds ,i saw as one4 ,he is the first1 ,he is the last1 ,he is the manifest4 ,he is the secret4 ,except ,him1 and that ,i am ,him1 ,i do not know anything else4 ,o thou1 ,shems ,tebreez1 why this rapture in this world8 ,except with rapture and enthusiastic ardour1 this work cannot be effected4 ,,ecstasy3 ,,the ,,heart ,,as ,,medium4 ,all the earth ,i'd wandered over1 seeking still the beacon light1 ,never tarried in the day time1 never sought repose at night2 ,till ,i heard a reverend preacher all the mystery declare1 ,then ,i looked within my bosom1 and #8twas shining brightly there4 7,e4 ,h4 ,palmer1 ,orient4 ,myst47 ,who so knoweth himself1 knoweth the ,godhead4--,thy soul is the sufficient proof of the existence of the ,godhead3 ,when by reflection thou hast penetrated to that deep within1 thou shalt discover there the ,universal ,worker of his work4 7,d',herbelot--,persian ,paraphrases47 ,wouldst know where ,i found the ,supreme8 ,one step beyond self4--,behind the veil of self shines unseen the beauty of the ,beloved4--7,aphorisms47 ,soul of the soul6 ,neither thought nor reason comprehend thy essence1 and no one knows thy attributes4 ,souls have no idea of thy being4 ,the prophets themselves sink into the dust before thee4 ,although intellect exists by thee1 has it ever found the path of thy existence8 ,thou art the interior and the exterior of the soul4--7,attar47 ,they who see ,god are ever rapt in ecstacy4 99 99 99 7,the ,mesnevi47 ,,ecstasy3 ,,nature ,,as ,,medium4 ,the varied pictures ,i have drawn on space1 ,behold what fair and goodly sights they seem2 ,one glimpse ,i gave them of my glorious face1 ,and lo6 #8tis now the universal theme4 7,e4 ,h4 ,palmer1 ,orient4 ,myst474 ,recognise the mark of ,deity in every place1 and never place the foot without its own limit4 ,the world is the image of the ,godhead4--7,buslami47 99 99 99 99 99 ,,rabia ,,legends4 --,the widow ,rabia#ef is reported having said 8an interior wound consumes my heart2 it can only be cured by communion with a friend4#eg ,i shall remain sick till the day of judgment when ,i shall reach my end40-- --,it is told of ,rabia1 that once when requested to marry1 she answered3 ,my being has for a long time been in marital communion2 hence ,i say that my ego is long ago lost in itself and arisen again in ,him 7in ,god72 since then ,i am entirely in ,his power1 yea1 ,i am ,he4 ,he1 who would ask me for a bride1 would ask me1 not from myself1 but from ,him 7,god74 ,hassan ,basri 7a famous ,mohamedan ,theologian7 asked her how she had reached this state4 ,she answered3 ,in this way1 everything which ,i had found ,i lost again in ,him 7,god74 ,when questioned as to by which mode she knew ,him1 she made answer3 ,o1 ,hassan1 you know ,him by certain methods and means1 ,i know ,him without modes and means4-- --,ibn ,chali ,kan tells about ,rabia that she often in the middle of the night went up upon the roof and in her loneness cried out3 ,o1 my ,god6 ,now is silenced the noise of the day1 and the lover enjoys the night with the beloved1 but ,i enjoy myself in my loneness with ,thee2 ,thou art my true lover4-- --,it is told of her that once while journeying to ,mecca on seeing the ,kaaba she exclaimed3 ,what is the ,kaaba to me8 ,i need the ,lord of the ,kaaba6 ,i am so near ,god that ,i apply to myself his words3 ,he who approaches me by an inch1 him ,i approach by a yard4 ,what is the ,kaaba to me8-- --,feri'd ,eddin ,attar tells about her1 that she1 once while crossing the fields1 cried out3 ,deep longing after ,god has taken possession of me6 ,true1 ,thou art both earth and stone1 but ,i yearn to behold ,thee1 ,thyself4 ,the high ,god spoke to her in her heart1 without a medium3 ,o1 ,rabia6 ,do you not know that once when ,moses requested to see ,god1 only a grain fell from the sun and he collapsed3 ,be satisfied with my name6-- --,once asked if she beheld ,god while worshipping ,him1 8,assuredly10 said she1 8,i behold ,him1 for ,whom ,i cannot see1 ,i cannot worship40-- --,once when ,rabia was sick three famous ,theologians called upon her1 namely ,hassan ,basri1 ,malik ,dinar1 and ,schakik ,balchi4 ,hassan said3 ,the prayers of that man are not sincere who refuses to bear the ,lord's chastisements4 ,schakik added to that3 ,he is not sincere who does not rejoice in the ,lord's chastisements4 ,but ,rabia1 who detected selfish joy even in those words1 replied3 ,he is not sincere in his prayers1 who does not1 when he beholds his ,lord1 forget entirely that he is being chastised4-- --,on one occasion ,rabia was questioned concerning the cause of an illness and replied3 ,i allowed myself to think on the delights of paradise1 therefore my ,lord has punished me4-- 99 99 99 99 99 ,,acts ,,of ,,adepts4#eh ,munsoor ,halaj attained victory of the body1 by incessant prayer and contemplation4 ,he used to say 8,i am the ,truth40 ,the following story is told of him4 ,he observed his sister go out frequently at night1 and wondering what it meant1 he resolved to watch her and see where she went4 ,he did so and found that she went to a company of celestial spirits1 who gave her of their nectar or immortal beverage4 ,thinking that a drop might be left in the cup after his sister had drank from it1 he took hold of it and did1 much against her warning1 get a drop of the divine fluid4 ,ever afterwards he went about exclaiming 8,i am the ,truth60 ,this was too much for the observers of the canonical law and they sentenced him to be impaled alive4 ,when they came to take him1 he told them1 that he did not fear them1 they could do him no harm1 and when they were putting him on the stake1 he disappeared from them and appeared in a sitting posture in the air at a small distance over the stake4 ,this was repeated several times4 ,his spirit ascended to heaven and asked the ,prophet if it be right that he should suffer4 ,the ,prophet advised him to suffer1 otherwise there would be an end to formal religion4 ,on this ,munsoor ,halaj's spirit descended and permitted the body to take the course of nature4 ,when about to be impaled1 he called a disciple of his1 told him the secret and that his voice1 8,i am the ,truth0 would be heard1 when they after burning him1 should throw his ashes into the sea2 and that the sea would rise and overflow all the land1 if they did not take his godhra#ei and place it on the rising waves4 ,it so all happened4-- ,a ,sufi poet has explained the cause of ,munsoor's death1 to lie in the fact1 that he revealed a mystery4 ,of ,shems ,tebreez the following story is told4 ,he raised a ,king's only son from death by throwing his mantle over him and ordering him 8,rise by my order40 ,for this he was summoned before the ecclesiastical court and sentenced to be flayed alive4 ,when the sentence came to be executed1 no knives could cut him1 his body was invulnerable4 ,it is related1 that he ascended in spirit to heaven and the ,prophet directed him to undergo his punishment1 which he subsequently did4 ,he directed the doctors of ,law1 himself1 how to begin to cut the skin from his feet1 or rather made the incision himself4 ,when they had thus flayed him1 he requested his own skin1 be given to him as the letter of the law was fulfilled1 and they gave it to him4 ,of this he made his ,khirqeh or derwish's habit1 threw it over his shoulders1 and went away4 ,after that the doctors of law ordered everybody to give him nothing to eat1 drink1 c4 ,he thus remained for some days without food1 c4 ,at last he found a dead ox and cut out a piece1 but as no one dared give him fire1 he ordered the sun to descend from the firmament and come nearer to broil his meat4 ,the sun obeyed--but the prince and people fearing the consequences implored him to relieve their sufferings by ordering the sun to return to its station4 ,he granted their request4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,texts ,,from ,,representative ,,sufis4 ,al-,ghazzali 7,abu ,hamid ,muhammed ibn ,muhammad ibn ,ahmad al ,ghazzali17 surnamed ,hujjatu #8l-,islam 78the proof of ,islam074 ,he was born at ,tus ,a4 ,d4 #ajeh and died ,a4 ,d4 #aaaa4-- ,the following are his own words3 8,i said to myself3 the aim of my life is simply to know the truth of things2 therefore ,i must ascertain what knowledge is4 99 99 ,i then said to myself #8the only hope of acquiring incontestable convictions is by the perceptions of the senses and by necessary truths4' ,their evidence seemed to me to be indubitable4 ,i soon began to examine the objects of sensation and speculation to see if they were beyond doubt and doubts crowded in upon me1 that my incertitude became complete4 99 99 ,i abandoned the senses1 therefore1 having seen all my confidence in their truth shaken4 99 99 99 ,perhaps1 said ,i1 there is no assurance but in the notions of reason1 viz41 in first principles4 99 99 99 ,upon this the senses replied3 #8,what assurance have you that your confidence in reason is not of the same nature as your confidence in us8 ,may there not be some other judge superior to reason8 ,the non-appearance of such a judge is no proof of his non-existence4' 99 99 99 ,i came to reflect on sleep1 how during sleep we give to visions1 reality and consistence1 and have no suspicion of their untruth4 ,on awaking we see they were nothing but visions4 ,what assurance have we that all we feel and see and know when we are awake does actually exist80 ,al ,gazzali had now come to disbelief and distrust of the world of sense4 ,he gave his wealth away1 left ,bagdad and retired into ,syria1 to the desert1 where he spent two years in solitary struggle1 combating his passions1 purified his heart and prepared for another world4 ,he attained freedom4 ,afterwards he said3 8,the life of man passes through three degrees4 ,the first or infantile state is that of pure sensation2 the second is that of understanding1 and the third that of reason1 where the intellect perceives the necessary truths1 c4 ,but there is a fourth state1 beyond these three1 in which man perceives the hidden things1 that have been1 and that will be and the things that escape both the senses and reason4 ,this state is ,freedom40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,al ,,gazzali3 ,,alchemy ,,of ,,happiness4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,on the knowledge of the soul1 and how knowledge of the soul is the key to the knowledge of ,god4 ,o seeker after the divine mysteries6 ,know thou that the door to the knowledge of ,god will be opened to a man first of all1 when he knows his own soul1 and understands the truth about his own spirit1 according as it has been revealed1 8he who knows himself knows his ,lord also40 ,if you wish1 ,o seeker of the way6 to know your own soul1 know that the blessed and glorious ,god created you of two things3 the one is a visible body1 and the other is a something internal1 that is called spirit and heart1 which can only be perceived by the mind4 ,but when we speak of the heart1 we do not mean the piece of flesh which is in the left side of the breast of man1 for that is found in a dead body and in animals3 it may be seen with the eyes1 and belongs to the visible world4 ,that heart1 which is emphatically called spirit1 does not belong to this world1 and although it has come to this world1 it has only come to leave it4 ,it is the sovereign of the body1 which is its vehicle1 and all the external and internal organs of the body are its subjects4 ,its special attribute is to know ,god and to enjoy the vision of the ,beauty of the ,lord ,god4--,they will ask you about the spirit4 ,answer1 8,the spirit is a creation by decree of the ,lord4 ,the spirit belongs to the world of decrees4 ,all existence is of two kinds1 one is of the world of decrees1 and the other is of the world of creation4 ,to ,him belong creation and decree40 --,that spirit1 which has the property of knowing ,god is called the heart2 it is not found in beasts1 nor is it matter or an accident4 ,the heart has been created with angelic qualities4 ,it is a substance of which it is difficult to apprehend the essence4 ,the law does not permit it to be explained1 but there is no occasion for the student being acquainted with it at the outset of his journey4 --,know1 ,o seeker after the divine mysteries6 that the body is the kingdom of the heart1 and that in the body there are many forces in contrariety with the heart1 as ,god speaks in his ,holy ,word4 --,know1 ,o student of wisdom6 that the body1 which is the kingdom of the heart1 resembles a great city4 ,the hand1 the foot1 the mouth and the other members resemble the people of the various trades4 ,desire is a standard bearer2 anger is a superintendent of the city1 the heart is its sovereign1 and reason is the vizier4 ,the sovereign needs the service of all the inhabitants4 ,but desire1 the standard bearer1 is a liar1 vain and ambitious4 ,he is always ready to do the contrary of what reason1 the vizier1 commands4 ,he strives to appropriate to himself whatever he sees in the city1 which is the body4 ,anger1 the superintendent1 is rebellious and corrupt1 quick and passionate4 ,he is always ready to be enraged1 to spill blood1 and to blast one's reputation4 ,if the sovereign1 the heart1 should invariably consult with reason1 his vizier1 and1 when desire was transgressing1 should give to wrath to have power over him 7yet1 without giving him full liberty1 should make him angry in subjection to reason1 the vizier1 so that passing all bounds he should not stretch out his hand upon the kingdom71 there would then be an equilibrium in the condition of the kingdom1 and all the members would perform the functions for which they were created1 their service would be accepted at the mercy seat1 and they would obtain eternal felicity4 ,the dignity of the heart is of two kinds2 one is by means of knowledge1 and the other through the exertion of divine power4 ,its dignity by means of knowledge is also of two kinds4 ,the first is external knowledge1 which everyone understands3 the second kind is veiled and cannot be understood by all1 and is extremely precious4 --,in the second1 by the power of thought1 the soul passes from the abyss to the highest heaven1 and from the ,east to the ,west4 ,the most wonderful thing of all is1 that there is a window in the heart from whence it surveys the world4 ,this is called the invisible world1 the world of intelligence1 or the spiritual world4 --,the heart resembles a pure mirror1 you must know1 in this particular1 that when a man falls asleep1 when his senses are closed1 and when the heart1 free and pure from blamable affections1 is confronted with the preserved tablet1 then the tablet reflects upon the heart the real states and hidden forms inscribed upon it4 ,in that state the heart sees most wonderful forms and combinations4 ,but when the heart is not free from impurity1 or when1 on waking1 it busies itself with things of sense1 the side towards the tablet will be obscured1 and it can view nothing4 ,for1 although in sleep the senses are blunted1 the image-making faculty is not1 but preserves the forms reflected upon the mirror of the heart4 --,in death1 the senses are completely separated and the veil of the body is removed1 the heart can contemplate the invisible world and its hidden mysteries1 without a veil1 just as lightning or the celestial rays impress the external eye4 --,if a person calls into exercise1 in perfection1 holy zeal and austerities1 and purifies his heart from the defilement of blamable affections1 and then sits down in a retired spot1 abandons the use of his external senses1 and occupies himself with calling out 8,o ,god6 ,o ,god60 his heart will come into harmony with the visible world1 he will no longer receive notices from the material world1 and nothing will be present in his heart but the exalted ,god4 ,in this revelation of the invisible world1 the windows of the heart are opened1 and what others may have seen in a dream1 he in this state sees in reality4 ,the spirits of angels and prophets are manifested to him and he holds intercourse with them4 ,the hidden things of the earth and heaven are uncovered to him4 99 99 99 ,probably the knowledge of all the prophets was obtained in this way1 for it was not obtained by learning4 --,when the heart is free from worldly lusts1 from the animosities of society and from distractions by the senses1 the vision of ,god is possible4 ,and this course is adopted by the ,mystics4 ,it is also the path followed by the prophets4 --,the heart of man while in the spiritual world knows its ,maker and ,creator3 it had mingled with the angels and knows for what service it was created4 --,to whomsoever this revelation has been vouchsafed1 if it directs him to reform the world1 to invite the nations to turn to ,god1 and to a peculiar way of life1 that person is called a prophet1 and his way of life is called a law2 and that influence which proceeds from him1 which transcends what is ordinary1 is called a miracle4 ,if he has not been appointed to invite nations1 but worships in accordance with the law of another1 he is called a saint1 and that which proceeds from him1 which transcends what is ordinary1 is called a manifestation of grace4 --,the knowledge of ,god1 which is the occasion of the revelation of truth1 cannot be acquired without self-denial and effort4 ,unless a man has reached perfection and the rank of a ,superior1 nothing will be revealed to him1 except in cases of special divine grace and merciful providence1 and this occurs very rarely4 --,you have now learned1 ,o student of the divine mysteries1 the dignity of the heart through knowledge4 --,now listen to the heart's dignity through divine power and the greatness of which it is capable4 --,when ,god wills it1 the angels send forth the winds1 cause the rain to fall1 bring forth the embryo in animals1 shape their forms1 cause seeds to sprout in the earth and plants to grow1 many legions of angels being appointed to this service4 ,the heart of man1 being created with angelic properties must also have influence and power over the material world2 99 99 99 and if the animal and ferocious qualities should not be dominant1 if it should look upon a lion or tiger with 8majesty0 they would become weak and submissive4 ,if it should look with kindness upon one who is sick1 his infirmity might be changed to health4 ,if it should look upon the vigorous with majesty1 they might become infirm4 ,the reality of the existence of these influences is known both by reason and experience4 --,in whomsoever these influences are shown to have power1 if he occasions misery in the exercise of this power1 he is designated a sorcerer4 --,the heart has dominion and control through three channels4 ,one is through visions2--the second is through the dominion which the heart exercises over its own body2--the third source of dominion of the heart is through knowledge4--,some persons have all things opened up to them by the will of ,god4 ,this kind of knowledge is called 8infused and illuminated0 as ,god says in his ,word3 8we have illuminated him with our knowledge40 ,these three specialities are all of them found in certain measure in some men1 in others two of them are found1 and in others1 only one is found3 but whenever the three are found in the same person1 he belongs to the rank of prophets or of the greatest of the saints4 ,man cannot comprehend states of being which transcend his own nature4 ,no person can understand any individual who belongs to a scale of rank above him4 --,the path of mysticism is sought for by all men1 and longed for by all classes of society1 yet those who attain to the end are exceedingly rare4 --,the body is but an animal to be ridden by the heart1 which is its rider1 while the heart's chief end is to acquire a knowledge of ,god4 ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,on the knowledge of ,god4 --,in the books of former prophets it is written1 8,know thine own soul1 and thou shalt know thy ,lord10 and we have received it in a tradition1 that 8,he who knows himself1 already knows his ,lord40 --,everyone in the sphere to which he attains1 is still veiled with a veil4 ,the light of some is as of a twinkling star4 ,others see as by the light of the moon4 ,others are illuminated as if by the world-effulgent sun4 ,to some the invisible world is even perfectly revealed1 as we hear in the holy word of ,god3 8,and thus we caused ,abraham to see the heaven and the earth40 ,and hence it is that the prophet says3 8,there are before ,god seventy veils of light2 if he should unveil them1 the light of ,his countenance would burn everything that came into ,his presence40 ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,on the knowledge of the world4 --,know1 that this world is one stage of our life for eternity4 ,for those who are journeying in the right way1 it is the road of religion4 ,it is a market opened in the wilderness1 where those who are travelling on their way to ,god1 may collect and prepare provisions for their journey1 and depart thence to ,god1 without sorrow or despondency4 --,the world is delusive1 enchanting and treacherous4 --,the world will be brought to the great assembly at the last day1 in the form of a woman with livid eyes1 pendent lips1 and deformed shape1 and all the people will look upon her1 and will exclaim1 8what deformed and horrible person is that1 whose aspect alone is severe torture to the soul40 ,and they will be answered1 8,it was on her account that you were envying and hating one another1 and were ready to slay one another4 ,it was on her account that you rebelled against ,god1 and debased yourselves to every sort of corruption40 ,and then ,god will order her to be driven off to hell with her followers and her lovers4#fj ,the ,lord ,jesus 7upon whom be peace67 declares that the world is like the man who drinks sea water4 ,the more he drinks1 the more his internal heat increases1 and unless he stops1 he will destroy himself by drinking4 ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,on the knowledge of the future world4 --,know1 beloved1 that we cannot understand the future world1 until we know what death is3 and we cannot know what death is1 until we know what life is3 nor can we understand what life is1 until we know what spirit is4 --,the following is an illustration of the duration of eternity1 so far as the human mind can comprehend it4 ,if the space between the empyreal heaven to the regions below the earth1 embracing the whole universe1 should be filled up with grains of mustard seed1 and if a crow should make use of them as food and come but once in a thousand years and take but a single grain away1 so that with the lapse of time there should not remain a single grain1 still at the end of that time not the amount of a grain of mustard seed would have been diminished from the duration of eternity4-- ,,al ,,gazzali ,,on ,,prayer4 --,prayers are of three degrees1 of which the first are those that are simply spoken with the lips4 ,prayers are of the second kind1 when with difficulty1 and only by a most resolute effort1 the soul is able to fix its thoughts on ,divine things without being disturbed by evil imaginations2 of the third kind1 when one finds it difficult to turn away the mind from dwelling on ,divine things4 ,but it is the very marrow of prayer1 when ,he who is invoked takes possession of the soul of the suppliant1 and the soul of him who prays is absorbed into ,god to whom he prays1 and his prayer ceasing1 all consciousness of self has departed1 and to such a degree1 that all thought whatsoever of the praying is felt as a veil betwixt the soul and ,god4 ,this state is called by the ,mystics 8absorption10 for the reason that the man is so absorbed1 that he takes no thought of his body1 or of anything that happens externally1 none of what occurs in his own soul1 but1 absent as it were from all such matter whatsoever1 is first engaged in going towards his ,lord1 and finally is wholly in his ,lord4 ,if only the thought occurs that he is absorbed into the ,absolute1 it is a blemish2 for that absorption only is worthy of the name which is unconscious of itself4 ,and these words of mine1 although they will be called1 as ,i well know1 but foolish babbling by raw theologians1 are yet by no means without significance4 ,for consider1 the condition of which ,i speak1 resembles that of a person who loves any other object1 as wealth1 honor1 or pleasure4 ,we see such persons so carried away with their love1 and others with anger1 that they do not hear one who speaks to them1 nor see those passing before their eyes2 nay1 so absorbed are they in their passion1 that they do not perceive their absorption4 ,just so far as you turn your mind upon your absorption1 you necessarily turn it away from that which is the object of it40 ,again he says3 8,the commencement of this is the going to ,god1 then follows the finding ,him1 when the 8absorption0 takes place4 ,this is1 at first1 momentary1 as the lightening swiftly glancing upon the eye4 ,but afterwards confirmed by use1 it introduces the soul into a higher world1 where the most pure1 essential essence meeting it1 fills the soul with the image of the spiritual world1 while the majesty of deity evolves and discovers itself40 ,omar ,khayyam 7,ghias uddin ,abul ,fath ,omar ibn ,ibrahim ,al ,khayyam7 was born in ,khorassan 8the focus of ,persian culture0 and is supposed to have died ,a4 ,d4 #aabc4 ,he was not affiliated with any ,sufi order1 but large parts of his works are full of true ,sufi philosophy and are recognized as such4 ,the first part of the following quotations are taken from the translation by ,e4 ,h4 ,whinfield in ,trbner's ,oriental ,series4 ,the second part is extracted from ,b4 ,quarritch's ed4 #ahgi4 ,motto3 ,there is a mystery ,i know full well1 ,which to all1 good and bad1 ,i cannot tell2 ,my works are dark1 but ,i cannot unfold ,the secrets of the 8station0 where ,i dwell4 7#ff7--to attain unconsciousness of self ,is the sole cause ,i drink me drunk with wine4-- 7#ajh7 ,they preach how sweet those ,houri brides will be1 ,but ,i say wine is sweeter--taste and see6-- 7#abj7 ,ten powers1 and nine spheres1 eight heavens made ,he1 ,and planets seven1 of six sides1 as we see1 ,five senses1 and four elements1 three souls1 ,two worlds1 but only one1 ,o man1 like thee4-- 7#abd7 ,what lord is fit to rule but 8,truth80 not one4 ,what beings disobey ,his rule8 not one4-- 7#aca7 ,thy being is the being of ,another1 ,thy passion is the passion of ,another4 ,cover thy head1 and think1 and then wilt see1 ,thy hand is but the cover of ,another4-- 7#adh7 ,allah hath promised wine in ,paradise1 ,why then should wine on earth be deemed a vice8-- 7#bbe7 ,when the fair soul this mansion doth vacate1 ,each element assumes its principal state1-- 7#bff7 ,they go away1 and none is seen returning1 ,to teach that other world's recondite learning2 ',twill not be shown for dull mechanic prayers1 ,for prayer is naught without true heartfelt yearning4-- 7#bhe7 ,life's fount is wine1 ,khizer#fa its guardian ,i1 like ,elias1#fb find it where ,i can2 ',tis sustenance for heart and spirit too1 ,allah himself calls wine 8a boon to man40-- 7#cdj7 ,man is the whole creation's summary1 ,the precious apple of great wisdom's eye2 ,the circle of existence is a ring1 ,whereof the signet is humanity4-- 7#cea7 ,the more ,i die to self1 ,i live the more1 ,the more abase myself1 the higher soar2 ,and1 strange6 the more ,i drink of ,being's wine1 ,more sane ,i grow1 and sober than before6-- 7#cfi7 ,this world a body is1 and ,god its soul1 ,and angels are its senses1 who control ,its limbs--the creatures1 elements1 and spheres2 ,the ,one is the sole basis of the whole4-- 7#cgf7 ,some look for truth in creeds1 and forms1 and rules2 ,some grope for doubts or dogmas in the schools2 ,but from behind the veil a voice proclaims1 8,your road lies neither here nor there1 ,o fools40-- 7#djj7 ,my body's life and strength proceed from ,thee6 ,my soul within and spirit are of ,thee6 ,my being is of ,thee1 and ,thou art mine1 ,and ,i am ,thine1 since ,i am lost in ,thee6-- 99 99 99 99 99 7#ca7 ,up from ,earth's ,centre through the ,seventh ,gate ,i rose1 and on the ,throne of ,saturn#fc sate1 ,and many a ,knot unravel'd by the ,road2 ,but not the ,master-knot of ,human ,fate4-- 7#cb7 ,there was the ,door to which ,i found no ,key2 ,there was the ,veil through which ,i might not see3 ,some little talk awhile of ,me and ,thee ,there was--and then no more of ,thee and ,me4#fd-- 7#cc7 ,earth could not answer2 nor the ,seas that mourn ,in flowing ,purple1 of their ,lord forlorn2 ,nor rolling ,heaven1 with all his ,signs reveal'd ,and hidden by the sleeve of ,night and ,morn4 7#cd7 ,then of the ,thee in ,me who works behind ,the ,veil1 ,i lifted up my hands to find ,a ,lamp amid the ,darkness2 and ,i heard1 ,as from ,without--8,the ,me ,within ,thee ,blind60-- 7#ce7 ,then to the ,lip of this poor earthern ,urn ,i lean'd1 the ,secret of my ,life to learn3 ,and ,lip to ,lip it murmur'd--8,while you live1 ,drink6--for once dead1 you never shall return40-- 7#cf7 ,i think the ,vessel1 that with fugitive ,articulation answer'd1 once did live1 ,and drink2 and ,ah6 the passive lip ,i kiss'd4 ,how many kisses might it take--and give6#fe-- 7#dd7 ,why1 if the ,soul can fling the dust aside1 ,and naked on the ,air of ,heaven ride1 ,wer't not a ,shame--wer't not a ,shame for him ,in this clay carcase crippled to abide8-- 7#ej-eb7 ,a ,hair perhaps divides the ,false and ,true2 ,yes2 and a single ,alif were the clue-- ,could you but find it--to the ,treasure-house1 ,and peradventure to ,the ,master too4 ,whose secret ,presence 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 eludes your pains2 ,taking all shapes 99 99 992 and ,they change and perish all--but ,he remains4 ,a moment guess'd--then back behind the ,fold ,immerst of darkness 99 99 99 7#ee-ef7 ,you know1 my ,friends1 99 99 99 ,i made a ,second ,marriage in my house2 ,divorced old barren ,reason from my ,bed1 ,and took the ,daughter of the ,vine to spouse4-- ,for 8,is0 and 8,is-not0 though with ,rule and line1 ,and 8,up-and-,down0 by ,logic ,i define1 ,of all that one should care to fathom1 ,i ,was never deep in anything but ,wine4-- 7#ff-fg7 ,i sent my ,soul through the ,invisible1 ,some letter of that ,after-life to spell3 ,and by and by my ,soul returned to me1 ,and answer'd3 8,i myself am ,heav'n and ,hell30 ,heav'n but the ,vision of fulfill'd ,desire ,and ,hell the shadow from a ,soul on fire ,cast on the ,darkness into which ,ourselves1 ,so late emerg'd from1 shall so soon expire4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 the ,banquet is ended6 ,,faridu',d-,,din ,,shakrgunj 7about ,a4 ,d4 #abjj74 ,man1 what thou art is hidden from thyself1 ,know'st not that morning1 mid-day1 and the eve ,are all within ,thee8 ,the ninth heaven art ,thou1 ,and from the sphere into the roar of time ,didst fall ere-while1 ,thou art the brush that painted ,the hues of all the world--the light of life ,that ranged its glory in the nothingness4 ,joy6 ,joy6 ,i triumph now2 no more ,i know ,myself as simply me4 ,i burn with love4 ,the centre is within me1 and its wonder ,lies as a circle everywhere about me4 ,joy6 ,joy6 ,no mortal thought can fathom me4 ,i am the merchant and the pearl at once4 ,lo6 time and space lay crouching at my feet4 ,joy6 ,joy6 ,when ,i would revel in a rapture1 ,i plunge into myself1 and all things know4 ,saadi 7,shaikh-,muslah-ud-,din ,saadi7 was born at ,shiraz1 the capital of ,persia1 ,a4,d4 #aagf4 ,he thus characterizes his life and his studies3 8,i have wandered to various regions of the world1 and everywhere have ,i mixed freely with the inhabitants2 ,i have gathered something in each corner2 ,i have gleaned an ear from every harvest40 ,the divan of ,saadi is by his countrymen reckoned to be the true ,salt mine of poets4 ,jami calls him 8the nightingale of the groves of ,shiraz40 ,we would call him the moral philosopher of ,sufism4 ,his writings do not contain much metaphysics4 ,,saadis' ,,gulistan 7or ,,rose ,,garden73 ,,motto3 ,the ,rose may continue to bloom five or six days2 ,but my ,rose garden is fragrant for ever4 --,shame on the man 99 99 ,who1 when the drum soundeth for departure1 hath not made up his burden ,who1 on the morning of his journey1 is still indulging in sweet sleep4 --,they asked ,lockman1 the wise1 from whence he learnt wisdom4 ,he answered3 8,from the blind2 for till they have tried the ground1 they plant not the foot40 --,the world1 ,o my brother1 abideth with no one4 --,ask the inhabitants of ,hell1 they will tell you it is ,paradise4 --,the sons of ,adam are limbs of one another1 for in their creation they are formed of one substance4 ,when ,fortune bringeth affliction to a single member1 not one of the rest remaineth without disturbance4 --,know that from ,god is the difference of enemy and friend1 for the hearts of both are alike in ,his keeping4 --,so long as thou art able1 crush not a single heart1 for a sigh has power to overturn a world4 --,not a word can be said1 even in child's play1 from which an intelligent person may not gather instruction2 but if a hundred chapters of wisdom were read in the hearing of a fool1 to his ears it would sound as nothing but child's play4 --,yesternight1 towards morning1 a warbling bird stole away my reason1 my patience1 my strength1 and my understanding4 ,my exclamations1 by chance1 reached the ear of a most intimate friend4 8,never10 he said 8could ,i believe that the voice of a bird should have such a power to disturb thy intellect60--8,it is not10 ,i replied1 8befitting the condition of man1 that a bird should be reciting its hymn of praise1 and that ,i should be silent40 --,one day the ,prophet said to ,abu ,huraizah3 8,do not come every day1 that our friendship may increase40 ,a holy man has said3 8,with all the beauty which attends the sun1 ,i have never heard that anyone has taken him for a friend1 except in winter1 when he is veiled1 and therefore is loved40 --,the treasure chosen by ,lokman was patience3 without patience there is no such thing as wisdom4 --,were every night a night of power1 the ,night of ,power1 would lose its worth4 ,were every pebble a ruby1 the ruby and the pebble would be of equal value4 ,quran1 ,chap1 xcvii3 ,verily we sent down the ,quran in the night of al ,kadr4--,therein do the angels descend1 and the spirit of ,gabriel also1 by the permission of their ,lord with his decrees concerning every matter4 ,it is peace until morning4 ,comp4 footnote to ,lane's transl4 of the ,quran and our ,part ,,ii3 ,symbols4 --,how should the multitude find its way to their secret chambers1 for1 like the waters of life1 they are hidden in darkness8 ,they kindle themselves the flame1 which1 as a moth1 consumeth them2 not wrapping themselves up like the silk-worm in its own web4 ,seeking for the ,soul's repose on the bosom which only can give repose1 their lips are still dry with thirst on the very margin of the stream3 ,not that they have no power to drink the water1 but that their thirst could not be quenched1 even on the banks of the ,nile4 99 99 99 99 99 8,the bird of the morning only knoweth the worth of the book of the rose2 for not every one who readeth the page understandeth the meaning40 7,hafiz47 ,,saadis' ,,boostan 7,,fruit ,,garden ,,or ,,garden ,,of ,,pleasure74 ,his nature's true state all are helpless to read4 ,the extent of ,his glory1 no mortal has found2 ,his exquisite beauty1 no vision can bound4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to the skirt of ,his praise ,reason's hand comes not nigh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the mind can't this world by reflection embrace4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but the ,lord of the sky and the earth's rugged skin1 ,on none shuts the door of subsistence for sin4 ,like a drop in the ocean of knowledge are seen ,both ,his worlds1 and the faults1 ,he sees1 kindly1 ,he'll screen4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,creator is mercy-diffusing and kind1 ,for ,he helps all ,his creatures and knows ev'ry mind4 ,in ,him1 self-reliance and grandeur you see1 ,for ,his kingdom is old and ,his nature is free4-- 99 99 99 99 99 ,he is tardy in seizing on those who rebel1 ,and does not excuse--bringers rudely repel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when you've penitent turned 8,it is past10 ,he will write4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the extent of ,god's mercies1 no mortal can guess2 ,the need of ,his praises1 what tongue can express8 99 99 99 99 99 ,who knows that communion with ,god you don't share1 ,when without an absolution you stand to say pray'r8 99 99 99 99 99 ,that pray'r is the key of the portal of hell1 ,over which in men's presence a long time you dwell4 ,if your path does not lead to the ,maker alone1 ,your carpet for pray'r into ,hell will be thrown6 ,he ordered1 and something from nothing arose2 ,who something from nothing but ,he could disclose8 ,again to nonentity's hiding ,he flings us4-- 99 99 99 99 99 ,and thence to the plain of the judgment ,he brings us4 ,let the robes of deceit1 name and fame be dispersed6 ,for a man becomes weak if in garments immersed4 ,worldly love is a veil by which nothing is gained2 ,when you snap the attachments the ,lord is obtained4 99 99 99 99 99 ,know1 that the people in ecstacy drown'd1 ,in the eyes of the ,lord special favour have found6 ,he watches the 8friend10 in the fierce burning pile8 99 99 99 99 99 ,you've no road in yourself while to self you are wed2 ,the enraptured alone are informed on this head4-- ,some one said to a ,moth 8,oh1 contemptible mite6 ,go6 love one who will your affection requite40 99 99 99 99 99 ,between you and the candle no friendship can be6 99 99 99 99 99 ,no one tells you your conduct is perfectly right ,in destroying your life for the love of the light6 ,observe what the moth1 full of hot anguish1 said3 8,if ,i burn1 oh astonishing6 ,what is the dread80 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,i fancy the flame is a beautiful rose6 99 99 99 99 99 ,won't you helplessly1 one day1 your life give away8 ,for the sake of space and death1 better give it to day6 99 99 99 99 99 ,a wild beast is not likely to change into man2 ,instruction is lost on it1 strive as you can4 99 99 99 99 99 ,effort makes not a rose from a willow to grow2 ,a warm bath will not whiten a negro like snow4 ,since naught can the arrow of destiny brave4 ,resignation's the shield that is left to ,god's slave4 ,,polarity ,,of ,,the ,,human ,,body4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,durville1 ,director of the 8,journal du ,magntisme10 published in ,paris1 ,france1 has made some very interesting experiments which have led him to fix the exact ,polarity of the ,human ,body4 ,to understand well what ,i am going to state1 it is necessary to know first that the ,french call the ,south pole of the ,earth1 ,austral1 and the ,north pole1 ,boreal1 and that they call the end of the compass needle or of a ,magnet which is attracted to the ,north of the ,earth1 ,austral1 and the end which is attracted to the ,south1 ,boreal4 ,mr4 ,durville has replaced the denominations ,austral and ,boreal by the terms positive and negative1 based on the following ,electro-,chemical law4 ,if a ,saline solution be submitted to the action of a ,voltaic current1 the acids go to the pole 1 or positive and the alkalis to the pole-1 or negative4 ,also if we put in the water contained in two different glasses1 the two electrodes of a pile1 uniting the two glasses by a wet woolen or cotton thread1 the water in the glass exposed to the electrode 1 will take a fresh and acidulated taste1 and the water in the other glass exposed to the electrode-1 will take an alkaline1 tepid and unsavoury taste4 ,now1 if we submit two glasses filled with water to the poles of a ,magnet1 the water exposed to the ,austral pole will take an acidulated taste1 and the water exposed to the ,boreal pole will take an alkaline taste4 ,there is1 then1 a concordance of nature between the positive or pole of the pile1 and the ,austral or positive pole of the ,magnet1 both being fresh and acids2 and between the negative or-pole of the pile1 and the ,boreal or negative pole of the ,magnet1 both being tepid1 nauseous and alkaline4 ,consequently we can call 1 or positive1 the ,austral pole of the ,magnet and-1 or negative1 the ,boreal pole4 ,furthermore1 if we magnetize two glasses of water1 one with the right hand1 and the other with the left hand1 the first will become acidulated and fresh1 and the second1 tepid1 nauseous and alkaline4 ,then1 there is again concordance of nature between the positive or pole of the pile1 the positive or ,austral pole of the ,magnet1 and the right hand1 which are fresh and acidulated2 and between the negative or-pole of the pile1 the negative or ,boreal pole of the ,magnet1 and the left hand which are tepids1 nauseous and alkalines4 ,consequently we can call positive or 1 the right hand and the ,austral pole of the ,magnet1 as well as the positive pole of the pile2 and negative or -1 the left hand and the ,boreal pole of the ,magnet1 as well as the negative pole of the pile4 ,we know that the ,earth is a ,magnet and that it acts like one4 ,we also know that when ,magnets act freely one upon another1 the poles of the same name are repulsed and the poles of contrary names are attracted4 ,now1 ,mr4 ,durville found by repeated experiments that all the right side of a sensitive subject is strongly influenced by the positive pole of the ,magnet which produces contraction1 repulsion and excitation2 while1 on the contrary1 the other pole relaxes1 attracts and calms the same side4 ,the ,austral pole of the ,magnet presented within about #d-;inches of the forehead of the subject1 repulses him and puts him to sleep2 while the left hand attracts and awakens him4 ,it is evident1 then1 that the positive pole of the ,magnet and the right hand are poles of the same name2 and1 if the ,austral pole of the ,magnet is positive1 then the ,boreal or ,northern pole of the ,earth must be negative4 ,the physical laws of the ,human ,magnetism are consequently identical with those governing the actions of the ,magnets4 ,the ,human body represents three horse-shoe ,magnets1 two of them having the neutral point at the summit of the head and the third in an inverted position to that of the two first ones4 ,the axis the most important divides us laterally from right to left1 the other from the forepart to the back part of the body4 ,the first horse-shoe ,magnet has its neutral point at the summit of the head1 and its extremities or poles at the right hand and the left hand1 the right hand being the positive1 and the left hand the negative pole4 ,the second horse-shoe ,magnet has also its neutral point at the summit of the head1 and the extremities or poles of its two branches are the right and the left foot1 the right foot being positive and the left foot negative4 ,the third horse-shoe ,magnet1 the one in an inverted position1 has its neutral point at the perineum and the extremities of its branches are the forehead and the occiput4 ,the forehead being positive and the occiput negative4 ,from this it follows that in the human body1 from the extremities of the feet to the summit of the head1 all the right side is positive and the left side negative1 and from the forehead to the perineum all the forepart of the body is positive1 while the opposite or back part1 from the occiput to the perineum is negative4 ,the ,human body possesses other polary axes of less importance4 ,reichenbach has found1 through experiments made with many sensitives1 that the end of the ,magnet which seeks the ,north pole of the ,earth1 the end we call positive1 sends to the left hand of a sensitive a fresh breeze1 while the other end emits a tepid one4 ,he also found that the positive end emits in the dark a blue light1 while the negative one emits a yellow red light4 ,his sensitives found that in the dark1 the right side of the human body emits a blue light1 while the left side emits a yellow red one4 ,then the right side of the body has the same quality of ,magnetism as the positive1 or ,north seeking1 or ,austral pole of the ,magnet1 and the left side has the same quality of ,magnetism as the negative1 or ,south seeking1 or ,boreal pole of the ,magnet4 ,those experiments of ,reichenbach agree thus entirely with those made by ,mr4 ,durville4 ,his polarity of the ,human body is also the same as given by ,andrew ,jackson ,davis1 page #ia of his work 8,the ,harbinger of ,health40 ,there are consequently very strong reasons for believing that the theory of ,mr4 ,durville is the right one1 since it has been confirmed by practical experiments made by himself1 ,reichenbach and ,davis4 ,mr4 ,durville concludes his article in the 8,journal du ,magntisme10 ,january number of #ahhf1 with some interesting points in ,therapeutics4 ,diseases can be classed as of two kinds1 those due to atony or paralysis of the organs1 and those due to excitation or inflammation4 ,the object of ,medicine is to excite the functions of the atonic organs and to calm or moderate those which are too active4 ,magnetizers knew that the ends of the fingers presented within a few inches of the diseased part1 will produce excitation1 while the palm of the hand applied on produces calm2 but they could not always obtain the desired effect for want of the knowledge of the true polarity of the ,human body4 ,the right hand will produce attraction1 calm and easiness on the left and back side of the body2 and repulsion1 excitation and uneasiness on the right and forepart of the body2 and the left hand will produce the same corresponding effects on the right and forepart of the body1 and on the left and backpart4 ,the right-hand1 a positive pole1 will act with more energy than the left-hand1 a negative one4 ,he found by experiments that the most certain and active results are produced by presenting the palm of the hand within about two inches from the diseased part1 the attractions and repulsions being in inverse ratio of the square of the distances4 ,every time we want to take off a pain1 or calm an excitation1 we will succeed by presenting the palm of the right hand to the diseased part1 if that part is on the left side or the back of the body1 or by presenting the palm of the left hand1 if it is on the right side or the forepart of the body4 ,for example1 a heaviness in the head1 a neuralgia and in general1 all kinds of headaches1 will cease more or less rapidly under the influence of the palm of the hand presented with the fingers upright at about two inches from the forehead4 ,to calm the nervous system1 place yourself on the left of the patient and apply the left hand on the epigastrium1 and the right hand on the vertebral column1 on the corresponding part4 ,if we were to use the other hand on the same part1 we should increase for a while the intensity of the pain4 ,to obtain the desired result1 the time necessarily varies according to the nature of the disease and sensibility of the patient4 ,with a knowledge of the laws regulating the human polarity1 ,magnetism becomes an exact science1 a positive one4 ,but the application of it is also an art which constant practice may improve considerably4 ,,ch4 ,j4 ,,quetil1 ,f4 ,t4 ,s4 ,,the ,,hermetic ,,philosophy4 ,fragments of the ,ancient ,wisdom ,religion have come down to us from the remotest past1 through many channels1 and in various forms4 ,the study of philology alone will be inadequate to discover the true meaning of ancient sacred writings1 though it may very greatly assist the labors of those who have already gained a clue to the ,secret ,doctrine4 ,the ,theosophist and the ,antiquarian differ very widely1 and though the former has sometimes been accused of searching out obsolete doctrines and magnifying the achievements of the past1 but little observation will be required to reveal the fact1 that that for which they search may be very old because it is valuable1 but never valuable merely because it is old4 ,in short that of which they are in search may truly be said to never fade1 and ne'er grow old1 though it is often lost sight of4 ,occultism is not a new craze as some suppose1 it is not simply a line of the marvelous1 it is rather the profoundest of all sciences1 conforming in its methods of research and the character of its results to those of all sciences4 ,the naturalist does not hesitate to construct from a single tooth or a few fragments of bone1 the entire animal and assign to it its proper place1 declare its habits1 modes of life1 size1 c41 c41 even though he fixed its era centuries ago1 and no one nowadays questions the general correctness of the result2 the study of comparative anatomy and the science of biology testify all this4 ,in like manner and by similar methods may one familiar with the science of occultism1 which deals with the operation of uniform laws in the higher realms of nature1 arrive at exact data from very small beginnings1 and with this advantage1 viz41 that he has the means at hand to verify his conclusions1 which the naturalist has not1 for in this realm there are no extinct species1 the elements of human nature1 and the laws which underlie their unfoldment and manifestation are the same now1 as thousands of years ago4 ,it is the custom of many who are entirely ignorant of this higher science1 to deny its existence and ridicule its cultivators4 ,just as an uneducated and conceited boor would ridicule an ,agassiz for attempting to reconstruct an animal from its thigh bone4 ,when1 therefore1 one entirely ignorant not only of the principles but of the existence of such a thing as occult science1 examines ancient records in which it is concealed1 he will arise from his task possibly better satisfied with his own possessions as contrasted with the 8ignorance0 of past ages1 but seldom wiser for his endeavor4 ,few persons nowadays are ignorant of the form of most ancient hierarchic writings1 as consisting of1 or containing a double meaning under the garb of allegory or parable4 ,it is moreover becoming quite generally known that many of these ancient records are of vital importance to us of the present day1 as containing the very knowledge of which we stand most in need1 and the amount of attention they are receiving may be determined by observing the interest in1 and almost unprecedented sales of1 such works as ,arnold's ,light of ,asia1 while the labors of men like ,max ,muller in rendering the ancient scriptures into ,english have made it possible for everyone to gain some familiarity with the religious casts of antiquity4 ,bearing in mind these general observations1 let us briefly examine one of the most ancient1 most famous1 and yet least comprehended sources of ancient wisdom4 ,as to the questions who was ,hermes8 which ,hermes8 when did he write8 we have these points for the philologists and historians1 quoting here the remark of ,iamblichus in his treatise on the ,mysteries3 8,hermes1 the ,god who presides over language1 was formerly very properly considered as common to all priests2 and the power who presides over the true science concerning the ,gods is one and the same in the whole of things4 ,hence our ancestors dedicated the inventions of their wisdom to this deity1 inscribing all their own writings with the name of ,hermes10 and 8the late learned ,divine ,doctor ,everard0 in the preface to his translation of the ,divine ,pymander #afej1 contends that ,hermes ,trismegistus lived a long time before ,moses1 that he had 8perfect and exact knowledge of all things contained in the world10 99 99 8that he was the first that invented the art of communicating knowledge to the world by writing1 that he was ,king of ,egypt1 that he styled himself the son of ,saturn1 and that he was believed to have come from heaven1 and not to have been born on earth40#ff ,the above writer goes on to say that ,hermes did excel in the right understanding of1 because he attained to1 the knowledge of the quintessence of the whole universe1 otherwise called the ,elixir of the philosophers1 which secret many ignorantly deny1 many have sought after1 and some have found4 ,a description of this great ,treasure is said to have been found engraved upon a ,smaragdine ,tablet in the valley of ,hebron after the flood4#fg ,to the modern reader1 all this sounds very queer1 a bundle of contradictions and vagaries1 taxing reason and even credulity4 ,but suppose we are told1 that it was designed for exactly that purpose1 that only they who were determined to find the truth1 and who therefore had faith that it existed somewhere1 were expected to walk around or dig under this stumbling-block4 ,if we turn now to ,isis ,unveiled p4 #ejg1 ,vol4 ,i1 we shall find the inscription said to have been found on the tablet4 ,b4 ,to be continued4 ,,reviews4 ,,pantanjali',s ,,raj ,,yoga ,,philosophy4--7,reprinted by the ,bombay ,branch of the ,theosophical ,society47 ,we will give in subsequent numbers of this magazine1 remarks and explanations by a ,hindu brother member4 ,in this reprint are some things which do not improve the book4 ,they are selections from such men as ,p4 ,b4 ,randolph and others4 ,we do not think ,pantanjali needs confirmation from such a source as ,randolph's4 ,no doubt many ,theosophists will be disappointed in this great ,hindu1 in consequence of their own expectations of finding explicit directions as to developing and projecting the double and other like tricks1 and because of erroneous suppositions as to what ,raj ,yoga is4 ,it is the highest philosophy1 but the work needs just the explanations which we propose to furnish1 in part at least4 ,pantanjali is immensely interesting to ordinary ,theosophists from an intellectual standpoint1 and to those who are somewhat advanced its instruction is very great4 ,at present all the ,raj ,yoga which the western body of ,theosophists can assimilate1 is found in ,light on the ,path and ,bagavad-,gita4 ,,journal ,,of ,,speculative ,,philosophy4--,we have received from ,wm4 ,t4 ,harris1 7,no4 #c1 ,vol4 ,,xix7 for which we offer our thanks4 ,our small space will not permit extended notice4 ,it is full of splendid matter4 ,,immortality ,,of ,,the ,,individual4--7,w4 ,t4 ,harris1 ,d4 ,appleton ,co41 ,new ,york47 ,on p4 #e is the basis of a great argument1 that 8the interaction between soul and body can never be explained1 except by a combination of introspection with observation of physiologic facts40 ,the grossest scientist exercises both and yet denies the value of introspection4 ,,philosophy ,,in ,,outline4--7,wm4 ,t4 ,harris1 ,d4 ,appleton ,co41 ,new ,york47 ,a brief exposition of the method of ,philosophy and its results in obtaining a view of nature1 man and ,god4 ,,notes ,,and ,,queries4--,a monthly magazine full of curious information in art1 science1 mathematics1 folk-lore1 mysticism1 etc41 comes to ,the ,path as an exchange and the back volumes have been received for our ,theosophical library4 ,it is published by ,s4 ,c4 ,l4 ,m4 ,gould1 ,manchester1 ,n4 ,h41 at #a4jj a year4 ,among its articles are many on subjects allied with ,eastern wisdom1 ancient philosophy1 masonry1 bibliography1 etc4 ,write to them for a sample copy4 ,,light ,,on ,,the ,,hidden ,,way4--,anon4 7,boston47 ,this book has excited a great deal of comment in ,boston4 ,the similarity of titles might lead one to expect something like 8,light on the ,path10 but the reader would soon find that the book1 whose non-commital introduction by a distinguished ,unitarian ,minister has brought it considerable earnest consideration1 has nothing in common with that priceless volume4 ,it is the account of the experiences of the author1 a sensitive and seer from childhood1 and1 in some respects1 it reminds us strikingly of what ,kerner tells us about the ,seherin von ,prevorst4 ,while we cannot commend untrained seership1 or its results1 we can commend the earnestness and sincerity of the author and at least say for her work that it ought to do good in turning ,spiritistic readers away from the materialistic aspects which their belief most commonly presents1 and in teaching them that immortality is only to be obtained through 8slaying the dragon ,self40 ,for the rest1 we will submit the following comments on the work from a source which we feel to be competent to judge3-- 8,i feel as if my father's eyes were always upon me4 p4 #ba4 ,in this and following instances1 the evidences are1 that the writer is looking into the ,astral world1 or1 in other words1 is seeing the impressions that have been made upon her personal aura4 ,not having been effaced1 they are readily mistaken for the personalities who made the impressions4 ,was it her father1 the individual1 he would be engaged in more important matters than watching for dust in unswept corners4 ,so far1 all is sentimental1 or in the sphere of earthly impressions1 beliefs and feelings--naturally to a great extent illusory and unsatisfactory4 ,a chorus of heavenly voices swelling a hymn1 may fulfill the requirements for some individuals1 but we can hardly see or feel that any chorus1 no matter how earthly1 much more heavenly1 can sing a song of rejoicing because a man has laid aside his robe1 and in the doing it1 causing a woman1 perhaps1 to pass through ,gethsemane4 ,the sorrows and demands of others are entirely lost to sight in the fancied importance of one being passing through the change of abode called ,death4 ,we do not think any man ever saw any being with wings in the spheres above the ,astral4 ,in the ,astral they do exist1 for they are creatures of the imagination4 ,in truth1 therefore1 they are elementals1 clothed in this form4 ,imagination1 properly guided1 does not create these beings1 but unguided1 or badly guided1 it does1 the result being that it is quite possible not only to see them with wings1 but with a thousand of them1 or1 like a centipede1 with a hundred legs4 8,similar visionaries1 and this one also1 have to a great extent unconsciously permitted their thoughts to be influenced by ,biblical writers who express their visions in symbolical language4 ,but the ,prophets say3 8,and ,i saw one like unto an angel having four wings10 etc4 ,they do not claim to have seen this1 but that which they did see could only be expressed in this manner4 ,they could convey their meaning only in this form4 8,the ineffable ,light is not to be beheld so easily1 or with so little effort as a prayer4 ,and earthly eyes do not behold it4 ,in prayer the will is at work in desire4 ,this produces a more active condition1 or rousing of the material1 causing a greater amount of motion or vibration1 thereby increasing the brilliancy of the ,astral1 or ,aura1 of the personality1 and the seer being within it and producing it1 mistakes it for the ,ineffable4 ,after all1 the seer is only looking at her physical self and calling it ,god4 8,in regard to the higher precepts that are brought forth1 we do not find her father connected with them in any way4 ,but we do find some of the higher principles endeavoring to assert themselves4 ,the words are those of the ,inner ,consciousness4 ,it is herself that is trying to teach4 ,it is that which is the first to assert itself when one begins to desire wisdom1 and occurs long before the advent of a teacher1 or any other individual4 ,the teachings are good1 and come to all who find the unimportance of self4 ,but our work is not for the spirits in the astral1 but for those who are in reality earth-bound1 those in the body4 ,our teachings are for man4 ,our workings are for him4 ,it is quite all we can do to instruct ourselves and fellow men1 without attempting to teach him when out of a body4 ,we can violate no law4 ,one law is1 that if a spirit needs instruction then he must be in possession of a body1 and striving for knowledge in that manner4 ,we cannot1 in or out of a body1 attach ourselves to any other individual and expect him to save us from the results of our own ignorance1 selfishness1 or bad ,karma in general4 8,the most peculiar of all the ideas suggested1 as one reads farther1 is this3 ,that these spirits1 after making such sad mistakes as they said they did in life1 should come back to be saved by the reading1 in some cases1 of one book4 ,if they had discovered enough1 through the mere fact of death1 to find that they were all wrong1 why did they seek at the source of all their errors for more8 ,why not seek at the source that taught them that they were wrong8 ,the fact is1 ,death has not the mighty power ascribed to it4 ,if ,i move from one house to another1 the mere act of going out of one does not solve the why that ,i lived in one1 or will in another4 ,i may perceive that one is better adapted to my wants1 but the moving into it does not tell me #8why8' ,i1 as the tenant1 know already the why1 and perhaps if ,i open the windows of my house1 the house itself may become pervaded with the knowledge4 ,but it is #8,i' who do the act1 not ,death4 ,death closes my windows and opens the door4 ,i close my door to ,death and open my window to ,wisdom--perhaps in a new house1 quite likely in one which has had another occupant4 8,if the #8evil-minded1 malicious1 and undeveloped souls' would only unfold their pin-feathers and fly off into the #8,beyond1' they would be a source of little sorrow to earth4 ,but they do not4 ,undeveloped1 they cannot fly2 malicious1 they remain in their proper degree2 evil-minded1 they are not souls1 but elementaries4 8,the book is the property of ,death40 8,,american ,f4 ,t4 ,s40 ,,men1 ,,women ,,and ,,gods1 ,,and ,,other ,,lectures4--,by ,helen ,h4 ,gardener4 ,introduction by ,robt4 ,g4 ,ingersoll1 7,truth ,seeker ,co41 #cc ,clinton ,place1 ,n4 ,y47 pp4 #agd1 with a portrait of ,miss ,gardener2 ,cloth #a4jj1 paper 4#ej4 ,this is a valuable contribution1 being compact1 fervid in its reasonings yet not at all heavy4 ,its statements are unanswerable4 ,evidently the author read widely1 thought deeply1 observed keenly1 and added to all that1 a native genius4 ,on page #ec she has put #ab articles of positive belief1 and as the famous ,colonel says in the introduction1 8there is no misunderstanding between her head and her heart4 ,she says what she thinks and feels what she says40 ,the design of the book is the emancipation of woman1 but in carrying that out she does not abuse men for the position of women4 ,she calls upon the women to dare to think and act for themselves and to gain the place which rightfully1 in the author's estimation1 belongs to them4 ,,the ,,order ,,of ,,creation4--7,truth ,seeker ,co41 ,new ,york47 ,this contains the controversy between ,gladstone1 ,huxley1 ,muller1 ,reville and ,linton1 as to the order in which creation proceeded2 p4 p4 #agh1 cloth 4#ge paper 4#ej4 ,those who followed this interesting dispute will find this a valuable book1 as it brings together the arguments of these masters of rhetoric1 science and philosophy into one compact volume1 and enables all who care for different kinds of authority upon vexed questions1 to see what these modern lights each have to say as to the evident conflict which exists between ,genesis and ,geology4 ,,correspondence4 ,,an ,,unwritten ,,message ,,becomes ,,visible4 ,,new ,,york1 ,may #af1 #ahhf4 ,,editor ,,of ,,the ,,path1 ,,dear ,,sir3--,could you explain the following8 ,a friend of mine1 a physician1 who is a rational agnostic and scoffer at all so called supernatural things1 relates the following curious mystery1 which happened to him the other day4 ,he was sitting in his office holding in his hand a letter from one of his regular patients1 which asked him to come as soon as he could4 ,it being then towards #e p4 m41 when his office hours are over1 he was thinking whether he could go that day or not as he has an extensive practice4 ,while thinking he found that the letter was gone4 ,he searched for it on his table1 but in vain4 ,a strange feeling came over him as he could not even remember when he had received the letter1 nor when he had opened it4 ,a feeling that the letter had after all been a physical delusion he dismissed with scorn2 he was sure it would by and by easily explain itself4 ,however the servant was sure that no letter had since #b p4 m4 been delivered1 as she never leaves the door during that time4 ,the next morning he called on his patient1 who was very glad to see him1 though being a little astonished that her daughter had been very sick the preceding day for an hour or two4 ,it had soon passed over4 8,i am glad to hear that it is nothing serious10 the doctor said1 8,i wanted to excuse myself for not coming yesterday4 ,i received your letter only at #e p4 m40 8,my letter80 the lady answered1 8,i never wrote to you2 it is impossible1 for about that time ,i was with my sick daughter1 and thought very intensely to write1 but as ,i had but one servant in the house ,i concluded to wait till my son came in4 ,by the time he came1 my daughter felt better1 and so we concluded not to trouble you40 ,my friend went home1 perfectly sure that in spite of all appearance1 though no letter could be found after repeated searching---- the lady had written but forgotten it4 ,i can vouch for the truth of the story4 ,remain yours fraternally1 ,h4 ,p4 ,l4 ,the explanation by those who adhere to mediumship would be1 that this was what they call1 8a spirit letter40 ,but at this time we cannot accept that proposition2 it seems rather a degradation of what we call 8spirit10 and many alleged 8controls0 of mediums have deprecated the constant referring of everything to spirit agency1 when in perhaps the majority of cases1 8spirits0 have nothing to do in the matter4 ,many so called extraordinary things occur every day which are attributed to spirits1 or classed as hallucination1 which really are due to the powers of the living man1 their laws of operation being almost unknown to western people4 ,the true student of ,raj ,yoga knows that everything has its origin in the mind2 that even this universe is the passing before the ,divine ,mind of the images he desires to appear4 ,now in the case before us1 the doctor must be a sensitive man who has the power1 unknown to himself1 of seeing very clearly the mental images passing in the minds of those with whom he is in sympathy4 ,these impressions are quite common1 but they are not usually seen as apparently visible things4 ,some receive them as images1 others as thoughts and ideas4 ,we are all constantly affecting each other in this way every day of our lives1 but not everyone receives the impression in the same way4 ,the variations of the operations of manas1 which may be properly called 8mind10 are infinite4 ,the lady whose daughter was sick1 desired very intently to see the doctor1 and the message was probably formulated in her mind at once4 ,this is evident1 for she awaited the arrival of the son to whom she would at once have given it4 ,that message thus formed was impressed in the astral light1 and because of the sympathy existing between patient and doctor it immediately rushed into the sphere of the doctor1 registering itself in his mind4 ,he then saw in his hand a letter1 which apparently he could feel and read4 ,this was either1 7a7 the reflection from his mind1 or 7b7 an actual momentary appearance in his hand of the astral message4 ,it was never found again because it had no corporeal existence4 ,it would be easy to cry 8spirits10 but it would not be common sense4 ,we might also say elementals did it1 but that would infer that either the doctor or the patient has elementals devoted to them4 ,elementals do perform such things but the cases are not common1 and therefore we are not justified in taking that explanation when neither party knows of elementals4 ,if the doctor had not been a sensitive man1 he would merely have received the message and repeated it to himself as a sudden thought of that particular patient4 ,we know several persons of our acquaintance who habitually obey sudden impressions1 causing them to write to absent friends1 c41 always finding that they answer the other person's thought or written letter then on the way and undelivered until after the reply had been sent4 ,let us then pay attention to these things in this light and not allow ourselves1 except in known cases1 to fly into the arms of alleged spirits or elementals4--,,ed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,dear ,,path3--,is not it an error on p4 #bh of ,april ,no4 in review of ,apollonius of ,tyana1 where it says3 8,error courts investigation02 was not 8truth0 meant4 ,yours1 ,f4 ,e4 ,b4 ,there was not a mistake4 ,the author was trying to show how error preludes truth1 but falsehood never does2 that error courts investigation1 falsehood never4 ,falsehood is altogether untrue and therefore without any knowledge2 and being thus false it hides itself from investigation4 ,but error is merely that which has not true knowledge1 and does not imply falsity4 ,science is full of error1 but constantly corrects itself4 ,the process of acquiring true knowledge is in fact the cutting away of errors4--,,ed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,pronunciation ,,of ,,sanscrit4 ,,dear ,,brother3--,is there any dictionary or book giving the correct pronunciation of the ,oriental words so current in theosophical literature4 ,yours ---- ,in ,sanscrit dictionaries the true pronunciation is found4 ,but if our correspondent will1 in these words1 always read a as ah1 e as eh1 i as ee1 u as oo1 and o as oh1 she will be right4 ,arjuna is sounded as ,arjoona1 ,veda as ,vaydah1 ,brahma as ,brhm1 ,prakriti as ,prkreetee1 ,mulaprakriti as ,moolahprakreetee1 and so on4--,,ed4 ,,theosophical ,,activities4 ,,ireland4--,a charter for a ,branch of the ,society in ,dublin1 was issued in ,april4 ,this is the first ,irish charter1 and it marks an era in the history of the ,society as well as of ,ireland4 ,the month of ,april is an important one for the green ,isle in several ways1 and this charter must bear a date of some significance4 ,furthermore1 ,ireland's real name signifies1 8the ,isle of ,destiny10 and1 as if she really had some great destiny1 she has long been a thorn in ,england's side1 and has furnished great men1 poets1 and warriors1 to all western peoples4 ,perhaps now some great exponent of ,theosophy will arise in that island1 and the new ,branch become a power for good amongst us4 ,the name selected is1 ,the ,dublin ,lodge of the ,theosophical ,society4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,new ,,york3 ,,the ,,aryan ,,theosophical ,,society4--,meetings are now held on the #b;d and #dth ,tuesdays in each month1 attended by members and inquirers4 ,at each meeting a paper is read or address delivered followed by discussion and questions4 ,the ,branch does not yet devote itself to psychical experiments1 but to an inquiry into all the doctrines which have been put forth in ,theosophical literature1 and to inquiring into ,aryan philosophy4 ,beside these open meetings1 they also hold private meetings1 where further and more familiar discussions and conversations are carried on4 ,a series of notes of all the discussions has been started in the form of a printed leaflet1 to be distributed each month among all the members to be found in the ,united ,states1 with the object of solidifying them in their struggle to find the truth1 and if possible to procure an interchange of questions and replies in the whole body of ,american ,theosophists4 ,it is believed that this will do much toward helping all1 for there is no better way of getting new ideas and of spreading knowledge1 than by rubbing minds together1 so to say1 and thus eliciting the doubts1 the questions1 and the views of all4 ,as we are a universal ,brotherhood1 we are each bound to help the rest1 and to do as much as we can toward communicating with each other upon the subject of our studies4 ,this does not mean that any one is to give to the world any rare knowledge which ought to be hidden4 ,it is supposed that up to this time the whole body of ,american ,theosophists is upon one plane4 ,at any rate1 those who possess occult knowledge1 or think they do1 ought to know where and when to keep silent4 ,long before we are ready for occult knowledge1 we have to study that which is the common property of all1 but which hitherto has been neglected and allowed to lie hidden1 not only in ,eastern literature1 but also in much that has been produced among ,christian people4 ,the donations of books for the ,library of the ,branch1 during the last month1 have been as follows3 ,by ,s4 ,c4 ,l4 ,m4 ,gould3 ,vol4 ,i4 and ,,ii4 ,notes and ,queries2 by ,bro4 ,r4 ,hart1 #aj books3 ,mary ,jane 7spiritist inquiry71 ,suicide1 #b vols41 ,lights and ,shades of ,spiritualism1 ,psychography 7,oxon71 ,animal ,magnetism1 c41 ,england and ,islam1 ,vocal ,culture1 ,civil ,polity of the ,u4 ,s42 by ,bro4 ,w4 ,h4 ,dannat1 ,london ,lodge1 #bj books3 ,modern ,magic1 ,book of ,mediums1 ,infinite and ,finite1 ,idyll of ,white ,lotos1 ,possibility of not ,dying1 ,col4 ,olcott's ,lectures1 ,palmistry1 ,essence of ,christianity1 ,mysteries of ,astrology1 ,zoroaster1 ,rosicrucians 7,jennings71 ,chaldean ,magic1 ,circle of ,light1 ,gould's ,myths1 ,unseen ,universe1 ,moore's ,epicurean1 ,oriental ,interpreter1 ,theosophy and the ,higher ,life1 ,pagan and ,christian ,symbolism 7,inman71 ,man-,fragments1 c41 and #bh ,miscellaneous ,theosophical pamphlets4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,cincinnati4--,the new ,branch here has been organized since our last issue1 with about twenty members4 ,some meetings have been held at which great interest was manifested4 ,at the next meeting an essay upon some theosophical subject will be read4 ,the members are all engaged in serious study of such subjects as3 the laws of ,karma1 ,reincarnation1 c4 8,as the great universe has no boundary1 and the eight quarters of heaven no gateway1 so ,supreme ,reason has no limits40--,buddha4 8,look up at it2 it is higher than you can see6 ,bore into it2 it is deeper than you can penetrate6 ,look at it as it stands before you2 suddenly it is behind you60--,confucius4 8,looking up1 you cannot see the summit of its head2 go behind it1 you cannot see its back40--,lau-tze4 8,a man who foolishly does me wrong1 ,i will return to him the protection of my ungrudging love2 the more evil comes from him1 the more good shall go from me2 the fragrance of these good actions always rebounding to me1 the harm of the slanderer's words returning to him4 ,for as sound belongs to the drum1 and shadow to the substance1 so in the end1 misery will certainly overtake the evil doer40--,buddha ,sutra of #db sections4 ,,om4 ,,footnotes3 #ej ,the original ,,ms4 of this ,diary as far as it goes is in our possession4 ,the few introductory lines are by the friend who communicated the matter to us4--,,ed4 #ea ,i find it impossible to decipher this name4 #eb ,there is a peculiarity in this1 that all accounts of ,cagliostro1 ,st4 ,germain and other ,adepts1 give the apparent age as forty only4--,,ed4 #ec ,the warrior caste of ,india4--,,ed4 #ed ,the soul soliloquizing4 #ee ,the ,deity4 #ef ,second century4 #eg ,the ,deity4 #eh ,the ,work entitled 8,the ,acts of the ,adepts10 by ,shemsu-,d-,din ,ahmed1 ,el ,e,flaki has been reserved for our second part3 ,symbols4 #ei ,a ,godhra is the counterpane of shreds the ,fakirs use to lie down upon1 and throw over their shoulders4 #fj ,comp4 the medival conception 8,lady ,world40 #fa ,khizer1 the 8,green ,old ,man0 is the guardian of 8the fountain of life0 and the type of the self sustaining power of ,deity4 #fb ,quran ,,ii4 #baf1 ,elias discovered the water of life4 #fc ,saturn is lord of the seventh heaven4 #fd ,no more individual existence4 #fe ,the following is told1 and attributed to ,attar2 ,a thirsty traveller dips his hand into a spring of water to drink from4 ,another comes likewise to drink and leaves his earthen bowl behind him4 ,the first traveller takes it up for another draught and is surprised to find the same water bitter when drank from the earthen cup4 ,but a voice from heaven tells him the clay from which the bowl is made was once ,man2 and into whatever shape renewed1 can never lose the bitter flavour of mortality4 #ff ,see ,introduction to ,the ,divine ,pymander p4 ,,vi-et4 seq4 edition #afej4 #fg ,ibid4 ,,aum ,this is the ,truth4 ,as from a blazing fire sparks1 being like unto fire1 fly forth a thousandfold1 thus are various beings brought forth from the ,imperishable1 and return thither also4 ,that heavenly ,person is without body2 he is both without and within1 not produced1 without breath and without mind1 pure1 higher than the high ,imperishable4 ,the sky in his head1 his eyes the sun and the moon1 the quarters his ears1 his speech the ,vedas disclosed1 the wind his breath1 his heart the universe2 from his feet came the earth2 he is indeed the inner self of all things4 ,mundaka ,upanishad4 ,,ii1 ,mun41 ,i4 ,kh4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,july1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #d4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,a ,,hindu ,,chela',s ,,diary4 7,continued from ,june ,number47 8,yesterday ,i went with ,kunla to look at the vast and curious temples left here by our forefathers4 ,some are in ruins1 and others only showing the waste of time4 ,what a difference between my appreciation of these buildings now1 with ,kunla to point out meanings ,i never saw1 and that which ,i had when ,i saw them upon my first pilgrimage1 made so many years ago with my father40 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,a large portion of the ,,ms4 here1 although written in the same characters as the rest1 has evidently been altered in some way by the writer1 so as to furnish clues meant for himself4 ,it might be deciphered by a little effort1 but ,i must respect his desire to keep those parts of it which are thus changed1 inviolate4 ,it seems that some matters are here jotted down relating to secret things1 or at least1 to things that he desired should not be understood at a glance4 ,so ,i will write out what small portion of it as might be easily told without breaking any confidences4 ,it is apparent that he had often been before to the holy city of ,benares1 and had merely seen it as a place of pilgrimage for the religious4 ,then1 in his sight1 those famous temples were only temples4 ,but now he found1 under the instruction of ,kunla1 that every really ancient building in the whole collection had been constructed with the view to putting into imperishable stone1 the symbols of a very ancient religion4 ,kunla1 he says1 told him1 that although the temples were made when no supposition of the ordinary people of those eras leaned toward the idea that nations could ever arise who would be ignorant of the truths then universally known1 or that darkness would envelop the intellect of men1 there were many ,adepts then well known to the rulers and to the people4 ,they were not yet driven by inexorable fate to places remote from civilization1 but lived in the temples1 and while not holding temporal power1 they exercised a moral sway which was far greater than any sovereignty of earth4#fh ,and they knew that the time would come when the heavy influence of the dark age would make men to have long forgotten even that such beings had existed1 or that any doctrines other than the doctrine based on the material rights of mine and thine1 had ever been held4 ,if the teachings were left simply to either paper or papyrus or parchment1 they would be easily lost1 because of that decay which is natural to vegetable or animal membrane4 ,but stone lasts1 in an easy climate1 for ages4 ,so these ,adepts1 some of them here and there being really themselves ,maha ,rajahs1#fi caused the temples to be built in forms1 and with such symbolic ornaments1 that future races might decipher doctrines from them4 ,in this1 great wisdom1 he says1 is apparent1 for to have carved them with sentences in the prevailing language would have defeated the object1 since languages also change1 and as great a muddle would have resulted as in the case of the ,egyptian hieroglyphics1 unless a key stone had also been prepared2 but that itself might be lost1 or in its own turn be unintelligible4 ,the ideas underneath symbols do not alter1 no matter what might be the language1 and symbols are clear immortally1 because they are founded in nature itself4 ,in respect to this part of the matter1 he writes down that ,kunla informed him that the language used then was not ,sanscrit1 but a far older one now altogether unknown in the world4 ,from a detached sentence in the ,,ms41 it is shadowed out that ,kunla referred to a curious building put up many years ago in another part of ,india and now visible1 by which he illustrated the difference between an intelligent construction and unintelligent one4 ,this building was the product of the brain of a ,chandala1#gj who had been enriched through a curious freak4 ,the ,rajah had been told upon some event occurring1 by his astrologers1 that he must give an immense sum of money to the first person he saw next day1 they intending to present themselves at an early hour4 ,next day1 at an usually early season1 the ,rajah arose1 looked out of the window1 and beheld this ,chandala4 ,calling his astrologers and council together and the poor sweeper into his presence1 he presented him with lacs upon lacs of rupees1 and with the money the ,chandala built a granite building having immense monolithic chains hanging down from its four corners4 ,its only symbology was1 the change of the chains of fate2 from poor low caste to high rich low caste4 ,without the story the building tells us nothing4 ,but the symbols of the temple1 not only those carved on them1 but also their conjuncture1 need no story nor knowledge of any historical events4 ,such is the substance of what he writes down as told him by ,kunla4 ,he says also that this symbology extends not only to doctrines and cosmology1 but also to laws of the human constitution spiritual and material4 ,the explanation of this portion1 is contained in the altered and cryptic parts of the ,,ms4 ,he then goes on3 99 99 99 8,yesterday1 just after sunset1 while ,kunla and ,x were talking1 ,kunla suddenly seemed to go into an unusual condition1 and about ten minutes afterwards a large quantity of malwa flowers fell upon us from the ceiling4 8,i must now go to---- and do that piece of business which he ordered done4 ,my duty is clear enough1 but how am ,i to know if ,i shall perform it properly4 99 99 99 ,when ,i was there and after ,i had finished my work and was preparing to return here1 a wandering fakir met me and asked if he could find from me the proper road to ,karli4 ,i directed him1 and he then put to me some questions that looked as if he knew what had been my business2 he also had a very significant look upon his face1 and several of his questions were apparently directed to getting me to tell him a few things ,kunla had told me just before leaving ,benares with an injunction of secrecy4 ,the questions did not on the face show that1 but were in the nature of inquiries regarding such matters1 that if ,i had not been careful1 ,i would have violated the injunction4 ,he then left me saying3 #8you do not know me but we may see each other4' 99 99 99 ,i got back last night and saw only ,x1 to whom ,i related the incident with the fakir1 and he said that1 #8it was none other than ,kunla himself using that fakir's body who had said those things1 and if you were to see that fakir again he would not remember you and would not be able to repeat his questions1 as he was for the time being taken possession of for the purpose1 by ,kunla1 who often performs such things4' ,i then asked him if in that case ,kunla had really entered the fakir's body1 as ,i have a strange reluctance toward asking ,kunla such questions1 and ,x replied that if ,i meant to ask if he had really and in fact entered the fakir's person1 the answer was no1 but that if ,i meant to ask if ,kunla had overcome that fakir's senses1 substituting his own1 the answer was1 yes2 leaving me to make my own conclusions4 99 99 99 ,i was fortunate enough yesterday to be shown the process pursued in either entering an empty body1 or in using one which has its own occupant4 ,i found that in both cases it was the same1 and the information was also conveyed that a ,bhut#ga goes through just the same road in taking command of the body or senses of those unfortunate women of my country who sometimes are possessed by them4 ,and the ,bhut also sometimes gets into possession of a part only of the obsessed person's body1 such as an arm or a hand1 and this they do by influencing that part of the brain that has relation with that arm or hand2 in the same way with the tongue and other organs of speech4 ,with any person but ,kunla ,i would not have allowed my own body to be made use of for the experiment4 ,but ,i felt perfectly safe1 that he would not only let me in again1 but also that he would not permit any stranger1 man or gandharba1#gb to come in after him4 ,we went to---- and he 99 99 ,the feeling was that ,i had suddenly stepped out into freedom4 ,he was beside me and at first ,i thought he had but begun4 ,but he directed me to look1 and there on the mat ,i saw my body1 apparently unconscious4 ,as ,i looked 99 99 99 the body of myself1 opened its eyes and arose4 ,it was then superior to me1 for ,kunla's informing power moved and directed it4 ,it seemed to even speak to me4 ,around it1 attracted to it by those magnetic influences1 wavered and moved astral shapes1 that vainly tried to whisper in the ear or to enter by the same road4 ,in vain6 ,they seemed to be pressed away by the air or surroundings of ,kunla4 ,turning to look at him1 and expecting to see him in a state of samadhi1 he was smiling as if nothing1 or at the very most1 but a part1 of his power had been taken away 99 99 99 another instant and ,i was again myself1 the mat felt cool to my touch1 the bhuts were gone1 and ,kunla bade me rise40 ,he has told me to go to the mountains of---- where---- and ---- usually live1 and that even if ,i were not to see any body the first time1 the magnetized air in which they live would do me much good4 ,they do not generally stop in one place1 but always shift from one place to another4 ,they1 however1 all meet together on certain days of the year in a certain place near ,bhadrinath1 in the northern part of ,india4 ,he reminded me that as ,india's sons are becoming more and more wicked1 those adepts have gradually been retiring more and more toward the north1 to the ,himlaya mountains4 99 99 99 ,of what a great consequence is it for me to be always with ,kunla4 ,and now ,x tells me this same thing that ,i have always felt4 ,all along ,i have felt and do still feel strongly that ,i have been once his most obedient and humble disciple in a former existence4 ,all my hopes and future plans are therefore centred in him4 ,my journey therefore to up country has done me one good1 that of strengthening my belief1 which is the chief foundation on which the grand structure is to be built4 99 99 99 ,as ,i was walking past the end of ,ramalinga's compound holding a small lamp of ,european make1 and while there was no wind1 the light there several times fell low4 ,i could not account for it4 ,both ,kunla and ,x were far away4 ,but in another moment1 the light suddenly went out altogether1 and as ,i stopped1 the voice of revered ,kunla1 who ,i supposed was many miles away1 spoke to me1 and ,i found him standing there4 ,for one hour we talked2 and he gave me good advice1 although ,i had not asked it--thus it is always that when ,i go fearlessly forward and ask for nothing ,i get help at an actual critical moment--he then blessed me and went away4 ,nor could ,i dare to look in what direction4 ,in that conversation1 ,i spoke of the light going down and wanted an explanation1 but he said ,i had nothing to do with it4 ,i then said ,i wanted to know1 as ,i could explain it in two ways1 viz3 #ast1 that he did it himself1 or #b;d1 that some one else did it for him4 ,he replied1 that even if it were done by somebody else1 no ,yogee will do a thing unless he sees the desire in another ,yogee's mind4#gc ,the significance of this drove out of my mind all wish to know who did it1 whether himself1 or an elemental or another person1 for it is of more importance for me to know even a part of the laws governing such a thing1 than it is to know who puts those laws into operation4 ,even some blind concatenation of nature might put such natural forces in effect in accordance with the same laws1 so that a knowledge that nature did it would be no knowledge of any consequence4 ,to be continued4 ,illustration3 ,,plato ,apud ,fulvium ,vrsinum in gemma4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,plato ,,in ,,carnelian ,,stone ,,by ,,fulvius ,,ursinus4 ,this portrait was taken from an old work by ,john ,moretus1 published in #afjf at ,antwerp1 containing #afg other portraits of ancient ,greek and ,latin philosophers1 poets1 orators1 and scholars of renown4 ,accompanying each is a description in old ,latin1 and a literal translation of that which is given of the head of ,plato is as follows3 8,this likeness of ,plato is represented on some precious stone1 perhaps a ,carnelian1 very beautiful1 of oval shape1 and in the highest style of art1 which one hundred years before1 a ,cardinal under ,julius ,csar a ,pontifican legate in the ,florentine ,council had brought from ,greece4 ,but it is long haired and bearded1 as are the other likenesses of ,plato1 as the son of ,ailius writes1 that the first debate between ,plato and ,aristotle was about the hair and beard1 because ,aristotle1 contrary to the fixed habit and style of ,plato1 was accustomed to have his hair cut and his face shaved4 8,very like to this portrait is that which is seen cut very artistically in ,carnelian stone1 and which was once in the possession of the first ,cardinal of the ,holy ,cross1 which in addition to the likeness of ,plato1 has also a likeness of the great teacher himself1 ,socrates4 8,on the pillar of ,hermes1 which has the head broken off1 these words are inscribed in ,greek3 #8,plato was a son of ,ariston1 an ,athenian4' 8,this also ,laertius himself confirms1 since he writes that he was born at ,athens of his father ,ariston1 in the village ,collyteum1 eighteen years after the second year of the ,olympiad1 ,aminia being chief ruler4 8,moreover there is extant in marble1 by ,fulvius1 a portrait of this same ,plato of the very highest artistic skill3 and there is another very like to this by the same artist cut in a most beautiful ,carnelian stone which represents ,plato at that time an old man1 as it would appear1 about eighty-one years old1 at which time1 engaged in writing extensively he died1 one hundred and eight years after the first year of the ,olympiad4 ,in the same ,carnelian portrait not only is the forehead of ,plato represented very broad on account of which he was called by the name of ,plato1 prior to which he had been called ,aristocles2 but also his shoulders are very broad on which account some wished him to select a name from the ,greek language4 8,a statue of this same ,plato was dedicated in the ,academy1 the work of a ,silanian sculptor of the highest rank2 and ,cicero reminds us in his ,brutus1 of a statue which he had1 in these words3 #8,then we erected a statue of ,plato on the public square1 etc41 etc4'0 ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,cabbalah ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,testament4 ,,by ,,permission ,,of ,,bro4 ,j4 ,,ralston ,,skinner 7,mc,millan ,lodge1 ,no4 #ada74 ,i4 ,i said in my article on ,hebrew ,metrology1#gd that the system embracing it was a language1 veiled under the ,hebrew text of ,scripture1 and that 8to the extent to which the language was known among the ,jews1 the learning and teaching thereof was called #8,,cabbalah4'0 ,it is a fact that so little is known of ,cabbalah that its existence has been denied4 ,it has seemed to possess a like property with that of ,prester ,john1 namely1 the more and further he was searched for the less he could be found and the more fabulous he became4 ,after the same fashion1 as very much was related of wonders connected with ,prester ,john1 so the most marvelous things are claimed for ,cabbalah4 ,the ,cabbalistic field is that in which astrologers1 necromancers1 black and white magicians1 fortune tellers1 chiromancers1 and all the like1 revel and make claims to supernaturalism ad nauseam4 ,claim is also made that it conceals a sublime divine philosophy1 which has been attempted to be set forth in a most confused and not understandable way4 ,the ,christian quarrying into its mass of mysticism1 claims for it support and authority for that most perplexing of all problems the ,holy ,trinity1 and the betrayed character of ,christ4 ,the good1 pious1 ignorant man picks up ,cabbalah at will as a cheap1 easy and veritable production1 and at once1 with the poorest smattering of starved ideas1 gives forth to the world1 as by authority1 a devout jumble of stuff and nonsense4 ,with equal assurance1 but more effrontery the knave1 in the name of ,cabbalah1 will sell amulets and charms1 tell fortunes1 draw horoscopes1 and just as readily give specific rules1 as in the case of that worthy1 ,dr4 ,dee1 for raising the dead1 and actually--the devil4 ,no wonder then that the whole affair has been discredited and condemned by the rational and the wise4 ,discovery has yet to be made of what ,cabbalah really consists before any weight or authority can be given to the name4 ,on that discovery will rest the question whether the name should be received as related to matters worthy of rational acknowledgment4 ,the writer claims that such a discovery has been made1 and that the same embraces rational science of sober and great worth4 ,he claims that it will serve to clear up and take away very much of the mysticism which up to this time has been an unexplainable part of religious systems1--especially the ,hebrew or ,jewish1 and the ,christian1 so much so that the supernatural in those systems will have to give place to the rational1 to a very great extent4 ,he claims that that sublime science upon which ,masonry is based1 is in fact1 the substance of ,cabbalah1--which last is the rational basis of the ,hebrew text of ,holy writ4 ,cabbalah is inseparably connected with the text of the ,scriptures1 and an exposition of the inner sense of the same is as ,john ,reuchlin claimed necessary to a right and full understanding of the ,sacred ,text4 ,but he saw vaguely1 being taught only in a mystic phraseology which was really a blind1 and he did not come into possession of the solid1 rational grounds of it which he could formulate and impart4 ,for this reason1 though he was right in his general assertion1 his scheme failed1 and his works in this regard1 passed away from the common sense world1 and have ever since lived only among the mystics and dreamers4 ,like all other human productions of the kind1 the ,hebrew text of the ,bible was in characters which could serve as sound signs for syllabic utterance1 or for this purpose what are called letters4 ,now in the first place1 these original character signs were also pictures1 each one of them2 and these pictures of themselves stood for ideas which could be communicated1--much like the original ,chinese letters4 ,gustav ,seyffarth shows that the ,egyptian hieroglyphics numbered over six hundred picture characters1 which embraced the modified use1 syllabically1 of the original number of letters of the ,hebrew alphabet4 ,the characters of the ,hebrew text of the ,sacred ,scroll were divided into classes1 in which the characters of each class were interchangeable2 whereby one form might be exchanged for another to carry a modified signification1 both by letter1 and picture and number4 ,seyffarth shows the modified form of the very ancient ,hebrew alphabet in the old ,coptic by this law of interchange of characters4 ,this law of permitted interchange of letters is to be found quite fully set forth in the ,hebrew dictionaries1 such as ,fuerst's and others4 ,though recognized and largely set forth it is very perplexing and hard to understand1 because we have lost the specific use and power of such interchange4 ,in the second place1 these characters stood for numbers--to be used for numbers as we use specific number signs1--though1 also1 there is very much to prove that the old ,hebrews were in possession of the so-called ,arabic numerals1 as we have them1 from the straight line #a to the zero character1 together making #a #i #aj4 ,the order of these number letters run from #a to #i1 then #aj to #ij1 then #ajj upward4 ,in the third place it is said1 and it seems to be proven1 that these characters stood for musical notes2 so that for instance1 the arrangement of the letters in the first chapter of ,genesis1 can be rendered musically1 or by song4 ,another law of the ,hebrew characters was that only the consonantal signs were characterized1--the vowels were not characterized1 but were supplied4 ,if one will try he will find that a consonant of itself cannot be made vocal without the help of a vowel2 therefore it was said that the consonants made the frame work of a word1 but to give it life or utterance into the air1 so as to impart the thought of the mind1 and the feeling of the heart1 the vowels had to be supplied4 ,thus the dead word of consonants became quickened into life by the ,holy ,spirit1 or the vowels4 ,this being said then3-- ,first3 ,the ,holy or ,sacred ,text was given in consonants only1 without any voweling1 or signs of vowels4 ,second3 ,the letters were written one after the other at equal distances1 without any separation whatever of distinct words1 and without any punctuations whatever1 such as commas1 semi-colons1 colons or periods4 ,it will be seen at once that a various reading of the text might be had in many places1 both by differing arrangements of letters1 and by a differing supplying of vowels4 ,a very important difference of reading may be instanced in the first line of ,genesis4 ,it is made to be read 8,b'rashith br ,elohim10 etc41 8,in the beginning ,god created the heavens and the earth02 wherein ,elohim is a plural nominative to a verb in the third person singular4 ,nachminedes called attention to the fact that the text might suffer the reading1 8,brash ithbr ,elohim10 etc4 8,in the head 7source or beginning7 created itself 7or developed7 ,gods1 the heavens and the earth10--really a more grammatical rendering4 ,what the originally and intended right reading was who can tell8 ,it may be surmised1 however1 that it was made to subserve a co-ordinating1 symmetrical and harmonious working of the characters to unfold and develop their various uses2--as sound signs to frame a narrative1--as numbers to develop geometrical shapes and the numerical enunciations of their elements1 comparisons and applications1--as pictures to show forth ideas in some accordance with the story told1 and finally1--as musical sounds to give an appropriate song to embrace the whole4 ,the whole compass was to embrace rational proof1 through operations in nature1 of the existence of that ,divine ,contriving ,willing ,cause which we call ,god4 ,but be this as it may there was no end of effort for thousands of years1 by the best trained and most learned men of the ,hebrews and ,jews1 to give and preserve what had to be decided upon by them as the right reading of the ,sacred ,text4 ,this reading was certainly perfected as we have it1 as early as the time of ,ezra2 and as to the various readings which offered1 the present was perfected as the orthodox one1--or that one to be received by the profound vulgar4 ,it must be known that it is claimed for the ,sacred ,scroll by the ,hebrew1 that no letter in it has ever been changed1 and that even the marginal readings were part of the original text for a varied use thereof1 in perfect accord with the object of its writing4 ,unlike the ,christian ,gospels1 with the ,hebrews and ,jews1 alike1 the original text was sacredly precious as to its every and very letter1 and had to be thus preserved4 ,to the contrary of this1 the ,gospels can be changed in their reading to suit the currently changing ideas of what the same should be4 ,the marks to indicate 8right reading0 were after the time of ,ezra gradually made public1 were called ,massorah1 and finally1 edited by ,ben ,chajim1 were published by ,bomberg1 in ,venice1 in the fifteenth century4 ,after this fashion and mode the books of the ,old ,testament were prepared and read by the ,jews long before the time of the ,christian ,era4 ,they were thus accepted at that time2 and afterwards by the ,christian ,world3--so that1 to day1 we accept the record1 as thus prepared by the ancient orthodox ,jewish and ,hebrew ,church4 ,whatever may have been the ,jewish mode of complete interpretation of these books1 the ,christian ,church had taken them for what they show on their first face1--and that only4 ,as they may be read orally1 so is their fullest meaning to be gathered from the oral reading2 and by means of what the sound of the words may convey to the ear the full and complete intendment of meaning is to be had4 ,the ,christian ,church has never attributed to these books any property beyond this2 and herein has existed its great error4 ,now1 as said1 the substance of the ,cabbalah is a rendering of the secret doctrine of the ,old ,testament1 and this is not only asserted1 but an argument is raised about the matter in the following set terms3 8,if the ,law simply consisted of ordinary expressions and narratives1 ex4 gr4 the words of ,esau1 ,hagar1 ,laban1 the ass of ,balaam1 or of ,balaam himself1 why should it be called the ,law of ,truth1 the perfect law1 the true witness of ,god8 ,each word contains a sublime source1 each narrative points not only to the single instance in question1 but also to generals40 7,sohar iii1 #adi b74 8,woe be to the son of man who says that the ,tora 7,pentateuch7 contains common sayings and ordinary narratives4 99 99 ,there is the garment that every one can see1 but those who have more understanding do not look at the garment but at the body beneath it2 while the wisest1 the servants of the ,heavenly ,king1 those who dwell at ,mount ,sinai1 look at nothing else but the soul 7i4e41 the secret doctrine71 which is the root of all the real ,law40 7,sohar1 iii1 #aeb a74 ,now it is a strange thing1 that in the quotations made by ,dr4 ,ginsburg in his ,essay1#ge can be gleaned a series of data wherewith to arrange a philosophy of ,cabbalistic teaching1 covered by the names and remarks on the ,ten ,sephiroth4 ,the 8trick of the thing0 lays plainly before the eyes in its development1 and yet is perfectly concealed from unintelligent observation4 ,in other words1 the very text is laughing at the worthy doctor1 while he is criticising it with an apparent aspect of superiority and authority4 ,the same thing is to be found in the text of ,plutarch's ,morals1 by ,c4 ,w4 ,king1 and in many other texts where the like phenomenal mode is practiced4 ,it in fact is said that the ,cabbalah is evolved by 8hints scarcely perceptible10 and the cunning of the concealment is something to admire and laugh at4 ,the description in ,sohar of the mode of communication tends to explain what has been said3 8,the opinion that the mysteries of the ,cabbalah are to be found in the garment of the ,pentateuch is still more systematically propounded in the following parable3 #8,like a beautiful woman1 concealed in the interior of her palace1 who when her friend and beloved passes by1 opens for a moment a secret window and is seen by him alone1 and then withdraws herself immediately and disappears for a long time1 so the doctrine only shows herself to the chosen 7i4 e41 to him who is devoted to her with body and soul72 and even to him not always in the same manner4 ,at first she simply beckons at the passer by with her hand1 and it generally depends upon his understanding this gentle hint4 ,this is the interpretation known by the name of rmz4 ,afterwards she approaches him a little closer1 lisps him a few words1 but her form is still covered with a thick veil1 which his looks cannot penetrate4 ,this is the so-called drausch4 ,she then converses with him with her face covered by a thin veil2 this is the enigmatic language of the hgadah4 ,after having thus become accustomed to her society1 she at last shows herself face to face and entrusts him with the innermost secrets of her heart4 ,this is the secret of the ,law1 sod4 ,he who is thus far initiated in the mysteries of the ,tora will understand that all these profound secrets are based upon the simple literal sense1 and are in harmony with it1 and from this literal sense not a single iota is to be taken and nothing is to be added to it40 7,sohar1 ii1 #ii47 ,,sufism1 ,,or ,,theosophy ,,from ,,the ,,standpoint ,,of ,,mohammedanism4 ,a ,chapter from a ,,ms4 work designed as a text book for ,students in ,mysticism4 ,,by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,bjerregaard1 ,stud4 ,theos4 ,in ,two ,parts3--,part ,i1 ,texts2 ,part ,,ii1 ,symbols4 ,the spirit of ,sufism is best expressed in the couplet of ,katebi3 8,last night a nightingale sung his song1 perched on a high cypress1 when the rose1 on hearing his plaintive warbling1 shed tears in the garden1 soft as the dews of heaven40 7,,continued47 ,,saadis' ,,boostan 7,,fruit ,,garden ,,or ,,garden ,,of ,,pleasure7 ,continued3 ,,conversation ,,between ,,the ,,candle ,,and ,,the ,,moth3 ,i remember one night lying sleepless in bed1 ,that ,i heard what the moth to the fair candle said3 8,a lover am ,i1 if ,i burn it is well6 ,why you should be weeping and burning1 do tell40 8,oh my poor humble lover60 the candle replied1 8,my friend1 the sweet honey away from we hied4 ,when sweetness away from my body departs1 ,a fire-like ,farhads#gf to my summit then starts40 ,thus she spoke1 and each movement a torrent of pain ,adown her pale cheeks trickled freely like rain4 8,oh1 suitor6 with love you have nothing to do1 ,since nor patience1 nor power of standing have you4 ,oh1 crude one6 a flame makes you hasten away2 ,but ,i1 till completely consumed1 have to stay4 ,if the burning of love makes your wings feel this heat1 ,see how ,i am consumed1 from the head to the feet60 ,but a very small portion had passed of the night ,when a fairy-fated maiden extinguished her#gg light4 ,she was saying while smoke from her head curled above1 8,thus ends1 oh my boy1 the existence of love60 ,if the love-making science you wish to acquire1 ,you're more happy extinguished than being on fire4 ,do not weep o'er the grave of the slain for the friend6 ,be glad6 for to him ,he will mercy extend4 ,if a lover1 don't wash the complaint from your head6 99 99 99 99 99 ,i have told you3 don't enter this ocean at all6 ,if you do2 yield your life to the hurricane squall6 ,the above translation is from the hand of ,g4 ,s4 ,davie but since this story is representative of ,sufi love1 ,i add another made by ,s4 ,robinson4 ,i remember that one night1 when ,i could not close my eyes in sleep1 ,i heard the moth say to the taper4 8,i am a lover1 therefore it is right that ,i should be burnt1 but wherefore shouldst thou be lamenting and shedding tears80 ,it replied3 8,o my poor airy friend1 my honey-sweet ,shirin is going away2 8,and since my ,shirin hath left me1 like ,ferhad's1#gh my head is all on fire40 ,so spoke the taper1 and each moment a flood of sorrow flowed down over its pale cheek4 ,then it continued3 8,o pretender1 love is no affair of thine2 for thou hast neither patience nor persistency4 8,thou takest to flight before a slight flame2 ,i stand firm till ,i am totally consumed4 8,thou mayest just singe a wing at the fire of love2 look at me1 who burn from head to foot40 ,a part of the night was not yet gone1 when suddenly a ,peri-faced damsel extinguished the light4 ,then said the taper3 8,my breath is departed1 the smoke is over my head2--such my son1 is the ending of love60 ,if thou wouldst learn the moral of the story1 it is this3 ,only will the pangs of burning affection cease1 when life's taper is extinct4 ,weep not over this monument of thy perished friend--rather praise ,allah1 that he is accepted by ,him4 ,if thou art indeed a lover1 wash not the pains of love from thy head2 wash rather1 like ,saadi1 thy hand from all malevolence4 ,the man who volunteereth a service of peril will not withdraw his grasp from his purpose1 though stones and arrows rain down upon his head4 ,i have said to thee3 8,take heed how thou goest to the sea2 but if thou wilt go1 resign thyself to its billows40 ,jelaluddin ,rumi 7,mevlana--,our ,lord--,jelalu-'d-din1 ,muhammed1 ,er ,rumi of ,qonya7 usually called ,jelal or ,mulla4#gi ,born ,a4 ,d4 #aaie1 he died #abgc4 ,jelal is the greatest poet among the ,sufis and is their ,grand ,master of spiritual knowledge4 ,his name means 8,majesty of ,faith40 ,he instituted the order of the ,mevlevi1 the 8dancing or whirling dervishes10 of which we shall speak more later on4 ,this order is a realization of ,jelal's father's prophecy about his son3 8,the day shall come1 when this child will kindle the fire of divine enthusiasm throughout the world40 ,jelal is truly the greatest ,sufi saint1 for marvelous were his powers4 ,in the ,menaqibu'l ,afifin 7the ,acts of the ,adepts7 by ,shemsu-'d-din ,ahmed1 el ,eflaki the following acts are recorded against his name4 8,when five years old1 he used at times to become extremely uneasy and restless1 so much so that his attendants used to take him into the midst of themselves4 ,the cause of these perturbations was that spiritual forms and shapes of the absent 7invisible world7 would arise before his sight1 that is1 angelic messengers1 righteous ,genii1 and saintly men--the concealed ones of the bowers of the ,true ,one 7spiritual spouses of ,god71 used to appear to him in bodily shapes3 99 99 99 ,his father used on these occasions to coax and soothe him by saying3 8,these are the ,occult ,existences4 ,they come to present themselves before you1 to offer unto you gifts and presents from the invisible world40 ,these ecstasies and transports of his began to be publicly known and talked about ,the honorific title of ,khudavendgar#hj was conferred upon him at this time by his father1 who used to address him as 8,my ,lord40--8,it is related that when ,jelal was six years old1 he one ,friday afternoon was taking the air on the terraced roof of the house1 and reciting the ,quran1 when some other children of good families came in and joined him there4 ,after a time1 one of these children proposed that they should try and jump from thence on to a neighbouring terrace1 and should lay wagers on the result4 ,jelal smiled at this childish proposal1 and remarked3 8,my brethren1 to jump from terrace to terrace is an act well adapted for cats1 dogs1 and the like1 to perform2 but is it not degrading to man1 whose station is so superior4 ,come now1 if you feel disposed1 let us spring up to the firmament1 and visit the regions of ,god's realm40 ,as he yet spake1 he vanished from their sight4 ,frightened at ,jelal's sudden disappearance1 the other children raised a shout of dismay1 that some one should come to their assistance1 when lo1 in an instant1 there he was again in their midst2 but with an altered expression of countenance and blanched cheeks4 ,they all uncovered before him1 fell to the earth in humility1 and all declared themselves his disciples4 ,he now told them that1 as he was yet speaking to them1 a company of visible forms1 clad in green raiment1 had led him away from them1 and had conducted him about the various concentric orbs of the spheres1 and through the signs of the ,zodiac1 showing him the wonders of the world of spirits1 and bringing him back to them so soon as their cries had reached his ears4 ,at that age1 he was used not to break his fast more often than once in three or four1 and sometimes even seven1 days4 ,when ,jelal went to ,damascus to study1 he passed by ,sis in ,upper ,cilicia4 ,there1 in a cave1 dwelt forty ,christian monks1 who had a great reputation for sanctity1 but in reality were mere jugglers4 ,on the approach of ,jelal's caravan to the cave1 the monks caused a little boy to ascend into the air1 and there remain standing between heaven and earth4 ,jelal noticed this exhibition1 and fell into a reverie4 ,hereupon1 the child began to weep and wail1 saying that the man in the reverie was frightening him4 ,the monks told him not to be afraid1 but to come down4 8,oh60 cried the child1 8,i am as though nailed here1 unable to move hand or foot40 ,the monks became alarmed4 ,they flocked around ,jelal1 and begged him to release the child4 ,after a time1 he seemed to hear and understand them4 ,his answer was3 8,only through the acceptance of ,islam#ha by yourselves1 all of you1 as well as by the child1 can he be saved40 ,in the end they all embraced ,islam1 and wished to follow ,jelal as his disciples1 but he recommended them to remain in their cave1 as before1 to cease from practising jugglery1 and to serve ,god in the spirit and in truth4 ,so he proceeded on his journey4 ,to prove that man lives through ,god's will alone1 and not by blood1 ,jelal one day1 in the presence of a crowd of physicians and philosophers1 had the veins of both his arms opened and allowed them to bleed until they ceased to flow4 ,he then ordered incisions to be made in various parts of his body2 but not one drop of moisture was anywhere obtainable4 ,he now went to a hot bath1 washed1 performed an ablution1 and then commenced the exercise of the sacred dance4 7,to be continued47 ,,the ,,hermetic ,,philosophy4 ,continued from ,june ,number4 ,the inscription said to have been found on the ,smaragdine ,tablet and to which reference was made in a former article1 and which ,dr4 ,everard refers to as containing the 8,elixir of the philosophers10 is further explained by the author of ,isis1 where it is also said 8,it is for the ,hermetic student to watch its motions1 to catch its subtile currents1 to guide and direct them with the help of the ,athanor1 the ,archimedean lever of the ,alchemist40#hb ,it is further stated in plain words that this mysterious agent 8is the universal magical agent1 the astral light1 which in the correlation of its forces furnishes the ,alkahest1 the philosophers' stone1 and the elixir of life40#hc ,now one great advantage to the student who follows carefully these hints is1 that he soon discovers certain basic principles which reach far and wide1 and in ,hermetic language enable him to ascend from ,earth to ,heaven1 and descend from ,heaven to ,earth1 not in a vague1 fanciful way1 but as applicable to physical phenomena as to philosophical synthesis4 ,these basic principles are not hypothesis1 they are the first principles of ,nature1 as manifested in the phenomenal universe1 a thread or clue to the labyrinth of phenomena4 ,there is a vast difference between modern and ancient science in regard to the ,ether3 ,the former hypothecates it to bridge a gap in phenomena and at once1 as if ashamed of its weakness1 turns its back upon it4 ,not so our ancient ,hermetic brethren4 ,modern speculation regarding a fourth dimension of space apprehends the necessity for something beyond the old conception1 as does physical science4 ,and yet the latter reaches no solid ground1 though the problem lies in the rubbish derived from analytical science1 and the necessity which has compelled it to pay tribute4 ,there is a logical1 uniform1 invariable antithesis in all manifested nature1 which at once suggests the unmanifested4 ,sometimes the change of a letter or an accent in a word or its division into syllables produces wonderful results1 e4 g41 atonement1 at-one-ment4 ,so here in the phenomenal universe1 nothing and no-thing are not synonymous4 ,to say that the ether fills all space1 penetrates the densest matter1 and gives rise by emanation to the whole phenomenal universe1 and yet that it is nothing is nonsense1 but that it is no-thing is perfectly true4 ,the ether is to the phenomenal universe what the #j is to the mathematician1 nothing in itself and yet from association1 implication or involution1 it enters into every form and quantity4 ,oken has shown#hd that there are really two zeros1 or that zero exists as #j and #j-1 and even here begins the science of symbolism in the ancient ,mathesis4 ,it is in this shoreless ocean of ether that suns and solar systems are suspended4 ,it is the alkahest or universal solvent from which all forms and qualities of matter and life proceeds1 and into which they return4 ,it is luminous1 and yet the abode of darkness1 the ,unmoved ,mover of ,plato4 ,take now the three dimensions of space1 and we find the idea of length1 breadth and thickness are associated with objects4 ,where there is no object upon which the eye can rest1 we have then no length1 no breadth1 no thickness1 i4 e41 ,ether1 the antithesis of objective forms in which occur all phenomena4 ,this ether is called the ,mirror of ,isis1 because in it are impressed or mirrored all forms4 ,when these forms are clothed upon then occurs1 first1 a positing2 second1 motion2 third1 the 8picture0 in the ether is involved and the outer material shape evolved4 ,nay1 there is no first1 second1 third about it1 for all occurs coincidently4 ,the last analysis of physics is matter1 force and motion2 and these three1 inseparable on the physical visual plane1 resolve back into the ocean of ether1 which contains them all potentially1 and which sends them out as an indissoluble trinity4 ,compared with matter then1 the ether is transcendental1 and yet we cannot say it is nothing1 as has already been pointed out4 ,now all life1 all matter1 all forms1 are in their essence cyclic4 ,this is readily seen in the colloidal forms incident to organic life1 but even in crystalline forms1 though often overlooked1 it is none the less apparent4 ,in relation to objective manifestation1 preserving the idea of cyclic form1 the ether is spoken of as the center which is everywhere1 and the circumference which is nowhere4 ,proceeding now with the idea of center and circumference 7as yet only an idea7 let us imagine a globule of protoplasm to spring instantly into visual existence4 ,the act of positing was geometrical1 i4 e41 8position without extension40 ,let this positing represent force1 and extension represent matter1 typically1 7in all directions7 but this tension and extension begets motion1 all together2 creation1 from the hitherto 8without form and void0 i4 e41 the ether4 ,what was the immediate coefficient of the positing8 a picture1 a ,divine idea1 an essential form1 projected in the ether4 ,this idea is now being clothed upon1 or involved in matter1 and coincidently the outer material shape and structure is being evolved4 ,here is an equation being solved1 and from this on1 it is easy to trace what occurs even under a good microscope4 ,we are1 however1 interested in principles rather than processes1 therefore we will preserve our typical sphere with its center and circumference4 ,we shall presently come back to the ,smaragdine inscription1 and then be able to see what a revelation it contains1 and what a magical key it affords to unlock the doors of knowledge4 ,b4 ,to be continued4 ,,living ,,the ,,higher ,,life4 8,i have no desire for any other line of life2 but by the time ,i had awakened to a knowledge of this life1 ,i found myself involved by circumstances against which ,i do not rebel1 but out of and through which1 ,i am determined to work1 neglecting no known duty to others40--,letter from a ,friend4 ,the 8,dweller of the ,threshold0 which stares even advanced occultists in the face and often threatens to overwhelm them1 and the ordeals of ,chelaship or of probation for ,chelaship1 differ from each other only in degree4 ,it may not be unprofitable to analyze this ,dweller and those ordeals4 ,for our present purpose1 it is enough to state1 that they are of a triune nature and depend upon these three relations3 7#a7 ,to our nationality2 7#b7 to our family2 and 7#c7 to ourselves4 ,and every one of these three relations is due to the assertion of a portion of our own past ,karma1 that is to say1 to its effects4 ,why should we be born in a particular nation and in a particular family8 ,because of the effect of a particular set of our ,karmic attractions1 which assert themselves in that manner4 ,i mean that one set of our past ,karmas exhaust themselves in throwing us in our present incarnation amidst a particular nation1 another set introducing us into a particular family2 and a third set serving to differentiate or individualize us from all the other members of the nation or of the family4 ,one of our ,eastern proverbs says3 8the five children of a family differ like the five fingers of a hand40 ,unless we look at this difference from this standpoint1 it must always appear to us a riddle1 a problem too difficult to solve1 a mystery1 in short1 why children born of one family1 while they have some traits common to all1 should still appear to differ vastly from one another4 ,what applies to the family applies also to the nation1 of which families are but units2 and also to mankind as a whole1 of whom nations are but families or units4 ,the only way to decide the great question of the age1 whether the laws of nature are blind and material1 or spiritual1 intelligent and divine1 is1 it seems to me1 to point out in connection with every subject1 the absolutely intelligent and divine manner in which these laws act1 and how they force us to realize the economy of nature4 ,this is the only way by which we could become spiritual2 and ,i would1 once for all1 call upon my co-workers for the cause1 to realize at every step of their study1 as far as possible1 the ,divine ,intelligence thus manifesting itself4 ,otherwise1 how much soever you might believe or take it for granted1 that the forces that govern the universe are spiritual1 the belief1 however deep rooted it might appear1 would be of little use to you when you have to pass through the ordeals of ,chelaship2 and then you are sure to succumb and exclaim that the 8,law is blind1 unjust and cruel10 especially when your selfishness and personality overwhelm you4 ,when once a practical occultist and a learned philosopher met with1 what seemed to him a 8serious calamity and trial10 in spite of himself he exclaimed to me frankly2 8the law of ,karma is surely blind1 there is no ,god2 what better proofs are needed80 ,so deep-rooted in human nature is infidelity and selfishness2 no one need therefore to be sure of his own spiritual nature4 ,no amount of lip learning will avail us in the hour of need4 ,we have to study the law in all its aspects and assimilate to our highest consciousness1--that which is called by ,du ,prel super sensuous consciousness--all the data which go to prove and convince us that the ,power is spiritual4 ,look around and see whether any two persons are absolutely identical1 even for a time4 ,how intelligent must be the power that ever strives to keep each and every one of us totally different on the whole1 while1 if analyzed1 we possess some traits in common1 even with the ,negro1 with whom we are remotely allied4 ,in this connection ,i shall refer you to a passage in the article on 8,chelas and ,lay ,chelas0 7vide column #a1 page #aa of 8,supplement to the ,theosophist0 for ,july1 #ahhc72--8,the ,chela is not only called to face all latent evil propensities of his nature1 but in addition1 the whole volume of maleficent power accumulated by the community and nation to which he belongs 99 99 until the result is known40 ,i shall only ask you to apply the same principle to your family relations affecting your present incarnation4 ,thus seven things are found to secure us a victory1 or a sad1 inglorious defeat in the mighty struggle known as the ,dweller of the threshold and the ordeals of ,chelaship3--7#a7 ,the evil propensities common to ourselves and to our family2 7#b7 those common to ourself and our nation2 7#c7 those common to ourself and to mankind in general1 or better known as the weakness of human nature1 the fruits of ,adam's first transgression2 7#d to #f7 the noble qualities common to us and to these three2 7#g7 the peculiar way in which the #f sets of our past ,karmas choose or are allowed to influence us now1 or their effects in producing in us the present tendency4 ,the adept alone can take the seventh or last mentioned item completely into his own hands2 and every mortal who would1 as ,i have since recently begun to reiterate1 direct all his energies to the highest plane possible for him 78,desire always to attain the unattainable0--says the author of 8,light on the ,path071--such a mortal too could more or less do the same thing as the adept1 in so far as he acts up to the rule4 ,every ,chela1 and also those who have a desire to be ,chelas even1 as they suppose secretly1 have to do with the first six propensities or influences4 ,the world is inclined--at least in this ,kali ,yuga 7the ,dark ,age7--always to begin at the wrong end of anything and direct all its faculties to the perception of effects and not of their causes4 ,so the ideas of 8renunciation10 8asceticism0 and of the 8true feeling of universal ,brotherhood0 7or 8mercy10 as ,i call it1 in accordance with ,south ,indian ,ethics71 all of which are compatible with ,gnanis1 or the most exalted of ,mahatmas1 all these have come to be recognized by all our ,theosophists1 in general1 as the means of progress for a beginner2 while the real means of progress for us mortals--duties to our own families and to our own nation1 or 8kindness0 and 8patriotism0 in the highest and ethical sense of the terms--are discarded4 ,true1 from the standpoint of a ,jivanmukta1 a true friend of humanity1 these two ,sadhanas are really 8selfishness02 still1 until we attain that exalted state1 these two feelings should be made the ladders for raising ourselves1 the means of not only getting ourselves rid of our family defects and natural idiosyncrasies1 but also of strengthening in ourselves the noble qualities of our families and of our nation4 ,until we reach that ideal slate where the blessed soul has to make neither good nor bad ,karma1 we must strive to be constantly doing 8good0 ,karma1 in order that we might become ,karma-less 7nish ,karmis74 ,let it not be understood at all1 that ,i mean by 8family duties0 and 8national duties10 false attachments to the family or to the nation4 ,family duty consists not in sensuality or pleasure-hunting1 but in cultivating and in elevating the emotional nature 7the fourth principle71 of ourselves and of our family2 in being equally 8kind01 not only to the members of the family1 but also to all creatures1 and in enjoying all such pleasures of the family life as are consistent with the acquirement of 8wealth0 7all the means necessary for the performance of ,dharma or whole duty7 according to the teachings of ,valluvar1 and in utilizing such pleasures and means for the performance of our duty to our nation4 ,patriotism consists similarly in theosophising our own nation1 in not only getting ourselves rid of our national defects1 as well as other members of the nation rid of the same1 but also in strengthening in ourselves and in our nation as a whole1 all the noble qualities which belong to our nation2 in the enjoyment of the privileges#he of the nation and using them as a means for the performance of ,dharma4 ,if family duties are taken due care of1 our duties to the nation and to humanity would1 to a great extent1 take care of themselves unimpeded4 ,our national duties1 if strictly performed1 serve to purify our fifth lower principle of its dross and to establish and develop the better part of it1 while the performance of our duty to ,humanity or the realization of universal tolerance and mercy1 purifies the lower 7human7 stuff in the fifth higher principle and makes it divine1 thus enabling us to free ourselves gradually from the bonds of ignorance common to all human beings4 ,the above assertions1 might1 at first sight1 seem rather bold and untheosophical4 ,but ,i should venture to state my conviction that the whole edifice of ,aryan religions and ,aryan philosophy is based upon these principles1 and that1 on a careful consideration of the subject1 the great importance attached to household life 7,grihasta ashrama7 in that philosophy1 would be fully borne out4 ,to my mind no ascetics1 no teachers of mankind1 however eminent and full of the highest knowledge1 are really such good and practical benefactors of humanity as ,valluvar1 of ancient times1 who incarnated on earth for the express purpose1 among others1 of setting an example of an ideal household life to mortals who were prematurely and madly rushing against the rocks of renunciation1 and of proving the possibility of leading such a life in any age however degenerated2 or as ,rma1 who1 even after having become an avatar-purusha1 came down amidst mortals and lead a household life4 ,it has often been contended that the world has not progressed on the path1 because gnanis1 or ,mahatmas1 have dwindled in their number and greatness1 and because it is ,kali-,yuga1 or the dark age1 now4 ,such arguments are due to our mistaking the effects for their causes4 ,the only way to prepare the way for the advent of a favorable ,yuga and for the increase of the number and greatness of ,mahatmas1 is to establish gradually the conditions for the leading of a true household life4 ,i should unhesitatingly state1 that that is the duty of earnest ,theosophists and real philanthropists4 ,is it not conceded by all philanthropists that unselfish labors for humanity can alone relieve us from the ocean of ,sainsara 7,rebirth71 develop our highest potentialities and help us to alchemise our human weakness8 ,applying the same principle to unselfish discharge of our family and national duties1 my position becomes tenable4 ,a ,mahatma has1 it appears1 declared that ,he has still 8patriotism40 ,but ,he has not said nor would say1 that ,he has still family 8attachments40 ,this proves that ,he has got out of the defects of the family to which ,he belongs1 while ,he is only striving to get out of national defects1 some of which at any rate cling to ,him4 ,a ,buddha would say1 that ,he has 8mercy10 but no 8patriotism40 ,the only effectual way to get out of family defects is to discharge all our duty to our family before leaving it1 as ascetics1 or before we die4 ,blessed is he#hf who1 in each of his incarnations1 then and there1 gets rid of the defects of the family into which he is ushered1 thereby converts those defects in his parents1 brothers and sisters1 into noble qualities1 thus strengthening and developing the good qualities both of himself and of his family1 then strives to be born in the same family again and again1 until he himself becomes a ,buddha and assists his family to become a family fit for a ,buddha to be born into1 while he becomes the cream of all the noble qualities of the family without being tainted with its idiosyncrasies4 ,a ,dugpa 7,black ,magician7 is frequently born in the same family and becomes the cream of all its evil propensities4 ,here again is the operation of the sublime and divinely intelligent law of universal and natural economy asserting itself4 ,this is beautifully allegorized in the story of a ,jivanmukta churning out of the ocean1 the elixir of life and leaving the visha 7the poison1 all the evil propensities7 for the ,dugpas4 ,this is one of the meanings of the allegory4 ,avoiding all personalities and questionable facts1 ,i shall rely solely upon our ,puranas and scriptures to prove that in every family where ,adepts and ,gnanis are 7or choose to be7 frequently born1 often ,dugpas are also born1 as a matter of course4 ,krishna was the greatest of ,gnanis and his uncle ,kausa 7for our present purpose7 was a terrible ,dugpa4 ,the five ,pandavas had a hundred wicked cousins1 the ,kauravas4 ,devas and the whole brood of wicked ,asuras were born of the same parent4 ,vibhishana had for his brother1 ,ravana the prince of ,dugpas2 so had the good ,sugriva a brother like ,vali4 ,prahlada had a monster for his father4 ,take the case of one who has not done all his duty to his family1 before he dies1 or before he takes the vows of renunciation and becomes an ascetic4 ,such ascetics find themselves attracted by the family defects and selfishness of themselves 7which hitherto perhaps lay more or less dormant and now become kindled and awakened by the selfishness of the relatives7 and are disturbed in the performance of the duties of their new order or ,ashrama1 however unselfish their relatives might have been 8unconsciously0 or unintentionally4 ,in spite of themselves these relatives arrest the progress of the ascetics in whom the family defects become thus strengthened and developed4 ,such is the mysterious law of attraction4 ,this man must be born again 7#a7 either in the same family1 with the family defects strengthened1 both in himself and in his family2 7#b7 or in another family4 ,in the first case1 the noble qualities of the family are not strengthened and therefore gradually disappear both from him and from the family4 ,in the second case1 he becomes an undutiful son1 brother or husband1 in his new family1 firstly because of the natural law of repetition1 which1 with the terrible ,karmic interest1 strengthens the tendency in him to disregard duty2 secondly because of the 8counter family attractions0 7or repulsions74 ,let not this unfortunate wanderer from the post of his family duty console himself with the foolish idea that this tendency would confine its havoc to family traits 7good and evil7 and to family duties alone4 ,it would extend itself in all directions1 wherever it can2 it would make him disregard his duties to his nation and to himself 7or in other words1 to humanity74 ,he would suddenly be surprised to find himself apathetic to his nation and to his highest nature1 or to mankind4 ,such are the mazes and unknown ramifications of our evil or good propensities4 ,any evil or noble element of human nature converts itself1 under 8favorable0 conditions into any other element however apparently remote4 ,the conditions are there ready wherever the element is strong2 where there is a will there is a way4 ,performance of family duties therefore develops patriotism and mercy4 ,i do not at all mean to say that the effects of ,karma always assert themselves in the same shape or form2 but they often might and do4 ,nor do ,i mean that the affinities above stated1 blossom and ripen in the incarnation immediately succeeding2 they might develop ten or even one hundred incarnations after2 but in such a case1 the ,karma only accumulates enormous interest4 ,the affinities might not develop at the same time in both him and her1 who was once his wife2 if they did at the same time1 the account could be easily settled1--otherwise1 woe to him and to her6 ,supposing that the attractions for him are developed in her1 while the attachments for her are not developed in him at the same time2 the result might be1 that she pines and languishes for him1 sends her poisonous darts consciously or 8unconsciously0 against him2 if these arrows do not kindle the corresponding nature in him1 for the time being they frustrate his achievements in other directions4 ,supposing by the time the affinities in him are developed1 he becomes an initiate and she becomes1 7let us suppose7 his pupil 7male or female74 ,if at the time the pupil's affinities have become converted into devotion for the initiate1 the latter becomes blinded in his philanthropic work and noble duties of a sage1 and commits1 through the infatuation of a love for the pupil1 serious blunders1 which result in a catastrophe to both of them and to humanity3 and both the pupil and initiate fall down and have to mount their rugged pathway again with increased difficulties in their way4 ,once1 in an age and in a country1 when and where household life continues to be ideal1 one single wretch commits the first act of transgression by impetuously rushing into the circle of ascetics1 or by dying before wholly discharging his duty to his family1 the natural result is that both himself1 his family1 and his nation1 become thereby seriously affected4 ,the ,akasa#hg becomes affected by the impulse to transgress in this direction2 this impulse forces itself gradually 7with accumulated interest1 redoubled force7 upon others2 the ignoble example becomes a precedent2 other cases of a like nature follow in quick succession4 ,in course of time1 7just when a sad descending cycle begins1 such is the divine intelligence of the law that economizes energies and makes things fit it7 the leading of the ideal family life becomes almost impossible and very rare2 the whole community is thus ruined4 ,learned and great adepts retire to other spheres 7where there then is an ascending cycle7 and leave the nation to be swallowed by a cataclysm after ages of degradation and vice4 ,let us now reverse this case1 and suppose that in the most degenerate nation1 in the darkest of cycles1 one philanthropist becomes unselfish and intelligent enough to set a noble and intelligent example by fulfilling all family duties2 then1 as naturally as in the preceding case1 the precedent gradually gains acceptance2 the way is paved for the advent of an ascending cycle2 ,gnanis bless the noble man and come down from other unfavorable spheres1 where descending cycles begin to dawn4 ,now it may be easy to understand why ,chelas and lay ,chelas 7who have not yet thrown off their family defects and thus become the cream of their family's good qualities7 are told to be careful lest they become ,dugpas 7,black ,magicians74 ,i will ask you to apply the same kinds of arguments to the necessity for performing 7and the failure to perform7 our duties to our nation and to mankind4 ,you can see that the phenomena of heresy1 downfall of religions1 rise of new religions1 the birth in ,europe of a ,max ,mller1 who expatiates upon the greatness of the ,vedic philosophy1 and of ,bradlaughs and other infidel sons of ,christian parents--all these are due to the fact 7and also to other causes71 that the individuals concerned had not in some one or other of their past incarnations1 done their duty to the nations 7or religions71 to which they respectively belonged4 ,a study of the times when and in the manner in which the traits of these men are brought into play should be profitable in several ways4 ,extending the analogy1 it may be said that heartlessness1 murder1 cannibalism1 etc41 are due to failure to discharge1 in past incarnations1 one's duty to humanity 7that is to one's self74 ,in conclusion it might be added that the most important element in the 8,dweller of the ,threshold10 and in the ordeals of ,chelaship1 is family defects1 which ought to be first 8conquered20 then in order come national defects and the 8diseases of the flesh0 in general4 ,though all these three have to be got rid of simultaneously as far as possible1 and all the three kinds of duties performed1 still beginners should pay more attention to the first than to the second1 and more to the second than to the third1 and none of these neglected4 ,in those happy ,aryan ages1 when ,dharma was known and performed fully1 those men and women who did not marry1 remained in the family for performing their family duties and led a strictly ascetical and ,vedantic life as ,brahmacharis and ,kannikas 7or virgins74 ,those alone married1 who were in every way qualified for leading a grihasta 7household7 life4 ,marriage was in those days a sacred and religious contract1 and not at all a means of gratifying selfish desires and animal passions4 ,these marriages were of two kinds3 7#a7 ,those who married for the express purpose of assisting each other 7husband and wife7 in their determination to lead a higher life1 in fulfilling their family duties1 in enjoying all pleasures enjoined for such a life and thereby acquiring the means for attaining the qualifications for higher ashrama of renunciation 7,sannysa71 and1 above all1 for giving the world the benefit of children1 who would become gnanis and work for humanity4 ,such a husband and wife might be regarded as not having in their previous incarnations been able enough to become ripe for ,chelaship4 7#b7 ,those who had1 in their past incarnations already fitted themselves completely for entering the sanctuary of ,occultism and gnana marga 7path of wisdom74 ,one of them1 the ,pati 7the master or 8husband07 was the ,guru who had advanced far higher than his ,patni 7co-worker or pupil or 8wife074 ,as soon as the alliance between them was made1 these retired into the forest to lead the life of celibacy and practical ,occultism4 ,but1 before so retiring1 they had invariably promised to their parents and other members of their family to assist and elevate them even from a distance and offered to periodically adjust#hh the inner life of all the relatives4 ,i quote the language generally used in making such promises3--8,whenever mother1 father1 sister and brothers1 any of you think of me in your hour of need1 wherever or whatever ,i may be1 ,i solemnly promise to lend you a helping hand40 ,,murdhna ,,joti4 ,to be continued4 ,,studies ,,in ,,the ,,upanishads4 ,,by ,a ,,student4 ,continued from ,may number4 ,longfellow1 in the lines last quoted1 symbolized the ,universe by an immeasurable wheel forever turning in the stream of time4 ,allowing for the western habit of studying effects and not causes1 this is a fair simile4 ,yet it is faulty in that it presupposes two co-existing eternities2 the wheel of the ,universe1 and the stream in which it turns4 ,there can be but one eternity4 ,saunaka asks in this ,upanishad a natural question1 propounded by nearly every thinking man1 especially by students of occultism who are continually seeking a royal road to the accomplishment of their objects4 ,he wishes to be told what may be the great solvent of all knowledge4 ,the reply of ,angiras points out two great roads1 which include all the others4 ,the lower road is the one of hard work for countless births1 during which we acquire knowledge slowly in all directions1 and1 of course1 when that is possessed1 one rises to the higher road4 ,this is the true initiation1 nature1 so to speak1 acting as the initiator4 ,in replying to ,saunaka1 ,angiras did not mean to be understood1 that a man could in one birth pass over the lower road1 but that the progress of a human monad toward perfection proceeded in a certain fixed manner which included all experiences4 ,of course if we say that we appear on the earth once only1 and then disappear from it1 to the place called by the spiritualists of ,america1 8the summer land10 and by the christian1 8heaven10 there is no need for one to acquire the lower knowledge1 for that might be obtained in the life after death4 ,but we regard it as true that the spirit1 in order to acquire complete knowledge1 must inhabit a human form1 and one term of tenancy in such a form will not be enough for the testing of the countless varieties of life1 of temptation1 of triumph1 failure and success4 ,the sage ,angiras in this ,upanishad looks at man from the standpoint of one who can see the great stream of life which flows through the eternal plain1 and therefore he could not have meant to apply his words to one incarnation1 but to the whole series through which man has to pass until he reaches 8immortal1 blest nirvana40 ,in the journey along this road we will encounter great differences in the powers of our fellow travellers4 ,some go haltingly and others quickly2 some with eyes bent on the ground1 a few with gaze fixed on the great goal4 ,those who halt or look down will not reach the end1 because they refuse to take the assistance to be found in the constant aspiration to the light4 ,but we are not to blame them3 they have not yet been often enough initiated to understand their error4 ,nature is kind and will wait for them much longer than their human fellows would if they were permitted to be their judges4 ,this ought to give us a lesson in charity1 in universal brotherhood4 ,very often we meet those who show an utter inability to appreciate some spiritual ideas which we quite understand4 ,it is because they have not1 so far1 been able to transmute into a part of themselves1 that which we have been so fortunate as to become possessed of1 and so they seem devoted to things that to us appear to be of small value4 ,the ,bagavad-,gita says that there is no detriment or loss to one's efforts in any direction1 be it good or bad2 that is1 in going through these countless incarnations1 all inquiry1 every sort of investigation1 no matter even if it seems at the close of any one life that the life was wasted1 is so much energy and experience stored up4 ,for although1 in the course of one existence1 physical energy is expended1 there is1 all the while1 a storing up of spiritual energy which is again a power in the next succeeding life4 ,in consequence of the modern1 western system of education1 we are apt constantly to forget the existence of the great force and value belonging to our super-sensuous consciousness4 ,that consciousness is the great register where we record the real results of our various earthly experiences2 in it we store up the spiritual energy1 and once stored there1 it becomes immortal1 our own eternal possession4 ,the question then will be asked3 8,how is one to store up such spiritual energy3 do we do it unconsciously1 and how are we to know that any has been stored up80 ,it is to be done by trying to know and to act truth2 by 8living in the eternal10 as ,light on the ,path directs4 ,to live thus in the eternal1 does not mean that we shall abandon the cares and struggles of life1 for so surely as we do we must suffer1 but that we should try to make the real self direct its aspirations ever to the eternal truth4 ,this series of births is absolutely necessary1 so that the 8lower knowledge0 can be acquired2 and just so long as we do not acquire that1 we must be reborn4 ,here and there will occur exceptions to this rule1 in those great souls who1 with 8an astonishing violence10 leap beyond and over all barriers1 and by getting the higher knowledge1 become at the same time1 possessors of the lower knowledge also4 ,in the ,chaldean ,oracles such souls are thus described3 8,more robust souls perceive truth through themselves1 and are of a more inventive nature10 and by ,proklus in ,i ,alkibiad3 8such a soul being saved1 according to the oracle1 through its own strength40 ,but even this rapid progress must be regarded as comparative1 for even these 8robust souls10 had to go through certain incarnations in which they were accumulating to themselves that very strength and ability to outstrip their fellows which1 later on1 placed them in the front rank4 ,in consequence of our ignorance of what we really are1 not knowing at the time we begin the struggle in this present life whether the real man inside has passed through incarnations full of this necessary experience or not1 we must not1 because of the fancied importance we give ourselves1 neglect the lower knowledge4 ,there are many pitfalls besetting the road4 ,perchance we feel a certain degree of illumination1 or we are able to see or hear in the astral world1 and at once the temptation presents itself to claim to ourselves a spiritual greatness not our own4 ,the possession of such astral acuteness is not high spirituality per se1 for one might be able1 as ,buddha declares in the ,saddharma-,pundarika1 to smell the extraordinary odors arising in ten points of space which are not perceived by ordinary people1 or to hear the innumerable and strange voices1 sounds1 bells1 discords and harmonies produced by the whole host of unknown and unseen spirits of the earth1 air1 water and fire1 and still be altogether devoid of spirituality4 ,if we let ourselves then1 be carried away by this1 it is only a form of pride that precedes a severe fall4 ,being carried away with it1 is at once a proof that we are not master1 but are mastered by what is merely a novel experience4 ,but if we wisely and carefully test all experience1 being willing to descend low enough to learn and study so that the instrument may be tuned and perfected1 we may avoid the pitfalls1 or be able to cross them should they be inevitable1 whereas if we are deluded by supposed self-illumination1 and run after that to the exclusion of all study1 we will perhaps1 enjoy a period of excitement and of self-satisfaction1 but it will end1 and the end will be bitter4 ,as ,buddha says3 8,he who ignores the rotation of mundane existences1 has no perception of blessed rest40 ,the very fact that a man is in the world and has a continual fight with his passions and inclinations1 proves that he is not yet in any condition to leave it4 ,and of even the very far advanced1 it was said by those who were near the time of the ,upanishads3 8,the disciple who by his discrimination has escaped from the triple world1 thinks he has reached pure1 blessed nirvana2 but it is only by knowing all the laws of the lower world1 and the universal laws as well1 that the immortal1 pure1 blest nirvana is reached4 ,there is no real nirvana without all-knowingness2 try to reach this40 ,,correspondence4 ,,london1 ,june #ag1 #ahhf4 ,as ,no4 #e of 8,the ,biogen ,series10 ,professor ,coues has reprinted ,robert ,dodsley's 8conomy of ,human ,life10 which he considers is based on ,theosophical ,ethics4 ,the history of this little treatise is rather curious4 ,it was originally published in #agej and purported to be by a ,brahmin1 but the authorship was generally ascribed to ,lord ,chesterfield4 ,the great celebrity which the book at one time attained1 was mainly due to this mistaken opinion4 ,dodsley1 however1 did not long persist in his disguise4 ,it went through numerous editions1 found many imitators1 and has been translated into ,french1 ,italian1 ,german and ,bengali4 ,the moral maxims contained in this little volume are of a character to admit of their attribution to ,lord ,chesterfield4 ,their claim to an especial ,eastern origin receives a striking comment from the way in which the law of retribution1 the nature of the soul1 the eternal paradise of ,god1 and other similar topics are regarded4 ,in the treatment of these subjects1 the author follows the theology of the ,christian church rather than ,brahmanical philosophy4 ,the association of the name ,kuthumi with the book1 so perplexing to understand1 is not a biographical fact1 as ,prof4 ,coues explains in his 8fore-word07p4 #aj74 ,it only remains to state clearly what is implied in the fore-word that the ,theosophical ,society has no special code of morals1 ready made and rigorously defined1 for the acceptance of its members on admission4 ,prof4 ,coues is deserving of praise for rescuing from oblivion a book1 in many ways calculated to do good4 ,fraternally1 ,,mohini ,m4 ,,chatterji4 ,,reviews ,,and ,,notes4 ,,the ,,biogen ,,series 7,estes ,lauriat1 ,boston1 ,mass474 ,this series of publications is under the editorial management of ,prof4 ,coues1 the well known ,scientist and ,theosophist4 ,the series has just reached its fifth number 8,kuthumi1 or the ,economy of ,human ,life40 ,this is a reprint of a little volume1 originally issued in #aggj1 but under the classical pen of ,prof4 ,coues who has added an introduction1 and the faultless typography of ,estes ,lauriat1 the little book is a very different affair from the earlier edition4 ,number four of the series which is also only just out of press1 bears the significant title1 8,can ,matter ,think10 and is reprint of an article which was written in ,india and published some years ago in ,the ,theosophist4 ,by no means the least important part of these publications are the notes and editorial comments of ,prof ,coues4 ,number four of the series has both an introduction and an appendix from the ,professor's pen4 ,to give these publications such extended notice as they deserve would occupy more space and time than is at our command1 while the exceedingly readable form and low price at which they are issued1 renders such review unnecessary1 as they are within reach of all4 ,these little books are in short1 classics1 and as such1 substantial additions to the literature of the age1 while their bearing on the great problems of ,theosophy1 can hardly be over estimated4 ,prof4 ,coues' familiarity with the whole field of modern research1 his exactness1 which comes from scientific training1 his remarkable command of first-class ,english1 and his insight into the complex problems of psychology1 place these books in the forefront of ,theosophic literature1 and we cordially commend them to our readers4 ,j4,d4 ,,buck4 ,,the ,,sanscrit ,,language4 ,several letters have been written and inquiries propounded to the ,editor regarding ,sanscrit1 and in one or two instances the assertion has been made that we were incorrect in saying that ,sanscrit is not really a dead language4 ,in reply to those asking about the language1 we refer them to ,perry's ,sanscrit ,primer 7,ginn ,co41 ,boston71 ,lanman's ,sanscrit ,reader and ,whitney's ,sanscrit ,grammar4 ,to the others1 we quote from ,perry's ,primer1 #ba1 p4 #g3 8,the ,sanscrit is used in ,india to this day very much as ,latin was used in ,europe in the previous century2 it is a common medium of communication between the learned1 be their native tongues what they may1 and it is not the vernacular of any district whatever40 ,and in ,india1 the ,editor was told by many ,brahmins that it is in constant use in all religious convocations and assemblies convened among people of learning who come from widely separated parts of ,hindustan4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,thoughts4--,by ,ivan ,panin1 7,cupples1 ,upham ,co41 ,boston47 ,the author says that he does not know why he writes1 but the thoughts jotted down are put forth as his own4 ,many of them are good and worth remembering4 ,the book is of size convenient for the pocket1 and well bound2 the thoughts are topically arranged and numbered consecutively from #a to #dce2 the first is1 that to be never unhappy is the greatest misfortune2 and the last1 that next to the pleasure of seeing beautiful things1 is to describe them4 ,the best one is ,no4 #bje1 that nature preaches many a fine sermon on silence1 as3 the loud thunder hurts not1 but the silent lightning2 silent gravity binds all worlds together2 silent snow covers the ground1 but noisy rain makes puddles and then runs away4 ,another good one is ,no4 #ahh3 8,always indeed1 tell the truth1 but do not always speak it20 also ,no4 #hj3 8,abhor his vice1 but not the man2 for he is like thee a son of ,god40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,spirit ,,of ,,the ,,new ,,testament4--,by a woman4 7,rockwell ,churchill1 ,boston1 #ahhe47 ,we are informed that the author is a ,theosophist and wrote this before joining the ,society4 ,it is divided into #c parts4 ,i1 ,relates to ,jesus2 ,,ii1 ,the ,warfare of the ,truth2 ,,iii1 ,the ,letters and ,evidences4 ,she adheres to the idea of the immaculate conception1 while not advocating the theological dogma of the ,divinity2 this seems to us not to follow4 ,we cannot help pointing out that ,jesus1 the subject of this book1 apparently violated filial duty when he refused to recognize his mother at the time he was told that she waited without4 ,also on page #aj1 the author surmizes that 8probably not more than a score of children perished0 by the order of ,king ,herod4 ,there is no historical record of the 8slaughter of the ,innocents10 but it is important and ought not to be lightly passed over4 ,a similar legend is told regarding ,krishna1 the ,hindu incarnation1 thousands of years before ,jesus1 for ,king ,kausa his uncle1 ordered the slaughter of all the male infants in his kingdom1 but ,krishna escaped to another city under the protection of the great ,god1 7see the ,mahabarata74 ,again ,gaffarel and others say1 that really it referred to the persecution of the ,kabalists and wise men of ,herod's day1 for they were called 8innocents0 and 8babes40 ,now this tale has an occult signification1 in common with the incident of ,jesus refusing to recognize his mother4 ,the book is an excellent one1 and if christendom held the same views1 the millenium would advance4 ,the author thinks that the spirit of the work and words of ,jesus1 if lived up to by his followers1 would raise the western world to a higher plane1 and in that we agree with her4 ,but we cannot agree that ,jesus came to the whole world1 or that ,st4 ,john's revelation is for humanity4 ,both of them were only speaking to the races they were born in1 revealing again a part of the knowledge and doctrine which anciently prevailed among all peoples1 and which1 even in their own day1 were fully known in the farther ,east4 ,each time and people has its own prophet and sacred book1 but it does not follow1 if the last be the best for the people to whom it is revealed1 that therefore it is the best of all4 ,at the beginning of each ,manvantara 7the remanifestation of a world and man upon it71 a planetary spirit appears among men1 and implants the great ideas afterwards held intuitionally4 ,they are projected with a spiritual force and power that carries them through all the ages of that manvantara1 now appearing and again apparently lost to sight4 ,the original impulse every now and then1 receives additions1 through beings of a lower illumination than those who started them1 as3 ,jesus1 ,buddha1 ,confucius and others1 who appear in intermediate periods4 ,similarly1 great events1 such as the occurrences related as anterior to ,krishna's1 ,buddha's and ,jesus' birth1 as well as the slaughter of the innocents and the death of ,osiris1 have an inherent spiritual force1 wherever they really took place1 that carries them down the stream of time and causes them to reappear among all peoples as a part of the biographies of different sacred personages4 ,this author has our approval1 though worth but little1 for she shows a keen insight4 ,witness on p4 #eag3 8,believe not those who exalt woman above man1 for they are equal powers4 ,the use of the feminine pronoun in describing the soul1 the earth1 the moon 99 99 has no profound scientific or philosophical foundation4 8,believe not those who claim to give final wisdom to the world2 for there must be many instruments of truth40 ,and on p4 #eai3 8,sufficient guides are in that development of seership which is the necessary and natural sequence of the ripening of the intellect and moral sense1 and which must and will grow4 ,to man's own conscience and judgment is left the supreme utilization of these first universal efforts at intercommunion between the material and spiritual planes of existence40 ,we regret that our limited space prohibits a more extended notice4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,sinnett4--,mr4 ,a4 ,p4 ,sinnett of ,london1 author of ,esoteric ,buddhism1 has just brought out a new novel of a theosophical cast4 ,we have not received a copy as there has not been time1 but hope to notice it in the ,august number4 ,its title is 8,union04 ,,theosophical ,,activities4 ,,the ,,american ,,board ,,of ,,control--will meet in ,rochester ,july #dth4 ,this will be an important meeting1 being the first one since the new era of ,american ,theosophical ,activity4 ,it is hoped that each year hereafter will see conventions of the ,society when each ,branch will be represented by a delegate4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,joshee4--,bro4 ,gopal ,vinayak ,joshee was in ,boston ,may #bhth1 at the annual meeting of the ,free ,religion ,association1 and delivered an address before them upon 8,what is lacking in ,christianity10 which was reported in ,the ,index1 of ,june #ajth1 ult4 ,it deserves perusal1 and must have seemed to its hearers like plain speaking4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,alabama4--,a new ,branch of the society is being organized here1 the provisional charter having been issued4 ,we hope also soon to hear of another in ,texas1 where a good ,theosophist has settled4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,malden4--,the theosophists here are in earnest and active4 ,they have heartily adopted the suggestion of the ,new ,york ,branch about discussions in condensed form being printed for circulation among members4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,cincinnati4--,this ,branch has been hard at work1 and has had the benefit of several addresses and thorough explanations of hermetic doctrines from a well known and well versed theosophist4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,abridgements ,,of ,,discussions4--,the discussions and study of every member of the ,society and of each ,branch should not be kept exclusively to themselves1 except when they may relate to necessarily secret matter1 but ought to be made known in some way to all other members4 ,to that end1 the ,n4 ,y4 ,branch has issued the first of a series of leaflets for private circulation1 containing abstracts of these discussions4 ,they contain the ideas of many different people upon the subjects of ,karma1 ,reincarnation1 and other doctrines of ,hinduism1 ,buddhism and ,christianity4 ,all branches ought to contribute notes to this work1 so that the leaflets may appeal to as many minds in the society as possible4 ,if a central editor could be hit upon that would also be a good idea4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,aryan ,,theosophical ,,society ,,of ,,new ,,york4--,regular meetings have been held each week1 since our last issue1 two during this month being open ones1 at which addresses were delivered and discussions had4 ,on the #hth ult41 the subject was that of evolution as laid down in theosophical literature1 and at one meeting1 the lecture was illustrated by reference to a famous carved temple roof in ,india1 the blackboard being used for rough outlines of the design4 ,during the last month1 the following books have been donated to the library of the ,branch1 by ,bro4 ,edson ,d4 ,hammond3 ,ancient ,mysteries ,described 7,hone1 #ahbc72 ,the ,obelisk and ,freemasonry 7,weisse1 #ahhj72 ,psychological ,review 7,london71 #ab ,nos4 #ahhb2 #b of #ahhc1 when ,review stopped4 ,the library has now increased to over #abe vols4 and has been considerably used by the members4 99 99 99 99 99 ,that subtle self is to be known by thought alone2 for every thought of men is interwoven with the senses1 and when thought is purified1 then the self arises4--,mundaka ,upanishad4 ,,om4 ,,footnotes3 #fh ,in the ancient ,aztec civilization in ,mexico1 the ,sacerdotal order was very numerous4 ,at the head of the whole establishment were two high priests1 elected from the order1 solely for their qualifications1 as shown by their previous conduct in a subordinate station4 ,they were equal in dignity and inferior only to the sovereign1 who rarely acted without their advice in weighty matters of private concern4 7,sahagun ,hist4 de ,nueva ,espaa1 lib4 #b2 lib4 #c cap4 #i--,torq4 ,mon4 ,ind4 lib4 #h cap4 #bj2 lib4 #i1 cap4 #c1 #ef2 cited by ,prescott in vol4 #a1 ,conq4 ,mex4 p4 #ff74--;,,ed4 #fi ,king or ,ruler4 #gj ,a low caste man1 e4 g41 a sweeper4 ,such a building can now be seen at ,bijapur1 ,india4--,,ed4 #ga ,an obsessing astral shell4 ,the ,hindus consider them to be the reliqu of deceased persons4--,,ed4 #gb ,nature spirit or elemental4--,,ed4 #gc ,this sentence is of great importance4 ,the ,occidental mind delights much more in effects1 personalities and authority1 than in seeking for causes1 just as many ,theosophists have with persistency sought to know when and where ,madame ,blavatsky did some feat in magic1 rather than in looking for causes or laws governing the production of phenomena4 ,in this italicized sentence is the clue to many things1 for those who can see4--,,ed4 #gd ,masonic ,review1 ,july1 #ahhe4 #ge ,the ,cabbalah1 its ,doctrine1 ,development and ,literature4 #gf ,farhad was the youthful lover of ,shirin4 #gg ,her refers to the candle4 ,the moth is the lover and the candle the beloved4 #gh ,see note above4 #gi ,mulla is the ,persian form of the ,arabic ,maulawi1 8a learned man10 8a scholar40 #hj ,khudawand is a ,persian word signifying 8lord10 8prince10 8master40 ,a professor3 a man of authority4 ,it is used as a title of the ,deity and by ,christian missionaries in ,india it is generally employed as a translation of the ,greek ,kyrios1 8,lord40 7,hughes' ,dic47 #ha ,islam means the resigning or devoting one's self entirely to ,god1 and his service4 #hb ,isis ,unveiled1 p4 #ejg1 vol ,i4 #hc ,ibid4 #hd ,physio-philosophy4 #he ,i use this word 8privilege0 in its ethical sense2 privileges are to the patriot what the 8pleasures0 are to the family life4 #hf ,this is the man to be in the family and not of the family like the water on the lotus leaf1 making only the good traits of the family the seat of his higher self4 #hg ,the ,ether1 the ,astral ,light4--,,ed4 #hh ,i use the word in the peculiar sense which ,i have already attached to it4 ,,aum ,in the beginning this was ,self alone--undeveloped4 ,it became developed by form and name4 ,the ,self entered thither to the very tips of the finger nails1 as the fire in the fireplace4 ,he cannot be seen3 for1 in part only1 when breathing1 he is breath by name2 when seeing1 eye by name2 when hearing1 ear2 when thinking1 mind1 by name4 ,all these are but the names of his acts4 ,and he who regards him as the one or the other1 does not know him1 for he is apart from them4 ,let men worship him as the ,self1 for in the ,self1 all these are one4 ,this ,self is the footstep of everything1 for through it one knows everything1 and as one can find again by footsteps what was lost1 thus he who knows this may find the ,self4--,brihadaranyaka-,upanishad1 #a ,adh41 #d ,brah41 #g v4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,august1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #e4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,,star ,,colors ,,and ,,animal ,,magnetism4 ,it is well known that yellow is the complementary of blue1 and red of green1 color1 and it struck me that1 relating to this subject1 the remarks of ,mr4 ,isaac ,sharpless1 who is an undoubted authority in astronomical matters1 are of some importance4 ,writing from ,haverford ,college ,observatory1 ,june #c;d1 instant1 he says3 8,the question of star colors has been receiving attention from the hand of an ,english gentleman1 ,w4 ,s4 ,franks4 ,he has examined carefully the colors of a list of #ahic of the brightest stars1 with especial reference to the distribution in the heavens of the different colors4 ,he finds #ifb white stars1 #fad yellow1 #afh orange1 #aj red1 #ae green1 #ei blue1 #eh purple and #g1 for some reason1 have no colors given4 ,he finds that the constellations which contain a large percentage of white stars are in or near the ,milky ,way1 and wherever stars are closely associated together2 while the yellow and orange stars are most plentiful in large straggling constellations4 8,it is well known that a certain kind of spectrum is connected with certain star colors4 ,the yellow stars belong to the class of our sun and include such bright stars as ,capella4 ,the white stars1 like ,vega1 have a spectrum of a great number of fine lines1 and the red gives a banded spectrum4 ,it has been a favorite theory that the colors indicate the age of the stars1 if not in years1 at least in development4 ,that the white are the youngest3 as they cool they become yellow1 then red1 and1 finally invisible1 just as a piece of iron would in cooling down from a white heat4 ,there is much to commend this idea1 though1 of course1 as to the relative ages of the stars we know very little1 and some changes appear to be in the opposite direction4 ,perhaps there are people to whom the idea of different colors in stars is a novelty4 ,they have a general idea that there are bright points of light overhead1 at night1 and probably they have observed1 in a general way1 that some are brighter than others4 ,it will not require a very close watch1 however1 to add to the knowledge of the sky the additional fact that they are differently colored4 ,castor and ,pollux which now shine in the west in the evening1 are very evidently diverse1 and a careful amateur can go over the heavens and notice among the brighter stars quite a variety4 8,but a telescope increases the capacities for this work immensely4 ,nearly all the very red stars are too faint to be seen by the naked eye1 and many which show the strongest contrasts of color are double stars1 which require considerable magnifying power to separate them4 ,blue and green stars are never solitary1 but associated with a red or a yellow star1 which is nearly always brighter1 so that color has something to do with association4 ,there are also sometimes clusters of stars which show great variety of color4 ,sir ,john ,herschel describes one in the ,southern ,hemisphere which resembled a mass of colored gems4 ,there is probably a prolific field of discovery yet undeveloped in connection with star colors40 ,the experiments of ,reichenbach and others have shown that from crystals and human bodies emanate not only influences of a positive and negative character--which are also referred to in the ,,path at p4 #hf--;but also that certain colors are seen by sensitives to arise from the human head1 eyes1 and hands4 ,now1 as animal magnetism is slowly forcing recognition from the scientific world1 why are we not justified in giving some credence to the views held by the old ,hermetic philosophers1 that the human being derives its magnetism and vitality from the stars3 that is1 that these colors seen by sensitives1 are to be directly traced to the sidereal influences and atmospheres4 ,they gave to each color an appropriate star1 and we find curiously enough1 that although it is claimed against them that they were ignorant and had no appliances1 they1 without apparatus1 knew that the stars had colors1 while to the sun they ascribed life4 ,now in this century our astronomers tell us1 as above1 of star colors of great variety and peculiar combination4 ,these are mere hints1 however1 which ,i would like more competent men to enlarge upon4 ,,isaac ,,myer4 ,,note4--,we are personally acquainted with several persons who can see these magnetic colors1 and they all agree in the main as to the conditions of health or of temper which accompany them4 ,mere quick thoughts they see as bright sparks2 sensuality seems pink or reddish2 while life and wisdom1 appear as blue4 ,it is interesting to note also1 that in the ,hindu system1 when ,krishna is represented as the life giver1 or as the principle of life1 he is painted blue1 which color ,reichenbach found proceeded from the positive pole2 while the passive mendicant or ascetic of ,hindustan1 has to wear the yellow robe1 which stands for the negative pole that emits the yellow ray4 ,it is also rather curious that the ancient ,egyptians in their papyri painted wisdom1 which is cold1 of a yellow color1 and the son of life appears in blue4--,,ed4 ,a ,,hindu ,,chela',s ,,diary4#hi 7,continued from ,july ,number47 8,i have always felt and still feel strongly that ,i have already once studied this sacred philosophy with ,kunla1 and that ,i must have been1 in a previous life1 his most obedient and humble disciple4 ,this must have been a fact1 or else how to account for the feelings created in me when ,i first met him1 although no special or remarkable circumstances were connected with that event4 ,all my hopes and plans are centred in him1 and nothing in the world can shake my confidence in him especially when several of my ,brahmin acquaintances tell me the same things without previous consultation4 99 99 99 8,i went to the great festival of ,durga yesterday1 and spent nearly the whole day looking in the vast crowd of men1 women1 children and mendicants for some of ,kunla's friends1 for he once told me to never be sure that they were not near me1 but ,i found none who seemed to answer my ideas4 ,as ,i stood by the ghaut at the river side thinking that perhaps ,i was left alone to try my patience1 an old and apparently very decrepit ,bairagee plucked my sleeve and said3 #8,never expect to see any one1 but always be ready to answer if they speak to you2 it is not wise to peer outside of yourself for the great followers of ,vasudeva3 look rather within4' 8,this amazed me1 as ,i was expecting him to beg or to ask me for information4 ,before my wits returned1 he had with a few steps mingled with a group of people1 and in vain searched ,i for him3 he had disappeared4 ,but the lesson is not lost4 8,to-morrow ,i return to ,i----4 8,very wearying indeed in a bodily sense was the work of last week and especially of last evening1 and upon laying down on my mat last night after continuing work far into the night ,i fell quickly sound asleep4 ,i had been sleeping some hour or two when with a start ,i awoke to find myself in perfect solitude and only the horrid howling of the jackals in the jungle to disturb me4 ,the moon was brightly shining and ,i walked over to the window of this ,european modeled house threw it open and looked out4 ,finding that sleep had departed1 ,i began again on those palm leaves4 ,just after ,i had begun1 a tap arrested my attention and ,i opened the door4 ,overjoyed was ,i then to see ,kunla standing there1 once more unexpected4 8#8,put on your turban and come with me1' he said and turned away4 8,thrusting my feet into my sandals1 and catching up my turban1 ,i hurried after him1 afraid that the master would get beyond me1 and ,i remain unfortunate at losing some golden opportunity4 8,he walked out into the jungle and turned into an unfrequented path4 ,the jackals seemed to recede into the distance2 now and then in the mango trees overhead1 the flying foxes rustled here and there1 while ,i could distinctly hear the singular creeping noise made by a startled snake as it drew itself hurriedly away over the leaves4 ,fear was not in my breast for master was in front4 ,he at last came to a spot that seemed bare of trees1 and bending down1 seemed to press his hand into the grass4 ,i then saw that a trap door or entrance to a stairway very curiously contrived1 was there4 ,stairs went down into the earth4 ,he went down and ,i could but follow4 ,the door closed behind me1 yet it was not dark4 ,plenty of light was there1 but where it came from ,i cared not then nor can ,i now1 tell4 ,it reminded me of our old weird tales told us in youth of pilgrims going down to the land of the ,devas where1 although no sun was seen1 there was plenty of light4 8,at the bottom of the stairs was a passage4 ,here ,i saw people but they did not speak to me and appeared not to even see me although their eyes were directed at me4 ,kunla said nothing but walked on to the end1 where there was a room in which were many men looking as grand as he does but two more awful1 one of whom sat at the extreme end40 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,here there is a confused mass of symbols and ciphers which ,i confess ,i cannot decipher1 and even if ,i had the ability to do so1 ,i would check myself1 because ,i surmise that it is his own way of jotting down for his own remembrance1 what occurred in that room4 ,nor do ,i think that even a plain reading of it would give the sense to any one but the writer himself1 for this reason1 that it is quite evidently fragmentary4 ,for instance1 ,i find among the rest1 a sort of notation of a division of states or planes3 whether of consciousness1 of animated1 or of elemental life1 ,i cannot tell2 and in each division are hieroglyphs that might stand for animals1 or denizens of the astral world1 or for anything else--even for ideas only1 so ,i will proceed at the place of his returning4 8,once more ,i got out into the passage1 but never to my knowledge went up those steps1 and in a moment more was ,i again at my door4 ,it was as ,i left it1 and on the table ,i found the palm leaves as ,i dropped them1 except that beside them was a note in ,kunla's hand1 which read3 8#8,nilakant--strive not yet to think too deeply on those things you have just seen4 ,let the lessons sink deep into your heart1 and they will have their own fruition4 ,to-morrow ,i will see you4' 99 99 99 99 8,what a very great blessing is mine to have had ,kunla's company for so many days even as we went to----4 ,very rarely however he said a few words of encouragement and good advice as to how ,i should go on4 ,he seems to leave me as to that to pick my own way4 ,this is right1 ,i think1 because otherwise one would never get any individual strength or power of discrimination4 ,happy were those moments1 when alone at midnight1 we then had conversation4 ,how true ,i then found the words of the ,agroushada ,parakshai to be3 8#8,listen while the ,sudra sleeps like the dog under his hut1 while the ,vaysa dreams of the treasures that he is hoarding up1 while the ,rajah sleeps among his women4 ,this is the moment when just men1 who are not under the dominion of their flesh1 commence the study of the sciences4'#ij 8,the midnight hour must have powers of a peculiar nature4 ,and ,i learned yesterday from glancing into an ,englishman's book1 that even those semi barbarians speak of that time as #8the witching hour1' and it is told me that among them #8witching' means to have magic power4 99 99 99 99 8,we stopped at the ,rest ,house in ,b---- yesterday evening1 but found it occupied and so we remained in the porch for the night4 ,but once more ,i was to be blessed by another visit with ,kunla to some of his friends whom ,i revere and who will ,i hope bless me too4 8,when every one had quieted down he told me to go with him to the sea which was not far away4 ,we walked for about three quarters of an hour by the seashore1 and then entered as if into the sea4 ,at first a slight fear came into me1 but ,i saw that a path seemed to be there1 although water was all around us4 ,he in front and ,i following1 we went for about seven minutes1 when we came to a small island2 on it was a building and on top of that a triangular light4 ,from the sea shore1 the island would seem like an isolated spot covered all over by green bushes4 ,there is only one entrance to go inside4 ,and no one can find it out unless the occupant wishes the seeker to find the way4 ,on the island we had to go round about for some space before we came in front of the actual building4 ,there is a little garden in front and there was sitting another friend of ,kunla with the same expression of the eyes as he has4 ,i also recognized him as one of those who was in the room underground4 ,kunla seated himself and ,i stood before them4 ,we stayed an hour and saw a portion of the place4 ,how very pleasant it is6 ,and inside he has a small room where he leaves his body when he himself moves about in other places4 ,what a charming spot1 and what a delightful smell of roses and various sorts of flowers6 ,how ,i should wish to visit that place often4 ,but ,i cannot indulge in such idle dreams1 nor in that sort of covetousness4 ,the master of the place put his blessing hand upon my head1 and we went away back to the ,rest ,house and to the morrow full of struggles and of encounters with men who do not see the light1 nor hear the great voice of the future2 who are bound up in sorrow because they are firmly attached to objects of sense4 ,but all are my brothers and ,i must go on trying to do the master's work which is only in fact the work of the ,real ,self which is ,all and in ,all40 ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,cabbalah ,,of ,,the ,,old ,,testament4 ,,by ,,permission ,,of ,,bro4 ,j4 ,,ralston ,,skinner 7,mc,millan ,lodge1 ,no4 #ada74 ,,ii4 ,ginsburg and others tell us that ,raymond ,lully and ,john ,picus de ,mirandola had acquired knowledge of the ,hebrew and the ,caballah4 ,mirandola studied ,hebrew and ,cabbalistic theology under ,jochanan ,aleman1 who came to ,italy from ,constantinople1 and--8found that there is more ,christianity in the ,cabbalah than ,judaism2 he discovered in it proof for the doctrine of the ,trinity1 the ,incarnation1 the ,divinity of ,christ1 the heavenly ,jerusalem1 the fall of the angels1 the order of the angels10 and so on1 and so on4 8,in #adhf1 when only #bd years old1 he published #ijj theses1 which were placarded in ,rome1 and which he undertook to defend in the presence of all ,european scholars1 whom he invited to the ,eternal ,city1 promising to defray their traveling expenses4 ,among the theses was the following3 #8,no science yields greater proof of the ,divinity of ,christ than magic and the ,cabbalah4'0 ,through ,picus de ,mirandola1 ,reuchlin became aware of this phase of ,hebrew philosophy or theosophy1 as1 by a school of the rabbins1 a recognized appurtenant to the ,hebrew ,scriptures4 ,he not only examined into the ,cabbalah to satisfy his thirst for facts of literature1 but1 on investigation1 became a convert to the system1--8within two years of beginning to learn the language1 published 7#adid7 his ,de ,verbo ,mirifico1 and afterwards 7#aeaf7 with more matured learning1 his ,de ,arte ,cabbalistica40 ,and thus the joint efforts of ,mirandola and ,reuchlin established a field of literature1 of the ,cabbalah1 which has always flourished1 and will continue to flourish so long as our civilization shall last4 ,it is interesting and useful to place this great fact1 but it is a matter of especially great weight and value that the knowledge of the ,cabbalah was sprung upon the world of letters1 with1 and as an essential part of the ,reformation itself4 ,not that the philosophy of the ,cabbalah became engrafted into the study and development of ,hebrew 7and consequently ,christian7 theosophy3--for1 because of lack of knowledge of what the ,cabbalah really was1 such could not be the case1--but it was entitled so to be1 and the assertion of its existence as a real element of ,scripture was1 even then1 so strongly and enduringly made1 that1 though an unknown quantity except by name1 it has ever since stood firmly1 and ready to have such claim made good3--with a vitality that has outworn four hundred years of patient waiting4 ,of course there was a field of ,jewish ,cabbalistic literature1--not open1 but confined1 for the most part1 as a kind of sacred mystery1 within narrow and restricted limits1 even among the ,jews themselves4 ,it was of the same nature with what is called1 to-day1 ,the ,speculative ,philosophy of ,free ,masonry1 an ever seemingly substantive embodiment out of surrounding shadowy mists and mental fogs1 wherein a doubt always exists whether after all there is in the nebulous matter of the mist itself anything from whence substance may congeal2 or1 it may1 for illustration1 be compared to the city of ,king ,arthur1 before whose gate ,gareth1 standing1 says3 8,but these my men--7your city moves so weirdly in the mist71--doubt if the ,king be ,king at all1 or come from ,fairy land3 and whether this be built by magic1 and by fairy kings and queens1 or whether there be any city at all1 or all a vision40 ,it is necessary to make a brief mention of this literature with its sources2 both that these may be known1 and that a foundation may be laid for what is stated as to the reality of ,cabbalah1 and its significance4 ,there is almost no teaching of the ,cabbalah in the ,english language except the ,essay by ,christian ,d4 ,ginsburg1 ,,ll4 ,d41 to which we have referred4 ,dr4 ,ginsburg says3 8,it is a system of religious philosophy1 or more properly1 of theosophy1 which has not only exercised for hundreds of years an extraordinary influence on the mental development of so shrewd a people as the ,jews1 but has captivated the minds of some of the greatest thinkers of ,christendom in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries1 and which claims the greatest attention of both the philosopher and theologian40 ,it is faintly claimed that some statements applying to ,cabbalah are to be found in the ,talmud2 but apart from this we have3--7#a7 ,the ,commentary on the ,ten ,sephiroth1 by ,r4 ,azariel ben ,manachem 7#aafj-abch71 who was a pupil of ,isaac the ,blind1 and master of the celebrated ,r4 ,moses ,nachmanides1 7#b7 ,the ,book ,sohar 7,light71 or ,midrash1 ,let there be ,light1 claimed to have been a revelation from ,god1 communicated through ,r4 ,simon ben ,jochai1 ,a4 ,d4 #gj-aaj1 to his select disciples4 ,this book has been pronounced by the ablest critics to have been a pseudograph of the thirteenth century1--the composition of ,moses de ,leon1 who lived in ,spain2 who1 by the admission of his wife and daughter after his death1 first published and sold it as the production of ,r4 ,simon ben ,jochai1 and 7#c7 ,the ,book ,jetzirah or ,book of ,creation1--of unknown age and authorship1 but mentioned as early as the eleventh century in the ,book ,chazari1 by ,r4 ,jehudah ,ha ,levi1--as the literary sources for the entire system and scope thereof1 so far as disclosed4 ,it is from these sources that the entire volume of ,cabbalistic literature has had rise and development4 ,from these sources1 and the numberless treatises and expositions thereon1 the history of the subject matter and containment of ,cabbalah is laid down as follows3 ,it was first taught by ,god himself to a select company of angels4 ,after the fall the angels taught it to ,adam4 ,from ,adam it passed to ,noah1 thence to ,abram1 the friend of ,god who carried it to ,egypt4 ,moses1 who was learned in all the wisdom of ,egypt1 was initiated into it from the land of his birth4 ,he covertly laid down the principles of its doctrines in the first four books of the ,pentateuch1 but withheld them from ,deuteronomy 78this constitutes the former the #8man' and the latter the #8woman'074 ,moses initiated the seventy elders1 and they again passed the sacred and secret doctrine down to the heads 7continually imparting the same7 of the ,church of ,israel4 ,david and ,solomon were adepts in it4 ,no one dared to write it down till the supposititious ,simon ben ,jochai1 who really lived and taught1 as one of the most celebrated doctors1 at the time of the destruction of the second temple2 and his teachings are claimed to constitute the ,book of ,sohar1 published1 as already said1 by ,moses de ,leon of ,valladolid1 in ,spain4 ,but ,ben ,jochai1 or whoever worked under his name1 though he wrote and published1 as said1 covered the true doctrine by veils1 so that no one but an initiate1 or1 as the saying runs1 8by the gift of ,god10 could penetrate behind them2--though the veils of the words still plainly held the secret doctrine1 to those who could see4 ,the ,cabbalah1 as an exposition to the ,sacred ,text of ,holy ,writ1 was claimed to contain the ,wisdom of ,god in every branch and department of ,his working1--and all terms and descriptions were exhausted to express the ineffable reward to him who might be permitted to penetrate behind the veil1 either by initiation or 8by the gift of ,god20 satiating every function of enjoyment1 and affording an indescribable bliss1 in the ultimate possessions of the ,divine conceptions4 ,more definitely3--,the exposition of the system treats of the impersonal ,first ,cause manifesting within the limits of the finite4 8,before he gave any shape to this world1 before he produced any form1 he was alone1 without a form and resemblance to anything else4#ia ,who1 then1 can comprehend him1 how he was before the creation1 since he was formless8 ,hence1 it is forbidden to represent him by any form1 similitude1 or even by his sacred name1 by a single letter or a single point2 and to this1 the words1 #8,ye saw no manner of similitude on the day the ,lord spake unto you' 7,deut4 iv4 #ae7--;i4 e41 ye have nor seen anything which you could represent by any form or likeness1--refer0 7,sohar #db b1 #dc a1 ,sec4 ,,ab73--,and this shows clearly enough that the supposed sacred names of ,scripture do not have reference to the ,impersonal ,first ,cause1 as its essential designations1 but rather to its creations4 99 99 ,then--8,the creation1 or the universe1 is simply the garment of ,god woven from the ,deity's own substance 7,the ,impersonal manifesting in the cosmos1 in modes to be expressed by the sacred names and otherwise74 ,for although1 to reveal himself to us1 the ,concealed of all the ,concealed1 sent forth the ,ten ,emanations 7the ,ten ,sephiroth7 called the ,form of ,god1 ,form of the ,heavenly-,man1 yet since even this luminous form was too dazzling for our vision1 it had to assume another form1 or had to put on another garment which consists of the universe4 ,the universe1 therefore1 or the visible world1 is a further expansion of the ,divine ,substance1 and is called in the ,cabbalah1 #8the ,garment of ,god4'0 7,sohar i1 #b a7--8,the whole universe1 however1 was incomplete1 and did not receive its finishing stroke till man was formed1 who is the acme of the creation1 and the macrocosm uniting in himself the totality of beings1--#8the heavenly ,adam1' i4 e41 the ,ten ,sephiroth1 who emanated from the highest primordial obscurity 7,the ,impersonal ,first ,cause71 created the earthly ,adam40 7,sohar ii1 #gj b74 ,this is more definitely expressed in another place1 where it says3--8,jehovah 7for which stands the letter jod1 or j or i7 descended on ,sinai in fire10 the word for which is a-sh fire4 ,let the j1 or i1 the signature for ,jehovah1 descend in the midst of this word1 and one will have a i sh1 which is the ,hebrew word for man man2 thus man became out of the ,divine fire----8,man is both the import and the highest degree of creation1 for which reason he was formed on the sixth day4 ,as soon as man was created every thing was complete1 including the upper and nether world1 for every thing is comprised in man4 ,he unites in himself all forms40 7,sohar iii1 #dh a7--8,but after he created the form of the ,heavenly ,man1 he used it as a chariot 7,mercabah7 7wheels1 circles7 wherein to descend1 and wishes to be called by this form1 which is the sacred name ,jehovah40 7,sohar i1 #db b1 #dc a1 section ,,ab47 ,it is to be observed especially1 as to the ground work of the ,cabbalah1 that the first manifestation was in the 8,ten ,sephiroth10 or ,emanations1 so called1 out of which came the 8,heavenly ,man02 and the human or earth man represented these ,ten ,sephiroth in himself4 8,the lower world is made after the pattern of the upper world2 everything which exists in the upper world is to be found as it were in a copy on earth2 still the whole is one40 7,sohar i1 #bj a47 ,thus it is that the compass of the ,cabbalah1 by ,sohar1 is idealized in the form of a man4 ,this man represented the combination of the ,ten ,sephiroth1 or1 as systematically called1 ,emanations1 in which as a unity the whole cosmos existed in its segregated detail2 and through which all knowledge thereof1 physically1 psychically and spiritually1 was to be had1 in passiveness and in activities2--and through which these activities1 as of all potencies--as of angels and powers1--had their special existences4 ,these ,emanations had names of qualities1 as ,beauty1 ,strength1 ,wisdom1 etc41 etc41 each name being located upon one of nine parts marked out on the form of the man2 each of which was called a ,sephira4 ,the totality of the man being taken as one1 this added to the nine made ten2 and as a number this was the letter jod1 already spoken of4 ,the locations of these ,sephiroth 7shown as circles7 are united one with another1 so that one ,emanation may flow into another2 one into all1 and all into one2--and the #bb letters of the alphabet with the #aj vowel sounds1 are found therein1 or thereby2 and these are called the 8thirty-two ways or canals of ,wisdom02 and as these letters stood also for numbers1 there is in this containment every possible mode of expression by word and number4 ,the exposition of the ,old ,testament1 especially the ,thora1 in the secret or esoteric way1 is claimed under this statement2--that is1 by numbering the letters of words1 and by their permutations and changes of positions2 so that this is one of the functions of the ,emanations or ,sephiroth2 and a mighty one for disclosing the ,wisdom of ,god4 ,the ,book ,jetzirah deals especially with these letters and numbers3 8,by thirty-two paths of secret wisdom1 the ,eternal1 the ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,god of ,israel1 the living ,god1 the ,king of the ,universe1 the ,merciful and ,gracious1 the ,high and ,exalted ,god1 ,he who inhabiteth eternity1 ,glorious and ,holy is ,his name1 hath created the world by means of numbers1 phonetic language and writing40 ,the ,commentary on the ,ten ,sephiroth1 by ,r4 ,azariel ,ben ,menachem1 as its name implies1 is directly in consonance with the ,sohar4 ,as to the ,book ,jetzirah1 ,dr4 ,ginsburg says3 8,the ,book ,jetzirah1 which the ,cabbalists claim is their oldest document1 has really nothing in common with the cardinal doctrines of the ,cabbalah4 ,there is not a word in it bearing on the ,en ,soph 7,impersonal ,first ,cause71 the ,archetypal ,man10 and so on1 and so on4 ,but here the doctor is at fault for this reason3--,the word 8,sephiroth0 means 8,numbers10 and the ,ten ,sephiroth means the ,ten ,numbers2 and in the ,cabbalistic way these are composed out of a geometrical shape4 ,the circle is the first naught1 but out of this naught develops a straight vertical line1 viz3 the diameter of this circle4 ,this is the first ,one2 and having a first one1 from it comes #b and #c and #d and #e and #f and #g and #h and #i1--the circle or naught and its diameter one1 the embracement of all together1 forming the comprehensive ,ten1 or ,ten ,numbers1 ,ten ,sephiroth1 ,ten ,emanations1 the ,heavenly ,man1 the great ,jah1 of the ineffable name4 ,hence the contents of the book ,jetzirah are of the very essence of the other two1 and all are one4 ,,sufism1 ,,or ,,theosophy ,,from ,,the ,,standpoint ,,of ,,mohammedanism4 ,a ,chapter from a ,,ms4 work designed as a text book for ,students in ,mysticism4 ,,by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,bjerregaard1 ,stud4 ,theos4 ,in ,two ,parts3--,part ,i1 ,texts2 ,part ,,ii1 ,symbols4 ,the spirit of ,sufism is best expressed in the couplet of ,katebi3 8,last night a nightingale sung his song1 perched on a high cypress1 when the rose1 on hearing his plaintive warbling1 shed tears in the garden1 soft as the dews of heaven40 7,,continued47 ,,notes ,,on ,,jelaluddin ,,rumi--,continued3 --,space forbids us to dwell any longer upon the miracles of this wonderful man of whom ,shems ,tebreez once asserted1 in ,jelal's ,college1 that 8whosoever wished to see again the prophets1 had only to look on ,jelal1 who possessed all their qualifications2 more especially of those to whom revelations were made1 whether by angelic communications1 or whether in visions2 the chief of such qualities being serenity of mind with perfect inward confidence and consciousness of being one of ,god's elect4 ,go and look upon ,jelal1 if thou wish to comprehend the signification of that saying #8the learned are the heirs of the prophets1' together with something beyond that1 which ,i will not here specify40 ,we must add a few passages from ,jelal's lectures1 c4 ,these were his last instructions1 8the best of mankind is he who benefiteth men0 and1 8the best of speech is that which is short and to the purpose40 ,jelal once at a funeral spoke thus3 8,the ordinary reciters1 by their services1 bear witness that the deceased lived a ,muslim4 ,my singers1 however1 testify that he was a ,muslim1 a believer1 and a lover of ,god40 ,he added3 8,besides that2 when the human spirit1 after years of imprisonment in the cage and dungeon of the body1 is at length set free1 and wings its flight to the source whence it came1 is not this an occasion for rejoicings1 thanks1 and dancings8 ,the soul in ecstacy1 soars to the presence of the ,eternal2 and stirs up others to make proof of courage and self sacrifice4 ,if a prisoner be released from a dungeon and be clothed with honour1 who would doubt that rejoicings are proper8 ,so1 too1 the death of a saint is an exactly parallel case40 ,once1 when requested to give a lecture to men of science1 he answered3 8,a tree laden with fruit1 had its branches bowed down to the earth therewith4 ,at the time1 doubts and gainsayings prevented the gardeners from gathering and enjoying the fruit4 ,the tree has now raised its head to the skies1 and beyond4 ,can they hope1 then1 to pluck and eat of its fruit80-- ,jelal's chief work1 and the reference-book of ,sufism1 is the ,mesnevi 7,mathnawi7 usually known as the ,mesneviyi ,sherif1 or ,holy ,mesnevi4 ,it is truly one of the most famous books of the ,east1 studied and commented upon wherever dogmatic religion has been abandoned for esoteric truth4 ,from the preface we quote the following3 8,this is the book of the ,rhymed ,couplets 7,mathnawi1 ,mesnevi74 ,it contains the roots of the roots of the roots of the one 7one true7 ,religion 7of ,islam72 and treats of the discovery of the mysteries of reunion and sure knowledge4 ,it is the ,grand ,jurisprudence of ,god1 the most glorious ,law of the ,deity1 the most manifest ,evidence of the ,divine ,being4 ,the refulgence thereof 8is like that of a lantern in which is a lamp0#ib that scatters beams more bright than the morn4 ,it is the paradise of the heart1 with springs and foliage4 ,one of these springs is 8the fount named ,salsabil0#ic by the brethren of this religious order2#id but1 by saints and those miraculously endowed1 it is called 8the ,good ,station10#ie and 8the ,best ,resting place40#if ,the just shall eat and drink therein1 and the righteous shall rejoice and be glad thereof4 ,like the ,egyptian ,nile1 it is a beverage for the patient1 but a delusion to the people of ,pharaoh and to blasphemers2 even as ,god1 whose name be glorified1 hath said3 8,he misleads therewith many1 and ,he guides therewith many2 but ,he misleads not therewith 7any71 save the wicked40#ig 8,it is a comfort to man's breast1 an expeller of cares4 ,it is an exposition of the ,quran1 an amplification of spiritual aliments1 and a dulcifier of the disposition2 written 8by the hands of honorable scribes0#ih who inscribed theron the prohibition3 8,let none touch it save the purified40#ii ,it is 7a revelation7 8sent down 7from on high7 by the ,lord of 7all7 the worlds1#ajj which vanity approacheth not from before1 nor from behind10#aja which ,god watches over and observes1 ,he being 8the best of a ,preserver10#ajb and 8,the ,most ,compassionate of the merciful ones10#ajc unto whom pertain 7many7 titles1 his utmost title being ,god1 whose name be exalted40 ,further on he says3 8,i have exerted myself to enlarge this book of poetry in rhyming couplets1 which contains strange and rare narratives1 beautiful sayings1 and recondite indications1 a path for the devout1 and a garden for the pious1 short in its expressions1 numerous in their applications40-- ,the ,mesnevi is said to contain twenty-six thousand six hundred and sixty couplets and a large part of them ought to be cited here1 but space forbids4 ,we offer a few selections entirely at random4 ,the strength of strongest man can merely split a stone2 ,the ,power that informs man's soul can cleave the moon4 ,if man's heart but untie the mouth of mystery's sack1 ,his soul soon soars aloft beyond the starry track4 ,if heaven's mystery divulged should1 #8haps become1 ,the whole world #8twould burn up1 as fire doth wood consume4-- ,saints' ecstacy springs from a glimpse of ,god1 his pride4 ,his station's that of intimate4 ,he's bridegroom2 ,god is bride4 ,a bride's veiled graces are not seen by groom alone2 ,her unveiled charms solely to him in private shown4 ,in state she first appears before the people all2 ,her veil removed1 the groom alone is at her call4-- ,who's not received the gift of knowledge from above1 ,will ne'er believe a stock could sigh and moan for love4 ,he may pretend to acquiesce2 not from belief2 ,he says3 8,tis so10 to scape a name much worse than thief4 ,all they who're not convinced that ,god's 8,be0 is enough1 ,will turn away their face2 this tale they'll treat as 8stuff40 ,if he 7man7 from esse1 reach not posse's state1 he's nil4-- 7,god7 ,himself ,he's veiled in man1 as sun behind a cloud4 ,this seek to comprehend4 ,god knows what mysteries shroud4 ,the sun ,he is2--the sun of spirit1 not of sky2 ,by light from ,him man lives2--and angels eke1 forby4-- ,the soul it is originates all vital force4-- ,the ,prophet hath assureth us ,god's the soul of all4-- ,the world's renewed each moment1 though we still remain ,in ignorance that permanence can change sustain4 ,life1 like a river1 ceaselessly1 is still renewed4-- ,each night ,thou settest free the soul from trap of flesh1 ,to scan and learn the hidden records of ,thy wish4 ,each night the soul is like a bird from cage set free1 ,to wander4 ,judge and judgment1 then1 it does not see4 ,by night the pris'ner loses sense of bars1 of chains2 ,by night the monarch knows no state1 no pomp retains2 ,the merchant counts no more1 in sleep1 his gains and loss2 ,the prince and peasant1 equal1 on their couches toss4 ,the ,gnostic is so e'en by day1 when wide awake2 ,for ,god hath said3 8,let quietude care of him take40 ,asleep to all the things of earth by night1 by day1 ,as pen in writer's hand he doth his guide obey4-- ,of this1 the ,gnostic's privilege1 a trace'd suffice ,to rob of sleep and reason vulgar souls of ice4 ,his spirit wanders in the groves of th' absolute4 ,his soul is easy2 body1 still1 calm1 quiet1 mute4-- ,in sleep thou bearest no burden2 borne thou art1 instead4 99 99 99 99 99 ,know then1 thy sleep's a foretaste of what is to come1 ,from the rapt state of saints arriving at their home4 ,the saints were well prefigured by the 8,sleeper's ,seven10 8,their sleep10 8their stretchings10 8their awaking0 lead to heaven4-- ,each night1 in profound sleep our consciousness sinks1 ,becomes non-existent2--waves on seashore's brinks4-- ,the body's a cage and a thorn to the soul4 ,hence1 seldom are body and soul wholly whole4-- ,both men and fairies pris'ners are in earthly cage4-- ,if lifted could be from our souls the dark veil1 ,each word of each soul would with miracles trail4-- ,the soul unto the flesh is joined1 by ,god's decree1 ,that it may be afflicted1--trials made to see4-- ,th' ,infinites' lovers finite's worshippers are not ,who seek the finite lose th' ,infinite1 as we wot1 ,when finite with the finite falls in love1 perforce1 ,his loved one soon returns to her infinite source4-- ,in non-existence mirrored1 being we may see2-- ,annihilate thy darksome self1--thy being's pall4 ,let thy existence in ,god's essence be enrolled1 ,as copper in alchemists' bath is turned to gold4 ,quit 8,i0 and 8,we10 which o'er thy heart exert control4 ',tis egotism1 estranged from ,god1 that clogs thy soul4-- ,discharge thyself of every particle of self2 ,so shalt thou see thyself pure1 free from soil of pelf4 ,within thy heart thou'lt see the wisdom of the saints1 ,without a book1 a teacher1 or professor's plaints4-- ,thyself 99 99 purge of self4 ,abstraction thou shalt gain4-- ,both love and soul are occult1 hidden and concealed4-- ,a lover's whole life is but self-sacrifice2 ,he wins not a heart1 save his own heart's the price4-- ,when love for ,god is lighted in the human heart1 ,it fiercely burns2 it suffers not effects' dull smart2 ---- love is love's own sign1 giv'n from the highest sphere4-- ,the heart's with ,god1--the heart is ,god1--boundless1 immense6 ,from all eternity1 the figures of all things1 ,unnumbered1 multitudinous1 gleam in hearts' wings4 ,to all eternity each new-created form ,in heart of saint reflected is1 most multiform4-- ,have patience1 thou too1 brother1 with thy needle's smart4 ,so shalt thou1 #8scape the sting of conscience in thy heart4 ,they who have conquered1--freed themselves from body's thrall1 ,are worshipped in the spheres1 the sun1 the moon1 stars1 all4 ,whoever's killed pride's demon in his earthly frame1 ,the sun and clouds are slaves1 to do his bidding1 tame4 ,his heart can lessons give of flaming to the lamp2 ,the very sun not equals him in ardent vamp4-- ,the inward hymn that's sung by all the hearts of saints ,commences3 8,o component parts of that thing ,not40 ,now since they take their rise in this ,not1 negative1 ,they put aside the hollow phantom where we live4 ,ideas and essences become 8things0 at ,his word4-- ,this world's a negative2 the positive seek thou4 ,all outward forms are cyphers2 search1 the sense to know4-- ,mankind the songs of fairies never hear at all1 ,they are not versed in fairies' ways1 their voices small4-- 8,allah1 ,allah60#ajd cried the sick man1 racked with pain the long night through2 ,till with prayer his heart grew tender1 till his lips like honey grew4 ,but at morning came the ,tempter2 said 8,call louder1 child of ,pain6 ,see if ,allah ever hear or answers #8,here am ,i1' again40 ,like a stab1 the cruel cavil through his brain and pulses went2 ,to his heart an icy coldness1 to his brain a darkness sent4 ,then before him stands ,elias2 says1 8,my child1 why thus dismayed8 ,dost repent thy former fervor8 ,is thy soul of prayer afraid80 8,ah60 he cried1 8,i've called so often2 never heard the #8,here am ,i2' ,and ,i thought1 ,god will not pity2 will not turn on me his eye40 ,then the grave ,elias answered1 8,god said1 ,rise1 ,elias1 go ,speak to him1 the sorely tempted2 lift him from his gulf of woe4 ,tell him that his very longing is itself an answering cry2 ,that his prayer1 #8,come1 gracious ,allah6' is my answer #8,here am ,i4'0 44,when thy mind is dazed by colour's magic round1 ,all colour's lost in one bright light diffused around4 ,those colours1 too1 all vanish from our view by night4 ,we learn from this1 that colour's only seen through light4 ,the sense of colour-seeing's not from light distinct4 ,so1 too1 the sudden rainbow of our mind's instinct4 ,from sunlight1 and the like1 all outer colours rise2 ,the inward tints that mark our minds1 from ,god's sunrise4 ,the light that lights the eye's the light that's in the heart4 ,eye's light is but derived from what illumes that part4 ,the light that lights the heart's the light that comes of ,god1 ,which lies beyond the reach of sense and reason1 clod6 ,by night we have no light2 no colour can we see4 ,thus1 light we learn by darkness1 its converse4 ,agree6 ,a seeing of the light1 perception is of tints2 ,and these distinguished are through darkness gloomy hints4 ,our griefs and sorrows were by ,god first introduced1 ,that joy to sense apparent thence should be reduced ,occult things1 thus1 by converse1 grow apparent1 all4 ,since ,god has no converse1 apparent ,he can't fall4 ,sight first saw light1 and then the colours saw1 ,from converse converse stands forth1 as ,frank from ,negro4 ,by converse of the light1 distinguish we the light2 ,a converse #8tis that converse shows unto our sight4 ,the light of ,god no converse has in being's bound2 ,by converse1 then1 man has not its distinction found4 ,our eyes cannot distinguish ,god1 decidedly2 ,though ,he distinguish ,moses and the ,mount from thee4-- ,the doctrine1 which ,jelal was most emphatic about was the extinguishment of ,self1 and his teachings are quite characteristic for him1 though the general doctrine is a common one among the ,sufis4 ,he argues for simplicity4 ,he tells us a story about a dispute between ,chinamen and ,greeks before the ,sultan1 as to who is the more skilful of the two nations1 in the art of decoration4 ,the ,chinese ask for and get thousands of colours and work hard1 while the ,greeks ask for no color2 they only polish their front1 8,effacing every hue with nicest care10 and when the ,sultan came to examine the relative merit of ,chinese gorgeousness and ,greek simplicity1 8,down glides a sunbeam through the rifted clouds1 ,and1 lo the colours of that rainbow house ,shine1 all reflected on those glassy walls ,that face them1 rivalling3 ,the sun hath painted ,with lovelier blending1 on that stony mirror ,the colours spread by man so artfully4-- ,know them1 ,o friend6 such ,greeks the ,sufis are1 ,having one sole and simple task1--to make ,their hearts a stainless mirror for their ,god4--0 7,to be continued47 ,,the ,,singing ,,silences4 ,theosophists may be interested in an experience which ,i have named as above2 8,singing0--because of a peculiar resonance which ,i then hear2 8,silences0--because this resonance only reaches me in moments of retirement and silence4 ,occurring throughout a lifetime1 at infrequent and remote intervals1 they have1 since ,i became a ,theosophist1 increased until they embrace all isolated moments4 ,they consist of a resonance difficult to describe1 but resembling the vibrant note of a distant locomotive1 resounding in the night atmosphere of a mountain gorge1 and partaking somewhat of that melodious wail caused by running the moistened finger around the rim of a glass4 ,sometimes1 though rarely1 a low orchestral harmony unites briefly with this monotone4 ,unable to find any word which conveyed this cadence1 ,i now discover that the word 8,aum10 7hitherto unknown to me17 does so exactly1 the ,a sound being the opening note1 which prolongs itself into the ,m1 or closing sound1 when the keynote is then struck over again4 ,thus the 8,singing ,silences0 mainly consist of innumerable repetitions of the word 8,aum10 distinctly and musically uttered1 having a resonant or vibrant quality1 and a measured rise and fall1 such as all sound assumes if one alternately closes and uncloses the ear4 ,if the analyst will alternately inhale air with the mouth and expel it with the nostrils1 he will gain a fair idea of this sound minus its musical vibration4 ,it is1 moreover1 invariably accompanied by a sensation of physical repose1 even peace1 and a perfect mental quiescence which falls about me like an enfolding mantle4 ,the frequency of these moments has greatly increased since my attention has been specifically turned to them4 ,hitherto1 beyond a momentary curiosity as to their nature1 ,i attached no importance to their occurrence2 the very rarity caused them to be easily forgotten in the whirl of every day life2 ,i admitted to myself with surprise1 however1 that my innumerable pleasures1 my keen enjoyments1 shrank to nothing before the deep delight of these brief but peculiar moments1 and ,i applied to them the opening lines of ,faber's hymn to music4 ,reading the article on 8,aum0 in the ,april 8,,path10 ,i was startled by such passages as this3 8,there is1 pervading the whole universe1 a homogeneous resonance1 sound1 or tone1 which acts1 so to speak1 as the awakener or vivifying power1 stirring all the molecules into action40 ,i then called to mind various facts connected with ,sound1 as for instance1 that a regiment marching over a bridge is ordered to 8break step10 lest the regular footfall strike the 8coefficient of vibration10 which would destroy the bridge3 also that the measured trot of the smallest dog will cause a perceptible vibration in a wire bridge1 no matter what its size4 ,moreover1 the monotonous sound of the railroad1 in time changes the texture of the car wheels and axles from fibrous into crystalline1 with consequent fracture4 ,in ,reichenbach's 8,researches on ,magnetism10 we find this statement4 99 99 99 8,the following laws prevail in nature4 ,a4 ,there resides in matter a peculiar force1 hitherto overlooked1 which1 when the crystalline form has been assumed1 is found acting in the line of the axes40 ,since then1 the homogeneous tone acts upon all the molecules of creation1 may not this singing resonance cause such a transformation of brain energy as to vivify or awaken it1 in time1 to the ,true1 or ,central ,idea8 ,we have seen that ,sound1 so to speak1 polarises certain particles of matter attracting them to the earth1 the great magnet1 from which they came2 it confers upon other particles this same magnetic power1 as in the case of crystallisation2 it awakens similar tones1 as when several untouched harps vibrate in harmony when the musical key note is struck upon one alone4 ,why then may not the thought awakened by a fixed musical sound be in time attracted to the real source of that sound1 of all sound8 ,and as thought causes a disturbance among the molecules of the brain1 some sound1 however aerial1 must accompany this vibration2 does not my brain then answer this singing resonance with the note homogeneous to all the ethereal space8 ,in the article from 8,,the ,,path0 before quoted1 ,i find the following lines4 8,having taken the ,bow1 the great weapon 7,om71 let him place on it the arrow 7the ,self71 sharpened by devotion2 99 99 99 ,brahman is called the aim4 ,it is to be hit by a man who is not thoughtless40 ,the 8,singing ,silences0 are superinduced by meditation1 thought1 devotion3 the closest imitation of them possible to the human voice consists in chanting1 half aloud1 the word 8,aum10 over and over1 as heretofore described4 ,do those ,yogees who repeat 8,aum0 thousands of times daily1 follow this practice in order to produce the resonance1 or homogeneous tone1 and to calm the mind1 7as they claim to do17 by means of the harmonious monotony thus engendered8 ,true1 it fails to lead them to the higher knowledge1 but is this not because the mental condition is self induced1 like the delusive trances of self mesmerization8 ,on the other hand1 if 7as they claim again17 it throws them into a trance like state or crystallisation of thought1 is not this because it is after all1 in some measure1 akin to the natural resonance8 ,the idea herein advanced would thus seem to be further supported1 since this mechanical repetition of 8,aum10 and its sedative power1 is as the power of the microcosm1 faintly outlining that of the macrocosm1 7or real resonance17 to lead towards the calm which incubates the dawning thought and leads towards the true ,illuminated ,state4 8,,the ,,path0 goes on to state that we are 8led by the resonance1 which is not the ,divine ,light itself1 towards that ,radiance which is ,divine2 the resonance is only the outbreathing of the first sound of the entire ,aum40 ,this constant and peculiar singing1 provocative as it is of a peaceful abstraction so great as to exclude all outer things and thoughts1 seems to induce a state which draws the hearer into the border lands of ,spirit4 ,works on eastern travel and foreign witnesses1 alike affirm that many faquirs repeat 8,aum10 and also 8,rama10 thousands of times1 merely because they are told that such a thing is useful1 while others do it with the mind fixed on realizing the ,true4 ,studious investigation always reveals a deep philosophy underlying religious forms1 from which there is no reason to suppose this one to be exempt4 ,listening attentively to the 8,singing ,silence10 ,i fall1 after a brief space1 into an unbroken and dreamless sleep which lasts for hours2 hearing1 without listening1 ,i experience a sensation of physical refreshment and mental placidity4 ,it came to me uncalled for1 unnoticed1 unrecognized2 when finally a sense of pleasure fastened upon my mind1 ,i idly accepted it1 but without questioning1 as a curious personal peculiarity4 ,it was only when1 giving myself up to thoughts of higher things1 ,i met it upon the threshold of meditation1 found it daily recurring1 daily growing in distinctness and power1 that ,i recognized it as a possible psychical experience4 ,as ,i never strove to produce it at the outset1 so ,i never attempt to increase or evoke it now2 ,i should not know how to set about doing so4 ,it influenced me2 ,i have no control whatever over it4 ,it comes as it wills1 and is not subject to my command4 ,is this then one of the practical significances or uses of 8the word ,om1 as expressed in tone80 ,does this bell-like resonance have such an effect upon the molecules of the human body1 7including those of the brain17 as to polarize them in time to ,the ,spirit8 ,if there are those who doubt the existence of a great undercurrent of universal tone1 described by 8,,the ,,path0 as ,nada ,brahma1--8the divine resonance upon which depends the evolution of the visible from the invisible10--they will at least grant its probability when they consider that this has been admitted by some of the greatest intellects of the world1 many of whom firmly believed in the 8music of the spheres40 ,plato taught it4 ,maximus ,tyrius says that 8the mere proper motion of the planets must create sounds1 and as the planets move at regular intervals1 these sounds must be harmonious40 ,the ,cyclopdia ,britanica says1 8the origin of musical sounds consists in the regular1 periodic vibration of some surface in contact with the air1 whereby motion is imparted to the air4 ,the loudness or intensity of the note depends on the magnitude of the motion or pitch40 ,the regular motions of the planets of our system1 as well as those of known moving stars1 such as ,sirius1 may well be accompanied by a rythmical sound arising from the ether waves thus set in motion4 ,that we do not hear it1 may be due to the density of our atmosphere1 yet it may be none the less transmitted along the ether waves and heard by the inner ear of those whose sense is developed4 ,pythagoras was the first philosopher to suggest this idea1 which is mentioned by ,shakespear3 8,there's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st ,but his motion like an angel sings1 ,still quiring to the young eyed cherubims3 ,such harmony is in immortal souls2 ,but while this muddy vesture of decay ,doth grossly close it in1 we cannot hear it40 ,he also speaks of it again in ,pericles4 8,keppler's idea of the universe was essentially ,pythagorean and ,platonic4 ,he thought that the planetary movements were related to musical intervals40 7,cyclo4 ,brit47 ,montaigne1 ,milton1 ,donne1 ,pope1 ,newton1 ,tycho-,brahe and others believed in the 8music of the spheres40 ,faber beautifully attributed it to the vibration caused by the shooting rays of light on their journey earthward3 8,thou art fugitive splendors made vocal ,as they glanced from that shining sea40 ,all are agreed that the idea has come down to us from the earliest times4 ,finally1 if this resonance exists as the great undertone of nature1 it is probable1 natural and consistent that it should be a stepping stone towards reaching ,spirit1 since harmony and accord are vitally necessary to our progress in either the physical or the psychical world4 ,the effect of harmonious sound on the moral nature of man has received much scientific attention in relation to its influence over the insane4 ,the ,rev4 ,r4 ,h4 ,haweis speaks of it in 8,music and ,morals10 as 8the much neglected study of ,musical ,psychology40 ,his remarks are greatly to our present point4 8,what has ,nature done for the musician8 ,she has given him sound4 99 99 ,thoughts are but wandering spirits that depend for their vitality upon the magnetic current of feeling4 99 99 99 ,emotion is often weakened by association with thought1 whereas thoughts are always strengthened by emotion4 ,i have endeavored to 99 99 99 99 to show that there is a region of abstract emotion in human nature2 99 99 99 99 that1 this region of emotion consisted of infinite varieties of mental temperature that upon these temperatures or atmospheres of the soul depended the degree1 and often the kind of actions of which at different times we were capable4 99 99 ,who will deny that the experience of such soul-atmospheres must leave a definite impress upon the character8 99 99 99 ,but if1 as we have maintained1 music has the power of actually creating and manipulating these mental atmospheres1 what vast capacities1 for good or evil must music possess60 99 99 99 ,the ,bible itself pays a tribute to the emotional effect and power of changing the soul's atmosphere possessed by even such a primitive instrument as ,david's ,harp4 8,when the evil ,spirit from ,god was upon ,saul1 then ,david took an harp1 and played with his hand4 ,so ,saul was refreshed1 and was well1 and the evil ,spirit departed from him40 7#a ,sam4 xvi1 #bc47 ,i have no doubt whatever that the acknowledged influence of music over the insane might be far more extensively used2 indeed if applied judiciously to a disorganized mind1 it might be as powerful an agent as galvanism in restoring healthy and pleasurable activity to the emotional regions4 ,who can deny then1 if such a mysterious command as this is possessed by music over the realm of abstract emotion1 that music itself must be held responsible for the manner in which it deals with that realm1 and the kind of succession1 proportion and degrees of the various emotional atmospheres it has the power of generating4 ,testimony upon these various points might be multiplied1 but is not the above sufficient to indicate a possibility at least that these 8,singing ,silences0 are closely allied to 8,nada ,brahma10 the omnipresent sound1 the vibration caused perhaps by the speeding of ,light1 7which is the first ,divine ,thought17 from the ,central ,sun1 and in the mighty harmony of its coming1 awakening and vivifying all things8 8,i guess1 by the stir of this music ,what raptures in heaven can be1 ,where the sound is ,thy marvellous stillness1 ,and the music is light out of ,thee40 ,,julius4 ,,on ,,the ,,soul ,,of ,,man4 ,,being ,,the ,,replies ,,to ,,two ,,out ,,of ,,forty ,,questions1 ,,by ,jacob ,behmen1 ,,in ,,the ,,year #afbj4 ,,from ,,the ,,translation ,,made ,,in #afdg4 ,,to ,,the ,,eighth ,,question3 ,after what manner doth the soule come into the ,body of ,man8 ,,my ,,beloved ,,friend3 ,i understand this question to be meant concerning its propagation2 for ,moses telleth you how it came into ,adam1 and we have declared that before2 but if you ask concerning its propagation1 how it cometh into a childe in the mother's wombe1 we must put on another habit4 #b4 ,you know what is written in our third booke very punctually and at large1 with many circumstances concerning its propagation2 how ,adam was created one ,image1 he was both man and woman before ,eve2 he had 7within him7 both ,tincture of the ,fire1 and of the ,water2 that is soule and spirit2 he should have brought his similitude out of himself1 an image of himself1 out of himself by his imagination and his owne ,love1 and that he was able to do without rending of the body4 #c4 ,for1 as we have mentioned before1 the soule had power to change the body into another forme1 and so also it had power to bring forth a twig out of itself1 according to its property1 if ,adam had stood out in the ,triall4 #d4 ,but when he imagined according to the ,omnipotence1 and let in the spirit of this world into the soule1 and the serpent into the ,tincture1 and tooke a longing in himself after the earthly fruite1 to eate of evill and good1 then also his ,tincture conceived such an image as was half earthly2 viz3 a monster1 into which also the ,turba 7the gross lower elements71 then instantly insinuated itself and sought the limit 7that is1 filled it as far as possible74 #e4 ,and so the noble image was found in the earthly1 and then destruction and death began1 and ,adam could not bring forth1 for his omnipotence was lost4 #f4 ,and should indeed have ever been lost1 if the heart of ,god had not instantly turned itself with the word of promise1 into ,adam's soule2 which did so preserve it1 that its image must perish and the soule must sinke downe with the heavenly body through death into the new life1 where its spirit will be renewed againe4 #g4 ,and thus ,adam in impotence fell asleep2 and then the second creation began1 for ,god tooke the ,tincture of the ,water1 as a twig out of ,adam's soule1 and a rib out of ,adam1 and halfe of the crosse that was in ,adam1 and made a woman of them4 #h4 ,as you know that the woman hath the one halfe crosse in her head1 and the man the other1 for the spirit of the soule dwelleth in the head1 in the braine1 out of which spirit ,god hath taken a twig 7viz3 a childe out of the spirit of the soule of ,adam7 and hath given it to the woman4 #i4 ,and hath given the tincture of the water to her1 that she should not bring forth ,devills1 and the man hath the tincture of fire1 viz3 the true ,originall of ,life4 #aj4 ,and therefore the woman hath gotten the matrix1 viz3 the tincture of ,venus1 and the man hath the tincture of fire3 understand1 the woman hath the tincture of ,light1 which cannot awaken ,life--the ,life ariseth in the tincture of fire4 #aa4 ,and so it cannot be otherwise now1 but that they must propagate as beasts doe1 in two seeds3 the man soweth soule1 and the woman soweth spirit2 and being sowne in an earthly field1 it is also brought forth after the manner of all beasts4 #ab4 ,yet nevertheless all the three principles are in the seed1 but the inward cannot be knowne by the outward1 for in the seed the soule is not living3 but when the two tinctures are brought together1 then it is a whole essence2 for the soule is essentiall in the seed1 and in the conception becometh substantiall4 #ac4 ,for so soon as the fire is struck upon by ,vulcan1 the soule is wholly perfect in the essence and the spirit goeth instantly out of the soule into the tincture1 and attracteth the outward dominion to itself1 viz3 the ,starres together with the ,aire4 #ad4 ,and then it is an eternall childe1 and hath the corruptible spirit also with the ,turba cleaving to it1 which ,adam tooke in by his imagination4 #ae4 ,then instantly the ,turba seeketh the limit in the spirit of this world1 and will enter into the limit1 and so soone as the soule hath its life1 the body is old enough to die3 and thus1 many a soule perisheth in the ,essence1#aje while it is in the sulphur in the seed4 #af4 ,but that you may perceive that the man hath the tincture of the fire1 and the woman the tincture of the light in the water1 viz3 the tincture of ,venus2 you must observe the eager imagination of both towards one another3 for the seed in the essence eagerly seeketh the life1 the masculine in the woman in ,venus1 and the feminine in the fire1 in the originall of life in the man3 as we have very cleerly demonstrated in the third ,booke1 and therefore we refer the reader thither4 #ag4 ,and we answer here1 that soule cometh not at all into the body1 or is breathed into it from without1 but the three principles have each of them its own artificer3 one worketh with fire in the centre1 and the other maketh tincture and water1 and the third maketh the earthly ,mysterium ,magnum4#ajf #ah4 ,and yet it 7soule7 is not any new thing1 but the seed of man and woman1 and is onely conceived in the mixture1 and so onely a twig groweth out of the tree4#ajg ,,to ,,the ,,eleventh ,,question3 ,how and where is it seated in ,man8 ,a thing which is unsearchable1 and yet seeketh and maketh a ground in itself2 that hath its originall1 and seat in its first conception1 where it conceiveth itself in itself3 therein is its limit1 viz3 in the most innermost1 and it goeth forth out of itself1 and seeketh forward1 where then it always maketh one glasse according to the other1 untill it finds the first again1 viz3 the unsearchable limit4 #b4 ,thus also is the soule1 it is in ,god conceived in the heart1 and the word which conceived it was in the heart1 viz3 in the centre2 and so it continueth in the figure and in the seat1 as it was comprehended by the fiat2 and so it is still at this day4 #c4 ,it dwelleth in three principles3 but the heart is its originall2 it is the inward fire in the heart1 in the inward blood of the heart2 and the spirit of it which hath a glance from the fire is in the tincture3 for it is cloathed with the tincture1 and burneth in the heart4 #d4 ,and the spirit moveth upon the heart in the bosom of the heart1 where both principles part themselves1 and it burneth in the tincture in a brimstony light3 and diffuseth itself abroad into all the members of the whole body3 for the tincture goeth through all the members4 #e4 ,but the true ,firesmith in the centre--master workman--sitteth in the heart1 and governeth with the spirit in the head where it hath its counsell house1 viz3 the mind and senses1 also the five chief counsellors1 viz3 the five senses1 which arise from the five spirits of understanding1 as we have declared in our third booke2 and in our second1 and in our first4#ajh #f4 ,the soule is indeed seated in the inward principle1 but it moveth even in the outward1 viz3 in the starres and elements1 and if it be not an ape1 and suffer itself to be captivated1 it hath power enough to rule them1 and if the soule plungeth itself into ,god1 the outward must be obedient to it4 #g4 ,and if it cometh againe into the outward1 riding upon the chariot of the bride1 and so have the ,holy ,ghost for an assistant1 no assault of the ,devill is of any consequence1 it destroyeth his nest1 and driveth him out1 and he must stand in scorne and shame4 #h4 ,and this is our answer to this question2 but it must not be so understood as that if a man be beheaded1 and so his blood gush out and the outward life perishes1 this reacheth the soule and killeth that2 no1 it loseth one principle indeed thereby1 but not even the essence of that principle1 for that essence followeth it in the tincture1 in the spirit1 as a shadow4 #i4 ,for the outward essence reacheth not the inward in the soule1 but onely by the imagination2 there is nothing else in this world1 no fire1 nor sword1 that can touch the soule1 or put it to death1#aji but onely the imagination2 that is its poyson4 #aj4 ,for it originally proceeded from the imagination1 and remaineth in it eternally4 ,,living ,,the ,,higher ,,life4 ,concluded from ,july ,number4 ,needless to say1 that such vows were conscientiously kept1 and that those who were not really able to do so never made such promises nor retired from the side of their family1 but chose to belong to the first class of married people4 ,this second class of persons who thus retired into the forest and became hermits1 were called ,vanaprasthas4 ,they always obtained the full consent#aaj of their near relatives and renounced 8pleasures0 and material prosperity 7money making1 etc474 ,the fourth highest order of life was complete renunciation 7,sannyasis74 ,these were the blessed few who had1 then and there1 in each incarnation1 got out of family defects4 ,only those were admitted into this order whom the defects of no family could affect4 ,long before their admission into this order1 they had1 by fulfilling family duties1 successively1 incarnation after incarnation gone far beyond the reach of family defects4 ,brahmacharis and ,kannikas could1 after they had discharged family duties1 become ,sannyasis4 ,all except those belonging to the second order of life1 were called upon and did take a vow to give up one or more of their dearest and strongest defects4 ,such1 my friends1 were the ,laws of ,manu4 ,if any of you could establish a community on a better foundation1 ,i should be happy to give up my allegiance to the great ,sage1 ,saviour1 and ,legislator4 ,as every ,manu establishes the same ,manava ,dharma again and again1 and as the ,manus are higher than ,buddha and other founders of religions1 ,i should call upon you to pay all possible attention to this subject4 ,manu is higher1 because he overshadows a ,buddha4 ,i must request the readers1 to study every word and the whole of this paper 7if it deserves to be so called7 and not tear it piece-meal or interpret passages and phrases in it1 as they please4 ,i must add1 that by 8family duties0 ,i do not at all mean sacrificing your duty or conviction and ,truth1 to gratify the whims or selfish nature or sectarian views of any of your 8relatives40 ,but ,i use the expression 8family duties0 in a peculiar sense1 namely 8that course and only that course of action1 speech and thoughts by which you can not only get rid of your family defects in this very incarnation1 but also strengthen in yourself all the noble qualities of your family1 and which will at the same time enable your relatives 7parents1 brothers1 sisters1 wife1 children1 etc417 also to get rid of the same defects and strengthen in themselves the same good qualities--so that you might be born again and again in the same family40 8,patriotism0 is used in a similar manner2 and the article 8,elixir of ,life0 7see ,theosophist7 should be read in the light of this paper4 ,the question is asked1 8,has the dweller of the threshold an objective form2 upon what does its objective form depend2 does it always appear to every one in the same form as it did to ,glyndon in ,bulwer's story80 ,it is objective to those who have gone very far4 ,it depends upon 7#a7 a certain thing ,i shall not here name2 7#b7 the stage of development to which the chela or occultist has attained or is near attaining2 7#c7 the mode of regarding elementals and the ,dweller1 peculiar to the chela or occultist1 to his family and to his nation1 or rather to the national and family legends or religion2 7#d7 which form1 more or less monstrous or incongruous1 would be most frightful and overpowering to him at the critical period4 ,subject to the above four conditions1 the ,dweller assumes a form according to the manner in which the chela or occultist has or has not fulfilled his threefold duties1 and according to the manner in which the sevenfold elements of the ,dweller assert themselves upon him4 ,the better he has fulfilled the threefold duties1 the less does the ,dweller affect him4 ,of course the form is not necessarily the same for every one4 ,why did the ,dweller appear to ,glyndon's sister1 who was not undergoing probation1 and why in the same form8 ,because she was sympathetic and sensitive enough4 ,the principle involved in this case is the same as in obsession4 ,the ,dweller might either be but one elemental1 or a group or several groups of elementals assuming one collective form4 ,it is one elemental1 when the crisis comes at the very commencement of the chela's or occultist's attempt to elevate his lower nature4 ,this is the case when he has the least 7,karmic7 stamina for the 8uphill path40 ,the later on his path is waylaid the more numerous are the elementals of which the ,dweller is composed4 ,it need not be imagined that this appearance or influence confronts the chela only once until he reaches the first initiation1 and an initiate only once during the interval between two initiations4 ,it appears as often as the stock of his ,karmic stamina falls below the minimum limit4 ,by ,karmic stamina is meant the phala 7effect or fruit7 of past unselfish1 good ,karma that has become ripened4 ,though the occultist might have an immense quantity of past unselfish good ,karma stored up1 still1 if during his crisis there be not a sufficient number of present unselfish good thoughts to ripen a sufficient portion of that quantity1 he finds himself destitute of the necessary stock of stamina4 ,few are they who have already laid up a good quantity of unselfish good ,karma2 and fewer still are they who have the requisite degree of unselfish and spiritual nature during the period of trial2 and there are still fewer who would not rush for further ,yoga development1 without having all the requisite means4 ,when not qualified fully for it1 we ought to and could go on developing ourselves in the ordinary way1 and try to secure the necessary means by leading an unselfish life and setting an example to others1 and this is the stage of nearly all ordinary ,theosophists4 ,they1 in common with all their fellows1 are influenced by a 8,dweller10 which is the effect upon them of their own1 their family1 and national defects2 and although they may never1 in this life1 see objectively any such form1 the influence is still there1 and is commonly recognized as 8bad inclinations and discouraging thoughts40 ,seek then1 to live the ,higher life by beginning now to purify your thoughts by good deeds1 and by right speech4 ,,murdhna ,,joti4 ,,musings ,,on ,,the ,,true ,,theosophist',s ,,path4 8,the way of inward peace is in all things to conform to the pleasure and disposition of the ,divine ,will4 ,such as would have all things succeed and come to pass according to their own fancy1 are not come to know this way2 and therefore lead a harsh and bitter life2 always restless and out of humor1 without treading the way of peace40 ,know then ,oh ,man1 that he who seeks the hidden way1 can only find it through the door of life4 ,in the hearts of all1 at some time1 there arises the desire for knowledge4 ,he who thinks his desire will be fulfilled1 as the little bird in the nest1 who has only to open his mouth to be fed2 will very truly be disappointed4 ,in all nature we can find no instance where effort of some kind is not required4 ,we find there is a natural result from such effort4 ,he who would live the life or find wisdom can only do so by continued effort4 ,if one becomes a student1 and learns to look partially within the veil1 or has found within his own being something that is greater than his outer self1 it gives no authority for one to sit down in idleness or fence himself in from contact with the world4 ,because one sees the gleam of the light ahead he cannot say to his fellow 8,i am holier than thee0 or draw the mantle of seclusion around himself4 ,the soul develops like the flower1 in ,god's sunlight1 and unconsciously to the soil in which it grows4 ,shut out the light and the soil grows damp and sterile1 the flower withers or grows pale and sickly4 ,each and every one is here for a good and wise reason4 ,if we find partially the why we are here1 then is there the more reason that we should by intelligent contact with life1 seek in it the farther elucidation of the problem4 ,it is not the study of ourselves so much1 as the thought for others that opens this door4 ,the events of life and their causes lead to knowledge4 ,they must be studied when they are manifested in daily life4 ,there is no idleness for the ,mystic4 ,he finds his daily life among the roughest and hardest of the labors and trials of the world perhaps1 but goes his way with smiling face and joyful heart1 nor grows too sensitive for association with his fellows1 nor so extremely spiritual as to forget that some other body is perhaps hungering for food4 ,it was said by one who pretended to teach the mysteries 8,it is needful that ,i have a pleasant location and beautiful surroundings40 ,he who is a true ,theosoph will wait for nothing of the sort1 either before teaching3 or what is first needful1 learning4 ,it would perhaps1 be agreeable1 but if the ,divine ,inspiration comes only under those conditions1 then indeed is the ,divine afar from the most of us4 ,he only can be a factor for good or teach how to approach the way1 who forgetting his own surroundings1 strives to beautify and illumine those of others4 ,the effort must be for the good of others1 not the gratifying of our own senses1 or love for the agreeable or pleasant4 ,giving thought to self will most truly prevent and overthrow your aims and objects1 particularly when directed toward the occult4 ,again there arises the thought 8,i am a student1 a holder of a portion of the mystic lore40 ,insidiously there steals in the thought 8,behold ,i am a little more than other men1 who have not penetrated so far40 ,know then oh1 man1 that you are not as great even as they4 ,he who thinks he is wise is the most ignorant of men1 and he who begins to believe he is wise is in greater danger than any other man who lives4 ,you think1 oh1 man1 that because you have obtained a portion of occult knowledge1 that it entitles you to withdraw from contact with the rest of mankind4 ,it is not so4 ,if you have obtained true knowledge it forces you to meet all men not only half way1 but more than that to seek them4 ,it urges you not to retire but1 seeking contact1 to plunge into the misery and sorrow of the world1 and with your cheering word1 if you have no more 7the ,mystic has little else7 strive to lighten the burden for some struggling soul4 ,you dream of fame4 ,we know no such thing as fame4 ,he who seeks the upward path finds that all is truth2 that evil is the good gone astray4 ,why should we ask for fame8 ,it is only the commendation of those we strive to help4 ,desire neither notice1 fame or wealth4 ,unknown you are in retirement4 ,being fameless you are undisturbed in your seclusion1 and can walk the broad face of the earth fulfilling your duty1 as commanded1 unrecognized4 ,if the duty grows hard1 or you faint by the way1 be not discouraged1 fearful or weary of the world4 ,remember that 8,thou may'st look for silence in tumult1 solitude in company1 light in darkness1 forgetfulness in pressures1 vigor in despondency1 courage in fear1 resistance in temptation1 peace in war1 and quiet in tribulation40 ,,american ,,mystic4 ,,reviews ,,and ,,notes4 ,,theosophy ,,in ,,the ,,press4--,a great many articles1 both editorial and otherwise1 have within the past few months appeared in the daily papers1 the most of them full of misstatements mixed with ignorance of not only ,theosophy1 but also of many things well known in literature4 ,one paper devoted two columns to the subject1 and the editor called them thorough and accurate1 yet we find in it the mind cure treated as ,theosophy1 and then all the cranky notions the writer could rake up in ,new ,york and ,boston are called 8,buddhist bosh40 ,but some ,theosophists have been guilty of ventilating in the papers the statement that ,theosophy is astralism1 that is to say1 that the object of the ,society is to induce people to go into the study and practice of spirit raising1 cultivating the abnormal faculties1 of clairvoyance and the like1 ignoring entirely the prime object1 real end1 aim and raison d'etre of the movement--universal brotherhood and ethical teaching4 ,in fact1 we make bold to assert1 from our own knowledge and from written documents1 that the ,mahatmas1 who started the ,society1 and stand behind it now1 are distinctly opposed to making prominent these phenomenal leanings1 this hunting after clairvoyance and astral bodies1 and that they have so declared most unmistakeably1 stating their wish and advice to be1 that 8the ,society should prosper on its ethical1 philosophical and moral worth alone40 ,theosophists should haste to see that this false impression created at large1 that it is a dangerous study1 or that it is in any way dangerous1 or that we conceal our reasons for what we are doing1 is done away with4 ,there is proof enough to their hand4 ,india has nearly #abj branches1 all studying freely and openly how best to purify their own lives1 while they bring to others a knowledge of right doctrine4 ,america has a dozen branches1 nearly all of which know that the impressions referred to are ridiculous4 ,if one or two persons in the ,society imagine that the pursuit of psychical phenomena is its real end and aim and so declare1 that weighs nothing against the immense body of the membership or against its widespread literature2 it is merely their individual bias4 ,but at the same time1 this imagination and misstatement are dangerous1 and insidiously so4 ,it is just the impression which the ,jesuit college desires to be spread abroad concerning us1 so that in one place ridicule may follow1 and in another a superstitious dread of the thing2 which ever of those may happen to obtain1 they would be equally well pleased4 ,let ,theosophists attend to this1 and let them not forget1 that the only authoritative statement of what are the ends and objects of the ,society1 is contained in those printed in its by-laws4 ,no amount of assertion to the contrary by any officer or member can change that declaration4 99 99 99 99 99 8,,last ,,words0 ,,of ,,moncure ,d4 ,,conway4--,we do not refer to a book1 but to an article written by ,mr4 ,conway in the ,forum upon the subject of ,theosophy4 ,he declares to those who are honored by his personal acquaintance1 that that article is really 8the last word to be said on the subject10 and he desires all people to read it1 so that their delusions may be dispelled4 ,in this he is wise1 because certain delusions held by some people would be at once dispelled upon reading his lucubrations4 ,mr4 ,conway has been excessively bitter against ,theosophy ever since he went to the headquarters in ,madras1 and was well treated and entertained by the unsuspecting ,theosophists there4 ,almost in the same hour that he was being housed and fed there1 he was writing to the ,glasgow ,herald--he had not yet got into the ,forum--an article abusing those who extended to him their hospitality4 ,he had been there but a few hours1 and so great was his penetration1 that in that short time1 he had succeeded1 as he said1 in unravelling the whole mystery1 in pricking the bubble4 ,but how he grew so wise in such short space1 we do not know4 ,his solution was and is1 that ,madame ,blavatsky produced ,mahatmas1 ,aryan literature1 ,sanscrit language1 ,astral bodies and all the rest1 by means of a curious thing called 8glamour10 which is vulgarly called 8pulling the wool40 ,but ,conway gives a little more power to this glamour than the vulgar phrase1 for he ascribes to it some power over the imagination4 ,he does not say how we are to know whether or not his own perceptions were 8glamoured02 for he has the hardihood to assert that ,madame ,blavatsky1 the arch conspirator1 was fool enough to unburden her heart to him1 a decaying ,english divine1 and to weakly confess upon a mere plain interrogation put by him1 that 8it is all glamours40 ,for our part1 we are led to believe1 from certain information and after having1 subsequent to ,mr4 ,conway's return to ,london1 conversed with him1 that the 8glamour0 used on the occasion1 was so powerful as to affect ,mr4 ,conway's perception to such an extent1 that he is willing to accuse himself of such a foolish thing as trying to make us believe that ,blavatsky made a full confession to him4 ,it is really 8all glamours02 but after all1 the ,forum is not a bad sort of a magazine for ,theosophy to get into1 even through the instrumentality of this 8glamoured0 clergyman4 ,however1 as ,theosophy sometimes has prophets1 we hope and trust1 that his own entitlement of his thoughts on the subject may not be fateful1 and not be his 8last words40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,sinnett4--,in our ,july issue a printer's error gave the wrong title to ,mr4 ,sinnett's new book4 ,it is called 8,united0 and not ,union1 as was printed in ,july4 ,,theosophical ,,activities4 ,,new ,,york3 ,,the ,,aryan ,,theosophical ,,society continues to publish its short ,abridgement of ,discussions1 which are circulated to all ,branches1 and have met with commendation4 ,at a recent meeting ,mr4 ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,bjerregaard lectured on mysticism1 showing how much the world is indebted to its mystics4 ,mr4 ,bjerregaard promises the ,society further lectures in the ,fall4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,rochester ,,convention was held ,july #dth1 #ahhf1 at ,mrs4 ,cable's house in ,rochester4 ,delegates attended from fourteen ,branches1 and enthusiastic meetings were held ,july #dth and #eth4 ,the report of the ,secretary showed a gain in ,branches1 of over #ajj per cent4 since ,july1 #ahhe4 ,important orders were received from ,india1 being the resolutions of a council meeting held in ,adyar1 at which it was resolved that ,american ,theosophical ,branches shall form into a general ,american ,council1 similar and subject to the parent body1 and thus being democratic and more like a brotherhood4 ,arrangements were made for carrying these orders into full effect1 and soon1 perhaps1 we will have another convention4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,rochester ,,branch4--,this ,branch held a public meeting near the end of ,july1 which was duly advertised1 and well attended by intelligent people4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,sasseville1 of that ,branch1 read a paper on ,reincarnation1 and ,mrs4 ,cables addressed the meeting on the ,inner ,life of ,man4 ,this is really the first public ,theosophical meeting we have had in ,america1 and marks an era4 ,strangely too1 it occurred in ,rochester1 where the spiritual rappings first were heard4 ,the members who got it up and carried it out are not those who have become the most famous1 but are a band of devoted souls who believe in the cause and are willing to let it be known4 ,it is through such people always that the most work is accomplished for the progression of any cause4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,psychical ,,research ,,societies ,,of ,,london ,,and ,,america4--,the ,london society some time ago had a long report made by one of its members1 a ,mr4 ,hodgson1 in which the ,theosophical ,society is attacked1 and ,mme4 ,blavatsky is branded as the greatest impostor of modern times4 ,by many weak people who swear by authority1 and who do not rely upon their own judgment1 this report has been accepted as final1 and has prevented them from giving any further attention to the study of either ,theosophy or ,aryan literature4 ,we are not sorry for the ,society1 but commiserate those who1 thus deluded1 have lost a golden opportunity4 ,the cause of theosophy does not depend1 however1 upon them1 and still flourishes in every land4 ,in the ,religio ,philosophical ,journal a long letter is printed1 signed 8,f4 ,t4 ,s40 in which the ,psychical ,research ,society of ,america is given a warning4 ,the writer specifies his charges in the name of theosophists1 to be as follows3 8,preferring the general charge that you are not what you pretend to be1 we specify3 #a4 ,that you know nothing of psychic science4 #b4 ,that you do not know how to conduct psychic research4 #c4 ,that you do not know what it is that you are in search of4 #d4 ,that you would not know a psychic result to be such if you reached it4 #e4 ,that you do not know how to judge the evidence upon which psychic phenomena rests4 #f4 ,that you do not know of anything really worth investigating in psychic science4 #g4 ,that you do not know how to learn and do not really want to be taught4 ,and yet you are pleased to style yourselves #8,the ,american ,society for ,psychical ,research4' ,we say to you1 gentlemen1 that being what you are1 your very name is an insult to psychic science1 and would be1 were it known1 a just cause of offense to hundreds of thousands who have reached that goal toward which you have resolutely turned your backs4 ,in discussing the charges which we bring against you1 we shall take occasion to show you that you are not in the line of psychic evolution1 but surely tending in the opposite direction4 ,if you do not heed our warning1 if you do not desist and turn to the rightabout before it is too late1 every hope that you entertain will be frustrated1 your every endeavor will yield you shame and confusion1 your goal will prove to be the pillory of public opinion1 and your first real lesson in psychic science will have been learned when psychic research into your own souls shows you what it is to be made a laughing-stock40 ,he then goes on to catechise the ,society with a long list of questions directed to showing that they never studied psychical science1 that they do not know even the rudiments of the simplest phenomenon1 to all of which questions the answer must be 8,no40 ,as this letter applies just as well to the ,london ,society1 we hope it will be read by those who are interested4 ,the ,london gentlemen went so far as to accept the conclusions of an investigator who got all his facts second-handed1 and who could not possibly have had the real evidence4 ,among other things he says that the editor of this ,magazine went to ,india to investigate 8but was not allowed to see the 7famous7 shrine40 ,this statement was false1 and merely the result of the ignorance of ,mr4 ,hodgson1 for we not only saw the shrine1 but after seeing everything1 ordered it closed up from the prejudiced prying eyes and steel jimmies of ,englishmen who came afterwards1 and the very drawing of the premises used by ,mr4 ,hodgson in his report1 after being falsified1 was made by the editor of this ,magazine4 99 99 99 99 99 ,from study let a man proceed to meditation1 and from meditation to study2 by perfection in both1 the supreme spirit becomes manifest4 ,study is one eye to behold it1 and meditation is the other4--,vishnu ,purana4 ,neither by the eyes1 nor by spirit1 nor by the sensuous organ1 by austerity1 nor by sacrifices1 can we see ,god4 ,only the pure1 by the light of wisdom and by deep meditation can see the pure ,god4--,upanishads4 ,only the pure in heart shall see ,god4--,jesus4 8,lead me from the unreal to the real6 ,lead me from darkness to light6 ,lead me from death to immortality60--,saman and ,yagur ,vedas1 and ,brih4 ,upan4 ,the small1 old path stretching far away1 has been found by me4 ,on it sages who know ,brahman move on to the heavenly place1 and thence higher on1 entirely free4--,yajnavalkya4 ,,om4 ,,footnotes3 #hi ,in reply to several inquiries as to the meaning of ,chela1 we answer that it here means an accepted disciple of an ,adept4 ,the word1 in general1 means1 ,disciple4 #ij ,see ,agroushada ,parakshai1 #b;d book1 #bc;d dialogue4--,,ed4 #ia ,it is interesting to compare the ,brihadaranyaka-,upanishad1 #dth ,brah41 with this3 8,in the beginning this was ,self alone1 in the shape of a spirit4 ,he looking round1 saw nothing but his ,self40--,,ed4 #ib ,quran xxiv1 #ce4 #ic ibid4 lxxvi1 #ah4 #id ,the ,mevlevi or dancing devishes4 #ie ,quran xix1 #gd4 #if ibid4 xxv1 #bf4 #ig ibid4 ii1 #ih ibid4 lxxx1 #ae4 #ii ibid4 lvi1 #gh4 #ajj ibid4 lvi1 #gi4 #aja ibid4 xli1 #db4 #ajb ibid4 xii1 #fd4 #ajc ibid4 vii1 #aej4 #ajd ,true transl4 by ,j4 ,freeman ,clark4 #aje ,this is also an ancient ,hindu doctrine laid down in secret books4--,,ed4 #ajf ,see his ,clavix1 written in #afbd4--;,,ed4 #ajg ,it is important to remember that ,behmen gave the name spirit to the lower soul and soul with him meant what we call spirit4--,,ed4 #ajh ,threefold life2 ,three principles2 and ,aurora4 #aji ,see ,bagavad-,gita4--,,ed4 #aaj 8,full consent0 including the consent of all their various consciousnesses4 ,if the ,patin or ,pati saw1 and they ought to be able to see1 that even in one of the consciousnesses of any of their near relatives there lurked a latent spark of hesitation to consent or of unwillingness1 then the pair unselfishly gave up their determination to become ,vanaprasthas and remained with the family until the proper time came4 ,,aum ,the ,supreme ,universal ,spirit is ,one1 simple and indivisible2 being all1 pervading all1 sustaining all1 the good1 the bad and the ignorant alike4 ,i am the origin of all4 ,from me all proceeds4 ,for those who are constantly devoted1 dead in me1 do ,i1 on account of my compassion1 destroy the darkness which springs from ignorance1 by the brilliant lamp of spiritual knowledge4--,bagavad-,gita4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,september1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #f4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,,theosophic ,,morals4 ,some remarks professedly concerned with 8,the ,higher ,life10 appearing in 8,,the ,,path0 for ,july1 over the nom de plume of ,murdhna ,joti1 strike me as presenting the readers with so narrow and unwholesome a view of ,theosophic principles1 that ,i find myself impelled to point out some of the misconceptions from which they seem to arise4 ,that hard-worked phrase the 8,dweller on the ,threshold0 has been interpreted in many fantastic senses1 but surely it has never before been saddled with so ludicrously inappropriate a meaning as in this essay where it is made to stand for love of kindred and love of country4 ,that these ennobling sentiments are what the writer means by 8family defects0 and 8national defects0 is apparent from the passage that would be little less than blasphemous in the ears of any real oriental ,chela with whom ,i have ever been acquainted1--in which3--8,a ,mahatma has1 it appears1 declared that he has still patriotism4 ,but he has not said nor would say that he has still family attachment4 ,this proves that he has got out of the defects of the family to which he belongs1 while he is only striving to get out of national defects1 some of which at any rate cling to him40 ,the reference here is of course to one of the letters quoted by me in the ,occult ,world1 in which the writer so beautifully shows that the exalted rank in nature to which he has attained1 leaves him as free as ever to entertain generous emotions of sympathy with the race to which his latest personality belongs4 ,if he had been dealing with the subject from another point of view he would have equally shown himself to be1--as ,i have good reason to believe that he is1--animated by still more specific attachments to certain persons of his physical kindred4 8,defects0 of family and defects of nationality may undoubtedly be reflected in given individuals1 and like any other personal failings may in such cases stand in the way of devotion to the ,higher ,life2 but such defects are not those which are convertible terms1 according to the extraordinary essay before me1 with healthy patriotism and domestic affection4 ,and ,i can hardly imagine a more grotesquely misleading account of occult progress than that which represents the 8beginner0 as employed upon first extinguishing his regard for his relations1 and going on to teach himself indifference to the land of his birth4 ,if the extravagance of such a doctrine could be enhanced in an essay addressed to ,western readers1 it would be thus intensified by its author's reference to the 8family duties0 which must be duly accomplished first before the promising neophyte in the training subsequently prescribed for him is at liberty to enter the 8circle of ascetics40 ,a certain haziness clings round his theory as to the nature of these duties1 but enough is said to show any reader familiar with ,india1 that the writer's mind is running on the exoteric customs of the ,hindu which constitute the local superstitions of the common people1--a designation which applies equally to one caste as to another1 for modern ,brahmins may be as thoroughly dissociated from the spirit of the esoteric doctrine and as hopelessly saturated with corrupt conventionalities as ,british churchwardens or the corresponding functionaries in ,america4 ,some such fancies derived from exoteric ,hindu thinking have clearly inspired the article under notice4 ,in ,india even exoteric thinking recognizes the existence of ,mahatmas and theories concerning the methods by which their condition may be approached1 but ,theosophic students in ,europe and ,america should be on their guard against supposing that every thing which emanates from an ,indian source1 must on that account be true occult philosophy4 ,especially in ,india1 but in other parts of the world too1 in various disguises we continually encounter the fundamental blunder of the mere fakir that progress in occult development is to be acquired by simulating some of the external characteristics of a development that has been accomplished4 ,no doubt there are states of immaterial existence to which human beings may ultimately climb1--at distances of time as immeasureable as those heights themselves1 where such relative attributes as those which invest embodied human beings with specific attachments1 will be merged in the higher mysteries of nature1 which we can talk about already1 perhaps1 and assign names to1 but assuredly cannot yet realize1 or even effectually comprehend4 ,but it may be1 there is hardly any level even in ,adeptship1 at which still embodied humanity is ripe to shed such attachments1 and the notion of talking about attempting this from the point of view of incipient chelaship is as ludicrous as it would be to talk about pruning a seedling which had just protruded its first green shoot above the ground2 and suggests1 in regard to human illustrations1 the notion of a beardless youngster1 who presents himself to a barber to be shaved4 ,we ,theosophists are engaged in an undertaking which makes it very desirable that we should not render ourselves ridiculous2 and though there is no endeavor possible for us which is better entitled to respect than an honest attempt to lead 8the ,higher ,life10 we may perhaps more easily bring discredit on our movement by talking nonsense about that grand ideal1 than in any other way4 ,we may go further1 indeed1 than the mere recognition of nobility attaching to the pursuit of the ,higher ,life4 ,we may grant that no one can truly be said to have assimilated the principles of esoteric teaching unless these have made a sensible impression on his conduct and on the practical attitude he assumes in relation to others and the world at large4 ,but it will be a matter to be determined by each man's temperament1 how far he keeps his own personal dealings1 so to speak1 with the great principles of ,theosophy a private transaction between himself and his conscience1 or how far he ventures to bring them into relief by devoting himself especially as a ,theosophist to the task of preaching exalted morality4 ,i am now of course passing out1 on my own account1 into the ocean of ,theosophic discussion in general1 and the sentence just penned has no reference to the article ,i began by reviewing1--which appears to me to be very far from promulgating any morality or even coherent sense1 exalted or otherwise4 ,but on the subject at large a few general remarks at this juncture may perhaps not be inappropriate4 ,the most exalted morality imaginable is inevitably deduced from the principles of occult science1 for by explaining to mankind how it is that they really evolve through successive lives1 each depending on the last and on all its predecessors as summed up in the last1 the basic motives for good conduct are set out with far greater precision than they can be suggested by the bribes or threats of conventional religion4 ,such temptations and warnings1 as experience has shown1 come to be distrusted or no longer feared as the manifestly erroneous conceptions with which they are entangled1 become apparent to advancing intelligence4 ,then1 loving the right still1 under the influence of an inner intuition they have not learned to interpret properly1 people attempt sometimes to supply the vacant places of their vanished faith1 with painful abstract theories of a barren duty1 which take their rise in no intelligible sanction and tend to no specific result4 ,for mere morality divorced from religion and justified by no prospects of future existence1 it is impossible that the human mind could permanently furnish a nourishing soil4 ,to provide for the gathering emergency the esoteric doctrine is now beginning to shine on the world4 ,in the longer freedom with which it will shine hereafter1 no doubt it will do much more even than explain to men the scientific and satisfactory reasons why1 right is right1 why the pursuit of good conduces to happiness and vice versa4 ,already indeed1 it is made apparent that the highest degrees of exaltation possible for human beings1 can only be attained in connection with a pursuit of good which has a still more subtle motive than the thirst for spiritual happiness--which is animated by that unsurpassably sublime intention 7often talked about so glibly1 but surely realized so seldom7 unselfishness and disinterested zeal for the welfare of others4 ,but even if we do not handle that exalted topic--which sits ill upon the lips of any preachers who do not at all events outshine the average achievements of ordinary good men in the exercise of unselfishness1 is there not in what is put forward above in the first purpose of ,theosophy a sufficiently exhilarating task to absorb our best energies8 ,to be laying the foundations of the future system of thought which must in due time replace--as the guiding rule of men's lives--the earlier and cruder prescriptions of a priestcraft that their widening comprehension of ,nature is fast outgrowing1--is not that a sufficiently magnificent task for the ,theosophical ,society8 ,certainly esoteric teaching opens up possibilities before the sight of ardent spiritual aspirants that suggest to some eager hearts the pursuit of an object--which if rightly understood may be more magnificent still1 but which1 as contemplated in the beginning may often be prompted by a relatively selfish motive1--the personal pursuit of ,adeptship4 ,but in its original purpose the welfare of mankind at large and not the enlistment of new recruits in the army of chelaship was as ,i read its design1 the idea of the ,theosophical ,society4 ,and how was that design to be carried out8 ,this question seems to me to touch a point which it is highly important to keep in view at the present moment4 ,the ,theosophical movement did not begin by preaching de haut en bas an all but impossible code of ethics4 ,it began by the highly practical course of linking its operations with one of the most growing impulses in the most spiritually minded sections of the ,western community4 ,these were not the merely good and pious representatives of still surviving1 though decaying religious systems2 they were not the hopeless however unselfish exponents of a barren philosophy that threw forward no light on the future2 they were found mainly among people who in one way or another1 and following various false beacons1 perhaps1 were realizing that discoveries were possible beyond the barriers that had formerly seemed to set a limit to the range of the human senses4 ,the bold though bewildered pioneers of psychic inquiry were naturally marked out1 indeed1 to be appealed to first by the esoteric teachers4 ,for them above all was the rudderless condition of modern religions thought a dark and threatening danger4 ,along the road they had set out to travel they would certainly not stop short4 ,but readers of ,theosophic literature will not require to be reminded where the study of occult phenomena un-illuminated by occult morality must ultimately conduct its enthusiasts4 ,the classes referred to were best qualified to receive the new dispensation3 and most urgently in need of it4 ,to them therefore the ,theosophical propaganda in the beginning was directed1 and this is the consideration which will be seen to explain the mystery that has so frequently been discussed in more recent years--the free and so to speak the extravagant display of occult wonders and marvellous phenomena with which the advent of the ,theosophical movement was heralded4 ,its directors as it were1 had to put themselves at the head of the psychic movement generally1 in order to direct its future course aright1 and they could not do this without commanding the attention of persons already largely experienced in psychic investigation4 ,no doubt the time has now gone by when the policy that thus inaugurated the ,theosophical movement is either practicable or desirable4 8,the age of miracles is past10 for us as for mankind at large1--always making allowance for the familiar correction required by the saying that the age for helping on the more general comprehension of those resources of nature with which the 8miracles0 had to do has not passed1 by any means4 ,the interpretation of ,nature--the promulgation of truth concerning the 8powers latent in ,man0--to the end that the world at large may the better understand its own destinies and promote its own healthier development through an immediate future1 is still the ample task that lies before the working members of our organization4 ,again let us say that no one proposes to divorce this from recognition with which it is so intimately blended1 of the sublime morality expressed in the phrase--the ,brotherhood of ,man4 ,but in our zeal for the starry goal in the far distance1 it will be discreet1 on our part1 to avoid the mistake of the ,greek philosopher and not to forget the ground at our feet4 ,a4 ,p4 ,,sinnett4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,note4--,the admirable letter which we have printed above from the able pen of the author of ,esoteric ,buddhism is a good instance of the truth that there are many ways of arriving at the same goal1 and incidentally it also illustrates how difficult it is for those who look at any subject by the light of their own 8ray0 to appreciate the view taken of it by one whose mental constitution is different4 ,both ,murdhna ,joti and ,mr4 ,sinnett are right from their own points of view1 and as they understand themselves4 ,both seem to us to be wrong as they probably understand each other4 ,patriotism and family attachments as understood by ,mr4 ,sinnett are good things1 for he characterises them by the adjectives 8healthy0 8ennobling0 8generous40 ,it cannot be supposed from either a critical or casual reading of 8,the ,higher ,life0 that ,murdhna ,joti advocates the elimination of any statement to which these terms would apply4 ,but patriotism and family attachments may be narrow1 bigoted1 and founded upon an ignorance of other countries and other families1 and upon an inability to perceive in other nations and persons the very qualities that make us feel warmly toward those we are acquainted with1 intensified by a corresponding blindness to faults we have become habituated to and perhaps partake of ourselves4 ,it is the 8provincialism0 of patriotism which breeds the prejudice in favor of things which are a part of our 8larger selves10 and which is bad2 and this narrowness in the case of family attachment 7a different thing from personal affection71 makes us fancy that our family geese are more beautiful than our neighbor's swans4 ,it is in this sense1 it seems to us1 that the family defects in question are held by ,murdhna ,joti as things to get rid of1 and may be said to enter into that practical conception 8the ,dweller on the ,threshold20 and it is in this sense that a ,mahatma may be supposed to lose them4 ,as we rise to a higher level we perceive in clearer distinction the lights and shades in our own country and family1 and we see also that much the same lights and shades exist elsewhere and everywhere2 we lose at the same time the personal prejudice which made lights and shades of a particular tint more agreeable to us than others2 and thus we are brought to view all countries and families in their true light and in their real proportions4 ,but the process by which this is accomplished is more of the nature of a levelling up than of a levelling down4 ,the attachment of a villager is at first confined to his village2 as his mind expands1 his interests extend themselves progressively to the country1 the state1 and the nation4 ,this last entails an expenditure of 8generous feeling0 which is exhaustive for most men2 but a ,mahatma has enough left to stretch out over the whole of humanity4 ,anything smaller would not be 8ennobling0 or 8generous0 in his case4 ,we cannot agree1 however1 with ,mr4 ,sinnett1 in his criticism of ,murdhna ,joti's article1 as to its presenting a false view of 8,theosophic morals40 ,the fact1 at which the learned author of the ,occult ,world hints1 that a certain ,mahatma has 8specific attachments0 to relatives1 does not prove that ,he still has 8family defects40 ,perhaps the writer of 8,living the ,higher ,life0 might have been better understood by ,mr4 ,sinnett if he had in his first paper1 intimated that while family defects were to be got rid of1 the noble qualities of the family1 were to be strengthened2 but this seems to be plainly inferred1 and is actually to be found in the paper1 7p4 #aec1 #c;d paragraph72 and all through the first paper1 it is strenuously insisted1 that the only theosophic morality1 is that one which compels us to unselfishly perform our duty in our family where we are placed by inevitable ,karma4 ,not only has a ,mahatma said ,he 8still had patriotism10 but ,he has also stated more emphatically1 that 8in external ,buddhism is the road to truth40 ,he cannot therefore agree with ,mr4 ,sinnett in the objection that exoteric ,indian thought and religion led to error4 ,in complete knowledge of this second declaration of the ,mahatma1 we read and printed ,murdhna ,joti's paper1 as we have 8,theosophic ,morals40 ,we see in the paper criticised high aspiration and excellent precepts4 ,there are many modes of life2 there are lower and higher planes4 ,no man in one short article can write away all possible future misconceptions2 both sides must be presented1 and they shall be in this ,magazine4 ,we need therefore here warn readers1 that ,mr4 ,sinnett does not by any means desire them to understand that in saying that the ,mahatma quoted has 8certain specific attachments10 he would convey the impression that such a great ,being has to struggle with the limitations of a family1 or that he has given up one legitimate set of ties only to assume others similar4 ,far from that4 ,the nature of the attachment referred to1 is quite as undefinable at ,mr4 ,sinnett's hands as it is at those of the readers1 and we think it would be wise for the critic to state with clearness what the attachment is1 in order that all readers may for themselves be able to judge of the full meaning1 extent and connection of ,mr4 ,sinnett's reference1 and what use can properly be made of it for comparison or analysis4 ,the ,mahatma studies the ,bagavad-,gita in its higher sense1 and all through that book the 8passionless ascetic0 is lauded4 ,what does it mean8 ,neglect of life and family8 ,never6 ,but sometimes one gets out of family defects quite naturally4 ,yet the world says that ,bagavad-,gita inculcates stony hearted selfishness1 even as they carp at ,light on the ,path when it says 8the eyes must be incapable of tears2 ambition and desires must be killed out40 ,these are hard sayings4 ,theosophy is full of difficult sayings1 just as ,jesus of the ,christians said his parables were4 ,but ,bagavad-,gita is the divine colloquy2 and it is asserted that a ,mahatma dictated ,light on the ,path4--,,ed4 ,,hermes ,,trismegistus4 ,,the ,,fourth ,,state ,,of ,,matter ,,described ,,in ,,the ,,smaragdine ,,tablet4 ,that a tablet1 now called the ,,smaragdine1 was found there is no doubt4 ,its discovery is attributed by tradition to an isarim or initiate1 who it is said1 took it from the dead body of ,hermes--this could not have been the ,egyptian god ,thoth--which was buried at ,hebron1 in an obscure ditch4 ,the tablet was held between the hands of the corpse4 ,some authors say that it was of emerald1 which ,i do not believe2 it probably was of green strass or paste1 an imitation of emerald1 in the manufacture of which the ,egyptians excelled4 ,be it as it may1 the contents evidently refer to that subtile body1 called by the great scientist ,sir ,william ,thompson1 8the luminiferous ther10--to that mysterious1 invisible to us1 something1 in which the matter-atoms float1 the azoth of the ,hermetic philosophers1 the astral light of the occultists1 the akasa of the ,hindus2 which physical science attempts to grasp1 comprehend and sometimes use1 under the name of electricity1 magnetism1 heat1 light1 etc2 which is experimentally made visible1 in one of its forms1 by means of ,professor ,crookes 8radiant matter0 and which he terms the fourth state of matter4 ,it permeates all things1 going through flesh and blood1 and steel and glass1 the diamond and sapphire1 with the facility of water through a net4 ,a translation of this tablet is3#aaa 8,it is true without falsehood1 certain and very veritable1 that that which is below1 is as that which is above1 and that that which is on high1 is as that which is below1 so as to perpetuate the miracles of all things4 8,and as all things have been and come from ,one1 by the mental desire of ,one1 so all things have been produced from that ,one only by adaptation4 8,the ,sun 7,osiris7 is thence the father1 and the ,moon 7,isis7 the mother4 ,the ,air1 its womb1 carries it thence1 and the ,earth is its nurse4 8,here is the producer of all1 the talisman of all the world4 8,its force 7or potentiality7 is entire1 if it is changed into the ,earth1 you separate the ,earth from the ,fire1 the subtile from the gross4 ,sweetly1 but with great energy1 it mounts from the ,earth to the ,heaven1 and again descends to the ,earth with powerful energy1 and receives the potentiality of the superior and inferior things4 8,you have1 by this means1 the light 7or fire7 of the whole universe4 ,and upon account of this1 all obscurity itself1 with that1 will fly entirely thence4 8,in this is the energy the strongest of all energy1 for it vanquishes all subtile things and penetrates all the solid things4 8,thus the world was created4 ,from this will be and will go out admirable adaptations1 of which the medium is here4 8,and because of these reasons ,i am called ,hermes ,trismegistus1 possessing the three divisions of the philosophy of the universe4 8,it is complete1 this that ,i have said of the operation of the ,sun40 ,the reader must take note1 that the fire referred to here1 is not the perceptible fire1 but the hidden occult fire1 which is concealed in all things1 and only becomes evident through a tearing asunder of the atoms4 ,the fire1 which we see1 is the black fire1 the other the unseen1 is the white fire4 ,so the ancient ,hebrew philosophy says1 the ,tablets of the ,law given to ,moses1 were written by the ,deity with black fire on white fire4 ,it is referred to but concealed in the ,maasey ,b'reshith1 the great occult book of which is the ,book of ,genesis4 ,,isaac ,,myer4 ,a ,,hindu ,,chela',s ,,diary4 ,this was begun in the ,june number4 8,i have been going over that message ,i received just after returning from the underground room1 about not thinking yet too deeply upon what ,i saw there1 but to let the lessons sink deep into my heart4 ,can it be true--must it not indeed be true--that we have periods in our development when rest must be taken for the physical brain in order to give it time as a much less comprehensive machine than these ,english college professors say it is1 to assimilate what it has received1 while at the same time the real brain--as we might say1 the spiritual brain--is carrying on as busily as ever all the trains of thought cut off from the head4 ,of course this is contrary to this modern science we hear so much about now as about to be introduced into all ,asia1 but it is perfectly consistent for me4 8,to reconsider the situation3 ,i went with ,kunla to this underground place1 and there saw and heard most instructive and solemn things4 ,i return to my room1 and begin to puzzle over them all1 to revolve and re-revolve them in my mind1 with a view to clearing all up and finding out what all may mean4 ,but ,i am interrupted by a note from ,kunla directing me to stop this puzzling1 and to let all ,i saw sink deep into my heart4 ,every word of his ,i regard with respect1 and consider to hold a meaning1 being never used by him with carelessness4 ,so when he says1 to let it sink into my #8heart1' in the very same sentence where he refers to my thinking part--the mind--why he must mean to separate my heart from my mind and to give to the heart a larger and greater power4 8,well1 ,i obeyed the injunction1 made myself1 as far as ,i could1 forget what ,i saw and what puzzled me and thought of other things4 ,presently1 after a few days while one afternoon thinking over an episode related in the ,vishnu ,purana1#aab ,i happened to look up at an old house ,i was passing and stopped to examine a curious device on the porch2 as ,i did this1 it seemed as if either the device1 or the house1 or the circumstance itself1 small as it was1 opened up at once several avenues of thought about the underground room1 made them all clear1 showed me the conclusion as vividly as a well demonstrated and fully illustrated proposition1 to my intense delight4 ,now could ,i perceive with plainness1 that those few days which seemed perhaps wasted because withdrawn from contemplation of that scene and its lessons1 had been with great advantage used by the spiritual man in unraveling the tangled skein1 while the much praised brain had remained in idleness4 ,all at once the flash came and with it knowledge4#aac ,but ,i must not depend upon these flashes1 ,i must give the brain and its governor1 the material to work with4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 8,last night just as ,i was about to go to rest1 the voice of ,kunla called me from outside and there ,i went at once4 ,looking steadily at me he said3 #8we want to see you1' and as he spoke he gradually changed1 or disappeared1 or was absorbed1 into the form of another man with awe-inspiring face and eyes1 whose form apparently rose up from the material of ,kunla's body4 ,at the same moment two others stood there also1 dressed in the ,tibetan costume2 and one of them went into my room from which ,i had emerged4 ,after saluting them reverently1 and not knowing their object1 ,i said to the greatest1 8#8,have you any orders to give8' 8#8,if there are any they will be told to you without being asked1' he replied1 #8stand still where you are4' 8,then he began to look at me fixedly4 ,i felt a very pleasant sensation as if ,i was getting out of my body4 ,i cannot tell now what time passed between that and what ,i am now to put down here4 ,but ,i saw ,i was in a peculiar place4 ,it was the upper end of---- at the foot of the---- range4 ,here was a place where there were only two houses just opposite to each other1 and no other sign of habitation2 from one of these came out the old faquir ,i saw at the ,durga festival1 but how changed1 and yet the same3 then so old1 so repulsive2 now so young1 so glorious1 so beautiful4 ,he smiled upon me benignly and said3 8#8,never expect to see any one1 but always be ready to answer if they speak to you2 it is not wise to peer outside of yourself for the great followers of ,vasudeva3 look rather within4' 8,the very words of the poor faquir6 8,he then directed me to follow him4 8,after going a short distance1 of about half a mile or so1 we came to a natural subterranean passage which is under the---- range4 ,the path is very dangerous2 the ,river---- flows underneath in all the fury of pent up waters1 and a natural causeway exists upon which you may pass2 only one person at a time can go there and one false step seals the fate of the traveller4 ,besides this causeway1 there are several valleys to be crossed4 ,after walking a considerable distance through this subterranean passage we came into an open plain in ,l---- ,k4 ,there stands a large massive building thousands of years old4 ,in front of it is a huge ,egyptian ,tau4 ,the building rests on seven big pillars each in the form of a pyramid4 ,the entrance gate has a large triangular arch1 and inside are various apartments4 ,the building is so large that ,i think it can easily contain twenty thousand people4 ,some of the rooms were shown to me4 8,this must be the central place for all those belonging to the---- class1 to go for initiation and stay the requisite period4 8,then we entered the great hall with my guide in front4 ,he was youthful in form but in his eyes was the glance of ages4 99 99 ,the grandeur and serenity of this place strikes the heart with awe4 ,in the centre was what we would call an altar1 but it must only be the place where focuses all the power1 the intention1 the knowledge and the influence of the assembly4 ,for the seat1 or place1 or throne1 occupied by the chief---- the highest---- has around it an indescribable glory1 consisting of an effulgence which seemed to radiate from the one who occupied it4 ,the surroundings of the throne were not gorgeous1 nor was the spot itself in any way decorated--all the added magnificence was due altogether to the aura which emanated from ,him sitting there4 ,and over his head ,i thought ,i saw as ,i stood there1 three golden triangles in the air above--,yes1 they were there and seemed to glow with an unearthly brilliance that betokened their inspired origin4 ,but neither they nor the light pervading the place1 were produced by any mechanical means4 ,as ,i looked about me ,i saw that others had a triangle1 some two1 and all with that peculiar brilliant light40 ,here again occurs a mass of symbols4 ,it is apparent that just at this spot he desires to jot down the points of the initiation which he wished to remember4 ,and ,i have to admit that ,i am not competent to elucidate their meaning4 ,that must be left to our intuitions and possibly future experience in our own case4 99 99 99 99 99 8#adth day of the new moon4 ,the events of the night in the hall of initiation gave me much concern4 ,was it a dream8 ,am ,i self deluded8 ,can it be that ,i imagined all this8 ,such were the unworthy questions which flew behind each other across my mind for days after4 ,kunla does not refer to the subject and ,i cannot put the question4 ,nor will ,i4 ,i am determined1 that1 come what will1 the solution must be reached by me1 or given me voluntarily4 8,of what use to me will all the teachings and all the symbols be1 if ,i cannot rise to that plane of penetrating knowledge1 by which ,i shall myself1 by myself1 be able to solve this riddle1 and know to discriminate the true from the false and the illusory8 ,if ,i am unable to cut asunder these questioning doubts1 these bonds of ignorance1 it is proof that not yet have ,i risen to the plane situated above these doubts4 99 99 99 ,last night after all day chasing through my mental sky1 these swift destroyers of stability--mental birds of passage--,i lay down upon the bed1 and as ,i did so1 into my hearing fell these words3 8#8,anxiety is the foe of knowledge2 like unto a veil it falls down before the soul's eye2 entertain it1 and the veil only thicker grows2 cast it out1 and the sun of truth may dissipate the cloudy veil4' 8,admitting that truth2 ,i determined to prohibit all anxiety4 ,well ,i knew that the prohibition issued from the depths of my heart1 for that was master's voice1 and confidence in his wisdom1 the self commanding nature of the words themselves1 compelled me to complete reliance on the instruction4 ,no sooner was the resolution formed1 than down upon my face fell something which ,i seized at once in my hand4 ,lighting a lamp1 before me was a note in the well known writing4 ,opening it1 ,i read3 8#8,nilakant4 ,it was no dream4 ,all was real1 and more1 that by your waking consciousness could not be retained1 happened there4 ,reflect upon it all as reality1 and from the slightest circumstance draw whatever lesson1 whatever amount of knowledge you can4 ,never forget that your spiritual progress goes on quite often to yourself unknown4 ,two out of many hindrances to memory are anxiety and selfishness4 ,anxiety is a barrier constructed out of harsh and bitter materials4 ,selfishness is a fiery darkness that will burn up the memory's matrix4 ,bring then1 to bear upon this other memory of yours1 the peaceful stillness of contentment and the vivifying rain of benevolence4'0#aad 99 99 99 99 99 ,i leave out here1 as well as in other places1 mere notes of journeys and various small matters1 very probably of no interest4 8,in last month's passage across the hills near ,v----1 ,i was irresistibly drawn to examine a deserted building1 which ,i at first took for a grain holder1 or something like that4 ,it was of stone1 square1 with no openings1 no windows1 no door4 ,from what could be seen outside1 it might have been the ruins of a strong1 stone foundation for some old building1 gateway or tower4 ,kunla stood not far off and looked over it1 and later on he asked me for my ideas about the place4 ,all ,i could say1 was1 that although it seemed to be solid1 ,i was thinking that perhaps it might be hollow4 8#8,yes1' said he1 #8it is hollow4 ,it is one of the places once made by ,yogees to go into deep trance in4 ,if used by a chela 7a disciple7 his teacher kept watch over it so that no one might intrude4 ,but when an adept wants to use it for laying his body away in while he travels about in his real1 though perhaps to some unseen1 form1 other means of protection were often taken which were just as secure as the presence of the teacher of the disciple4' #8,well1' ,i said1 #8it must be that just now no one's body is inside there4' 8#8,do not reach that conclusion nor the other either4 ,it may be occupied and it may not4' 99 99 99 99 99 8,then we journeyed on1 while he told me of the benevolence of not only ,brahmin ,yogees1 but also of ,buddhist4 ,no differences can be observed by the true disciple in any other disciple who is perhaps of a different faith4 ,all pursue truth4 ,roads differ but the goal of all remains alike40 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 8,repeated three times3 #8,time ripens and dissolves all beings in the great self1 but he who knows into what time itself is dissolved1 he is the knower of the ,veda4' 8,what is to be understood1 not only by this1 but also by its being three times repeated8 8,there were three shrines there4 ,over the door was a picture which ,i saw a moment1 and which for a moment seemed to blaze out with light like fire4 ,fixed upon my mind its outlines grew1 then disappeared1 when ,i had passed the threshold4 ,inside1 again its image came before my eyes4 ,seeming to allure me1 it faded out1 and then again returned4 ,it remained impressed upon me1 seemed imbued with life and intention to present itself for my own criticism4 ,when ,i began to analyze it1 it would fade1 and then when ,i was fearful of not doing my duty or of being disrespectful to those beings1 it returned as if to demand attention4 ,its description3 8,a human heart that has at its centre a small spark--the spark expands and the heart disappears--while a deep pulsation seems to pass through me4 ,at once identity is confused1 ,i grasp at myself2 and again the heart reappears with the spark increased to a large fiery space4 ,once more that deep movement2 then sounds 7#g72 they fade4 ,all this in a picture8 ,yes6 for in that picture there is life2 there might be intelligence4 ,it is similar to that picture ,i saw in ,tibet on my first journey1 where the living moon rises and passes across the view4 ,where was ,i8 ,no1 not afterwards6 ,it was in the hall4 ,again that all pervading sound4 ,it seems to bear me like a river4 ,then it ceased1--a soundless sound4 ,then once more the picture2 here is ,pranava4#aae ,but between the heart and the ,pranava is a mighty bow with arrows ready1 and tightly strung for use4 ,next is a shrine1 with the ,pranava over it1 shut fast1 no key and no keyhole4 ,on its sides emblems of human passions4 ,the door of the shrine opens and ,i think within ,i will see the truth4 ,no6 another door8 a shrine again4 ,it opens too and then another1 brightly flashing is seen there4 ,like the heart1 it makes itself one with me4 ,irresistible desire to approach it comes within me1 and it absorbs the whole picture4 8#8,break through the shrine of ,brahman2 use the doctrine of the teacher4'0#aaf ,there is no connection here of this exhortation with any person1 and very probably it is something that was said either by himself1 in soliloquy1 or by some voice or person to him4 ,i must end here1 as ,i find great rents and spaces in the notes4 ,he must have ceased to put down further things he saw or did in his real inner life1 and you will very surely agree1 that if he had progressed by that time to what the last portions would indicate1 he could not set down his reflections thereon1 or any memorandum of facts4 ,we1 however1 can never tell what was his reason4 ,he might have been told not to do so1 or might have lacked the opportunity4 ,there was much all through these pages that related to his daily family life1 not interesting to you2 records of conversations2 worldly affairs2 items of money and regarding appointments1 journeys and meetings with friends4 ,but they show of course that he was all this time living through his set work with men1 and often harassed by care as well as comforted by his family and regardful of them4 ,all of that ,i left out1 because ,i supposed that while it would probably interest you1 yet ,i was left with discretion to give only what seemed to relate to the period marked at its beginning1 by his meetings with ,m----1 and at the end by this last remarkable scene1 the details of which we can only imagine4 ,and likewise were of necessity omitted very much that is sufficiently unintelligible in its symbolism to be secure from revelation4 ,honestly have ,i tried to unlock the doors of the ciphers1 for no prohibition came with their possession1 but all that ,i could refine from its enfolding obscurity is given to you4 ,as he would say1 let us salute each other and the last shrine of ,brahman2 ,om1 hari1 ,om6 ,,trans4 ,,karma4 ,the child is the father of the man1 and none the less true is it3 8,my brothers6 each man's life ,the outcome of his former living is2 ,the bygone wrmongs brings forth sorrows and woes ,the bygone right breeds bliss40 99 99 99 99 99 8,this is the doctrine of ,karma40 ,but in what way does this bygone wrong and right affect the present life8 ,is the stern nemesis ever following the weary traveler1 with a calm1 passionless1 remorseless step8 ,is there no escape from its relentless hand8 ,does the eternal law of cause and effect1 unmoved by sorrow and regret1 ever deal out its measure of weal and woe as the consequence of past action8 ,the shadow of the yesterday of sin1--must it darken the life of to-day8 ,is ,karma but another name for fate8 ,does the child unfold the page of the already written book of life in which each event is recorded without the possibility of escape8 ,what is the relation of ,karma to the life of the individual8 ,is there nothing for man to do but to weave the chequered warp and woof of each earthly existence with the stained and discolored threads of past actions8 ,good resolves and evil tendencies sweep with resistless tide over the nature of man and we are told3 8,whatever action he performs1 whether good or bad1 every thing done in a former body must necessarily be enjoyed or suffered40 ,anugita1 cp ,,iii4 ,there is good ,karma1 there is bad ,karma1 and as the wheel of life moves on1 old ,karma is exhausted and again fresh ,karma is accumulated4 ,although at first it may appear that nothing can be more fatalistic than this doctrine1 yet a little consideration will show that in reality this is not the case4 ,karma is twofold1 hidden and manifest1 ,karma is the man that is1 ,karma is his action4 ,true that each action is a cause from which evolves the countless ramifications of effect in time and space4 8,that which ye sow ye reap40 ,in some sphere of action the harvest will be gathered4 ,it is necessary that the man of action should realize this truth4 ,it is equally necessary that the manifestations of this law in the operations of ,karma should be clearly apprehended4 ,karma1 broadly speaking may be said to be the continuance of the nature of the act1 and each act contains within itself the past and future4 ,every defect which can be realized from an act must be implicit in the act itself or it could never come into existence4 ,effect is but the nature of the act and cannot exist distinct from its cause4 ,karma only produces the manifestation of that which already exists2 being action it has its operation in time1 and ,karma may therefore be said to be the same action from another point of time4 ,it must1 moreover1 be evident that not only is there a relation between the cause and the effect1 but there must also be a relation between the cause and the individual who experiences the effect4 ,if it were otherwise1 any man would reap the effect of the actions of any other man4 ,we may sometimes appear to reap the effects of the action of others1 but this is only apparent4 ,in point of fact it is our own action 899 99 ,none else compels ,none other holds you that ye live and die40 ,it is therefore necessary in order to understand the nature of ,karma and its relation to the individual to consider action in all its aspects4 ,every act proceeds from the mind4 ,beyond the mind there is no action and therefore no ,karma4 ,the basis of every act is desire4 ,the plane of desire or egotism is itself action and the matrix of every act4 ,this plane may be considered as non-manifest1 yet having a dual manifestation in what we call cause and effect1 that is the act and its consequences4 ,in reality1 both the act and its consequences are the effect1 the cause being on the plane of desire4 ,desire is therefore the basis of action in its first manifestation on the physical plane1 and desire determines the continuation of the act in its karmic relation to the individual4 ,for a man to be free from the effects of the ,karma of any act he must have passed to a state no longer yielding a basis in which that act can inhere4 ,the ripples in the water caused by the action of the stone will extend to the furthest limit of its expanse1 but no further1 they are bounded by the shore4 ,their course is ended when there is no longer a basis or suitable medium in which they can inhere2 they expend their force and are not4 ,karma is1 therefore1 as dependent upon the present personality for its fulfillment1 as it was upon the former for the first initial act4 ,an illustration may be given which will help to explain this4 ,a seed1 say for instance mustard1 will produce a mustard tree and nothing else2 but in order that it should be produced1 it is necessary that the co-operation of soil and culture should be equally present4 ,without the seed1 however much the ground may be tilled and watered1 it will not bring forth the plant1 but the seed is equally inoperative without the joint action of the soil and culture4 ,the first great result of ,karmic action is the incarnation in physical life4 ,the birth seeking entity consisting of desires and tendencies1 presses forward towards incarnation4 ,it is governed in the selection of its scene of manifestation by the law of economy4 ,whatever is the ruling tendency1 that is to say1 whatever group of affinities is strongest1 those affinities will lead it to the point of manifestation at which there is the least opposition4 ,it incarnates in those surroundings most in harmony with its ,karmic tendencies and all the effects of actions contained in the ,karma so manifesting will be experienced by the individual4 ,this governs the station of life1 the sex1 the conditions of the irresponsible years of childhood1 the constitution with the various diseases inherent in it1 and in fact all those determining forces of physical existence which are ordinarily classed under the terms1 8heredity10 and 8national characteristics40 ,it is really the law of economy which is the truth underlying these terms and which explains them4 ,take for instance a nation with certain special characteristics4 ,these are the plane of expansion for any entity whose greatest number of affinities are in harmony with those characteristics4 ,the incoming entity following the law of least resistance becomes incarnated in that nation1 and all ,karmic effects following such characteristics will accrue to the individual4 ,this will explain what is the meaning of such expressions as the 8,karma of nations10 and what is true of the nation will also apply to family and caste4 ,it must1 however1 be remembered that there are many tendencies which are not exhausted in the act of incarnation4 ,it may happen that the ,karma which caused an entity to incarnate in any particular surrounding1 was only strong enough to carry it into physical existence4 ,being exhausted in that direction1 freedom is obtained for the manifestation of other tendencies and their ,karmic effects4 ,for instance1 ,karmic force may cause an entity to incarnate in a humble sphere of life4 ,he may be born as the child of poor parents4 ,the ,karma follows the entity1 endures for a longer or shorter time1 and becomes exhausted4 ,from that point1 the child takes a line of life totally different from his surroundings4 ,other affinities engendered by former action express themselves in their ,karmic results4 ,the lingering effects of the past ,karma may still manifest itself in the way of obstacles and obstructions which are surmounted with varying degrees of success according to their intensity4 ,from the standpoint of a special creation for each entity entering the world1 there is vast and unaccountable injustice4 ,from the standpoint of ,karma1 the strange vicissitudes and apparent chances of life can be considered in a different light as the unerring manifestation of cause and sequence4 ,in a family under the same conditions of poverty and ignorance1 one child will be separated from the others and thrown into surroundings very dissimilar4 ,he may be adopted by a rich man1 or through some freak of fortune receive an education giving him at once a different position4 ,the ,karma of incarnation being exhausted1 other ,karma asserts itself4 ,a very important question is here presented3 ,can an individual affect his own ,karma1 and if so to what degree and in what manner8 ,it has been said that ,karma is the continuance of the act1 and for any particular line of ,karma to exert itself it is necessary that there should be the basis of the act engendering that ,karma in which it can inhere and operate4 ,but action has many planes in which it can inhere4 ,there is the physical plane1 the body with its senses and organs2 then there is the intellectual plane1 memory1 which binds the impressions of the senses into a consecutive whole and reason puts in orderly arrangement its storehouse of facts4 ,beyond the plane of intellect there is the plane of emotion1 the plane of preference for one object rather than another3--the fourth principle of the man4 ,these three1 physical1 intellectual1 and emotional1 deal entirely with objects of sense perception and may be called the great battlefield of ,karma4#aag ,there is also the plane of ethics1 the plane of discrimination of the 8,i ought to do this1 ,i ought not to do that40 ,this plane harmonizes the intellect and the emotions4 ,all these are the planes of ,karma or action what to do1 and what not to do4 ,it is the mind as the basis of desire that initiates action on the various planes1 and it is only through the mind that the effects of rest and action can be received4 ,an entity enters incarnation with ,karmic energy from past existences1 that is to say the action of past lives is awaiting its development as effect4 ,this ,karmic energy presses into manifestation in harmony with the basic nature of the act4 ,physical ,karma will manifest in the physical tendencies bringing enjoyment and suffering4 ,the intellectual and the ethical planes are also in the same manner the result of the past ,karmic tendencies and the man as he is1 with his moral and intellectual faculties1 is in unbroken continuity with the past4 ,the entity at birth has therefore a definite amount of ,karmic energy4 ,after incarnation this awaits the period in life at which fresh ,karma begins4 ,up to the time of responsibility it is as we have seen the initial ,karma only that manifests4 ,from that time the fresh personality becomes the ruler of his own destiny4 ,it is a great mistake to suppose that an individual is the mere puppet of the past1 the helpless victim of fate4 ,the law of ,karma is not fatalism1 and a little consideration will show that it is possible for an individual to affect his own ,karma4 ,if a greater amount of energy be taken up on one plane than on another this will cause the past ,karma to unfold itself on that plane4 ,for instance1 one who lives entirely on the plane of sense gratification will from the plane beyond draw the energy required for the fulfillment of his desires4 ,let us illustrate by dividing man into upper and lower nature4 ,by directing the mind and aspirations to the lower plane1 a 8fire0 or centre of attraction1 is set up there1 and in order to feed and fatten it1 the energies of the whole upper plane are drawn down and exhausted in supplying the need of energy which exists below due to the indulgence of sense gratification4 ,on the other hand1 the centre of attraction may be fixed in the upper portion1 and then all the needed energy goes there to result in increase of spirituality4 ,it must be remembered that ,nature is all bountiful and withholds not her hand4 ,the demand is made1 and the supply will come4 ,but at what cost8 ,that energy which should have strengthened the moral nature and fulfilled the aspirations after good1 is drawn to the lower desires4 ,by degrees the higher planes are exhausted of vitality and the good and bad ,karma of an entity will be absorbed on the physical plane4 ,if on the other hand the interest is detached from the plane of sense gratification1 if there is a constant effort to fix the mind on the attainment of the highest ideal1 the result will be that the past ,karma will find no basis in which to inhere on the physical plane4 ,karma will therefore be manifested only in harmony with the plane of desire4 ,the sense energy of the physical plane will exhaust itself on a higher plane and thus become transmuted in its effects4 ,what are the means through which the effects of ,karma can be thus changed is also clear4 ,a person can have no attachment for a thing he does not think about1 therefore the first step must be to fix the thought on the highest ideal4 ,in this connection one remark may be made on the subject of repentance4 ,repentance is a form of thought in which the mind is constantly recurring to a sin4 ,it has therefore to be avoided if one would set the mind free from sin and its ,karmic results4 ,all sin has its origin in the mind4 ,the more the mind dwells on any course of conduct1 whether with pleasure or pain1 the less chance is there for it to become detached from such action4 ,the manas 7mind7 is the knot of the heart1 when that is untied from any object1 in other words when the mind loses its interest in any object1 there will no longer be a link between the ,karma connected with that object and the individual4 ,it is the attitude of the mind which draws the ,karmic cords tightly round the soul4 ,it imprisons the aspirations and binds them with chains of difficulty and obstruction4 ,it is desire that causes the past ,karma to take form and shape and build the house of clay4 ,it must be through non-attachment that the soul will burst through the walls of pain1 it will be only through a change of mind that the ,karmic burden will be lifted4 ,it will appear1 therefore1 that although absolutely true that action brings its own result1 8there is no destruction here of actions good or not good4 ,coming to one body after another they become ripened in their respective ways40--,yet this ripening is the act of the individual4 ,free will of man asserts itself and he becomes his own saviour4 ,to the worldly man ,karma is a stern ,nemesis1 to the spiritual man ,karma unfolds itself in harmony with his highest aspirations4 ,he will look with tranquility alike on past and future1 neither dwelling with remorse on past sin nor living in expectation of reward for present action4 ,,sufism1 ,,or ,,theosophy ,,from ,,the ,,standpoint ,,of ,,mohammedanism4 ,a ,chapter from a ,,ms4 work designed as a text-book for ,students in ,mysticism ,,by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,bjerregaard1 ,stud4 ,theos4 ,in ,two ,parts3--,part ,i1 ,texts2 ,part ,,ii1 ,symbols4 7,,continued47 ,,part ,,ii4--,,symbols4 ,the practical expounders and preachers of ,sufism are the ,dervishes1 the monks of ,islam4 ,it must have become clear to our readers1 that the sweet and peaceful sentiments of the couplet of ,katebi1 placed as motto over our first part1 are the expressions of at least one side of the inner life of ,sufism4 ,but1 if we listen more closely1 we shall hear the plaintive note of the nightingale more distinct and perceive more readily the gloom of the cypress2 both of them1 like the soul of man1 bewail in melancholy our disunion from ,deity4 ,that1 too1 is another side of ,sufism1 which now has been illustrated1 and we have given enough quotations to show1 that the highest aim of the ,sufi is to attain self-annihilation by losing his humanity in ,deity4 ,so far the direct teachings as they lie on the surface of our quotations4 ,the grand undercurrents are the relations of ,the ,universal ,self and ,the ,individual ,self4 ,the expression 8,self0 has not been used1 but 8,god0 and 8,soul0 because of the peculiarity of the exoteric forms of current ,mohammedan ,theology1 which the ,sufi-,doctors find themselves bound to observe4 ,we have yet to quote the ,sufi poets ,hafiz1 ,jami1 ,nizami1 ,attar and others1 but as their teachings are veiled under symbols1 they naturally find their place in this our second part1 and shall be treated fully toward the end4 ,we will begin with the more ecstatic features of practical ,sufism1 with the ,dervishes1 the ,moslem saints1 and thus develop the subjective forms of ,sufism4 ,we shall come to appreciate the use of a ritualistic service and ascetic practices1 when we see these framed in close harmony with the laws of ,nature and conductive to ,union with ,self4 ,where we use the phrase ,the ,personal1 our readers will understand it as the subjective equivalent for the objective 8,self40-- ,an historic study of the rise of ,sufism out of original asceticism1 will afford us an excellent view of the evolution of ,sufism itself as well as of all other forms of ,mysticism4 ,hence we must devote some space to it4 ,it must undoubtedly be maintained that asceticism and monastic life are entirely inconsistent with ,mohammedanism1 and in fact ,mohammed himself was far from anything like it1 and constantly preached against it1 advocating an active life and an aggressive religion4 ,but neither ,mohammed nor his followers could stem the tide of ascetic influences from the ,east1 from ,buddhism2 nor from the ,west1 from ,christianity4 ,these two religious systems had existed for centuries and were both characterized by monastic institutions1 and missionary spirit4 ,but1 much deeper than these individual influences lies the power of a new historic cycle beginning about a century after ,mohammed1 just at the time we find the greatest number of ,islam saints1 with a distinctive monastic cast4 ,the era is characterized by a new civilization in the ,west1 and a consolidation of the ,eastern conquests4 ,the ,mohammedan power encircles ,christendom and threatens to destroy both ,church and ,christianity4 ,in the ,east itself a terror of existence befell the minds of men and has left the strongest impressions in the writings of such men as ,ata ,salami and ,hasan1 c4 ,even in ,mohammed's lifetime an attempt was made to engraft the elements of the contemplative life upon his doctrine4 ,the facts are well known4 ,one evening1 after some more vigorous declamations than usual on the prophet's part--he had taken for his theme the flames and tortures of hell--several of his most zealous companions1 among whom the names of ,omar1 ,ali1 ,abou-,dharr1 and ,abou-,horeirah are conspicuous1 retired to pass the night together in a neighbouring dwelling4 ,here they fell into deep discourses on the terrors of divine justice1 and the means to appease or prevent its course4 ,the conclusion they came to was nowise unnatural4 ,they agreed that to this end the surest way was to abandon their wives1 to pass their lives in continued fast and abstinence1 to wear hair-cloth1 and practice other similar austerities3 in a word1 they laid down for themselves a line of conduct truly ascetic1 and leading to whatever can follow in such a course4 ,but they desired first to secure the approbation of ,mohammed4 ,accordingly1 at break of day1 they presented themselves before him1 to acquaint him with the resolution of the night1 as well as its motives and purport2 but they had reckoned without their host4 ,the prophet rejected their proposition with a sharp rebuke1 and declared marriage and war to be far more agreeable to the ,divinity than any austereness of life or mortification of the senses whatever1 and the well known passage of the ,quran3 8,o true believers1 do not abstain from the good things of the earth which ,god permits you to enjoy10 revealed on this very occasion1 remains a lasting monument of ,mohammed's disgust at this premature outbreak of ascetic feeling4 ,this lesson and many others of a similar character1 for the time being1 checked any and all appearance of declared forms of asceticism1 but could not prevent the ultimate triumph of the truer and better parts of human nature4 8,fate0 would have it1 that within his own family1 lie hidden the germs1 destined in after ages1 down to the present day1 and probably as long as ,islam shall exist1 to exert the mightiest influence in the ,mohammedan world4 ,ali1 ,mohammed's cousin1 and ,ali's son ,hasan1 his grandson ,zein el ,abidin1 and after them ,djaufar es ,sadik1 ,mousa el ,kadhim1 ,ali er ,ridha1 and others of their race1 were members of a family which became the very backbone of asceticism4 ,they were successively looked up to by individual ascetics as the guides and instructors in word and deed of self-denial and abnegation4 ,in the ,menaqibu l ,arafin 7the ,acts of the ,adepts7 it is related that the ,prophet one day recited to ,ali in private the secrets and mysteries of the 8,brethren of ,sincerity0 enjoining him not to divulge them to any of the uninitiated1 so that they should not be betrayed2 also1 to yield obedience to the rule of implicit submission4 ,for forty days1 ,ali kept the secret in his own sole breast1 and bore therewith until he was sick at heart4 ,as his burden oppressed him and he could no more breathe freely1 he fled to the open wilderness1 and there chanced upon a well4 ,he stooped1 reached his head as far down into the well as he was able2 and then1 one by one1 he confided those mysteries to the bowels of the earth4 ,from the excess of his excitement1 his mouth filled with froth and foam4 ,there he spat out into the water of the well1 until he had freed himself of the whole1 and he felt relieved4 ,after a certain number of days1 a single seed was observed to be growing in that well4 ,it waxed and shut up1 until at length a youth1 whose heart was miraculously enlightened on the point1 became aware of this growing plant1 cut it down1 drilled holes in it1 and began to play upon it airs1 similar to those now performed by the dervish lovers of ,god1 as he pastured his sheep in the neighbourhood4 ,by degrees1 the various tribes of ,arabs of the desert heard of this flute-playing of the shepherd1 and its fame spread abroad4 ,the camels and the sheep of the whole region would gather around him as he piped1 ceasing to pasture that they might listen4 ,from all directions1 the nomads flocked to hear his strains1 going into ecstasies with delight1 weeping for joy and pleasure1 breaking forth in transports of gratification4 ,the rumor at length reached the ears of the ,prophet1 who gave orders for the piper to be brought before him4 ,when he began to play in the sacred presence1 all the holy disciples of ,god's messenger were moved to tears and transports1 bursting forth with shouts and exclamations of pure bliss1 and losing all consciousness4 ,the ,prophet declared that the notes of the shepherd's flute were the inspiration of the holy mysteries he had confided in private to ,ali's charge4 ,thus it is that1 until a man acquires the sincere devotion of the linnet-voiced flute-reed1 he cannot hear the mysteries of 8,the ,brethren of ,sincerity0 in its dulcet notes1 or realize the delights thereof2 for 8faith is altogether a yearning of the heart1 and a gratification of the spiritual sense40 ,in regard to 8,the ,brethren of ,sincerity0 mentioned above it can be said that the ,mohammedans in the ,east know perfectly well that there exists on earth1 among the initiated1 a secret hierarchy which governs the whole human race1 infidels as well as believers1 but that their power is often exercised in such a manner that the subjects influenced by it know not from what person or persons its effects proceed4 ,in this hierarchy the supreme dignity is vested in the ,khidr4 ,this is a man indeed1 but one far elevated above ordinary human nature by his transcendent privileges4 ,admitted to the ,divine ,vision1 and possessed in consequence of a relative omnipotence and omniscience on earth2 visible and invisible at pleasure2 freed from the bonds of space and time2 by his ubiquitous and immortal powers appearing in various forms on earth to uphold the cause of truth2 then concealed awhile from men2 known in various ages as ,seth1 as ,enoch1 as ,elias1 and yet to come at the end of time as the ,mahdi2 this wonderful being is the centre1 the prop1 the ruler1 the mediator of men of ascetic habits and retirement1 and as such he is honoured with the name of ,kothb1 or axis1 as being the spiritual pole round which and on which all move or are upheld4 ,under him are the ,aulia1 or intimate friends of ,god1 seventy-two in number 7some say twenty-four71 holy men living on earth1 who are admitted by the ,kothb to his intimate familiarity1 and who are to the rest the sources of all doctrine1 authority1 and sanctity4 ,among these again one1 pre-eminent above the rest1 is qualified by the vicarious title of ,kothb-ez-zaman1 or axis of his age1 and is regarded as the visible depositary of the knowledge and power of the supreme ,kothb--who is often named1 for distinction's sake1 ,kothb el-,akthab1 or axis of the axes--and his constant representative amongst men4 ,but as this important election and consequent delegation of power is invisible and hidden from the greater number even of the devotees themselves1 and neither the ,kothb-ez-zaman nor the ,aulia carry any outward or distinctive sign of dignity and authority1 it can only be manifested by its effects1 and thus known by degrees to the outer world1 and even then rather as a conjecture than as a positive certainty4 ,on the authority of the famous saint of ,bagdad1 ,aboo-,bekr el ,kettane1 ,e4 ,w4 ,lane#aah states that the orders under the rule of this chief are called ,omud 7or ,owtad71 ,akhyar1 ,abdal1 ,nujaba1 and ,nukaba1 naming them according to their precedence1 and remarks that perhaps to these should be added an inferior order called ,ashab ed-,darak1 that is 8,watchmen0 or 8,overseers40 ,the ,nukaba are three hundred and reside in ,el-,gharb 7,northern ,africa to the ,west of ,egypt72 the ,nujaba are seventy and reside in ,egypt2 the ,abdal are forty and are found in ,syria2 the ,akhyar are seven and travel about the earth2 the ,omud are four and stand in the corners of the earth4 ,the members are not known as such to their inferior unenlightened fellow-creatures1 and are often invisible to them4 ,this is most frequently the case with the ,kothb1 who1 though generally stationed at ,mekka1 on the roof of the ,kaaba1 is never visible there1 nor at any of his other favorite stations1 yet his voice is often heard at these places4 ,let us add that their great power is supposed to be obtained by self-denial1 implicit reliance upon ,god1 from good genii and by the knowledge and utterance of 8the most great name40 ,eflaki1 the historian1 has given us the links of a spiritual series1 through whom the mysteries of the dervish doctrines were handed down to and in the line of ,jelaludin er ,rumi4 ,ali communicated the mysteries to the ,imam ,hasan of ,bara1 who died ,a4 ,d4 #gbh4 ,hasan taught them to ,habib1 the ,persian 7 ,a4 ,d4 #gbd7 who confided them to ,dawud of the tribe ,tayyi 7 ,a4 ,d4 #gha7 who transmitted them to ,maruf of ,kerkh 7 ,a4 ,d4 #hah72 he to ,sirri 7 ,a4 ,d4 #hfg7 and he to the great ,juneyd 7 ,a4 ,d4 #iji74 ,juneyd's spiritual pupil ,shibli 7 ,a4 ,d4 #ide7 taught ,abu-,amr ,muhammed1 son of ,ilahim ,zajjaj 7 ,a4 ,d4 #iei7 and his pupil was ,abu-,bekr1 son of ,abdu-llah of ,tus1 who taught ,abu-,ahmed ,muhammed1 son of ,muhammed ,al-,gazzali 7 ,a4,d4 #aaaa71 and he committed those mysteries to ,ahmed el-,khatibi1 ,jelal's great-grandfather1 who consigned them to the ,imam ,sarakhsi 7 ,a4 ,d4 #aage74 ,sarakhsi was the spiritual teacher of ,jelal's father ,baha ,veled1 who taught the ,sayyid ,burhanu-d-,diu ,termizi1 the instructor of ,jelal4--,we shall now proceed with the history4 7,to be continued47 ,please note the following correction of previous article3 ,footnote1 page #adc1 ,august ,no4 of the ,,path1 should read 8,free translation by ,j4 ,freeman ,clarke40 ,,reticence ,,of ,,mahatmas ,,and ,,evolution ,,of ,,the ,,individual4 ,members of the ,theosophical ,society and the general public have alike manifested a wide divergence of opinion both as regards the fundamental aim of the ,society1 and its adaptation to individual cases4 ,to get a right view of these points1 it is first absolutely necessary that the ,society should be considered as a whole1 and to remember that like every movement in the physical or spiritual world1 it must be governed by the great law of ,evolution4 ,this is its primal ,cause1 and the evolution of the individual its primary work4 ,it is not1 as its history shows1 an ephemeral institution1 to last for a given period1 like a hospital1 or a society to benefit animals1 or poor children1 or fallen women4 ,it is a spoke of the universal wheel of ,evolution4 ,when the world contained a body of persons sufficiently developed on the spiritual plane1 they naturally formed a nucleus1 from which rays presently diverged to various parts of the globe4 ,stimulating centres of energy which are constantly expanding through the individual efforts of their members4 ,what is true of the whole body is true also of its component parts1 and each individual1 in mental capacity and psychical conditions is precisely what his previous experience1 or his evolutionary ratio entitles him to be4 ,only by means of ever increasing effort on his own part1 can he invigorate these powers4 ,in founding the ,theosophical ,society1 it was hoped that the united labors of all for each and of each for all1 might result in so much enlightenment and expansion of individuals as the friction of many minds1 all directed to one issue1 should through the correlation of moral forces afford4 ,hence the ,society was based upon the idea of ,universal ,brotherhood4 ,there are at present two classes of persons who misinterpret this aim of the ,society4 ,the first class is variously composed of1--7,a7 those persons who suppose the ,society to be solely devoted to a large phase of the subject1 such as the progressive development of the entire body of the present race1 or to the united interests of great masses of people1 leaving the individual altogether alone in the uphill path of his own spiritual development4 7,b7 ,various persons in different parts of the world who have seen fit1 coincidently with giving in their adherence to the idea of ,universal ,brotherhood1 to ridicule it as 8a mere sham0 or 8a pure formula0 or 8an utopian impossibility30 the wavering incredulity of every such person arises no doubt from individual or constitutional peculiarity4 7,c7 ,such as suppose this basic idea to be an elastic declaration which may always be used as a shield to ward off the unpopular or chaffing accusation of an interest in ,mysticism4 7,d7 ,those who base their denial of universal brotherhood upon the very sensible rule requiring applicants for initiation to have endorsement from active fellows of the ,society4 8,if you make distinctions you are not universal10 is the cry of these last4 ,all the above persons will sooner or later discover that the ,society as a whole progresses through the spiritual advancement of individual members4 ,if the individual retrogrades1 the common welfare is minus so much2 if he progresses1 it is plus so much1 and when many rise all are presently lifted as by specific gravity1 into a higher plane4 ,for this reason not only the exoteric and much slandered founders of the ,society1 but also the hidden and real founders have always given much of their time and thought to individuals4 ,at the same time they have unceasingly insisted upon the necessity for individual efforts1 that each member might develop himself4 ,this is the true meaning of ,evolution4 ,it is not the expansion of the man by means of an external force acting upon inert tissue1 but an impulse from within outward and upward1 enhanced by the cumulative effect of previous impulses1 and further assisted by such favoring environment as his condition may permit him to assimilate4 ,it is in this final respect that the second class under consideration have erred4 ,they demand greater extraneous aid for the individual4 ,such persons1 having joined the ,society and asserted their belief in the existence of ,mahatmas1 or ,adepts1 or highly advanced human beings1 have after a time uttered complaints because they had no personal communications from these ,great ,beings1 while they feel such attentions to be their due4 ,these persons have said1--8,we have declared our belief in these wise and holy ,men2 we have joined the ,society1 but we have not been favored with any proofs directly from them40 ,such persons require a letter under seal1 projected in a phenomenal manner through the air or otherwise4 ,nothing short of this will satisfy them1 and if they do not get it1 they are likely to leave the fold of the ,society1 as they themselves intimate4 ,their complaint1 in general terms1 is that the ,mahatmas are reticent1 altogether too reticent to suit their requirements4 ,they say that it is declared that certain other persons have received such evidence in the shape of letters1 and they cite ,messrs4 ,sinnett1 ,olcott1 ,damodar1 ,hume1 ,madame ,blavatsky and several ,hindus as the favored recipients4 ,the complainants then state that their aspirations1 their need1 their merit1 equal that of these persons1 that they are1 to put it roughly1 8every bit as good40 ,some who do not say as much1 think it1 and a general outcry arises of1--8,why do we not get such letters as proofs8 ,are we not justified in ascribing undue reticence to the ,mahatmas80 ,when in addition it is said that some others have seen the ,mahatmas1 or heard their voices and received gifts from them1 the injured ones reiterate the complaint1--8,why are the ,mahatmas so reticent80 ,this attitude has finally become that of the press and the public at large1 so that the question presents itself1--8,are the ,mahatmas unduly reticent80 ,the solution of this question is bound up in the subject of the 8,evolution of the ,individual40 ,as regards the general evolution1 the ,mahatmas cannot be thus accused1 for had we their knowledge of the whole1 so as to be able to feel and know what all minerals1 plants1 animals and men feel collectively1 we should see that in this department ,mahatmas are never accused even in thought of withholding either knowledge1 favor or blessing4 ,the whole moves by law 7which law includes the ,mahatmas themselves71 and as a whole recognises this law and knows no possible departure from it4 ,as heretofore stated1 the work of the ,theosophical ,society lies within the department of individual evolution1 and just as its sphere may only be enlarged through the constant labors of its members1 so every individual follows the same law1 will he1 nil he4 ,the ,mahatmas are not reticent4 ,they can justly be no more than the favoring environment to the individual soul4 ,they give to each human well just the water it can hold2 to overflow it would be waste4 ,it has been well said that the human mind1 like the atmosphere1 has its saturation point4 ,to realise when we have reached this point is the first step on the path of self-knowledge3 to strive to expand our boundaries by incessant study and observation1 carries us leagues further on our way4 ,those who journey thus have neither time nor desire for complaint4 ,we enter into this life through our parents1 subject to law4 ,from one mystery we pass1 ignorant of the future1 into another mystery3 lessons are learned in each4 ,so is the soul born into the higher life and becomes by degrees acquainted with its mysteries4 ,through each order of life runs the law of natural selection4 8,a man is a method1 a progressive arrangement1 a selecting principle10 says ,emerson4 ,as the man chooses the friends and the pursuits best adapted to him1 so by the law of spiritual dynamics is the soul attracted to just such food as it can assimilate1 to the influences necessary to its present development4 ,if the individual mind fails to grasp this idea and to see that we ourselves1 7and not the ,mahatmas17 create our own possibilities1 how far less fitted is it to profit usefully by the very opportunities it demands4 ,the gratification of curiosity1 the quickening of interest in personalities or phenomena as such1 are not growths of the soul1 nor can they advance the evolution of the individual4 ,the ,mahatmas do not withhold us from ,truth1 but we ourselves4 ,when we come to be a part of it1 we shall know it3 when we come to live in its laws1 who can shut us away from it8 ,the upright heart cries1--8,mine is mine1 if the universe deny me1 and not all the ,mahatmas combined can convey to me one truth in which ,i am not ready to dwell4 ,the ,spirit communicates itself2 the ,masters but interpret the vision1 as soothsayers the dreams of ,kings4 ,i am a king when the ,spirit exalts me1 made so by the super-royal act4 ,i will not covet borrowed robes1 nor whine as a beggar for charities1 but wait until ,i am come into mine own estate4 ,then the ,wise ,ones will teach me how to rule it40 ,the heart that chooses in truth this noble part1 has felt already the quickening touch of the ,divine4 ,like ,jove of old1 it bids the earth-bound waggoner abate his cries1 and put first his own shoulder to the wheel4 ,let complainants therefore reflect how ignorant they are of their own capacity to understand psychological data1 and how necessary it is that they should first develop themselves in that direction4 ,a ray of light may shoot by us unseen and unknown1 to be lost in the further space1 for want of the timely interposition of a reflective surface4 ,or it may stream directly into the eye1 and even so may still be lost1 should the eye lack the power to receive the impression4 ,thus an attempt at direct communication or illumination may be and often is frustrated for lack of the perceptive eye and soul4 ,shall we expect to receive these at other hands1 as by a miracle1 when we know well that we never fully profit by any experience which we have not lived out for ourselves4 ,who amongst us has not seen a child reject with impatience the teachings of his elders1 and presently return home brimful of wonder and dogmatism over the very same fact which some companion had knocked into him8 ,the strong soul must be self delivered4 ,amongst our number there are indeed those who have the spiritual eye in part1 and the ,mahatmas1 desirous to arouse it more fully1 now and then project a beam of wisdom which the eye fails to receive and it passes on to those who are better fitted to absorb it4 8,no man can learn what he has not preparation for learning1 however near to his eye is the object4 ,a chemist may tell his most precious secrets to a carpenter1 and he shall never be the wiser1--the secret he would not utter to a chemist for an estate4 ,god screens us evermore from premature ideas4 ,our eyes are holden that we cannot see things that stare us in the face1 until the hour arrives when the mind is ripened2 then we behold them1 and the time when we saw them not is like a dream40#aai ,let us then press forward to this harvest time1 neither asking for help1 nor doubting that it is at hand though unseen1 and remembering above all that what we consider reticence1 or silence on the part of the ,mahatmas1 is often but a higher order of speech which we do not as yet understand1 and to whose golden accents untiring endeavor alone can give the key4 ,,julius4 ,,correspondence4 ,,hartford1 ,aug41 #ahhf4 ,,to ,,the ,,path1 ,,dear ,,friend3--,i like the ,,path much4 ,i have noted many articles that ,i am anxious to get time to read at my leisure4 ,they are full of the meat that satisfieth the soul4 ,how this on-coming wave from esoteric and mystic sources has rushed upon us within the past few years6 #8,tis a veritable ground-swell1 and it seems to stretch out to all shores1 and its sources are from ,infinity itself4 ,surely1 that that we need1 does come to us at the right time4 ,the demands of the soul imply that the requisite supply is somewhere in existence4 ,the glass of sparkling cold water tendered by ,emerson to ,frederika ,bremer at the crystal spring at which they halted by the road-side1 is symbolic of the wants of the spiritual nature4 ,her comments upon it1 are in the line of thought ,i have touched upon3 8,a glass of water6 ,how much may be comprised in this gift6 ,why this should become significant to me on this occasion1 ,i cannot say2 but so it was4 ,i have silently within myself combated with ,emerson from the first time that ,i became acquainted with him4 ,i have questioned in what consisted this power of the spirit over me1 while ,i so much disapproved of his mode of thinking4 ,in what consisted his mysterious1 magical power1--that invigorating1 refreshing influence which ,i always experience in his writings1 or in intercourse with him8 ,this cordial draught of clear water from the spring1 given by his hand1 ,i understood it4 ,it is precisely this crystal1 pure1 fresh cold water in his individual character1 in his writings1 which has refreshed1 and will again and yet again refresh me4 ,i have opposed ,emerson in thought with myself4 99 99 99 ,but in long years to come1 and when ,i am far from here in my own native land1 and when ,i am old and gray1--yes1 always1 always will moments recur when ,i shall yearn toward ,waldo ,emerson1 and long to receive from his hand that draught of fresh water40 ,emerson drew from invisible sources1 and ,miss ,bremer's fine tribute is all the stronger because it comes in spite of orthodox prejudice4 ,but ,i have turned off into an unexpected 8path10 and my time is up1 and ,i must end abruptly1 as usual4 ,yours fraternally1 ,f4 ,e4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,marseilles1 ,aug41 #ahhf4 ,,editor ,,of ,,the ,,path1 ,,dear ,,sir ,,and ,,brother3--,it gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your valuable magazine4 ,i cannot but admire the great abilities and learning of its contributors1 and ,i trust and hope that a complete success will repay you for your endeavors after the improvement of our poor and misguided humanity1 and the glorification of the ,truth4 ,yours fraternally1 ,,baron ,j4 ,,spedalieri1 ,f4 ,t4 ,s4 ,,reviews ,,and ,,notes4 ,,the ,,optimism ,,of ,,emerson4--,by ,wm4 ,f4 ,dana4 7,cupples1 ,upham ,co41 ,boston1 #ahhf47 ,price #ej c4 cloth4 ,for sale by ,brentano1 ,union ,square1 ,new ,york4 ,the author seeks to account for the optimism of ,emerson by his 8cheerful disposition10 and for his influence in literature by the action of that cheerfulness upon 8an age of intellectual gloom0 due to 8,england1 ,france1 ,germany and ,italy1 having taken a despairing view of life40 ,the cause of nineteenth century pessimism ,mr4 ,dana sums up thus3 8,the root of our difficulties is the fact that we have lost faith in a revealed religion4 ,we do not believe the ,bible to be an inspired book1 hence1 we have to form a religion by ourselves out of the material within us and about us4 ,it has seemed impossible to us1 unless we abandoned our reason1 to believe1 that what appear to us good and evil could be all good40 ,mr4 ,dana1 though evidently a sincere admirer of ,emerson1 confesses that he gave the world no new revelation1 either in religion or philosophy1 and he compares his influence to the moonlight1 rather than the sunlight4 ,but if ,emerson left the mystery of life unsolved1 he influenced men's emotional nature for good by reason of the cheerful1 hopeful tone of his own mind1 which1 by setting up sympathetic vibrations in the hearts of others1 gave them a renewed assurance that 8the sun is shining behind the clouds10 and that apparent evil is but real good in disguise4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,philosophy ,,of ,,religion4--,a series of articles on the 8,philosophy of ,religion from the ,standpoint of the ,mystics10 prepared by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,bjerregaard of the ,astor ,library1 will be published forthwith1 in the ,religio ,philosophical ,journal4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,song ,,celestial ,,or ,,bagavad-,,gita1 tr4 from the ,sanscrit by ,edwin ,arnold1 ,m4 ,a4 7,roberts ,brothers1 ,boston47 ,cloth #a4jj4 ,this is a poetical rendering by a master hand1 of the greatest of books1 and by many will be more easily understood than the present extant prose editions of ,wilkins1 ,thomson1 and others4 ,but its power and beauty depend upon the inherent qualities of the poem1 and an indifferent hand at the work could not spoil it3 how much more it will be for its readers1 under the touch of ,mr4 ,arnold1 is easy to see1 for he is a scholar1 a philosopher1 and a true singer4 ,so much exoterically4 ,but this is in every sense an esoteric poem1 and as usual1 an interpreter who knows nothing of the secret doctrine1 has not succeeded in opening the lock of this great treasure box4 ,following all his predecessors1 ,mr4 ,arnold opens with the old old error of ranging the people of ,king ,dhritirashtra upon the plain of ,kurukshetra in battle with the ,pandavas1 and utterly fails to translate this name of a plain4 ,here is the key4 ,this plain is the human body and is not a field in the centre of ,india2 and the king himself is material existence possessing a thirst for life4 ,proceeding with the details of the generals and chiefs engaged1 our poet simply gives their names untranslated1 whereas each name is a power1 quality or manifestation of the mental or spiritual man4 ,bhishma and ,bhima of all1 are untouched4 ,ignorance as to the use and intention of these names is due very much to the indifference of the ,hindus who1 while knowing well the errors committed1 have not raised a finger4 ,mr4 ,arnold's translation is very beautiful and inspiring1 and is to our knowledge1 in the hands of many ,theosophists4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,secret ,,of ,,death1 from the ,sanscrit1 and other poems1 by ,edwin ,arnold1 ,m4 ,a4 7,roberts ,brothers1 ,boston47 ,cloth #a4jj4 #de pages are taken up by the 8,secret of ,death10 and scattered through the #beb pages are1 here and there1 other short pieces from ,sanscrit4 ,the first poem is a practical rendering of the episode in the ,katha ,upanishad where ,nachiketas is devoted to ,yama1 the god of death1 and learns high knowledge from him4 ,the other ,indian songs are3 ,rajah's ,ride1 ,bihari ,mill song1 ,funeral song1 ,serpent ,charmer's song1 ,flour ,mill song and a short discourse of ,buddha held at ,rajagriha1 cast in the same mould as 8,the ,light of ,asia40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,india ,,revisited4--,by ,edwin ,arnold1 ,m4 ,a4 ,c4 ,s4 ,i4 7,roberts ,brothers1 ,boston1 #ahhf47 ,cloth #b4jj1 illustrated4 ,this is ,mr4 ,arnold's account of his revisiting ,india after the lapse of some years4 ,in prose he is as clear as he is enchanting in poetry4 ,the illustrations are from photographs and lend a charm to the book4 ,the reader's interest is held to the last chapter2 and fair justice is done to 8his ,india10 which is not generally the method pursued by ,englishmen who detail their travels in the mysterious land4 ,on returning1 his adieu declares that lakhs of true friends are left there among ,hindus1 and his heart roves from hut to hut1 whispering 8he knows and loves40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,dogma ,,and ,,ritual ,,of ,,high ,,magism4--,by ,eliphas ,lvi1 translated by a fellow of the ,theosophical ,society1 is now in hand for publication as soon as may be convenient4 ,it will be issued in two volumes1 about #fjj pages1 and put at as low a price as possible1 #e4jj4 ,,the ,,path has taken charge of the issuing of the book1 and will receive subscriptions for it4 ,all the illustrations in the ,french edition will be reproduced4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,fallen ,,idol4--,by ,f4 ,anstey4 ,this is a novel devoted to a plot in which ,theosophy1 ,chelas1 astral bodies1 currents1 and what not1 figure on every page4 ,it tells of the power and wanderings1 the evil deeds and influence of a strong bad man's shell1 attached to an eastern idol4 ,there is a ,german ,chela included1 and also a fraudulent message4 ,,theosophical ,,activities4 ,,the ,,american ,,theosophical ,,council4--,in the ,july ,theosophist1 it was announced that the ,general ,council had resolved to organize the ,american ,branches upon a better and more permanent basis1 than previously existed1 and that instructions to postpone the ,board of ,control meeting had been sent4 ,the formal orders have arrived1 and are in brief1 that all the ,branches here are to be formed into the ,american ,council1 which is to be the ,western ,section of the ,general ,council1 but subordinate to it1 whereupon the ,board of ,control goes out of existence2 all ,branch presidents and the present members of the ,board of ,control are to be ex-officio members of this ,council which the orders direct to be formed on call of the ,board of ,control as soon as possible after receipt of advices4 ,other members of the ,council1 to be selected from the whole body of ,american ,theosophists1 may be elected1 and the ,council is to meet in time to forward reports to the regular ,council at ,adyar in ,december4 ,this action is eminently wise1 as the term ,board of ,control was misleading1 inasmuch as the very foundation of the ,society is democratic in its nature1 and control savored to much of form1 ceremonies1 discipline1 officers1 secret reports and all the paraphernalia of an established church4 ,in all other respects the routine is unchanged by the orders4 ,with #ad ,branches and others contemplated1 these great ,united ,states ought to stand in fair way of being soon theosophized4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,malden4--,members are working and studying4 ,they enjoy advantages in having a few who thoroughly understand the subject4 ,,new ,,york4--,the ,,aryan ,,theosophical ,,society meets regularly4 ,not many open meetings have occurred in ,august or ,july1 but frequent private ones have been held1 and the members are deeply in earnest4 ,the library has received several additions1 and the books are regularly used by members4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,rumors--are afloat that some very learned and distinguished theosophists from abroad will be here in the fall4 ,if so--and we think our information is reliable--the whole host of newspapers1 critics1 and ,conways1 may expect to hear a few more final 8last words on ,theosophy40 ,gentlemen of the opposition6 the cycle runs its course1 the terrible wheel of ,karma turns round resistlessly1 and you cannot stop it1 astonishing as may seem to you to be the senility of people in running after ,theosophy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,rosicrucians4--,the ,society of the ,r4 ,c4 is being revived in ,germany it is said1 and theosophists are in it4 ,next month we will give a resum of some of their ideas4 99 99 99 99 99 8,a knot of ignorance binds all men's hearts2 this1 action looses and ,god's grace imparts40--,hindi verse4 8,study all ,scriptures written1 near or far2 ,worship all images and saints of earth2 ,but if you do not study who you are1 ,all your best actions are nothing worth40--,sanscrit verse4 ,,om6 ,,footnotes3 #aaa ,the emerald table is from the collection commencing with ,le ,miroirs d' ,alquimie de ,jean de ,mehun1 philosophe1 tres--excellent4 ,traduict de ,latin on ,franois1 ,a ,paris1 #afac1 pp4 #cf-ci1 to which is also attached1 the ,petit ,commentaire de ,l',hortulain1 philosophe1 dict des ,jardins maritimes1 sur la ,table d' ,esmerande d' ,hermes ,trismegiste pp4 #db-fd4 #aab ,an ancient ,hindu book full of tales as well as doctrines4--,,ed4 #aac ,these flashes of thought are not unknown even in the scientific world1 as1 where in such a moment of lunacy1 it was revealed to an ,english scientist1 that there must be iron in the sun2 and ,edison gets his ideas thus4--,,ed4 #aad ,the careful student will remember that ,jacob ,bhme speaks of the 8harsh and bitter anguish of nature which is the principle that produces bones and all corporification40 ,so here the master1 it appears1 tells the fortunate chela1 that in the spiritual and mental world1 anxiety1 harsh and bitter1 raises a veil before us and prevents us from using our memory4 ,he refers1 it would seem1 to the other memory above the ordinary4 ,the correctness and value of what was said in this1 must be admitted when we reflect that1 after all1 the whole process of development is the process of getting back the memory of the past4 ,and that too is the teaching found in pure ,buddhism as well also as in its corrupted form4--,,ed4 #aae ,the mystic syllable ,,om4--,,ed4 #aaf ,there is some reference here apparently to the ,upanishad1 for they contain a teacher's directions to break through all shrines until the last one is reached4--,,ed4 #aag ,see ,bagavad-,gita where the whole poem turns upon the conflict in this battle field1 which is called the 8sacred plain of ,kurukshetra0 meaning1 the 8body which is acquired by ,karma40--,,ed4 #aah ,arabian ,soc4 in the ,middle ,age4--,d',ohsson describing the ,turkish ,dervishes gives another account4 #aai ,emerson4 ,,aum ,every period of soul is measured by time4 ,the period of other souls indeed is measured by a certain time2 but that of the first soul1 since it is measured by time1 is measured by the whole of time4--,proklos' ,elements of ,theology4 ,time1 like a seven-wheeled1 seven-naved car1 moves on2 ,his rolling wheels are all the worlds4 ,his axle is immortality4--,atharva ,veda4 ,the moving finger writes1 and having writ1 ,moves on1 nor all your piety and wit ,shall lure it back to cancel half a line1 ,nor all your tears wash out a word of it4--,the ,rubaiyat4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,october1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #g4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,,what ,,is ,,the 8,,theosophical ,,society08 ,,an ,,opinion ,,in ,,regard ,,to ,,what ,,it ,,ought ,,to ,,be4 ,,by ,a ,,member4 ,i am often asked by strangers who have heard some accounts of the doings of the ,theosophists3 ,what is the ,theosophical ,society1 and what is its purpose8 ,some believe it to be a sect1 in which no opinion is suffered to exist unless it is first sanctioned by certain 8,headquarters0 or 8,boards of ,control02 others believe it to be a school for occultism and witchcraft2 others think that it is a new form of ,buddhism1 coming under some disguise to overthrow ,christianity1 while some of those who do not belong to the ,christian church suspect it of being an effort to spread ,christian doctrines among them by clothing them in some new and more acceptable form4 ,nearly everyone of such inquirers sees in the ,t4 ,s4 only a bug-bear1 and there are all sorts of opinions except the right one prevailing about it4 ,to all such objections ,i can only answer by showing to them the printed 8,rules of the ,theosophical ,society10 where under the head 8,objects of the ,society10 it says3 8,the ,society represents no particular religious creed1 interferes with no man's caste1 is entirely unsectarian and includes professors of all faiths40 ,this sounds so beautifully1 that people who have been accustomed all their life to cling to creeds and dogmas and 8recognized authorities0 are unable to believe that it can be true4 ,moreover the objectors have heard of 8,boards of ,control10 of 8,presidential ,orders10 of 8,official ,organs10 etc41 and all these things have such an air of sectarianism1 that they seem to be hardly compatible with the spirit of freedom1 so loudly proclaimed by the ,t4 ,s4 ,it is asked3 ,what has a 8,board of ,control0 to control8 ,who enforces obedience to presidential orders8 ,does the official organ promulgate the dogmas of the sect2 and if not1 what then is the use of these things8 ,it seems therefore time that we should once more consider what the ,t4 ,s4 is1 or what it ought to be4 ,it must be plain to every lover of truth1 that1 however great the progress may be1 which modern civilization has made in regard to the material and temporal welfare of man1 the world is still far from having attained physical1 intellectual1 moral and spiritual perfection4 ,disease and crime1 suffering and death1 poverty1 tyranny and ignorance are still in existence1 and although there are many organized bodies1 whose purpose it is to do good and to cure the ills of humanity1 still the majority of such bodies are hampered to a certain extent by old beliefs1 usages1 creeds and superstitions1 their activity is not sufficiently free1 because their opinions are not free2 they may benefit a certain class of humanity1 but not all mankind2 they know perhaps a part of the truth1 but not all of it2 their charity extends over a small circle1 but not over the whole world4 ,the root of all evil is ignorance1 with its children1 superstition1 fear1 crime and disease2 the only remedy against ignorance is to spread the knowledge of truth4 ,there have been at all times men and societies1 willing to spread that which they believe to be the truth1 by all means which were at their command1 whether fair or foul2 there have been people ready to force their opinions in regard to the truth upon others1 by the power of the sword1 the faggot1 the rack and the fire2 but the truth cannot be spread in this manner4 ,real knowledge of the good1 the beautiful and the true can only be attained by obtaining the knowledge of self1 and the knowledge of self must grow in every individual in the course of his development4 ,it can no more be implanted by others or be forced upon another1 than a tree be made to grow by pulling its trunk4 ,the object of the true ,theosophist is therefore to attain self-knowledge1 and to employ the knowledge which he possesses1 for the purpose of accomplishing the greatest good4 ,there is perhaps not a single country upon the face of the earth1 in which may not be found a number of persons1 who desire to obtain self-knowledge1 to find the truth by means of a free and unrestricted investigation1 and to employ their knowledge for the benefit of humanity4 ,there are persons who desire to see true progress in the place of stagnation1 knowledge in the place of accepted but still dubious opinions1 wisdom in the place of sophistry1 universal love and benevolence in the place of selfishness4 ,such men and women may be found here and there1 and each one acts in the way he considers the best4 ,some work by means of the school1 others by means of the pulpit2 some teach science1 others influence the sense of the beautiful and true by their works of art1 others speak the powerful language of music2 but the most advanced of these give an example to others by their own ,christlike conduct in the affairs of every-day life4 ,the great majority of such persons1 interested in the welfare of humanity1 live isolated although they may be residing in crowded cities2 for they find few who share their mode of feeling and thought and who have identical objects in view4 ,they are often living in communities where little more but selfishness1 the greed for money-making or perhaps bigotry and superstition are found4 ,they are isolated and without the support of those who sympathize with their ideas2 for although one universal principle unites all those who have the same object in view2 still their persons are unknown to each other and they seldom find means for mutual intercourse and exchange of thought4 ,now let us suppose that in each country a centre of communication were to be established1 by means of which such persons could come into contact with each other1 and that at each such centre a journal or newspaper were to be established1 by means of which such persons could exchange their thoughts2--not a centre from which supreme wisdom was to be dispensed and from whence dogmas were to be doled out for the unthinking believers2 but a centre through which the thought of the members of the society could freely flow2 and we could then have an ideal 8,theosophical ,society40 ,such a centre would resemble a central telephone station to which all the different wires extend1 and it would require a trustworthy servant at the office to connect the wires and to attend to the external affairs connected with the affairs of the office2 but if such a 8telephone operator0 would attempt to interfere with the messages running over the wires1 and to assume an authority to say what kinds of opinions should be wired and what messages should be suppressed2 if he were to assume the role of a dictator and permit only such messages to pass over the wires as would be in harmony with his own ideas2 then the object of the centre of communication would come to nought2 we would again have papal dictates and presidential orders in the place of liberty of thought and speech1 and there would be an end of the object and purpose of the society4 ,but on the other hand1 if every unripe mind were to be permitted to have his effusions printed at the expense of the society1 and to teach things1 which perhaps a few months afterwards1 having learned to know better1 he would be sorry to think that they had ever seen the light1 such a proceeding would throw discredit upon the society and be moreover altogether impracticable4 ,our 8telephone operator0 should therefore be a man possessed of the greatest circumspection and discrimination1 and while he should never interfere with the expression of any opinion1 no matter how much opposed the latter may be to his own opinion1 he should at the same time be permitted to cut down the messages sent over his wires to certain limits and to present them1 if necessary1 in a more suitable form4 ,as regards the liberty of speech1 it would be an absurdity if such a society were to attempt to prescribe to any of its members what kind of opinions or dogmas he should express2 because whatever opinions he may pronounce1 they could never be regarded as being the opinions of the society as a whole2 for the society as such 8represents no particular creed0 and 8is entirely unsectarian40 ,if in spite of this solemn assertion anyone chooses to believe that the opinions publicly expressed by a member of the society represent the creed of the society1 such an unfortunate circumstance can only be deplored1 but will do no serious harm4 ,on the other hand if a 8president0 or 8board of control0 should attempt to preside over more important things than merely over the meetings of the members1 and if a 8board of control0 would attempt to control the conscience and the opinions of the members1 instead of merely exercising its control over the external affairs of the society2 and if an 8official organ0 would attempt to postulate what ought and what ought not to be believed by the members of the society1 such a proceeding would be in direct opposition to the spirit1 the object and the purpose of that society1 and in contradiction to the principles upon which it was founded2 and while it should be the object of every lover of truth to assist the growth of a true 8,theosophical ,society10 and to maintain its purity of principle1 it should also be his aim to suffocate in the germ everything that is opposed to liberty and freedom of speech4 ,i beg every member of the ,theosophical ,society to well consider these points1 for upon their consideration and decision1 depends the solution of the question1 whether the ,theosophical ,society shall end in a farce1 or whether it shall be the great movement which it was intended to be4 ,f4 ,,hartmann4 ,kemplen 7,bavaria71 ,aug4 #bc1 #ahhf4 ,,apollonius ,,and ,,the ,,mahatmas4 ,,read ,,before ,,the ,,malden ,,branch1 ,t4 ,s4 ,the journey to ,india made by the great adept1 ,apollonius of ,tyana1 has a special interest for us modern students of occultism4 ,the story of this journey1 related in the life of ,apollonius by ,philostratus1 has been held by many to be a fable1 and ,mr4 ,tredwell1 in his laudable work1 omits any account of it4 ,to an earnest ,theosophist1 however1 the internal evidence of the narration is too strong to be resisted1 although it is told at third hand probably with the adornments which an accomplished ,greek author thought needful for the requisite grace of style4 ,apollonius may perhaps be said to have been the ,master whose mission was to set the temples in order for the departure of the glorious classic era4 ,born in the same century as ,jesus of ,nazareth1 nowhere did the teachings of the two1 so far as it appears1 come into open contact1 although the fame of the former spread far and wide in ,europe1 ,asia and ,africa during his lifetime4 ,it is said1 however1 that although no creed bears his name1 his work in the world was nevertheless immense and his teachings have1 in many unperceived ways1 influenced millions of human beings down to the present day4 ,apollonius was still a young man when he went to ,india1 but even then he was famous for his wisdom4 ,he had been sent1 as a boy of fourteen years1 to school in ,tarsus by his wealthy father1 but he did not like the ways of that city and he was allowed to remove to ,aeg1 also in ,sicily1 where he studied the great philosophers and was specially drawn to the teachings of ,pythagoras4 ,at the age of sixteen he fully adopted the ,pythagorean life and held firmly to it ever after1 letting his hair grow long1 eating no flesh1 and drinking no wine1 and wearing no clothing made of animal products4 ,he took up his abode in the temple of ,asclepius1 and thousands were attracted thither by the wisdom of the wonderfully beautiful youth4 ,grown to manhood1 he made a vow of silence and spoke not a word for five years4 ,then for a time he taught in ,antioch4 ,when asked how the wise man should treat questions of learning1 he replied3 8,like the law-giver4 ,for the law-giver must make that1 of whose truth he has convinced himself1 into commandments for the multitude40 ,he now conceived the idea of a journey to ,india to meet the wise men known as ,brahmins and ,hyrkanians4 ,he afterwards told the ,egyptian ,gymnosophists that his thoughts were directed to them in his youth1 but his teacher pointed out to him that in ,india lived the men who stood nearest the source of wisdom1 and from whom the ,egyptians themselves derived their light4 ,his seven disciples in ,antioch had not the courage to undertake the journey with him1 and he departed with two of his family servants1 8one for writing rapidly and the other finely10 according to ,philostratus4 ,at ,ninus he was joined by ,damis the ,ninivite4 ,this young ,assyrian was thenceforth his devoted disciple1 accompanying him on all his many journeys throughout his long career4 ,it is to ,damis that we chiefly owe the detailed accounts of the doings of the ,master thenceforward4 ,we are thereby enabled to see ,apollonius in his daily life2 in his various deeds and actions1 his familiar sayings recorded as he talks with his faithful companion about the common sights and occurrences around them4 ,the picture is therefore exceptionally intimate1 and the man himself is brought near to us as well as his divine teachings4 ,when ,damis was reproached for writing down such trifles about his master1 and compared with a dog devouring the crumbs from a table1 he replied3 8,when the gods are feasting they doubtless have servants who take care that no crumbs of ambrosia are lost40 ,a year and eight months were spent in ,babylon1 where ,king ,bardanus1 who was a friend of wisdom1 received ,apollonius with great honors4 ,considerable intercourse was had with the ,magi2 he learnt something of them and also taught them something4 ,damis was forbidden to accompany him in his visits to them1 but he said that ,apollonius visited them at noon and at midnight4 ,once ,damis asked 8,what are the ,magi80 and was answered1 8,they are indeed wise1 but not in everything40 ,the ,king became ill1 and ,apollonius spoke so much and so divinely about the soul that the monarch said to those around3 8,apollonius not only relieves me of concern for the ,kingdom1 but also for ,death40 ,apollonius1 in departing1 refused all gifts1 but the ,king provided him with camels and all things needful for the journey4 ,when the ,king asked what he would bring him from ,india he replied4 8,a joyful gift1 ,o ,king6 ,for if intercourse with the men there makes me wiser1 ,i shall come back to thee better than ,i now am40 ,upon this the ,king embraced him and said3 8,may'st thou but come2 for this gift is great40 ,they crossed what they called the ,caucasus mountains1 separating ,india and ,medea4 ,may it not be that from this ancient designation we get the name of the ,caucasian race1 rather than from what is now known as the ,caucasus8 ,this would make the place of origin identical with that commonly ascribed to the ,aryans4 ,crossing the ,indus they soon came to ,taxila1 which they called the capital of ,india4 ,it is difficult to trace out their exact course1 the present names of most geographical features being quite different from the designations given by ,damis4 ,it would probably require a thorough ,occultist to tell just what places they did visit4 ,king ,phraotes was the ruler at ,taxila1 and in him ,apollonius found an initiate4 ,the latter was struck with the modest simplicity of the monarch's surroundings on entering the palace1 and inferred that he must be a philosopher4 ,the ,king told ,apollonius the course which a youth took who proposed to dedicate himself to the pursuit of ,wisdom4 ,when he had reached his #ahth year he had to cross the ,hyphasis river to those men who had attracted ,apollonius to ,india4 ,beforehand1 however1 he had to make his intention publicly known1 in order that he might be restrained in case he was not pure4 ,to be pure one had to be without blemish in respect to father and mother1 and moreover with an upright ancestry for three generations4 ,if without fault in this respect the youth himself was then examined as to whether he had a good memory1 whether he was naturally inclined to uprightness or would only have it appear so1 whether given to drink or gluttony1 of boastful habits1 evil or foolish ways1 whether obedient to father1 mother and instructors1 and finally if he had made no evil use of the bloom of his youth4 8,since wisdom stands in great esteem here10 said the ,king1 8and is honored by the ,indians1 it is of great moment that those who seek to devote themselves unto it should be carefully examined and made to undergo thousandfold tests40 ,b4 7,concluded in ,november47 ,,sufism1 ,,or ,,theosophy ,,from ,,the ,,standpoint ,,of ,,mohammedanism4 ,a ,chapter from a ,,ms4 work designed as a text book for ,students in ,mysticism4 ,,by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,bjerregaard1 ,stud4 ,theos4 ,in ,two ,parts3--,part ,i1 ,texts2 ,part ,,ii1 ,symbols4 7,,continued47 ,,part ,,ii4--,,symbols4 ,the practical expounder and preachers of ,sufism are the ,dervishes1 the monks of ,islam4 ,zaous ,abou ,add er-,rahman1 of ,persian origin1 but born in ,yemen1 led the way4 ,he had passed his early youth in the society of ,zein el ,abidin1 the son of ,hasan1 and grandson of ,ali1 and the first of that family who in life and writing professed the mystical ideas and austere practices1 which ever afterwards distinguished the race4 ,abou-,horeirah1 the devoutest of ,mohammed's own companions1 and ,ebn ,abbas were also his masters4 ,he took up his abode at ,mecca1 the centre of religious feeling1 and soon ,zaous' influence began to appear among the crowd of pilgrims from all parts of the ,mohammedan empire2 they began to imitate his long prayers1 his fasts1 and extreme poverty1 and above all his open contempt for all worldly dignity and rank1 and many adopted the peculiarity of his dress1 the long and patched garment and the high woollen cap1 both of which later became so characteristic of the ,sufi4 ,one of his most distinguished followers was ,hasan ,yesar1 like ,zaous1 of ,persian origin1 but born in ,arabia1 in ,medinah4 ,having received his liberty 7he was born after his mother had become a slave of ,omm ,salma1 one of the numerous wives of the ,prophet71 he retired to ,basra1 on the ,persian ,gulf1 a town known for its attachment to the family of ,ali and their doctrines1 and henceforth a stronghold of the ascetic sect4 ,his life proved the truth and strength of his doctrines1 and ,basra was now their headquarters4 ,malik ,ebn ,dinar1 a ,persian1 and a slave by birth1 known for his love of manual labor1 poverty and humility1 next appears as chief among the ascetics of his age4 ,omar ,abou ,othman1 was a disciple of ,hasan ,yesar and also an inhabitant of ,basra4 ,hasan ,yesar described him as one worthy of angels and prophets for preceptors and guides1 one who never exhorted save to what he had first put in practice1 nor deterred from anything except what he himself inviolably abstained from4 ,he was a vigorous asserter of man's free-will4 ,about the same time ,omar ,abou ,durr at ,coufa and ,sofein ,abou ,abd ,allah displayed similar examples of austerity and virtue1 and so did ,hammad ,abou ,ismail1 son of the celebrated ,abou ,hanifah1 ,abd ,allah ,merouj1 and ,mohammed ,ebn es ,semmak4 ,but whether at ,mecca or at ,basra1 the various ascetics already mentioned1 and the many not mentioned2 whatever personal influence they exercised1 and virtues they possessed1 they did not form a particular and distinct association or brotherhood4 ,no common rule united them1 nor did they group themselves around any superior or chief1 as yet4 ,but the next prominent man among them was not only a remarkable man as an ascetic1 but also the father and founder of all the numerous ,dervish family4 ,his name was ,fodheil ,abou ,ali ,zalikani4 ,he was born of ,persian parents and spent his youth as a highway robber4 ,one night he had scaled the walls of a house where the girl of whom he was enamored dwelt1 and concealed on the roof1 awaited the moment to descend and gratify his passion4 ,but while thus occupied he heard a voice repeating the well-known verse of the ,quran3 8,is it not high time for those who believe to open their hearts to compunction80 8,lord1 it is high time indeed10 replied ,fodheil2 and leaving the house1 as well as his evil design1 he retired to a half-ruined caravansarai not far off1 there to pass the rest of the night4 ,several travellers were at the moment lodged in the caravansarai1 and1 concealed by the darkness1 he overheard their conversation3 8,let us start on our journey10 said one2 and the others answered3 8,let us wait till morning1 for the robber ,fodheil is out on the roads40 ,this completed the conversion of the already repentant highwayman4 ,he advanced towards the travellers1 and1 discovering himself to them1 assured them that henceforth neither they nor any others should have aught to fear from him4 ,he then stripped himself of his weapons and worldly gear1 put on a patched and tattered garment1 and passed the rest of his life in wandering from place to place1 in the severest penitence and in extreme poverty1 sometimes alone1 sometimes with numerous disciples1 whom he took under his direction1 and formed into a strict and organized brotherhood4 ,but with all his austerity of life1 his prolonged fasts and watchings1 his ragged dress and wearisome pilgrimages1 he preferred the practice of interior virtue and purity of intention to all outward observances1 and used often to say that 8he who is modest and compliant to others1 and lives in meekness and patience1 gains a higher reward by so doing than if he fasted all his days1 and watched in prayer all his nights40 ,at so high a price did he place obedience to a spiritual guide1 and so necessary did he deem it1 that he declared3 8,had ,i a promise of whatever ,i should ask in prayer1 yet would ,i not offer that prayer save in union with a superior40 ,but his favorite virtue was the love of ,god in perfect conformity to his will1 above all hope and fear4 ,thus when his only son--whose virtues resembled his father's--died in early age1 ,fodheil was seen with a countenance of unusual cheerfulness2 and being asked by his intimate disciple ,ragi ,abou ,ali1 afterwards ,kadhi of the town of ,rei1 the reason therefor1 he answered3 8,it was ,god's good pleasure1 and it is therefore my good pleasure also40 ,we must notice one more of his famous sentences3 8,much is he beguiled who serves ,god from fear or hope1 for this true service is for mere love20 and1 speaking of himself3 8,i serve ,god because ,i cannot help serving ,him for very love's sake40 ,fodheil died in the year #ahg of the ,hegira4 ,his disciple was ,ibrahim ,ebn ,adhem1 son of noble parents and also a ,persian by birth1 and he is an example upon the forbearance under injury and reluctance to have their right manifested1 so prominent amongst the disciples of ,fodheil4 ,after the death of ,fodheil the supreme direction of the brotherhood was vested in ,bishar el ,hafi1 a native of ,meron and inhabitant of ,bagdad4 ,when young he had1 like ,fodheil1 led a reckless life1 till one day walking in the streets he saw written on a piece of paper1 torn and trampled on by the feet of the passers-by1 the name of ,god4 ,he picked it up and1 having cleaned it to the best of his ability1 took it home and placed it out of the reach of further profanation4 ,the same night he heard a voice saying to him2 8,bishar1 thou has honoured my name4 ,i will accordingly render thy name honourable in this world and in that to come40 ,he awoke from sleep a changed man1 and began a new life of penance and virtue4 ,the name ,hafi signifies barefoot4 ,he walked barefooted4 ,his greatest trial was from the veneration of man3 8,o ,god10 he used to say1 8save me from this honour1 the requital of which may perchance be confusion in another life40 ,our space forbids us to dwell upon the ,egyptian ascetics who helped to lay the foundation for the future ,sufism4 ,we pass by them and dwell mainly with the ,persian representatives4 ,about this time--the beginning of the fourth century--two events occurred of greatest importance in the history we are narrating4 ,the ,samanide princes had gained ascendency in the empire over the ,abbaside ,caliphs4 ,all the princes of the ,samanide race were remarkable for their piety and patronage of learning4 ,nasser ,ebn ,ahmed1 signalized himself by his love of retirement and religious meditation4 ,he founded an oratory at ,bokhara which soon became the resort of the now numerous ascetics1 and soon other similar institutions arose throughout the country and the dervishes of the ,east now took on them their permanent name and manner of life4 ,the other event which characterized this era was the outbreak of open heterodoxy among the ascetics4 ,hitherto they had concealed their tenets and practices1 opposed as they were to the prevailing system1 much after the fashion of ,ali ,zein el ,abidin1 grandson of the famous ,ali1 grand-master of the secret order3 8,above all things ,i conceal the precious jewel of my knowledge1 ,lest the uninitiated should behold it1 and be bewildered2 ,ah1 how many a rare jewel of this kind1 should ,i openly display it1 ,men would say to me3 #8,thou art one of the worshippers of idols2' ,and ,zealous ,muslims would set my blood at price1 ,deeming the worst of crimes an acceptable and virtuous action40 ,after these ascetics had learned their strength from their union they began to take part in politics and worked zealously with that party that wished to overthrow the family and religion of ,mohammed and place ,ali and mysticism in their stead4 ,they accordingly soon had martyrs in their ranks4 ,thus died at ,bagdad the famous ,hosain ,abou ,meghith el ,halladj4 ,to his school belonged the three giants of learning and piety3 ,abd-el-,kadir el ,ghilani1 ,mohi ed ,din ,ebn-,aarabi el ,moghrebi1 and ,omar ,ebn el ,faridh4 ,we pen a few of his words3 8,i am ,he whom ,i love1 and ,he whom ,i love is ,i2 ,we are two spirits1 inhabiting one outward frame3 ,and when you behold me1 you behold ,him1 ,and when you behold ,him1 you behold us twain40 ,he taught the freedom of the human will and wrote the following satire on the predestinarian system of ,islam3 8,what can man do1 if the decrees of predestination surround him1 ,binding him in his every state8 answer me1 ,o learned professor4 ,he 7i4 e41 as if ,he1 that is ,god7 cast him into the ocean1 bound hand and foot1 and then said to him1 ,woe to you1 woe to you1 should you get wet with the water40 ,he it is who thus in his verse addresses ,god3 8,i love ,thee with a twofold love1 the love of friendship1 ,and the love grounded on this alone1 that ,thou art worthy of it4 ,but as to that my love which is the love of friendship1 ,it is a love which leaves me no thought for any save ,thee2 ,and as to the love of ,thee according to ,thy worthiness1 ,o raise from betwixt us the vail1 that ,i may behold ,thee4 ,nor is any praise due to me either for this or for that 7love71 ,but to ,thee alone the praise both for this and that40 ,halladj's three famous disciples gave their names to the three principal brotherhoods among the ,mohammedans1 and their work remains to this day4 ,abd-el-,kadir el ,ghilani was a ,persian by birth and resided at ,bagdad4 ,nobody doubted that he was the ,kothb of his time1 and as such he announced himself in his ecstatic state1 though ordinarily he strove to conceal himself under the veil of a mean and despicable appearance4 ,he founded the order of the ,qadiriyah which association counted in its ranks some of the greatest names among ,eastern mystics and poets4 ,the doctrine of the order was that of ,hosein el ,halladj1 whom he taught the order to look upon as their master1 though their doctrine was commonly veiled under a seemingly orthodox terminology4 ,they subsist to this day and are counted among the most prominent4 ,m4 ,d'hosson in his celebrated work on the ,ottoman empire traces the origin of the ,faquirs to the time of ,mohammed in the following manner3 ,in the first year of the ,hegira1 forty-five citizens of ,mecca joined themselves to many others from ,medina4 ,they took an oath of fidelity to the doctrines of their ,prophet1 and formed a sect or fraternity1 the object of which was to establish among themselves a community of property1 and to perform every day certain religious practices in a spirit of penitence and mortification4 ,to distinguish themselves from other ,mohammedans1 they took the name of ,sufis4 ,this name1 which later was attributed to the most zealous partizans of ,islam1 is the same still in use to indicate any ,muselman who retires from the world to study1 to lead a life of pious contemplation1 and to follow the most painful exercises of an exaggerated devotion4 ,to the name of ,sufi they added also that of ,faquir1 because their maxim was to renounce the goods of the earth1 and to live in an entire abnegation of all worldly enjoyments1 following thereby the words of the ,prophet3 8,poverty is my pride40 ,following their example1 ,abu ,bakr and ,ali established1 even during the lifetime of the ,prophet and under his own eyes1 religious orders1 over which each presided1 with ,zikrs or peculiar religious exercises1 established by them separately1 and a vow taken by each of the voluntary disciples forming them4 ,on his decease1 ,abu ,bakr made over his office of president to one ,salmann l-,farisi1 and ,ali to al-,hasann l-,basri1 and each of these charges were consecrated under the title of ,khalifah1 or successor4 ,the two first successors followed the example of the ,khalifahs of ,islam1 and transmitted it to their successors1 and these in turn to others1 the most aged and venerable of their fraternity4 ,some among them1 led by the delirium of the imagination1 wandered away from the primitive rules of their society1 and converted1 from time to time1 these fraternities into a multitude of religious orders4 99 99 99 ,it was about ,a4 ,h4 #di 7,a4 ,d4 #gff7 that the ,shaikh ,alwan1 a mystic renowned for his religious fervor1 founded the first regular order of the ,faquirs1 now known as the ,alwaniyah4 ,the ,bastamiyah1 the ,nagshbandiyah1 and the ,bakhtashiyah descend from the original order established by ,abu ,bakr4 ,all the others come from ,ali4 ,,the ,,faquirs ,,or ,,dervishes4 ,the ,arabic word ,faqir signifies poor1 poor in the sense of being in need of mercy1 poor in the sight of ,god4 ,the ,persian equivalent ,darvish is derived from dar 8a door0--those who 8beg from door to door40 ,the dervishes are1 as stated before1 the practical expounders of ,mohammedanism4 ,they are divided into two great classes1 the ba ,shara 7with the law71 or those who govern their conduct according to the principles of ,islam3 and the be ,shara 7without the law71 or those who do not rule their lives according to the formal principles of any religious creed1 although they call themselves ,muslims4 ,to the latter1 the ,sufis principally belong4 ,these ,faquirs are called either ,azad1 the free1 or ,majnub1 the absorbed4 ,the former shave their beards1 whiskers1 eyebrows1 etc41 and live a life of celibacy4 ,every school and every brotherhood has its own distinctive teachings and technicalities1 and its peculiar practices and observances1 its saints and doctors1 great men and founders4 ,a student will also readily discover a different character in ,arabic and ,persian ,sufism4 ,the ,arabic being nearer to ,christianity takes up much from it1 but moulds it in its peculiar way2 the ,persian being nearer the traditions of ,zoroaster and in immediate contact with ,manechaism1 naturally borrows from thence4 ,thus the 8pantheistic0 tendencies1 such as ,divine absorption1 universal manifestation of the ,deity under the seeming appearances of limited forms1 the final return of all things to the unity of ,god1 a tendency to regard matter as evil1 the reprobation of marriage1 etc4--these were ideas that rose from ,persian soil1 while the ideas of a radiant ,divinity mediating between the supreme fountain-head of ,being and the created world2 of an all-prevading ,spirit of love2 of detachment from the world2 of poverty1 humility1 etc41 were more akin to ,christian belief4 ,still ,saadis' description applies to all3 8,the outward tokens of a dervish are a patched garment and a shaven head2 and the inward signs1 those of being alive in the spirit1 and dead in the flesh3--#8not he who will sit apart from his fellow-creatures at the door of supplication with ,god2 and1 if he shall reject his prayer1 will stand up in disobedience2 or if a millstone come rolling down a mountain1 he is not intelligent in the ways of providence1 that would rise to avoid it4' 8,the ritual of the ,dervishes is gratitude and praise1 worship and obedience1 contentment and charity1 and a belief in the unity and providence of ,god1 having a reliance on and being resigned to his will1 confident of his favour1 and forbearant of all3 whosoever is endowed with these qualifications is in truth a dervish1 notwithstanding he be arrayed in gorgeous apparel3 whereas1 the irreligious and hypocritical vainboaster1 sensualist1 and whoremonger1 who turn days into nights in his slavish indulgences1 and converts nights into days in his dreams of forgetfulness2 who eats whatever falls in his way1 and speaks whatever comes uppermost1 is a profligate1 though clothed in the sackcloth of a saint4----0 ,the dervishes differ1 says ,a4 ,vambery1#abj from each other only by the manner in which they demonstrate their enthusiasm2 still the more we penetrate towards the ,east1 the greater is the purity with which they have been preserved4 ,in ,persia the dervishes play a much more important part than in ,turkey1 and in ,central ,asia1 isolated as it has been from the rest of the world for centuries1 this fraternity is still in full vigor1 and exercises a great influence upon society4 ,according to ,a4 ,vambery1 the ,bektashi1 ,mevlevi1 and ,rufai orders are principally found in ,turkey2 the ,kadrie and ,djelali in ,arabia2 the ,oveisi and the ,nurbakhchi ,nimetullahi in ,persia2 the ,khilali and ,zahibi in ,india1 and the ,nakishbendi and ,sofi 7a recent order7 in ,central ,asia4 ,according to ,th4 ,p4 ,hughes#aba the following are the chief orders of ,faqirs met with in ,north ,india3 7#a7 ,the ,naqshbandia1 the followers of ,khwajah ,pir ,mohammed ,naqshband1 and are a very numerous sect2 they usually perform the ,zikr-i-,khafi#abb or the silent devotion4 7#b7 ,the ,qadiria sprung from the celebrated ,sayyid ,abdul ,qadir1 surnamed ,pir ,dustagir1 whose shrine is at ,bagdad4 ,they practice both forms of the ,zikr4 ,most of the ,sunni ,moulavis of the north-west frontier of ,india are members of this order4 ,in ,egypt it is most popular among the fisherman4 7#c7 ,the ,chishtia are followers of ,banda ,nawaz1 whose shrine is at ,calburgah2 they are partial to vocal music1 for the founder of the order remarked1 that singing was the food and support of the soul4 ,they perform the ,zikr-i-,jali4 7#d7 ,the ,jalalia founded by ,sayyid ,jalal-ud-din of ,bokhara2 they are met with in ,central ,asia4 ,religious mendicants are often of this order4 7#e7 ,the ,sarwardia are popular in ,afganistan and comprise many learned men4 ,they are the followers of ,hasan ,bisri of ,basra1 near ,bagdad4 ,these five are all ba-,shara ,faqirs4 ,the be-,shara ,faqirs are very numerous4 ,the most popular order is that of the ,mudaria1 founded by ,zinda ,shah ,murdar of ,syria1 whose shrine is at ,mukanpur1 in ,oudh4 ,from these have sprung the ,malang ,faqirs who crowd the bazaars of ,india4 ,they wear their hair matted or tied in a knot4 ,the ,rafia order is also a numerous one in some parts of ,india4 ,they practice the most severe discipline and mortify themselves by scourging4 ,the secrets of the dervish orders cannot be learned4 ,an initiation is described in ,lane's ,society is the ,middle ,ages and the following is another4 ,the following is the account of the admission of ,tewekkul ,bg into the order of the ,qadiriyahfaqirs1 one of the four most prominent ones1 by ,moolla ,shah1 a ,saint and poet of some celebrity1 who died in the year of the ,hegira #ajgb 7#affa-fb of our era71 at ,lahore1 where his shrine was reared by the ,princess ,fatima1 daughter of ,shah-,jihan4 ,tewekkul is himself the narrator3 8,having been introduced1 by means of ,akhnd ,moll ,mohammed ,say'd into the intimate circle of ,moll ,shah1 my heart through frequent intercourse with the ,sheikh was filled with a burning desire of reaching the sublime goal of the mystical science1 and ,i no longer found sleep by night nor rest by day 99 99 ,i passed the whole of that night without being able to shut my eyes1 and betook myself to reciting a hundred thousand times the one hundred and twelfth chapter of the ,qoran4 ,i accomplished this in several days4 ,it is well known that in this chapter of the ,qoran the great ,name of ,god is contained1 and that through the power of that ,name1 whoever recites it a hundred thousand times may obtain all that he desires4 ,i conceived then the wish that the ,master should bestow his affection upon me4 ,and1 in fact1 ,i convinced myself of the efficacy of this means1 for hardly had ,i finished the hundred thousandth recitation of this chapter of the book of ,god1 when the heart of the ,master was filled with sympathy for me1 and he gave order to ,senghin ,mohammed1 his vicar1 to conduct me on the following night to his presence4 ,during that whole night he concentrated his mind upon me1 while ,i directed my meditation upon my own heart2 but the knot of my heart was not unloosed4 ,so passed three nights1 during which he made me the object of his spiritual attention1 without any result being manifested4 ,on the fourth night ,moll ,shh said1 #8,this night ,moll ,senghin and ,slih ,bg1 who are both very susceptible to ecstatic emotions1 will direct their whole mind upon the neophyte4' ,they obeyed this order1 while ,i remained seated the whole night1 my face turned towards ,mecca1 at the same time concentrating all my mental faculties upon my own heart4 ,towards daybreak1 a little light and brightness came into my heart1 but ,i could distinguish neither form nor color4 ,after morning prayer ,i presented myself1 and the two persons ,i have just mentioned1 before the ,master who saluted me and asked them what they had done to me4 ,they replied3 #8,ask him1 himself4' ,then1 addressing me1 he told me to relate to him my impressions4 ,i said that ,i had seen a brightness in my heart2 whereupon the ,sheikh became animated1 and said to me3 #8,thy heart contains an infinity of colors1 but it is become so dark that the looks of these two crocodiles of the infinite ocean the mystic science have not availed to bestow upon it either brightness or clearness2 the moment is come when ,i myself will show thee how it is enlightened4' ,with these words he made me sit in front of him1 while my senses were1 so to speak1 inebriated1 and ordered me to reproduce within me his appearance4 ,then1 having blindfolded me1 he bade me concentrate all my mental faculties upon my heart4 ,i obeyed1 and in an instant1 by the divine favor and the spiritual assistance of the ,sheikh1 my heart was opened4 ,i saw then within me something like a cup1 turned upside down2 and this object having been turned up again1 a feeling of illimitable happiness filled my whole being4 ,i said to the ,master1 #8,this cell1 where ,i am sitting before you--,i see a faithful reproduction of it within me1 and it seems as if another ,twekkul ,bg were seated before another ,moll ,shh4#8 ,he answered1 #8,it is well2 the first vision which presents itself to thy view is the figure of the ,master4' 99 99 99 ,he next bade me uncover my eyes1 which ,i did1 and ,i then saw him1 by the material organ of vision1 seated in front of me4 ,again he made me bandage them1 and ,i perceived him by my spiritual vision1 seated in front of me just the same4 ,full of wonder ,i cried out1 #8,o my ,master1 whether ,i look with my bodily eyes or my spiritual vision1 it is always you that ,i see4' ,meanwhile ,i saw advance towards me a dazzling figure1 and upon my telling the ,master of it1 he bade me ask the apparition its name4 ,in my spirit ,i put to it that question1 and the figure answered me by the voice of the heart1 #8,my name is ,abd ,alkdir ,glilny4' ,i heard this answer by my spiritual ear4 ,the ,master then advised me to pray the ,saint to give me his spiritual help and succor4 ,i made this petition2 and the apparition said to me1 #8,i had already granted to thee my spiritual assistance2 hence it is that the knots of thy heart have been loosed4' ,full of deep gratitude1 ,i imposed on myself the obligation of reciting every ,friday night the whole ,qoran in honor of this great ,saint1 and for two whole years ,i never neglected this practice4 ,moll ,shh then said1 #8,the spiritual world has been shown to thee in all its beauty3 remain there seated1 effacing thyself completely in the marvels of this unknown world4' 8,i obeyed strictly the directions of my ,master1 and1 day by day1 the spiritual world became more and more unveiled before me4 ,the next day ,i saw the figures of the ,prophet and his chief ,companions1 and legions of ,saints and ,angels passed before my inner vision4 ,three months passed in this manner1 after which the sphere where all color is effaced opened before me1 and then all the figures disappeared4 ,during all this time the ,master ceased not to explain to me the doctrine of the union with ,god and of mystical intuition4 ,but1 nevertheless1 the ,absolute ,reality would not show itself to me4 ,it was not until after a year that the knowledge of the ,absolute ,reality1 in its relation with the conception of my own existence came to me4 ,the following verses revealed themselves at that moment to my heart1 whence they passed unbidden to my lips3-- #8,that this corruptible frame was other than water and dust ,i knew not3 the powers of the heart and the soul and the body ,i knew not1 ,woe is me6 that so much of my life without ,thee has for ever fled from me4 ,thou wert ,i2 but dark was my heart3 ,i knew not the secret transcendent4' 8,i submitted to ,moll ,shh this poetical inspiration1 and he rejoiced that the idea of the union with ,god was at last manifested to my heart2 and addressing his disciples1 he said3 #8,twekkul ,bg has heard from my mouth the words of the doctrine of the union with ,god1 and he will never betray the mystery4 ,his inner eye is opened2 the sphere of color and images is shown to him1 and at last the sphere where all color is effaced has been revealed to him4 ,whoever after having passed through these phases of the union with ,god1 has obtained the ,absolute ,reality1 shall no more be led astray1 whether by his own doubts or by those which sceptics may suggest to him40 7,to be continued47 ,,musings ,,on ,,the ,,true ,,theosophist',s ,,path4 ,,ii4 8,work as those work who are ambitious4--,respect life as those do who desire it4--,be happy as those are who live for happiness40--,light on the ,path4 ,we are tried in wondrous ways1 and in the seemingly unimportant affairs of life1 there often lie the most dangerous of the temptations4 ,labor1 at best1 is frequently disagreeable owing either to mental or physical repugnance4 ,when he who seeks the upward path1 begins to find it1 labor grows more burdensome1 while at the time1 he is1 owing to his physical condition1 not so well fitted to struggle with it4 ,this is all true1 but there must be no giving in to it4 ,it must be forgotten4 ,he must work1 and if he cannot have the sort he desires or deems best suited to him1 then must he take and perform that which presents itself4 ,it is that which he most needs4 ,it is not intended either1 that he do it to have it done4 ,it is intended that he work as if it was the object of his life1 as if his whole heart was in it4 ,perhaps he may be wise enough to know that there is something else1 or that the future holds better gifts for him1 still this also must to all intents be forgotten1 while he takes up his labor1 as if there were no to-morrow4 ,remember that life is the outcome of the ,ever-,living4 ,if you have come to comprehend a little of the mystery of life1 and can value its attractions according to their worth2 these are no reasons why you should walk forth with solemn countenance to blight the enjoyments of other men4 ,life to them is as real1 as the mystery is to you4 ,their time will come as yours has1 so hasten it for them1 if you can1 by making life brighter1 more joyous1 better4 ,if it be your time to fast1 put on the best raiment you have1 and go forth1 not as one who fasts1 but as one who lives for life4 ,do your sighing and crying within you4 ,if you can not receive the small events of life and their meanings without crying them out to all the world1 think you that you are fitted to be trusted with the mysteries8 ,the doing away with one or certain articles of diet1 in itself1 will not open the sealed portals4 ,if this contained the key1 what wise beings must the beasts of the field be1 and what a profound ,mystic must ,nebuchadnezar have been1 after he was 8turned out to grass60 ,there are some adherents of a faith1 which has arisen in the land1 who deem it wise to cast away all things that are distasteful to them2 to cut asunder the ties of marriage because they deem it will interfere with their spiritual development1 or because the other pilgrim is not progressed enough4 ,brothers1 there lives not the man who is wise enough to sit as a judge upon the spiritual development of any living being4 ,he is not only unwise but blasphemous who says to another3 8,depart6 you impede my exalted spiritual development40 ,the greatest of all truths lies frequently in plain sight1 or veiled in contraries4 ,the impression has gone abroad that the ,adept or the ,mystic of high degree1 has only attained his station by forsaking the association of his fellow creatures or refusing the marriage tie4 ,it is the belief of very wise ,teachers that all men who had risen to the highest degrees of ,initiation1 have at some time passed through the married state4 ,many men1 failing in the trials1 have ascribed their failure to being wedded1 precisely as that other coward1 ,adam1 after being the first transgressor cried out 8,it was ,eve40 ,one of the most exalted of the ,divine ,mysteries lies hidden here--therefore1 ,oh ,man1 it is wise to cherish that which holds so much of ,god and seek to know its meaning2 not by dissolution and cutting asunder1 but by binding and strengthening the ties4 ,our most ,ancient ,masters knew of this and ,paul also speaks of it4 7,ephesians v4 #cb47 ,be patient1 kindly and wise1 for perhaps in the next moment of life1 the light will shine out upon thy companion1 and you discover that you are but a blind man1 claiming to see4 ,remember this1 that you own not one thing in this world4 ,your wife is but a gift1 your children are but loaned to you4 ,all else you possess is given to you only while you use it wisely4 ,your body is not yours1 for ,nature claims it as her property4 ,do you not think1 ,oh ,man1 that it is the height of arrogance for you to sit in judgment upon any other created thing1 while you1 a beggar1 are going about in a borrowed robe8 ,if misery1 want and sorrow are thy portion for a time1 be happy that it is not death4 ,if it is death be happy there is no more of life4 ,you would have wealth1 and tell of the good you would do with it4 ,truly will you lose your way under these conditions4 ,it is quite probable1 that you are as rich as you ever will be1 therefore1 desire to do good with what you have--and do it4 ,if you have nothing1 know that it is best and wisest for you4 ,just so surely as you murmur and complain just so surely will you find that 8from him that hath not1 shall be taken even that which he hath40 ,this sounds contradictory1 but in reality is in most harmonious agreement4 ,work in life and the ,occult are similar2 all is the result of your own effort and will4 ,you are not rash enough to believe that you will be lifted up into ,heaven like the ,prophet of old--but you really hope some one will come along and give you a good shove toward it4 ,know then1 ,disciples1 that you only can lift yourselves by your own efforts4 ,when this is done1 you may have the knowledge that you will find many to accompany you on your heretofore lonely journey2 but neither they or your ,teacher will be permitted to push or pull you one step onward4 ,this is all a very essential part of your preparation and trial for ,initiation4 ,you look and wait for some great and astounding occurrence1 to show you that you are going to be permitted to enter behind the veil2 that you are to be ,initiated4 ,it will never come4 ,he only who studies all things and learns from them1 as he finds them1 will be permitted to enter1 and for him there are no flashing lightnings or rolling thunder4 ,he who enters the door1 does so as gently and imperceptibly1 as the tide rises in the night-time4 ,live well your life4 ,seek to realize the meaning of every event4 ,strive to find the ,ever ,living and wait for more light4 ,the ,true ,initiate does not fully realize what he is passing through1 until his degree is received4 ,if you are striving for light and ,initiation1 remember this1 that your cares will increase1 your trials thicken1 your family make new demands upon you4 ,he who can understand and pass through these patiently1 wisely1 placidly--may hope4 ,,american ,,mystic4 ,,poetical ,,occultism4 ,,some ,,rough ,,studies ,,of ,,the ,,occult ,,leanings ,,of ,,the ,,poets4 ,i4 ,in the ,bagavad-,gita and the ,upanishads it is held that3 ,ishwara1 the ,lord of all things1 dwells in the heart of every mortal being1 and from that place causes the illusions of the world to appear to man as reality4 ,light on the ,path dwells upon the necessity of understanding your own heart3 ,it tells us to seek for the source of evil there1 where it lives1 as fruitfully in the heart of the devoted disciple as in that of the man of desire1 and that your heart is the profoundest mystery of all the great obscurities4 ,longfellow felt this when1 in ,the ,beleaguered ,city1 he sang3-- ,i have read1 in the marvelous heart of man1 ,that strange and mystic scroll1 ,that an army of phantoms vast and wan ,beleaguer the human soul4 ,this verse occurs to him in connection with the old story that the ,city of ,prague was once beleaguered by a vast phantom army1 which camped down on the opposite bank of the river1 and he likens the human heart to ,prague4 ,here1 in the city dwells ,ishwara1 who1 while thus imprisoned1 is beleaguered by the vast army--the phantoms of all the acts and thoughts of the person in this and other lives4 ,occultism declares with the poet1 that the heart is a mystic scroll2 it is a veritable field also1 in which are sown many seeds that may lie unnoticed1 not only during one life1 but often for many many incarnations1 but sure to blossom forth one day under favoring circumstances4 ,and as they begin to grow1 they evoke the phantoms of the deeds that sowed them1 and those ghostly hosts sweep round the soul in its prison house4 ,in ,resignation1 ,longfellow wrote3 8,there is no death6 ,what seems so is transition40 ,this is one of the propositions of ,occultism4 ,the poet was writing upon the death of the physical body of a girl much beloved1 and was considering the change which in common life is known as 8death40 ,but the followers of the ,wisdom ,religion know that this terrible change is not really death1 is not in any sense the moment of decease of even the physical man4 ,the visible being is a congeries of energies or elements which are by no means all dead when the person breathes his last1 nor when the body is consigned to the grave4 ,it is only the transition1 as ,longfellow says1 of the informing spirit1 to another sphere of action4 ,the same view is taken in the ,atharva ,veda1 where it says1 8,everything is transformed4 ,life and death are only modes of transformation1 which rule the vital molecule from plant up to ,brahma himself40 ,the occult philosophy considers as death1 only that process1 and period1 of separation between all the various elements of one's lower human and animal nature2 so that1 in the case of suicides and other sudden and premature deaths1 what occultists know as 8death10 extends over a long period of time4 ,the moment called death by the world1 is only the time of separation between the body and the life principle1 which the ,hindus call jiva2 this is the moment when the transition begins4 ,goethe was a profound student of occultism4 ,its influence is to be traced throughout his works1 and a leading motive in many of his dramas is the dominance over the lives of men of that power which we call ,karma4 ,his masterpiece1 ,faust1 upon which a library of commentaries has been written1 can only be truly read in the light of ,occultism4 ,faust comes to an end with the following 8,mystic ,chorus0 sung by the assembled ,hosts of ,heaven3 ,all that's impermanent ,is but a likeness4 ,the ,unattainable ,here findeth witness2 ,the ,indescribable1 ,here is it done2 ,the ,ever-womanly ,leadeth us on4 ,a wealth of occult meaning is packed into these eight closing lines of the grand drama1 which is designed to depict the course of the soul from ,heaven1 through earth1 back to ,heaven4 ,all that is impermanent1 or of the earth1 belonging to the realm of matter1 is but a likeness1 or symbol1 designed for the instruction of man1 who must learn to read the lesson if he is to progress4 ,the ,unattainable in the desires of those on and of the earth finds witness1 or comes to pass1 in the realization of all aspirations in the life beyond4 ,the indescribable is done there1 because man in the flesh has no senses adequate to comprehend those things pertaining to a higher plane of existence4 ,the ,ever-womanly is that which makes progress of the soul possible--the feminine principle which attracts the masculine1 or pure spirit1 to its opposite pole and thereby causes it to manifest itself4 ,it is by these successive manifestations that the individual is carried forward1 enriched by the experience which only thus1 through the attraction of the ,ever-womanly1 or eternal feminine principle1 is attained4 ,so the ,ever-womanly1 or that whereby ,god the spirit is made manifest in matter1 is the means to lead the soul of man on its course through the grandest possibilities of the ,universe to the most exalted heights of the ,indescribable4 ,wordsworth1 in his ,ode on ,immortality1 says3 ,our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting2 ,the soul that rises with us1 our life's star1 ,had had elsewhere its setting1 ,and cometh from afar4 ,not in entire forgetfulness1 ,and not in utter nakedness1 ,but trailing clouds of glory1 do we come ,from ,god1 who is our home4 ,heaven lies about us in our infancy6 ,shades of the prison-house begin to close ,upon the growing boy2 ,but he beholds the light1 and whence it flows-- ,he sees it in his joy4 ,the youth1 who daily farther from the east ,must travel1 still is nature's priest4 ,and by the vision splendid ,is on his way attended2 ,at length the man perceives it die away1 ,and fade into the light of common day4 ,it is very clear here that ,wordsworth is setting down the theory of 8,reincarnation40 ,for he says the soul had elsewhere its setting2 in order to set elsewhere1 it must have had elsewhere an existence4 ,he also refers1 quite as curiously as do ,whitman and ,whittier1 to a coming from the east1 as if he had memories of a previous life in some oriental land where such ideas prevailed4 ,shelley in ,prometheus ,unbound1 sings3 ,man1 ,o not men6 a chain of linked thought1 ,of love and might to be divided not1 ,compelling the elements with adamantine stress2 ,as the sun rules1 even with a tyrant's gaze1 ,the unquiet republic of the maze ,of ,planets1 struggling fierce towards heaven's free wilderness4 ,man1 one harmonious soul of many a soul1 ,whose nature is its own divine control1 ,where all things flow to all1 as rivers to the sea2 ,familiar acts are beautiful through love2 ,labor and pain and grief1 in life's green grove1 ,sport like tame beasts1--none knew how gentle they could be6 ,in the foregoing verses1 the doctrine of ,brotherhood is enunciated4 ,shelly refers to humanity as one1 composed of its many units1--the one-life running through all2 and also1 in the first two lines1 to the fact admitted by occultism1 but sneered at by science1 and dogmatic theology1 that this 8chain of linked thought10 compels the elements1 and actually affects the course and destiny of the world4 ,that is1 that the ,karma of the physical world1 indissolubly bound up in that of the individuals upon it1 is moulded and concentrated by the force of men's thoughts and lives4 ,to carry this out in one direction1 we say that esoteric theosophy teaches that the inclination of the earth's axis is made greater or less by the influence of the wickedness or goodness of the people upon the earth1 thus bringing down what the people call evils1 such as glacial disturbances1 cyclones1 earthquakes and other vicissitudes of earthly life4 ,however fanciful this theory may appear1 it remains for us quite true2 and as the scientific world has no reason to give for the inclination of the axis1 or for the precession of the equinoxes1 we are entitled to hold an opinion where they have none4 ,for the devout ,christian this theory ought to have merits1 if he chooses to remember that ,sodom and ,gomorrah were destroyed for their wickedness4 ,they grew so horribly bad that fire was brought upon them either from heaven or beneath4 ,if it ever happened1 it must have been a cyclic disturbance4 ,science pooh-poohs it4 ,did it take place1 then it was the culminating point for the dynamic power of the evil deeds and thoughts of the inhabitants4 ,in many places in the ,christian bible1 reference is made to the crying out to the ,lord of the blood of the slain4 ,now as blood has no power to cry out1 we must try in some way to make sense of these expressions1 and the only way is by giving to the thoughts which produce deeds of violence1 a dynamic power4 ,it would then be easy to attribute to the blood the ability to cry out for justice1 instead of saying that the deeds of blood require compensation4 ,but when blood is shed1 elemental spirits pour in to the spot1 drawn there by the emanations arising from it1 and they become important factors in this supposed 8calling out of the blood from the ground40 ,being strengthened by the human exhalations1 they are a new force composed not only of the thoughts of the murdered1 but also of the despair1 hate and revenge of the slain4 ,science of course of this knows nothing1 and cares less4 ,she cannot tell how long this new force1 thus compounded of elementals1 blood1 and the thought of slayer and his victim1 will last4 ,but the ,god of the ,christians knew all about this4 ,in ,genesis1 ,ch4 iv1 ,verse #aj1 ,he says to ,cain3 8,what hast thou done8 the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground4 ,and now art thou cursed from the earth1 which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand40 ,the blood furnishes the occasion1 the thoughts of each give it force1 and the elementals give it a voice to call on ,god4 ,s4 ,b4 ,j4 ,,the ,,corner ,,stone4 ,tradition relates that in the building of ,king ,solomon's temple there was a stone of such peculiar shape that the workmen could find no place for it1 though it was regularly cut and with great care1 and contained the sign of the ,master4 ,when the temple was near completion a place was found for the stone which the builders had through ignorance rejected4 ,it was the ,keystone of the ,royal ,arch4 ,those who have opened the halls of learning to this generation have given a foundation stone1 and repeatedly declared that no other foundation can endure1 that the floods of time and the storms of passion will surely sweep with the besom of destruction every superstructure not founded on this rock4 ,and yet there are those who wear the garb of fellow-crafts1 and claim the wages of workmen1 who not only reject this stone but ridicule it1 and laugh it to scorn4 ,the result is manifest in the confusion of the workmen1 and it will presently become manifest that those who thus reject the corner-stone of ,theosophy are brothers of the shadow literally1 rather than ,sons of ,light2 they will find no designs on the tracing-board1 and they will be accused of murdering the 8widow's son40 ,the time for wages will surely come1 and even they who have come in at the ninth hour and labored faithfully in the vineyard will receive due wages4 ,the corner stone of ,theosophy is distinctly stated to be ,universal ,brotherhood4 ,a firm belief in this principle is required of every candidate for membership in the ,theosophical ,society4 ,this is the sole requirement for affiliation1 it is made plain1 and no one can plead ignorance of this one requirement4 ,to claim fellowship in the society1 and ignore or repudiate its cardinal doctrine is not only the most pronounced hypocrisy1 but works in every way to the injury of the individual and the society4 ,those therefore who are not ashamed to repudiate this cardinal principle ought in all fairness to retire from the society1 and direct their energies into more congenial channels4 ,but aside from explicit repudiation of this principle of ,brotherhood there is too often a tacit disregard of its requirements4 ,it has been charged against the ,society1 that in the enunciation of this simple doctrine1 they have announced nothing new1 and it may at once be answered that it is not claimed as a novelty1 but an actuality4 ,and yet it is too often the case1 that the application of this principle of universal brotherhood reaches no further than to the admission to membership in the ,t4 ,s4 of persons of either sex1 and of every creed1 color1 and nationality1 while in the relations of members and the necessary work of the society1 the principle of brotherhood is too often practically ignored4 ,it may therefore be profitable to inquire into the reasons assigned by the ,masters for giving out to the world at this time their priceless treasures1 and the purpose for which the ,theosophical ,society was instituted1 though these purposes have been time and again stated1 in plain ,english1 and are printed in the rules and by-laws of the society1 as well as in every application for membership4 ,the misinterpretation of these plain declarations leads to constant disappointment1 and hinders the legitimate work of the ,society4 ,we have been repeatedly told that the ,masters are no respecters of persons4 ,they have on every occasion persistently and consistently refused to teach occultism to individuals4 ,they have stated over and over again the terms on which anyone can gain their notice1 or hope to advance in spiritual knowledge or power1 viz3 by working unselfishly and unceasingly for the advancement of the ,brotherhood of man4 ,this is the plan on which the masters work4 ,whatsoever they have given out has been designed for the elevation and well-being of the whole human race4 ,they have chosen such agents or assistants as were available for the promulgation of their doctrines1 and they have distinctly stated1 that not for this generation alone1 but more especially for the coming ,yuga1 do they labor1 like wise husbandmen1 sowing now the seed for future harvests4 ,the meaning of ,universal ,brotherhood1 and the mission of the ,theosophical ,society become thus perfectly plain1 and we can misinterpret only at our peril4 ,the masters have said1 work with us1 and become a part of us1 and share with us4 ,creeds and sects are innately selfish1 dividing mankind into selfish circles of conceited and selfish men4 ,creeds are crumbling2 replace them with universal benevolence1 toleration1 charity1 justice--in one word1 ,,brotherhood4 ,he1 therefore1 who repudiates brotherhood1 denies all4 ,he who forgets charity1 kindness1 forbearance1 forgiveness1 has no right to call himself a ,theosophist4 ,we should have charity for everything but for uncharitableness4 ,let those who will in the face of all this1 strive for occult power4 ,let them in spite of constant warning force1 if they can1 themselves into the astral plane1 to be driven back in ever lasting terror by the 8,demon of the ,threshold10 or end their days in an ,asylum for the ,insane1 but let them look for no assistance or protection from the ,masters4 ,pure and undefiled ,theosophy leads man only to higher planes of thought and life4 ,it puts him in possession of the true philosopher's stone1 by enabling him to convert the energies of life1 into higher uses1 for the welfare and elevation of his race4 ,it teaches him neglect of no common duty or obligation1 and it nowhere holds out the inducement that a ,mahatma can be evolved by some secret hocus-pocus out of a mountebank4 ,the mountebanks will presently denounce ,mahatmas and repudiate theosophy1 but they will prove as powerless to stay the tide of truth as to achieve mahatmahood4 ,they may deceive the foolish and unwary1 and console themselves with the company of ,coloumb1 ,hodgson ,co41 but those who have accepted in deed and in truth the simple doctrine of universal brotherhood with all that it implies1 will possess their souls in patience and perfect trust1 for they have heard the music of ,,bath ,,col4 ,j4 ,d4 ,,buck4 ,,the ,,society ,,of ,,the ,,rosicrucians4 ,a ,,rough ,,sketch ,,of ,,their ,,fundamental ,,doctrines4 7,communicated47 ,the following are in outline the fundamental doctrines of the ,brothers of the ,rosy ,cross4 ,he who fulfills the required conditions1 may find all necessary information in the 8,book of ,initiation10 and they say that when he is ready he finds with ease1 a guide who1 through his higher self instructs and directs him infallibly4 ,it is understood that the ,society desires to be truly spiritual and asks no fees1 but it seeks as members only those who are practical workers in the cause of humanity4 ,but it is a secret body1 not from fear of enemies1 but in order to spread the truth1 unimpeded by the war of opinions4 ,the truth being eternal1 is not subject to opinion1 but to those who are able to see1 it stands revealed in its own light4 #a4 ,the ,universe as a whole is a ,unity1 having only one1 eternal1 universal and fundamental cause for its existence4 ,all the multifarious forms1 essences1 powers or principles1 are not originally self-existent1 but are merely various manifestations of that one and universal cause4 ,they are various modes of one original activity1 and their shapes or organisms are the products of that activity1 working upon different planes of existence and in various stages of evolution4 #b4 ,this cause1 being eternal1 unlimited and infinite1 is beyond the power of the intellectual comprehension of any mortal and limited being4 ,its presence may be perceived everywhere1 but in its highest aspect it can fully be known only to itself4 ,beings lower than itself1 may intuitively feel its presence1 but cannot intellectually know it1 until they have risen up to its own level on the plane of existence4 ,to avoid circumlocution1 we call that eternal 7spiritual7 principle in its highest aspect 8,god0 or 8,brahm02 both words signifying originally 8,good40#abc #c4 ,in this eternal and universal cause1 the centre or fountain of ,all1 is contained potentially everything existing in the ,universe4 ,it is itself1 germinally or in a more or less developed state contained in everything that exists4 ,it forms the 7spiritual7 centre of every living organism1 and life itself is only a mode of manifestation of its own power4 ,it is the cause and the architect of every form2 it builds the form which it inhabits1 from that centre1 by the power of its own 7consciously or unconsciously active7 will and thought1 and by the means offered by eternal nature1 the latter being itself a product of previous states of its own existence and eternal action4 #d4 ,the highest form of activity of this principle requires for its perfect expression1 perfect means4 ,the perfect cannot manifest its perfection in an imperfect organism4 ,the place which a being occupies on the ladder of evolution1 depends on the progress which that divine principle1 acting in the centre of each being1 has made in evolving an organism1 adapted to its manifestation4 #e4 ,the most perfect organism for the manifestation of the divine and universal principle in its highest aspect1 of which we know1 is the 7spiritual7 organism of ,man4 ,in this organism1 this divine principle1 after having attained sensation and consciousness in the lower forms of nature1 may acquire 7spiritual7 self-consciousness and self-knowledge1 evolving what is called the individual mind1 with all its powers and faculties1 for 7spiritual7 perception and real knowledge or wisdom4 #f4 ,the 7ordinarily7 visible so called physical-body of man is not the real ,man1 but merely a more or less imperfect representation of the real1 or 8inner man10 whose sphere of activity may extend as far as the sphere of his mind2 in other words--as far as the power of his 7spiritual7 perception4 ,the 8inner man0 is a reality1 which after having attained--by the power of self differentiation--an individual existence1 will retain its individuality1 after the physical forms1 which it has occupied for the purposes of evolution during its life upon a planet1 have been disintegrated and changed into other forms4 #g4 ,every being continues to exist in its essence after the 7physical7 form which expressed its essential character1 has dissolved and disappeared2 but as long as it has not acquired 7spiritual7 self-consciousness and self-knowledge1 it is forced1 after a time of rest1 to reappear in a new form 7mask or personality71 to resume the process of its further development4#abd ,after the divine principle in man has attained individual 7spiritual7 self-consciousness and self-knowledge1 it requires no more embodiments in 7physical7 forms1 and may1 harmoniously united with the ,all1 continue to exist as a self-conscious intelligence4 #h4 ,the attainment of spiritual self-consciousness and self-knowledge and the necessarily resulting perfection1 therefore involves the attainment of immortality1 and the latter can only be acquired by acquiring the former4 ,only that which is perfect remains2 the imperfect is continually subject to change4 #i4 ,although the individual human monad1 without 7spiritual7 self-consciousness and knowledge1 may arrive at that state of perfection in the slow course of its evolution1 extending perhaps over many millions of years1 nevertheless there is no necessity to wait until nature may1 perhaps slowly and unaided1 accomplish her object1 but she may be assisted by the individual will and effort of those who know how to proceed4 #aj4 ,the first necessary requirement for all who desire perfection1 is therefore to know the laws that rule in the visible and invisible universe1 and the attainment of the knowledge involves a study of the constitution of the ,universe and of the constitution of 7the soul of7 ,man4 #aa4 ,from knowledge springs power1 but those who possess knowledge1 will be in the possession of something that will not benefit them1 unless they desire to put it to some practical use4 ,the second requirement is therefore to will1 and as an individual will1 deviating from the direction of the will of universal good1 or acting in opposition to the latter1 is evil1 and can only bring final destruction upon him that exercises it1 consequently the will of the individual must act in accordance with the universal will of ,god4 #ab4 ,to act evil is for the majority of men far easier than to do good4 ,good will and desires to become useful must be made to accomplish some work4 ,to overcome the resistance of evil and to put good into practice requires energy1 courage and effort1 and the third necessary requirement is therefore to dare to practice the good which we know and desire4 #ac4 ,but as a power1 after it has once been obtained1 may be employed for good or for evil purposes1 and as it is not desirable that persons with evil inclinations and tendencies1 should be taught the way to prolong their personal existence after the dissolution of their physical form1 because their existence would cause the infliction of injury upon others1 and expose themselves to a long1 slow and painful final disintegration2 therefore1 the deepest secrets of the ,rosicrucians1 and the way to the practical application of the secret knowledge1 should be taught only to those who are good and pure to a degree sufficient to warrant that the mysteries communicated and revealed to them1 may not be misapplied4 ,the fourth necessary requirement for the ,rosicrucian is1 therefore1 to be silent1 in regard to that which it is not expedient to speak4 ,illustration3 ,,hindu ,,symbolism4 ,i4 ,the student of ,hindu metaphysical religious philosophy1 will find most of its important formulations1 veiled under a mystical symbolism2 to understand which1 is a key to the hints in the ,upanishads and other esoteric writings4 ,we propose to give those interested1 a series of illustrations from ,hindu drawings with descriptions2 in the latter1 our study of the ,kabbalah has been of great assistance4 ,the figure is a symbolical representation of ,brahman 7neuter7 intwined in ,itself4#abe ,it is the highest deity of the ,hindus1 the principle of the universe2 the representation is1 of ,it1 at the immediate instant of ,its revealing ,itself in the emanation of the universe1 and before ,its entrance into any kind of matter and before ,its self renunciation4 ,it symbolises the ,god-dawn between the pauses of emanative creation1 its preservation1 and the dissolution of created forms4 ,wrapped in ,its cloak-sphere1 ,brahman conducts ,its toe into ,its mouth1 perhaps to make1 an eternal circle of ,itself1 perhaps to signify the union of the linga and yoni1 perhaps to indicate the retrogression of ,itself into ,itself1 or may be the eternity and unfathomableness of ,its nature1 plunged in the contemplation of ,its own essence4 ,compare with this the great figure of ,nith or ,typh1 the ,heaven goddess of the ,egyptian ,zodiac of ,dendera4 ,brahman 7neuter7 or ,para-brahma1 i4 e41 the ,great ,brahma1 as an unrevealed deity1 has neither temple or image in ,india4 ,it is in effect considered in ,itself without form or figure1 but exteriorly ,it manifests ,itself in many figures and symbols4 ,it is the unit and the multiplied in all1 at the same instant1 smaller than an atom1 it is greater than the whole universe1 which cannot contain ,it1 and is ineffable and inexpressible in ,its essence4 ,the ancient ,hindus say of it in the ,vedas3--8,brahman is eternal1 the being above all others1 revealing ,itself in felicity and joy4 ,the universe is ,its name1 ,its image1 but that first existence1 which contains all in ,itself1 is the soul really existing4 ,all the phenomena have their cause in ,brahman1 ,it is not limited by time or space1 is imperishable1 is the soul of the world and of each particular existence40 99 99 99 8,that universe is ,brahman1 it comes from ,brahman1 exists in ,brahman1 and it will return to ,brahman40 8,brahman1 the ,being existing in ,itself1 is the form of all wisdom and of all the worlds without end4 ,all the worlds are made only one with ,it1 because they are through ,its ,will4 ,that eternal ,will is innate in all things4 ,it reveals ,itself in the emanation 7or creation71 in the preservation1 and in the destruction 7which is also a re-creation71 and in the movements and forms1 of ,time and ,space40 ,the ,atharva-,veda says3--8,all the gods are in 7,brahman7 as cows in a cow-house4 ,in the beginning ,brahman was this 7universe74 ,it created gods4 ,having created gods1 ,it placed them in these worlds1 viz3 ,agni in this world1 ,vyu in the atmosphere1 and ,surya in the sky4#abf ,and in the worlds which are yet higher1 ,it placed the gods which are still higher4 ,then ,brahman proceeded to the higher sphere40 ,this is explained by a commentator to be ,satyaloka1#abg the most excellent limit of all the worlds4 ,in the 8,taitteriya ,brhmana0 it is2 8,brahman generated the gods1 ,brahman 7generated or emanated7 this entire world4 ,within ,it are all these worlds4 ,within ,it is the entire universe4 ,it is ,brahman who is the greatest of beings4 ,who can vie with ,it40 ,brahman 7neuter7 is the only real eternal true essence2 when ,it passes in to actual manifested existence ,it is called ,brahma2 when ,it develops ,itself in the universe ,it is called ,vishnu1 and when ,it again dissolves ,itself into simple being1 ,it is called ,siva2 all the other deities are only symbols or manifestations of the eternal neuter ,brahman4#abh ,the ,vishnu ,purana says3 8,glory to ,brahman1 who is addressed by that mystic word ,,aum1#abi who is associated eternally with the triple universe 7heaven1 sky1 earth71 and who is one with the four ,vedas4 ,glory to ,brahman1 who both in the destruction and renovation of the universe is called the great and mysterious cause of the intellectual principle1 who is without limit in time or space1 and exempt from diminution and decay1 etc4 ,to that supreme ,brahman be for ever adoration40 ,in its highest development1 the doctrine of the ,vedas is a rational and philosophical pantheism1 combined with the most ideal1 pure1 and absolute monotheism1 that the mind can conceive4 ,the doctrines as to ,brahman 7neuter7 in their higher conceptions1 are similar in many respects to the exalted ideas as to the ,ain ,soph or ,non ,ego1 of the ,kabbalah4 ,brahman1 the ,eternal1 in ,itself1 ,being1 goes out of ,its profundity in ,its eternity1 to emanate the universe of all the things1 and undeniably establishes that great law of production1 through the opposition and yet a harmonious blending1 as to which1 all nature offers everywhere a similitude1 evidence1 and image4 ,its first emanation is the creating energy1 force or potentiality1 which manifests ,itself in ,time1 the mother and the matrix of the existences1 that is the ,sakti1 ,para ,sakti or ,maya1 the first virgin and first female or plasticity1 containing all in germ1 symbolized by the ,yoni4 ,its spouse1 the spiritualizing1 the man-type1 is symbolized by the ,lingam4 ,,isaac ,,meyer4 ,,literary ,,notes4 ,,betty',s ,,visions4--,by ,rhoda ,broughton4 7,geo4 ,routledge ,sons1 ,london47 ,the prominence which occultism is acquiring1 despite the attacks of so called scientific bodies and the constant sneers of savants and their parrot-like followers1 is shown in the fact that such a book as this is published by a firm like ,routledge and written by ,rhoda ,broughton4 ,it is one of the one and sixpenny ,english books1 in cloth4 ,the visions are five--through a long life--each preceding a death in the family4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,esoteric ,,christianity1 ,,or ,,mental ,,therapeutics4--,by ,dr4 ,w4 ,f4 ,evans4 7,carter ,karrick1 ,boston47 ,extra cloth1 #a4jj4 ,this is designed to complete a series of books on the subject of the ,mind ,cure1 commenced some fifteen years ago4 ,it contains twelve lectures intended to instruct in the philosophy of the subject4 8,to aid the student of ,christian ,theosophy to explore the inner realm of truth into which his spirit opens is the object of this volume10 and he believes that the principles are 8identical with the philosophy of the ,new ,testament and with primitive ,christianity40 ,the book is well written1 and is full of excellent arguments1 but it covers so much ground that it would be impossible to properly review it in the limits allowable here4 ,we must disagree with him1 however1 in his statement3 8,that this system must ever be kept within the domain of a genuine ,christianity10 to be successful4 ,it is well known that hundreds of persons are practising mind cure1 are helping many people1 and none of these either believe in or talk of ,christianity1 genuine or otherwise4 ,if mind cure have a real basis1 no monopoly of it can be had by either ,christian or dissenter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,buddhist ,,diet ,,book4--,a ,new ,york publishing house announces this book1 prepared by ,laura ,c4 ,holloway4 ,it is a compilation of dishes used by ,buddhists in ,europe and the ,east1 interspersed with explanations of the religious convictions of this great ,sect regarding foods4 ,the work will be of value to vegetarians--of whom there are many in this country4 ,mrs4 ,holloway writes with authority on this subject1 having enjoyed in ,europe and ,prussia the advantages of an unmixed vegetarian diet in the homes of those who eat no meat4 ,the book is a quaint brown-and-white conceit in parchment covers4 ,price #ej cents4 ,theosophists who desire to have this vegetarian cook book1 can order it through ,,the ,,path4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,can ,,matter ,,think4--,this number of ,prof4 ,coues' ,biogen ,series was noticed in the ,july ,,path1 and through a mistaken assumption of the proof reader it was stated that it was a reprint of an article which previously appeared in ,the ,theosophist4 ,prof4 ,coues assures us that 8,can ,matter ,think10 is a thoroughly original composition and has never been within #aj1jjj miles of ,india4 ,the proof reader was thinking of the reprint of an ,english book under the title 8,kuthumi10 in the same series1 and also of the fact that the same subject was treated of in ,the ,theosophist some years ago4 ,we hasten1 therefore1 to correct the statement made in ,july4 ,,theosophical ,,activities4 ,,joshee4--,bro4 ,gopal ,vinayak ,joshee and his wife ,anandabai1 who graduated in ,medicine at ,philadelphia1 return to ,india in ,october4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,ramabai4--,pandita ,ramabai1 who has been some time in ,america1 accompanies ,bro4 ,joshee and his wife to ,india4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,philadelphia4--,the charter for a new ,branch here has been received and probably soon the organization will be complete4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,secrecy ,,in ,,the ,,theosophical ,,society4--,the question is frequently asked3 8,is the ,society a secret body2 and how can a person enter it80 ,the reply can be found in the proceedings of the general ,council last year1 when it was resolved1 that from thenceforth any person of good moral character1 upon being recommended by two active members1 and paying the usual fee1 could become a member upon signing the application in which the declaration is made that the signer is in sympathy with the objects of the ,society4 ,the old obligation is retained merely for those ,branches desiring to use it in giving the signs and passwords of the ,society1 which are the only points about which the new member is pledged to secrecy1 it being left to his own discretion and sense of propriety1 not to make public matters which do not concern the public4 ,for that matter1 however1 there is nothing in the teachings or practices of the lower section of the ,society requiring secrecy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,new ,,york4--,the ,new ,york ,branch has issued its third number of the ,abridgements of ,discussions on ,theosophical subjects4 ,the object of these leaflets is to increase interest among all ,theosophists1 and to strengthen the feeling of union4 ,col4 ,h4 ,s4 ,olcott1 the ,president in ,india1 has written to say1 that he thinks the idea of the ,abridgements is excellent4 ,all ,branches ought to co-operate in this movement1 either by contributing questions and answers to ,new ,york1 or by starting leaflets of their own and exchanging and distributing them4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,cincinnati4--,the ,branch here has held its first fall meeting1 and has arranged for a series of essays of an interesting character1 and also for meetings1 to which strangers are to be invited by members4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,olcott4--,it may be interesting to ,theosophists to know that a statue was offered to ,col4 ,olcott in ,ceylon some months ago1 but was refused by him on the ground that his work was not yet done1 and no one could say whether he would deserve a statue until his death4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there is a limit beyond which the sun1 moon and the planets cannot rise1 and when they reach their point of climax1 they come down again4 ,but the souls that have attained to perfection never come down again4--,jain ,precept4 ,,om6 ,,footnotes3 #abj ,intell4 ,obs4 ,vol4 #g4 #aba ,notes on ,mohammedanism4 #abb ,the ,zikrs will be described in next number of ,,the ,,path4 #abc ,those words are continually giving rise to misunderstandings and misinterpretations1 because nearly every one has a different opinion of what is 8,good40 #abd ,see ,bagavad-,gita1 c4 #f4 #abe ,taken from the ,glauben1 ,wissen und ,kunst der alten ,hindus1 etc41 von ,niklas ,mller4 ,erster ,band1 ,mainz1 #ahbb4 #abf ,fire1 ther1 ,light4 #abg ,satya-,loka1 the place1 world1 or region of ,truth4--,,ed4 #abh ,see ,indian ,wisdom by ,monier ,williams1 p4 #ab4 #abi ,this occurs at the beginning of prayers1 etc41 as our word ,a,me,n occurs at the end4 ,it is so sacred that none must hear it pronounced4 ,originally its three letters typified the three ,vedas1 afterwards it became a mystical symbol of ,brahma1 ,vishnu and ,siva in unity2 see further as to ,,aum supra4 ,,aum ,sri ,krishna is the ,lord of ,lords1 the ,king of ,kings2 his unthinkable glory irradiates all that is manifest and all that is unmanifest4 ,this infinite universe1 its life and its beauty1 and its joy1 rest but on his foot1 from which flows the sacred stream of the ,ganges1 whose mortal aspect alone is known on this earth4 ,krishna reveals his infinity of attributes to his beloved worshipper1 and yet he is devoid of attributes4 ,it is the crown of devotion to have these mysteries revealed to the inner gaze4 ,may all his lovers reach that goal4--,vaishnara ,scriptures4 ,inquire about him by prostration1 by question1 and by service1 and the wise men who know the truth1 will give you the knowledge4--,bagavad-,gita4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,november1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #h4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,,the ,,common ,,sense ,,of ,,theosophy4 ,,reprinted ,,from ,,the ,dublin ,university ,review1 ,,may1 #ahhf1 ,,by ,,permission ,,of ,,the ,,author4 ,it is difficult to break down the ,chinese wall of misconceptions with which all new movements of thought become more or less completely surrounded4 ,the assimilation by the public mind of ideas which lie outside its mechanically-regulated every-day life is a slow process1 which the vigour of the constitution does not justify4 ,for all movements1 which possess any vitality at all1 always provoke to an unusual degree of activity the imaginative faculties of their opponents4 ,more or less fantastic caricatures of the aims and methods of a struggling movement are generated by an unconscious process of invention1 fathered upon the movement1 and then knocked down with solemn pomposity4 ,at the end of the achievement1 when the invader of orthodox indolence and respectable indifference is found to gain ground in the midst of the dust-storm of misrepresentations1 a wondering sneer is directed against personalities who have not had the decency and good sense to die at the command of their antagonists4 ,the ,theosophical movement has proved no exception to this general rule4 ,oppositions against it are generally but attempts to remove this disturber of established ease by finding some excuse for ignoring its existence4 ,false issues are raised in every direction1 and a candid examination of the truths that ,theosophy embodies is evaded in the confusion4 ,it is a profitless task to hunt the brood of ,error which1 like the giants of ,norse folk-lore1 sally forth at night to slay and devour1 but melt into thin air when surprised by a ray of sunlight4 ,kicking at nothing is an exhausting process4 ,unmindful of this1 many1 in the words of the author of ,religio ,medici1 have 8rashly charged the troops of ,error1 and remained as trophies unto the enemies40 ,it is therefore proposed to set forth a 8plain1 unvarnished0 statement of what ,theosophy really is1 and of the work in which the ,theosophical ,society is engaged1 and leave the decision to the common sense of the reader4 ,the transcendental metaphysics of ,theosophy will be but slightly touched upon here4 ,for fuller information the inquirer is referred to sources indicated by the publications of the ,theosophical ,society and the writings of the ,theosophists of the day4 ,what1 then1 is ,theosophy8 ,numberless are the misconceptions to which the word has given rise4 ,etymology does not throw any great light on it4 ,the interpretation of 8,god-wisdom0 can be spread over a very large area4 ,without following the history of the word1 it may be stated that the chief exponents of the present revival of ,theosophy take it to mean ,wisdom-religion4 ,their interpretation1 while open to no great philological objection1 is sufficiently precise for all literary purposes4 ,theosophy from this standpoint is synonymous with ,truth--the ,truth that has been clothed in various garbs of religion2 it also implies that this ,truth is attainable by a natural development of wisdom1 without the intervention of supernatural means4 ,thus it will be seen that ,theosophy does not attach infallibility to any particular system of revelation1 but maintains that under suitable conditions ,truth reveals itself to every individual4 ,the sun shines equally on all2 the crystal reflects it2 the clod of earth does not4 ,yet ,theosophy sets great value on all systems of revelation1 looking upon them as finger-posts which indicate the direction in which ,truth is to be sought1 although it declines to accept them as invitations to surrender personal inquiry4 ,this tenet of ,theosophy is founded upon the consideration that ,truth is the result of real experience1 and does not consist in the transfer of intellectual symbols from one person to another4 ,to speak about ,truth is one thing1 and to perceive it is quite another4 ,it is a fact of common experience that the most accurate and elaborate description of1 say1 a flower is by no means an efficient substitute for a visual contact with it1 although the description has an abundant value of its own4 ,hence individual consciousness is consistently upheld as the only criterion of ,truth1 but this consciousness derives material help in its development and expansion by the study of the experiences of others4 ,thus ,theosophy teaches that personal exertion is the only means by which progress can be achieved4 ,but in the effort for growth the ultimate unity of consciousness must not be ignored4 ,individuals are not distinct crystals1 placed side by side1 but the varied manifestations of one unchanging universal consciousness4 ,as light from one single source produces the appearance of different lights by reflection from a number of surfaces1 so this universal consciousness1 remaining itself unchanged1 produces endless individualities1 which in the course of their evolution reach perfection by recognising this essential unity4 ,according to ,theosophical thinkers this doctrine forms the fundamental truth upon which all religions are based2 it is the final consummation of all philosophical thought and the crowning experience of all practical mysticism4 ,the search for this truth1 and the practical realization of it are not considered as mere gratification of intellectual curiosity1 but as the very summum bonum of evolutionary progress4 ,it is the ,nirvna of the ,buddhists1 the ,moksha of the ,brahmins1 and not very different from the ,beatific ,vision of the ,christians4 ,when this condition1 or rather want of condition1 is realized in consciousness1 pain is for ever extinguished4 ,nirvna is by no means the annihilation of consciousness1 but its rest in the infinite plenitude of being4 ,needless to discuss the ,nihilist view of ,buddhism which some scholars of ability have brought forward2 suffice it to say1 that the ,theosophists on this point share the responsibility of their opinion with many names of great eminence4 ,nirvna is the extinction of all pain because1 being the ultimate unity of all being1 it cannot be the playground of those contending forces which alone produce pain4 ,proceeding upon this basis1 the essential features of ,theosophy can be thrown into relief by determining its relations to ,religion and ,science4 ,as the ,science of ,religion1 it looks upon the different systems of faith as so many languages seeking to express the truth about man1 his origin1 nature1 and destiny1 as well as his relations to the surrounding world of objects4 ,but1 as a word or phrase is nothing but a sound in the absence of experience of the object connoted1 so the proper comprehension of religious symbology can be acquired only by realizing the truths that underlie it4 ,from the ,theosophic standpoint the different systems of religion appear as the various forms evolved by the peculiarities of time1 place1 and other special causes1 to embody the bodiless truth4 ,it is necessary to guard against a misconception which may arise here4 ,theosophy is not eclecticism1 which is a mosaic1 while ,wisdom-,religion is an organic whole4 ,theosophy is like an abstract mathematical formula of which each religion is a particular application4 ,it does not select bits from all religions and piece them together according to some fanciful standard of symmetry4 ,but being the inner truth itself1 ,theosophy regards religions as various descriptions of that truth4 ,it will no more recognise antagonism between religions than the linguist will condemn the description of the same thing in different languages because of peculiarities of idiom and grammar4 ,theosophy is not hostile to any religion1 but is bound1 in the interest of truth1 to oppose the tyranny of ecclesiastical forms on individuals4 ,humanity1 in the course of its evolution1 produces individuals who outstrip the generality in the realization of truth1 and are thus enabled to perceive the capabilities of the truth to be manifested within a certain period of time4 ,to help the masses struggling blindly for the light of truth1 these teachers of mankind construct a symbology of words and emblems to represent the truth4 ,but1 as acquisition of wisdom is a change in the quality of the consciousness of the acquirer1 and not merely a surface expansion of it1 the symbology1 though eminently useful1 is not in itself spiritual knowledge1 and can never be converted into it except when 8inwardly digested40 ,the physical process of digestion supplies a striking analogy in this matter4 ,food1 assimilated by different organisms1 follows their original differences4 ,spiritual food1 on assimilation1 partakes of the peculiarities of the individual1 and two individuals cannot be exactly identical1 whether physically or otherwise4 ,a contrary supposition would violate the lex parsimoni in nature4 ,consequently1 ,theosophy is the uncompromising supporter of the freedom of individual conscience4 ,on the other hand1 it condemns a selfish desire for self-development as wrong1 on account of its violation of the essential unity of being4 ,one of the greatest ,theosophists of the world1 ,gautama ,buddha1 declared1 8,let the sins of the ,kali ,yuga#acj fall upon me1 and let the world be redeemed40 ,this noble saying found an echo in the ,christian ,apostle1 who would be anathema from ,christ if he could save the world thereby4 ,nor has ,theosophy any antagonism to the scientific spirit4 ,claiming to be the religion of ,truth1 it must show itself to be the most exact of all exact sciences4 ,according to it truth cannot be dissociated from real experience2 the mere intellectual form of it can never be the truth any more than the word man can be the human being4 ,it opposes the dogmatisms of science which deny independent reality to facts of mental experience because of their eminently unscientific character4 ,if there be no operation of thought matter itself will disappear4 ,the contrary of this--existence of matter without relation to a conscious knower--has never been experienced4 ,therefore matter and consciousness are both eternal or neither4 ,further1 it rejects the mechanical theory of the universe on account of its unreasonableness4 ,if consciousness is derivable from unconsciousness1 a fundamental law of reason becomes stultified4 ,unconsciousness is the negation of consciousness1 and therefore an affirmation of the absence of all relations to consciousness is its essential property4 ,how1 then1 can it be related to consciousness so as to produce it8 ,if the atoms themselves are considered conscious the difficulty is not removed4 ,for consciousness must be associated with the notion of ,i1 and if this egoism is to be postulated for each atom it is inexplicable how a man1 composed of myriads of atoms1 possesses yet a single indivisible notion of ,i4 ,it is clear therefore that there is in nature a principle of consciousness whose units are not atoms but individualities1 and as the principle is eternal its units must also be so4 ,for the ocean cannot be salt unless the quality of saltness inhered in every one of its drops4 ,theosophy for these1 among other reasons1 holds against materialism that the individuality in man is immortal4 ,in this1 however1 it does not maintain that the present body1 emotion or thought of a man will as such abide for ever1 but that the unit of consciousness which is now manifested as the man1 will never undergo any change in essence4 ,for change1 independent of consciousness1 is unthinkable4 ,it is in fact the unchangeableness of consciousness that by comparison renders the conception of change a reality4 ,in ordinary language no doubt such phrases as the 8growth and development of consciousness0 are in use1 but strictly speaking it is the basis in which the consciousness inheres that changes1 the phrases in question being of the same character as those which ascribe motion to the sun in relation to the earth4 ,moreover1 if one unit of consciousness were to change in essence1 that is1 become annihilated1 the same liability must attach to all other units1 and we shall be driven to hold that the principle of consciousness in nature is destructible1 while matter which cannot exist in its absence is indestructible4 ,from the indestructibility of individual consciousness1 and its relations to matter1 two important deductions follow4 ,first1 that this relation1 which is perpetually changing1 changes according to a definite law4 ,the products of the change are bound each to each in a definite way4 ,what is now is not wholly unrelated to what was before4 ,this is a matter of experience1 and in fact experience is based upon it4 ,without the law of causation experience would be impossible1 on whatever plane we take experience--mental or physical4 ,thus by the application of the law of causation to our being1 it follows that the experience of pleasure and pain in the present must be the necessary consequence of causes generated in the past4 ,a contention may here be raised that it is a fact of experience that many sufferings and enjoyments come to us of which we are not conscious of having generated the causes4 ,but it is without any real force4 ,what connection is there between our consciousness of a cause and its power to produce effect8 ,if we receive in the system malarious germs1 the disease is not prevented because we were unconscious of the reception4 ,whatever you sow the same you reap1 whether you are conscious of the sowing or not4 ,the law of causation1 thus applied to personal experience of suffering and enjoyment1 is called by the ,brahmins and ,buddhists the ,law of ,karma4 ,the second deduction hinges on to the first and forms with it a harmonious whole4 ,if the individual consciousness is immortal1 and its experiences are governed by the ,law of ,karma1 then it follows that so long as all causes1 capable of producing effects on the present plane of life1 are not exhausted1 and the generation of similar causes is not stopped1 the individual consciousness will remain connected with the experience of earthly existence4 ,thus the ego successively incarnates itself on this earth until it has collected all experiences that life on this planet can offer4 ,the doctrine of reincarnation is taught by all religions of the world1 ,christianity not excepted4 ,in the ,gospel of ,st ,matthew it is declared in no uncertain tone that ,john the ,baptist was the incarnation of ,elias 7chap4 xvii4 #ab1 #ac74 ,it is not intended fully to discuss the scientific and metaphysical bases of the doctrine of reincarnation1 as the subject has been adequately dealt with in a recent ,theosophical publication4#aca ,but it will not be out of place to consider the ethical objection which is so frequently brought forward against the doctrine4 ,is it just that a person should experience pleasure or pain for acts done in a previous life of which no recollection is preserved8 ,the argument thus implied is based upon the confusion of the two different meanings of the word justice as applied to the regulation of human affairs1 and to the operation of natural laws4 ,human beings are admittedly imperfect in knowledge1 and it is required for the well-being of society that all its members should feel confident that they are not liable to arbitrary punishment4 ,for this reason it is necessary that before inflicting punishment the grounds for it should be disclosed4 ,but justice1 as affecting the operation of natural laws1 is a totally different thing4 ,the workings of nature being invariably governed by the law of ,causation are not amenable to conditions which depend upon admitted inability to apply that law without failure4 ,the moral amelioration1 which it is fancied that a knowledge of the precise cause of our sufferings would produce1 is more than compensated for by the numberless incentives to good1 which gratitude and other similar motives supply4 ,the teachings of ,theosophy from the standpoint of common sense can be briefly summed up thus3-- #a4 ,that there is a principle of consciousness in man which is immortal4 #b4 ,that this principle is manifested in successive incarnations on earth4 #c4 ,that the experiences of the different incarnations are strictly governed by the law of causation4 #d4 ,that as each individual man is the result of a distinct causal necessity in nature1 it is not wise for one man to dominate the life and action of another1 no matter what their relative development may be4 ,on the other hand it is of paramount importance that each individual should ceaselessly work for the attainment of the highest ideal that he is capable of conceiving4 ,otherwise1 pain will arise from the opposition of the real and the ideal4 ,be as perfect as your ,father in heaven is perfect4 #e4 ,that for the above reasons it is wise and just to practise the most ungrudging toleration towards all our fellow-creatures4 #f4 ,that as absolute unity of all nature subsists for ever1 all self-centred actions are bound to end in pain to the actor on account of their opposition to this fact4 ,the foundation of morals must therefore lie in the feeling of ,universal ,brotherhood of ,man4 #g4 ,that the harmony of the unit with the whole is the only condition which can remove all pain1 and as each individual represents a distinct causal operation of nature1 this harmony is attainable only through the individual's own exertions4 ,the ,theosophical ,society is an organization having for its object the study of truth upon the most unsectarian basis1 and as a result of such study it believes that the truths enumerated above are1 if generally accepted1 calculated greatly to benefit the age4 ,it is necessary1 however1 to add that there are many members in the ,society1 earnest in the pursuit of truth1 who are not prepared to subscribe to all these doctrines without further thought and study2 but all are agreed as to the ethical principles involved therein4 ,the chief aim of the ,theosophical ,society is 8to form the nucleus of a universal ,brotherhood of mankind without distinction of race1 color or creed40 ,the basis of brotherhood1 which the ,theosophical ,society considers scientific has already been adverted to4 ,the ,theosophic brotherhood does not limit the freedom of individual development4 ,it requires nothing from its members but a desire to recognise the unity of the human family as a natural fact which cannot be ignored with impunity1 and a living conscious feeling of which is sure to lead to the highest development of the individual4 ,the ,theosophical ,society is convinced that the most efficacious means for the study of truth is furnished by the ancient religious and philosophical systems of the world1 as they are free from the disturbing influences by which contemporary forms are surrounded4 ,the ,society therefore earnestly labours to promote an appreciative study of ,eastern philosophy1 built up by generations of ,theosophists1 as affording easy access to the ,wisdom-,religion of the world4 ,further1 the ,society seeks to combat materialism by the investigation of abnormal phenomena which afford a practical demonstration of the existence of a ,psyche in man and to lead to a proper comprehension of the laws which underlie those phenomena4 ,theosophists do not believe in supernaturalism1 and discard the notion of miracles as involving an unreasonable limitation of the possibilities of nature4 ,the views of the leading ,theosophists with regard to this subject are to be found very ably expounded in ,madame ,blavatsky's ,isis ,unveiled1 and ,mr4 ,sinnett's ,esoteric ,buddhism4 ,all ,theosophists1 whether in perfect agreement with these views or not1 look upon them as opening immense vistas of thought on subjects which are as important as they are neglected4 ,in conclusion1 it is to be clearly stated that the ,theosophical ,society is composed of a body of earnest students and inquirers1 and not of dogmatic teachers4 ,but naturally a large number of members hold convictions in common on many points4 ,yet in each case the final authority comes from no external source but from within4 8,there is no religion higher than ,truth10 is the motto of the ,society4 ,,mohini ,m4 ,,chatterji4 ,,theories3 ,,about ,,reincarnation ,,and ,,spirits4 ,,by ,h4 ,p4 ,,blavatsky4 ,over and over again the abstruse and mooted question of ,rebirth or ,reincarnation has crept out during the first ten years of the ,theosophical ,society's existence4 ,it has been alleged on prima facie evidence1 that a notable discrepancy was found between statements made in 8,isis ,unveiled0 ,vol4 ,i1 #cea-b1 and later teachings from the same pen and under the inspiration of the same master4#acb ,in ,isis1 it was held1--reincarnation is denied4 ,an occasional return1 only of 8depraved spirits0 is allowed4 8,exclusive of that rare and doubtful possibility1 #8,isis' allows only three cases--abortion1 very early death1 and idiocy--in which reincarnation on this earth occurs40 78,c4 ,c4 ,m40 in ,light1 #ahhb47 ,the charge was answered then and there as every one who will turn to the ,theosophist of ,august1 #ahhb1 can see for himself4 ,nevertheless1 the answer either failed to satisfy some readers or passed unnoticed4 ,leaving aside the strangeness of the assertion that reincarnation--i4 e41 the serial and periodical rebirth of every individual monad from pralaya to pralaya#acc is denied in the face of the fact that the doctrine is part and parcel and one of the fundamental features of ,hinduism and ,buddhism1 the charge amounted virtually to this3 the writer of the present1 a professed admirer and student of ,hindu philosophy1 and as professed a follower of ,buddhism years before ,isis was written1 by rejecting reincarnation must necessarily reject ,,karma likewise6 ,for the latter is the very corner-stone of ,esoteric philosophy and ,eastern religions2 it is the grand and one pillar on which hangs the whole philosophy of rebirths1 and once the latter is denied1 the whole doctrine of ,karma falls into meaningless verbiage4 ,nevertheless1 the opponents without stopping to think of the evident 8discrepancy0 between charge and fact1 accused a ,buddhist by profession of faith of denying reincarnation hence also by implication--,karma4 ,adverse to wrangling with one who was a friend and undesirous at the time1 to enter upon a defence of details and internal evidence--a loss of time indeed1--the writer answered merely with a few sentences4 ,but it now becomes necessary to well define the doctrine4 ,other critics have taken the same line1 and by misunderstanding the passages to that effect in ,isis they have reached the same rather extraordinary conclusions4 ,to put an end to such useless controversies1 it is proposed to explain the doctrine more clearly4 ,although1 in view of the later more minute renderings of the esoteric doctrines1 it is quite immaterial what may have been written in 8,isis0--an encyclopedia of occult subjects in which each of these is hardly sketched--let it be known at once1 that the writer maintains the correctness of every word given out upon the subject in my earlier volumes4 ,what was said in the ,theosophist of ,august1 #ahhb1 may now be repeated here4 ,the passage quoted from it may be1 and is1 most likely 8incomplete1 chaotic1 vague1 perhaps clumsy1 as are many more passages in that work the first literary production of a foreigner who even now can hardly boast of her knowledge of the ,english language40 ,nevertheless it is quite correct so far as that collateral feature of reincarnation is therein concerned4 ,i will now give extracts from ,isis and proceed to explain every passage criticised1 wherein it was said that 8a few fragments of this mysterious doctrine of reincarnation as distinct from metempsychosis0--would be then presented4 ,sentences now explained are in italics4 8,reincarnation i4 e4 the appearance of the same individual1 or rather of his astral monad1 twice on the same planet is not a rule in nature1 it is an exception1 like the teratological phenomenon of a two-headed infant4 ,it is preceded by a violation of the laws of harmony of nature1 and happens only when the latter seeking to restore its disturbed equilibrium1 violently throws back into earth-life the astral monad which had been tossed out of the circle of necessity by crime or accident4 ,thus in cases of abortion1 of infants dying before a certain age1 and of congenital and incurable idiocy1 nature's original design to produce a perfect human being1 has been interrupted4 ,therefore1 while the gross matter of each of these several entities is suffered to disperse itself at death1 through the vast realm of being1 the immortal spirit and astral monad of the individual--the latter having been set apart to animate a frame and the former to shed its divine light on the corporeal organization--must try a second time to carry out the purpose of the creative intelligence40 7,vol4 #a4 p4 #cea47 ,here the 8astral monad0 or body of the deceased personality--say of ,john or ,thomas--is meant4 ,it is that which1 in the teachings of the ,esoteric philosophy of ,hinduism1 is known under its name of bhoot2 in the ,greek philosophy is called the simulacrum or umbra1 and in all other philosophies worthy of the name is said1 as taught in the former1 to disappear after a certain period more or less prolonged in ,kama-loka--the ,limbus of the ,roman ,catholics1 or ,hades of the the ,greeks4#acd ,it is 8a violation of the laws of harmony of nature10 though it be so decreed by those of ,karma--every time that the astral monad1 or the simulacrum of the personality--of ,john or ,thomas--instead of running down to the end of its natural period of time in a body--finds itself 7a7 violently thrown out of it by whether early death or accident2 or 7b7 is compelled in consequence of its unfinished task to reappear1 7i4 e4 the same astral body wedded to the same immortal monad7 on earth again1 in order to complete the unfinished task4 ,thus 8it must try a second time to carry out the purpose of creative intelligence0 or law4 ,if reason has been so far developed as to become active and discriminative there is no#ace 7immediate7 reincarnation on this earth1 for the three parts of the triune man have been united together1 and he is capable of running the race4 ,but when the new being has not passed beyond the condition of ,monad1 or when1 as in the idiot1 the trinity has not been completed on earth and therefore cannot be so after death1 the immortal spark which illuminates it1 has to re-enter on the earthly plane as it was frustrated in its first attempt4 ,otherwise1 the mortal or astral1 and the immortal or divine souls1 could not progress in unison and pass onward to the sphere above#acf 7,devachan74 ,spirit follows a line parallel with that of matter2 and the spiritual evolution goes hand in hand with the physical4 ,the ,occult ,doctrine teaches that3-- 7#a7 ,there is no immediate reincarnation on ,earth for the ,monad1 as falsely taught by the ,reincarnationists ,spiritists2 nor is there any second incarnation at all for the 8personal0 or false ,ego--the perisprit--save the exceptional cases mentioned4 ,but that 7a7 there are rebirths1 or periodical reincarnations for the immortal ,ego--78,ego0 during the cycle of rebirths1 and non-,ego1 in ,nirvana or ,moksha when it becomes impersonal and absolute72 for that ,ego is the root of every new incarnation1 the string on which are threaded1 one after the other1 the false personalities or illusive bodies called men1 in which the ,monad-,ego incarnates itself during the cycle of births2 and 7b7 that such reincarnations take place not before #a1ejj1 #b1jjj1 and even #c1jjj years of ,devachanic life4 7#b7 ,that ,manas--the seat of ,jiv1 that spark which runs the round of the cycle of birth and rebirths with the ,monad1 from the beginning to the end of a ,manvantara1--is the real ,ego4 ,that 7a7 the ,jiv follows the divine monad that gives it spiritual life and immortality into ,devachan1--that therefore1 it can neither be reborn before its appointed period1 nor reappear on ,earth visibly or invisibly in the interim2 and 7b7 that1 unless the fruition1 the spiritual aroma of the ,manas--or all these highest aspirations and spiritual qualities and attributes that constitute the higher ,,self of man become united to its monad1 the latter becomes as ,non existent2 since it is in esse 8impersonal0 and per se ,ego-less1 so to say1 and gets its spiritual colouring or flavour of ,egotism only from each ,manas during incarnation and after it is disembodied1 and separated from all its lower principles4 7#c7 ,that the remaining four principles1 or rather the--#b--;as they are composed of the terrestrial portion of ,manas of its ,vehicle ,kama,rupa and ,lingha ,sarira1--the body dissolving immediately1 and prana or the life principle along with it1--that these principles having belonged to the false personality are unfit for ,devachan4 ,the latter is the state of ,bliss1 the reward for all the undeserved miseries of life1#acg and that which prompted man to sin1 namely his terrestrial passionate nature can have no room in it4 ,therefore the reincarnating principles are left behind in ,kama-loka1 firstly as a material residue1 then later on as a reflection on the mirror of ,astral light4 ,endowed with illusive action1 to the day when having gradually faded out they disappear1 what is it but the ,greek ,eidolon and the simulacrum of the ,greek and ,latin poets and classics8 8,what reward or punishment can there be in that sphere of disembodied human entities for a ftus or a human embryo which had not even time to breathe on this earth1 still less an opportunity to exercise the divine faculties of its spirit8 ,or1 for an irresponsible infant1 whose senseless monad remaining dormant within the astral and physical casket1 could as little prevent him from burning himself as any other person to death8 ,or again for one idiotic from birth1 the number of whose cerebral circumvolutions is only from twenty to thirty per cent4 of those of sane persons1 and who therefore is irresponsible for either his disposition1 acts1 or for the imperfections of his vagrant1 half-developed intellect40 7,isis1 vol4 #a1 p4 #ceb47 ,these are then1 the 8exceptions0 spoken of in ,isis1 and the doctrine is maintained now as it was then4 ,moreover1 there is no 8discrepancy0 but only incompleteness--hence1 misconceptions arising from later teachings4 ,then again1 there are several important mistakes in ,isis which1 as the plates of the work had been stereotyped were not corrected in subsequent editions4 ,one of such is on page #cdf1 and another in connection with it and as a sequence on page #cdg4 ,the discrepancy between the first portion of the statement and the last1 ought to have suggested the idea of an evident mistake4 ,it is addressed to the spiritists1 reincarnationists who take the more than ambiguous words of ,apuleius as a passage that corroborates their claims for their 8spirits0 and reincarnation4 ,let the reader judge#ach whether ,apuleius does not justify rather our assertions4 ,we are charged with denying reincarnation and this is what we said there and then in ,isis6 8,the philosophy teaches that nature never leaves her work unfinished2 if baffled at the first attempt1 she tries again4 ,when she evolves a human embryo1 the intention is that a man shall be perfected--physically1 intellectually1 and spiritually4 ,his body is to grow1 mature1 wear out1 and die2 his mind unfold1 ripen1 and be harmoniously balanced2 his divine spirit illuminate and blend easily with the inner man4 ,no human being completes its grand cycle1 or the 8circle of necessity10 until all these are accomplished4 ,as the laggards in a race struggle and plod in their first quarter while the victor darts past the goal1 so1 in the race of immortality1 some souls outspeed all the rest and reach the end1 while their myriad competitors are toiling under the load of matter1 close to the starting point4 ,some unfortunates fall out entirely and lose all chance of the prize2 some retrace their steps and begin again48 ,clear enough this1 one should say4 ,nature baffled tries again4 ,no one can pass out of this world1 7our earth7 without becoming perfected 0physically1 morally and spiritually40 ,how can this be done1 unless there is a series of rebirths required for the necessary perfection in each department--to evolute in the 8circle of necessity10 can surely never be found in one human life8 and yet this sentence is followed without any break by the following parenthetical statement3 8,this is what the ,hindu dreads above all things--transmigration and reincarnation2 only on other and inferior planets1 never on this one6660 ,the last 8sentence0 is a fatal mistake and one to which the writer pleads 8not guilty40 ,it is evidently the blunder of some 8reader0 who had no idea of ,hindu philosophy and who was led into a subsequent mistake on the next page1 wherein the unfortunate word 8planet0 is put for cycle4 8,isis0 was hardly1 if ever1 looked into after its publication by its writer1 who had other work to do2 otherwise there would have been an apology and a page pointing to the errata and the sentence made to run3 8,the ,hindu dreads transmigration in other inferior forms1 on this planet40 ,this would have dove-tailed with the preceding sentence1 and would show a fact1 as the ,hindu exoteric views allow him to believe and fear the possibility of reincarnation--human and animal in turn by jumps1 from man to beast and even a plant--and vice versa2 whereas esoteric philosophy teaches that nature never proceeding backward in her evolutionary progress1 once that man has evoluted from every kind of lower forms--the mineral1 vegetable1 and animal kingdoms--into the human form1 he can never become an animal except morally1 hence--metaphorically4 ,human incarnation is a cyclic necessity1 and law2 and no ,hindu dreads it--however much he may deplore the necessity4 ,and this law and the periodical recurrence of man's rebirth is shown on the same page 7#cdf7 and in the same unbroken paragraph1 where it is closed by saying that3 8,but there is a way to avoid it4 ,buddha taught it in his doctrine of poverty1 restriction of the senses1 perfect indifference to the objects of this earthly vale of tears1 freedom from passion1 and frequent intercommunication with the ,atma--soul-contemplation4 ,the cause of reincarnation is ignorance#aci of our senses1 and the idea that there is any reality in the world1 anything except abstract existence4 ,from the organs of sense comes the 8hallucination0 we call contact2 8from contact1 desire2 from desire1 sensation 7which also is a deception of our body17 from sensation1 the cleaving to existing bodies2 from this cleaving1 reproduction2 and from reproduction1 disease1 decay1 and death40 ,this ought to settle the question and show there must have been some carelessly unnoticed mistake and if this is not sufficient1 there is something else to demonstrate it1 for it is further on3 8,thus1 like the revolutions of a wheel1 there is a regular succession of death and birth1 the moral cause of which is the cleaving to existing objects1 while the instrumental cause is ,karma 7the power which controls the universe1 prompting it to activity17 merit and demerit4 ,it is therefore1 the great desire of all beings who would be released from the sorrows of successive birth1 to seek the destruction of the moral cause the cleaving to existing objects1 or evil desire40 8,they in whom evil desire is entirely destroyed are called ,arhats4 ,freedom from evil desire insures the possession of a miraculous power4 ,at his death1 the ,arhat is never reincarnated2 he invariably attains nirvana--a word1 by the by1 falsely interpreted by the ,christian scholar and skeptical commentators4 ,nirvana is the world of cause1 in which all deceptive effects or delusions of our senses disappear4 ,nirvana is the highest attainable sphere4 ,the pitris 7the pre-,adamic spirits7 are considered as reincarnated by the ,buddhistic philosopher1 though in a degree far superior to that of the man of earth4 ,do they not die in their turn8 ,do not their astral bodies suffer and rejoice1 and feel the same curse of illusionary feelings as when embodied80 ,and just after this we are again made to say of ,buddha and his ,doctrine of 8,merit and ,demerit10 or ,karma3 8,but this former life believed in by the ,buddhists1 is not a life on this planet for1 more than any other people1 the ,buddhistical philosopher appreciated the great doctrine of cycles40 ,correct 8life on this planet0 by 8life in the same cycle10 and you will have the correct reading3 for what would have appreciation of 8the great doctrine of cycles0 to do with ,buddha's philosophy1 had the great sage believed but in one short life on this ,earth and in the same cycle4 ,but to return to the real theory of reincarnation as in the esoteric teaching and its unlucky rendering in ,isis4 ,thus1 what was really meant therein1 was that1 the principle which does not reincarnate--save the exceptions pointed out--is the false personality1 the illusive human ,entity defined and individualized during this short life of ours1 under some specific form and name2 but that which does and has to reincarnate nolens volens under the unflinching1 stern rule of ,karmic law--is the real ,,ego4 ,this confusing of the real immortal ,ego in man1 with the false and ephemeral personalities it inhabits during its ,manvantaric progress1 lies at the root of every such misunderstanding4 ,now what is the one1 and what is the other8 ,the first group is-- #a4 ,the immortal ,spirit--sexless1 formless 7arupa7 an emanation from the ,one universal ,,breath4 #b4 ,its ,vehicle--the divine ,soul--called the 8,immortal ,ego10 the 8,divine monad10 etc4 etc41 which by accretions from ,manas in which burns the ever existing ,jiv--the undying spark--adds to itself at the close of each incarnation the essence of that individuality that was1 the aroma of the culled flower that is no more4 ,what is the false personality8 ,it is that bundle of desires1 aspirations1 affection and hatred1 in short of action1 manifested by a human being on this earth during one incarnation and under the form of one personality4#adj ,certainly it is not all this1 which as a fact for us1 the deluded1 material1 and and materially thinking lot--is ,mr4 ,so and ,so1 or ,mrs4 somebody else--that remains immortal1 or is ever reborn4 ,all that bundle of ,egotism that apparent and evanescent 8,i0 disappears after death1 as the costume of the part he played disappears from the actor's body1 after he leaves the theatre and goes to bed4 ,that actor re-becomes at once the same 8,john ,smith0 or ,gray1 he was from his birth and is no longer the ,othello or ,hamlet that he had represented for a few hours4 ,nothing remains now of that 8bundle0 to go to the next incarnation1 except the seed for future ,karma that ,manas may have united to its immortal group1 to form with it--the disembodied ,higher ,self in 8,devachan40 ,as to the four lower principles1 that which becomes of them is found in most classics1 from which we mean to quote at length for our defence4 ,the doctrine of the perisprit the 8false personality10 or the remains of the deceased under their astral form--fading out to disappear in time1 is terribly distasteful to the spiritualists1 who insist upon confusing the temporary with the immortal ,,ego4 ,unfortunately for them and happily for us1 it is not the modern ,occultists who have invented the doctrine4 ,they are on their defense4 ,and they prove what they say1 i4e41 that no 8personality0 has ever yet been 8reincarnated0 8on the same planet0 7our earth1 this once there is no mistake7 save in the three exceptional cases above cited4 ,adding to these a fourth case1 which is the deliberate1 conscious act of adeptship2 and that such an astral body belongs neither to the body nor the soul still less to the immortal spirit of man1 the following is brought forward and proofs cited4 ,before one brings out on the strength of undeniable manifestations1 theories as to what produces them and claims at once on prima facie evidence that it is the spirits of the departed mortals that re-visit us1 it behooves one to first study what antiquity has declared upon the subject4 ,ghosts and apparitions1 materialized and semi-material 8,,spirits0 have not originated with ,allan ,kardec1 nor at ,rochester4 ,if those beings whose invariable habit it is to give themselves out for souls and the phantoms of the dead1 choose to do so and succeed1 it is only because the cautious philosophy of old is now replaced by an a priori conceit1 and unproven assumptions4 ,the first question is to be settled--8,have spirits any kind of substance to cloth themselves with80 ,answer3 ,that which is now called perisprit in ,france1 and a 8materialized ,form0 in ,england and ,america1 was called in days of old peri-psyche1 and peri-nous1 hence was well known to the old ,greeks4 ,have they a body whether gaseous1 fluidic1 etherial1 material or semi-material8 ,no2 we say this on the authority of the occult teachings the world over4 ,for with the ,hindus atma or spirit is ,arupa 7bodiless17 and with the ,greeks also4 ,even in the ,roman ,catholic ,church the angels of ,light as those of ,darkness are absolutely incorporeal3 8meri spiritus1 omnes corporis expertes10 and in the words of the 8,,secret ,,doctrine10 primordial4 ,emanations of the undifferentiated ,principle1 the ,dhyan ,chohans of the ,,one 7,first7 category or pure ,spiritual ,essence1 are formed of the ,spirit of the one ,element2 the second category of the second ,emanation of the ,soul of the ,elements2 the third have a 8mind body0 to which they are not subject1 but that they can assume and govern as a body1 subject to them1 pliant to their will in form and substance4 ,parting from this 7third7 category1 they 7the spirits1 angels1 ,devas or ,dhyan ,chohans7 have ,,bodies the first rupa group of which is composed of one element ,ether2 the second1 of two--ether and fire2 the third1 of three--,ether1 fire and water2 the fourth of four--,ether1 air1 fire and water4 ,then comes man1 who1 besides the four elements1 has the fifth that predominates in him--,earth3 therefore he suffers4 ,of the ,angels1 as said by ,st4 ,augustine and ,peter ,lombard1 their bodies are made to act not to suffer4 ,it is earth and water1 humor et humus1 that gives an aptitude for suffering and passivity1 ad patientiam1 and ,ether and ,fire for action4 ,the spirits or human monads1 belonging to the first1 or indifferentiated essence are thus incorporeal2 but their third principle 7or the human ,fifth--,manas7 can in conjunction with its vehicle become ,kama rupa and ,mayavi rupa--body of desire or 8illusion body40 ,after death1 the best1 noblest1 purest qualities of ,manas or the human soul ascending along with the divine ,monad into ,devachan whence no one emerges from or returns1 except at the time of reincarnation--what is that then which appears under the double mask of the spiritual ,ego or soul of the departed individual8 ,the ,kama rupa element with the help of elementals4 ,for we are taught that those spiritual beings that can assume a form at will and appear1 i4e41 make themselves objective and even tangible--are the angels alone 7the ,dhyan ,chohans7 and the nirmanakaya#ada of the adepts1 whose spirits are clothed in sublime matter4 ,the astral bodies--the remnants and dregs of a mortal being which has been disembodied1 when they do appear1 are not the individuals they claim to be1 but only their simulachres4 ,and such was the belief of the whole of antiquity1 from ,homer to ,swedenborg2 from the third race down to our own day4 ,more than one devoted spiritualist has hitherto quoted ,paul as corroborating his claim that spirits do and can appear4 8,there is a natural and there is a spiritual body10 etc41 etc41 7#a ,cor4 xv1 #dd72 but one has only to study closer the verses preceding and following the one quoted1 to perceive that what ,st4 ,paul meant was quite different from the sense claimed for it4 ,surely there is a spiritual body1 but it is not identical with the astral form contained in the 8natural0 man4 ,the 8spiritual0 is formed only by our individuality unclothed and transformed after death2 for the apostle takes care to explain in ,verses #ea and #eb1 8,immut abimur sed non omnes40 ,behold1 ,i tell you a mystery3 we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed4 ,this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality4 ,but this is no proof except for the ,christians4 ,let us see what the old ,egyptians and the ,neo-,platonists--both 8theurgists0 par excellence1 thought on the subject3 ,they divided man into three principal groups subdivided into principles as we do3 pure immortal spirit2 the 8,spectral ,soul0 7a luminous phantom7 and the gross material body4 ,apart from the latter which was considered as the terrestrial shell1 these groups were divided into six principles2 7#a7 ,kha 8vital body02 7#b7 ,khaba 8astral form10 or shadow1 7#c7 ,khou 8animal soul0 7#d7 ,akh 8terrestrial intelligence20 7#e7 ,sa 8the divine soul0 7or ,buddhi27 and 7#f7 ,sah or mummy1 the functions of which began after death4 ,osiris was the highest uncreated spirit1 for it was1 in one sense a generic name1 every man becoming after his translation ,osirified1 i4 e41 absorbed into ,osiris--,sun or into the glorious divine state4 ,it was ,khou1 with the lower portions of ,akh or ,kama rupa with the addition of the dregs of ,manas remaining all behind in the astral light of our atmosphere--that formed the counterparts of the terrible and so much dreaded bhoots of the ,hindus 7our 8elementaries407 ,this is seen in the rendering made of the so-called 8,harris4 ,papyrus on magic40 7papyrus magique1 translated by ,chabas7 who calls them ,kouey or ,khou1 and explains that according to the hieroglyphics they were called ,khou or the 8revivified dead10 the 8resurrected shadows40 ,when it was said of a person that he 8had a ,khou0 it meant that he was possessed by a 8,spirit40 ,there were two kinds of ,khous--the justified ones1--who after living for a short time a second life 7nam onh7 faded out1 disappeared2 and those ,khous who were condemned to wandering without rest in darkness after dying for a second time--mut1 em1 nam--and who were called the ,h'ou-mtr 78second time dead07 which did not prevent them from clinging to a vicarious life after the manner of ,vampires4 ,how dreaded they were is explained in our ,appendices on ,egyptian ,magic and 8,chinese ,spirits0 7,secret ,doctrine47 ,they were exorcised by ,egyptian priests as the evil spirit is exorcised by the ,roman ,catholic cur2 or again the ,chinese houen1 identical with the ,khou and the 8,elementary10 as also with the lares or larv--a word derived from the former by ,festus1 the grammarian2 who explains that they were 8the shadows of the dead who gave no rest in the house they were in either to the ,masters or the servants40 ,these creatures when evoked during theurgic1 and especially necromantic rites1 were regarded1 and are so regarded still1 in ,china--as neither the ,spirit1 ,soul nor any thing belonging to the deceased personality they represented1 but simply1 as his reflection--simmulacrum4 8,the human soul10 says ,apuleius1 8is an immortal ,god0 7,buddhi7 which nevertheless has his beginning4 ,when death rids it 7the ,soul71 from its earthly corporeal organism1 it is called lemure4 ,there are among the latter not a few which are beneficent1 and which become the gods or demons of the family1 i4 e41 its domestic gods3 in which case they are called lares4 ,but they are vilified and spoken of as larvae when sentenced by fate to wander about1 they spread around them evil and plagues4 7,inane terriculamentum1 celerum noxium malis27 or if their real nature is doubtful they are referred to as simply manes 7,apuleius4 see--,du ,dieu de ,socrate1 pp4 #adc-ade4 ,edit4 ,niz47 ,listen to ,yamblichus1 ,proclus1 ,porphyry1 ,psellus and to dozens of other writers on these mystic subjects4 ,the ,magi of ,chaldea believed and taught that the celestial or divine soul would participate in the bliss of eternal light1 while the animal or sensuous soul would1 if good1 rapidly dissolve1 and if wicked1 go on wandering about in the ,earth's sphere4 ,in this case1 8it 7the soul7 assumes at times the forms of various human phantoms and even those of animals40 ,the same was said of the ,eidlon of the ,greeks1 and of their ,nephesh by the ,rabbins3 7,see ,sciences ,occultes1 ,count de ,resie4 ,v4 ,,ii7 ,all the ,illuminati of the middle ages tell us of our astral ,soul1 the reflection of the dead or his spectre4 ,at ,natal death 7birth7 the pure spirit remains attached to the intermediate and luminous body but as soon as its lower form 7the physical body7 is dead1 the former ascends heavenward1 and the latter descends into the nether worlds1 or the ,kama loka4 ,homer shows us the body of ,patroclus--the true image of the terrestrial body lying killed by ,hector--rising in its spiritual form1 and ,lucretius shows old ,ennius representing ,homer himself1 shedding bitter tears1 amidst the shadows and the human simulachres on the shores of ,acherusia 8where live neither our bodies nor our souls1 but only our images40 899 99 99 ,esse ,acherusia templa1 99 99 99 ,quo neque permanent anim1 neque corpora nostra1 ,sed qudam simulacra 99 990 ,virgil called it imago 8image0 and in the ,odyssey 7,i4 ,,xi7 the author refers to it as the type1 the model1 and at the same time the copy of the body2 since ,telemachus will not recognize ,ulyssus and seeks to drive him off by saying--8,no thou are not my father2 thou art a demon1---- trying to seduce me60 7,odys4 ,i4 ,,xvi4 v4 #aid47 8,latins do not lack significant proper names to designate the varieties of their demons2 and thus they called them in turn1 lares1 lemures1 geni and manes40 ,cicero1 in translating ,plato's ,timaeus translates the word daimones by lares2 and ,festus the grammarian1 explains that the inferior or lower gods were the souls of men1 making a difference between the two as ,homer did1 and between anima bruta and anima divina 7animal and divine souls74 ,plutarch 7in proble4 ,rom47 makes the lares preside and inhabit the 7haunted7 houses1 and calls them1 cruel1 exacting1 inquisitive1 etc41 etc4 ,festus thinks that there are good and bad ones among the lares4 ,for he calls them at one time prstites as they gave occasionally and watched over things carefully 7direct apports17 and at another--hostileos4#adb 8,however it may be0 says in his queer old ,french1 ,leloyer1 8they are no better than our devils1 who1 if they do appear helping sometimes men1 and presenting them with property1 it is only to hurt them the better and the more later on4 ,lemures are also devils and larv for they appear at night in various human and animal forms1 but still more frequently with features that ,,they borrow from dead men40 7,livre des ,spectres4 ,v4 ,,iv p4 #ae and #af74 ,after this little honour rendered to his ,christian preconceptions1 that see ,satan everywhere1 ,leloyer speaks like an ,occultist1 and a very erudite one too4 8,it is quite certain that the genii and none other had mission to watch over every newly born man1 and that they were called genii1 as says ,censorius1 because they had in their charge our race1 and not only they presided over every mortal being but over whole generations and tribes1 being the genii of the people40 ,the idea of guardian angels of men1 races1 localities1 cities1 and nations1 was taken by the ,roman ,catholics from the prechristian occultists and pagans4 ,symmachus 7,epistol1 ,i4 ,x7 writes3 8,as souls are given to those who are born1 so genii are distributed to the nations4 ,every city had its protecting genius1 to whom the people sacrificed40 ,there is more than one inscription found that reads3 ,genio civitates--8to the genius of the city40 ,only the ancient profane1 never seemed sure any more than the modern whether an apparition was the eidolon of a relative or the genius of the locality4 ,enneus while celebrating the anniversary of the name of his father ,anchises1 seeing a serpent crawling on his tomb knew not whether that was the genius of his father or the genius of the place 7,virgil74 8,the manes#adc were numbered and divided between good and bad2 those that were sinister1 and that ,virgil calls numina larva1 were appeased by sacrifices that they should commit no mischief1 such as sending bad dreams to those who despised them1 etc30 ,tibullus shows by his line3-- ,ne tibi neglecti mittant insomnia manes4 7,eleg41 #a4 ,,ii47 8,pagans thought that the lower ,souls were transformed after death into diabolical aerial spirits40 7,leloyer p4 #bb47 ,the term ,eteroprosopos when divided into its several compound words will yield a whole sentence1 8an other than ,i under the features of my person40 ,it is to this terrestrial principle1 the eidolon1 the larva1 the bhoot--call it by whatever name--that reincarnation was refused in ,isis4#add ,the doctrines of ,theosophy are simply the faithful echoes of ,antiquity4 ,man is a ,unity only at his origin and at his end4 ,all the ,spirits1 all the ,souls1 gods and demons emanate from and have for their root-principle the ,,soul ,,of ,,the ,,universe--says ,porphyry 7,de ,sacrifice74 ,not a philosopher of any notoriety who did not believe 7#a7 in reincarnation 7metempsychosis71 7#b7 in the plurality of principles in man1 or that man had two ,souls of separate and quite different natures2 one perishable1 the ,astral ,soul1 the other incorruptible and immortal2 and 7#c7 that the former was not the man whom it represented--8neither his spirit nor his body1 but his reflection1 at best40 ,this was taught by ,brahmins1 ,buddhists1 ,hebrews1 ,greeks1 ,egyptians1 and ,chaldeans2 by the post-diluvian heirs of the prediluvian ,wisdom1 by ,pythagoras and ,socrates1 ,clemens ,alexandrinus1 ,synesius1 and ,origen4 the oldest ,greek poets as much as the ,gnostics1 whom ,gibbon shows as the most refined1 learned and enlightened men of all ages 78,see ,decline and ,fall10 etc474 ,but the rabble was the same in every age3 superstitious1 self-opinionated1 materializing every most spiritual and noble idealistic conception and dragging it down to its own low level1 and--ever adverse to philosophy4 ,but all this does not interfere with that fact1 that our 8fifth ,race0 man1 analyzed esoterically as a septenary creature1 was ever exoterically recognized as mundane1 sub-mundane1 terrestrial and supra mundane1 ,ovid graphically describing him as-- 8,bis duo sunt hominis2 manes1 caro1 spiritus1 umbra ,quatuor ista loca bis duo suscipiunt4 ,terra tegit carnem1 tumulum circumvolat umbra1 ,orcus habet manes1 spiritus astra petit40 ,,ostende1 ,oct41 #ahhf4 ,,poetical ,,occultism4 ,,some ,,rough ,,studies ,,of ,,the ,,occult ,,leanings ,,of ,,the ,,poets4 ,,ii4 ,perhaps no passage in ,light on the ,path is more forcible than that which warns the disciple against allowing the idea of separateness from any evil thing or person to grow up within him4 ,he is bidden to1 8be wary1 lest too soon you fancy yourself a thing apart from the mass40 ,the ,bagavad-,gita utters the same truth in other words by picturing man as led astray by the pride of self-sufficiency and the great danger underlying the desires and passions of the individual soul4 ,throughout life the student of occultism daily renews the struggle of soul against flesh1 of faith against desire4 ,this combat is finely pictured in ,tennyson's ,palace of ,art4 ,it is truly an occult palace4 ,four courts are made1 east1 west1 south and north1 with a squared lawn in each1 and four great fountains 8stream in misty folds40 ,here we are reminded of the ,garden of ,eden with its four rivers1 of which ,eliphas ,levi says3 8this description of the terrestrial paradise is resumed in the figure of a perfect pentacle4 ,it is circular or square1 since it is equally watered by four rivers disposed in a cross40 ,the square1 answering to the number four was indeed the great kabbalistic figure1 representing the ,trinity in ,unity4 ,nor is the mystic circle wanting in our occult palace1 for there are 8cool rows of circling cloisters0 about the squares1 and a gilded gallery that 8lent broad verge to distant lands10 and 8incense streaming from a golden cup10 another mystic symbol1 representing the passive or negative side of nature4 ,full of sumptuousness was this palace1 built for the soul that she might dwell in sensuous luxury1 remote from the struggling world4 ,then the poet shows us further into the recesses of his sweet thought1 and we see in the pictures with which the palace was hung1 a portrayal of the various life experiences of the soul as it passes from phase to phase1 from room to room of this great palace which is human life4 8,full of great rooms and small the palace stood1 ,all various1 each a perfect whole ,from living nature1 fit for every mood ,and change of my still soul40 ,from high estate to low the soul thus passes1 from a 8glimmering land0 to 8iron coast and angry wave20 from uplands of toil and harvest1 to the 8high bleak crags of sorrow10 from ,greece and ,sicily to ,india or the ,north1 until 8every landscape1 as fit for every mood was there1 not less than truth designed10 a rich panorama of reincarnations4 ,amongst all these the soul moves joyful and feasting1 8,lord of the senses five10 communing with herself that all these are her own in the 8,god-like isolation which is hers40 8,then of the moral instinct would she prate1 ,and of the rising from the dead1 ,as hers by right of full-accomplished ,fate1 ,and at the last she said3 ,i take possession of man's mind and deed4 ,i care not what the sects may brawl4 ,i sit as ,god1 holding no form of creed ,but contemplating all40 ,so three years she throve and prospered1 but in the fourth year1 7mark again the occult number of perfection17 a great dread came upon her1 she was plagued in 8the abyssmal deeps of personality0 with a sore despair4 ,the moment of choice1 the turning point had come1 that period of which ,esoteric ,buddhism speaks as occurring for the race in the fifth round but to which some exceptional personalities have forced themselves in this our fourth round4 ,many occultists will see their own experience mirrored in that of this tormented and lonely soul1 contemplating her 8palace of strength whereof the foundation stones were laid since her first memory10 only to see in its dark corners1 8uncertain shapes1 horrible nightmares1 white-eyed phantasms and hollow shades enclosing hearts of flame40 ,do we not seem to see all the elemental world1 led on by the dread ,dweller of the ,threshold here confronting us8 ,the struggle is even more powerfully depicted but the lesson is learned2 the soul may retrieve herself by a lowly life2 she throws aside her royal robes1 and recognizing the need of mixing with her kind1 begs for a 8cottage in the vale40 ,the poet reserves for his last verse the final lesson that only when we lead others to the heights and share these with our kind1 can we ourselves stand steadfast there3 8,yet pull not down my palace towers1 that are ,so lightly1 beautifully built2 ,perchance ,i may return with others there ,when ,i have purged my guilt40 ,a footnote in the ,september ,,path states3--8,after all1 the whole process of development is the process of getting back the memory of the past4 ,and that too is the teaching found in pure ,buddhism1 etc40 ,sometimes we are conscious of vague callings to do a certain thing1 and critically regarding ourselves1 we cannot see in this life any cause4 ,it seems the bugle note of a past life blown almost in our face3 it startles us2 sometimes we are overthrown4 ,these memories affect us like the shadows of passing clouds across our path1 now tangible2 then fading1 only a cloud4 ,now they start before us like phantoms1 or like a person behind you as you look at a mirror1 it looks over the shoulder4 ,if they are indeed reminiscences of other lives1 although dead and past1 they yet have a power4 ,hear what ,lowell whispers in 8,the ,twilight0 of these mysterious moments3 8,sometimes a breath floats by me1 ,an odor from ,dreamland sent1 ,which makes the ghost seem nigh me ,of a something that came and went1 ,of a life lived somewhere1 ,i know not ,in what diviner sphere3 ,of mem'ries that come not and go not2 ,like music once heard by an ear ,that cannot forget or reclaim it2 ,a something so shy1 it would shame it ,to make it a show4 ,a something too vague1 could ,i name it1 ,for others to know3 ,as though ,i had lived it and dreamed it1 ,as though ,i had acted and schemed it ,long ago4 ,and yet1 could ,i live it over1 ,this ,life which stirs in my brain2 ,could ,i be both maiden and lover1 ,moon and tide1 bee and clover1 ,as ,i seem to have been1 once again4 ,could ,i but speak and show it4 ,this pleasure more sharp than pain4 ,which baffles and lures me so6 ,the world would not lack a poet1 ,such as it had ,in the ages glad1 ,long ,ago40 ,emerson1 who saw further into the world of nature than any poet of our race1 gives us this3 8,and as through dreams in watches of the night1 ,so through all creatures in their form and ways1 ,some mystic hint accosts the vigilant1 ,not clearly voiced1 but waking a new sense1 ,inviting to new knowledge1 one with old40 ,the hermetic maxim1 8,as above so below10 sends us indeed to nature for initiation1 and the ,gita follows up this nail with a hammer by saying3 8,the man1 ,o ,arjoona1 who1 from what passeth in his own breast1 whether it be pain or pleasure1 beholdeth the same in others1 is esteemed a supreme ,yogi40 ,analogy1 ,harmony1 ,unity1 these are the words traced over and over for us1 the shining rays of the one ,law4 ,these are the thoughts in which the poets delight4 ,emerson speaks again with still clearer voice3 8,brother1 sweeter is the ,law ,than all the grace ,love ever saw1 ,if the ,law should thee forget4 ,more enamored serve it yet4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,i found this2 ,that of goods ,i could not miss ,if ,i fell within the line2 ,once a member1 all was mine3 ,houses1 banquets1 gardens1 fountains1 ,fortune's delectable mountains4 ,but if ,i would walk alone ,was neither cloak nor crumb my own40 ,the ,biblical verse3--8,it is more blessed to give than to receive10 is a great occult teaching4 ,as we strengthen the muscles by exercise1 so we enlarge the intelligence and the heart by constantly dispensing our means1 whether these be golden thoughts1 or time1 or affections1 all along the line of ,brotherhood4 ,not because of a sentiment1 but because ,life is made up of vibrations which our scientists1 cautious as they are1 admit may affect the farthest stars4 8,like warp and woof1 all destinies ,are woven fast1 ,linked in sympathy1 like the keys ,of an organ vast4 ,pluck but one thread1 and the web ye mar2 ,break but one of a thousand keys1 and the paining jar ,through all will run40 ,this from ,whittier reminds us of the lines on ,karma in ,light on the ,path4 8,remember that the threads are living1--are like electric wires1 more1 are like quivering nerves4 ,how far1 then1 must the stain1 the drag awry1 be communicated40 ,yes1 the communion of saints is a living fact4 ,we all commune1 not alone with one another2 with those above us and with those below1 but essentially with our time4 ,not one of us can escape its influence3 we oppose its conclusions1 deny its powers1 and meanwhile it speaks through us1 without our knowledge1 the passwords we do not yet understand4 ,this 8dark age0 is still the birth-place of spiritual development1 of an awakening belief in the supernatural1 or that which overshadows nature4 ,we have had no more safe1 practical sober poet than ,whittier1 who sweetly sings the life of every day1 when he is not stirred by the fret of the times1 to ,freedoms larger issues4 ,yet hear him describing the power of a 8wizard30 8,all the subtle spirits hiding ,under earth or wave2 abiding ,in the caverned rock1 or riding ,misty clouds1 or morning breeze4 ,every dark intelligence1 ,secret soul1 and influence ,of all things1 which outward sense ,feels1 or hears1 or sees1-- ,these the wizard's skill confessed4--0 ,is not here an 8outward sense0 of ,professor ,denton's discoveries of the 8soul of things80 ,but hear further the poet's confession of faith in the occult power of will3 8,not untrue that tale of old6 ,now as then1 the wise and bold ,all the powers of nature hold1 ,subject to their kingly will4 99 99 99 99 99 ,still to such1 life's elements1 ,with their sterner laws dispense1 ,and the chain of consequence ,broken in their pathway lies4 ,to his aid the strong reverses1 ,hidden powers and giant forces1 ,and the high stars in their courses1 ,mingle in his strife40 ,the italicized lines are almost an echo of the words of an ,adept when speaking of the possibility for the disciple1 of an ultimate escape from the laws of ,karma1 which give him the right to demand the secrets of nature4 8,he obtains this right by having escaped from the limits of nature1 and by having freed himself from the rules which govern human life40 ,so does ,whittier's initiate4 ,for every one of us there looms a danger in our being prone to mistake desire for will4 ,the paradox of ,levi is sound and true3 8,the will obtains all that it does not desire40 ,meditation in this direction will reveal some deep and useful truths to the practical occultist4 ,but to return to our poets4 ,there are many butterfly hints to be found fluttering through their lines4 ,time has spared us this one from ,marvel3 8,at some fruit-tree's mossy root1 ,casting the body's vest aside ,my soul into the bows does glide2 ,there1 like a bird1 it sits and sings40 ,and ,matthew ,arnold1 turned dreamer for the nonce1 has netted us one1 more meaty than diaphanous1 in which we find hints of periodic ,devachanic sleep1 between every period of earth struggle1 of man's threefold nature which serves to hide the memory of his other lives1 and a touch of ,karma as well3 8,the ,guide of our dark steps a triple veil ,betwixt our senses and our sorrow keeps2 ,hath sown with cloudless passages the tale ,of grief1 and eased us with a thousand sleeps40 ,it would sometimes seem1 as in the above quotation1 that the poet himself was scarcely conscious of the full bearing of what he wrote1 as if that dim something from another life of which ,lowell spoke1 had brushed him with its wing unawares4 ,often the higher ,self speaks out from a man's work1 to other men whose consciousness has a higher development than his own1 while it has not as yet revealed itself to him4 ,how many men tremble thus on the borders of the unseen4 ,let us beware whom we set down as remote from our communion1 8for in an instant a veil may fall down from his spirit1 and he will be far ahead of us all40 ,there is an occult verse from ,goethe which has been quoted by ,tyndall in one of those sad and baffled paragraphs which darkle through the works of our scientists1 shadowy witnesses that these distinguished materialists and physicists are often nearer our path than they or we suspect4 ,through such they seem to call for deliverance4 ,we give the verse in its setting1 leaving ,tyndall's prose to point its poetic meaning4 8,as regards knowledge1 physical science is polar4 ,in one sense it knows1 or is destined to know everything4 ,in another sense it knows nothing4 ,science understands much of this intermediate phase of things that we call nature1 of which it is the product2 but science knows nothing of the origin or destiny of nature4 ,who or what made the sun1 and gave his rays their alleged power8 ,who or what made and bestowed upon the ultimate particles of matter their wondrous power of varied interaction8 ,science does not know3 the mystery1 though pushed back1 remains unaltered4 ,to many of us who feel that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in the present philosophy of science1 but who have been also taught by baffled efforts1 how vain is the attempt to grapple with the ,inscrutable1 the ultimate frame of mind is that of ,goethe30 8,who dares to name ,his name1 ,or belief in him proclaim1 ,veiled in mystery as ,he is1 the ,all-enfolder8 ,gleams across the mind ,his light1 ,feels the lifted soul ,his might2 ,dare it then deny ,his reign1 the ,all-upholder80 ,,julius4 ,illustration3 ,,hindu ,,symbolism4 ,,ii4 ,this figure represents ,brahma-,maya or ,mahat-,maya1 ,brahma ,viraj1 or the great ,illusion4 ,the androgene or male-female1 the ,great ,appearance1 the first revelation of the ,being or ,brahman 7neuter71 under the form of the double-sexed first emanation4 ,the neuter1 became male and female1 by separation into the male1 positive1 forming the spiritual--the entities or the noumena1 and his sakti or female1 the negative1 or plastic1 matter1 the illusionary or phenomenal existence4 ,the sakti1 is his developing energy1 force or potentiality4 ,this symbol1 the divine type of the first male and female1 which can be compared with the terrestrial ,adam before the final separation of ,eve1 is really in consonance with this ,adam's perfect ideal1 the ,adam ,kadmon or ,heavenly ,adam of the ,kabbalah4 ,the ,brahma-half is on the right side1 the good side1 man's1 the ,maya-half is on the left1 the evil side1 the woman's4 ,so according to the ,hebrew sacred writings1 through ,eve the woman1 evil was brought into the world4 ,compare with this the ,greek myth of ,pandora4 ,issuing from the linga-yoni is the pearl chain1 or connected circle of the existences1 looked upon as united atoms1 and the symbol of all the existing4 ,it is held up by the hand on the male side4 ,brahman 7neuter71 appears here as manifested in the male in union with the female sakti1 of the preformatory imagination1 as the ante creative monarch and ,pearl ,king1 richly decorated with the circles of the soul-monads and atoms4 ,on his head is the world egg cap4 ,the veil of the existences1 upon which are woven the ideas or models of the to-be-emanated existences1 flows from the linga-yoni to the highest part of the head and thence down the right side4 ,he as the male1 has a tendency to twist himself upon himself and his face bears the stamp of deep meditation4 ,the aureole of fire is on the male side and from it scintillate sparks upon the veil of ,maya4 ,on the ,maya side1 the attitude is that of joy or dancing2 the hand raised as if in play1 holds up the veil1 bells are hanging on her robe and singularly the ,egyptian hieroglyphic for the water of life is shown2 while the bust is developed4 ,portrayed upon the veil are the prototypes of the creatures4 ,compare the symbolism of the girdle of ,aphrodite and that of ,venus4 ,as the double spouse of ,brahman 7neuter7 considered apart and in opposition to ,it4 ,the ,brahma-,maya is the life in nature1 of which1 ,brahman 7neuter7 is the soul4 ,the ,brahma-,maya is that blind energy and force1 potential and powerful1 and eternally fecund1 which is incessantly producing under forms which are without cessation renewed2 and which is adored in ,india to-day1 as the ,great ,mother1 the ,universal ,mother1 in other words all nature deified4 ,maya is the mother of ,love or ,desire1 the first principle or affinity of all affection1 creation1 matter4 ,she is even matter itself1 but the primitive subtile matter co-existing with ,god 7,brahman1 neuter7 from all eternity1 contained in ,it1 and symbolized by the three colors1 red1 white1 black2 the three qualities or powers of creation1 preservation and destruction1 consequently the ,trimurti1 and also the three gunas 7qualities71 ,truth1 ,action1 and ,indifference1 of the ,bhagavadgit4#ade ,it is ,maya1 who through the attraction of her beauty1 causes the ,most ,high1 from the bosom of ,its ineffable profoundity1 forgetting ,itself1 to unite ,itself1 in the intoxication of desire with that divine enchantress4 ,the mysterious veil1 which she had woven with her hands1 received entirely from both1 and the thought of the ,eternal ,almighty became fecundated1 and fell into ,time4 ,the innumerable forms of the creatures1 represent the perfect ideals woven upon the magic tissue1 the woven warp and woof of all existence1 with which veil ,maya#adf envelops her spouse and causes the recurrence of the gift of life4 ,,isaac ,,myer4 ,,teachings ,,of ,,the ,,master4 ,,recorded ,,by ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,authors ,,of 8,,man3 ,,fragments ,,of ,,forgotten ,,history40 7,copyrighted47 ,,the ,,journey4 ,the ,master stood on a great ledge of rock extending far out over a precipice that seemed miles below4 ,with his face lighted by the first rays of the coming day that shot across the peaks above him and with his hands clasped behind him he waited in silence for the coming of the pupil to whom he had signalled4 ,a ,brother lying on the grass not far removed from the natural platform upon which he stood1 questioned kindly the possibility of so long a journey by so feeble a student--but the ,master waited looking piercingly across the distance4 ,his eyes gazed intently before him turning neither to the right nor to the left1 and when in the far azure of the clouds he saw approaching the soul that had projected itself at his bidding1 he impelled his thought to his ,brother who instantly recognized the approaching visitant4 ,the ,soul gaining in velocity every moment was in the presence of the ,master before the twinkling of an eye could be noted--and prostrate before him could only articulate3 8,master6 ,master60 ,a touch of the purified hand pacified the terrible emotions of the new comer1 who in suppliant attitude awaited the command of the ,beloved ,guru4 8,rise my child10 came from the lips of the ,teacher2 who1 when he was obeyed continued3 8,your progress is clogged by your indifference to duty4 ,there can be no relations between us unless you disembody your desires and spiritualize every thought4 ,imprison the latter when they wander1 and live to teach the lessons so often inculcated in your higher mind4 ,help your fellow-beings to better comprehend the capabilities of the inner1 living ,self4 8,by the known laws of attraction and repulsion illustrate to them the impossibility of a higher life on earth for any but clean souls4 ,there can be no mutuality of thought between clean and unclean natures--and the only hope of advancement is by casting off the latter and enveloping the real self in the shelter of noble thoughts4 ,teach that it is matter that is illusionary--life that is a transitory vision--earthly vanities that blind the eyes of the world4 8,try to speak of these secret things to the lowly and the burdened who are often endowed with a wisdom not to be found among the other and opposite classes4 ,tell them that the ,spirit does have a real existence here in matter--does exercise absolute philanthropy1 divine goodness--supreme self sacrifice2 does know the power it possesses4 ,return to your duty refreshed4 ,let the sunlight now breaking over the hills and the mountains of ,himavat radiate through your transparent spirit4 ,drink of the dew of the morning and feed upon the honey of wisdom that flows in upon your hungry ,soul4 ,thus will you be strengthened to meet the conflict in the plain of action wherein you are constrained by your weakness to work4 ,thus will you escape from it and find in the mountain the repose and intuition for which you are yearning40 ,the ,brother whose form had lain in repose on the grass now approached and looking intently at the disciple entranced with delight and gratitude--said in stronger tones than the ,beloved ,master3 8,in the land where your body lies secure from an intrusion that would result in your absolute separation from it--the great conflict is about to be fought4 ,all the preliminary preparations have been made4 ,a people freed from many chains--fast sinking into a materialism only recognized absolutely when some momentary impulse to generosity moves them--is to rise or fall with this closing cycle4 ,to such a ,babe as you is revealed a fact not perceived by the best minds among them4 ,go back there to work6 ,obey the impulse to throw aside every barrier--to do away with subterfuges deemed best for the personality1 and go the rugged way lone and alone4 ,in the time of greatest need we will comfort you and send the comforter to those whose ,karma leads them to do battle in the same field4 ,to you the sustaining force of our ,fraternity will be contributed so long as the battle is waged for the race3 the conquered rescued from their low estate and the ,light of the ,logos offered to every one who walks in the night of earth-life without guide and compass40--,then there was silence4 ,the ,beloved ,master touching the speaker's uplifted head said in softest accents3 8,go now4 ,if ye love me keep these commands40 ,,the ,,lessons4 ,the path of ,wisdom is the path of duty4 ,they are not separate roads as many erroneously conclude4 ,men fail to associate wisdom with duty--they consider them as apart4 ,the disciple performs the action 7duty71 and in so doing finds wisdom4 ,there is1 in each incarnation1 but one birth1 one life1 one death4 ,it is folly to duplicate these by persistent regrets for the past--by present cowardice or fear of the future4 ,there is no time--it is eternity's ,now that man mistakes for past1 present and future4 ,the forging of earthly chains is the occupation of the indifferent1 the awful duty of unloosing them through the sorrows of the heart is also their occupation4 ,both are foolish sacrifices4 ,as mortal conscience is within1 so also is the evidence of the spirit's omnipotence4 ,the soul of man is a tangible proof to his bodily senses that he is immortal4 ,the existence of soul is not susceptible of proof on any but its own plane4 ,compromise in the service of the weak4 ,the starving must have food suited to the limitations of the irritated system--but be thou firm in thine own place of duty4 ,liberate thyself from evil actions by good actions4 ,the man accustomed to actions cannot at once become a ,muni2 he must work out his action-impelling qualities1 and thus he transforms them into higher energies4 ,meditation is but a name to the bewildered2 the word is not understood until it is translated by the hungry spirit4 ,fight the unknown force within you--it is evil4 ,the good that is in you is written without1 and is apparent4 ,inquire of the stranger the earthly road you seek1 but ask your higher self for the torch that will light you on your way4 ,in the silence of one's own being1 is lighted the candle of will and aspiration4 ,no wind can put it out1 no heat can melt it4 ,the flame is of the spirit's quality--pure and of even temperature4 ,there is no vacillation in the mind of the initiated4 ,half-knowledge is the pitfall of the student4 ,do not run aimlessly about saying lo1 here is the light--lo1 there is the truth4 ,the light that illuminates the ,atma is kindled in the mountain heights4 ,it is the symbol of divine truth4 ,wait in the morning for inspiration1 at noon for guidance1 and in the evening for a full understanding of the road thou hast travelled4 ,man's higher nature is invisible or rather the ,divine ,principle is4 ,the individual human soul is universal3 a right comprehension of where there is difference and where identity between the #fth and #gth ,principles in man will free the subject of much confusion and misapprehension4 ,there is real affiliation as well as an occult connection existing between the seven principles in man and the seven classes of minerals under the earth4 ,there are truths connected with the properties of the latter which man may find out by learning the constitution of his own sevenfold nature4 ,the law of embodied principles is to follow magnets4 ,is this not also true of the higher nature8 ,we draw to us the attention of the ,mahatma by a purified heart and a right development of will4 ,from his heights he sees the valleys below and reaches out to give to him who is straining every faculty to receive4 ,agitation that comes from mortal qualities affects the physical body alone3 this deep unrest is not felt by the ,atma1 for the ,atma is ,spirit or pure bliss4 ,but the ocean of matter1 which includes the ,soul1 feels these waves of trouble and thus is the soul bewildered1 ignorantly imagining that the spirit is affected4 ,learn to know the distinction and to realize that the spirit is eternally unaffected4 ,life is a compromise--hasten to acquit yourself of the debt contracted in a former life1 and remove its oppressing influence in this sphere4 ,when you re-enter the world of mortals again1 let it be without the three disqualifications for enlightenment1 fear1 passion and selfishness3 the sea of rebirths is half crossed already by the man who has overcome these three drawbacks4 ,meat for the thoughtless1 wine for the weak1 but devotion for him who has overcome the appetites4 ,to be lord of self is to be selfless1 a condition of perfect tranquility4 ,forget not this lesson--that every one is so placed in this world as to exhibit his worst qualities4 ,the purpose of this life is to strengthen the weak places of the spiritual man4 ,his external life is for this only1 therefore1 all are seen at a disadvantage4 ,a lesson in meekness may be learned of the little child4 ,it has come so recently from its previous field of life that it walks with the air of a stranger in a strange country and as one who must be led4 ,the divine quality is charity4 ,whenever it has been attained1 the remainder of the spirit's work with the lower nature1 is to acquire a contrite heart4 7,to be continued47 99 99 99 99 99 8,alas we reap what seed we sow2 the hands that smite us are our own40 ,,om4 ,,footnotes3 #acj ,i4 e41 the present age of spiritual blindness4 #aca ,see 8,transactions of the ,london ,lodge of the ,theosophical ,society10 ,no4 #e4 #acb ,see charge and answer1 in ,theosophist1 ,august1 #ahhb4 #acc ,the cycle of existence during the manvantara--period before and after the beginning and completion of which every such 8monad0 is absorbed and reabsorbed in the ,,one soul1 anima mundi4 #acd ,hades has surely never been meant for ,hell4 ,it was always the abode of the sorrowing shadows of astral bodies of the dead personalities4 ,western readers should remember ,kama-loka is not ,karma-loka1 for ,kama means desire1 and ,karma does not4 #ace ,had this word 8immediate0 been put at the time of publishing ,isis between the two words 8no0 and 8reincarnation0 there would have been less room for dispute and controversy4 #acf ,by 8sphere above10 of course 8,devachan0 was meant4 #acg ,the reader must bear in mind that the esoteric teaching maintains that save in cases of wickedness when man's nature attains the acme of ,evil1 and human terrestrial sin reaches ,satanic universal character1 so to say as some ,sorcerers do--there is no punishment for the majority of mankind after death4 ,the law of retribution as ,karma1 waits man at the threshold of his new incarnation4 ,man is at best a wretched tool of evil1 unceasingly forming new causes and circumstances4 ,he is not always 7if ever7 responsible4 ,hence a period of rest and bliss in ,devachan1 with an utter temporary oblivion of all the miseries and sorrows of life4 ,avitchi is a spiritual state of the greatest misery and is only in store for those who have devoted consciously their lives to doing injury to others and have thus reached its highest spirituality of ,,evil4 #ach ,says ,apuleius3 8,the soul is born in this world upon leaving the soul of the world 7anima mundi7 in which her existence precedes the one we all know 7on earth74 ,thus1 the ,gods who consider her proceedings in all the phases of various existences and as a whole1 punish her sometimes for sins committed during an anterior life4 ,she dies when she separates herself from a body in which she crossed this life as in a frail bark4 ,and this is1 if ,i mistake not1 the secret meaning of the tumulary inscription1 so simple for the initiate3 0,to the ,gods manes who lived48 ,but this kind of death does not annihilate the soul1 it only transforms 7one portion of it7 it into a lemure4 0,lemures8 are the manes1 or ghosts1 which we know under the name tares4 ,when they keep away and show us a beneficent protection1 we honour in them the protecting divinities of the family hearth2 but if their crimes sentence them to err1 we call them larv4 ,they become a plague for the wicked1 and the vain terror of the good40 78,du ,dieu de ,socrate0 ,apul4 class1 pp41 #adc-ade47 #aci 8,the cause of reincarnation is ignorance0--therefore there is 8reincarnation0 once the writer explained the causes of it4 #adj ,a proof how our theosophical teachings have taken root in every class of ,society and even in ,english literature may be seen by reading ,mr4 ,norman ,pearson's article 8,before ,birth0 in the 8,nineteenth ,century0 for ,august1 #ahhf4 ,therein1 theosophical ideas and teachings are speculated upon without acknowledgment or the smallest reference to theosophy1 and among others1 we see with regard to the author's theories on the ,ego1 the following3 8,how much of the individual personality is supposed to go to heaven or hell8 ,does the whole of the mental equipment1 good and bad1 noble qualities and unholy passions1 follow the soul to its hereafter8 ,surely not4 ,but if not1 and something has to be stripped off1 how and when are we to draw the line8 ,if1 on the other hand1 the ,soul is something distinct from all our mental equipment1 except the sense of self1 are we not confronted by the incomprehensible notion of a personality without any attributes40 ,to this query the author answers as any true theosophist would3 8,the difficulties of the question really spring from a misconception of the true nature of these attributes4 ,the components of our mental equipment--appetites1 aversions1 feelings1 tastes and qualities generally--are not absolute but relative existences4 ,hunger and thirst for instance are states of consciousness which arise in response to the stimuli of physical necessities4 ,they are not inherent elements of the soul and will disappear or become modified1 etc410 7pp4 #cef and #ceg74 ,in other words the theosophical doctrine is adopted1 ,atma and ,buddhi having culled off the ,manas the aroma of the personality or human soul--go into ,devachan3 while the lower principles the astral simulacrum or false personality void of its ,divine monad or spirit will remain in the ,kama-loka--the 8,summerland40 #ada ,nirmanakaya is the name given to the astral forms 7in their completeness7 of adepts1 who have progressed too high on the path of knowledge and absolute truth1 to go into the state of ,devachan2 and have on the other hand1 deliberately refused the bliss of nirvana1 in order to help ,humanity by invisibly guiding and helping on the same path of progress elect men4 ,but these astrals are not empty shells1 but complete monads made up of the #c;d1 #dth1 #eth1 #fth1 and #gth principles4 ,there is another order of nirmanakaya1 however1 of which much will be said in the ,secret ,doctrine4--,h4 ,p4 ,b4 ,placing these parallel with the division in esoteric teaching we see that 7#a7 ,osiris is ,atma2 7#b7 ,sa is ,buddhi2 7#c7 ,akh is ,manas2 7#d7 ,khou is ,kama-rupa1 the seat of terrestrial desires4 7#e7 ,khaba is ,lingha ,sarira2 7#f7 ,kha is ,pranatma 7vital principle7 7#g7 ,sah1 is mummy or body4 #adb ,because they drove the enemies away4 #adc ,from manus--8good10 an antiphraris1 as ,festus explains4 #add ,page #ab4 ,vol ,i4 of 8,isis ,unveiled0 belief in reincarnation is asserted from the very beginning1 as forming part and parcel of universal beliefs4 8,metempsychosis0 7or transmigration of souls7 and reincarnation being after all the same thing4 #ade ,these three qualities are explained by ,krishna in the ,bhagavadgit1 as ,satwa good or inactive being purely spiritual2 ,rajas bad and active2 and ,tamas inactive or indifferent and bad4 ,they exist in every human mind and are mingled in greater or less proportions at all times1 according to the individual and also according to his varying circumstances4 ,his teaching in regard to the ,tamo guna is the same as that taught in the ,christian ,bible1 for he says that for the indifferent man there is no salvation--he is as it were 8ejected like a broken cloud20 and in ,i ,james v1 #f1 #g1 the doubting man is declared incapable of obtaining anything1 while in ,rev4 iii1 #af1 the ,laodiceans are accused of being neither cold nor hot1 that is of being indifferent1 and they are condemned to be 8spewed out of the mouth10 which is the same as the fate described as awaiting those in whom indifference predominates1 ,krishna declaring that they become more and more deluded at each succeeding generation until at last they reach the lowest round of the ladder in the shape of primordial matter4 ,the difference between the two schools is1 that ,krishna's allows the doctrines of ,reincarnation and ,karma1 while the modern ,christians1 blind to their own ,bible1 reject these supremely important laws1 or rather ignore them as yet4 ,,ed4 #adf ,maya is the sanscrit for illusion4 ,,ed4 ,,aum ,when there was neither day nor night1 neither earth or sky1 neither light nor darkness3 when there was nothing that could be seen or felt by the physical senses or the faculties of the mind1 there existed the ,one ,great ,being--,god4--,vishnu ,purana4 ,resignation3 the action of rendering good for evil2 temperance2 probity2 purity2 repression of the senses2 knowledge of holy books1 and of the ,supreme ,soul2 truthfulness1 and abstaining from anger3 such are the ten virtues in which consists duty4 99 99 ,those who study these ten precepts of duty1 and after having studied them conform their lives thereto1 will reach to the ,supreme ,condition4--,manu1 ,book vi1 sloka #ib4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,december1 #ahhf4 ,,no4 #i4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 8,,the ,,theosophical ,,mahatmas40 ,it is with sincere and profound regret--though with no surprise1 prepared as ,i am for years for such declarations--that ,i have read in the ,rochester ,occult ,word1 edited by ,mrs4 ,j4 ,cables1 the devoted president of the ,t4 ,s4 of that place1 her joint editorial with ,mr4 ,w4 ,t4 ,brown4 ,this sudden revulsion of feeling is perhaps quite natural in the lady1 for she has never had the opportunities given her as ,mr4 ,brown has2 and her feeling when she writes that after 8a great desire 99 99 to be put into communication with the ,theosophical ,mahatmas we 7they7 have come to the conclusion that it is useless to strain the psychical eyes toward the ,himalayas 99 990 is undeniably shared by many theosophists4 ,whether the complaints are justified1 and also whether it is the 8,mahatmas0 or theosophists themselves who are to blame for it is a question that remains to be settled4 ,it has been a pending case for several years and will have to be now decided1 as the two complainants declare over their signatures that 8we 7they7 need not run after ,oriental ,mystics1 who deny their ability to help us40 ,the last sentence1 in italics1 has to be seriously examined4 ,i ask the privilege to make a few remarks thereon4 ,to begin with1 the tone of the whole article is that of a true manifesto4 ,condensed and weeded of its exuberance of ,biblical expressions it comes to this paraphrastical declaration3 8,we have knocked at their door1 and they have not answered us2 we have prayed for bread1 they have denied us even a stone40 ,the charge is quite serious2 nevertheless1 that it is neither just nor fair--is what ,i propose to show4 ,as ,i was the first in the ,united ,states to bring the existence of our ,masters into publicity2 and1 having exposed the holy names of two members of a ,brotherhood hitherto unknown to ,europe and ,america1 7save to a few mystics and ,initiates of every age7 yet sacred and revered throughout the ,east1 and especially ,india1 causing vulgar speculation and curiosity to grow around those blessed names1 and finally leading to a public rebuke1 ,i believe it my duty to contradict the fitness of the latter by explaining the whole situation1 as ,i feel myself the chief culprit4 ,it may do good to some1 perchance1 and will interest some others4 ,let no one think withal1 that ,i come out as a champion or a defender of those who most assuredly need no defense4 ,what ,i intend1 is to present simple facts1 and let after this the situation be judged on its own merits4 ,to the plain statement of our brothers and sisters that they have been 8living on husks10 8hunting after strange gods0 without receiving admittance1 ,i would ask in my turn1 as plainly3 8,are you sure of having knocked at the right door8 ,do you feel certain that you have not lost your way by stopping so often on your journey at strange doors1 behind which lie in wait the fiercest enemies of those you were searching for80 ,our ,,masters are not 8a jealous god20 they are simply holy mortals1 nevertheless1 however1 higher than any in this world1 morally1 intellectually and spiritually4 ,however holy and advanced in the science of the ,mysteries--they are still men1 members of a ,brotherhood1 who are the first in it to show themselves subservient to its time-honored laws and rules4 ,and one of the first rules in it demands that those who start on their journey ,eastward1 as candidates to the notice and favors of those who are the custodians of those ,mysteries1 should proceed by the straight road1 without stopping on every sideway and path1 seeking to join other 8,masters0 and professors often of the ,left-,hand ,science1 that they should have confidence and show trust and patience1 besides several other conditions to fulfill4 ,failing in all of this from first to last1 what right has any man or woman to complain of the liability of the ,masters to help them8 ,truly 8#8,the ,dwellers of the threshold' are within60 ,once that a theosophist would become a candidate for either chelaship or favours1 he must be aware of the mutual pledge1 tacitly1 if not formally offered and accepted between the two parties1 and1 that such a pledge is sacred4 ,it is a bond of seven years of probation4 ,if during that time1 notwithstanding the many human shortcomings and mistakes of the candidate 7save two which it is needless to specify in print7 he remains throughout every temptation true to the chosen ,master1 or ,masters1 7in the case of lay candidates71 and as faithful to the ,society founded at their wish and under their orders1 then the theosophist will be initiated into---- thenceforward allowed to communicate with his guru unreservedly1 all his failings1 save this one1 as specified1 may be overlooked3 they belong to his future ,karma1 but are left for the present1 to the discretion and judgment of the ,master4 ,he alone has the power of judging whether even during those long seven years the chela will be favoured regardless of his mistakes and sins1 with occasional communications with1 and from the guru4 ,the latter thoroughly posted as to the causes and motives that led the candidate into sins of omission and commission is the only one to judge of the advisability or inadvisability of bestowing encouragement2 as he alone is entitled to it1 seeing that he is himself under the inexorable law of ,karma1 which no one from the ,zulu savage up to the highest archangel can avoid--and that he has to assume the great responsibility of the causes created by himself4 ,thus1 the chief and the only indispensable condition required in the candidate or chela on probation1 is simply unswerving fidelity to the chosen ,master and his purposes4 ,this is a condition sine qua non2 not as ,i have said1 on account of any jealous feeling1 but simply because the magnetic rapport between the two once broken1 it becomes at each time doubly difficult to re-establish it again2 and that it is neither just nor fair1 that the ,masters should strain their powers for those whose future course and final desertion they very often can plainly foresee4 ,yet1 how many of those1 who1 expecting as ,i would call it 8favours by anticipation10 and being disappointed1 instead of humbly repeating mea culpa1 tax the ,masters with selfishness and injustice4 ,they will deliberately break the thread of connection ten times in one year1 and yet expect each time to be taken back on the old lines6 ,i know of one theosophist--let him be nameless though it is hoped he will recognize himself--a quiet1 intelligent young gentleman1 a mystic by nature1 who1 in his ill advised enthusiasm and impatience1 changed ,masters and his ideas about half a dozen times in less than three years4 ,first he offered himself1 was accepted on probation and took the vow of chelaship2 about a year later1 he suddenly got the idea of getting married1 though he had several proofs of the corporeal presence of his ,master1 and had several favours bestowed upon him4 ,projects of marriage failing1 he sought 8,masters0 under other climes1 and became an enthusiastic ,rosicrucian2 then he returned to theosophy as a ,christian mystic2 then again sought to enliven his austerities with a wife2 then gave up the idea and turned a spiritualist4 ,and now having applied once more 8to be taken back as a chela0 7,i have his letter7 and his ,master remaining silent--he renounced him altogether1 to seek in the words of the above manifesto--his old 8,essenian ,master and to test the spirits in his name40 ,the able and respected editor of the 8,occult ,word0 and her ,secretary are right1 and have chosen the only true path in which with a very small dose of blind faith1 they are sure to encounter no deceptions or disappointments4 8,it is pleasant for some of us10 they say1 8to obey the call of the #8,man of ,sorrows' who will not turn any away1 because they are unworthy or have not scored up a certain percentage of personal merit40 ,how do they know8 unless they accept the cynically awful and pernicious dogma of the ,protestant ,church1 that teaches the forgiveness of the blackest crime1 provided the murderer believes sincerely that the blood of his 8,redeemer0 has saved him at the last hour--what is it but blind unphilosophical faith8 ,emotionalism is not philosophy2 and ,buddha devoted his long self sacrificing life to tear people away precisely from that evil breeding superstition4 ,why speak of ,buddha then1 in the same breath8 ,the doctrine of salvation by personal merit1 and self forgetfulness is the corner-stone of the teaching of the ,lord ,buddha4 ,both the writers may have and very likely they did--8hunt after strange gods20 but these were not our ,,masters4 ,they have 8denied ,him thrice0 and now propose 8with bleeding feet and prostrate spirit0 to 8pray that ,he 7,jesus7 may take us 7them7 once more under his wing10 etc4 ,the 8,nazarene ,master0 is sure to oblige them so far4 ,still they will be 8living on husks0 plus 8blind faith40 ,but in this they are the best judges1 and no one has a right to meddle with their private beliefs in our ,society2 and heaven grant that they should not in their fresh disappointment turn our bitterest enemies one day4 ,yet1 to those ,theosophists1 who are displeased with the ,society in general1 no one has ever made to you any rash promises2 least of all1 has either the ,society or its founders ever offered their 8,masters0 as a chromopremium to the best behaved4 ,for years every new member has been told that he was promised nothing1 but had everything to expect only from his own personal merit4 ,the theosophist is left free and untrammeled in his actions4 ,whenever displeased--alia tentanda via est--no harm in trying elsewhere2 unless1 indeed one has offered himself and is decided to win the ,masters' favors4 ,to such especially1 ,i now address myself and ask3 ,have you fulfilled your obligations and pledges8 ,have you1 who would fain lay all the blame on the ,society and the ,masters--the latter the embodiment of charity1 tolerance1 justice and universal love--have you led the life requisite1 and the conditions required from one who becomes a candidate8 ,let him who feels in his heart and conscience that he has1--that he has never once failed seriously1 never doubted his ,master's wisdom1 never sought other ,master or ,masters in his impatience to become an ,occultist with powers2 and that he has never betrayed his theosophical duty in thought or deed1--let him1 ,i say1 rise and protest4 ,he can do so fearlessly2 there is no penalty attached to it1 and he will not even receive a reproach1 let alone be excluded from the ,society--the broadest and most liberal in its views1 the most ,catholic of all the ,societies known or unknown4 ,i am afraid my invitation will remain unanswered4 ,during the eleven years of the existence of the ,theosiphical ,society ,i have known1 out of the seventy-two regularly accepted chelas on probation and the hundreds of lay candidates--only three who have not hitherto failed1 and one only who had a full success4 ,no one forces anyone into chelaship2 no promises are uttered1 none except the mutual pledge between ,master and the would-be-chela4 ,verily1 ,verily1 many are the called but few are chosen--or rather few who have the patience of going to the bitter end1 if bitter we can call simple perseverance and singleness of purpose4 ,and what about the ,society1 in general1 outside of ,india4 ,who among the many thousands of members does lead the life8 shall any one say because he is a strict vegetarian--elephants and cows are that--or happens to lead a celibate life1 after a stormy youth in the opposite direction2 or because he studies the ,bhagavat-,gita or the 8,yoga philosophy0 upside down1 that he is a theosophist according to the ,master's hearts8 ,as it is not the cowl that makes the monk1 so1 no long hair with a poetical vacancy on the brow are sufficient to make of one a faithful follower of divine ,wisdom4 ,look around you1 and behold our ,,universal ,brotherhood so called6 ,the ,society founded to remedy the glaring evils of christianity1 to shun bigotry and intolerance1 cant and superstition and to cultivate real universal love extending even to the dumb brute1 what has it become in ,europe and ,america in these eleven years of trial8 ,in one thing only we have succeeded to be considered higher than our ,christian ,brothers1 who1 according to ,lawrence ,oliphant's graphic expression 8,kill one another for ,brotherhood's sake and fight as devils for the love of ,god0--and this is that we have made away with every dogma and are now justly and wisely trying to make away with the last vestige of even nominal authority4 ,but in every other respect we are as bad as they are3 backbiting1 slander1 uncharitableness1 criticism1 incessant war-cry and ding of mutual rebukes that ,christian ,hell itself might be proud of6 ,and all this1 ,i suppose is the ,masters' fault3 ,,they will not help those who help others on the way of salvation and liberation from selfishness--with kicks and scandals8 ,truly we are an example to the world1 and fit companions for the holy ascetics of the snowy ,range6 ,and now a few words more before ,i close4 ,i will be asked3 8,and who are you to find fault with us8 ,are you1 who claim nevertheless1 communion with the ,masters and receive daily favors from ,them2 ,are you so holy1 faultless1 and so worthy80 ,to this ,i answer3 ,i ,,am ,,not4 ,imperfect and faulty is my nature2 many and glaring are my shortcomings--and for this my ,karma is heavier than that of any other ,theosophist4 ,it is--and must be so--since for so many years ,i stand set in the pillory1 a target for my enemies and some friends also4 ,yet ,i accept the trial cheerfully4 ,why8 ,because ,i know that ,i have1 all my faults nothwithstanding1 ,master's protection extended over me4 ,and if ,i have it1 the reason for it is simply this3 for thirty-five years and more1 ever since #ahea that ,i saw any ,master bodily and personally for the first time1 ,i have never once denied or even doubted ,him1 not even in thought4 ,never a reproach or a murmur against ,him has escaped my lips1 or entered even my brain for one instant under the heaviest trials4 ,from the first ,i knew what ,i had to expect1 for ,i was told that1 which ,i have never ceased repeating to others3 as soon as one steps on the ,path leading to the ,ashrum of the blessed ,masters--the last and only custodians of primitive ,wisdom and ,truth--his ,karma1 instead of having to be distributed throughout his long life1 falls upon him in a block and crushes him with its whole weight4 ,he who believes in what he professes and in his ,master1 will stand it and come out of the trial victorious2 he who doubts1 the coward who fears to receive his just dues and tries to avoid justice being done--,,fails4 ,he will not escape ,karma just the same1 but he will only lose that for which he has risked its untimely visits4 ,this is why having been so constantly1 so mercilessly slashed by my ,karma using my enemies as unconscious weapons1 that ,i have stood it all4 ,i felt sure that ,master would not permit that ,i should perish2 that he would always appear at the eleventh hour--and so he did4 ,three times ,i was saved from death by ,him1 the last time almost against my will2 when ,i went again into the cold1 wicked world out of love for ,him1 who has taught me what ,i know and made me what ,i am4 ,therefore1 ,i do ,his work and bidding1 and this is what has given me the lion's strength to support shocks--physical and mental1 one of which would have killed any theosophist who would go on doubting of the mighty protection4 ,unswerving devotion to ,him who embodies the duty traced for me1 and belief in the ,wisdom--collectively1 of that grand1 mysterious1 yet actual ,brotherhood of holy men--is my only merit1 and the cause of my success in ,occult philosophy4 ,and now repeating after the ,paraguru--my ,master's ,,master--the words ,he had sent as a message to those who wanted to make of the ,society a 8miracle club0 instead of a ,brotherhood of ,peace1 ,love and mutual assistance--8,perish rather1 the ,theosophical ,society and its hapless ,founders10 ,i say perish their twelve years' labour and their very lives rather than that ,i should see what ,i do to-day3 theosophists1 outvying political 8rings0 in their search for personal power and authority2 theosophists slandering and criticizing each other as two rival ,christian sects might do2 finally theosophists refusing to lead the life and then criticizing and throwing slurs on the grandest and noblest of men1 because tied by their wise laws--hoary with age and based on an experience of human nature milleniums old--those ,masters refuse to interfere with ,karma and to play second fiddle to every theosophist who calls upon ,them and whether he deserves it or not4 ,unless radical reforms in our ,american and ,european ,societies are speedily resorted to--,i fear that before long there will remain but one centre of ,theosophical ,societies and ,theosophy in the whole world--namely1 in ,india2 on that country ,i call all the blessings of my heart4 ,all my love and aspirations belong to my beloved brothers1 the ,sons of old ,aryavarta--the ,motherland of my ,,master4 ,h4 ,p4 ,,blavatsky4 ,,lines ,,from ,,lower ,,levels4 ,many will turn from this heading4 ,whether they really live upon the upper levels or only imagine such to be their dwellings1 these words are probably mute to them4 ,a laggard in the great race1 one who has only just rounded the starting buoy in stress of weather1 here signals to his unseen companions amid heavy seas4 ,if a score of blind men1 turned loose to beat the city's by-ways1 should meet and compare mischances1 some light would presently dawn among them4 ,we are not isolated in spiritual experience4 ,though ,falsehood wears myriad masks1 when ,truth looks in1 she turns the same face on all4 ,it is of the beginning of the ,way that ,i speak4 ,confusions and perplexities beset us4 ,most of these are of our own conjuring4 ,the insidious canker of ,doubt is first1 is worst of all4 ,better stop right where you are for a lifetime than advance with this moral leprosy unexterminated4 ,it will spread through future existences until it has eaten the heart to the core4 ,now it is in our power4 ,wrestle boldly with every doubt until you have converted it to a certainty2 thus you force it to bless you in departing1 as ,jacob did the ,angel4 ,why should we doubt8 ,the day on which ,i first heard of the ,wisdom-,religion is for me set apart like a potent jewel in the crest of ,time4 ,my thought salutes its messengers with the grand old words1--8,how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings1 that publisheth ,peace40 ,the ,peace of this religion is the proof absolute of its ,wisdom4 ,our vitality is exhausted with the life struggle2 it seems a dead pull against the current4 ,reason tells us we ought to be able to move with the stream4 ,man has a false idea of his own requirements2 this is why possession satiates all4 ,we are ignorant that the desire for ,unity lies hidden in the deeps of every human heart4 ,this is the ,truth at the bottom of the well2 it is the basic need of all mankind4 ,recognise it1 and you may sweep unwearied along the resistless current of evolutionary progress4 ,we begin to realize the inability of existing creeds to sound and explain our ,being4 ,every one of us craves a belief which shall not be a formula1 but ,life itself1 which shall develop and complete the constituency of lives4 ,our religions violate the golden rule of ,architecture1--8,ornament construction2 do not construct ornamentation40 ,their slight framework is florid with theological detail1 garlanded with the varying ideals of centuries4 ,not so does the ,master ,builder plan4 ,yet the keystone of each arch is the ,truth manifest in the ,past1 that ,truth which still bears witness to ,divinity to the new ,age4 ,when men meet their belief in every department of life1 when it assists them on every plane1 so that they eat better1 sleep better1 love better1 create better and die better by it1 then will it be a vital law to them1 not a garment to be laid aside on work days4 ,theosophy does all this4 ,it informs every deed1 makes of each fact a new revelation1 and testifies to more religion in one chapter of ,natural ,philosophy1 than in all the sermons of next ,sunday4 ,study these grand similitudes and we find how single is ,truth1 so that the three great laws of ,motion are also those of ,emotion1 and ,newton spoke for my heart1 as well as for the universe4 ,all life is thus related2 if you doubt the validity of theory or action1 test them by this law of correspondence4 ,do ,i revolt from the rule of gentle procedure in the teeth of wrath or abuse4 ,i recall the axiom of mechanics1--8,motion seeks the line of least resistance10--and my moral force proves itself perpetual motion by its avoidances of friction4 ,truth is the same in every part4 ,you shall pass every beam of thought through this prism2 if it is a pure ray each component will have its distinct value on its own plane1 and all will blend again to ,light4 ,sometimes we are chilled as by a sense of isolation from the main body of our kind4 ,this is imaginary2 you shall not think we are few1 or stand alone4 ,even now the thoughtful listener hears the soughing of the rising flood of ,public ,opinion4 ,this was the mainstay of ,science in her late tilt with the ,church4 ,the ,people1 weary of barren ,theology demanded in facts1 in laws1 the manifestation of the ,divine4 ,now it begins to call ,science to account for her limitations4 ,do we doubt the bubbling interest in ,psychology8 ,we should scan our newspapers1 novels1 magazines1 boudoir gossip even1 to feel the pulse of the general tide4 ,science yields so far to the pressure as to explain why she cannot or does not make thorough and sustained psychical investigations1 and with a blunt1-- 8so much the worse for you10 the public turns expectantly to the broader or younger men who better gauge the tendency of our time4 ,this tendency is to coperation1 to unification4 ,science and ,religion are one1 are ,truth1 and blindness is the portion of those who dismember her kingdom4 ,a pertinent case is that of a physician well known to ,new ,york clinics who used his mesmeric power in putting patients to sleep in the presence of his students and maintaining their complete unconsciousness during painful operations1 thus carried to successful conclusions without the dangerous drawback of anesthetics4 ,less gifted confreres frowned down the 8irregularity40 ,this is a thinking ,age1 and men are losing confidence in the judgment of scientists whose biased attitude would bar them from jury service in the pettiest court of the land4 ,again there are those who are tried by the mistakes1 the treachery1 or the public misunderstanding of other adherents of ,theosophy4 ,what does it matter8 ,the world swung on while ,galileo recanted1 and though a disciple betrayed his ,master1 the ,christian world still kneels4 ,our noblest opponents are often unconscious ,theosophists1 judging them by their fervid search for ,truth4 ,when their hour strikes1 they will find her2 meanwhile ,wisdom needs no converts4 ,man passes2 ,truth is1 and needs no concern of ours4 ,do nut think either that the ,wisdom-,religion is only for the strong or the intellectual2 it is for all4 ,food is meant to sustain life1 and ,love to develop it1 but excess in either may kill4 ,so those whose nature is morbid1 exaggerate the aspect of ,truth and go mad of their own phantasms4 ,every ,science1 every ,art1 every ,religion has its list of these moral suicides and those who confront you with it are like the old nurses who scare children from the jam closet with 8bogies40 ,i said that we breed our own perplexities4 ,take the first day of the new life1 when with fledgling resolves aflutter we come glowing and resolute down the stairs4 ,we had ordered a spartan meal which ,love has spared us4 ,frowning1 we order the dainties away and sit reflecting on the encumbrances of earthly affection2 wounded1 it leaves our side4 ,our plain food comes2 it is ill cooked and the retarded servant has a scowl which we resent3 the household jangles and jars4 ,the meal has not refreshed us1 and the lack of the soothing but condemned cigar brings our irritability to a head4 ,we hasten to lock ourselves into the study for meditation2 but a bird sings in at the window1 and ,love's voice pleads at the door4 ,we shut out the song and chide the syren4 ,why is our heart so heavy now when bent on eternal things8 ,knocking6 ,we open with a martyr face4 ,a friend is there1 a dogged churchman2 his salvation is in our hands6 ,he chats of the weather1 our club1 state politics4 ,we broach a higher theme1 we denounce1 cut and thrust1 argue4 ,surprised he listens in courteous silence1 and as he leaves us we remember too late that he too cherishes his religion1 we curse the follies of the wretched day and call ,theosophy for the nonce 8impracticable40 ,brothers6 the man of creeds who can hear our dogmatism with self control is perhaps nearer the ,essential than we are4 ,he who plunges into restraints which unhinge and irritate him is no better than the man who loses his reason through drink4 ,both lack moderation1 the result is the same1 and we have only to do with results4 ,devote your thoughts to ascetic meals1 and no ,lucullus of the town is more prostrate before his viands than yourself4 ,moderation declares the sage4 ,accept all that comes with equal content1 the thought held high above all4 ,when the daily functions are fulfilled ,i have done nothing2 the soul is no participant in these4 ,advance towards the ,eternal and the ,transient will imperceptibly drop away from you4 ,no shirking of the duties of our position avails4 ,comrades6 ,the battle field is there where the long roll finds you standing4 ,your past acts enlisted you under just that flag2 fight it out there6 ,the universal charge is carried through the vigor of individuals1 each acting from his own headcentre and not from that of another4 8,the duties of a man's own particular calling1 although not free from faults1 is far preferable to the duty of another1 let it be ever so well pursued40#adg ,on this plane we are a body militant2 on the next plane we shall transform this activity1 but as long as individuality exists1 it would seem that each must move in an orbit of his own4 ,there is as much egotism in snatching at the burden not meant for us1 as in refusing that which is4 ,do all necessary acts promptly and with your best ability1 abandoning at once all care for the result4 ,do you say this is not ,theosophy8 ,you mistake4 ,true ,theosophy is everything that elevates or aids mankind1 were it but the singing of a ballad to lighten another's toil4 8,it is not that you must rush madly or boldly out to do1 to do4 ,do what you find to do4 ,desire ardently to do it1 and even when you shall not have succeeded in carrying out anything but some small duties1 some words of warning1 your strong desire will strike like ,vulcan upon other hearts in the world1 and suddenly you will find that done which you had longed to be the doer of4 ,then rejoice1 that another had been so fortunate as to make such a meritorious ,karma4 ,thus like the rivers running into the unswelling passive ocean1 will your desires enter into your heart40 ,drop this concern for ephemera and forms2 heed essentials only4 ,get to the centre of every vital fact and live there as at the heart of an opal1 darting forth prismatic rays of ,love and ,faith upon all created things4 ,if we set out upon a journey to lands unknown1 we should observe the inhabitants1 gathering the spirit of their laws from their manners1 ourselves courteous yet cautious with all4 ,so in this passage to the unseen1 that which is essential is the spirit of things4 ,what affair is it of mine if this man glows with gratified desire1 or that woman shines in undue laces and coquetries8 ,do ,i know the principles of their constitution8 ,can ,i vouch that these errors are not the mere husk of habit1 which dropping off may reveal a larger kernel of ,virtue than ,i possess8 ,nor will ,i hastily become the spiritual bondsman of him who stands above me4 ,he has not exhausted the sum of ,truth2 to-morrow ,i shall find a fraction of my own4 ,all these finical distinctions are not of the ,eternal4 ,the substratum of all things is ,wisdom4 ,the twist of ,failure has its strands of silver4 ,the pratings of the fool dissuade men from folly4 ,i have never done anything of myself3 a clarion impulse commands my best deeds2 high thoughts radiate to me from ,i know not what sphere4 ,ask yourself before friend or foe1--8,how does the spirit manifest in him80 ,for above and below it manifests equally4 ,the undeviating brute1 true to its every principle1 has a volume of teaching for us4 ,we cannot read until we know the alphabet and ,nature holds our primer daily before us4 ,do not hawk ,truth about to the careless crowd4 ,not because you belittle it1 7that is impossible17 nor yet yourself1 7that is immaterial17 but because you must hold fast in silence to all that you possess to support you in the tests of the future4 ,nor is ,truth a nostrum to be forced down the unready throat4 ,thereby you disgust a man with ,truth2 who covets that responsibility8 ,ah1 gentle hearts and virile minds6 ,are you wounded by the wantonness of those you long to save8 ,these errors are perhaps their appointed teachers in your stead4 ,error is not exempt from the law6 ,can ,love check a cyclone in mid career1 or does ,reason outrun the whirlwind8 ,desire has a lustier voice than yours4 ,let these errant ones wisely alone4 ,presently when success is at an ebb1 or the complacent ,ego is stung by pride or pain1 they will hear the low plaint of the soul4 ,then1 their state related to yours1 they will turn to you as the heliotrope to the sun4 ,trust to the law of spiritual affinity4 ,he for whom you have a thought will be attracted to you for it2 he will in some way ask it of you4 ,distrust the intellect in these replies4 ,only the dwellers of the upper levels draw their thought crystal pure from the ,fountain-head of ,mind4 ,below1 sympathy is the universal solvent2 its ardent fusion welds mankind4 ,speak to me in our common language2 it is that of the heart4 ,you cannot so much as tie up a straying rosetree without sympathy4 ,try it1 and the tender shoots are nipped as by a frost4 ,do you say that it is hard that you should not help others8 ,perhaps you only want to help them in your own way4 ,the difference between loving a man for himself1 and loving him for myself1 is the difference between 8heaven0 and 8hell40 ,there is no hell but that which we create in our hearts1 and selfishness is its yawning portal4 ,effort for ,wisdom is help for all2 he who thinks wisely does a deed of beneficence4 ,beneath generous yearnings lurks sometimes the wish that this 8,i10 shall become influential or admired1 have clients and suitors in the anteroom4 ,lest ,i deceive myself ,i will mutely speed my good wishes to all4 ,only when we have learned how to preserve a wise silence1 will the first stammerings of speech come to us4 ,speak then from your own knowledge1 simply1 without trying to adorn ,truth4 ,many of our most valued writers are at times too transcendent1 too erudite for us of the lower level4 ,as the great orator or actor sees one face grow towards his from out the vast field of faces1 and concentrating his burning purpose into that focus1 sees streaming thence the homogeneous force which electrifies the throng1--so ,i would have each writer among you address his thought to some especial comrade within his mind1 that you may drop this mantle of remoteness1 and let us feel you tense and vibrant with helpfulness1 pressing close to our side4 ,the ,west needs a more ringing note than the mystic ,orient mind4 ,let the spirit of your nation speak through your work and to your fellows every word will be an occult charm4 ,why are we so impatient that we do not receive the accolade of accepted duty from those ,royal ,souls who procede us on the ,way8 8,they also serve who only stand and wait40#adh ,he who cannot wait contentedly may be sure he cannot serve4 ,we must master the diurnal before we can overcome the spiritual4 ,some say that a heroic deed is easier than submission to pinpricks4 ,we may survive ,niagara when a drop of water per second on the brain is madness4 ,friends2 the struggle for the ,eternal is not one daring deed nor yet hundreds of them4 ,it is a calm unbroken forgetfulness of the lower self for all time4 ,begin it on your present plane4 ,you have within you the same guide that the ,masters possess4 ,by obeying ,it1 they have become what they are4 ,hark6 ,a voice resounds within4 8,know thy true ,self2 it is thy guide40 ,if the voice seems silent1 it is perhaps because you ask with the mind only1 which is a higher kind of curiosity4 ,when a spiritual need cries out within you1 the answer will come with a flash to the reverent listener4 ,but in all the three worlds there is no power to save you but your own4 ,when we have exhausted the possibilities of growth on our present plane1 we rise naturally to a higher level4 ,if here we find a ,master1 it is because we have come into the region where he dwells4 ,better than desiring to deserve is deserving to desire4 ,of this be sure4 ,all that is rightfully yours will come to you4 ,so reads the ,law4 ,as a mountain climber leans forward1 treads zig-zag1 counteracting gravity and the air's resistance1 so shall you walk with care4 ,we do not know what moral resistance we arouse1 what unseen evil lurks near1 what stone our passage may loosen to fall on those below4 ,we do not know the delicate adjustment of this aerial world4 ,keep eyes and mind fixed on the heights above1 lest the yawning abyss from which you rose1 attract you4 ,distrust your emotions1 your thoughts above all4 ,an insidious thought1 like a traitor in the fortress1 tends outward to the legions of evil and would deliver you up to them4 ,who knows where the ripples of a hasty thought may end8 ,we are pledged by our theosophic vow to do naught that can dishonor our ,society4 ,what more dishonoring than unjust1 angered or vagrant fancies which corrupt the atmosphere of others and may breed a moral pestilence4 8,he that hateth his brother is a murderer40#adi ,perhaps there are times when this is literally true4 8,if he does not love his brother whom he hath seen1 how can he love ,god1 ,whom he hath not seen80 ,pass this word along the line2--8,eternal vigilance is the price of safety40 ,you who are inclined to dispute these thoughts1 do better2 ignore them4 ,they are a life experience1 not meant for you who have it not1 nor are you once named herein4 ,they are true from one standpoint and for those upon the same plane4 ,hereafter all must alchemize virtues and vices alike4 ,be not discouraged at these necessary transitions2 they do not convict you of radical error4 ,give me an unknown seed2 its potentiality is a secret from me1 but in faith ,i plant and tend it4 ,as it waxes to the budding glories of branch and flower1 and thrills with the fecund boon of fruitage1 ,i am no whit the loser1 and hidden at the root of this larger heritage1 the same seed remains life bestowing and true4 ,thus ,knowledge is not final2 it must expand and germinate or it is but a dead thing4 8,veil upon veil shall lift1 but there shall be veil upon veil behind40#aej ,does he who writes thus always follow his own teachings8 ,no6 ,a hundred1 a thousand times1 no6 ,deluded1 he climbs by devious paths and from the very brink of attainment1 falls6 8,jove strikes the ,titans down4 ,not when they set about their mountain piling1 but when one stone more would complete the work40#aea ,then with toil and pain he rises and cons the chart once more4 ,beloved ,brothers6--and there is nowhere one so lost1 so estranged1 so low or so great whom this name does not call--he will have received these blows to a benign purpose1 if their teachings shall roll away a single stone from your upward path4 ,j----4 ,,poetical ,,occultism4 ,,some ,,rough ,,studies ,,of ,,the ,,occult ,,leanings ,,of ,,the ,,poets4 ,,iii4 ,many will find in ,whitman1 the fullest measure of mystic truths1 plainly and significantly stated1 to be met with in any modern poet4 ,for instance1 a recognition of the reality of ,reincarnation1 and of its necessity1 constantly recurs in his poems4 ,passages like these attest it3 8,believing ,i shall come again upon the earth after five thousand years40 ,births have brought us richness and variety1 and other births have brought us richness and variety4 8,and as to you ,life1 ,i reckon you are the leavings of many deaths1 7no doubt ,i have died myself ten thousand times before470 ,in contemplating an idiot he muses3 8,and ,i knew for my consolation what they knew not1 ,i knew of the agents that emptied and broke my brother1 ,the same wait to clear the rubbish from the fallen tenement1 ,and ,i shall look again in a score or two of ages1 ,and ,i shall meet the real landlord1 perfect and unharmed1 every inch as good as myself40 ,are not the 8agents10 mentioned above1 the operations of ,karmic law8 ,among the last lines of the closing poem of his volume are the following3 8,i receive now again of my many translations1 from my avatars ascending1 while others doubtless await me1 ,an unknown sphere more real than ,i dream'd1 more direct1 darts awakening rays about me1 ,so long6 ,remember my words1 ,i may again return40 ,neither rhyme nor verse are essential to true poetry4 ,even words are but its vehicle1 and not the poetry itself4 ,poetry is that manifestation of the mind which excites the imagination and arouses in responsive minds a sense of beauty4 ,all that which does this is poetic in quality3 that which does not1 which awakens no response1 leaving one cold and unimpressed1 is prosaic4 ,poetry1 therefore1 possesses the rythmic quality1 for beauty appeals to no sense1 except through its power of producing rythmic action upon the brain through the nerves of sight1 hearing1 etc4 ,rythm is a product of harmonious vibration and produces the sensation of beauty by its play upon the nerves in a succession of reiterated1 regular groups of impressions4 ,all sensations of ugliness1 etc41 which are the causes of pain and disease1 are due to the discordant impressions made by irregularity in the series of vibrations4 ,thus does strict mathematical law underlie all effects of beauty4 ,all poetry is in some way rythmic1 and arouses rythmic action4 ,the highest poetry is truth made manifest in the guise of beauty4 ,poets have often expressed in verse their feeling of the total inadequacy of words to present to others the sublimity and beauty of the thoughts which at moments occur to them4 ,the poetic temperament is one which enables an approach to that state which some exalted men attain in perfection1 and which is the ultimate destiny of the entire human race4 ,the poet perceives fragments of the ,divine thought as embodied in natural materials2 he reads pages of the great book of ,creation and interprets more or less clearly the significance of the symbols that exist on every hand in growing things1 in things inanimate1 in the waters and the heavens1 and in the thoughts1 sentiments1 passions and emotions of men4 ,in assuming the mental state which may be called the poetic attitude1 he throws himself into rapport with his ,higher self1 his atma1 and thus obtains a glimpse of the eternal truth1 so much of which his memory retains as accords with his personality and with the nature of his mood2 of this he incorporates in poetic form that which his power of expression enables him to give4 ,walt ,whitman characterizes this state in his lines3 8,i lie abstracted and hear beautiful tales of things and the reasons of things1 ,they are so beautiful ,i nudge myself to listen1 ,i cannot say to any person what ,i hear--,i cannot say it to myself--it is very wonderful60 ,the more unconscious one becomes of physical surroundings the more clearly does his mind act2 its operations are attended with less friction4 ,by withdrawing his attention from bodily environment he enters upon the plane of the higher consciousness4 ,this accounts for the greater ease with which mental work proceeds after one has been engaged in it for some little time2 it absorbs his attention so that the surrounding objects and circumstances no longer distract it4 ,in other words1 the mental machinery settles down to smooth running1 after overcoming the various hitches and obstructions attending the starting of the train of thought4 ,everyone knows how earnest devotion to any object makes him oblivious to all else4 ,under such conditions one1 in reality1 loses consciousness and is merged in the object4 ,self1 the illusory ,self1 simply consists in a sense of the existence of the body and the relations borne to it by surrounding objects4 ,therefore1 in concentration of the mind upon the object lies the true secret of power1 and the man who best knows how to do this is the most powerful among his fellows4 ,the best work is that done when one is least conscious of material environment4 ,this accounts for remarkable examples of work done in a somnambulistic state when all consciousness of physical surroundings is lost1 and the ,self becomes so absorbed in the object that on returning to ordinary consciousness it cannot remember the process of its most perfect activity of thought4 ,and yet people refuse to accept the truth of ,reincarnation because they cannot remember1 in this gross physical state1 their former existences through the intervening ,devachanic periods when their consciousness was lifted to a plane above the thralldom of matter6 ,whoever knows anything of ceremonial magic1 whether practically or theoretically1 recognizes the necessity of rythmic action1 or the institutions of a regularly recurring set of vibrations4 ,many will testify to the marvels wrought by the earnest repetitions of a rythmic formula4 ,it seems likely that the transfer of consciousness and the performance of phenomenal feats by ,adepts are wrought by their command of some formula or method which enables them instantly and perfectly to achieve the harmonious condition of mental vibration crudely acquired by novices only by elaborate processes4 ,the logical inference may be drawn that the purpose of the rythmic form of poetry is not only to arouse harmonious thoughts in the minds of hearers or readers1 but is due to the fact that the poet1 by subjecting his mind to a rythmic flow of thought1 opens it to the reception of impressions from the highest source of thought4 ,in the words 8,i nudge myself to listen0 the poet strikingly and graphically depicts the effort to maintain his concentration of mind as he lies abstracted when he feels his attention slipping away from the sublime mysteries which1 in the greatness of their wonder1 are beyond his power to realize in any thoughts he may frame4 ,poets are often unconscious of the full greatness of the truths they reveal after the moment of their receptive state has passed1 but they1 perhaps1 awake to a sense of the true significance of their words years after4 ,this concentration of mind is insisted on in the ,hindu systems in many different ways4 ,it is called by them ,ekkragrata or one-pointedness4 ,in the dialogues the expression is constantly used1 and ,krishna is said to say to ,arjuna 7in ,bagavad-,gita74 8,has thou listened to me with thy mind fixed on one point80 ,it is to bring about such a condition that practitioners of ,hatha ,yoga--which in ,english simply means any practice tending to develop psychical powers1 such as mediumship and the like--prescribe that the ,yogee shall sit with his sight concentrated upon the tip of his nose4 ,and this practice1 although scarcely commendable1 has a scientific basis which shows that the much belittled ,aryans had a wonderful fund of knowledge4 ,the fixing of the eyes upon the tip of the nose puts the focus about three inches from the eyeball1 and that produces first1 concentration1 because of the effort to remain fixed1 and secondly1 a hypnotic state in which trance results with psychic vision and the like4 ,they prescribed it for another reason not likely to be admitted by our science2 three inches from the eyes was said by them to be the clairvoyant point4 ,our poet ,whitman1 whether he was aware of it or not1 constantly enunciated the doctrine of ,karma4 ,in 8,assurances10 to be found in ,leaves of ,grass1 he says3 ,i need no assurances4 ,i am a man who is pre-occupied of his own soul2 ,i do not doubt that from under the feet and beside the hands and face ,i am cognizant of1 are now looking faces ,i am not cognizant of1 calm and actual faces4 ,i do not doubt but the majesty and beauty of the world are latent in any iota of the world4 ,i do not doubt ,i am limitless1 and that the universes are limitless2 in vain ,i try to think how limitless4 ,i do not doubt that the orbs and the systems of orbs play their swift sports through the air on purpose1 and that ,i shall one day be eligible to do as much as they1 and more than they4 ,i do not doubt that temporary affairs keep on and on millions of years4 ,i do not doubt interiors have their interiors1 and exteriors have their exteriors1 and that the eyesight has another eyesight1 and the hearing another hearing1 and the voice another voice4 ,i do not doubt that the passionately-wept deaths of young men are provided for1 and that the deaths of young women and the deaths of little children are provided for4 7,did you think life was so well provided for1 and ,death1 the purport of all life1 not well provided for87 ,i do not doubt that wrecks at sea1 no matter what the horror of them1 no matter whose wife1 child1 husband1 father1 lover1 has gone down1 are provided for to the minutest points4 ,i do not doubt that whatever can possibly happen anywhere at any time1 is provided for in the inherences of things4 ,i do not think ,life provides for all and for ,time and ,space1 but ,i believe ,heavenly ,death provides for all4 ,here he dwells upon the belief that all things are provided for4 ,it would be error to say that he was a fatalist1 just as it is a mistake to hold that the ,mohammedan doctrine of 8,kismet0 is pure fatalism4 ,edwin ,arnold in 8,pearls of the ,faith10 enlarges on that pearl called ,al-,kadar1 in these words3 8,when ye say ,kismet1 say it wittingly1 ,o1 true believers6 under ,allah's throne place is not left for those accursed three1 #8,destiny1' #8,fortune1#8 #8,chance4' ,allah alone ruleth his children3 ,kismet ye shall deem each man's alloted portion 99 99 990 ,and ,whitman plainly states that the provision which is made for all the happenings is a provision existing 8in the inherences of things10 and not a fatalistic decree by an irresponsible ,almighty4 ,he also says that he is limitless4 ,this is the doctrine of the ,upanishads4 ,everyone is limitless1 for ,ishwara1 the ,lord1 dwells in the heart of every mortal being4 ,jesus also1 said2 8the kingdom of heaven is within you40 ,now the kingdom of heaven cannot be apart from ,god1 so that the ,nazarene herein says the same thing as the ,upanishads4 ,again1 in the lines1 8,i do not doubt that interiors have their interiors1 and exteriors have their exteriors1 and that the eyesight has another eyesight1 and the hearing another hearing1 and the voice another voice10 ,whitman might be said to be taking the words from the mouths of those sages who in ancient ,india penned the ,upanishads4 ,in those it is incessantly insisted that these interiors really are the ,universal ,self which is 8the eye of the eye and the hearing of the ear40 ,and a knowledge of that is the key to unlock the doors of glory and praise4 ,as it is beautifully said in ,brihadaranyaka-,upanishad3#aeb 8,this ,self is the footstep of everything1 for through it one knows everything4 ,and as one can find again by footsteps what was lost1 thus he who knows this finds glory and praise40 ,and further1 8,therefore1 now1 also1 he who thus knows that he is ,brahman 7the ,self7 becomes all this1 and even the ,devas cannot prevent it1 for he himself is their ,self40 ,s4 ,b4 ,j4 ,,apollonius ,,and ,,the ,,mahatmas4 ,,read ,,before ,,the ,,malden ,,branch1 ,t4 ,s4 7,concluded47 ,when ,apollonius asked about the wise men whom ,alexander the ,great was said to have conquered and then held converse with1 ,phraotes said that they were the ,oxydraks1 a warlike people who claimed ,wisdom though they knew nothing of consequence2 the truly wise men dwelt between the ,hyphasis and ,ganges4 ,had ,alexander gone thither he could not have conquered them1 even with ten thousand ,achilles and thirty thousand ,ajaxes4 8,for they fight not in battle against advancing enemies1 but being holy men1 beloved by ,god1 they repulse them through aerial apparitions and lightning flashes40 ,when ,apollonius took his departure ,phraotes gave him the following significant letter to the ,brahmins3 8,the ,king ,phraotes greets his teacher ,iarchas and the ,wise men with him4 ,apollonius1 the wisest of men1 regards you as wiser than himself1 and comes to learn from you4 ,let him not depart without knowledge of all which you yourselves know4 ,for thus nothing of your wisdom will be lost2 since no one speaks better than he1 or has a truer memory4 ,let him also behold the throne whereon ,i sat when thou1 ,father ,iarchas1 gavest me my kingdom4 ,his attendants also deserve praise for their attachment to such a man4 ,be thou happy4 ,be happy all of you40 ,when they came near the hill where the wise men dwelt their guide was filled with fear1 for the ,indians stood more in awe of these men than of their own ,king1 and the ,king who ruled the land where they lived was accustomed to consult them about everything he said or did4 ,when near a village not a stadium from the hill1 a youth approached them1 blacker than any ,indian1 with a gleaming1 moon-shaped mark between his eyebrows4 ,he bore a golden anchor1 which in ,india took the place of the ,herald's staff4 ,he addressed ,apollonius in ,greek1 which did not astonish him1 since all the dwellers in the village a lamasary8 spoke that tongue1 but it did astonish the others to hear their master called by name2 ,apollonius1 however1 it filled with confidence as he remembered the purpose of his journey4 8,we have come to men truly wise10 he said to ,damis1 8for they have a fore-knowledge of things40 ,asking the youth what was to be done1 he was told3 8,those with you remain here2 thou1 however1 shalt come just as thou art1 for so ,they command40 ,in this ,they ,apollonius recognized ,pythagorean language and he followed with joy4 ,in one of his conversations with the ,egyptian ,gymnosophists1 years afterwards1 ,apollonius thus characterized the wise men of ,india3 8,i saw the ,indian ,brahmins who dwell upon the earth and not upon the earth2 in a strong fortress though unfortified2 and1 without possessions1 possessing everything40 ,the deep1 interior significance of this is evident to a ,theosophist4 ,damis1 in the matter-of-fact way often customary with him1 also gives these words a literal interpretation1 saying that they had their bed upon the earth and strewed the ground with herbs selected by themselves2 he himself had seen them floating in the air two ells above the earth2 not for hocus pocus--for they despised vain striving--but in order1 by thus floating with the sun1 to be near and pleasing unto the god4 ,this was what was meant by 8upon the earth and not upon the earth40 ,the strong fortress1 unfortified1 meant the air in which they dwelt1 for although they appeared to live under the open heaven1 they spread a shadow over themselves1 were not wet by the rain1 and were in the sunshine whenever they wished4 ,and since they obtained everything the moment they wished it1 ,apollonius rightly said that they possessed what they did not possess4 8,they wear their hair long1 they bind a white mitra around their heads1 their feet are bare4 ,the form of their clothing resembles that of a sleeveless under-garment2 the material is a wool produced by the earth of itself1 white like the ,pamphylian1 but softer1 and so fat that oil flows from it4 ,of this they make their sacred garments1 and when another than these men seeks to gather this wool the earth will not release it4 ,by the power of the ring and the staff which they bear every thing can be done1 but both are kept as a secret40 ,this personal description by ,damis corresponds in certain particulars with what we are told of the ,masters to-day4 ,the account of the wool leads some commentators to believe that asbestos is meant4 ,iarchas welcomed ,apollonius in ,greek and asked him for the letter from ,phraotes2 when ,apollonius wondered at his gift of prescience he remarked that a delta was lacking in the letter1 left out by mistake1 and so it proved4 ,after reading the letter ,iarchas asked3 8,what dost thou think of us80 ,and ,apollonius replied3 8,as no other person in the land whence ,i came1 as my journey hither shows40 8,what makest thou think that we know more than thou dost80 8,i believe10 answered ,apollonius1 8that your knowledge is deeper and much more divine40 ,iarchas hereupon said3 8,others are accustomed to ask the new comer whence he comes and for what purpose2 the first sign of our wisdom shall be this3 that the stranger is not unknown to us4 ,so then1 test this30 ,hereupon he told ,apollonius his history from father and mother down1 what he had done in ,aeg1 how ,damis had come to him1 what things of importance had happened on the way1 etc4 ,as ,apollonius asked in surprise whence came that knowledge1 ,iarchas answered3 8,thou also camest gifted with this wisdom1 but not yet with all of it40 8,and wilt thou teach me all thy wisdom80 asked ,apollonius4 8,by all means1 and in ungrudging abundance1 for this is wiser than miserly to conceal that which is worthy of knowing4 ,besides1 ,apollonius1 ,i see thou hast been richly gifted by ,mnemosyne1 and she is the one among the gods whom we most love40 8,dost thou also behold10 asked ,apollonius1 8of what manner my nature is80 8,we see all peculiarities of the soul1 for we know them by thousandfold indications10 replied ,iarchas4 ,when mid-day came they rose in the air and did homage to the sun4 ,the youth who bore the anchor was then told to go and provide for the companions of ,apollonius4 ,swifter than the swiftest of birds he went and returned1 saying3 8,i have provided for them40 ,he was then commanded to bring the throne of ,phraotes1 and when ,apollonius had seated himself thereon they continued their conversation4 ,iarchas told him to ask what he wished1 for he had come to men who knew all things4 ,apollonius asked if they knew themselves1 for he believed that they1 like the ,greeks1 held knowledge of self to be difficult4 ,but ,iarchus answered with an unexpected turning3 8,we know all things1 because first of all we know ourselves2 for no one of us can approach this wisdom without first attaining knowledge of self40 ,apollonius asked further1 what they held themselves to be8 8,gods10 answered ,iarchas4 8,and wherefore80 8,because we are good men40 ,apollonius found so much wisdom in this saying that he made use of it in his speech of defence before the ,emperor ,domitian4 ,they talked about the soul and reincarnation1 and ,iarchas told him that the truth was 8as ,pythagoras taught you1 and as we taught the ,egyptians40 ,they spoke about the previous incarnation of ,apollonius as steersman of an ,egyptian ship1 in which capacity he had refrained from following the inducements held out by pirates to let his vessel come into their hands4 ,concerning this ,iarchas said that refraining from unrighteousness did not constitute righteousness4 ,the ,king came to visit the ,brahmins and a wonderful feast was prepared for him2 everything came of itself3 ,pythian tripods1 and automatic attendants of black bronze1 the earth spread out herbs softer than beds to recline on1 delicate viands appeared in orderly succession1 etc4 ,the accounts of these phenomena occasioned great remark during the subsequent career of ,apollonius1 and people would persist in mixing them up with the teachings of the master just as to-day they inextricably confound ,madame ,blavatsky's famous cup and saucer with ,theosophy4 ,but we are told that ,apollonius did not concern himself with phenomena2 when he saw these wonderful things he did not ask how they were done1 nor to be taught to do them1 but he contented himself with admiring them4 ,and we are also told that the marvelous things he did were not accomplished through ceremonial magic1 but through the perfection of his wisdom4 ,damis was subsequently allowed to come to the ,brahmins and when he asked about the composition of the world and the four elements they replied that there were five--the fifth being ether1 which was to be regarded as the primal source of the gods4 8,for everything that breathes the air is mortal2 that which drinks the ether is immortal and divine10 said ,iarchas4 ,he also said that the world was to be regarded as a living being of both sexes1 having a more ardent love for itself than that of one person to another1 being united and bound to itself4 ,damis learnt much from his intercourse with the ,brahmins1 but he wrote that at the secret discourses ,apollonius was alone with ,iarchas1 and from there originated the four books written by the former4 ,iarchas1 said ,damis1 gave ,apollonius seven rings bearing the names of the seven planets1 and ,apollonius wore them one after the other according to the name of the day of the week4 ,the foregoing is an incomplete account of the remarkable journey and experience of ,apollonius1 as is necessitated by the limits of a brief article4 ,many passages of deep wisdom have had to be passed over1 and many remarkable things are told1 hard to understand1 but which1 there is reason to believe1 have an occult significance4 ,s4 ,b4 ,,teachings ,,of ,,the ,,master4 ,,recorded ,,by ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,authors ,,of 8,,man3 ,,fragments ,,of ,,forgotten ,,history40 7,copyrighted47 ,the master walked beside the river at evening-time4 ,in the instant that his signal was recognized he walked no longer alone4 ,by his side appeared one--as a little child clinging close to his garments4 ,the master said--8,when you have obtained mastery over the senses then you will no longer totter in your step or falter in your flight4 ,realize the divine atma within you4 ,realize it60 he repeated1 and then raising his hand slowly upward the stature of the child lengthened until a man's proportions were outlined4 ,only this form could hold the expanded soul4 ,disenthralled the soul perceived a world with every pulsation and in every faculty there was absolute harmony4 ,this was divine4 ,this is man's rightful condition into which only the ,mahatmas have fully come2 but to which every one is heir4 ,the ,mahatma teaches with the thought unexpressed1 but formulated in his own mind and sent with sudden power1 into yours4 ,it strikes with resounding force against the spirit's prison house4 ,in great agony the pupil cried out3 8,master6 ,master6 redeem me from this state with your great power40 ,the ,master answering said3 8,burst by concentration of spiritual energy the bonds that bind you40 ,no pen can describe the force of the ,master's thought4 ,for the instant it seemed possible2 a moment's hesitation to make the effort through mortal fear1 and the supreme moment was passed4 ,the ,master looked sadly upon his suffering disciple and then was alone again4 ,the latter had gone back to try again through duty--if need be through death4 ,,the ,,lesson4 ,the pupil goes to the ,master without conditions4 ,he goes1 but not to return4 ,the illusions of matter are dispelled for him and thenceforth he is a stranger in the world of actions1 even though he should be in it again4 ,fiery is the furnace of probation1 and great is the danger when the neophyte has reached the 8states of exaltation40 ,about each advance step wait the enemies of the spirit--to overthrow its sovereignty and hurl it back to the plane of matter4 ,these enemies live in matter and are persuaded that their existence is confined to it--hence their determination to keep matter from a knowledge of spirit4 ,in darkness and sin is their safety1 for they are children of these conditions and will cease to exist when the lamp that is lighted from within is turned upon the world4 ,temptations are in the way of those who would demand much without deserving even a little4 ,so soon as the student comes in contact with the occult he encounters on the threshold the demons who loiter by--the demons of worldliness1 inconstancy1 suspicion and faint-heartedness4 ,the student should find in his own intuitions all the proof needed of the existence on this earth of the ,wisdom teachers4 ,behind the screen of the senses reposes the soul of man--an unfathomable factor in the ,universe--as unknown to its possessor as to its observers4 ,intuition is its only avenue of communication1 and the language it speaks is known only to him who understands arcane knowledge or occultism4 ,when the ,master has initiated his pupil he puts the seal of the mysteries upon his lips and locks them even against the chance of weakness or indiscretion4 ,it is the sense of personal isolation that brings on death2 genuine philanthropy puts the individual en rapport with the ,divine ,spirit and thus gives him the eternal life4 ,the ,divine ,spirit being all-pervading1 those who put themselves en rapport with it1 necessarily put themselves en rapport with all other entities in the same rapport4 ,hence1 the ,mahatmas are necessarily in constant magnetic relation with those who succeed in extricating themselves from the lower animal nature4 ,it is by this means that the ,mahatmas must first be known4 ,until the ,master chooses you to come to ,him be with humanity1 and unselfishly work for its progress and advancement4 ,this alone can bring true satisfaction4 ,what is a ,mahatma8 ,is it ,his physical body8 ,no2 for that must perish sooner or later--though it can be preserved through what is to us an endless age4 ,a ,mahatma is one who lives in ,his higher individuality1 and to know ,him truly1 ,he must be known through the individuality in which ,he is centered4 ,knowledge increases in proportion to its use--that is1 the more we teach the more we learn4 ,therefore1 seeker after ,truth1 with the faith of a little child and the will of a ,initiate give of your store to him who hath not wherewithal to comfort him on his journey4 ,a whisper of the divine mystery into the ear of a weary wayfarer frees you from the stain of many evil deeds done in your migrations through matter4 ,philosophy can never be learned through phenomena4 ,try to break through the desire for it4 ,occult students the world over have been warned by their teachers that it is a habit which grows with gratification4 ,it is better to abandon the study than to risk the dangers of black magic4 ,what is ,self8 ,only a passing guest1 whose concerns are all like a mirage of the great desert4 ,man is the victim of his surroundings while he lives in the atmosphere of society4 ,the ,mahatma may be willing to befriend such as he has an interest in1 and yet be helpless to do so4 ,the will of the neophyte1 also1 must be the magnet which alone can compel a ,mahatma's notice4 ,he follows his attractions as the needle does the poles4 ,will and ,purity--these are the qualities which open the arcane to the presence of an adept--mere enthusiastic regard has no effect4 ,feeble souls content themselves with wishes2 great ones have wills4 ,in every man lie concealed the germs of faculties that are never unfolded on earth1 and which have no reference to this state of knowledge4 ,no man can judge another1 save by the measure of his own understanding3 do not injure your own chance for growth by condemning in others the possession of faculties not known to yourself4 ,thought runs swifter than the electric fluid2 every bright aspiration sparkles and attracts the attention of the distant1 but ever-watchful ,master4 8,lay your burden upon the ,lord0--that is1 put your reliance in the ,higher ,self4 ,use the body as a means of strengthening the connection with the spirit and opening the road for its descents4 ,slay ,ambition3 it is a deadly and cowardly foe1 whose power over you is augmented by the approbation of others4 ,it is ,karma that sends you into this world--to which you come alone--that leaves you alone in it and which takes you out of it alone4 ,the law of ,karma is the law of the conservation of energy on the moral and spiritual planes of nature4 ,the body is the mind's portrait4 ,the artist seeing its inharmonies regrets his failure1 but knows not how to improve upon it4 ,this is the spirit's work1 which1 accomplished1 leaves the outward a reflection of the indwelling ,soul4 ,the manna that feeds the spirit is hidden from sight4 ,the universal spirit supplies it4 ,duty is the ,river that flows through life4 ,its tide is silvery to those who are on it1 but threatening to those who approach it seldom4 ,seek to recover your soul4 ,it is the hidden treasure lost in the caverns of sense4 ,its recovery is redemption from many rebirths4 ,the vain and the arrogant demand our pity--the weak and erring our forbearance--the indifferent our sympathy--and the wise1 alone1 our admiration4 ,you have learned of ,krishna that death is better than the performance of another's duty4 ,in persevering in the erroneous idea that we were put here to do the duties of others1 woes have resulted that follow one through many lives4 ,your perception of the inner self is clearer than the vision of the natural eye4 ,earnestly regard the plane upon which you seek truth1 do not expect to secure soul knowledge through the avenues of the senses4 ,karma is like the vine that gathers strength through uninterrupted years1 and which fastens its tendrils so closely that it is as strong as the structure to which it adheres4 ,there is no way to destroy its power except by the separation of the parts1 these parts renew themselves in other forms of life1 but the structure is freed when its root is destroyed4 ,evil thoughts corrode the character4 ,only the spirit has power over character to purify it4 ,we carry the accumulated results of many lives from one to another4 ,this is the clue to the perfect fairness of nature4 ,the apparent injustice of all differences of well-being are explained by the fact that we have known former states of existence4 ,every spiritual effort now made will tell not only now1 but in the next incarnation as well4 ,the clue to many of the great mysteries of life is to be found in reincarnation2 it is the only possible solution of the enigmas of existence4 ,the rule of the ,mahatma is to approach every one where there exists even only the slightest glimmer of the true ,light within him4 ,none are left to perish who desire to be succored4 ,we write in every aspiration for truth1 in thought and deed by day1 and in soul-struggles by night1 the story of our desire for spiritual development4 ,upon the pages of the ,book of ,karma are written the minutest particulars of individual efforts3 when the feeble will is strong enough to prevent further births in this world1 which is the spirit's dream life1 we shall find in ,real existence all the chapters that we have written in all our transitions4 ,only then will we be able to read the whole book through and know the nature of the long journey out of spirit through matter and back again to the ,all4 ,the conflict of intuition against intellect has covered mankind in the crumbling ruin of despair4 ,man will never surrender himself to be the permanent vehicle of any set of ideas unless it completely satisfies the whole of his nature2 the union of intellect and intuition only will end the conflict4 ,take what you can of the teachings1 and in developing devotion keep before you your example--,,the ,,teacher4 ,,the ,,hermetic ,,philosophy4 ,concluded from the ,july ,number4 8,the music of the spheres0 is not a mere figure of speech1 but an actuality4 ,the ,soul of the ,world has its central ,sun whose life throbs pulsate throughout immensity4 ,if we study the phenomena and conditions of either crystallization or organization we shall find that every atom in the vast universe is set to music4 ,there is the pean of life1 and the dirge of death1 the major and the minor key4 ,the rythm is the same whether in the ebb or flow of life1 but the serried columns march in opposite directions4 ,the ,unity lies back of all phenomena in the infinite ocean1 the universal solvent1 as the crystal lies latent1 potential1 unmanifested1 in the solution of salt4 ,so all things exist potentially in the ether4 ,the real form of everything is perfect1 essential1 divine4 ,only the effigy appears with ebb and flow2 with swell and cadence like martial music4 ,only in the ,garden of the ,gods can the perfect flower and fruit appear4 ,there is but one approximation to perfect form to be apprehended by mortals--the ,sphere--and even this is ideal or geometrical1 not actual4 ,the dimensions of space pertain to objects3 objects exist in time1 and the essence of time is motion4#aec ,imagine the intelligence of man posited in an ocean of ,ether1 a thinking principle1 without form or extension1 and the fallacy of space as generally conceived becomes manifest1 and disappears4 ,matter1 space1 time1 and motion1 these pertain to outwardly manifested existence4 ,read backward the genesis of crystal1 plant1 animal or man1 and one plan1 one basis is discovered in all4 8,out from the shore of the great unknown0 come trooping these effigies of diviner being1 these shapes of diviner forms4 ,in the beginning was the ,word1 the ,fiat has gone forth4 ,listen ,o6 man to the music of ,bath ,col the voice of thine own soul4 ,adonai speaks4 ,if thou art conscious1 ,his voice is conscience4 ,it is the memory of the voice of ,god in fields elysian1 thy former divine abode4 ,thou mayest involve in thy life on earth thine ,augoeides1 8being of light10 a 8gleaming brightness40 ,this is thy holy mission1 the meaning of thy human shape1 thy manly powers1 thy subtle intellect1 thy holy intuitions4 ,these are but the seed of larger life1 the bird of promise4 ,the unfolded flower shall be thy highest aspiration1 thy holiest wish1 and its ripened fruit shall bear thee to the garden of the gods1 with knowledge and power as thy servants4 ,ask but thine own soul1 counsel with thy better self1 and if thou findest not within the silence the answering voice1 then return to thy wallowing in the mire1 and the husks which the swine do eat1 rather than to thy father's house which thou hast made1 and will henceforth continue to make a den of thieves1 at best1 a whited sepulchre4 ,now let us read the ,tablet of ,hermes1 bearing in mind the fact that man is an epitome of the universe1 thus actually or potentially containing all that is1 and if he knows how to read and to unfold his own nature1 powers and possibilities1 he may read thereby the universe1 unfold its laws1 comprehend its plan1 and if he be master of himself1 thus revealed to his understanding1 his powers shall be co-extensive with knowledge4 ,he shall possess the ,,masters' ,,word4 ,this tablet is printed in full in ,september ,path at p4 #afg4 ,the reader is referred to ,isis ,unveiled for explanation of the ,azoth to which1 on the physical plane1 the tablet refers1#aed and ,i might say in passing1 that those who complain that the ,brothers closely guard occult secrets1 will do well1 even at this late day1 to read ,isis ,unveiled4 ,there are several matters contained in those two volumes which the careless reader1 and complaining 8theosophist0 has possibly overlooked4 ,in fact there is less concealment in all occult matters than the ignorant and time-serving suppose4 ,there can be no better safe-guards to ,royal ,secrets1 than ignorance and defective vision1 for which defects there is no surgery or remedy outside ourselves4 8,god saith1 ,let the man endued with a mind1 mark1 consider1 and know himself well4 99 99 ,and before they give up their bodies to the death of them1 they hate their senses1 knowing their works and operations4 8,rather ,i1 that am the mind itself1 will not suffer the operations or works1 which belong to the body1 to be finished and brought to perfection in them1 but being the ,porter and ,doorkeeper ,i will shut up the entrances of evil1 and cut off the thoughtful desires of filthy works4 8,but to the foolish1 and evil1 and wicked1 and envious1 and covetous1 and profane1 ,i am far off1 giving place to the revenging demon 99 99 8,for the sleep of the body is the sober watchfulness of the mind1 and the shutting of my eyes1 the true sight1 and my silence great with child2 and full of good1 and the pronouncing of my words the blossoms and fruits of good things4#aee 8,wherefore we must be bold to say that an earthly man is a mortal god1 and that the heavenly ,god is an immortal ,man#aef40 ,compare with this the following from the writings of ,plato3 8,he who has not even a knowledge of common things1 is a brute among men2 he who has an accurate knowledge of human concerns alone1 is a man among brutes2 but he who knows all that can be known by intelligent inquiry is a god among men40 ,in these brief and imperfect outlines enough has been given to show the thoughtful student1 the agreement of the ,hermetic doctrines with the teachings of ,theosophy1 indeed1 any real progress in the comprehension of the one1 may be taken as a key to the other4 ,these1 together with the teachings of the ,kabala1 are but different forms of the ,secret ,doctrine2 none of them are to be fully apprehended by the intellect alone2 but only when the mind is illuminated by the light of understanding1 and the process by which this illumination is to be achieved1 through diligent inquiry1 unselfish work1 and repression of the senses1 appetites and passion1 has been often pointed out1 and is found repeated and reiterated in all these writings4 ,if any1 therefore1 are disposed to complain that they are left to grope in darkness1 they have no one to blame but themselves4 ,to the conscientious student1 the constant wonder is at the richness of the feast spread out on every hand4 ,like a beautiful landscape to the blind1 or music to the deaf1 are the pages of wisdom to the ignorant and selfish4 ,eyes have they but they see not1 ears have they but they hear not1 and so long as they are joined to their idols they may as well be let alone4 ,but to the earnest disciple1 to the true seeker of ,the ,path these are the everlasting verities3 let them run and not be weary1 walk and not faint1 seek1 and they shall surely find1 desire1 and they shall attain1 knock1 and the door of knowledge shall open1 obey1 and they shall in turn command1 labor1 and they shall obtain rest4 8,rest is not quitting ,the busy career1 ,rest is the fitting ,of self to one's sphere4 ',tis the brook's motion1 ,clear1 without strife1 ,fleeting to ocean ,after this life4 ',tis living and serving ,the highest and best1 ',tis onward unswerving1 ,and this is true rest40 ,b4 ,,tea ,,table ,,talk4 ,,thought ,,transference ,,and ,,dreams4 ,have you ever noticed the swiftness of thought transference in cases where the thinker is not consciously projecting his thought to another mind8 ,the writer had lately a notable instance of this4 ,i was seated at the breakfast table1 thinking over an order from ,,the ,,path which had come the night before4 ,it was an order for 8#ajjj words on dreams1 etc40 and not being such stuff as dreams are made of1 ,i pondered intently albeit silently3--8,where the deuce am ,i to get any authentic dreams80 8,mr4 ,julius1 do you like dreams80 ,so spoke a clear young voice at my elbow4 ,it was the voice of ,sue4 ,i am not qualified to judge whether ,sue is a child or a girl4 ,she is1 however1 an embodiment of that young ,america who rules these ,united ,states from ,atlantic coast to ,pacific wave1 and although a bachelor1 ,i respect her accordingly4 ,sue represents my possible fate4 8,dreams60 ,i stammered4 8,what do you know about dreams80 8,me8 ,why ,i have #8em4 ,lots6 ,but only the horrid kind1 you know40 ,i venture to ask1 most respectfully1 what she calls 8the horrid kind40 8,the kind you can't remember1 so's to tell #8em and scare the girls4 ,all mixed up1 you see40 ,here ,sue snaps down the lid of the maple syrup cruet with an air which indicates that the subject is closed4 ,but ,i venture on4 ,i fear ,sue a trifle less than ,i do my ,editor and his demand for contracted copy4 8,what made you think of dreams just now1 ,sue4 if you please80 8,oh6 ,i don't know4 ,they just came spang into my head4 ,perhaps you were thinking about them40 8,why1 my child6 ,you do not mean to say that you believe in thought transference60 8,what's that8 ,some nonsense6 ,what ,i mean is that when ,i'm thinkin' #8bout somethin'1 an #8,i don't want the other girls to talk about it1 ,i put it out of my head1 quick1--7another hot cake1 please17 so they won't get it into their heads too4 ,they always do1 unless4 ,understand80 ,i did indeed4 8,verily out of the mouths of babes and sucklings proceed the words of wisdom40 ,this to myself of course4 ,what ,i said aloud was merely1 8,i should like to hear a real good dream this minute1 a true one40 ,sue gives her head that capable toss4 8,why didn't you ask me8 ,you people always think children don't know anything4 ,guess you've changed your mind since you were a child4 ,anyhow1 ,mrs4 ,d4 was tellin' it t' ,sister an' some ladies1 and it gives your blood a lovely curdle40 ,here ,sue settled herself in her chair and gave herself up with gusto to the joy of curdling my blood4 ,making careful inquiry afterward1 ,i found true1 in all its details1 the dream which ,i now give to my readers4 ,mrs4 ,d4 was at her country place4 ,she dreamed one night that she rose1 and walking to her window looked out upon the familiar scene just then lit by the moon4 ,to her surprise she noticed persons walking two by two across the lawn towards her2 then more people1 many of whom she knew4 ,as she watched this procession1 there came finally a hearse driven by a boy4 ,he stopped the ghastly vehicle under her window1 and raising a scarred face on which the moonbeams played1 he called out2 8,are you ready80 ,mrs4 ,d4 shrieked and awoke1 to find herself in bed and the sport of a dream1 but telling it afterwards to her family she remarked2 8,if ever ,i were to see that boy1 ,i should know him by the awful scars on his face40 ,some time afterward this lady was standing in a hotel corridor1 waiting for the lift4 ,as it rose slowly into view1 she was attracted by the head of the boy running it3 8,where have ,i seen that head80 was her thought1 and so puzzling1 she delayed to step into the waiting lift4 ,just as she moved forward and entered1 the boy turned his face towards her saying3 8,are you ready80 and she saw again those great scars1 and across her inner vision moved that slow funereal scene4 ,sickened1 startled1 she felt an impulse of escape1 and profited by the stoppage of the lift at the next floor to get off1 instead of continuing to a higher floor1 as she had proposed4 ,she paused a few moments to recover herself1 and to reason with herself as well1 when suddenly a horrible crash was heard2 then a dead silence2 afterward the murmur of excited voices4 ,the machinery had broken1 the lift had fallen to the ground floor1 and every person in it had been killed4 ,as ,i thought over this strange story1 the decided young voice streamed on3 8,do you know1 ,mr4 ,julius1 they were discussing it at dinner1 and ,i heard some quite stylish people say they believed it was ,god ,himself warning her4 ,fancy6 ,they weren't church people of course40 ,humanity is divided by ,sue into two classes4 ,class #a4 ,members of ,the ,protestant ,episcopal ,church4 ,class #b4 ,heathen4 ,she finds this very convenient4 ,so1 ,i doubt not1 do many older persons4 8,and what do you think it was1 my child80 8,me8 ,oh1 well6 ,i just think it was her soul1 somehow1 ,mr4 ,julius6 ,why do you stare at me like that8 ,i do believe you know something about it6 ,nobody will ever tell me4 ,put down your coffee cup1 its spilling all over your beard1 and tell me straight off all you know about our souls40 ,but here the ,skye terrier comes bouncing in1 and offers himself for dissection instead4 ,nevertheless1 ,i know a few people1 7and ,i fancy ,,the ,,path knows scores more7 who expect you to tell between the roast and the relev1 all that is known about the soul4 ,go instead to the children1 question their fresh instincts1 their curious methods1 their habitual impulses and freaks1 above all1 their esprit de corps1 and what you learn about occultism from these still plastic minds will surprise you4 ,it has me6 ,,julius4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,remarkable ,,occurrence4 ,this story was told me by my step-father about an uncle of his4 ,the uncle was large1 broad-shouldered1 loved fun1 and yet had strange pre-occupied ways4 ,he was fond of playing strange tricks upon the little ones1 and was known by them all as3 8the--queer uncle40 ,indeed he did not confine his experiments wholly to the small folks4 ,one evening he came into the sitting-room where his sister was1 his face pale1 with great drops of perspiration upon it1 and his whole body shaking as with ague4 ,she asked him what the matter was1 and then said she was glad if he who had been frightening other people all his life1 was really frightened himself4 ,it was sometime before he could speak4 ,at last he said he would tell her what had happened as well as he could4 ,he went into the woods and found a large tree 7,beech1 ,i think7 standing alone4 ,having tied his handkerchief around it1 he placed his back against the tree and took so many paces in a straight line away from it4 ,then without looking towards the tree he walked three times around it--keeping the circle as nearly as possible4 ,the night was very calm with a beautiful full moon4 ,after he had been round it once1 there appeared to be no change4 ,the second time the wind began to blow1 and before he had completed the third circuit1 the moon was overcast and the wind blew a gale4 ,when he had reached the point1 for the third time1 from which he first started1 he turned and faced the tree4 ,soon the wind ceased to blow1 and the moon shone clear4 ,then1 coming in an opposite direction1 he saw a young lady approaching the tree4 ,she walked directly to it1 untied the handkerchief and brought it to him and then disappeared on the spot4 ,upon concluding his narrative he said if ever he should meet that girl he should know her4 ,the moonlight fell upon her face so that each feature was distinctly visible4 ,six months later business called him to another town4 ,while waiting in the parlor of the ,hotel1 before being called to dinner1 the lady he had seen in the forest walked into the room4 ,sometime after he obtained an introduction1 and eventually became engaged4 ,one day while discussing different matters1 he told her of his singular experience in the woods4 8,why0 said she 8at that very time ,i had a most singular feeling1 and fainted40 ,her mother was appealed to and corroborated the fact4 ,she said she was unconscious for such a length of time they thought her dead4 ,the day of the month and the hour corresponded exactly with the time the lady untied the handkerchief and brought it to him in the forest4 ,f4 ,c4 ,,reviews ,,and ,,notes4 ,,the ,,theosophist for ,october is a notably good number of that admirable magazine4 ,madame ,blavatsky contributes the leading article1 8,ancient ,magic in ,modern ,science10 the reading of which makes us eager for the publication of her 8,secret ,doctrine10 the first volume of which1 we learn1 will soon be ready for publication4 ,mohini ,m4 ,chatterji contributes a short article on 8,mother ,ganga10 and his strong tale1 8,sowing and ,reaping10 is concluded4 ,maurice ,fredal writes of ,apollonius of ,tyana1 anent ,mr4 ,tredwell's valuable book on the ,master4 ,it is a 8coincidence0 that the ,october numbers of both ,the ,theosophist and ,,the ,,path should contain articles on ,apollonius1 the two complementing each other4 ,it has been said that the teachings of ,apollonius will have much to do in the new religion which is destined to become the leading faith of the world4 ,col4 ,olcott has a highly interesting article on 8,phantom ,pictures in the ,astral ,light10 in which the various traditions of 8,the ,flying ,dutchman0 are given prominence1 and mention is made of a phantom ship seen from the man-of war which carried the two sons of the ,prince of ,wales on their voyage around the world4 ,two articles of this issue are contributed from ,chicago--a thoughtful essay on 8,theosophy and ,theosophists0 by ,m4 ,m4 ,phelon1 and 8,a ,world-,old ,story ,still ,unlearned10 by ,m4 ,l4 ,brainard1 the ,secretary of the ,chicago ,branch2 an allegory that will take1 and repay1 much pains to discover its true significance4 8,some ,hypnotic ,experiments0 is a valuable scientific article1 and ,miss ,l4 ,s4 ,cook's ideas 8,on ,prayer0 will probably meet approval among all ,theosophists1 who object only to the common forms of prayer1 such as those designed to be 8heard of men0 like the prayers offered up in churches1 and also the requests of people for divine favors which they have done nothing to merit4 ,the ,unpublished ,writings of ,eliphas ,levy1 a mine of occult information1 are continued1 and an article on ,raj ,yoga will be appreciated by students of ,indian philosophy4 ,,madame ,,blavatsky3 ,,incidents ,,in ,,her ,,life4 ,edited by ,a4 ,p4 ,sinnett4 7,london1 #ahhf47 ,price1 #c4jj4 ,these memoirs are of absorbing interest1 containing as they do authentic narratives written by the relatives and friends of ,madame ,blavatsky4 ,they are divided into ten chapters1 beginning with her childhood and ending with the present time when she rests in sickness in ,germany1 and bristle with stories of the most extraordinary character4 ,read in connection with the first article in the present number of this magazine1 they become of greater interest4 ,at page #beg ,mr4 ,sinnett says she was not able to foresee the annoyances in the future4 ,but we think she could see those quite clearly1 and therein lay one of her constant trials3 that she might see those troubles to come and yet refrain from trying to avert them4 ,inquirers can purchase the book through ,,the ,,path4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,announcement4 ,we beg to announce that with this date we sever our partnership4 ,,the ,,path henceforth will be the exclusive property and under the sole management of ,mr4 ,william ,q4 ,judge4 ,,william ,q4 ,,judge1 ,new ,york1 ,dec4 #a1 #ahhf4 ,,arthur ,h4 ,,gebhard4 99 99 99 99 99 8,there is a living creature in heaven which by day has 8,truth0 upon its forehead1 by which the angels know it is day2 but in the evening it has 8,faith0 on its forehead1 whereby the angels know that night is near40--,from the ,kabbalistic book1 ,kitzur-,sh'lh1 fol4 #db1 col4 #b4 ,,om6 ,,footnotes3 #adg ,bagavad-,gita4 #adh ,milton4 #adi ,bible4 #aej ,light of ,asia4 #aea ,browning4 #aeb ,bri-,up4 #a4 ,adh41 #d ,brah41 #g4 #aec #8,we take no notice of time save by its loss'1 i4 e4 its passage or motion4 #aed ,isis ,unveiled1 vol4 ,i4 p4 #ejg1 et seq4 #aee ,pymander1 p4 #cc1 et seq41 edition of #afej4 #aef ,,iv ,book1 p4 #fj4 ,,aum ,but there is another invisible eternal existence1 higher1 deeper1 innermost2 not like this life of sense1 escaping sight1 unchanging4 ,this endures when all created things have passed away4 ,this is the highest walk and very supreme abode4--,bagavad-,gita1 ch4 #h4 ,hear the secret of the wise4 ,be not anxious for subsistence2 it is provided by the maker4 ,when the child is born the mother's breasts flow with milk4 ,he who hath clothed the birds with their bright plumage will also feed thee4--,hitapodesa4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,january1 #ahhg4 ,,no4 #aj4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,,the ,,elementals1 ,,the ,,elementary ,,spirits1 ,,and ,,the ,,relationship ,,between ,,them ,,and ,,human ,,beings4 ,a paper read before the ,aryan ,theosophical ,society of ,new ,york1 ,december #adth1 #ahhf4 ,,by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,bjerregaard4 ,the subject of my paper is 8,the ,elementals1 the ,elementary ,spirits1 and the relation between them and human beings40 ,i will endeavor to give an outline of some of the teachings of the occult science relative to these beings1 their relationship to the universal powers and to us1 and our power over them4 ,in the general statement ,i shall probably not be able to say anything new to students of the occult forces of nature1 except it be in the illustrations ,i shall bring forth from what ,i consider new sources1 from ,leibnitz's ,monadology1 namely3 ,in ,leibnitz's ,monads1 ,i think we may see the very substance of the astral sphere1 in which the elementary spirits 8wrap themselves10 according to a statement in the ,kabbala4 ,we may even see more1 we may even look upon them as the ,elementals themselves4 ,if ,leibnitz's ,monads may be considered not only as ,elementals1 but also the very substance of the astral sphere1 and if it be so1 that according to the ,zohar1 8the spirits1 when they come down clothe themselves with air1 or wrap themselves in elements10 then it becomes a subject of the greatest importance to us how or by what means we may influence the astral sphere1 or in other words1 it becomes very important by what kind of ,monads we are surrounded4 ,as a help to the proper consideration of this momentous question1 ,i shall offer some information regarding the natural auras or objective spheres1 that surround us1 and also some historic facts regarding the use of aromatic vapors1 odors1 c4 ,having come so far with my paper1 ,i shall say a few words about our power over the elementals 8clothed with air and wrapped in elements10 by defining the power of ,mind and by describing those--almost unknown--small nerve centres of the human hand1 called the ,pacinian corpuscles4 ,i shall only stop to define these two tools1 the head and the hand1 and leave out1 for the present1 the third of the human trinity1 the heart4 ,having defined the power of mind and the hand1 ,i shall come to a close with a few suggestions as to the use of these powers regarding the subject under consideration4 99 99 99 99 99 ,elementary ,spirits are defined in 8,isis ,unveiled0 to be 8the disembodied souls4 ,the depraved souls have at some time prior to death separated from themselves their divine spirits1 and so lost their chance for immortality4 ,eliphas ,levi and some other ,kabbalists make little distinction between elementary spirits who have been men1 and those beings which people the elements1 and are the blind forces of nature40 ,the points to mark in this definition are these3 7#a7 ,elementary ,spirits are disembodied souls2 7#b7 they are disembodied souls of the good1 and 7#c7 of the depraved1 i4 e41 of those1 in whom the higher principles have never been developed1 nor even born into light4 ,they are the shades of those who1 by their sins and moral misery1 have closed the most interior principles of the constitution of man1 and having closed the door against them1 have no part in life1 but sooner or later become dissolved and disintegrated in the surrounding elements4 ,in the manifestations common among ,spiritualists1 these ,elementary ,spirits play the most prominent parts4 ,the ,elementals do not4 ,we shall concern ourselves mainly with the ,elementals4 ,elementals are defined in 8,isis ,unveiled0 as 8the creatures evolved in the four kingdoms of earth1 air1 fire1 and water1 and called by the ,kabbalists gnomes1 sylphs1 salamanders1 and undines4 ,they may be termed the forces of nature1 and will either operate effects as the servile agents of general law1 or may be employed by the disembodied spirits--whether pure or impure--and by living adepts of magic and sorcery1 to produce desired phenomenal results4 ,such beings never become men40 ,they are in popular mythology and folktales called by a great many names1 peris1 fauns1 elves1 brownies1 nixies1 c41 c4 ,they are not disembodied human spirits1 but distinct ,creations4 ,they have their homes in the astral sphere but are found commonly on earth4 ,the definition already given from 8,isis ,unveiled0 ,i will amplify by a few lines ,i have extracted and translated from the various works of ,paracelsus3 8,all elements have a soul and are living4 ,the inhabitants of the elements are named ,saganes 7,saganae71 i4 e41 elements4 ,they are not inferior to men2 they differ from men by having no immortal soul4 ,they are the powers of ,nature1 i4 e41 they are the ones who do that which is usually ascribed to ,nature4 ,we may call them beings1 but they are not of ,adam's kin4 ,they eat and drink such substances as in their element serve for eating and drinking4 ,they are clothed1 they marry and multiply themselves4 ,they can not be incarcerated1 and die like the animals1 having no soul40 8,they know all that is going on1 and do often reveal it to men1 who are able to converse with them4 ,but they are very unreliable1 and some are very treacherous4 ,they like children and simple minded persons the best4 ,they avoid drunken and beastly men4 ,they reveal more of their nature to the simple minded and innocent ones than to the learned and arrogant ones4 ,they are rather simple minded themselves40 8,there are more women among them than men1 and a congregation of women is called a ,venus-mount4 ,the fable told about ,tannhauser is no mere tale1 it is true40 ,thus far1 we have1 perhaps1 no difficulty in following ,paracelsus1 but when we read further into his revelations1 our common sense fails to comprehend the mysteries laid open4 ,yet1 ,i will say for myself1 that though ,i can not comprehend it1 ,i can readily apprehend such a state of things as that described in the following words3 8,they can come to us and mix with our society4 ,they can bear us children2 but such children do not belong to them1 they belong to us4 ,we may bring these elemental wives to us by faith1 pure thinking and our image-making powers4 ,when they enter our sphere of existence and copulate with us1 they appear1 on account of their strange manners1 like gods40 8,those that live in the water are called ,nymphs or ,undines1 those in the air ,sylphs1 those of the earth ,pygmies or ,gnomes1 those of the fire ,salamanders4 ,nymphs or ,undines look much like human beings1 the others differ more or less40 8,it is particularly the ,undines or ,nymphs that unite with men4 ,when an ,undine marries a man1 both she and her child become souls40 ,from the ,kabbala we can draw many statements corroborating the testimony of ,paracelsus4 ,in fact all the most valuable teachings we possess1 relative to ,elementals1 as far as they are printed and given to the public1 are derived from the ,kabbala4 ,according to it all activity1 all events1 in ,history and in ,nature1 are in the hands of spirits1 either ,elementals or ,elementary4 ,we find them as ministering everywhere1 from the ,zodiac down to the smallest worm4 ,we find them mentioned by name1 those of the sphere of the ,shechina as well as those presiding over the four elements4 ,in ,jalkut ,chadash it is stated3 8,there is not a thing in the world1 not the least herb1 over which is not set a spirit40 ,the ,kabbalistic work ,berith ,menucha 7by ,abraham1 a son of ,isaac1 a ,jew from ,granada71 their names are given3 ,the spirit that presides over fire is named ,jehuel1 and under him range seven other spirits4 ,prince ,michael is set over water1 and under him rule seven other spirits4 ,jechiel rules over the wild animals and these rule under him4 ,anpiel rules over the birds and two princes rule beside him4 ,hariel controls the cattle and besides him three spirits4 ,samniel rules the creatures of earth and water and ,mesannahel the worms4 ,deliel together with three princes command the fishes2 ,ruchiel and three others1 the winds2 ,gabriel1 the thunder2 ,nariel1 the hailstorm2 ,maktuniel1 the rocks and ,alpiel the fruitful trees1 while ,saroel1 the unfruitful4 ,sandolfon governs men4 ,these names are important1 as you know1 for they are the key to the respective powers of each of these spirits4 ,as stated in 8,isis ,unveiled10 ,eliphas ,levi and other ,kabbalists make no or very little distinction between ,elementals and ,elementary ,spirits4 ,this cannot be right by ,levi to do4 ,there are essential differences4 ,the ,elementals never become men1 nor were they ever men4 ,the ,elementary spirits as defined by ,levi resemble very much such spirits as those we are familiar with in ordinary spiritism4 ,i shall in this paper only give them a passing notice and speak about the ,elementals mainly4 ,from the definition already given1 it is evident that the ,elementals exist in a great variety of forms1 some are mere forces of nature1 pure abstract beings2 others have some kind of body1 at least1 when we speak of gnomes1 sylphs1 undines1 c41 we represent them in figures more or less human4 ,in the ,kabbala and other ,jewish secret books and traditions1 the ,elementals are represented as a middle race of beings1 which1 by a general name1 the ,jews called ,schedim 7the male ,ruchin and the female ,lilin74 ,they are really the lowest and the dregs of the spiritual orders4 ,they are divided into four classes3 7#a7 ,those of ,fire2 these cannot be seen with the eye2 they mean to do good1 and often help men4 ,they understand the ,thora and have communion with the angelic world4 ,they are masters of many of nature's secrets4 ,it was these beings which ,solomon employed1 according to ,mohammedan traditions1 in erecting the temple4 ,we are told1#aeg that 8he obliged the male genii to erect various public buildings1 among others also1 the temple4 ,the female genii he obliged to cook1 to bake1 to wash1 to weave1 to spin1 to carry water1 and to perform other domestic labors4 ,the stuffs they produced ,solomon distributed among the poor40 ,much curious information can be had from these ,mohammedan traditions4 ,solomon1 we are told1 once asked an ,elemental1 who appeared to him in the form of a fish1 as to how many there were of that kind1 and received the following reply3 8,there are of my species alone1 seventy thousand kinds1 the least of which is so large that thou would appear in its body like a grain of sand in the wilderness40 ,we are further told1 that ,solomon1 by means of a certain stone1 8had dominion over the kingdom of spirits1 which is much greater than that of man and beasts1 and fills up the whole space between the earth and heaven40 ,part of these spirits believe in the only ,god1 but others are unbelieving4 ,some adore the fire2 others the sun2 others1 again1 the different stars2 and many of them even water4 ,the first continually hover round the pious1 to preserve them from evil and sin2 but the latter seek in every possible manner to torment and to seduce them1 which they do the more easily1 since they render themselves invisible1 or assume any form they please4 ,solomon desired to see the genii in their original form4 ,an angel rushed like a column of fire through the air1 and soon returned with a host of demons and genii1 whose appalling appearance filled ,solomon1 spite of his dominion over them1 with horror4 ,he had no idea that there were such misshapen and frightful beings in the world4 ,he saw human heads on the necks of horses1 with asses' feet2 the wings of eagles on the dromedary's back2 and the horns of the gazelle on the head of the peacock4 ,astonished at this singular union1 he prayed the angel to explain it to him3 8,this is the consequence10 replied the angel1 8of their wicked lives and their shameless intercourse with men1 beasts and birds2 for their desires know no bounds2 and the more they multiply1 the more they degenerate40 7#b7 ,the second group consists of those of ,fire and ,air2 they are lower in order than the former1 those of ,fire1 but they are good and wise4 ,they are also invisible4 ,they inhabit1 like the former1 the upper regions4 7#c7 ,the third group consists of those of ,fire1 ,air and ,water1 they are sometimes visible to our senses4 7#d7 ,the fourth class is also made of ,fire1 ,air and ,water1 but have besides an element of ,earth in their constitution4 ,they may be fully seen by human eyes4 ,this class and those of the third are of a wicked disposition and deceive men1 and are glad to do us harm4 ,they have no moral sense at all4 ,some of them live in the waters1 some in the mountains and deserts1 and some in filthy places4 ,some of them are hideous to look upon1 and are said to be met with even in open daylight4 ,the two first classes mentioned stand bodily next to men and are very dangerous4 ,they possess extraordinary powers1 standing1 as they do1 between the visible and the invisible worlds4 ,they have some knowledge of the future and are particularly wise in regard to natural things4 ,some of these have in the time past been worshipped as gods and national deities4 ,the ,kabbala is quite emphatic in warnings against them1 saying that they are untrustworthy because 8their natural affinities are towards the lower realms of existence1 rather than the higher40 ,all these elementals1 whatever class they belong to are subject to dissolution4 ,their lives are not centred on an eternal principle4 ,they die--and that is the end of them4 ,it is also worthy of notice that there is a close parallel between the teachings of the ,kabbala on this point with that of the ,vishnu ,purana regarding the composition of the descending order of emanations4 ,according to the ,kabbala1 as we have just heard1 the ,elementals of the first order were pure ,fire1 those of the next were ,fire plus ,air1 those of the next ,fire1 ,air1 and ,water1 while those of the lowest order consisted of ,fire1 ,air1 ,water plus ,earth4 ,each of them as they live on a lower plane add a new element to their constitution4 ,the same law is found in the groupings of the elements according to the ,vishnu ,purana4 ,the purest one is ,ether and has only one property1 sound4 ,the next is ,air which to sound adds touch2 the next is ,fire1 which to sound and touch adds colour2 the next is ,water1 which to the three former adds a fourth1 taste2 the last is ,earth1 which to all the former adds smell1 thus possessing five properties4 ,the harmony in the teachings of these two authorities1 resting as they do on so different a basis is an additional argument for the truths of their teachings on the main subject4 ,thus far ,i have been speaking of ,elementals in the commonly accepted sense4 ,but1 it appears to me that there is another order of beings which also may be called ,elementals1 though perhaps in another sense4 ,i mean the ten ,sephiroth4 ,the ,kabbala teaches that the ,en-,soph 7the ,one without end1 the ,boundless7 is present in the ,sephiroth or 8intelligences10 by means of which creation is effected4 ,these ,sephiroth1 these 8intelligences0 or spheres1 as they also have been called1 these spiritual substances are emanations from the ,en-,soph in which they existed from all eternity4 ,they are emanations1 not creations4 ,a creation implies diminution of strength1 but an emanation does not1 hence the ten ,sephiroth form among themselves1 and with the ,en-,soph1 a strict unity4 ,they are in fact only differing from the ,en-,soph in the same way as light differs from its source1 the fire4 ,they are boundless on one side of their being1 but finite manifestations on the other4 ,they are both infinite and finite4 ,it has been stated that the whole world is like a gigantic tree full of branches and leaves1 the root of which is the spiritual world of the ,sephiroth2 or it is like an immense sea1 which is constantly filled by a spring everlastingly gushing forth its streams4 ,that which thus has been said about the world applies equally to the ,sephiroth4 ,they are like trees rooted in the ,en-,soph1 but blossoming and bearing fruit in the world4 ,they are open within but closed without4 ,though they partake of the divine nature1 they are on the outer side the garments of the ,most ,high4 ,this their outer side is their bodily form1 and it is with this we may come in contact4 ,it is almost blasphemy to call the outer side of the ,sephiroth bodily--for body is to us something very low4 ,let us1 therefore1 beware of attaching anything low or mean to ,body1 when we speak of the ,sephiroth4 ,let us bow down and revere1 for we are in the presence of the ,holy1 even when we in thought rise to the bodily form of the ,sephiroth4 ,the ,sephiroth1 through the divine power immanent in them1 uphold the ,world4 ,they are the ,elemental ,forces of the ,world4 ,through them flows all ,power and all ,mercy4 ,yea1 the ,en-,soph is revealed through the ,sephiroth1 and becomes incarnate in them4 ,it is stated in the ,kabbala that the ,en-,soph1 through various ,sephiroth1 became incarnate in ,abraham as love1 in ,isaac as power1 in ,jacob as beauty1 in ,moses as firmness1 in ,aaron as splendor1 in ,joseph as foundation1 etc4 ,the soul1 notwithstanding its connection with the body1 if it remain uncontaminated and pure1 is able to ascend to the ,kingdom of the ,sephiroth and to 8command them04 ,but great mysteries surround the secrets connected with this power1 and but few have they been who have been pious enough and strong enough to be admitted4 ,that the ,sephiroth are powers1 8,elementals10 and not individual beings is evident from their division into three groups1 intelligence1 animation and matter4 ,each of the three groups is again subdivided1 the first into 7#a7 the ,crown or the inscrutable ,height1 7#b7 the creative ,wisdom1 7#c7 the conceiving ,intellect4 ,the result of the combination of the latter two3 the creative ,wisdom and the conceiving ,intellect1 is in the ,kabbala called knowledge 7 ,logos71 which certainly shows these three ,sephiroph to be spiritual substances1 rather than individualities according to the common acceptation of the term4 ,but it is not enough that we escape the mistakes which we would fall into if we regarded the ,sephiroth as individualities1 we must also beware of regarding them as mere abstractions1 which the terms wisdom and intellect might lead us into4 ,we shall never arrive at the truth1 much less the power of associating with these celestials1 until we return to the simplicity and fearlessness of the primitive ages1 when men mixed freely with the gods1 and the gods descended among men and guided them in truth and holiness4 ,the first group of the ,sephiroth rests in so sublime an atmosphere and so near the ,deity1 that we can know nothing of their nature or activity4 ,the second group of the ,sephiroth exercises its power over the moral world1 and consists of 7#a7 infinite ,grace1 7#b7 divine ,justice1 and 7#c7 ,beauty1 which is the connecting link between ,grace and ,justice4 ,here again we have to do neither with mere moral states nor with abstractions1 but with embodiments of living and moving realities4 ,human eyes can1 however1 neither see them1 nor can human hands touch them1 for they are far removed from them1 existing as they do on another plane of existence4 ,yet1 he who keeps his virtue1 and who knows the key to the chain of existences1 can bring them out from their own realm and into his own and cause them to act4 ,the third group of the ,sephiroth stands in relation to ,matter in the same way as the other two stand to the ,mind and the ,heart1 and may be called ,elementals par excellence4 ,they are called ,firmness1 ,splendor1 primary ,foundation and ,kingdom4-- ,i now wish to engage your attention by describing to you ,leibnitz's ,monads4 ,his monads have all the characteristics of ,elementals1 at the same time1 that they seem to be purely physical molecules4 ,but this very duplicity is an argument for my theory1 that ,leibnitz's monad is a faithful definition of an ,elemental4 ,if it should be proved that they are not ,elementals1 and ,i doubt that that can be proved1 they will at least serve as illustrations as to what an ,elemental is4 ,leibnitz#aeh formulates his conception of substance in direct opposition to ,spinozism4 ,to ,spinoza substance is dead and inactive1 but to ,leibnitz's penetrating powers of mind everything is living activity and active energy4 ,in holding this view he comes infinitely nearer the ,orient than any other thinker of his day or after him4 ,his discovery that an active energy forms the essence of substance is a principle that places him in direct relationship to the seers of the ,east4 ,this fact1 that the chief points of ,leibnitz's philosophy are derived from this conception of an active energy forming the essence of substance1 places it at once in our confidence4 ,from ,leibnitz's ,monadology ,i translate the following paragraphs3 #a4 8,the ,monad is a simple substance1 entering into those which are compound2 simple1 that is to say1 without parts40 #b4 8,monads are the veritable ,atoms of ,nature1 in one word1 the elements of things40 ,when ,leibnitz speaks of atoms it must not be understood that he is a materialist4 ,he is far from it4 ,indeed1 his system has been called a spiritualistic atomistic4 ,atoms and ,elements to him are ,,substance not ,matter4 ,they are centres of force or better 8spiritual beings1 whose very nature it is to act40 ,these elementary particles are vital forces1 not acting mechanically1 but from an internal principle4 ,they are incorporeal or spiritual units1 inaccessible to all change from without1 but only subject to internal movement4 ,they are indestructible by any external force4 ,leibnitz's monads differ from atoms in the following particulars1 which are very important for us to remember1 otherwise we shall not be able to see the difference between ,elementals and mere matter4 ,atoms are not distinguished from each other1 they are qualitatively alike1 but one monad differs from every other monad1 qualitatively2 and every one is a peculiar world to itself4 ,not so with the atoms2 they are absolutely alike quantitatively and qualitatively and possess no individuality of their own4 ,again1 the atoms of materialistic philosophy can be considered as extended and divisible1 while the monads are mere 8metaphysical points0 and indivisible4 ,finally1 and this is a point where these monads of ,leibnitz closely resemble the ,elementals of mystic philosophy1 these monads are representative beings4 ,every monad reflects every other4 ,every monad is a living mirror of the universe1 within its own sphere4 ,and mark this1 for upon it depends the power possessed by these monads1 and upon it depends the work they can do for us3 in mirroring the world1 the monads are not mere passive reflective agents1 but spontaneously self-active2 they produce the images spontaneously1 as the soul does a dream4 ,in every monad1 therefore1 the adept may read everything1 even the future4 ,every monad--or elemental--is a looking-glass that can speak4 ,the monads may from one point of view be called force1 from another matter4 ,to occult science force and matter are only two sides of the same substance4 ,such a doctrine is of course much objected to by people of the modern age1 who pretend to possess very fine analytical powers1 and yet are unable to conceive of matter under any other conditions than those cognizable by our coarse senses4 ,those who have intellectual difficulties in seeing that ,brahm is everything and everything is ,brahm must take this doctrine on faith for awhile4 ,a little earnest practice will lead them to see that truth is not attained through reflection1 but through immediate intuition4 ,if we should desire to look upon these monads as matter1 ,i know of no better comparison than with that which has been called ,matter in a ,fourth state or condition1 a condition as far removed from the state of gas as a gas is from a liquid4 ,if we should desire to look upon these monads as force1 ,i know of no better comparison than with that which ,faraday called 8,radiant ,matter0 and which by ,crooke's experiments has been shown to be so much like mere force1 or matter completely divested of all the characteristics of bodies that its physical properties have been so modified that it has changed nature and appears under the form of force4 ,in #h of the ,monadology ,leibnitz declares that 8,the ,monads have qualities--otherwise they would not even be entities40 ,the qualities attributed to them make them appear very much like living rational beings4 ,i am disposed to look upon them as upon those little beings represented by ,raphael1 as heads resting upon a pair of wings3 pure intelligence1 or spirits who have not yet attained to bodily life4 ,if they have not a thinking soul1 they are at least forces that resemble life4 ,continuing1 ,leibnitz 7#aa7 says3 8,we might give the name of ,perfection 7,entelechies7 to all monads inasmuch as there is in them a certain ,completeness or ,perfection4 ,there is a sufficiency which makes them the sources of their own internal actions1 and1 as it were1 incorporeal automata40 ,says ,leibnitz3 7#ai7 8,if we choose to give the name of soul to all that has perceptions and desires1 in the general sense which ,i have just indicated1 all simple substances or monads may be called souls40 ,you see these infinitesimal beings are regarded by the great philosopher very much like intelligent existences2 and yet they are very far removed from our conceptions of soul-life and existence4 ,they are like the ,elementals of the ,kabbala3 they never become men4 ,continuing his definitions1 he says 7#fj73 8,the monads are limited1 not in the object1 but in the mode of their knowledge of the object40 ,that is1 the objective would have no power over them1 but they themselves have only a limited knowledge of the objectivity1 hence also a limited power4 ,but that does not preclude the possibility of their being the means of the greatest influence upon the objective world--in the hands1 namely1 of an intelligent human being or spirit4 8,they all01 says ,leibnitz1 8tend 7confusedly7 to the infinite1 to the whole2 but they are limited and distinguished by the degrees of distinctness in their perception40 ,now ,i quote 7#fb7 a sentence that rechoes the most beautiful philosophy of the ,orient4 ,leibnitz has seen as distinctly as the old nature worshippers of the early ,aryans1 that 8every monad represents the entire universe40 ,this short sentence is the key to all mystical philosophy and to all magic2 it is only second to such sentences as these3 8,god dwells in all things in ,his fullness10 7,vemana verse71 and 8,the world is the image of ,god10 7,sufi philosophy74 ,it is a common mistake in the world to believe that ,god and his truth is only to be found in the ,grand1 in the ,large1 in the infinitely large4 ,in opposition to this1 much of our mystical and esoteric philosophy points to the infinitely ,small1 declaring1 that if we can become humble enough to descend to nature's workshop1 we shall learn more from the 8atoms in space0 upon which ,god let fall a 8beam of his glory10 than from all the magnificent systems of the learned4 ,hear what ,leibnitz himself says1 though he is not a mystic4 ,he ought to have been1 for his insight was truly remarkable4 ,he declares3 7#ff7 8,there is a world of creatures1 of living things1 of animals1 of ,perfection of souls1 in the minutest portion of matter40 7#fg7 8,every particle of matter may be conceived as a garden of plants1 or as a pond full of fishes--all swarming with life68 ,keep this in mind1 that ,i am not talking about atoms of ,,matter1 but of atoms of substance1 real unities1 the first principles in the composition of things4 ,leibnitz himself1 besides calling these corpuscular units ,monads1 has also called them ,metaphysical points1 and ,scaliger called them seeds of eternity1 and a ,persian poet has put it very clearly before us1 that an atom is not a unit1 by saying1 0,cleave an atom1 and you will find in it a ,sun40 ,here is the kernel of our subject1 the substance of an atom in space is the storehouse of the immanent forces to which elementals1 and elementary spirits to some extent1 have access1 and by means of which they work4 ,this view is fully corroborated by a representative of modern science1 ,sir ,john ,f4 ,w4 ,herschel1 who has approached very near to the teachings of occult science by declaring the presence of mind in atoms4 ,in the ,fortnightly ,review of #ahfe1 ,sir ,john ,herschel stated as follows3 8,all that has been predicated of ,atoms1 #8the dear little creatures1' as ,hermione said1 all their hates and loves1 their attractions and repulsions1 according to the primary laws of their being1 only becomes intelligible when we assume the presence of ,,mind40 ,these various definitions of the ,monads as given by ,leibnitz1 answer in many important points exactly to what we find in occult teachings about the ,elementals1 and ,i can see no good reason why we should not look upon ,leibnitz's ,monadology as a work on ,elementals4 ,we are really done with him as far as our subject is concerned1 but before dismissing him to turn to other wisdom1 permit me to quote a few more passages1 though they do not bear directly upon the subjects of monads4 ,he says 7#hc-hf73 8,among other differences which distinguish spirits from ordinary souls1 there is also this3 #8,that souls in general are living mirrors1 or images of the universe of creatures1 but spirits are1 furthermore1 images of ,divinity itself1 or of the ,author of ,nature1 capable of cognizing the system of the universe1 and of imitating something of it by architectonic experiments1 each spirit being1 as it were1 a little divinity in its own department4'--,hence spirits are able to enter into a kind of fellowship with ,god4--,all spirits constitute the ,city of ,god--that is to say1 the most perfect state possible under the most perfect of monarchs4--,the ,city of ,god1 this truly universal monarchy1 is a moral world within the natural2 and it is the most exalted and the most divine among the works of ,god40 7,to be continued47 ,,what ,,is ,,the 8,,theosophical ,,society08 ,the subjoined extracts from the writings and public utterances of some of the leading members of the ,theosophical ,society will it is believed throw considerable light on the issues raised in ,dr4 ,hartmann's article in the number for ,october entitled 8,what is the ,theosophical ,society02 not so much perhaps as testing the validity of his observations as expanding their scope1 and throwing into relief the true character of the ,theosophical ,society4 ,anything done or said by anybody without exception1 not in harmony with the spirit of these extracts is entirely without binding power on the ,theosophical ,society or any of its members4 ,,universal ,,brotherhood ,,the ,,main ,,object ,,of ,,the ,,theosophical ,,society4 ,in support of this assertion it may be noticed that in the ,april number of the ,theosophist for the year #ahhj in the extract of the rules of the ,society as given in #ahgi1 it is alternatively described as the ,theosophical ,society or ,universal ,brotherhood1 and further stated that 8,the ,theosophical ,society is formed upon a basis of a ,universal ,brotherhood40 ,in ,march1 #ahhj1 in a speech by ,ro ,bhdur ,goplro ,hurry ,deshmuk1 the ,society is described in the following words3 8,this ,society was established in ,america four years ago 7i4e4 in #ahge7 and its object is to inquire into the philosophies of the ,east1 to announce the brotherhood of man1 and to create the bonds of fellowship among nations and sects of different denominations40 ,in the ,june number of the ,theosophist for #ahha1 the name of the ,society is again put forward as1 8,universal ,brotherhood0 and its first object is stated to be--,to form the nucleus of a ,universal ,brotherhood of ,humanity4 ,the same sentiment is to be found enunciated by ,mr4 ,sinnett in a speech made on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the ,society4 ,he says3 8,but even this philosophical search for truth is hardly the primary object of the ,society4 ,that object is promoted by the philosophical search for truth1 as ,i hope directly to show1 that object itself is that pressed in the foremost watchword of the ,society1 ,universal ,brotherhood40 7,supplement ,theosophist1 ,january1 #ahhc47 ,in the last edition of his lectures1 published in #ahhe1 ,col4 ,olcott quotes a passage from ,lange's 8,history of ,materialism0 p4 #cfa1 in which it is stated3--8,that the new epoch will not conquer unless it be under the banner of a great idea which sweeps away egoism1 and sets human perfection in human fellowship as a new aim in the place of reckless toil1 which looks only to personal gain40 ,col4 ,olcott then proceeds3 8,it is to such an idea as this that the ,theosophical ,society seeks to give a formal if not already a quite practical expression10 p4 #cj4 ,further on in the same book1 p4 #aag1 he states 8,our ,society might have added to the name #8,theosophical' that of #8,philadelphian' as it was always meant to be a ,society of ,universal ,brotherhood and for promoting brotherly love among all races40 ,in ,no4 #h1 ,transactions of the ,london ,lodge ,theosophical ,society1 ,mr4 ,mohini ,m4 ,chatterji1 in a paper 8,on the ,theosophical ,society and its ,work10 after enumerating the three objects of the ,society1 makes the following observation3--8,of these three the first 7i4e4 ,universal ,brotherhood7 is to be looked upon as the crown and end1 the other two are merely accessories and means4 ,every member of the ,theosophical ,society must be inspired by that end1 but may or may not be interested in the other two objects40 ,a letter from ,dewan ,bahadoor ,ragoonath ,row published in the ,theosophist for ,march1 #ahhd1 and quoted in the same 8,transaction10 still further accentuates this position4 ,he says3--8,theosophy1 as understood by me1 is made up of three elements1 viz1 universal brotherhood1 knowledge of truths discovered by science generally known to the ordinary scientist1 and knowledge of truths still in store for them4 ,it may be described in another way1 viz1 #8universal religion and science reconciled4' ,to be a ,theosophist he must acknowledge and practice universal brotherhood4 ,if he is not prepared to admit the principle1 he cannot be a ,theosophist4 ,in addition to this1 he should be a student of truths generally known1 of course to the extent of his capacity4 ,he should1 besides1 be a searcher of truths hitherto unknown4 ,if he be all these three1 he is undoubtedly a ,theosophist4 ,it is1 however1 possible that one may not be capable of knowing scientific truths1 extant or prospective1 and yet may be able to recognize and practice universal brotherhood2 he is still a ,theosophist4 ,no one who does not admit and practice universal brotherhood1 though he be a scientist of the first degree1 can ever be a ,theosophist40 ,in the last published report 7#ahhf7 of the ,rules of the ,theosophical ,society it will also be seen that the first object of the ,society is again stated as the promotion of a 8,universal ,brotherhood of ,humanity40 ,it is evident from these extracts1 dating from the first formation of the ,society to the present year1 that ,universal ,brotherhood has been the one and only constant object of the ,theosophical ,society4 ,the other objects which have at different times been added to this can only be looked upon as additions forming no part of the basic nature of the original1 admissible only on the principle of toleration but in no sense binding on the ,society4 ,whatever may be the statement put forward by individuals1 from the ,president to the youngest member of the ,society1 or by any groups of individuals1 such statements ought to be considered as representing individual opinion only and as having no authoritative legislation over the members of the ,society4 ,,the ,,unsectarian ,,character ,,of ,,the ,,society4 ,this point which is the logical outcome of the former position1 is likewise as clearly enunciated in ,theosophical literature4 ,in ,october1 #ahgi1 in an article entitled 8,what are ,theosophists10 which has since been acknowledged by ,madame ,blavatsky1 it is stated3 8,with how much1 then1 of this nature-searching1 ,god-seeking science of the ancient ,aryan and ,greek mystics1 and of the powers of modern spiritual mediumship1 does the ,society agree8 ,our answer is3--with it all4 ,but if asked what it believes in1 the reply will be3--#8as a body--,nothing4' ,the ,society1 as a body1 has no creed1 as creeds are but the shells around spiritual knowledge2 and ,theosophy in its fruition is spiritual knowledge itself--the very essence of philosophical and theistic enquiry4 ,visible representative of ,universal ,theosophy1 it can be no more sectarian than a ,geographical ,society1 which represents universal geographical exploration without caring whether the explorers be of one creed or another4 ,the religion of the ,society is an algebraical equation1 in which so long as the sign of equality is not omitted1 each member is allowed to substitute quantities of his own1 which better accord with climatic and other exigencies of his native land1 with the idiosyncracies of his people1 or even with his own4 ,having no accepted creed1 our ,society is very ready to give and take1 to learn and teach1 by practical experimentation1 as opposed to mere passive and credulous acceptance of enforced dogma4 ,it is willing to accept every result claimed by any of the foregoing schools or systems1 that can be logically and experimentally demonstrated4 ,conversely it can take nothing on mere faith1 no matter by whom the demand may be made4 99 99 8,born in the ,united ,states of ,america1 the ,society was constituted on the model of its ,mother ,land4 ,the latter1 omitting the name of ,god from its constitution lest it should afford a pretext one day to make a state religion1 gives absolute equality to all religions in its laws4 ,all support and each is in turn protected by the state4 ,the ,society1 modelled upon this constitution1 may fairly be termed a #8,republic of ,conscience4' 8,we have now1 we think1 made clear why our members1 as individuals1 are free to stay outside or inside any creed they please1 provided they do not pretend that none but themselves shall enjoy the privilege of conscience1 and try to force their opinions upon the others4 ,in this respect the ,rules of the ,society are very strict4 ,it tries to act upon the wisdom of the old ,buddhistic axiom3 #8,honor thine own faith1 and do not slander that of others2' echoed back in our present century1 in the #8,declaration of ,principles' of the ,brahmo ,samaj1 which so nobly states that3 #8no sect shall be vilified1 ridiculed1 or hated4'0 99 99 99 99 99 8,in conclusion1 we may state that1 broader and far more universal in its views than any existing mere scientific ,society1 it has plus science its belief in every possibility1 and determined will to penetrate into those unknown spiritual regions which exact science pretends that its votaries have no business to explore4 ,and1 it has one quality more than any religion in that it makes no difference between ,gentile1 ,jew or ,christian4 ,it is in this spirit that the ,society has been established upon the footing of a ,universal ,brotherhood40 ,in the supplement of the ,theosophist1 ,january1 #ahhf1 in the ,preamble or ,statement of ,principles1 first put forth in #ahge are these words3 8,whatever may be the private opinions of its members1 the ,society has no dogmas to enforce1 no creed to disseminate4 ,it is formed neither as a ,spiritualistic schism1 nor to serve as the foe or friend of any sectarian or philosophical body4 ,its only axiom is the omnipotence of truth1 its only creed a profession of unqualified devotion to its discovery and propagation4 ,in considering the qualification of applicants for membership1 it knows neither race1 sex1 color1 nor creed4 ,in the rules of the ,theosophical ,society1 published in #ahhf1 it is also stated 8,that the ,society represents no particular religious creed1 is entirely unsectarian1 and includes professors of all faiths40 ,in the paper before alluded to ,no4 #h1 ,transactions of the ,london ,lodge--,mr4 ,mohini ,m4 ,chatterji makes the following remark3--8,all attempts to fasten the authority of the ,society to any creed1 philosophical or otherwise1 which is not covered by these rules 7viz1 the printed objects of the ,society7 are void ab initio2 not because of the merits of such creed or doctrine1 or of their exponents1 but simply for the reason that the ,theosophical ,society1 by its constitution1 is not capable of holding any creed or doctrine in its corporate character40 ,it is important that each individual member should clearly realize what the ,theosophical ,society is1 what its fundamental principles and what is required of its members4 ,it has been with the thought of giving further emphasis to the idea set forth by ,dr4 ,hartmann in his concluding paragraph that these few extracts have been put together4 ,a little attention to these statements will it is believed show the true character and purpose of the ,theosophical ,society and aid people to discern what is and what is not consistent with that character and purpose4 ,f4 ,a4 ,,rotation-,,individual ,,evolution4 ,,by ,,the ,,author ,,of 8,,lines ,,from ,,lower ,,levels40 ,the paper on 8,the ,higher ,life10#aei and the remarks which it has called forth1 have led me to further reflections upon the subject4 ,that subject is in fact1 ,individual ,evolution1 and the warning expressed by ,murdhna ,joti1 in that article about 8impetuously rushing into the circle of ascetics10 opens up an important phase of the topic most vital to humanity4 ,for this sentence is not a mere advisory caution2 it points out the only available procedure1 the one course conducive to successful evolution1 or final perfection4 ,this course may be briefly summed up in one word1--,rotation4 ,upon examination we shall find this fact proved by the laws governing ,universal ,brotherhood4 ,to begin with1 when we take into consideration the personalities of the real ,founders of the ,theosophical ,society1 we find ourselves safely concluding that the institution of this principle of ,brotherhood as the basis of that ,society1 did not occur from any arbitrary selection1 nor yet from ethical or even humanitarian considerations merely4 ,we may say that it was not chosen2 it presented itself as a central fact1 one which correlates with all things1 and is itself one of the aspects of the ,great1 the ,mysterious ,law4 ,it must be moreover that level of the ,law most nearly related to the human being1 and by which alone he can raise himself from this 8,slough of ,despond0 called matter4 ,upon no lesser precedent than this would the ,masters1 those supreme exponents of the ,law1 proceed4 ,the outcome and teaching of that ,law is ,unity2 the power of ,unity is its exoteric expression4 7,its hidden expression1 ,great ,spirits alone can declare47 ,this power is conferred by the economic tendency of ,nature1 which uniformly moves along the line of least resistance and of larger currents of energy1 which draw in turn all minor streams of being into their resistless tide4 ,in order to bring home to all mankind the primary fact that only as a united body1 only by living in and working with and for all1 can unbroken advance to the ,perfect ,goal be achieved1 this unitarian necessity had to be conveyed by a term which would appeal to the untrained1 as well as to the cultured mind4 ,no man or woman so grossly ignorant but can sense the advantages of 8,universal ,brotherhood10 while the more profound the thinker1 the more he warms to the sublime comprehensiveness of this idea4 ,many readers will doubtless recall an italicised sentence in the 8,diary of a ,hindu10 also published in ,,the ,,path4 ,it ran as follows3--8,no ,yogee will do a thing unless he sees the desire in another ,yogee's mind40 ,these were the words of a teacher1 and those who may require it have here an authoritative recognition of the need of humanitarian unity4 ,for man's strength lies in his perfect equilibrium1 and by man ,i now mean the whole1 triune man4 ,that this fact is also true on the physical plane alone1 is evidenced by medical testimony to the effect that while perfect health is perfect balance1 the more complete this balance1 the more readily is it disturbed4 ,thus trained athletes are compelled to take dietetic and other precautions1 which men of minor strength disregard with apparent impunity4 ,i say 8apparent10 because the result is of course visible in their inferior physical powers4 ,only when the triune man has attained equilibrium is he a moral force2 then alone is he in complete harmony4 ,harmony with what8 ,with the ,law that works for perfection or reunion1 faith in which and accordance with which1 is the sum of the highest consciousness of the human being4 ,now remember that there is at all times a body1 7be it numerically large or small17 of individuals cognizing and waiting upon this ,law4 ,they perceive its tendency1 they only act with and through it1 and the cumulative energy of this compact body1 plus certain impersonal forces1 is in itself a tremendous power1 so vast in fact1 that plus the energizing spirit again1 it may be said to form the exoteric expression of the ,law itself4 ,imagine some one member of this body attempting to act from his separate impulse1 and not from the general instinct4 ,by disengaging his unit of force from the sum total1 he at once neutralizes its effect and limits its expansive ratio2 hence it is that action from self1 however disinterested1 is enfeebling in its tendency4 ,this man may join himself to the powers of evil and act in opposition to the ,law3 he has then the accruing benefit of that energetic total1 but this must fail in the long run1 because it is minus the creative spirit1 which works for eventual harmony4 ,so true is it that a given cause produces similar results on all the planes alike1 that in the spiritual as in the physical world1 there must be united action to produce large results4 ,the inutility of weak1 single effort was acknowledged by ,st4 ,paul when he said--8,because thou art neither cold nor hot ,i will spew thee out of my mouth40 ,unless the ,yogee therefore1 perceives an idea in other related minds1 as the reflection of the ,universal mind1 he does not act4 ,when the individual mind has freed itself from all desire for personal action and resting in the ,universal ,mind1 acts passively with it alone1 saying3 8,i rise with thy rising1 with thee subside10--then the individual has attained ,nirvana4 ,so that our present unit of power depends upon our greater or lesser assimilation with the highest aggregate of mind1 and its continuance1 upon our adherence to that manifested body of the ,universal ,mind which works for ,good1 with faith into the ,perfect ,law4 ,this body in turn depends upon the individual efforts of its members1 for the continuous elevation and expansion of its highest ,ideal4 ,being thus interdependent1 ,i think we may easily recognize that ,universal ,brotherhood is the starting point towards final success1 and that its complete realization is the goal itself4 ,each may attain ,omniscience1 but only as one of a body1 not as a separate part4 8,you shall enter the light1 but you shall never touch the flame40#afj ,so we may be part of the universal spirit1 yet never that spirit itself4 ,this ,brotherhood then1 in its harmonious equilibrium1 implies subservience to the ,law of ,evolution4 ,the course marked out by this ,law is one of gradual progression through a series of interlinked processes1 not one of which can be intermitted or dropped1 any more than we can omit a link from a chain without break of continuity1 which would in this case imply a break of individuality1 either as applied to a member or to the whole body4 ,we find this course substantiated by ,nature1 who is our great initiator4 ,murdhna ,joti's phrase about not rushing 8into the circle of ascetics10 refers to the rotation prevalent in ,nature1 and may be used in a large general sense1 and not merely applied to any especial circle1 such as the ,hindu1 ,mahomedan1 ,christian or other group of ascetics4 ,he refers to the disadvantages consequent upon any violation of this rotatory course2 these apply quite as much to the farmer who fails to rotate his crops1 as to any thing or person rushing into any plane1 before being in all respects fitted to go there4 ,each plane in itself constitutes a 8circle of ascetics10 and must be entered in the proper manner4 ,in every department of ,life we meet with an acceptance of this fact4 ,no man is admitted to the privileges of naturalization until he has resided in a country1 and has had time to accustom himself to its manners and laws4 ,it is ever held necessary to serve a certain apprenticeship before entering any profession or trade4 ,the social usages even make 8circles of ascetics0 in this sense4 ,a boor1 a ploughman1 or even unsuitably attired persons1 are not desired or admitted in a parlor full of people in splendid array1 and a natural instinct makes them shrink from entering there4 ,when exceptions occur1 there is an undercurrent of discord perceptible2 all are alike ill at ease4 ,so in ,nature1 minerals1 plants and animals are limited to their proper sphere4 ,birds cannot swim nor fishes fly4 ,i would say1 as birds or as fish per se they cannot do so1 nor can the boor1 as a boor1 be at ease with elevated minds4 ,but advancement is the common lot of all1 provided it be made step by step in the natural series of succession4 ,what then is this process in practical ,life8 ,it is1 firstly1 the identification of yourself with the highest consciousness accessible on your present plane1 the engrafting upon your entire life of the best ideal attainable1 so that you may act upon it in every thought and word4 ,if you can do no more1 select in your own mind the most unselfish and pure-hearted person in your horizon1 and study the workings of such gracious aspirations and deeds4 ,noble ideals will soon spring up within you1 and by this lodestone similar minds will swiftly be attracted1 until you shall collectively form a nucleus of persons identical in aim and influence4 ,if one receives a ray of ,truth1 he will speedily reflect it to all1 and thus our attainment is largely regulated by that of our compeers4 ,largely1 but not entirely4 ,there are exceptional souls who progress with amazing velocity1 far outstripping the comrades of their starting-level4 ,but even these hearts of power reach up to the more perfect spirits above them1 and to feel this attraction they must have prepared themselves for it1 in the uniform1 if rapid1 rotation of previous existences4 ,each must trace out the prescribed circuit1 but he may travel fast or slow4 ,let him not rashly conceive himself to be endowed with unusual spiritual momentum3 time is better spent in caution than in failure4 ,murdhna ,joti gives valid warning not to rush in until all is ready4 ,the circle is prepared1 but you may not be so4 ,again1 your fitness may be assured and the circle for the moment closed4 ,the course of physical nature will exemplify my meaning4 ,the blood leaves the heart by the arteries and goes on to the capillary interchange with the venous system1 even as man descends from ,spirit into matter1 and at the point of choice1 turns1 and reascends towards ,spirit4 ,the veins take up the function of returning the blood to the heart2 in these are valves2 they receive1 hold and transmit the impulse from the central heart4 ,all the blood between any two valves has to stay there until the next impulse comes from the heart2 when this arrives1 it passes on4 ,the valves close behind each quantum of blood thus ejected through3 it is not possible for the blood to recede2 retrogression is impeded by the closed valve4 ,nor can it remain2 progress is imperative when the next impulse drives it forward1 and so it goes on to the heart ,in the same manner each person should stay in his appropriate place1 not only until he is ready1 but also until the great ,heart of all is ready to give the next impulse4 ,then he will inevitably go on to the next place4 ,masters have said that for 8chelas and adepts alike there is an abyss behind each step2 a door closed4 ,to stop or to go back is impossible40 ,that which is true for the ,adept is true for the humblest disciple1 each in his own manner and degree4 ,it behooves us then to concentrate our attention upon the natural and fitting method of progression1 and to assist those about us in maintaining a high average of ideality1 that the entire body may progress evenly1 steadily1 and that nowhere may ignorance or undue haste clot or clog the way4 ,in the end1 the reward of patience is holy4 ,in every effort you make to lighten the mind of another and open it to ,truth1 you help yourself4 8,those pearls you find for another and give to him1 you really retain for yourself in the act of benevolence4 ,never lose1 then1 that altitude of mind4 ,never1 never desire to get knowledge or power for any other purpose than to give it on the altar1 for thus alone can it be saved to you4 ,when you open any door1 beyond it you find others standing there who had passed you long ago1 but now1 unable to proceed1 they are there waiting2 others are there waiting for you6 ,then you come1 and opening a door1 those waiting disciples perhaps may pass on2 thus on and on4 ,what a privilege this1 to reflect that we may perhaps be able to help those who seemed greater than ourselves40#afa ,the consent of the ,spirit has hallowed those thoughts4 ,another ,messenger of ,truth once said3--8,the first shall be last and the last first2 contain yourselves1 therefore1 in ,peace40 ,,jasper ,,niemand1 ,f4 ,t4 ,s4 ,,thoughts ,,in ,,solitude4 ,i4 ,within the symbols and doctrines of the ,christian ,church may indeed lie hidden all the truths of the ,occult ,philosophy1 and another and abler pen has already traced the correspondences1 but it is necessary to realize differences as well as likenesses1 and while ,christianity1 as a definite system1 has embodied for the world many noble ideas1 it seems to the writer to have been able to display only one fact of the divine jewel of ,truth--to have been able to trace only a short line of the celestial circle of ,wisdom4 ,putting aside all such unphilosophical dogmas1 as a personal anthropomorphic ,god--atonement by the vicarious sacrifice of another--eternal damnation and such like1 which may be regarded as the outworks of the ,creed1 and which indeed many of its own professors deny or minimize1 and coming to the essential kernel of the system--the inner stronghold of the faith--that which would be regarded as such by all its truest sons throughout these nearly nineteen centuries of its existence1 it would yet seem to be but a one-sided statement--a partial view--compared with the all-embracing ,catholicity of the ,occult ,wisdom4 ,unfortunately the outworks and excrescences above referred to1 have1 during these many centuries1 so warped the thoughts and feelings of the populations professing this religion that it is no longer the pure and exalted doctrine as preached by its founder1 but something very different4 ,there are1 no doubt1 here and there good and noble souls1 who practice the higher virtues of ,christianity1 but they are in such a minority that they are quite unable to affect the popular standard4 ,when one begins to analyse the stupendous outgrowth called ,western ,civilization1 of which steam and electricity1 in their practical uses1 may be regarded as the types1 and to ask how and by what means this vast fabric has arisen1 we are informed by those who are able to see below the mere surface of things that the setting of men's minds in a certain direction must have been the factor1 and it is only logical that if a man's highest religious duty is put before him as the saving of his own soul from perdition1 a tendency of mind which may be characterized as the supremely selfish must naturally be set in motion4 ,when the converging lines of heredity through many generations have so strengthened this tendency that it has become a potent factor1 the development 8in excelsis0 of the purely intellectual faculties as dissociated from the moral will be seen to be the inevitable result1 and from this has naturally evolved the ,western ,civilization which is spoken of with so much pride4 ,but are not nations like trees to be known by their fruits8 8,do men gather grapes of thorns1 or figs of thistles80 ,what sins are dwelt on with more emphatic reprobation throughout the whole teachings of ,christ than those of hypocrisy and cupidity8 ,and where is hypocrisy deeper than within the ,christian fold8 ,so deep indeed1 that it has become an integral part of the nature1 and is no more recognized as a vice than it was by the ,pharisees of old4 ,and where is the worship of mammon more rampant than throughout the length and breadth of ,christendom8 ,the preachers of the ,churches may utter faint-hearted protests1 but the nations nevertheless remain prostrate before their idol1 and as steam and electricity extend their sway1 and new countries are laid open to modern progress1 the more primitive races1 to avoid extinction1 join in the mad competition for wealth4 ,but whether conspicuously shown in the acts of ,states lustful to conquer fresh territory1 or hidden in the individual character1 where it displays itself in the haste to grow rich by fair means or foul1 it remains none the less a gnawing canker at the heart of ,christendom4 ,what a gulf there lies between the practice of modern ,europe and the divine teachings of the ,master4 8,lay not up for yourselves treasures upon ,earth1 where moth and rust doth corrupt1 and where thieves break through and steal4 ,but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt1 and where thieves do not break through nor steal4 ,for where your treasure is1 there will your heart be also40 ,and again3 8,ye cannot serve ,god and ,mammon40 ,there is probably no teaching more thoroughly altruistic in its character1 and which1 if it could be literally applied1 would exercise so direct and beneficial an influence on the human race as the teaching of ,christ1 but to the impartial student there seems to be none1 the spirit of whose revelation has been more perverted and degraded by his followers of all denominations1 and following the spiritual law whose complement on the physical plane may be recognized in the axiom that action and reaction are equal1 the moral light to which ,christ's teachings soared is the measure which decides the depth to which such teaching1 when perverted1 must inevitably fall1 and ,christendom may veritably be said to have become ,anti-,christian4#afb ,all the religions of the world have more or less lost the divine afflatus by which they were originally vivified1 but it has been reserved for ,christianity to mould the life of the nations from the very blackness of the shadows cast by the 8,light of the ,world40 ,when we ask to what goal or catastrophe this ,western ,civilization is hurrying1 it is still more necessary to have the eyes of those who are able to read the signs of the times4 ,the following is an extract from a letter to which many of the above ideas may be traced which was signed 8a ,turkish ,effendi0 7in the absence of any right to suggest the real and more authoritative name71 and was published by his correspondent in ,blackwood's ,edinburgh ,magazine of ,january1 #ahhj3 8,the persistent violation for centuries of the great altruistic laws propounded and enjoined by the great founder of the ,christian religion1 must inevitably produce a corresponding catastrophe2 and the day is not far distant when modern civilization will find1 that in its great scientific discoveries and inventions1 devised for the purpose of ministering to its own extravagant necessities1 it has forged the weapons by which it will itself be destroyed4 ,no better evidence of the truth of this can be found than in the fact that ,anti-,christendom alone is menaced with the danger of a great class revolution3 already in every so-called ,christian country we hear the mutterings of the coming storm1 when labor and capital will find themselves arrayed against each other--when rich and poor will meet in deadly antagonism1 and the spoilers and the spoiled solve1 by means of the most recently invented artillery1 the economic problems of modern #8progress4' ,it is surely a remarkable fact that this struggle between rich and poor is specially reserved for those whose religion inculcates upon them as the highest law--the love of their neighbor--and most strongly denounces the love of money4 ,no country which does not bear the name of ,christian is thus threatened40 ,but to return from this long digression1 take ,christianity1 ,i say1 in its loftiest ideal1 as taught and practiced by its founder--and it certainly is a very lofty one--altruism in its most sublimated form--self-sacrifice incarnate upon ,earth--giving of its life-blood to raise the sons of men1 and drawing all to ,him by the sheer force of divine love1 until the believer's heart is set on flame1 and nothing seems worthy in his eyes short of absolute union with this divine personality who is at once his ,saviour1 his brother and his ,god4 ,yet were you to analyse the thoughts and feelings of the most ecstatic saint1 would they display more than an ardent soul1 a devout mind and a holy life8 ,those of the ,dualist ,philosophy might indeed argue that such an one had his feet well planted on the narrow way--but the students of the wider ,philosophy of ,nature know well that everything on ,earth--religion included--is under the governance of natural law4 ,the attainment of perfection is not to be achieved by sentiment alone--it is a scientific process1 and knowledge is the supreme enlightener4 ,the devotion of ,bhakti is indeed a necessary prelude to progress in the religious life1 under the guidance of whichever special cult the neophyte may aspire1 but it is as it were the outer court of the ,temple1 and the ,holy of ,holies cannot be reached by any save those who have attained knowledge4 ,without some previous study of occult writings1 this word knowledge will entirely fail to carry home the idea which it is intended to express1 and let alone the liability to misinterpretation from this cause1 how can anyone pretend to describe it who has himself none of this knowledge1 who has not yet trodden one step of the path that leads there1 and who can only strain with vague imagination towards the sublime conception of the inmost workings of ,nature through her manifold diversity laid bare before the intuitive vision8 ,however1 although it is an act of temerity on the writer's part1 these few words may convey some idea to those who are no further on the path than himself4 ,when the lower states of consciousness have been so welded in the fire of supreme emotion that duty1 though involving the most appalling sacrifice1 is no longer a thing to strive after with pain and struggle1 but is a natural outcome of the life--the absolute expression of unity with nature--when the higher faculties1 emotional1 ethical and intellectual1 whose respective functions may be said to be the perceiving of the ,beautiful1 the ,good1 and the ,true1 have been so merged in one that the ,buddhi or divine spark which hitherto flickered1 becomes a bright1 steady1 luminous flame--when the 8,explosion10 as ,st4 ,martin called it1 has taken place1 8by which our natural will is forever dispersed and annihilated by contact with the divine10--then and then only is one fit to begin to tread the path of knowledge4 ,that it leads altogether beyond human experience1 and entirely transcends what we can conceive is but too apparent4 ,the #aeth and #afth ,rules in the second part of 8,light on the ,path0 may help towards a vague apprehension of what this knowledge means4 #aeth4 ,inquire of the earth1 the air and the water of the secrets they hold for you4 ,the development of your inner senses will enable you to do this4 #afth4 ,inquire of the holy ones of the earth of the secrets they hold for you4 ,the conquering of the desires of the outer senses will give you the right to do this4 ,and the final secret of all may be said to be wrapped up in the mystery of 8self40 ,when the knowledge of the individualization of ,being is reached1 man has learned all that this world can teach him1 and in the words 8,know thyself0 lie folded the ultimate possibilities of ,humanity4 ,knowledge is indeed the supreme enlightener4 8,there is no purifier like thereto ,in all this world1 and he who seeketh it ,shall find it--being grown perfect--in himself40 ,whether any intelligible idea as to the knowledge itself can be evolved from what is here written--it will at least be apparent that a goodness so exalted as to be scarcely imaginable as a human attribute is required as the necessary qualification for the commencement of the search4 ,well did ,shelley write in his ,prometheus3 8,the good want power but to weep barren tears ,the powerful goodness want--worse need for them4 ,the wise want love2 and those who love want wisdom4 ,and all best things are thus confused to ill4 ,many are strong and rich1 and would be just ,but live among their suffering fellow-men ,as if none felt3 they know not what to do40 and the current ,theologies of the world have not been able to remove the reproach4 ,in the case of ,christianity the failure may1 to a great extent1 be owing to its sentimentality and its failure to realize that to be supremely good it is necessary to be wise--though wise with a higher wisdom than that referred to in the above lines4 ,but ,christianity's greatest fall has probably been its disregard of the facts of ,reincarnation4 ,whatever interpretation may be put on the great ,master's utterance on this subject1 and however the early church may have regarded it1 it is notorious that ,christianity1 as interpreted by its medival and modern professors alike1 has entirely ignored the evolution of the soul progressing through innumerable earthly existences1 and has instead adopted the illogical and unphilosophic dogma of a human soul born into the world from nothingness and meriting by its #gj or #hj years of earth-life an ,eternity of bliss or an ,eternity of misery4 ,but one does not expect of the child the reason-guided actions of mature manhood--its teachings must be given in the form of dogma1 to which it must yield implicit obedience4 ,nor do we expect the infant school to provide the same training that the ,university does for the cultured intellect4 ,similarly the various ,religions of the world have been the infant schools for growing ,humanity until the complete stature of manhood should be reached4 ,it has been remarked by some ,christians who are much enamored of the self-devoted love exhibited by the ,founder of their faith1 and the strong feeling of personal love and attachment thereby called forth from them1 that ,theosophy is cold because it does not dwell exclusively on that side of the nature1 but while each separate ,religion that has existed in the world may be regarded as the analysis of one special characteristic of the mind1 the occult philosophy gathers into one synthetical whole all its varied characteristics4 ,the different religions accentuating as they do different truths may be regarded at the same time--according as one looks at them from the scientific or religious standpoint--and both views are equally tenable and mutually comprehensive--as natural evolutions of the peoples among whom they arose1 and as revelations from the unseen universe of partial truths which have to be received and assimilated before mankind can be fitted to comprehend the ,supreme ,truth in its abstract purity4 ,it will be seen from the foregoing that what we call ,theosophy is the supreme expression of all ,religion1 as it is the final synthesis of all ,science--for it is faith merged in ,knowledge4 ,when one looks abroad on the world and sees how few even among the ,religious1 the ,cultured and the ,intellectual are able to grasp the ,truth by intuitive vision--while the masses of mankind are sunk in degradation and semi-barbarity1 the mind is lost in the vistas of the future1 during which the present ,religions or those which may have taken their place will have to continue their work of teaching4 ,education is slow and ,evolution is tardy1 and the whole circle of wisdom is slow to trace2 but the march of ,nature has been as it was bound to be--for the best--and the line of ,pope 8,one truth is clear1 whatever is is right40 seems more and more to be borne in upon the mind as an ,eternal verity4 ,destiny has guided us till now1 and has made us what we are1 but we who now realize the omnipotence of the divinely guided ,will1 have become potentially the makers--let us take it in our hands and shape our own career1 for the sooner we rise to the heights of our ,being1 the sooner shall we be able to stretch down helping hands to the suffering ,humanity of ,to-day4 ,,pilgrim4 ,,tea ,,table ,,talk4 ,,the ,,tendency ,,of ,,the ,,present ,,civilization4--,,an ,,ancient ,,hindu ,,story4 ,pretty much every subject comes up for discussion at our afternoon tea-table4 ,hence ,i was not surprised lately1 walking in upon our five-o'clock callers1 to find an argument on crime going the rounds with the bread and butter4 8,what is the worst thing you have seen in the papers lately80 ,this question imparted the flavor of caviare to the mild refreshment of the ladies4 ,the ,club ,bachelor held a certain divorce case to be----2 the mother drowned the rest in the peremptory rattle of her tea-cups and instanced cruelty to the child slave of an ,italian padrone4 ,sue let off a pyrotechnic series of wrath-compelling wrongs to animals1 whom she considers 8miles above horrid humans40 ,the widow pilloried that brutal subject of recent press dispatches 8who murdered his fifth wife at her tea-table4 ,fancy6 ,what an invasion of the ,sanctuary40 ,pretty ,polly was also heard battling vi et armis with the ,medical ,student over a breach of promise case1 and all were moderately heated over these comparative claims to condemnation when the professor entered4 ,tumultuously appealed to1 he replied in his serious way that if he must discriminate between evils1 he should give precedence to the matter of the ,chicago ,anarchists4 ,first1 because of the blood-shed and riot2 second1 because of recent manifestations of incipient public sympathy with the criminals4 8,for10 said he1 8considering the infectious nature of the evil1 a crime which strikes at principles as well as at humanity is a thousandfold crime40 ,a murmur of approbation showed that as usual1 he had conveyed the ultimate sense of the tea-table1--minus a paltry minority4 ,for the widow fixing her eyes on me where ,i had edged between ,polly and the ,student1 remarked that ,mr4 ,julius looked 8as if he sympathised with incitors of riots rather than with their victims40 ,the prompt horror visible on ,polly's face nettled me into this reply4 8,madam1 your discrimination merits my homage1 ,i am not totally devoid of all sympathy with the incitors of riots107gutturals of dismay from every throat17 8for those incitors10 here ,i bowed in a semi circle1 8are yourselves40 ,the silent indignation of my peers was brought presently home to my recreant soul by the mother's gentle--8,really1 ,mr4 ,julius1 you will excuse me if ,i regret what you have just said40 8,excuse me1 you who are ,charity itself1 and read my clumsy speech in the light of a declaration made by a ,hindu theosophist--,mr4 ,mohini3 8,whence springs the great diversity of conditions1 the contemplation of which breeds ,socialism8 ,is it not the direct outgrowth of the passion of acquisitiveness8 ,the more a ,western man gets1 the more he wants1 and while your world holds to this principle you can never be free from the danger and fear of socialism4 ,the ,brotherhood of ,man which ,jesus ,christ believed in has become unthinkable to you1 with your millionaires at one end of the scale and your tramps at the other40#afc 8,do ,i understand you to conclude that ,society1 being responsible for crime1 should permit criminals to go unpunished80 8,by no means1 ,professor1 but if you will excuse another quotation1--#8,give moral restraint to moral maladies1 and not impious chastisements4 ,do not travel in a bloody circle in punishing murder by murder1 for so you sanction assassination in one sense and you perpetuate a war of cannibals4' 99 99 ,remember the condemned man who said3 #8,in assassinating ,i risked my head4 ,you gain2 ,i pay2 we are quits4' ,and in his heart he added3 #8we are equals4'0 8,who said that80 queried the widow4 8,eliphas ,levi1 at your service40 8,thanks4 ,i've no use for ,french morals60 ,under cover of this dart she retired4 ,what ,i love most in woman is her way of retreating from the field of defeat with all the honors of war6 8,seems to me10 said ,sue1 emerging from a monopoly of tea bun1 8that things are just perfectly awful anyhow40 8,my ,dear6 ,what can you know about it80 remonstrated the mother4 ,sue silently pointed a sticky and accusing finger towards those philanthropic journals which cheerfully fulfil their mission of household enlightenment ad nauseam4 8,things are as they always were10 said the ,professor smoothing his philosophic beard4 ,the old ,lady ruffled up in her shady corner4 8,by no means4 ,when ,i was young--0 ,the mother looked deprecatingly at me4 8,mr4 ,julius1 have you never wondered why ,life should be so dark8 ,and yet there was once a ,golden ,age60 8,the occultists say that every age has its own characteristics4 ,this is ,kali ,yuga1 the dark age4 ,in the ,satwa ,yuga1 cycle of causes or truth1 the highest of the three conditions or states1 known as ,satwa ,guna1 prevailed4#afd ,consequently in that age1 men lived longer1 happier and more spiritual lives4 ,in ,treta1 the second age1 prevailed ,raja ,guna the second condition1 and the life period and happiness of men decreased4 ,in the ,dwarapa1 7third age7 there was less of ,raja ,guna4 ,in the present ,kali ,yuga1 there is more of ,tamo ,guna1 and this is the worst of the cycles4 8,the characteristics of these grand cycles and the different minor cycles are elaborately described in the sacred literature of the ,hindus4 ,if it would not weary you ,i could tell a story which gives some idea of the nature of cyclic influence and how coming events cast their shadows before40 ,popular opinion1 led by ,sue1 clamored for the story4 8,this story is taken from a secret sanscrit book1 called the ,diary of the ,pandavas4 ,it gives a diurnal account of the #ah years forest life of five exiled princely brothers immediately previous to our dark age4 ,this book contains #ah x #cfj stories describing the cumulative tendency of sin1 and it is said was used in the last yugas as the first book of morals for boys2#afe every story has its moral2 the series reveals the genealogy of evil1 or of the descent of spirit into matter4 8,the volume is secretly preserved for the training of occultists1 and the entire order in which the stories are arranged is only revealed during initiations4 ,an initiate who has passed three initiations and is preparing for the fourth1 is only shown that series treating of such especial elements of his evil nature as he is then preparing to convert into higher energies4 ,in this story1 the five brothers are ideal kings4 ,the eldest is regarded as an embodiment of ,dharma1 7the ,law itself17 an incarnation of the ,god of ,justice1 yet so strong was the influence of the coming dark cycle1 that one ,adharma1 7transgression of law1 injustice7 occurred daily within the palace4 ,late one evening the ,maharaja1 7elder brother7 had retired and was chatting with his wife4 ,the four younger brothers were as usual respectively guarding the four palace gates4 ,bhima1 7the terrible7 wisest of the younger brothers was invariably at the chief gate during the first three hours4 ,to him comes a poor injured ,brahmin who asks to see the ,maharaja immediately and knocks the 8,bell of ,complaint40 ,the ,maharaja sends a servant to say that he is in bed and will hear the complaint next morning4 ,the ,brahmin saw that the shadow of ,kali ,yuga had come and smiling1 turned away4#aff ,but ,bhima would not let him go without knowing whether justice had been done him4 ,the ,brahmin refused to reply2 he would not sit in judgment nor reveal the king's faults4 ,bhima knew from the petitioner's silence that no attention had been paid to his case1 and ordered that a trumpet be sounded and a proclamation be thus issued3 8,strange that our just brother the ,monarch has relied upon to-morrow and sacrificed duty to pleasure40 ,the king heard the cry of the trumpeter and coming hastily on foot1 he overtook the ,brahmin1 fell at his feet1 heard and redressed his complaint1 then walked sullenly back4 ,kali's influence was thus doubly seen4 ,first in the ,monarch's conduct and secondly1 in that the younger brother should presume to judge and to teach the elder4 ,if even in the palace of the five most law abiding persons1 ,kali played so powerful a part1 we may imagine her influence in other circles of life1 amongst the ignorant1 or amongst us later mortals now when her momentum has full swing40 ,there was a brief silence4 ,then a shooting fire ray revealed a divine gem in the ,mother's eye and her soft voice said lowly2 8,after all1 it seems that we are our brother's keeper40 ,and no one gainsayed her4 ,,julius4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,note4--,any one desirous of having queries answered1 or of relating authentic dreams1 experiences1 etc41 is invited to communicate with 8,julius1 ,care ,,the ,,path1 ,p4 ,o4 ,box #bfei40 ,no attention will be paid to anonymous letters4 ,,theosophical ,,work ,,in ,,america4 ,,boston4--,the ,boston ,t4 ,s4 meets every ,friday evening4 ,mr4 ,mohini ,m4 ,chatterji is stopping quietly with friends in ,boston4 ,he is not here on a public mission1 feeling that a different instrument is needed for arousing general interest in ,theosophy4 ,he is always glad to see ,theosophists1 however1 and has set apart ,monday1 ,wednesday and ,friday afternoons to receive them and other earnest inquirers4 ,he has a small class in the ,bhagavat-,gita ,tuesdays and ,thursdays4 ,interest in occult subjects is largely increasing this winter4 ,some experiments by ,mr4 ,w4 ,i4 ,bishop in 8,thought ,transference0 have done their share in directing public interest that way4 ,it is amusing to observe the crude theories to account for the phenomenon put forward by some of the members of the ,american ,society for ,psychical ,research1 which seems to have been organized for the special purpose of not finding out anything4 ,one of the members1 ,rev4 ,minot ,j4 ,savage1 however1 comes out with the declaration that three things are proven beyond doubt2 ,thought ,transference1 ,hypnotism1 and ,clairvoyance4 ,there are rumors of a notable book by a strictly anonymous author1 and of special interest to ,theosophists1 soon to be issued by a ,boston publisher4 ,on ,tuesday evening1 ,december #ba1 by invitation of a well known theosophist1 the ,boston and ,malden ,societies held a largely attended joint meeting1 to listen to ,mr4 ,mohini ,chatterji1 who spoke on various phases of ,theosophy1 and with his spiritual insight1 eloquence and learning1 afforded questioners much light in the course of the discussion that followed4 ,in the field of psychical research much interest has been aroused by an able article by ,mr4 ,charles ,howard ,montague1 city editor of ,,the ,,globe1 describing the results and nature of experiments by which1 after a few days' trial1 he was enabled to accomplish all that was done by ,mr4 ,w4 ,i4 ,bishop1 in his so-called feats of mind-reading4 ,mr4 ,montague says that it is not 8muscle-reading10 but 8impulse reading10 or close attention to unconscious impulses given by the subject4 ,as it is absurd to seek a psychical explanation for what proves to be physical phenomena1 it is well for the public to know the truth and not be deluded by the claims of ,mr4 ,bishop and other public performers4 ,mr4 ,montague does not pretend to account1 by his solutions1 for the well-known cases of genuine thought transference4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,malden4--,a largely attended open meeting of the ,malden ,branch1 ,t4 ,s41 held ,monday evening1 ,december #f1 was addressed by ,mohini ,m4 ,chatterji on the ,theosophical ,aspects of the ,christian ,religion1 based on a study of the ,new ,testament4 ,the broad and tolerant attitude of the speaker made a deep impression4 ,at one of the recent previous meetings a record of some religious conversations held by the three ,zui ,indians who have been spending the summer on the neighboring coast with ,mr4 ,frank ,hamilton ,cushing1 the ,ethnologist1 was read and discussed1 with one of their beautiful folktales1 both showing deep veins of pure ,theosophy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,new ,,york4--,the ,aryan ,theosophical ,society continues to hold bi-monthly meetings1 which have been well attended4 ,in ,november1 ,brother ,mohini ,m4 ,chatterji and ,col4 ,aym addressed meetings4 ,col4 ,aym gave an address on ,theosophy and ,mathematics1 with illustrations on the blackboard4 ,on the first meeting in ,december1 ,bro4 ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,bjerregaard read a paper upon the ,elementals1 which was of great value and interest2 the first part of it is printed in this number and will be finished in ,february4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,california4--,the work here is being carried on by the ,branches in ,los ,angeles and ,oakland1 and some new members are reported4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,american ,,theosophical ,,council4--,in ,october1 a ,convention was held at ,cincinnati1 ,o41 at which all the active ,branches were represented4 ,the ,american section of the ,general ,theosophical ,council was then formed1 to take the place of the ,board of ,control1 which went out of existence4 ,dr4 ,buck acted as ,chairman1 and a ,general ,secretary who is to act as the means of communication between ,branches and ,headquarters was elected4 ,the choice fell upon ,mr4 ,william ,q4 ,judge1 of ,new ,york1 to whom hereafter all application and official communications should be sent4 ,since this convention1 new applications have been coming in and the work shows no signs of abatement4 ,it is expected that another meeting of the ,council will be held very soon for the purpose of carrying out some proposals for slight changes in the management of formal matters4 ,the ,council assumes no control of ,branches who are left perfectly free so long as they act within the general rules of the ,society4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,chicago4--,at the annual election of this ,branch1 held ,december #dth1 #ahhf1 the following officers were elected3 ,president1 ,stanley ,b4 ,sexton2 ,vice-,president1 ,annie ,g4 ,ordway2 ,recording ,secretary1 ,ursula ,n4 ,gestefeld2 ,corresponding ,secretary1 ,m4 ,l4 ,brainard2 ,treasurer and ,librarian1 ,mrs4 ,a4 ,v4 ,wakeman4 ,address all official correspondence to the ,corresponding ,secretary1 #cgf ,w4 ,adams ,st4 ,,reviews ,,and ,,notes4 ,,the ,,theosophist4--,the leading article in ,the ,theosophist for ,november is again by ,madame ,blavatsky--a notable contribution on animated images1 in the course of which it is shown that some of the circumstances in that amusing travesty of ,occultism1 ,anstey's 8,fallen ,idol10 are based on true occult principles4 ,by the way1 every ,theosophist should read ,mr4 ,sinnett's 8,incidents in the ,life of ,madame ,blavatsky10 for thereby a clearer conception of the character of that illustrious and heroic woman will be gained1 with a better understanding of her nature and mission4 ,col4 ,olcott's second and concluding article on 8,the ,seeress of ,prevorst10 is a careful and scholarly piece of work1 throwing some light from ,eastern sources on that remarkable case of occult development in an obscure ,german village4 ,dr4 ,hartman has a paper on 8,occultism in ,germany10 in which he gives an important hint concerning one of the methods of practically developing one's higher nature4 ,srinivas ,rao's new story opens interestingly4 ,the ,eliphas ,levy series continue1 and a second article on ,hypnotic ,experiments is given4 ,several other interesting contributions must remain unnoticed4 ,it is a valuable number4 ,the ,theosophist deserves to increase its circulation with the increasing interest in ,theosophy4 ,,notes ,,and ,,queries4--,brother ,gould continues this useful and interesting publication4 ,we are indebted to him for ,november and ,december numbers4 ,many of the replies are by our old friend1 ,prof4 ,alex4 ,wilder1 who is learned in all that is curious in history1 archology and philology4 ,the ,december number has #dj pages of extremely valuable matter4 ,address ,s4 ,c4 ,l4 ,m4 ,gould1 ,manchester1 ,n4 ,h42 price #a a year4 ,,psychometry ,,and ,,thought ,,transference1 by ,n4 ,c4 ,f4 ,t4 ,s41 with an introduction by ,h4 ,s4 ,olcott1 is one of the ,adyar series4 ,it has been compiled with a view of putting in a small compass the main facts available relating to these two subjects1 with an outline of the occult explanation of the same4 ,,esoteric ,,buddhism4--,a new ,american edition of this book has been brought out by ,houghton1 ,mifflin ,co41 containing all the new matter and notes of the latest ,english edition1 besides a special introduction2 it is sold at a less price4 ,inquirers can order through ,,the ,,path4 ,,the ,,platonist is to be revived1 and will shortly appear in a new shape--octavo1 #ef pp42 #c per year4 ,thos4 ,m4 ,johnson1 ,osceola1 ,st4 ,clair ,co41 ,mo4 ,,correspondence4 ,,an ,,important ,,correction4 ,,to ,,all ,,the ,,readers ,,of ,,the ,,path4 ,in the ,november number of ,path in my article 8,theories about ,reincarnation and ,spirits10 the entire batch of elaborate arguments is upset and made to fall flat owing to the mistake of either copyist or printer4 ,on page #bce1 the last paragraph is made to begin with these words3 8,therefore the reincarnating principles are left behind in ,kama-loka1 etc410 whereas it ought to read 8,therefore the ,,non-reincarnating principles 7the false personality7 are left behind in ,kama-loka1 etc410 a statement fully corroborated by what follows1 since it is stated that those principles fade out and disappear4 ,there seems to be some fatality attending this question4 ,the spiritualists will not fail to see in it the guiding hand of their dear departed ones from 8,summerland20 and ,i am inclined to share that belief with them in so far that there must be some mischievous spook between me and the printing of my articles4 ,unless immediately corrected and attention drawn to it1 this error is one which is sure to be quoted some day against me and called a contradiction4 ,yours truly1 ,november #bjth1 #ahhf4 ,h4 ,p4 ,,blavatsky4 ,,note4--,the ,,ms4 for the article referred to was written out by some one for ,mme4 ,blavatsky and forwarded to us as it was printed1 and it is quite evident that the error was the copyist's1 and not ours nor ,madame's2 besides that1 the remainder of the paragraph clearly shows a mistake4 ,we did not feel justified in making such an important change on our own responsibility1 but are now glad to have the author do it herself4 ,other minor errors probably also can be found in consequence of the peculiar writing of the amanuensis1 but they are very trivial in their nature4--,,ed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,for thoughts alone cause the round of rebirths in this world2 let a man strive to purify his thoughts4 ,what a man thinks1 that he is3 this is the old secret4--,maitrayana ,brahmana ,upanishad1 vi ,prap41 #cd4 ,,om4 ,,footnotes3 #aeg ,dr4 ,g4 ,weil3 ,the ,bible1 the ,koran1 and the ,talmud4 #aeh ,leibnitz was born #afdf at ,leipzig1 and died #agaf4 ,according to ,schwegler's ,hist4 of ,phil4 he was1 next to ,aristotle1 the most highly gifted scholar that ever lived1 and according to ,f4 ,papillon 78,nature and ,life07 modern students in various departments of science and philosophy have verified his ideas and endorsed then to a large extent4 #aei ,see ,july and ,august ,,path4 #afj ,light on the ,path4 #afa ,letter from a friend4 #afb ,it is an old declaration of the esoteric doctrine that 8the counterfeit religion will last as long as the true one40--,,ed4 #afc ,see ,n4 ,y4 ,tribune1 ,nov4 #bh4 #ahhf4 #afd ,see ,bag4-,gita1 ,ch4 #ad4 #afe ,the numbers used here are significant4 ,in ,bagavad-,gita are #ah chapters1 and ,krishna as there revealed has a special meaning under the ,no4 #ah4 ,the five ,pandavas are the same as those who are concerned in the ,gita story4 ,if the product of #ah x #cfj be added1 the sum is #ah4 ,the correspondences in all the ,hindu stories will repay study4--,,ed4 #aff ,this injured ,brahmin was a sage who assuming that disguise desired to make a test4--,,ed4 ,,aum ,there is not anything amongst the hosts of heaven which is free from the influence of the three qualities which arise from the first principles of nature4--,bagavad-,gita1 ch4 xviii4 ,know that there is no enlightenment from without2 the secret of things is revealed from within4 ,from without cometh no ,divine ,revelation1 but the spirit heareth within4 ,do not think ,i tell you that which you know not2 for except you know it1 it cannot be given you4 ,to him that hath it is given1 and he bath the more abundantly4--,hermetic ,philosophy4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,february1 #ahhg4 ,,no4 #aa4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,,the ,,elementals1 ,,the ,,elementary ,,spirits1 ,,and ,,the ,,relationship ,,between ,,them ,,and ,,human ,,beings4 ,a paper read before the ,aryan ,theosophical ,society of ,new ,york1 ,december #adth1 #ahhf4 ,,by ,c4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,bjerregaard4 7,continued47 ,there are several designations for 8angels0 in the ,bible1 which clearly show that beings like the elementals of the ,kabbala and the monads of ,leibnitz1 must be understood by that term rather than that which is commonly understood4 ,they are called 8morning stars10 7,job #ch1 #g72 8flaming fires10 7,ps4 #ajd1 #d472 8the mighty ones10 7,ps4 #ajc1 #bj7 and ,st4 ,paul sees them in his cosmogonic vision 7#a ,col4 #a1 #af7 as 8principalities and powers40 ,such names as these preclude the idea of personality1 and we find ourselves compelled to think of them as impersonal existences1 in the same way as we conceive the angel that troubled the waters of the pool of ,bethesda1 as an influence1 a spiritual substance or conscious force4 ,i stated above that the ,kabbala taught that all events in ,nature and ,history were under the immediate superintendence of spirits1 elementals and elementary4 ,it was in harmony with such teachings1 that the translators of the ,septuagint translated ,deuteronomy #cb1 #h-i1 thus3 8,when the ,most ,high divided to the nations their inheritance1 he set the bounds of the ,heathen according to the number of the spirits1 but ,he ,himself took ,his abode in ,israel40 ,according to this translation1 which differs radically#afg from the orthodox1 spirits i4e4 ,elementals and ,elementary ,spirits1 are the rulers1 the principalities and powers1 among the heathen1 i4 e4 all people outside of ,israel4 ,whatever we may think of the exclusiveness of this passage1 and the work given the 8chosen people0 to perform1 we can verify this passage historically4 ,all people of the earth--so far as we know their religious and philosophical ideas--have drawn their spiritual life from sources very different from those whence the leaders of ,israel derived their inspiration4 ,i say the leaders of ,israel1 for the ,israelites as a people1 never comprehended the mission imposed upon them1 they constantly fell back into what has been called the 8idolatry0 of the nations around4 ,the people1 as a people1 were true to their natural instincts1 which led them to follow the guiding influence of natural ideas1 7i4 e4 ,elementals and ,elementary ,spirits74 ,i need not tell you that the ,ideas now spoken of are not merely ,conceptions1 such as we1 according to common usage1 are wont to believe4 ,ideas to the antique world1 were exactly the same thing as ,leibnitz called monads1 and the ,kabbala ,elements and ,elementary ,spirits4 ,plato1 for instance1 attributes to ideas an independent1 singular existence and hypostative power4 ,he calls them ,gods 7in the ,timus71 and asserts that movement1 life1 animation1 and reason belong to them1 7in the ,sophistes74 ,the nations of the earth1 all those not belonging to the chosen few1 have indeed been--for good and for evil--guided by the ,spirits1 now called ,elementals1 now ,ideas and now ,gods4 ,therefore1 if any one will study the history of mankind1 he must begin with a knowledge of these occult powers4 ,if any one will guide mankind's history1 he must follow the laws of these occult forces4 ,if we recognize the translation of the ,septuagint as given above1 and find ourselves outside the pale of the chosen people1 whose work is in 8the plan of salvation10 we know where to look for the intermediate powers between ourselves and the ,deity1 we know that they are the ,elementals1 the powers of ,nature1 the silent1 but invincible giants of the ,elements4 ,the importance to ,theosophists of the modern school of clear conceptions on these points are evident4 ,i need not point out to you why and wherefore4 ,in the ,zohar it is stated that1 8when spirits come down1 they clothe themselves with air or wrap themselves in ,elements40 ,it is also stated that1 8some spirits have a natural affinity for the air-7elements71 others for fire-7elements71 and when they come down to the earth1 they envelop themselves either in air-7elements7 or fire-7elements71 according to their nature40 ,these statements1 which can easily be supplemented with many more like them1 are of the greatest importance1 when the question is of spirit manifestations1 for it becomes a matter of grave consequence by what kind of monads we are surrounded4 ,but1 before speaking of the atmosphere of monads that surround us1 ,i must define the auras or emanations that proceed from all objects in nature4 ,as an aromatic scent emanates from a flower1 so all other bodies emit either colors or rays of 8imponderable0 matter4 ,copper and ,arsenic send out auras of red matter2 ,lead and ,sulphur emit a blue colored substance2 ,gold1 ,silver ,antimony green1 etc4 ,in short1 ,science teaches that all matter is luminous1 i4 e4 shines by its own light4 ,human beings1 be they spiritual-minded or not1 are also surrounded by their spheres4 ,we all know this4 ,we have all felt these sphere influences1 and some of you have perhaps seen them4 ,it it said that persons of a high and spiritual character have beautiful auras of white and blue1 gold and green1 in various tints2 while low natures emit principally dark red emanations1 which in brutal and vulgar persons darken almost to black4 ,the impulse or motive power1 the cause1 if you choose1 of these emanations is the soul of man1 of course4 ,according to the condition of the soul1 these emanations are more or less powerful1 more or less extensive1 more or less clear4 ,the stuff they are made of1 what is it8 ,it is of course physical1 though they may not be measured and weighed by any scientific instrument known at this day4 ,these emanations are soul-rays and they become reflected upon those small ,,monadic bodies already described4 ,i can not prove this to you experimentally1 but ,i can see these reflections as clearly as a physical experiment can demonstrate to you the light-reflection of the sun's rays upon a raindrop4 ,swedenborg claimed to have smelled the inner nature of certain spirits he met with in the spiritual world1 and to have determined their moral value by these rays4 ,in his work 8,heaven and ,hell10 he has recorded several such experiences4 ,it is an innate power of the soul1 that enables it to throw off these rays and it does it by necessity1 for without going beyond itself1 to express itself1 the soul would never realize itself4 ,the soul can1 however1 also be trained to emit these rays or auras1 consciously4 ,if we will believe the famous ,norse traveller and explorer of ,spiritland1 already referred to1 ,em4 ,swedenborg1 we may learn from his ,arcana ,celestia1 that 8the particular quality of a spirit is perceived immediately on his entrance into the other life1 from his sphere10 that 8the sphere is the image of the spirit extended beyond him20 8indeed1 it is the image of all that is in him40 ,the cause of the spheres around spirits1 the same author states to be from 8the activity of things in the interior memory10 from 8the ruling love40 ,swedenborg further states1 that 8by the sphere which exhales from the spirit of man1 even while he lives in the body1 every deed1 however secret1 becomes manifest in clear light10 and that good or evil spirits recognize him by his sphere2 and that good spirits can not be present with those who are in worldly and corporeal loves1 however pious exteriorly1 because they instantly perceive their sphere of evil as something filthy2 and1 on the other hand1 that good spirits readily associate with those surrounded by pure and heavenly spheres4 ,but it is not necessary to have recourse to the seers and those spiritually illuminated1 most of us have some knowledge of these facts from daily life4 ,who has not perceived the low and filthy sphere that surrounds the sensual1 or the intolerable atmosphere of a proud and haughty spirit1 or been depressed in the surroundings of a melancholy and passionate man or woman8 ,indeed1 we all have perceptions as to these things2 some stronger1 some less developed4 ,it is1 as ,i said1 the very life of the soul to diffuse itself through all its surroundings4 ,without such an activity it would not be soul4 ,an inactive1 an inert soul has no existence4 ,next1 the soul1 while thus actualizing itself1 takes its material from the monads1 just described1 and moulds them into such shapes and forms as are requisite for its own life and the influence it endeavors to exert4 ,the ,soul has the power to mould and shape them into any possible condition4 7,more about this later on47 ,this faculty is its image-making power or the form-making power of the soul4 ,in order to understand this image-making power1 let it first be remembered1 that it is an axiom in all mystical and spiritual philosophy1 that the spiritual degree in man 7,atman7 contains in its unity with the ,universal soul1 the patterns of all things and that these are reflected through the soul 7,buddhi and ,manas74 ,this being so1 the soul 7,buddhi and ,manas7 to understand the principle of creation has only to descend to its own deep1 the spirit 7,atman71 there to find it reflected4 ,having found and realized the idea of creation1 the soul may take material from the ethereal world1 called by the ,orientals ,akasa1 and out of it build any form--image1 ,i call it--it likes4 ,unless the soul gives such form and shape to the ideas and life1 that dwells in its own inner deep1 these will remain uncreated and the soul uneducated by not approving of its opportunities4 ,this is what ,i call the image-making power of the soul4 ,upon it depends all ,kardialogy or the science of the heart1 and all ,rationality4 ,upon it depends our attainment of psychic powers4 ,it is not only an innate and natural tendency of the soul 7,manas7 to go beyond its body to find material with which to clothe the life that it wants to give expression to4 ,the soul 7,manas7 can and must be trained to do this ,,consciously4 ,you can easily see that this power possessed consciously will give its possessor the power to work magic4 ,and this leads me directly to the subject of the use of aromas1 odors1 etc41 wherewith to create a suitable atmosphere around us2 an atmosphere congenial to the nature of spirits4 ,you all remember the splendid scene in ,bulwer's ,zanoni where ,glyndon meets the ,dweller of the ,threshold4 ,in that scene is described all the mystery of aromatic vapors1 their effect upon the human mind1 and the assistance they offer to spirit manifestations4 ,in short1 it is of the greatest importance that we produce the right environment by the right kind of emanations or auras1 and atmospheres3 8,as we give1 so we shall receive60 ,it would require a volume to relate the religious1 political1 economic1 and gallant history of odors and perfumes4 ,i shall mention a few instances only4 ,from the highest antiquity we find that priests have employed odoriferous substances4 ,the worshippers of light1 the ,zoroastrians1 laid perfumes five times a day upon the sacred flame1 that symbolized light and life4 ,the ,greeks were very profuse in the use of ambrosia1 and believed that the gods always appeared in fragrant clouds4 ,you all know the importance of smoke and perfumes in the rituals used at the ,mysteries and around the sacred tripod on which rested the prophetesses at ,delphi4 ,the ,romans almost carried the use of incense and odoriferous substances too far4 ,from the classic people the custom was borrowed by the ,christian ,church4 ,there was even a time1 when the ,romish ,church owned large estates in the ,east1 devoted exclusively to the cultivation of balms and essences to be used in the rites of worship4 ,but it was not only in religious practices that these delicate media were used to facilitate the descent of spiritual beings4 ,all through the ,orient1 even to this day1 they are employed in the private life for the same purpose2 not for mere luxury1 as some people will have us believe4 ,it was very appropriate indeed1 that the ,greeks should burn aromatic substances during their banquets1 and who can estimate the soothing influence upon the wild and warlike ,romans of their beautiful custom of perfuming their baths1 their sleeping rooms and beds1 and their drinks4 ,it is not at all likely that the ,romans should have been ignorant of the high spiritual significance of these practices4 ,why should they before battle anoint the ,roman eagles with the richest perfumes1 if they did not think it pleasing to the god of war and his followers1 if they did not thereby expect to prepare a suitable atmosphere for their descent4 ,i pass by the modern use of these things4 ,among the many abuses with which we are familiar1 the strong human instinct asserts itself everywhere4 ,we expect1 for instance1 that ,youth and ,beauty shall be surrounded by a sphere1 sweet-smelling and elevating2 and our instincts are true in this1 for there is a close parallel between purity and aromatic odors4 ,it is a truth well understood that ,spirit does not act immediately upon ,matter4 ,there always is a medium between them4 ,it seems rational that it should be so4 ,spirit and ,matter being the two poles of one and the same substance need the intermediate middle as a point of conjunction and exchange of energy4 ,applying this general law to the particulars before us1 it seems most natural to conclude that the ,elementals are the media by means of which all our spiritual efforts are exerted upon ,nature1 and that nothing can be done without their intervention4 ,but the question also arises3 how do we make the ,elementals perform this work for us8 ,by what means do we influence them8 ,occult ,science teaches that 8the pure of heart10 those that1 having travelled over 8the ,path10 have come to 8freedom10 can1 by a mere mental effort or by stretching out the hand1 8do these things40 ,in view of this teaching1 ,i shall state a few facts relative to the power of the ,mind and the ,hand4 7#a7 ,the ,word spoken consists of the thought or idea we want to convey to the person spoken to1 and 7#b7 this thought clothed in a form1 a kind of vessel1 by means of which we send the thought flying through space4 ,these two elements are the main factors of the ,word4 ,let us now look a little closer upon each of these two factors4 ,when an animal in distress calls for another1 we1 human beings1 understand that it throws its desire or animal life into the sounds which proceed from that throat1 and the other animal answers instinctively1 we say quite correctly1 for we do not think that the animals reason about their doings4 ,this kind of 8language10 if it can be so called1 is not much different from the language of mankind at large4 ,all language as used in ordinary daily life is but slightly higher in character1 but not different in degree4 ,language--the ,word--is spoken when an ,idea or ,spiritual ,life is communicated4 ,in the true sense1 we only speak or pronounce the ,word when the ,highest finds a channel into the actual world by means of our vocal organs4 ,that is the ,word6 ,now1 about its ,form4 ,whence comes its material8 ,for form is something substantial4 ,it is not enough that an architect has a design to a building in his mind1 he needs actual material with which to erect the house if it is to be realized on the actual side of existence4 ,as surely as he procures stones and wood1 etc41 so do we also need material substances with which to construct our mental edifices4 ,from what world do we draw these substances8 ,from the astral or ethereal molecules6 ,from the ,monads6 ,by a pre-established harmony1 the suitable monads glomerate around the heavenly idea that proceeds to reveal itself upon our tongue when we speak the ,word4 ,thus the thought gets its ,form4 ,thus far ,i have spoken of the thought or idea descending to utter itself upon our tongue1 we being the mere tools of the idea4 ,and such is almost always the case4 ,we neither originate thought nor its form4 ,thought or ,spirit speaks through us as the passive agents4 ,yet we all know how we boast of our oracles1 of our prophets and our seers1 even because they act as passive agents4 ,but there is a language still higher4 ,it is possible for man to originate thought and to control the form to such thought4 ,the adepts know this secret and they have arrived at that power by getting beyond the 8ordinary0 laws of life4 ,they are not mere channels for the flux and reflux of thought2 they originate and control thought4 ,heaven's first law is order4 ,as we know some of the laws according to which we formulate speech in a logical way1 so that other sphere outside 7or inside1 if you like71 which is full of the germs of life1 has its laws4 ,hence the adepts1 too1 follow certain rules or laws1 when they want to originate or control thought and its form4 ,vulgarly1 the laws or methods are called spells or incantations4 ,before we consciously can work spells or control spirits and their energies1 we must arrive at the state of the adept1 where he is beyond the laws that govern1 so to say1 the surface of things4 ,but we cannot come there on any highroads nor by any short cuts4 ,we must travel the road of self-denial and that of illusion4 ,as it is possible to enter into the sanctuary of a temple by sheer brutal force1 so it is possible to get into possession of formulas and spells which work wonders1 though we be neither pure of mind nor strong of heart4 ,would formulas and spells under such conditions be useful to us8 ,they may6 ,they may not6 ,they may also work our destruction4 ,we have been taught that they are more dangerous to us than a naked sword in the hands of a child4 ,the child may accidentally do some useful work with its sharp instrument1 but it may also destroy itself4 ,from this we should learn that the true course to pursue in regard to the performing of wonders by means of ,elementals or ,elementary ,spirits is to first to attain to the state of an adept3 to learn to control life and thought4 ,if we should happen to come in possession of spells or incantations without knowing the proper use of them--better not use them6 ,but how do we attain to that state just described8 ,i can not define the way nor teach anybody how to do so1 but ,i think that the way must be very much like that travelled by the ,lord ,buddha and now followed by 8the ,adepts40 ,but1 as it is not our immediate duty to prepare for the performance of miracles1 we have been warned to abstain from such vain pursuits4 ,far better is it for us to follow the directions given for moral life3 8,try to get as near to wisdom and goodness as you can in this life4 ,trouble not yourself about the gods4 ,disturb yourself not by curiosities or desires about any future existence4 ,seek only after the fruit of the noble path of self-culture and of self-control40 ,these are words from ,buddhist ,scriptures4 ,it is not only by mind that we may control the ,elementals and the ,elementary spirits4 ,the hand forms a most important element among the tools used in occult science4 ,i shall not define the science of chiromancy1 but describe the magnetic points of the fingers4 ,have you given any thought and attention to the hand8 ,generally we consider the head of a man and put our estimate upon him according to the size of his brain4 ,but we neglect the hand4 ,and yet the hand is as important a factor in the execution of spiritual acts as is the brain4 ,the hand is the executive organ of the dynamico-mysterious actions of the ,spirit of man4 ,through the hand its psychico-somatic operations take place1 through it its whole spiritual-psychical energy flows out1 when laid upon the sick1 for instance4 ,it may be readily enough understood that the spiritual activity of the spirit of man ultimates itself in acts1 and that almost all of these are executed by the hand1 but it is probably but little known that in healing1 for instance1 there is a peculiar physical basis in the hand1 upon which the healing power is dependent1 the ,pacinian corpuscles1 namely4 ,it is now many years ago 7it was in #ahcj and #ahdj7 that ,pacini1 a physician of ,pistola1 made his discovery2 but with the exception of the literature to which it gave rise1 and which is known only to a few learned men and a few librarians of larger libraries1 little or nothing is known of his discovery4 ,pacini found in all the sensible nerves of the fingers many small elliptical1 whitish corpuscles4 ,he compared them to the electrical organs of the torpedo and described them as animal magneto-motors1 as organs of animal magnetism4 ,and so did ,henle and ,klliker1 two ,german anatomists1 who have studied and described these corpuscles very minutely4 ,in the human body they are found in great numbers in connection with the nerves of the hand1 also in those of the foot4 ,why should they not be in the feet8 ,let us remember the rythmical structure of the human body1 particularly the feet1 and it becomes clear why they are there2 the ecstatic dances of the enthusiasts and the not-sinking of somnambulists in water or their ability to use the soles of their feet as organs of perception and the ancient art of healing by the soles of the feet--all these facts explain the mystery4 ,they are found sparingly on the spinal nerves1 and on the plexuses of the sympathetic1 but never on the nerves of motion4 ,they are most numerous on the small twigs of nerves and generally placed parallel to them1 though often at an acute angle4 ,they are more or less oval1 sometimes elongated and bent4 ,they are nearly transparent1 with a whitish line traversing their axis4 ,the corpuscles of the human subject are from one-twentieth to one-tenth of an inch in length4 ,they consist of a series of membranous capsules1 from thirty to sixty or more in number1 enclosed one within the other4 ,inside of these capsules there is a single nervous fibre of a tubular kind enclosed in the stalk1 and advancing to the central capsule1 which it traverses from end to end4 ,sometimes the capsules are connected by transverse bands4 ,anatomists are interested in these ,pacinian corpuscles because of the novel aspect in which they present the constituent parts of the nerve-tube1 placed in the heart of a system of concentric membranous capsules with intervening fluid1 and divested of that layer which they 7the anatomists7 regard as an isolator and protector of the more potential central axis within4 ,this apparatus--almost formed like a voltaic pile1 is the instrument for that peculiar vital energy1 known more or less to all students as ,animal ,magnetism4 ,since the cat is somewhat famous in all witchcraft1 let me state1 that in the mesentary of the cat1 they can be seen in large numbers with the naked eye1 as small oval shaped grains a little smaller than hempseeds4 ,a few have been found in the ox 7the symbol of the priestly office72 but they are wanting in all birds1 amphibia and fishes4 ,though his discovery was disputed it has since been verified and the theory strongly supported4 ,these organs are the beneficent media through which the ,spirit operates4 ,from time immemorial the human hand has been regarded as the life-point of a mysterious magical power1 but not until ,pacini's discovery do we know its seat4 ,these corpuscles are its seat4 ,are they perhaps agglomerations of such monads as ,i have described and thus the media by means of which the highest spiritual powers perform their work8 ,we find the ,elementals under all forms of existence1 as mere natural forces1 totally1 to our perceptions1 destitute of any self-conscious life2 we find them also attaining a form very near the human4 ,there is no valid reason against supposing them to be the stuff out of which we form thoughts1 much less against considering them to be the life-giving elements in the ,pacinian corpuscles4 ,let us maintain the theory that there is no such thing as a dead or inanimate force in the universe4 ,every atom1 itself a form of power1 is alive with force4 ,every atom in space reflects the ,universal ,self1 who is3 ,the ,soul of ,things4 ,i shall now come to the end of my paper by a few words which contain the practical purpose of my lecture4 7#a7 ,the monads1 just described1 whether they reflect the auras1 that surround us consciously or unconsciously1 whether they are used as mind-stuff or be located in the ,pacinian corpuscles of the hand1 are physical media of intercourse between the ,elementaries and the adepts4 ,why not6 ,if ,eastern adepts and ,western mediums are in possession of power to atomize 8the body10 to make it become the smallest of the smallest1 to enter into a diamond1 for instance1 if they have power to magnify 8the body0 to any dimensions2 to change the polarity of the body1 to make it become the lightest of the lightest as in the well known phenomena of levitation1 why should the ,elementaries1 existing1 as they do1 under much more favorable circumstances1 not be able to enter into matter1 to enter into atoms which 8contain a ,sun0 and there1 for the time being direct its vital principle and its universal orbs1 to such purposes as they choose1 to make it serve the adept's or magician's will1 who seeks aid or enlightenment8 7#b7 ,i contend that they do6 ,and ,i argue for the necessity of producing such surroundings of auras of monads as will facilitate and raise the standard of what is commonly called 8,mediumship40 7#c7 ,i argue for a cultivation of the image-making power of the soul1 that we may be able to direct and utilize consciously the intercourse with the ,elementaries4 7#d7 ,i wish to have a knowledge spread abroad about the ,pacinian corpuscles1 that we may lay our hands upon mankind and cure its ills4 ,i feel personally convinced that there is both 8,light and ,life0 to be found upon these lines of study and conduct4 ,,poetical ,,occultism4 ,,some ,,rough ,,studies ,,of ,,the ,,occult ,,leanings ,,of ,,the ,,poets4 ,,iv4 ,whitman1 in his short and remarkable poem1 8,to him that was ,crucified10 perceives very clearly the verity of ,mahatmahood2 the existence of men who live upon a higher plane than that of ordinary mortals1 and who are united in an order of spiritual brotherhood4 ,the poem runs3#afh ,my spirit to yours1 dear brother1 ,do not mind because many sounding your name do not understand you1 ,i do not sound your name1 but ,i understand you1 ,i specify you with joy1 ,o my comrade1 to salute you1 and to salute those who are with you1 before and since1 and those to come also1 ,that we all labor together transmitting the same charge and succession1 ,we few equals indifferent of lands1 indifferent of times1 ,we1 enclosers of all continents1 all castes1 allowers of all theologies1 ,compassionaters1 perceivers1 rapport of men1 ,we walk silent among disputes and assertions1 but reject not the disputers nor anything that is asserted1 ,we hear the bawling and din1 we are reached at by divisions1 jealousies1 recriminations on every side1 ,they close peremptorily upon us to surround us1 my comrade1 ,yet we walk unheld1 free1 the whole earth over1 journeying up and down till we make our ineffaceable mark upon time and the diverse eras1 ,till we saturate time and eras1 that the men and woman of races1 ages to come1 may prove brethren and lovers as we are4 ,these lines1 sublime as they are1 will probably be regarded as little short of blasphemous by many of our good friends who1 sounding his name1 do not understand him2 who1 worshipping him as the only ,man-,god1 have lost sight of the ,god in man1 the ,christ1 the potential development of which in all men was the great lesson which the ,nazarene sought to convey4 ,they little think that he whose name they sound may perhaps be walking the earth to-day1 striving to bring men to the light1 but despised and rejected by themselves because in an unrecognized and strange guise1 while the same old truths are again trampled upon1 since they lack the endorsement of established authority4 ,the poet1 however1 shows that he1 too broad to be limited by one name1 truly understands the mission of ,jesus2 he1 with his own grand teachings of universal brotherhood despised and misunderstood because of their unfamiliar form1 is elevated by the sublimity of the truths that inspire himself to the level which gives him the right to address the founder of ,christianity as a comrade4 ,he sees1 too1 with a directness that probably has come to no other modern poet1 that there is a band of 8,equals0 working for the same end1 8transmitting the same charge and succession10 through all races1 through all ages1 and giving vitality to all religions4 ,the free1 uninfluenced attitude which he who would grow towards the light must maintain is expressed here with most effective simplicity1 as is the end for which ,,they are striving--so to saturate the world and all eras with their precepts as finally to lift all mankind into the unity of perfect ,brotherhood4 ,the true mental abnegation is here referred to1 just as ,krishna in the ,bagavad-,gita tries to teach ,arjuna4 ,in speaking of the necessity for retiring to the forest so as to attain perfection untroubled by man1 he says to ,arjuna that the true philosopher will look with equal mind upon all classes of men1 upon all systems of thought and all objects of sense1 esteeming all alike1 inasmuch as they are all one in the ,supreme ,spirit1 and that spirit found in each1 so that to retire to the forest is not a necessity4 ,thus ,whitman says that he and all others of the same mind1 are indifferent of lands1 times1 disputes or disputers1 allowers of all theologies1 because they well know--as occultism teaches--that each theology and each assertion is one facet of the great ,truth4 ,the result of this state of mind is beautifully set forth in the lines which say that amid the bawling and din1 reached at by divisions and jealousies on every side that close peremptorily upon us to surround and fetter us1 we walk free1 unheld by all1 because we are fixed upon the immutable rock of the ,true4 ,this is the imperturbability sought by the ancient ,chinese philosophers1 who1 themselves students of occultism1 esteemed that equanimity above all else4 ,there are various passages throughout ,whitman's poems that intimate a perception1 perhaps intuitive1 of the existences of the ,masters4 ,for instance1 he says1 8,i see the serene company of philosophers10 and in 8,a ,song of the ,rolling ,earth0 are the lines3 8,the workmanship of souls is by those inaudible words of the earth1 ,the masters know the earth's words and use them more than audible words40 ,and again1 towards the end of the same poem3 8,when the materials are all prepared and ready1 the architects shall appear40 ,the thought here is identical with that in 8,light on the ,path0 7note to ,rule #ba1 ,first ,section73 8,therefore in the ,hall of ,learning1 when he is capable of entering there1 the disciple will always find his master40 ,and in the following note3 8,when the disciple is ready to learn1 then he is accepted1 acknowledged1 recognized4 ,it must be so2 for he has lit his lamp1 and it cannot be hidden40 ,the poem in question concludes with the following exalted lines which contain a significant statement of one of the great truths of ,occultism3 8,i swear to you the architects shall appear without fail1 ,i swear to you they will understand you and justify you1 ,the greatest among them shall be he who best knows you1 and encloses all and is faithful to all4 ,he and the rest shall not forget you1 they shall perceive that you are not an iota less than they1 ,you shall be fully glorified in them40 ,it is hardly possible to say whether or not the poet means that these architects are in one sense the various1 changeful mortal costumes the human monad had here and there1 in many races and places1 assumed while passing through the wheel of rebirths4 ,when he says that the architects 8will understand you and justify you10 we may easily picture the time when the regenerated man1 now able to see all his illusionary entrances upon the stage of life under the costume of varied personalities1 can understand that all these different incarnations were fully justified by the need for the particular experience found in each new life1 and thus he himself is glorified and justified by these architects1 who were really himself4 ,complete proof of ,whitman's belief in reincarnation is to be found in the following lines from 8,facing ,west from ,california's ,shores30 ,facing west from ,california's shores1 ,inquiring1 tireless1 seeking what is yet unfound1 ,i a child1 very old1 over waves1 towards the house of maternity1 the land of migrations1 look afar1 ,look off the shores of my ,western sea1 the circle almost circled2 ,for starting westward from ,hindustan1 from the vales of ,kashmere1 ,from ,asia1 from the north1 from the ,god1 the sage1 and the hero1 ,from the south1 from the flowery peninsulas and the spice islands1 ,long having wander'd since1 round the earth having wander'd4 ,now ,i face home again1 very pleas'd and joyous4 7,but where is what ,i started for so long ago8 ,and why is it yet unfound87 ,this last query is answered in ,light on the ,path 7rule #ab1 ,i473 8,you will enter the light1 but you will never touch the flame40 ,the ,self is what we seek4 ,it resides in the heart of every mortal creature 8smaller than a grain of mustard seed20 the heart is in the ,sun--and now we speak of the real heart and the real spiritual sun which is 8now hidden by a vase of golden light0--7as the ,upanishads say7--the ,sun in the mouth of ,brahman and ,brahman is the ,all4 ,s4 ,b4 ,j4 ,illustration3 ,,hindu ,,symbolism4 ,,iii4 ,this figure represents the ,mystic ,brahma espousals with ,parasakti4 ,the latter is the divine principle of intellectual emanative potentiality or energy1 and the ideal of archi-typal womanhood4 ,the ,sakti is conceived of as the female part of the energy of ,brahma's intellectual1 creative power and creative wisdom4 ,brahma is here the true ,para-,brahma1 and ,para-,sakti a true ,para-sarasvadi4 ,the sexless in ,brahman 7neuter7 is here transmuted into the male or energizing power1 as the principal symbolic type of the divine emanative1 yet immanent1 creative power1 as the masculine principle of the ideal or ,great ,androgynic ,man or the ,makrokosm2 and the flaming ,sun is here depicted as the flaming sun-face1 representative of the male-active deity1 also called ,purusha4 ,the ,sakti or ,para-,sakti1 the fructifying energy and potentiality of ,brahman's wisdom1 wears upon her head a bright fire-flaming crown or nimbus4 ,the veil surrounding them1 is the mystic veil produced by the ideation of the eternal thought of the eternal ,mind4 ,in the left hand of the sun-figure on the first finger1 is carried a bird or perhaps a dove1 which is intended to symbolize the flight of the ideal creation from the eternal ,mind before the appearance of that which appears to us to be the real world4 ,in the right hand he holds the end of the mystic veil4 ,on the head of ,maya--the woman--is the world-egg cap4 ,below1 in the shadow of the spherical cloak of the ,god-dawn1 is seen the world-egg surrounded by the spiritualizing ,ananda the snake of eternity1 which as if asleep and inactive1 is suspended around the egg4 ,in ,india the principal general symbols are fire and water1 sun and moon1 man and woman1 bull and cow1 the linga and yoni1 the lotus and the sacred fig 7ficus indica74 ,the lotus is formed of red1 white and blue colors2 blue is considered the same as black4 ,,isaac ,,myer4 8,,light ,,on ,,the ,,path40 8,the ,soul of man is immortal and its future is the future of a thing whose growth and splendour has no limit40 ,it is with extreme diffidence that ,i venture to undertake a short commentary or analysis of the book whose title heads this article2 not only because of the nature of the work itself1 but also because it has already been twice commented upon1 once by the author1 and once by a very learned student of ,eastern ,literature4 ,the author's notes1 however1 were rather an extension of the original text than a commentary in the strict sense of the word2 while the object of the second annotator was more an attempt to show the identity of the doctrines contained in ,light on the ,path with those of ancient ,brahamanical ,philosophy1 than to give the nature of those doctrines in themselves4 ,the object of this paper on the contrary1 is to attempt to analyze the scheme of ,philosophy in accordance with which this little book has been written2 in other words1 to attempt to set forth the intellectual counterpart of the spiritual doctrines of ,light on the ,path4 ,it is inevitable that1 in thus changing the doctrine from the ,spiritual to the intellectual plane1 so to speak1 the intellectual counterpart should be inferior to the ,spiritual original4 ,to counterbalance this loss1 however1 it is true on the other hand that the intellectual counterpart may render the spiritual original accessible to some1 the conformation of whose minds renders them unable to appreciate it directly4 ,it is in the hope that this may be so that the present paper has been attempted4 ,to begin with1 then1 the work we are considering indicates a possible enlightenment of the ,soul1 and development of the higher part of our nature2 and further states that these results cannot take place before a certain battle has been fought and won3 we have1 therefore1 to discover what the soul is2 what is the nature of the battle2 what are the opposing forces2 and what are the results of the struggle4 ,the combatants are the higher nature1 or ,soul on the one side2 and the lower nature or egotism on the other4 ,the higher nature includes the intellectual1 ,spiritual1 and sthetical powers3 that is to say1 the powers which deal with the perception of truth1 goodness1 and beauty4 ,the sense of truth is characteristically manifested in the conquest of some intricate mathematical problem1 or in following successfully some difficult chain of reasoning4 ,the sense of beauty is manifested in the joy with which we behold the splendor of a glorious sunset4 ,the sense of goodness is manifested in the voice of an approving conscience1 or in the reverence and admiration we feel for some godlike and noble character4 ,it is undeniable that the intellect can discriminate between what is1 and what is not1 true1 within its own domain1 the sthetical faculty also can pronounce with certainty as to the presence or absence of that quality which we call beauty4 ,so can the moral nature decide without hesitation as to what is or what is not in accordance with ,righteousness4 ,these three powers of the higher nature are subject to development1 that is to say1 at different periods they will perceive the qualities of beauty1 truth1 and goodness in different objects1 and in different degrees2 but as to the reality of the three qualities their voice is ever the same4 ,the three powers perceive three harmonies1 each in its own domain2 when the three are harmoniously developed the three harmonies are perceived to be one1 and to this one great harmony are given the names of the ,eternal and the ,law of ,god4 ,the seer of old feeling the sense of ,rightousness' within him exclaimed3 8,i will rejoice in the ,eternal1 and in him will ,i put my trust40 ,when the powers of the higher nature are developed1 under all temporary disharmony and chaotic disturbance1 are perceived a deeper order and more enduring harmony ever at work4 ,marcus ,aurelius had perception of a deep ,spiritual truth1 when he wrote the concluding sentences of the following utterance4 8,figs1 when they are quite ripe1 gape open3 and in the ripe olives1 the very circumstance of their being near to rottenness1 adds a peculiar beauty to the fruit1 and ears of corn bending down1 and foam which flows from the mouth of wild boars1 and many other things1--though they are far from being beautiful1 in a certain sense1--still1 because they come in the course of nature1 have a beauty in them1 and they please the mind2 so that if a man should have a feeling and a deeper insight with respect to the things which are produced in the universe1 there is hardly anything which comes in the course of nature1 which will not seem to him to be1 in a manner1 disposed so as to give pleasure40 ,that is1--in all things1 could we but perceive it1 is the harmony of the ,eternal4 ,the first harmony1 the harmony of truth1 is perceived by the scientific materialist2 that is to say1 he is capable of perceiving the reign of ,law in the physical universe4 ,the artistic nature can perceive the harmony of beauty in nature and art4 ,by the spiritually-minded is perceived the moral harmony4 ,it is the distinctive mark of modern ,civilization that the harmonies of truth and beauty1 of ,science and ,art are perceived and openly recognized by all1 while the harmony of ,holiness is passed over1 in silence and oblivion4 ,it is the object of ,theosophy1 rightly understood1 to arouse the world to a renewed sense of the harmony of ,righteousness4 ,so much for the higher nature4 ,confronting it stands the ,egotism4 ,for where the moral sense dictates peace and goodwill to all men1 the ,egotism raises a selfish claim for a monopoly of all good things1 all pleasures1 all enjoyments4 ,the first enjoyment the ,egotism demands is to surpass and dominate all other ,egotisms which it seems to see pursuing the same pleasures as itself4 ,hence the command3 8,kill out ambition40 ,having once gained this domination the self cries out for enjoyments both sensual and sensuous1 for all the pleasures of life4 ,hence the need for the command 8,kill out the desire of life20 the self is also deterred by indolence from carrying out any good inspirations that may descend through the thick mist which surrounds it1 from the higher nature3 against indolence it is written 8,kill out the desire of comfort40 ,but the moral sense condemns the existence of this self1 this centre of force1 which is not in accordance with its perception of ,harmony4 ,when once the moral nature comes to perceive the evil of egotism1 the question inevitably arises for solution1 8,shall this cause of disharmony cease or continue80 ,if the decision is for its continuance one of two things will happen4 ,either1 before the moral nature has been completely paralysed and atrophied by neglect1--before the seared conscience is completely silenced1--the fact will be recognised1 in the midst of pain and sorrow unspeakable1 that 8to work for self is to work for disappointment20 and in that case the moral nature may at last meet with its development and all may be well2 8the weak must wait for its growth1 its fruition1 its death1 and it is a plant that lives and increases through the ages40 ,it has been said also 8the forging of earthly chains is the occupation of the indifferent1 the awful duty of unloosing them through the sorrows of the heart is also their occupation0 and truly 8both are foolish sacrifices40 ,either this takes place1 or1--the moral nature at last becomes completely deadened1 all the force and vital power which has been drawn away from it goes to strengthen the ,egotism which becomes from henceforth a centre of evil1 of destruction2 an enemy of the eternal4 ,it seems that individual existence means a certain amount of force1 which may vitalise either the powers of the higher nature or those of the egotism2 or those of both1 in part4 ,it seems also that the egotism is a group of centres1 so to speak1 from some or all of which the energic force of the individual may work2 so that1 for example1 when this force works from one centre in the egotism sensuality arises2 when from another centre1 hate2 from another1 evil ambition1 and so on4 ,when the energic force is raised to the higher nature it may act from various centres2 from one1 as charity2 from another1 as holiness1 and so on4 ,hence1 8any good quality may become any other good quality0--if the conditions are favorable4 ,it seems also that the ,will can degrade the energic force from the soul to the egotism2 or1 conversely1 can raise it from the egotism to the soul2 so that1 by the alchemical power of the will1 so to speak1 the baser metal becomes converted and1 rising to the top of the still1 becomes pure gold4 ,besides the higher and lower natures we have been considering there resides also1 in the complete being1 consciousness or sense of existence and will4 ,when all the portions of energic force1--or the ,satwaic sparks1 as they are elsewhere called1--rise to the higher nature1 the individual becomes one with the ,eternal1 and a part of the ,united ,spirit of ,life1 and individual existence ceases1 in a sense4 ,when the question is asked 8,shall the self cease or continue80 the moral nature answers decisively 8,it ought to cease40 ,if the truth of this mandate is recognised1 at once a terrible struggle arises2 self opposed rises with tenfold force and violence2 again and again it craftily casts doubt on the truth of the moral nature2 raises obstacles1 temptations and hindrances2 all the pleasures it has enjoyed are to be swept away forever2 all the momentum and power that the egotism has gained1 through long continued indulgence and unhindered growth1 are brought to bear at once on the struggle2 the whole nature is torn by the conflict1 the will is tried to the uttermost2 but under all this turmoil and strife lies the assured consciousness of final victory2 it is felt that sooner or later the self must be destroyed1 that it is built for time and not for eternity1 that its days are numbered4 ,during the struggle intervals of peace occur1 and grow greater and longer as the end approaches2 till at last1 when the final victory is won this peace becomes habitual4 ,but as the conflict goes on1 the will at last gains strength to say1 once for all 8,henceforth1 forever1 will ,i serve self no more40 ,and immediately the first struggle is ended4 ,the dominance of self is forever destroyed4 ,in reply to the command 8,seek in the heart the source of evil1 and expunge it0 the soul can say 8this also have ,i done10 then comes 8peace to the troubled spirit0 peace deep and pure4 ,the soul recognises that the self has been the cause of individual existence2 when the self is removed the soul tends to harmonise itself with the great harmony1 to become one with the eternal2 but all the evil tendencies to selfishness and sin1 must be gradually overcome1 for though their cause and source has been destroyed1 yet they still maintain a certain momentum4 ,not yet can it be said that the soul is perfectly at one with the ,united ,spirit of ,life4 ,much remains to be done1 yet much has been done already1 for during the struggle the energic force has become loosened from the centres of self1 and has ascended to strengthen and vivify the soul1 which becomes strong1 fully awakened1 and in harmony with the eternal2 the flower of the soul is opening1 the first step on the ,path is taken4 ,in the ,idyll of the ,white ,lotus the same author has given the same history in another form4 ,the ,new-,testament story is the same1 and so is the scheme of ,christian ,theology for those who have eyes to see it2 for that story is 8the tragedy of the soul1 it has been told in all ages and among every people40 8,enter the ,path6 there spring the healing streams ,quenching all thirst6 there bloom the immortal flowers ,carpeting all the way with joy6 there throng ,swiftest and sweetest hours40 ,dublin1 ,ireland4 ,,charles ,,johnston4 ,,musings ,,on ,,the ,,true ,,theosophist',s ,,path4 ,if you desire to labor for the good of the world1 it will be unwise for you to strive to include it all at once in your efforts4 ,if you can help elevate or teach but one soul--that is a good beginning1 and more than is given to many4 ,fear nothing that is in ,nature and visible4 ,dread no influence exerted by sect1 faith1 or society4 ,each and every one of them originated upon the same basis--,truth1 or a portion of it at least4 ,you may not assume that you have a greater share than they1 it being needful only1 that you find all the truth each one possesses4 ,you are at war with none4 ,it is peace you are seeking1 therefore it is best that the good in everything is found4 ,for this brings peace4 ,it has been written that he who lives the ,life shall know the doctrine4 ,few there be who realize the significance of ,the ,life4 ,it is not by intellectually philosophizing upon it1 until reason ceases to solve the problem1 nor by listening in ecstatic delight to the ravings of an ,elemental clothed--whose hallucinations are but the offspring of the ,astral--that the life is realized4 ,nor will it be realized by the accounts of the experiences of other students4 ,for there be some who will not realize ,divine ,truth itself1 when written1 unless it be properly punctuated or expressed in flowery flowing words4 ,remember this3 that as you live your life each day with an uplifted purpose and unselfish desire1 each and every event will bear for you a deep significance--an occult meaning--and as you learn their import1 so do you fit yourself for higher work4 ,there are no rose-gardens upon the way in which to loiter about1 nor fawning slaves to fan one with golden rods of ,ostrich plumes4 ,the ,ineffable ,light will not stream out upon you every time you may think you have turned up the wick1 nor will you find yourself sailing about in an astral body1 to the delight of yourself and the astonishment of the rest of the world1 simply because you are making the effort to find wisdom4 ,he who is bound in any way--he who is narrow in his thoughts--finds it doubly difficult to pass onward4 ,you may equally as well gain wisdom and light in a church as by sitting upon a post while your nails grow through your hands4 ,it is not by going to extremes or growing fanatical in any direction that the life will be realized4 ,be temperate in all things1 most of all in the condemnation of other men4 ,it is unwise to be intemperate or drunken with wine4 ,it is equally unwise to be drunken with temperance4 ,men would gain the powers2 or the way of working wonders4 ,do you know1 ,o man1 what the powers of the ,mystic are8 ,do you know that for each gift of this kind he gives a part of himself8 ,that it is only with mental anguish1 earthly sorrow1 and almost his heart's blood1 these gifts are gained8 ,is it true1 think you1 my brother1 that he who truly possesses them desires to sell them at a dollar a peep1 or any other price8 ,he who would trade upon these things finds himself farther from his goal than when he was born4 ,there are gifts and powers4 ,not just such as you have created in your imagination1 perhaps4 ,harken to one of these powers3 ,he who has passed onward to a certain point1 finds that the hearts of men lie spread before him as an open book1 and from there onward the motives of men are clear4 ,in other words he can read the hearts of men4 ,but not selfishly2 should he but once use this knowledge selfishly1 the book is closed--and he reads no more4 ,think you1 my brothers1 he would permit himself to sell a page out of this book8 ,time--that which does not exist outside the inner circle of this little world--seems of vast importance to the physical man4 ,there comes to him at times1 the thought that he is not making any progress1 and that he is receiving nothing from some ,mystic source4 ,from the fact that he has the thought that no progress is being made the evidence is gained that he is working onward4 ,only the dead in living bodies need fear4 ,that which men would receive from ,mystic sources is frequently often repeated1 and in such a quiet1 unobtrusive voice1 that he who is waiting to hear it shouted in his ear1 is apt to pass on unheeding4 ,urge no man to see as yourself1 as it is quite possible you may see differently when you awake in the morning4 ,it is wiser to let the matter rest without argument4 ,no man is absolutely convinced by that4 ,it is but blowing your breath against the whirlwind4 ,it was at one time written over the door3 8,abandon ,hope1 all ye who enter here40 ,it has taken hundreds of years for a few to come to the realization that the wise men had not the slightest desire for the company of a lot of hopeless incurables in the mysteries4 ,there is to be abandoned hope for the gratification of our passions1 our curiosities1 our ambition or desire for gain4 ,there is also another ,hope--the true2 and he is a wise man who comes to the knowledge of it4 ,sister to ,patience1 they together are the ,godmothers of ,right ,living1 and two of the ,ten who assist the ,teacher4 ,,american ,,mystic4 ,,thought ,,effects4 ,some thirty years ago1 ,i began a five years' residence in a foreign land4 ,whilst there1 ,i was conscious of a stern conflict going on within me to keep myself from falling into some of the ways and beliefs of the people of that land4 ,so strong was the assault in one direction upon the ,idol of ,right which had been set up within me by a ,new ,england training1 that for fear it should topple and fall1 ,i was constrained to withdraw myself little by little from social relations1 until finally ,i came to be pretty much alone1 living on the pampas with flocks1 herds1 nature generally1 and a few books for company4 ,even after this change the fight went on1 though in a less active form and on a more desultory scale4 ,after ,i went from there1 reflection upon the subject brought me to this conclusion among others1 viz43 that one of the most powerful forces emanating from distinct societies of mankind works by mental action upon man from the unseen atmosphere surrounding him4 ,it is said advisingly1 8,when in ,rome do as the ,romans do40 ,it may be said1 warningly3 8,when one enters upon living in ,rome1 he can scarce help but do as the ,romans do40 ,in these later days1 investigation of ,theosophy has shown me of what nature was the obstacle against which ,i had been contending so stoutly4 ,it was of the ,karma of that nation4 ,it has shown me also the method of that unseen1 unheard influence which 8is in the air10 ever about us1 ever ready to move us1 to govern us4 ,and this method of influence1 unseen and unheard1 is the action upon us of forces existing on the ,astral ,plane4 ,among these forces are the thoughts of men living upon the objective plane of ,earth4 ,after so much of preface1 ,i come to a more particular consideration of some of the effects of those thoughts of man1 which are unexpressed by speech or action1 upon others and upon himself3 #ast4 ,how may we effectually resist the force of bad influence of locality operating on us from the ,astral ,plane8 #bnd4 ,how may we do something1 otherwise than by precept and example1 towards overcoming the evil ,karma of ,locality which may be affecting others8 #crd4 ,how may we in individual cases help some unfortunates with whose needs we are acquainted8 ,an answer is--by ,thoughts4 ,in man's advancement from darkness into light1 in the 8,human ,soul's0 departure from lower materiality to entrance into right ,spiritual living1 among other means to be used to attain that end are right thought1 right action1 right speech and right meditation4 ,of these1 right thought1 is of primary importance1 for it is the foundation from which only the others can spring into life4 ,actions in objectivity are illusions2 they are shadows of our personality created by thoughts4 ,thoughts are nearer1 more akin to our personality than actions are1 for they are primary expressions from personality1 always preceding conscious speech and action4 ,of all the indices to our personality of which we have knowledge thoughts are the clearest2 we are as our thoughts are4 ,in compliance with that grand mandate1 8,know ,thyself10 why scan life's page of speech and actions--shadows--when a vast volume of thoughts--realities--expressions of our personality1 lies open to us for finding knowledge of self8 ,though independent of speech and action1 thoughts are realities4 ,they are real1 living1 active forces1 until their force is expended1--but the effects of right thoughts last forever4 ,space does not necessarily limit their reach4 ,they are in the air1 so to speak1 everywhere1 and can move with a rapidity that is instantaneous4 ,they may not only be sent1 but are received4 ,it takes but the veriest morsel of time to send a thought to the ,sun2 at the ,sun it takes as little time to receive a thought from the ,earth4 ,to the first question--8how may we effectually resist the force of bad influence of ,locality operating on us from the ,astral ,plane80--one way is to search for ,spiritual ,truth4 ,that truth is 8in the air40 ,it is conveyed to us by ,thoughts4 ,but a thought 8from the air0 is as a seed4 ,a mustard seed planted in ice will not fructify2 a spiritual thought-seed falling upon a 8,human ,soul0 which is bound and tied to ,earth by its 8,animal ,soul0 will not fructify4 ,the mustard seed must fall into ground properly prepared for its reception1 ere by culture it can sprout1 grow1 and bear fruit4 ,and so1 too1 must the soil of the 8,human ,soul10 be made ready in order that it shall afford an appropriate bed upon which the ever-present ,spiritual thought-seed shall alight4 ,on such a prepared soil it will surely fall2 as surely as the magnetic needle points to its pole1 and once there1 by our own culture it may grow into 8an everlasting tree of ,holiness40 ,how is that bed prepared8 ,how is it that we become ready to receive ,spiritual ,truth8 ,by right thought1 right action1 right speech and right meditation4 ,it lies within our inner selves whether we shall advance in ,spiritual knowledge and life1 and nowhere else2 it must be our purpose1 our business4 ,no dictum of the ,schools can bring it about4 ,no printed book on esoteric wisdom or on ethics1 or on the multitudinous religions of man can give it to us2--belonging to the ,theosophical ,society does not necessarily lead us into ,spiritual life4 ,these1 to the hungry 8,human ,soul10 may be of immense importance1 but if the 8,human ,soul0--principle #e1 be not first prepared1 if we do not look upward and build upward1 all these means1--,spiritual thoughts that are 8in the air10 wise books1 this society of yours--they are all to such a spiritually-desert soul1 but as of old--8pearls before swine0--hidden light--a force shut out by ourselves from acting within us4 ,when we are engaged in right searching for ,spiritual ,truth1 bad forces from the ,astral ,plane are inoperative upon us3 ,thus may we effectually resist the force of bad influence of ,locality operating on ourselves from the ,astral ,plane4 ,the second question we are considering is1 8,how may we do something1 otherwise than by precept and example1 towards overcoming the evil ,karma which may be affecting others80 ,surely1 again1 it is by right thought1 and right action1 speech and meditation4 ,for1 not only do they prepare the way for the reception of ,spiritual ,truths1 but the ego1 so thinking1 acting1 speaking and meditating1 is1 while so employed1 disseminating ,spiritual light on all sides through the ,astral ,plane4 ,he is throwing out ,spiritual truth-seed which is reaching far and near4 ,wherever a 8,human ,soul0 is in need of it1 and hungering for it1 it will surely fall2 for there the soil is ready for its reception4 ,these right thoughts have gone into 8the air10 and are certain to strike in somewhere for good4 ,thus by right thought we may do something otherwise than by precept and example1 towards obliterating the evil ,karma of locality which is affecting others4 ,regarding the third question2 it seems to me that we all know some particular individuals to whose high needs we can minister by direct intention through the power of thought4 ,who1 that observes and reflects1 cannot gather from his own experience the fact that thought can fly to a person at a distance8 ,how common to say 8,i was thinking of one and he appeared40 ,it is not an uncommon experience for one to unexpectedly entertain serious1 at any rate marked thoughts about another1 and subsequently to find that the other was similarly occupied in mind with him at the same time4 ,it is odd if there be not some among you who know that thought messages have been sent1 received and acted on by the object-person when the receiver was in an abnormal condition to the sender4 ,by these and other illustrations which doubtless will occur to you1 we know that it is within the province of cause and effect that thought has power to operate on others at a distance by direct intention of the sender1 by mental action alone4 ,believing in the reality of thought--knowing the reality of thought--in its power to shield us from evil2 in its power to affect others unknown to us2 in our power to project it to special individuals1 what opportunities it affords us for conferring high good4 ,but in order to do positive good to another by this direct thought unexpressed by speech or action1 some certain conditions are necessary1 which we may consider as milestones that shall indicate the progress of our own ascending path from materiality to spirituality4 ,to be a power by thought influence1--7,i do not refer now to thought sent by will power to a particular 8sensitive0 who is in subjective state to the sender--which condition is on a lower plane than that which we are now considering17 presupposes intensity of love born of and nurtured by ,spirituality for those whose high good we thus seek to establish4 ,there must first be born in us an enthusiasm for giving high and positive good to another unconciously enthusiasm1 as is our enthusiasm1 shall be the energy of our missive-thought2 and according to the energy of that thought will be its effect upon the object to which it is sent1--the more powerfully intense the thought the deeper it will penetrate2--the longer its effects will endure4 ,right meditation will be required of us to determine what we really desired to effect4 ,if we arrive at the position within ourselves necessary for obtaining power for affecting another for good by thought message1 there will be engendered within us a portion of that grand principle on which this ,society is founded1 viz3 ,universal ,brotherhood--unselfish love for others4 ,in making thought message to others1 on the basis of lifting them to a higher plane of action1 a part of our daily life1 by its reaction upon ourselves we shall surely be 8laying up treasures in ,heaven0--and full will be our material for ,devachanic life4 ,as in ,devachan one shall live in the good he has done while in objective earth life--shall live in the true beauty he has learned to perceive--shall live in the effects of his good-life1 his thoughts while here on earth can be made for the ,devachanic period of his existence a vast storehouse of 8good-life0 of purest water4 ,but it must be of thoughts untinged by selfish considerations4 ,it must be of thoughts evolved through love of others for their good4 ,right thought being the grand power it is3 #ast4 ,to resist within ourselves the bad ,karma of ,locality4 #bnd4 ,by which to weaken and destroy the bad ,karma of ,locality1 which is disastrously affecting others4 #crd4 ,by which from a basis of spiritual love we may send light to a groping soul1--what heavy responsibility is ever over us that it shall be our purpose1 our study to 8think aright40--,to live much in thus right thinking--we shall ever be lifting some of the heavy ,karma from off the world4 ,it is thus1 that we can 8live in the ,eternal1 for right thought is of the ,universal ,mind1 and ,universal ,mind is of the ,eternal40 ,reflect that persistent right thinking affects humanity constantly in the right direction1 ever from the gross and material to the refined and ,spiritual4 ,it will ever be a constant force so long as evil exists4 ,let this idea sink into our consciousness4 ,let right thought be to us as the strong arm with which to do good to others4 ,one need not long for wealth1 for position or power that he may do good to others2 the poorest in material wealth1 the humblest in station1 the most insignificant among men has within himself this ever open storehouse of power for conferring good on which he can draw without limit2 a wealth he can scatter broadcast1 or can give by direct selection of object with the surety that he is bestowing benefits broadly1--knowing that he is successfully contending against ,spiritual poverty--which is the sum of evil4 ,he who uses this wealth1 can do so--must do so only by sacrifice of thought of self4 ,he must be interested only in combating evil by helping humanity at large2 of offering special help to those whom he knows are desirous of help4 ,as his life-love for the objects in view is the only foundation upon which he can do these works1--love of self can not be a power within him4 ,to put it the other way4 ,begin the work of thought for the good of others by first forgetting self2 as fast as possible get away from the dominion of materiality4 ,live in the love of doing enduring good to others--these conditions are the true and upward advancement of ourselves4 ,the doing of these things is the reward2--it is the advancing into ,god-life4 ,it is part of our real ,eternal selves4 ,it is living in the ,eternal--the everlasting good2 for the ,god-life--the good-life is the only eternally active one4 ,by living thus1 the gross and material now enchaining our entities will be broken down and will die and leave us--and die they must sooner or later or the 8,i am ,i0 shall perish4 ,h4 ,n4 ,h41 ,f4,t4,s4 ,brooklyn1 ,oct #ae1 #ahhf4 ,,environment4 ,to the ,western mind the doctrines of ,karma and ,reincarnation contain difficulties which while they seem imaginary to the ,eastern student1 are nevertheless for the ,western man as real as any of the other numerous obstructions in the path of salvation4 ,all difficulties are more or less imaginary1 for the whole world and all its entanglements are said to be an illusion resulting from the notion of a separate ,i4 ,but while we exist here in matter1 and so long as there is a manifested universe1 these illusions are real to that man who has not risen above them to the knowledge that they are but the masks behind which the reality is hidden4 ,for nearly twenty centuries the ,western nations have been building up the notion of a separate ,i--of meum and tuum--and it is hard for them to accept any system which goes against those notions4 ,as they progress in what is called material civilization with all its dazzling allurements and aids to luxury1 their delusion is further increased because they appraise the value of their doctrine by the results which seem to flow from it1 until at last they push so far what they call the reign of law1 that it becomes a reign of terror4 ,all duty to their fellows is excluded from it in practice1 although the beautiful doctrines of ,jesus are preached to the people daily by preachers who are paid to preach but not to enforce1 and who cannot insist upon the practice which should logically follow the theory because the consequences would be a loss of position and livelihood4 ,so when out of such a nation rises a mind that asks for help to find again the path that was lost1 he is unconsciously much affected by the education not only of himself but also of his nation through all these centuries4 ,he has inherited tendencies that are hard to be overcome4 ,he battles with phantasms1 real for him but mere dreams for the student who has been brought up under other influences4 ,when1 therefore1 he is told to rise above the body1 to conquer it1 to subdue his passions1 his vanity1 anger and ambition1 he asks1 8what if borne down by this environment1 which ,i was involuntarily born into1 ,i shall fail40 ,then when told that he must fight or die in the struggle1 he may reply that the doctrine of ,karma is cold and cruel because it holds him responsible for the consequences which appear to be the result of that unsought environment4 ,it then becomes with him a question whether to fight and die1 or to swim on with the current careless as to its conclusion but happy if perhaps it shall carry him into smooth water whose shores are elysian4 ,or perhaps he is a student of occultism whose ambition has been fired by the prospect of adeptship1 of attaining powers over nature1 or what not4 ,beginning the struggle he presently finds himself beset with difficulties which1 not long after1 he is convinced are solely the result of his environment4 ,in his heart he says that ,karma has unkindly put him where he must constantly work for a living for himself and a family3 or he has a life long partner whose attitude is such that he is sure were he away from her he could progress3 until at last he calls upon heaven to interpose and change the surroundings so opposed to his perfecting himself4 ,this man has indeed erred worse than the first4 ,he has wrongly supposed that his environment was a thing to be hated and spurned away4 ,without distinctly so saying to himself1 he has nursed within the recesses of his being the idea that he like ,buddha could in this one life triumph over all the implacable forces and powers that bar the way to ,nirvana4 ,we should remember that the ,buddha does not come every day but is the efflorescence of ages1 who when the time is ripe surely appears in one place and in one body1 not to work for his own advancement but for the salvation of the world4 ,what then of environment and what of its power over us8 ,is environment ,karma or is it ,reincarnation8 ,,the ,,law is ,karma1 reincarnation is only an incident4 ,it is one of the means which ,the ,law uses to bring us at last to the true light4 ,the wheel of rebirths is turned over and over again by us in obedience to this law1 so that we may at last come to place our entire reliance upon ,karma4 ,nor is our environment ,karma itself1 for ,karma is the subtle power which works in that environment4 ,there is nothing but the ,,self--using the word as ,max ,mller does to designate the ,supreme ,soul--and its environment4 ,the ,aryans for the latter use the word ,kosams or sheaths4 ,so that there is only this ,self and the various sheaths by which it is clothed1 beginning with the most intangible and coming down to the body1 while outside of that and common to all is what is commonly known as environment1 whereas the word should be held to include all that is not ,the ,self4 ,how unphilosophical therefore it is to quarrel with our surroundings1 and to desire to escape them8 ,we only escape one kind to immediately fall into another4 ,and even did we come into the society of the wisest devotees we would still carry the environment of the ,self in our own bodies1 which will always be our enemy so long as we do not know what it is in all its smallest details4 ,coming down then to the particular person1 it is plain that that part of the environment which consists in the circumstances of life and personal surroundings is only an incident1 and that the real environment to be understood and cared about is that in which ,karma itself inheres in us4 ,thus we see that it is a mistake to say--as we often hear it said--8,if he only had a fair chance2 if his surroundings were more favorable he would do better10 since he really could not be in any other circumstances at that time1 for if he were it would not be he but some one else4 ,it must be necessary for him to pass through those identical trials and disadvantages to perfect the ,self2 and it is only because we see but an infinitesimal part of the long series that any apparent confusion or difficulty arises4 ,so our strife will be1 not to escape from anything1 but to realize that these ,kosams1 or sheaths1 are an integral portion of ourselves1 which we must fully understand before we can change the abhorred surroundings4 ,this is done by acknowledging the unity of spirit1 by knowing that everything1 good and bad alike1 is the ,supreme4 ,we then come into harmony with the ,supreme ,soul1 with the whole universe1 and no environment is detrimental4 ,the very first step is to rise from considering the mere outside delusive environment1 knowing it to be the result of past lives1 the fruition of ,karma done1 and say with ,uddalaka in speaking to his son3 8,all this ,universe has the ,deity for its life4 ,that ,deity is the ,truth4 ,he is the ,universal soul4 ,he ,thou art1 ,o ,svetaketu60#afi ,,hadjii ,,erinn4 ,,tea ,,table ,,talk4 ,recently the tea-table was chatting about the ,widow's escape from the ,romish fold4 ,she was nearly converted by the urbane ,monsignor ,capel1 but escaped at the critical moment1 she said1 8by reason of a sudden preoccupation40 ,this turned out to be the death of her worthy husband4 ,the ,widow is a pretty and amiable creature1 approved even by the ladies who say 8she is a good little soul and mourns most expensively40 ,hence she never appears at the tea-table without an escort1 and the most frequent of these is one ,didymus1 lawyer by profession1 good humored1 sceptic by nature1 whose careless1 semi-flippant manner makes it difficult to know him1 though he and ,i frequent the same clubs and make our bows in the same drawing rooms4 ,on the day in question the lady said that she brought him often because she 8wanted him converted to ,theosophy40 8,but1 my dear ,madam10 said ,i1 8you know we don't believe in converts4 ,theosophy is simply an extension of previous beliefs and like ,victor ,hugo it says1 #8in the name of ,religion1 ,i protest against religions4' ,people have to grow into it4 ,when they are ready for it a crisis of some kind1 now moral1 now physical1 seems to occur just before they accept the ,light from the ,east as a man receives back something he has lost4 ,it seems as if those elemental creatures1 who attend man1 foresaw his determination and strove to frighten him away from the initial moment of choice4 ,great momentum1 even of misapplied energies1 often indicates the nearness of radical change40 8,yes10 broke in ,didymus quietly1 8,i believe that of the ,elemental and the astral world4 ,i've been there myself1 don't you know60 ,imagine the feelings of ,balaam upon a noted occasion6 ,unlike the excellent but misunderstood animal of scripture1 ,didymus was urged to continue4 8,no10 said he1 8,i can't profess to explain my experiences1 but ,i'll tell them by way of illustrating ,mr4 ,julius' remark1 as ,i find most people do go through a climax of some kind before they round the turning point of the ,age40 ,the tea-table settled itself comfortably and ,didymus proceeded4 8,i was in a good deal of trouble last winter1 trouble of various kinds1 and needless to specify1 and ,i had foolishly taken to a pretty lively life4 ,i don't mind saying that one of the chief causes of my trouble was the fact that ,i couldn't believe in anything that made life worth living2 all my ideals were pretty well played out4 ,one ,sunday ,i awoke with an overwhelming sense of terrible calamity1 ,i recalled the events of the previous day1 but all was in due order from the matutinal cocktail to the vesper toddy1 so ,i finally concluded that my depression was a hint that ,i had been living too hard and ,i resolved to stop it4 ,this resolve1 by the way1 ,i carried out from that hour1 nor have ,i ever touched liquor since4 ,i passed the day otherwise as usual with various friends and dined out with a glorious appetite4 ,returning to my hotel1 ,i was engaged in making notes of one of ,herbert ,spencer's works1 when my attention was attracted by voices in the adjoining room1 and ,i was astounded to find that they were detailing with startling accuracy1 certain of my affairs which ,i not unnaturally supposed were hidden from the world at large4 ,conquering my blank amazement ,i sprang into the corridor1 when the voices as suddenly ceased and ,i found my neighbor's door ajar and the room entirely empty4 ,this rather took me down1 and ,i concluded to turn in1 and was just falling asleep1 when ,i seemed to see two fellows in evening dress whom ,i somehow knew to be jugglers4 ,they advanced1 bowed1 and thereupon began a series of the most fascinating and laughable tricks ,i ever saw4 ,i looked on with interest for what appeared to me a long time but at last the rapidity and variety of the illusions produced a feeling of intense weariness1 and ,i said1 #8,gentlemen1 thanks for your interesting performance1 but you will pardon my remarking that it is late1 and ,i am very tired4' ,they bowed1 said nothing1 and continued their performance which became even more ludicrous4 ,i repeated my request2 again the bows and tricks of increasing absurdity4 ,worn out ,i exclaimed angrily1 #8,i consider this a beastly imposition1 you know1 and if you persist ,i shall be obliged--' but ,i never finished the sentence1 for the two distorted their faces into masks of indescribable comicality and were off while ,i laughed--and awoke4 ,as ,i did so1 ,i was amazed to see a broad patch of vivid scarlet light slide down the wall from ceiling to floor and before ,i could give a second thought to this phenomenon1 a big white cat sprang from the foot of my bed and vanished in the darkness4 8,this aroused me thoroughly1 for though ,i had never experienced the like before1 ,i said to myself #8,old ,boy1 you must have a touch of ,d4 ,t4 though why the devil you should have with your seasoned head1 ,i can't say4' ,i got up and lit my gas2 it was after midnight but ,i concluded to go out and get some medicine4 ,the halls were quite dark save for a light in the front vestibule and ,i felt my way down by the balustrade4 ,turning the corner of the staircase ,i became aware of a shape--,i cannot call it a form--which was distinguishable from the surrounding darkness only by being more intensely black4 ,it seemed about seven feet high1 the body was indistinct but in the sharply defined head two fiery eyes glowed with a malice and menace that were truly appalling4 ,the shape stood directly before me and barred my way4 ,i felt an icy chill down my back1 and ,i'd wager that my hair stood up1 but summoning all my courage ,i said1--#8,well2 what do you want8' ,the silent shape bowed mockingly and the eyes became more malignant and threatening4 ,my temper1 which is really hasty10 7cries of 8,oh6 no60 from the ladies17 8got the better of my fears1 and advancing in furious anger ,i cried2 #8,stand aside and let me pass4' ,the shape vanished and ,i reached the front door without further incident4 8,the cold night somewhat calmed me1 but as ,i crossed ,madison ,square ,i imagined that some one was following me4 ,i turned sharply about2 the square was deserted4 ,i resumed my walk2 again the swift footsteps ever coming closer3 again ,i turned2 nothing6 ,by this time ,i began to be alarmed4 ,for visible foes a man cares little1 but those ghastly footsteps1--they curdled my very blood1 by ,jove6 ,i walked on and reaching ,broadway1 ,i was struck with the tumult of voices that filled the air though there were but few people about4 ,the street cars seemed crowded with noisy men1 laughing1 swearing1 telling more or less questionable stories1 and from every cab and wagon came similar sounds3 it was like the rumpus on the ,stock ,exchange on a field day4 ,the invisible footsteps1 at first drowned in the noise recommenced1 and constantly turning1 ,i found myself ever duped4 ,by this time ,i began to think the whole thing an illusion1 but presently ,i saw a man just ahead of me look out from a doorway4 ,as ,i approached1 he apparently drew back1 but getting opposite the door ,i found it closed by barred iron shutters3 this occurred over and over4 ,then as ,i would approach anyone1 pedestrian or driver1 he would shout at me1 mockingly1 jovially1 profanely or inconsequently1 yet ,i could see that his lips were closed and that he was only mechanically aware of my presence4 8,i now began to feel that there were two of me1 so to speak4 ,one recognized that this was all a delusion2 the other self was alarmed and unstrung4 ,i walked quietly but rapidly1 attracting no attention4 ,looking at myself in a chance mirror ,i saw that in outward appearance ,i was the same as ever4 ,reaching the drug store by the ,herald ,office1 ,i sat down completely unstrung1 but my voice was steady as ,i asked for some ,bromide of ,potash1 and the attendant gave me a dose in a glass of soda water at my request without remark4 ,having no excuse for remaining ,i reluctantly turned homeward1 hoping that fatigue and the drug would dissipate my delusions4 ,in vain6 ,i no longer heard the dogging steps or saw the peeping men1 but the voices were louder and more confusing in a perfect chorus of commonplace talk1 intensified in volume4 ,arrived home1 ,i took another dose of ,bromide and threw myself on the bed4 ,instantly it seemed to sink under me and then rose violently4 ,i rose1 lit the gas and my cigar1 but the voices began again in the next room4 ,though tired out1 ,i sought the street again4 ,by this time the sense of being #8double' was intensified1 and ,i recognized with anger that my higher self was under the control of a lower portion which it ridiculed and reprobated4 ,i walked up ,broadway this time1 and as ,i passed the hotels from doors and windows came invitations to drink1 to dine1 to play billiards and less innocent suggestions4 ,a man and woman came towards me1 and ,i was amazed at the breadth1 or depth of their conversation1 ranging over topics not whispered in general1 much less proclaimed on the highway1 yet as ,i met them ,i saw that their lips moved not2 with heads bent slightly against the keen air of the winter morning they sped silently on their way4 ,jeers and mockeries saluted me from the cab stands1 yet the cabbies dozed on their boxes4 ,hour after hour ,i walked thus1 ready to drop with hunger and fatigue but unable to stop4 ,at last in the cold grey of the morning ,i returned home1 took a tub and a meal1 and went to my ,doctor1 having heard the irrational tumult of voices all the while4 ,the ,doctor was vastly amused at some points of my narration2 he thought my cat might be ,d4 ,t4 but could make nothing out of all the rest except a threatening of insanity1 and giving me some beastly powders1 advised me to live quietly1 and keep out of doors as much as possible4 ,i attended to my routine business1 all the time hearing the voices1 except when someone addressed me4 ,getting restless as the day wore on ,i walked down along the ,east ,river piers1 went on board vessels1 into holds and engine rooms1 climbed over cargo and chatted with stevedores4 ,no one saw anything unusual about me2 friends asked me to wine and dine1 yet still the hateful voices mingled with the real ones till ,i hardly knew them apart and feared ,i should commit some noticeable indiscretion4 ,the day passed in misery2 as ,i got to my bed at last1 a red setter appeared by my side4 ,an inmate owned a dog of this species1 and at first ,i thought this was he1 but my door was locked and as ,i turned to him he vanished1 which upset my nerves again4 ,again ,i sought my ,doctor's aid1 and taking a second worse prescription1 passed another hideous night in desperate wandering1 ever with the voices at my ear4 ,it was useless to try to sleep or even to lie down2 my bed heaved like a ship in a tempest4 ,the next day ,i passed at my office again or with any acquaintances ,i could muster1 talking as much as possible in the hope of a brief respite from the maddening sounds4 ,at last the medicines did their work2 the next day found me clear headed1 the sights and sounds of the astral plane had vanished2 ,i don't want to experience them again1 but ,i believe in them1 you bet6 ,later ,i found out what they really were when my life had wholly changed1 and ,i had joined the ,theosophical ,society40 ,the ladies turned on him with one voice4 8,you6 ,a ,theosophist6 and you never told us60 8,well10 said he humbly1 8,i tried hard1 but--you never gave me a chance40 ,pretty ,polly says that under cover of the laughter the ,widow whispered to ,didymus that she had thought he was trying to tell her something else4 ,but ,i don't believe it1 for ,didymus is still a bachelor2 some say he is a chela4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in answer to queries1 ,i would say that all occurrences related in this department are strictly true1 as is the above experience of an ,f4 ,t4 ,s4 communicated since the published invitation to correspondents in our last number4 ,all such will be hospitably received by the ,tea-,table4 ,i may add further that 8,julius0 is now the name of a department merely2 though it has at times sheltered groups of personalities of both sexes1 there has always been one fixed quantity directing these1 and that's he who now signs ,,julius4 99 99 99 99 99 8,these sons belong to me2 this wealth belongs to me30 with such thoughts is a fool tormented4 ,he himself does not belong to himself1 much less sons and wealth4--,buddhaghosha ,parables4 ,,om4 ,,footnotes3 #afg ,the orthodox translation is 8,when the ,most ,high divided to the nations their inheritance1 when he separated the sons of ,adam1 he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of ,israel40 #afh ,from ,leaves of ,grass4 #afi ,chandogya-,upanishad1 vi4 ,,aum ,let us adore the supremacy of that divine ,sun1 the ,godhead who illuminates who recreates all1 from whom all proceed1 to whom all must return1 whom we invoke3 may he direct our understanding aright in our progress toward his holy seat4--,the ,gayatri4 ,the spiritual mind which by study hath forsaken the fruit of works1 and which by wisdom hath cut asunder the bond of doubt1 cannot be brought back to mortal birth by reason of any human action4--,bagavad-,gita1 ch4 iv4 ,,the ,,path4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,march1 #ahhg4 ,,no4 #ab4 ,the ,theosophical ,society1 as such1 is not responsible for any opinion or declaration in this magazine1 by whomsoever expressed1 unless contained in an official document4 ,where any article1 or statement1 has the author's name attached1 he alone is responsible1 and for those which are unsigned1 the ,editor will be accountable4 ,a ,,year ,,on ,,the ,,path4 ,the present issue of this ,magazine closes the first year of its publication4 ,it was not started because its projectors thought that they alone knew the true ,path1 but solely out of an intense longing to direct inquiring minds towards a way which had seemed to many persons who had tried it1 to hold out the possibility of finding an answer to the burning questions that vex the human heart4 ,the question is always naturally asked 8,what is the ,path80 or 8,what is the ,philosophy80 which is the same thing1 for of course the following of any path whatever will depend upon the particular philosophy or doctrines believed in4 ,the path we had in view is held by us to be the same one which in all ages has been sought by ,heathen1 ,jew and ,christian alike4 ,by some called the path to ,heaven1 by others the path to ,jesus1 the path to ,nirvana1 and by the ,theosophists the path to ,truth4 ,jesus has defined it as a narrow1 difficult and straight path4 ,by the ancient ,brahmins it has been called1 8the small old path leading far away on which those sages walk who reach salvation20 and ,buddha thought it was a noble fourfold path by which alone the miseries of existence can be truly surmounted4 ,but of course mental diversities inevitably cause diversity in the understanding of any proposition4 ,thus it happens that ,theosophists have many different views of how the path should be followed1 but none of them disagree with the statement that there must be one ,truth1 and that no religion can be called higher than ,truth4 ,we therefore have pursued1 as far as possible1 a course which is the result of the belief that the prevalence of similar doctrines in the writings and traditions of all peoples points to the fact that the true religion is that one which will find the basic ideas common to all philosophies and religions4 ,we turned most readily and frequently to the simple declarations found in the ancient books of ,india1 esteeming most highly that wonderful epic poem--the ,bagavad-,gita4 ,and in that is found a verse that seems to truly express in powerful words what philosophers have been blindly grasping after in many directions4 8,it is even a portion of myself 7the ,supreme7 that in this material world is the universal spirit of all things4 ,it draweth together the five organs and the mind1 which is the sixth1 in order that it may obtain a body1 and that it may leave it again2 and that portion of myself 7,ishwar7 having taken them under his charge1 accompanieth them from his own abode as the breeze the fragrance from the flower40#agj ,to catch the light which gleams through this verse1 is not for mortal minds an easy task1 and thus it becomes necessary to present as many views from all minds as can be obtained4 ,but it seems plain that in every religion is found the belief that that part of man which is immortal must be a part of the ,supreme ,being1 for there cannot be two immortalities at once1 since that would give to each a beginning1 and therefore the immortal portion of man must be derived from the true and only immortality4 ,this immortal spark has manifested itself in many different classes of men1 giving rise to all the varied religions1 many of which have forever disappeared from view4 ,not any one of them could have been the whole ,truth1 but each must have presented one of the facettes of the great gem1 and thus through the whole surely run ideas shared by all4 ,these common ideas point to truth4 ,they grow out of man's inner nature and are not the result of revealed books4 ,but some one people or another must have paid more attention to the deep things of life than another4 ,the 8,christian0 nations have dazzled themselves with the baneful glitter of material progress4 ,they are not the peoples who will furnish the clearest clues to the ,path4 ,a few short years and they will have abandoned the systems now held so dear1 because their mad rush to the perfection of their civilization will give them control over now undreamed of forces4 ,then will come the moment when they must choose which of two kind of fruit they will take4 ,in the meantime it is well to try and show a relation between their present system and the old1 or at least to pick out what grains of truth are in the mass4 ,in the year just passing we have been cheered by much encouragement from without and within4 ,theosophy has grown not only in ten years1 but during the year past4 ,a new age is not far away4 ,the huge1 unwieldy flower of the #aith century civilization1 has almost fully bloomed1 and preparation must be made for the wonderful new flower which is to rise from the old4 ,we have not pinned our faith on ,vedas nor ,christian scriptures1 nor desired any others to do so4 ,all our devotion to ,aryan literature and philosophy arises from a belief that the millions of minds who have trodden weary steps before ours1 left a path which might be followed with profit1 yet with discrimination4 ,for we implicitly believe that in this curve of the cycle1 the final authority is the man himself4 ,in former times the disclosed ,vedas1 and later1 the teachings of the great ,buddha1 were the right authority1 in whose authoritative teachings and enjoined practices were found the necessary steps to raise ,man to an upright position4 ,but the grand clock of the ,universe points to another hour1 and now ,man must seize the key in his hands and himself--as a whole--open the gate4 ,hitherto he has depended upon the great souls whose hands have stayed impending doom4 ,let us then together enter upon another year1 fearing nothing1 assured of strength in the ,union of ,brotherhood4 ,for how can we fear death1 or life1 or any horror or evil1 at any place or time1 when we well know that even death itself is a part of the dream which we are weaving before our eyes4 ,our belief may be summed up in the motto of the ,theosophical ,society 8,there is no religion higher than ,truth10 and our practice consists in a disregard of any authority in matters of religion and philosophy except such propositions as from their innate quality we feel to be true4 ,,what ,,is ,,true 8,,christianity08 8,christianity0 is a religion2 but the word 8religion0 has evidently three distinct meanings3 #a4 ,in the first place it signifies the practice of a certain kind of spiritual training1 by which the higher principles in the constitution of man are developed and reunited 7bound back7 to the divine source to which they belong4 ,in this sense it is the same as yogism 7from yog1 to bind74 #b4 ,in the second aspect it implies the knowledge of the true relation existing between microcosmic man as a part of the ,all and the macrocosm of the spiritual and material universe4 ,in this sense it is a science4 #c4 ,in the third and common acceptation of the term1 8religion0 means a certain system of forms1 ceremonies and usages1 by which some supposed eternal deity is worshipped or propitiated and his favor obtained1 so that the sinner may escape the deserved punishment and evade the law4 ,in this sense it is a superstition4 ,to become a 8,christian0 of the third order1 it is merely necessary to submit to a certain ceremony called baptism1 whose mode of administration varies in the different sects2 but it seems that to become a real ,christian some other baptism is necessary1 namely1 the baptism of the water of ,truth1 the baptism of ,blood1 and the baptism of the living ,fire of the ,spirit4 ,the first baptism1 with the water of ,truth1 means the attainment of spiritual knowledge1 and corresponds to the first of the four noble truths taught by ,buddha3 8right doctrine40 ,the second1 or the baptism of ,blood1 is commonly supposed to mean a shedding of blood by martyrdom1 in the defense of a belief in a historical ,christ4 ,but such a process would be a loss of blood and not a reception of it1 and could not properly be called a 8baptism40 ,the best way to obtain information in regard to this 8baptism of blood10 will be to ask those who have received it or who are receiving it at present4 ,there is a certain class of 8practical occultists10 whose inner senses are opened to a great extent1 and who have been taught by no one but the spirit within themselves and their own experience4 ,they say that the 8baptism of blood0 means a penetration of the growing spiritual germ in man1 through the flesh and blood and bones of the physical body1 by which even the gross elements of the physical form are attenuated and purified1#aga and that this process produces pains and sufferings1 typically represented by the suffering1 crucifixion and death of the man ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,they say that no one can be a true follower of ,christ1 or a 8real ,christian10 who has not undergone this baptism of blood1 and experienced the pains of crucifixion1#agb but that man having passed through that occult process becomes an ,adept1 when only the highest baptism 7or the last initiation7--the baptism of ,fire--will be necessary to enter the highest attainable state 7,spiritual ,power71 and to become a ,son of ,light4 ,but1 it is asked1 what has ,jesus of ,nazareth to do with that process8 ,how does the latter come to be typified by his suffering1 and what is the rationale of it8 ,it is claimed that at the beginning of certain historical periods1 when old religious truths are about to be forgotten1 and the idolatry of form assumes the place of true religion1 some great spirit 7planetary7 appears upon the ,earth1 incarnated into a human form1 and by his word and example impresses the old truths forcibly upon a number of receptive minds1 to communicate them to others1 and thus lay the foundation of a new religious system1 embodying old truths in a new form4 ,it is believed that the man ,jesus of ,nazareth was the mortal form in which such a ,spirit was embodied2 the latter being no less than what ,i believe every planetary spirit to be--an emanation of the ,universal ,logos or the ,word4#agc ,but what is the ,logos8 or1 to express it better1 how can we form a conception of it8 ,we can conceive of no other ,god 7or ,supreme ,good7 but the one which lives within ourselves1 and which is said to be the image of the ,universal ,god reflected in the purified human soul1 where it 7,he7 may attain self-consciousness and the knowledge of self4 ,the ,universal ,god may be described as the incomprehensible centre from which proceed the elements of ,love1 ,life and ,light in the various modes of manifestation on the different planes4 ,the whole of ,nature is a product of the ,spirit of ,god1 being poured out throughout the ,all by the power of ,the ,word1 which is the ,life--or thought rendered active by will4 ,the same process which took place in the eternal ,macrocosm of the ,universe1 takes place in the inner world belonging to the microcosm of man4 8,no one can come to the ,father1 but through the ,son20 that is to say3 ,no ,god will take his seat in the interior temple of ,man1 except through the power of the ,word--in other words2 by the concentration of thought and good will upon the divine germ which rests in the innermost centre of every human being4 ,if we concentrate our ,love upon that centre of ,good1 the divine germ will begin its active ,life1 and the interior world will gradually become illuminated by the ,light of the spirit4 ,as this principle grows1 it will penetrate the soul and through the soul all the lower principles1 even the physical body1 throwing off the impurities of soul and body1 and the more such impurities are present1 the greater will be the suffering1 typically represented by ,jesus1 until finally the baptism of blood is completed1 the soul purified1 the animal ego dead and the man has become a 8,christ0 or an ,adept1--that is to say one in whom the 7#fth7 ,christ principle has taken form4 ,it will readily be seen that this process is much more difficult to accomplish1 than merely to go to church1 pay the dues to the priests1 attend to prayer-meetings and perform the prescribed ceremonies4 ,to accomplish this process requires a constant meditation of the highest kind1 and a continual employment of will power to keep away the disturbing elements of evil1 which in a person who strives for light are still more boisterous than in one who is indifferent1 for as soon as the spiritual light kindled in the centre begins to radiate its life-giving rays throughout our interior world1 the 8dwellers of the threshold0--the evil egos1 created by evil thoughts and selfish desires1 floating at the periphery of the soul-sphere like clouds sailing through the atmosphere of our earth1 begin to feel the destroying influence of the central sun and battle for their existence4 ,still this atmosphere of evil must be penetrated before we can reach the luminous centre and the tranquil heaven within1 and this is done by clinging to the principle of ,good and virtue whose rays radiate from the centre4 ,this principle will at first only be felt intuitionally but as we feed it with good thoughts1 it grows and the interior spiritual senses become opened1 so that we may see and hear its voice distinctly and without any fear of misunderstanding its meaning4 ,the 8below0 is always in exact correspondence to and related with the 8above40 ,we are immersed in an all surrounding but invisible ocean of life1 whose waves pervade our psychic organization1 in the same sense as volumes of air enter our lungs1 and as the latter stimulates the life of the body1 likewise the former stimulates the growth of the elements of the spirit2 which draw their substance from the lower-animal-principles4 ,in the same way the caloric rays of the sun enter the bodies of plants and stimulate the assimilation of the elements which are drawn from earth1 water and air4 ,those who have gone through that occult process1 will require no proof of the truth of these assertions3 because they know it to be true by experience2 but the 8exoteric ,christian0 and sceptic1 having no such experience to assist his faith1 may arrive at a certain degree of conviction by using his reasoning powers and logic in conjunction with the teachings of the ,bible4 ,christ is reported in the ,new ,testament to have said3 8,except ,ye eat the flesh of the ,son of ,man and drink his blood1 ye have no life in ,you0 7,john vi1 #ec72 and again3 8,i am the living bread1 which came down from heaven2 if any man eat of this bread1 he shall live forever0 7,john vi1 #ea47 ,now this seems plain enough to every student of occultism1 and if translated into the scientific language of modern occultists1 it would mean3 8,unless you absorb and assimilate within your psychic organization the sixth principle 7,the ,christ71 which is the only permanent and immortal principle in the constitution of ,man1 you will have no sixth principle developed within you1 and consequently possess no immortal life--at least as far as ,your personality is concerned 7for the divine and now unconscious germ within you cannot die1 but will reincarnate again74 ,but if you absorb the principle or spiritual life and develop the spirit within you1 so that it grows through your flesh and blood1 then will you have drunk from the ,elixir of ,life and received the ,baptism of ,blood and become a ,christian1 an ,adept2 for #8,christ' will have taken form in your body1 and being himself immortal you will be immortal through him40 ,these views are corroborated by the great ,christian mystic ,jacob ,boehme1 by ,jane ,leade1 ,paracelsus1 the ,rosicrucians1 and ,i can find nothing in them which would in any way conflict with the ,esoteric ,doctrine1 as taught by the ,eastern ,adepts4 ,if any difference in opinion could arise1 it could be only1 in regard to the person of ,jesus of ,nazareth or ,jehoshua1 and whether he lived exactly at the time claimed by modern ,christians4 ,this question ,i must leave to some one wiser than myself to settle2 but it seems of no great importance to me2 for the existence of the ,christ-principle is disputed by none1 and the man1 ,jesus--having died--can only be a ,savior to us at present1 if we study his character and imitate his example4 ,f4 ,,hartmann1 ,m4 ,d4 ,,papyrus--,,the ,,gem4 ,the roads were thronged with the people moving toward the great square1 for it was a feast of the ,goddess4 ,the temples were crowded1 while long lines of men and maidens in the robes of 8,the ,sacred0 wound in and out toward the river4 ,music and song rose and fell upon the evening breeze1 like the pulse of a throbbing heart4 ,here and there could be seen the ,scribes1 and seated in an open space1 the ,tale-tellers4 ,one of these1 as ,i rested near him1 told the tale of ,,one ,,who ,,found ,,the ,,gem4 8,in the land of the ,wise-men1 there dwelt a young man4 ,many years had he labored in a strange mine2 the #8,mine of the ,priceless ,gems2'--hopefully1 bravely1 but fruitlessly4 ,he had long known that he who should find the ,master ,stone1 would be free1 be full of peace and dig no more1 for nothing better could be found4 ,he also knew that he who found the stone should seek to share it with all men4 8,many small stones had he found1 but they were laid aside to be used when the great stone was reached4 8,silently and steadily he worked on1 until one gloomy day when he had grown so weak that he could make but one more effort1 that effort was rewarded1 and before him lay the great gem4 ,weary1 weak1 but joyful1 he gathered it into his bosom1 and went forth to share it with others2 for he who told not of his gem1 or shared it not with all men1 must lose the stone4 8,far he wandered1 telling his wonderful story1 the finding of the ,priceless ,stone--the stone that made men greater1 wiser1 more loving than all things living2 the stone that no man could keep unless he gave it away4 8,far he wandered in his own country1 seeking to tell his story and give of the ,stone to each one he met4 ,silently they listened--gravely they meditated and gently they said to him3 #8,this is ,kali-yuga1 the dark age4 ,come to us a hundred thousand years from now4 ,until then--the stone is not for us4 ,it is ,karma4' 8,far into another land he wandered1 ever trying for the same end4 ,gravely they listened1 quietly they spoke3 #8,peace be with you4 ,when the ,lotus ceases to bloom and our ,sacred ,river runs dry1 come to us4 ,until then we need not the stone4' 8,over the seas unto another land he went1 for fully he believed that there they would hear and share with him4 ,the many days of wandering and the long journey across the sea had made him thin and ragged4 ,he had not thought of this1 but as he told his story he was reminded of it and many other things1 for here the people answered in many ways1 and not always gently4 8,some listened1 for his story was new to them1 but the gem was uncut1 and they wished it polished4 8,others paused and desired him to tell his story in their tents1 for that would make them exalted and famous1 but they wanted not the gem4 ,as he did not belong to their tribe1 it would bring discredit upon them to receive anything from him4 8,one paused to listen and desired some of the stone1 but he desired to use it to elevate his own position and assist him in overreaching his fellows in bartering and bargaining4 ,the ,wanderer was unable to give any of the stone to such as this one4 8,another listened1 but inasmuch as the ,wanderer refused to make the gem float in the air1 he would none if it4 8,another heard1 but he already knew of a better stone1 and was sure he would find it1 because he ate nothing but star-light and moonbeams4 8,another could not receive any of the stone or listen to the story1 for the ,wanderer was poor and ragged4 ,unless he was dressed in purple and fine linen and told his story in words of oil and honey1 he could not be the possessor of the gem4 8,still another heard1 but he knew it was not the gem4 ,as the ,wanderer had been unsuccessful before1 surely he could not have found the stone4 ,even had he found it1 he could not have the proper judgment to divide it4 ,so he wanted none of the stone4 8,near and far went the ,wanderer4 ,still ever the same4 ,some wanted it1 but the stone was too hard1 or not bright enough4 ,he was not of their people1 or was ignorant4 ,he was too ragged and worn to suit their ideas1 so they wanted none of the stone4 8,saddened1 aged and heart-sore1 he wandered back to the land of the ,wise men4 ,to one of these he went1 telling of his journeyings and that no man would share with him the magnificent stone1 and also of his sorrow that he too must lose it4 8#8,be not troubled1 my son1' said the ,wise ,one1 #8the stone is for you1 nor can you lose it4 ,he who makes the effort to help his fellow man is the rightful owner and still possesses the entire stone1 although he has shared it with all the world4 ,to each and every one to whom you have spoken1 although they knew it not1 you have given one of the smaller stones which you first found4 ,it is enough4 ,when the ,master ,stone is cut and polished1 then is the labor of the fortunate possessor ended4 ,the long journeying and weary wandering1 the sorrow-laden heart and tear-dimmed eyes1 have cut and polished your gem4 ,behold1 it is a white and a fair stone6' 8,drawing it from his bosom1 the ,wanderer gazed into the wonderful light of the stone while an expression of great peace stole over his face4 ,folding the gem close to his bosom his eyelids closed1 and he fell asleep1 a wanderer no more40 ,,rameses4 ,,heralds ,,from ,,the ,,unseen4 8,behold1 ,i show you a mystery4 ,we shall not all sleep1 but we shall all be changed40--,i ,cor4 xv1 #ea4 8,i have found the small old path leading far away40--,,upanishad4 ,to him who without murmuring1 confident in the perfect justice of the law1 waits and watches1 there comes a herald from heights unseen4 ,the just man follows him and attains2 the unwise may surprise him and follow also4 ,but when the fool has rushed unbidden in where angels fear to tread1 he meets a mailed ,truth with a drawn sword1 on whose point he dies4 ,now there are two deaths4 ,from the one he may rise1 8in a moment1 in the twinkling of an eye1 99 99 99 for the dead shall be raised10#agd and this by the vivifying power of truth1 if so be he have one identical incorruptible atom in his spiritual make up1 or else that rash being is dead forever1 and the spirit monad creates another in the dream of three thousand years4 ,the indivisible ,truth in its entirety is incommunicable in the words of our plane4 ,a clue may indeed be given2 it is the herald to those who await him4 ,it is useless to turn the page to see who this is that offers the clue4 ,of myself ,i know nothing1 yet through me may much be made known4 ,i am the trumpet2 through it the herald may proclaim a mystery4 ,it was in a night of silence that a ,power bade me waken1 and drew me to a dark cave wherein ,it passed4 ,not so ,i1 for the entrance was narrow and ,i had encumbrances about me4 ,only many nights later1 when ,i had parted with effort1 hope and fear1 did ,i stand within4 ,all of me that was essential had entered2 this was enough4 ,then a musical chord breathed low1 the darkness dispersed1 and ,i saw the ,unknown ,land4 ,it was a circling land of streams1 ,light everywhere1 flowing1 flowing1 flowing4 ,the flow was cadenced and welled from a mysterious ,centre of blackness at the edges of which spouted cataracts of flame4 ,my thought shrank with awe of the ,darkness1 but an unknown grasp of ,might expanded within me and drew me to that flaming verge4 ,on the knees of the soul ,i fall and am not4 ,i become one with the ,all1 and consciously resting in ,omniscience ,i know the whole4 ,yet what forever dwells1 wakeful and brooding with that dark pavillion1 nor man nor angel may discover4 ,profounder than all ,being1 ,it is1 girt about by unfathomed fires4 8,ye shall enter the light1 but ye shall never touch the flame40#age ,a stir was over that central ,dark1 a titanic breath1 like the sighing of myriad seas1 measured1 omnipotent4 ,where its harmonious friction fretted the verges of space1 the flames burst forth1 and with fecund pulsations gave birth to heat1 light1 motion and sound4 ,the ,centre felt a boundless attraction for the circumference1 pouring toward it with inexhaustible energy1 for 8the heart of it is ,love40 ,this was the force centrifugal1 which in a dazzle of starry scintillations thrusts the universal glooms apart with a song4 ,were this all1 ,discord and ,division were the end4 ,but the circumference trembled also with a vast yearning toward the ,centre1 so that it ever tended to return there1 as the prodigal1 enriched in experience1 returns to the mystic house of the ,father4 ,this was the centripetal force1 and these two caused the double vibration of the ,astral ,light1 and they are all you shall know though you blend with the infinite forever4 8,whatever there is1 the whole world when gone forth trembles in ,his breath3 that ,brahman is a great terror1 like a drawn sword4 ,they who know it become immortal40#agf ,then a voice said--8,the ,absolute evolves thought from ,himself1 and the vibration of this thought in the passive wells of space generates ,light and its correlated forces4 ,the ,thought is1--#8,creation6' ,the singing breath is the ,word2 the ,light is the ,absolute made manifest1 and the ,universe begins40 ,at once ,i saw divergent lances of light pour their serried splendors into the void1 and the point of each spear displaced the mist which curling backward from the centre of energy thus formed1 communicated the movement to sister vapors in turn4 ,activities shoot1 play back and forth1 elongate1 crystalize1 and so great planets spring into the arena1 feel the first instinct of separate ,being1 struggle to depart1--an estranged ,self--in meteoric desolation1 when the magnetic impulse of the ,centre streams along the creative ray1 meets the responsive principle1 and lo6 each chafing ,orb1 held in leash by ,love1 wheels into the circle of attraction and obeys the ,law4 ,the astral world has begun6 ,thence presently the ,light spreads afresh1 reflected and repeated from every facet of every star1 till arrowy glories1 vibrant with each vibration sped forth by the primary pencils of light1 in turn create dull planetary masses in the luminous abyss2 then ever renewed coruscations quicken their dust with whose initial tremor shining crystals sparkle out and glide together about a glistering ring whose centre is ever a darkness ruffled by the outreaching current from that first tinted ,gloom4 ,so new spheres form1 these1 repeating the parent movement1 with wide spreading auras touch and arouse their neighbors1 and interpenetrating1 revolving1 throwing off1 taking on1 converging1 diverging1 modifying and modified1 a world of forms is evolved whose final expression of ,being is ,man4 ,thus further departing1 the infinite variations end in individuality and the greater the individuality1 the more it leans to the centrifugal force1 and the lack of equilibrium in the forces draws man further from the ,eternal and he forgets the ,law4 ,his aura1 his rays are nerve currents centred in the personality1 but linked by star-beam and moon-ray to the quivering ,source of all light1 so that each man vibrating1 imparts to the ,akasa about him his own specific rate of vibration1 and all men1 all things1 suspended as it were in this fine ether which fills the universe1 act and react each on each1 every one striving to modify the others to his own vibratory ratio1 while the ,light in the same way attacks all1 and the battle of the giants is here4 ,so the final expression of 8evil0 is inertia1 and the highest attribute of ,spirit is the ,thought which is ,life4 ,once again the ,voice spoke then saying3 8,what gives ,life80 ,someone answered3 8,vibration40 ,and when ,it said1 8,look back to the earth world10 ,i obeyed4 ,i saw the modern sage reducing all the great forces1 all the intoxicating play of colors and the bewildering tangle of harmonies to this one source1--,vibration4 ,i saw wondering students bending over sensitive flames that danced or died at the mandate of sound4 ,i saw a child playing with iron filings on glass1 and as he drew a bow athwart the pane they marshalled into tiny mimicries of the primitive crystalline creation4 ,i saw the ,frost spirit1 tracing his white wonders of tropical forests on vibrant surfaces1 blazoning symbols of summer on the grim escutcheon of the snow4 ,i saw ,sound disintegrating granite and iron1 taming wild beasts with a lure1 transforming brothers into demons at the sibilant hiss of a scathing word4#agg ,i saw ,light fecundating the soil1 and the teeming battalions of the underworld issuing from the palpitating spark in their germs2 the selective art of the flower1 choosing the kindred color of her tribe from all the flashing scale1 gave up to me its secret of the synchronous vibration of that hue with the astral soul within her fragrant form4 ,passion ,i saw also1 flaming in two breasts that for one tumultuous moment became one1 and knew it for an instant of similar vibration4 ,aye1 and saw that ,love was a steadfast quality of motion between loyal hearts1 saw too that ,anger and ,hatred had their rise in the same source1 and mounting upward ,i saw that ,faith was a similitude of vibration with ,truth itself4 ,again the ,voice spoke2 8,dost thou see aught but ,vibration anywhere80 ,i answered3 8,such all life is1 and from such all proceeds4 ,he who cons its secret laws and can institute its musical numbers at will1 is a ,god6 ,he can create and destroy40 8,go then1 and by analogy learn what thou art10 said the ,voice1 and like the rebel fraction of a star ,i fell from ,glory1 and found myself alone in the ,maya world again1 with these words thrilling my brain4 8,but ,he1 that ,highest ,person1 who wakes in us while we sleep1 shaping one lovely sight after another1 ,he indeed is called the ,light1 ,he is called ,brahman1 ,he alone is called ,the ,immortal4 ,all worlds are founded on ,it and no one goes beyond4 ,this is that40#agh ,it is rarely that a man gets the whole of his thought2 often others supply it4 ,analogy is the power of following a thought into all its correlations1 and ,i shall ask you to do this in a measure with mine4 ,these puny pages cannot contain the theme of cycles1 and falling short1 it scarce matters by how many pen strokes ,i fail4 ,consider this first2 what are we8 ,look abroad over our ,society1 largely2 we see each member working on his own particular line4 ,so it must be with man for ages4 ,when you shall have exhausted your special hobby1 when through astral perception1 or mesmeric control or mental acumen1 you shall have attained high powers1 the hour of your limitation will strike1 as its awful knell can strike1 even from the towers of ,futurity1 and you will know that you have not found that corner-stone on which alone the ,eternal rests1--your indivisible ,self4 8,great ones fall back1 even from the threshold1 unable to sustain the weight of responsibility2 unable to pass on40#agi ,follow from the start that solitary beacon which informs the ultimate goal3 ,unity4 ,make it your touchstone and your guide2 other stars are reflected lights only4 ,the doctrine of unselfishness is no sentiment1 but of logical1 practical utility4 ,the individual way lies from limited ,being1 through ,becoming1 to unlimited ,being1 precisely as the universal way lies from sterile ,unity1 through ,division to fecund ,unity1 or from the one ,life through ,death to the ,life of the ,all4 ,he who in final choice elects the path of ,division1 chooses ,death eternal4 ,you may indeed wend homeward through the devious tangle of reflected rays1 but how long1 how hard are such paths6 ,i would see your souls with eagle swoop make straight for the ,central ,sun4 ,look then within you4 ,man6 ,woman6 ,are you what you seem8 ,till this thought daily2 it will bear the harvest of ,life4 ,with analogy for our guide we observe that the first forms of life are crystalline and have two poles4 ,you man1 are also a magnetic sphere with physical and spiritual poles4 ,on the physical side of the subject we find modern scientists telling us that man is matter in a state of low vibration1 and thought1 matter in a state of high vibration4#ahj ,in this ascertained view1 ,spirit is a higher state of vibration than we at present cognize4 8,does the fact look crass and material1 threatening to degrade thy theory of ,spirit8 ,resist it not2 it goes to refine and raise thy theory of matter just as much40#aha ,nor do ,i say this is all4 ,trust your highest ideal to the unconditioned causation lying back of that primal vibration--,absolute ,thought4 ,the vibrant tension of fixed thought must in time heighten the vibratory ratio of the man1 for tension excites increased pulsation4 ,this rarefies the density of all bodies1 and the friction of intensified chemical action establishes light1 heat and odic force4 ,the increased porosity of the physical body tends to disengage the atoms of the astral body1 and the generation of a strong odic current forces it out to the astral world1 7always attracting it7 all the sooner because the intensified pulsation of thought-tension sends the auric emanations further into space1 thus draughting a larger portion of the world-soul to the entity4 ,all vibration being attended with sound 7which may or may not escape the ear7 we proceed to examine tones and find them varying from the lowest of eight vibrations per second1 to the highest known to western science of #bd1jjj per second4 ,remember that the tones of anger1 hatred1 scorn are all deep notes1 those of cheerfulness1 love1 hope are treble4 ,here we discover the apparently inexplicable effect of spoken words which raise or depress our vibrations to their own by means of the etheric medium4 ,to resist the wildfire spread of passion or anger we have but to check the vibration by holding steadily to our own2 this maintained1 may raise that of others1 precisely as the high musical note constantly sounded1 raises all lower ones at all related1 to its own pitch4 ,tyndall says3 8,scientific education ought to teach us to see the invisible as well as the visible in nature2 to picture with the vision of the mind those operations which entirely elude bodily vision2 to look at the very atoms of matter in motion and at rest1 and to follow them forth without once losing sight of them 99 99 to see them integrating themselves in natural phenomena40 ,so ,i shall ask you to imagine a tone at a high rate of vibration1 to see it striking the hearer's brain at a certain focus1 creating there a centre of energy1 which tending to crystallization1 fixes the thought in the mind4 ,and the more permanent duration of pleasant 7which are high7 thoughts and tones is evident if we glance back over a long period of time and note how the joys stand out and the griefs disappear2 so we always forget physical suffering4 ,moreover we may see this tone raising his vibratory ratio and glancing off at an angle of reflection equal to that of incidence1 reacting upon the surrounding ether and upon all hearers4 ,the magical success of eastern mantras depends upon the exact intonation1 which governs the vibratory result1 and the proper intonation of the sacred books1 learned from the priests1 doubtless increased their effect4 ,turning to colors1 we find them varying in vibration from violet #a_/fjjjj inch to red #a_/chjjj inch1 and the violet has greater actinism2 so it would seem to follow that the more extended the undulation the greater the chemical action and resultant odic force4 ,hence the tone of animals or man is not such a poor test of their nature as we might suppose1 and a certain clue to character is given in a preferred color4 ,the higher sounds thus create greater akasic disturbance through increased undulation4 ,deleuze in his work on magnetism says3 8,the word which indicates our will can often exert an action4 99 99 ,the very tones of the magnetizer1 being produced by the vital energy1 act upon the organs of the patients40 ,reichenbach proved that all chemical action is a source of odic force1 and the transmertion of air being nothing less1 additional witness is born to the occult power of a word4 ,all mesmerizers are now agreed that motions and words are unnecessary2 the will suffices2 what is this but the tension of fixed thought4 ,everything in ,nature has its own specific rate of vibration2 if we know and can reproduce and heighten it we can call the thing into existence or pass ourselves within its consciousness4 ,hence the old saying that numbers are the names of things4 ,the 8lost word0 itself is1 doubt it not1 a sound of the highest possible vibration1 represented by the ,aum1 or sound of the eternal outpour of ,light1 the ,logos of the ,christians4 ,the ordinary ear may not grasp this sound1 but ,tyndall tells us such are not dead because they have passed from our ken4#ahb ,when we remember that this astral vibration can in time elevate that of all matter1 we glimpse alike the great factor of ,evolution and of the use of ,aum4 ,the thought being spiritually fixed1 an unbroken vital current sets in between the man and the 8,one eternal ,thinker1 thinking non-eternal thoughts4 ,he though one1 fulfils the desire of many4 ,the wise1 who perceive ,him within their ,self1 to them belong eternal joy1 eternal peace60#ahc ,here we perceive the force of the repeated injunction to be calm2 how else can the harmonious medium act upon us8 8,the man who is not calm and subdued1 or whose mind is not at rest1 he can never obtain the ,self1 even by knowledge40#ahd ,follow me now to the plane of soul4 ,as all things from planet to molecule have their mystic centre1 that of man is found in the heart1 whose systole and diastole are regulated by the double movement of the ,astral ,light4 ,there1 hemmed about by the light of the semi-material soul1 is the dusky centre1 where the spirit may awaken and breathe4 8,the self is smaller than small1 greater than great1 hidden in the heart of the creature40 ,air is breathed by the lungs2 the soul breathes the astral light4 ,as that spiritual monad who is your own ,augoides1 breathed first upon the plastic ,akasa and drew together the principles of a man1 so ,it must again breathe upon this silent centre to create the spiritual man4 ,it does not inhabit him1 ,it overshadows him4 ,it is his 8,father in ,heaven0 to whom ,jesus bade him pray2 his ,creator4 ,in each heart stands this shrouded altar to an unknown ,god4 8,whom ye therefore ignorantly worship1 ,him declare ,i unto you40 ,he has created the physical man hundreds of times1 for ,his mission is unfulfilled until through ,evolution1 ,he shall have made 8one higher than the angels40 ,in that illimitable future which evades the mind1 my soul sees ultimate beings in their glory1 raise the swelling tide of ,being higher still4 ,so ,divinity raises ,itself by ,itself and man expands ,god4 ,here is the adhesion of ,jesus to the destiny latent in ,humanity4 8,be ye perfect as your ,father in ,heaven is also perfect40 ,,jasper ,,niemand1 ,f4 ,t4 ,s4 7,concluded in ,april47 ,,thoughts ,,in ,,solitude4 ,,ii4 ,the votaries of ,religions that preach salvation only through the acceptance of their dogmas must inevitably be more or less animated by the proselytising spirit1 and the more pretentious the claims of power to save by the inculcation of orthodox opinion1 the more urgent must appear the necessity to spread those opinions as widely as possible4 ,indeed it seems imperative on one who holds such a faith in his heart of hearts1 that he should spend his life in trying to spread it4 ,but when the true philosophic thought is attained and the law of ,karma with its infinite ramifications realized as the all pervading power1 how vain will seem all attempts to control or even deeply affect the destiny of others4 ,truly ,occultism teaches the widest tolerance1 and though its student will doubtless as formerly try to influence all who are brought into contact with him in his journey through life1 and if possible instil into them the thoughts that actuate him and give his life a definite purpose1 yet will he realize that over his own life alone has he paramount power4 ,he may exercise his worldly wisdom as the sower of seed1 may avoid what is most patently the rocky or the thorny ground1 but he will gradually learn to cease to look for results from even the most promising1 and will rise more and more on the wings of devotion to the true giver of the increase4 ,while therefore it is a subject for satisfaction if the ,theosophical ,society should indeed prove to be the dawn of that better hope for mankind the nucleus of that ,universal ,brotherhood which shall overspread all lands1 and which shall plant in the hearts of men the ,science-,religion along whose lines will move the spiritual progress of all future ,humanity1 yet as a ,society it can scarcely be expected to be free from the imperfections inherent in all organization1 which being of the earth is necessarily earthly--and after all it is a matter of very small moment in what form truth is given to the world4 ,this only is certain that truth must advance that no man can stay the wheel of evolution--that the ,divine ,wisdom which we believe animates us will one day be recognized by all mankind as the only solution of the problem of the ,universe1 and as the guide to ,life ,eternal4 ,and ,destiny will not be hurried--spite of our impatience--any more than she can be retarded4 ,the evil ,karma of the ,world must work itself out4 ,the unclean man let him be unclean still1 let him measure every depth of vice and taste of every spring of passion till the hour strikes for him also and his painful upward progress has to begin4 ,so have the ,rishis done who went before us1 so have we done in past existences1 indeed we may have but extricated ourselves from the slough1 and the mire may still be clinging to our feet4 ,for no man can transcend experience1 and all earthly places1 foul and clean alike1 must be trodden by him4 ,nor when the words or acts of others come into direct antagonism with our own personality1 any more than when the cruelty and injustice in the world at large are brought painfully before us1 shall we continue to blame the actors1 or allow the old prejudices 8with their lurid colourings of passion0 to dominate us any longer1 for the true philosophic thought will have taught us to recognize that all acts are but the result of the 8,three ,qualities0 blended in infinite combination--the great ,karma of the ,world working itself out4 ,the deeper one looks into this ,western ,civilization of ours1 and the more one realizes in what degrading depths its masses are sunk1 in what heartless frivolity so many of the more opulent spend their lives1 and in what superstitious intolerance its so-called ,religious ,world moves1 it seems indeed a forlorn hope to attempt to carry conviction of the ,occult ,truth or expect a widespread acceptance of it4 ,but though this age of ,darkness may exhibit an appalling depth of materiality1 yet in all ages of the world1 the blind multitude are many and the lovers of ,wisdom few4 ,and indeed this love of ,wisdom is no light attainment1 but one for which the soul has been educated through life times of experience and paroxysms of pain1 for while the gratification of any of the senses still continues to give supreme satisfaction1 there is no room in the soul for ,theosophic thought4 ,not until by the slow education of repeated experience it is realized that the senses can no longer satisfy1 that even the higher joys of communion with ones kind--though culminating in the ideal union of two souls--are but steps in the ladder to the ,supreme ,thought1 can any true idea of the ,divine ,wisdom have been formed4 ,indeed a time will come for the student when the gratification of the senses will actually cause pain4 ,it may be ushered in for one through the sense of sight1 when the most beautiful scenery of earth1 and the most perfect combinations of mountain wood and water only accentuate by their faint reflex the passionate desire for that land which no eye hath seen1 that land which no eye can see4 ,or the symphonies of earthly music which once enthralled the soul may raise the longing for the song of the celestial choir to that ecstatic point where it becomes unrecognisable from pain4 ,and so the student is driven inward to find at last his refuge in pure ,thought1 and he begins to perceive that the ,eternal ,world of ideas is the only real ,world1 the only one in which pure ,being is to be found1 and that this phenomenal existence is indeed but the circling of the nets of delusion1 the restless tossing of the false salt waves of sense which reward 8with droughts that double thirst0 the deluded souls that float on them4 ,the more the student lives in this ideal world1 the more will he find that the association with those whose interests are exclusively centred on earthly things becomes repugnant to him1 and that even the calls of duty to descend from the tranquil heights of ,thought1 to the jarring discord of action in the world1 are responded to with increasing pain1 though duty in such cases is likely to be in process of changing her sphere of action4 ,when the inner struggles of one still bound by ties of earth suggest such thoughts as these1 surely the isolation from contact with the rude world of the most spiritual men1 those who have achieved the sublime heights of ,mahatmaship1 is no longer a thing to wonder at1 but becomes apparent as an absolute necessity4 ,the desires above referred to of seeing the invisible1 and realizing the divine1 will probably if practised continuously enough1 and with sufficient intensity1 be the prelude to some partial lifting of the veil1 when the ecstatic may reap in a moment of beatific vision more than he ever dreamed of1 and receive accretion of strength for the coming years1 though this is more likely to be the immediate reward of some supreme self-devotion whether in act or thought1 and when the words of ,krishna1 8near to renunciation--very near--dwelleth eternal peace0 will flash upon the soul as truth that requires no word of mortal man to give it authority4 ,but woe to the man who unduly cultivates his spiritual faculties without being a complete master of his lower nature--the beast below will turn and rend him some day--the little bit of lust unconquered may be the means of his complete undoing4 ,for as his astral consciousness develops his whole being intensifies1 including the small unconquered part of his physical nature1 which he will then have to fight upon the ,astral plane1 in far more terrible struggle than had he conquered on the physical4 ,it becomes in fact what is symbolically known as the 8,dweller on the threshold0 that has to be fought and conquered before the neophyte can aspire to gain the first glimmering of vision on the true spiritual plane4 ,for it must always be remembered that our nature is threefold1 8body1 soul and spirit0 as the initiate ,st4 ,paul expressed it1 and until the personality has transferred all its forces unto the soul plane1 it cannot expect to attain to that of spirit4 ,from this it will be evident how necessary it is to live more and more continuously in the ,eternal ,thought until all fleshly appetites and desires of sense die off by sheer inanition4 ,the vague dreams with which life began1 and which the child with memories fresh from 8that imperial palace whence he came0 pictured in a material way of a golden city with walls of jasper and with gates of pearl1 and into which no unclean thing was permitted to enter1 are lost for a while in the frenzied rush of youth and early manhood1 but maturer years bring them back with an added pathos and a more spiritualized meaning4 ,it is indeed the ,golden city we all seek for--8the city that hath foundations whose builder and whose maker is ,god40 ,,pilgrim4 ,illustration3 ,,hindu ,,symbolism4 ,,iv4 ,,aum symbolized as in unison with the attributes of the ,trimurti1 as the symbolic foundation of the elementary universe4 ,this has a certain connection with figures ,nos4 #a and #b and #c4 ,the idea is to represent the mystic body of ,brahman 7neuter7 and the ideal type of the ,trimurti4 ,the representation is of a four-handed cloud picture4 ,a wreath of clouds forms the outline of the head which is without any tiara4 ,two suns indicate the eyes without lids1 always open4 ,this symbolism is also found in the ,hebrew books1 e4 g4 the ,zohar4 ,the nose and eyebrows are formed by a palm tree divided on the top1 in the centre4 ,this tree was considered as androgynous4 ,the mouth is merely an opening in the clouds2 from it emanate1 four principal rays1 the four-worlds of the ,kabbalah4 ,,aum is winged1 ,brahman 7neuter7 is not1 for the latter is also ,,aum--,prana1 the breath of the highest life and mystic carrier of the ,will of ,brahman 7neuter74 ,,aum is the bird of the ,brahman ,desire or ,wish4 ,the four hands of ,,aum are holding the architypes of the four elements1 fire1 water1 air1 earth1 in their height and depth4 ,the lower are supporting the ,himalayah ,mountains1 the mountains of the gods4 ,from which comes the ,german ,himmel i4 e4 ,heaven4 ,the linga yoni is shown as the symbol of all the creative and emanative powers which lie in the mystic cloud garment of ,,aum4 ,in this figure are nearly all the principal symbols of the ,brahmanical religious metaphysics4 ,the bond which unites ,prakriti to ,brahman 7neuter7 is ,prana1 the subtile body of ,brahman1 the form of the ,being1 the divine breath1 the principle of the organism1 the respiration so to say1 of the ,deity2 in ,sanscrit it also means 8breath of man10 more correctly it is ,,aum1 the first form of the creator1 the ,sun engendered before ,time1 the first ,word 7the ,logos7 which went from ,its mouth1 the #8,hokhmah or ,wisdom of the ,kabbalah1 when ,it prepared ,its work1 the creative ,word4 ,prana and ,,aum are confounded in ,maya1 and as it1 they have formed the ,cow4 ,,aum is the son of ,maya as he is the son of ,brahman 7neuter71 because ,maya is ,brahman4 ,,aum is the first born ,word or ,logos of the ,deity1 the ,memrah of the ,jews1 the ,honover of the ,persians1 the origin of the ,vedas4 ,it has revealed and manifested all the emanated things1 the so-called creation4 ,it appeared before all things1 and contains all qualities1 all the elements1 and is the name and body of ,brahman 7neuter71 and consequently as infinite as ,it4 ,the ,will1 ,desire1 ,word is the master architect and creator of all the things4 ,brahma meditating upon the divine ,word1 therein found the primitive water1 the common bond of all the creatures1 the primitive fire1 and the ,trimurti of the ,vedas1 also the worlds and universal harmony of all the things4 ,the image of ,,aum is the ,cow1 which is also a symbol of the universe4 ,the universe was concealed and at first was hidden under the waters1 and the waters were in ,atma4 ,these waters are those without any shores1 all that which exists is water1 and the water and ,,aum make but one2 these primitive waters are the sea of ,maya1 the celestial ocean of all existence4 ,there are to be found further in this symbolical picture many other suggestions flowing from the ,ancient ,aryan or ,hindu system4 ,that system is believed to contain in germ all the others which have since arisen1 as3 the ,hermetic1 the ,jewish1 the ,christian and others4 ,space1 however1 forbids a more extended explanation at present1 and the student is recommended to study the four which have appeared in this magazine4 ,,isaac ,,myer4 ,,through ,,the ,,gates ,,of ,,gold4 ,the most notable book for guidance in ,mysticism which has appeared since ,light on the ,path was written has just been published under the significant title of 8,through the ,gates of ,gold40#ahe ,though the author's name is withheld1 the occult student will quickly discern that it must proceed from a very high source4 ,in certain respects the book may be regarded as a commentary on ,light on the ,path4 ,the reader would do well to bear this in mind4 ,many things in that book will be made clear by the reading of this one1 and one will be constantly reminded of that work1 which has already become a classic in our literature4 ,through the ,gates of ,gold is a work to be kept constantly at hand for reference and study4 ,it will surely take rank as one of the standard books of ,theosophy4 ,the 8,gates of ,gold0 represent the entrance to that realm of the soul unknowable through the physical perceptions1 and the purpose of this work is to indicate some of the steps necessary to reach their threshold4 ,through its extraordinary beauty of style and the clearness of its statement it will appeal to a wider portion of the public than most works of a ,theosophical character4 ,it speaks to the ,western ,world in its own language1 and in this fact lies much of its value4 ,those of us who have been longing for some thing 8practical0 will find it here1 while it will probably come into the hands of thousands who know little or nothing of ,theosophy1 and thus meet wants deeply felt though unexpressed4 ,there are also doubtless many1 we fancy1 who will be carried far along in its pages by its resistless logic until they encounter something which will give a rude shock to some of their old conceptions1 which they have imagined as firmly based as upon a rock--a shock which may cause them to draw back in alarm1 but from which they will not find it so easy to recover1 and which will be likely to set them thinking seriously4 ,the titles of the five chapters of the book are1 respectively1 8,the ,search for ,pleasure10 8,the ,mystery of ,threshold10 8,the ,initial ,effort10 8,the ,meaning of ,pain10 and 8,the ,secret of ,strength40 ,instead of speculating upon mysteries that lie at the very end of man's destiny1 and which cannot be approached by any manner of conjecture1 the work very sensibly takes up that which lies next at hand1 that which constitutes the first step to be taken if we are ever to take a second one1 and teaches us its significance4 ,at the outset we must cope with sensation and learn its nature and meaning4 ,an important teaching of ,light on the ,path has been misread by many4 ,we are not enjoined to kill out sensation1 but to 8kill out desire for sensation10 which is something quite different 8,sensation1 as we obtain it through the physical body1 affords us all that induces us to live in that shape10 says this work4 ,the problem is1 to extract the meaning which it holds for us4 ,that is what existence is for4 8,if men will but pause and consider what lessons they have learned from pleasure and pain1 much might be guessed of that strange thing which causes these effects40 8,the question concerning results seemingly unknowable1 that concerning the life beyond the ,gates10 is presented as one that has been asked throughout the ages1 coming at the hour 8when the flower of civilization had blown to its full1 and when its petals are but slackly held together10 the period when man reaches the greatest physical development of his cycle4 ,it is then that in the distance a great glittering is seen1 before which many drop their eyes bewildered and dazzled1 though now and then one is found brave enough to gaze fixedly on this glittering1 and to decipher something of the shape within it4 8,poets and philosophers1 thinkers and teachers1 all those who are the #8elder brothers of the race'--have beheld this sight from time to time1 and some among them have recognized in the bewildering glitter the outlines of the ,gates of ,gold40 ,those ,gates admit us to the sanctuary of man's own nature1 to the place whence his life-power comes1 and where he is priest of the shrine of life4 ,it needs but a strong hand to push them open1 we are told4 8,the courage to enter them is the courage to search the recesses of one's own nature without fear and without shame4 ,in the fine part1 the essence1 the flavor of the man1 is found the key which unlocks those great ,gates40 ,the necessity of killing out the sense of separateness is profoundly emphasized as one of the most important factors in this process4 ,we must divest ourselves of the illusions of the material life4 8,when we desire to speak with those who have tried the ,golden ,gates and pushed them open1 then it is very necessary--in fact it is essential--to discriminate1 and not bring into our life the confusions of our sleep4 ,if we do1 we are reckoned as madmen1 and fall back into the darkness where there is no friend but chaos4 ,this chaos has followed every effort of man that is written in history2 after civilization has flowered1 the flower falls and dies1 and winter and darkness destroy it40 ,in this last sentence is indicated the purpose of civilization4 ,it is the blossoming of a race1 with the purpose of producing a certain spiritual fruit2 this fruit having ripened1 then the degeneration of the great residuum begins1 to be worked over and over again in the grand fermenting processes of reincarnation4 ,our great civilization is now flowering and in this fact we may read the reason for the extraordinary efforts to sow the seed of the ,mystic ,teachings wherever the mind of man may be ready to receive it4 ,in the 8,mystery of ,threshold10 we are told that 8only a man who has the potentialities in him both of the voluptuary and the stoic has any chance of entering the ,golden ,gates4 ,he must be capable of testing and valuing to its most delicate fraction every joy existence has to give2 and he must be capable of denying himself all pleasure1 and that without suffering from the denial40 ,the fact that the way is different for each individual is finely set forth in 8,the ,initial ,effort10 in the words that man 8may burst the shell that holds him in darkness1 tear the veil that hides him from the eternal1 at any moment where it is easiest for him to do so2 and most often this point will be where he least expects to find it40 ,by this we may see the uselessness of laying down arbitrary laws in the matter4 ,the meaning of those important words1 8,all steps are necessary to make up the ladder10 finds a wealth of illustration here4 ,these sentences are particularly pregnant3 8,spirit is not a gas created by matter1 and we cannot create our future by forcibly using one material agent and leaving out the rest4 ,spirit is the great life on which matter rests1 as does the rocky world on the free and fluid ether2 whenever we can break our limitations we find ourselves on that marvellous shore where ,wordsworth once saw the gleam of the gold40 ,virtue1 being of the material life1 man has not the power to carry it with him1 8yet the aroma of his good deeds is a far sweeter sacrifice than the odor of crime and cruelty40 8,to the one who has lifted the golden latch the spring of sweet waters1 the fountain itself whence all softness arises1 is opened and becomes part of his heritage4 ,but before this can be reached a heavy weight has to be lifted from the heart1 an iron bar which holds it down and prevents it from arising in its strength40 ,the author here wishes to show that there is sweetness and light in occultism1 and not merely a wide dry level of dreadful ,karma1 such as some ,theosophists are prone to dwell on4 ,and this sweetness and light may be reached when we discover the iron bar and raising it shall permit the heart to be free4 ,this iron bar is what the ,hindus call 8the knot of the heart60 ,in their scriptures they talk of unloosing this knot1 and say that when that is accomplished freedom is near4 ,but what is the iron bar and the knot8 is the question we must answer4 ,it is the astringent power of self--of egotism--of the idea of separateness4 ,this idea has many strongholds4 ,it hold its most secret court and deepest counsels near the far removed depths and centre of the heart4 ,but it manifests itself first1 in that place which is nearest to our ignorant preceptions1 where we see it first after beginning the search4 ,when we assault and conquer it there it disappears4 ,it has only retreated to the next row of outworks where for a time it appears not to our sight1 and we imagine it killed1 while it is laughing at our imaginary conquests and security4 ,soon again we find it and conquer again1 only to have it again retreat4 ,so we must follow it up if we wish to grasp it at last in its final stand just near the 8kernel of the heart04 ,there it has become an 8iron bar that holds down the heart01 and there only can the fight be really won4 ,that disciple is fortunate who is able to sink past all the pretended outer citadels and seize at once this personal devil who holds the bar of iron1 and there wage the battle4 ,if won there1 it is easy to return to the outermost places and take them by capitulation4 ,this is very difficult1 for many reasons4 ,it is not a mere juggle of words to speak of this trial4 ,it is a living tangible thing that can be met by any real student4 ,the great difficulty of rushing at once to the centre lies in the unimaginable terrors which assault the soul on its short journey there4 ,this being so it is better to begin the battle on the outside in just the way pointed out in this book and ,light on the ,path1 by testing experience and learning from it4 ,in the lines quoted the author attempts to direct the eyes of a very materialistic age to the fact which is an accepted one by all true students of occultism1 that the true heart of a man-which is visibly represented by the muscular heart--is the focus point for spirit1 for knowledge1 for power2 and that from that point the converged rays begin to spread out fan-like1 until they embrace the ,universe4 ,so it is the ,gate4 ,and it is just at that neutral spot of concentration that the pillars and the doors are fixed4 ,it is beyond it that the glorious golden light burns1 and throws up a 8burnished glow40 ,we find in this the same teachings as in the ,upanishads4 ,the latter speaks of 8the ether which is within the heart10 and also says that we must pass across that ether4 8,the ,meaning of ,pain0 is considered in a way which throws a great light on the existence of that which for ages has puzzled many learned men4 8,pain arouses1 softens1 breaks1 and destroys4 ,regarded from a sufficiently removed standpoint1 it appears as a medicine1 as a knife1 as a weapon1 as a poison1 in turn4 ,it is an implement1 a thing which is used1 evidently4 ,what we desire to discover is1 who is the user2 what part of ourselves is it that demands the presence of this thing so hateful to the rest80 ,the task is1 to rise above both pain and pleasure and unite them to our service4 8,pain and pleasure stand apart and separate1 as do the two sexes2 and it is in the merging1 the making the two into one1 that joy and deep sensation and profound peace are obtained4 ,where there is neither male nor female1 neither pain nor pleasure1 there is the god in man dominant2 and then is life real40 ,the following passage can hardly fail to startle many good people3 8,destiny1 the inevitable1 does indeed exist for the race and for the individual2 but who can ordain this save the man himself8 ,there is no clew in heaven or earth to the existence of any ordainer other than the man who suffers or enjoys that which is ordained40 ,but can any earnest student of ,theosophy deny1 or object to this8 ,is it not a pure statement of the law of ,karma8 ,does it not agree perfectly with the teaching of the ,bhagavat-,gita8 ,there is surely no power which sits apart like a judge in court1 and fines us or rewards us for this misstep or that merit2 it is we who shape1 or ordain1 our own future4 ,god is not denied4 ,the seeming paradox that a ,god exists within each man is made clear when we perceive that our separate existence is an illusion2 the physical1 which makes us separate individuals1 must eventually fall away1 leaving each man one with all men1 and with ,god1 who is the ,infinite4 ,and the passage which will surely be widely misunderstood is that in 8,the secret of strength40 8,religion holds a man back from the path1 prevents his stepping forward1 for various very plain reasons4 ,first1 it makes the vital mistake of distinguishing between good and evil4 ,nature knows no such distinctions40 ,religion is always man-made4 ,it cannot therefore be the whole truth4 ,it is a good thing for the ordinary and outside man1 but surely it will never bring him to the ,gates of ,gold4 ,if religion be of ,god how is it that we find that same ,god in his own works and acts violating the precepts of religion8 ,he kills each man once in life2 every day the fierce elements and strange circumstances which he is said to be the author of1 bring on famine1 cold and innumerable untimely deaths2 where then1 in ,the ,true1 can there be any room for such distinctions as right and wrong8 ,the disciple1 must as he walks on the path1 abide by law and order1 but if he pins his faith on any religion whatever he will stop at once1 and it makes no matter whether he sets up ,mahatmas1 ,gods1 ,krishna1 ,vedas or mysterious acts of grace1 each of these will stop him and throw him into a rut from which even heavenly death will not release him4 ,religion can only teach morals and ethics4 ,it cannot answer the question 8what am ,i80 ,the ,buddhist ascetic holds a fan before his eyes to keep away the sight of objects condemned by his religion4 ,but he thereby gains no knowledge1 for that part of him which is affected by the improper sights has to be known by the man himself1 and it is by experience alone that the knowledge can be possessed and assimilated4 ,the book closes gloriously1 with some hints that have been much needed4 ,too many1 even of the sincerest students of occultism1 have sought to ignore that one-half of their nature1 which is here taught to be necessary4 ,instead of crushing out the animal nature1 we have here the high and wise teaching that we must learn to fully understand the animal and subordinate it to the spiritual4 8,the god in man1 degraded1 is a thing unspeakable in its infamous power of production4 ,the animal in man1 elevated1 is a thing unimaginable in its great powers of service and of strength10 and we are told that our animal self is a great force1 the secret of the old-world magicians1 and of the coming race which ,lord ,lytton foreshadowed4 8,but this power can only be attained by giving the god the sovereignty4 ,make your animal ruler over your self1 and he will never rule others40 ,this teaching will be seen to be identical with that of the closing words of 8,the ,idyll of the ,white ,lotus03 8,he will learn how to expound spiritual truths1 and to enter into the life of his highest self1 and he can learn also to hold within him the glory of that higher self1 and yet to retain life upon this planet so long as it shall last1 if need be2 to retain life in the vigor of manhood1 till his entire work is completed1 and he has taught the three truths to all who look for light40 ,there are three sentences in the book which ought to be imprinted in the reader's mind1 and we present them inversely3 8,secreted and hidden in the heart of the world and the heart of man is the light which can illumine all life1 the future and the past40 8,on the mental steps of a million men ,buddha passed through the ,gates of ,gold2 and because a great crowd pressed about the threshold he was able to leave behind him words which prove that those gates will open40 8,this is one of the most important factors in the development of man1 the recognition--profound and complete recognition--of the law of universal unity and coherence40 ,,considerations ,,on ,,magic4 ,we hear a good deal nowadays and are likely to hear still more of occult science4 ,in this regard we may as well accept the inevitable4 ,all things have their day1 and all things revolve in cycles2 they come and go1 and come again1 though never twice the same4 ,even our very thoughts conform to this universal law4 ,the life1 the teachings1 and the fate of ,pythagoras are involved in mystery1 but the fate of the schools which he established and of the followers who succeeded him are matters of history4 ,the slaughter of the ,magi stands over against the abuses and abominations which were perpetrated in their name1 and doubtless by many styling themselves ,magicians4 ,it is not the object of this brief paper to attempt to define magic1 or elucidate occult ,science as such1 but rather to suggest a few considerations which are of vital import at the present time1 equally important to those who utterly deny to magic any more than an imaginative basis1 as to those who convinced of its existence as a science1 are1 or are to become investigators4 ,in both the publications and conversations of the day1 frequently occur the expressions 8black magic10 and 8white magic0 and those who follow these studies are designated as followers of the 8left hand path10 or the 8right hand path84 ,it ought to be understood that up to a certain point all students of magic1 or occultism1 journey together4 ,by and by is reached a place where two roads meet1 or where the common path divides1 and the awful voice from the silence1 heard only in the recesses of the individual soul utters the stern command3 0,choose ye this day whom ye will serve40 ,instead of black and white magic1 read1 black and white motive4 ,the student of occultism is rushing on his destiny1 but up to a certain point that destiny is in his own hands1 though he is constantly shaping his course1 freeing his soul from the trammels of sense and self1 or becoming entangled in the web1 which1 with warp and woof will presently clothe him as with a garment without a seam4 ,if early in the race he finds it difficult to shake off his chains1 let him remember that at every step they grow more and more tyrannical1 and often before the goal is reached where the ways divide1 the battle is lost or won1 and the decision there is only a matter of form4 ,that decision once made is irrevocable1 or so nearly so that no exception need be made4 ,man lives at once in two worlds3 the natural and the spiritual1 and as in the natural plane he influences his associates1 and is in turn influenced by them1 so let him not imagine that in the spiritual plane he is alone4 ,this will be a fatal mistake for the dabbler in magic1 or the student in occultism4 ,throughout this vast universe1 the good will seek the good1 and the evil the evil1 each will be unconsciously drawn to its own kind4 ,but when man faces his destiny in full consciousness of the issues involved1 as he must before the final decision is reached1 he will be no longer unconscious of these influences1 but will recognize his companions3 companions1 alas6 no longer1 ,masters now1 inhuman1 pitiless2 and the same law of attraction which has led him along the tortuous path1 unveils its face1 and by affinity of evil1 the slave stands in the presence of his master1 and the fiends that have all along incited him to laugh at the miseries of his fellow men1 and trample under his feet every kindly impulse1 every tender sympathy1 now make the measureless hells within his own soul resound with their laughter at him1 the poor deluded fool whose selfish pride and ambition have stifled and at last obliterated his humanity4 ,blind indeed is he who cannot see why those who are in possession of arcane wisdom1 hesitate in giving it out to the world1 and when in the cycles of time its day has come1 they put forth the only doctrine which has power to save and bless1 ,,universal ,,brotherhood1 with all that the term implies4 ,there may be those who have already in this new era1 entered the left-hand road4 ,but now as of old1 8by their works ye shall know them04 ,to labor with them is in vain4 ,selfishness1 pride and lust for power are the signs by which we may know them4 ,they may not at once cast off disguise1 and they will never deceive the true ,theosophist4 ,they can nevertheless deceive to their ruin the ignorant1 the curious1 the unwary1 and it is for such as these that these lines are penned1 and the worst of it is1 that these poor deluded souls1 are led to believe that no such danger exists1 and this belief is fortified by the so-called scientists1 who are quoted as authority1 and who ridicule everything but rank materialism4 ,yet notwithstanding all this1 these simple souls flutter like moths around the flame till they are drawn within the vortex4 ,it is better a million times1 that the proud1 the selfish and time-serving should eat1 drink and be merry1 and let occultism alone1 for these propensities unless speedily eradicated1 will bear fruit and ripen into quick harvests1 and the wages thereof is death1 literally the 8second death04 ,the purpose of ,theosophy is to eradicate these evil tendencies of man1 so that whether on the ordinary planes of daily life1 or in the higher occult realms1 the ,christ shall be lifted up1 and draw all men unto him4 8,man's inhumanity to man ,makes countless thousands mourn40 ,the ,christs of all the ages have preached this one doctrine3 ,charity and ,brotherhood of ,man4 ,to deny the law of charity is to deny the ,christ4 ,the ,theosophical ,society is not responsible for unveiling to the present generation the occult nature of man4 ,modern ,spiritualism had already done this2 nor is the responsibility to be charged to the ,spiritualists1 for these unseen forces had revealed themselves in the fullness of time1 and many millions had become convinced1 many against their wills1 of the reality of the unseen universe4 ,these things are here1 and neither crimination1 or recrimination is of any use4 ,the responsibility therefore1 rests entirely with the individual1 as to what use he makes of his opportunities1 as to his purposes and aims1 and as he advances in his course1 involved in the circle of necessity1 he influences whether he will or no1 those whose spheres of life touch at any point his own4 ,as ye sow1 so shall ye also reap4 ,by and by the cycle will close and both the evil and the good will return like bread cast upon the waters4 ,this is a law of all life4 ,imagine not that they are weak and vacillating souls who enter the left-hand road3 ,lucifer was once a prince of light1 admitted to the councils of the ,most ,high4 ,he fell through pride1 and dragged downward in his fall all who worshiped the demon pride4 ,this is no foolish fable1 but a terrible tragedy1 enacted at the gates of paradise1 in the face of the assembled universe1 and renacted in the heart of man1 the epitome of all4 ,only ,infinite pity can measure the downfall of such an one1 only ,infinite love disarm by annihilation1 and so put an end to unendurable woe1 and that only when the cycle is complete1 the measure of iniquity balanced by its measure of pain4 ,occultism and magic are not child's-play1 as many may learn to their sorrow1 as many visitants of dark circles have already and long ago discovered4 ,better give dynamite to our children as a plaything1 than ,magic to the unprincipled1 the thoughtless1 the selfish and ignorant4 ,let all who have joined the ,theosophical ,society remember this1 and search their hearts before taking the first step in any magical formulary4 ,the motive determines all4 ,occult power brings with it unknown and unmeasured responsibility4 ,if in the secret councils of the soul1 where no eye can see1 and no thought deceive that divine spark conscience1 we are ready to forget self1 to forego pride1 and labor for the well-being of man1 then may the upright man face his destiny1 follow this guide and fear no evil4 ,otherwise it were far better that a millstone were hung about his neck1 and he were cast into the depths of the sea4 ,,pythagoras4 ,,tea ,,table ,,talk4 ,the ,tea ,table has had a sensation6 ,do you remember the case of 8,chalanka08 ,he was the 8,fallen ,idol10 in ,anstey's book of that name1 and played the very deuce with people and bric-a-brac alike4 ,there's a deal of truth in that clever little satire1 and the author shows up the elementals quite correctly without in the least suspecting it4 ,the ,chalanka of the ,tea ,table arrived very demurely one winter afternoon1 per ,adams ,express1 in a promising box which bore the mark of a great china firm and contained as well1 securely moored in its harbor of cotton wool1 a tea-pot which the ,tea ,table pronounced 8,adorable0 were it not smashed4 ,nothing else was near this brittle loveliness save and except ,chalanka4 ,to all appearances he was a pencil sketch of the head of a young ,brahmin of high caste1 folded in the typical turban4 ,the drawing is powerful and the subtle sidelong glance of the eyes to the extreme left has one peculiarity1 viz3 if you come round from behind the picture on the extreme right1 the eyes meet you equally1 and so from any position4 ,i cannot escape that dark and searching gaze4 ,still1 one would say there was nothing dynamic about a sketch1 and yet the tea-pot arrived literally crushed to pieces within its perfect casing1 and the indignant ladies1 with the acumen of their sex1 soon spotted ,chalanka and held him responsible4 ,presently ,i noticed that everyone had a more or less sidelong glance in return for his1 towards where he glowered from an tagre on which we had put him1 and in the course of the social hour ,i collected these remarks upon him4 ,the ,professor1 sauntering up4--8,h-m4 ,who have we here8 ,the fellow has a beautiful face and--the devil's in it60 ,sue4 8,goodness6 who's that8 ,makes me feel like when ,i step down in the dark40 ,the ,mother4 8,that man's face is not human40 ,the ,widow4 8,i have it6 ,i wondered what ,chalanka made me think of4 ,don't you know that thing in the ,bible about #8the serpent that listeneth not to the voice of the charmer1 charm he never so wisely8'0 7,the ,widow was wiser than she knew47 ,the ,student4 8,you ladies always go in for poetry4 ,now he looks to me as if he said1--#8,get me if you can1 my boy2 if you don't1 ,i'll get you6'0 ,great sensation and nervous shivers from the ladies1 followed by instant demands for the lamp4 ,the maid who brings it being observed to fix a fascinated gaze on ,chalanka1 is asked what she thinks of him4 ,after a little urgency she replies4 8,that gentlemaen's so sad1 ain't he8 ,i do'n' know1 he's unnatr'al like4 ,seems like there's somethin' he can't get over40 ,flings her apron over her head suddenly1 and breaks from the room4 ,apologizes later and says 8nerves is in her family0 but always thereafter calls ,chalanka 8that gentleman10 as for instance2 8,i couldn't bring meself to dust that gentleman40 ,or1 8,i knocked that gentleman down but he ain't hurt40 ,now the curious fact about the above remarks is this3 ,a fellow ,f4 ,t4 ,s4 felt impelled to draw one night4 ,as he did so1 a mist gathered near him1 and gradually this ,brahmin stood plainly before him1 just as the sketch shows him1 with his magnetic gaze which affects everyone who sees him4 ,many callers come into the room where the #e by #h drawing stands inconspicuously1 surrounded by all the ,heaven-only-knows-what1 of modern decoration1 but the ,tea ,table has yet to see the person who does not comment upon ,chalanka with a baffled sense of mystery4 ,the artist1 a student well up in such matters and a man of unimpeachable veracity1 knew his strange visitor for an elemental who assumed that shape to attract attention1 the artist knowing many ,hindus and thinking often of them4 ,what do you suppose it is that tells the story of this silent1 watchful face1 even to the incurious8 ,does some odic fluid inhere in it1 or does the clue rest with the akasic vibrations from it8 ,in consequence of its arrival1 conversation has turned to coincidences1 and from this ,i have collected the following items of interest3 ,a4 8,i dreamed the other night that ,i had a talk with a fellow student2 next day he told me he dreamed same night--that ,i came and said3 #8,i'm tired of your nonsense2 you must get serious4' ,that was just what ,i dreamed ,i had said to him myself4 ,so when ,father died2 four times my ,brother and ,i dreamed on the same night that we saw ,father and talked with him on the same subject40 ,c4 8,three times ,i dreamed of getting a letter in a blue envelope1 each time ,i received one such next day4 ,dreamed one night of reading ,sun paragraph that a new gun shield had come out to shield artillery men4 ,next morning's ,sun had the exact paragraph4 ,i had never previously thought of gun shields4 ,another night ,i dreamed ,i was in a town all on fire4 ,next morning's ,sun had an account of the burning of ,little ,rock1 ,ark40 ,w4 had some second sight in his family4 ,one night when twelve years old1 in ,roumania1 as he lay down in his bed1 on looking towards the foot of the bed saw in the bright gaslight the head and shoulders of a beautiful child4 ,he was very much frightened3 his brother1 who was with him saw nothing4 ,a few years later ,w4 emigrated to the ,u4 ,s41 married later in life1 and his first child1 a boy1 grew up to be the exact image of the vision which had gone out of his mind until the developed features of the child reproduced it4 ,the same lad when #aa1 desired a dictionary1 but could not find it after much search4 ,the same night he dreamed that he got up and took it from a certain other shelf3 looked the next morning and there it was4 ,several curious instances of thought sent ahead have also been sent in to the ,tea ,table1 where persons seemed to see some one they knew and in a few moments met a member of that family4 ,some one suggested that the sketch might represent a black magician1 7,dugpa7 and the mother asks me what such a man really was4 ,i had just been reading a ,hindu ,,mss on this subject and ,i was able to explain1 vide its able pages1 as follows3 ,as the ,yogi is a person busied in converting his lower nature into higher1 so the ,dugpa endeavors to sink all his higher elements and changes them gradually into lower ones4 ,he might remain in our earth life until the last spark of ethical nature or kindly emotion had been transmitted into love of evil for its own sake4 ,he would then presumably go to any of the lower states from the eighth to the thirteenth4 ,we know well1 as ,sinnett has put it for us1 that 8nature sets no trap for any of her creatures10 and so it happens that having been long immersed in the lower spheres1 our ,dugpa might once more ascend into the realms of light and begin to develop his higher nature4 ,many will ask whence the impulse is derived1 if the ethical nature was completely destroyed4 ,from the great law-giver2 from ,karma6 ,in such a case1 if there remained but a small balance of good ,karma in his favor1 even though it were at the very moment of his descent1 he could necessarily rise again1 7sooner or later17 until he had exhausted it1 for the lex parsimonae of nature gives every possible chance for the recovery of lost ground4 ,these opportunities are said to occur whenever one or more items of the balance of good ,karma have ripened1 and often when the momentum of the lower nature was for the time exhausted1 and he could no longer descend4 ,in this view it will be seen that we only receive from time to time a part of our deserts4 ,the whole bulk of our ,karma does not fall at once1 but is distributed throughout the series of lives4 ,when a man goes into the extreme of occultism unadvisedly however1 the resistance he encounters is apt to draw down the whole weight of ,karma at once4 ,if the balance is in his favor then great is the power for his benefit1 otherwise he is crushed and fails4 ,he has then an additional opportunity of choice along with his race1 when the race period of choice occurs1 as it will in the next round1 we are told4 ,in the fourth chapter of the ,koran occurs a confirmation of the occult teaching as regards this distribution of deserts4 8,covet not that which ,god hath bestowed on some of you preferably to others4 ,unto the men shall be given a portion of what they shall have gained1 and unto the women shall be given a portion of what they shall have gained40 8,well1 ,sir10 said the professor1 8,i should like to know the exact rationale of this ,karmic process4 ,why does a student professing chelaship draw down the bulk of his ,karma80 8,there are many who want to know quite as much as you do10 ,i replied4 8,all they have to do is to study the operations of cyclic law for themselves4 ,and mind1 if you dig for ore1 you bring down other things in the debris1 while if a miner hands you a lump1 you're not much more of a miner than you were at the start4 ,you will find these laws represent perfect1 equilibrated ,justice40 8,humph6 ,i'm rather like the man in a recent novel1 who said3 #8who am ,i that should yearn to deal out strict ,justice8 ,i never got it1 thank ,god6'0 ,the fact is1 ,justice is a gun too heavily loaded for the use of man2 its backward kick is more than ,i like to think of4 ,,julius4 ,,poetical ,,occultism4 ,,dear ,,editor3 ,the following ,poetical ,occultism may be of interest4 ,,from ,,the ,,first ,,chapter ,,of ,,the 8,,banquet0 ,,of ,,dante4 8,as the ,philosopher 7,aristotle7 has said at the beginning of 8,metaphysics10 all men naturally desire to know4 ,the reason of this may be1 that everything by an impulse of its own nature1 tends towards perfection2 therefore1 since knowledge is the ultimate perfecting of our soul1 in the which consists our ultimate felicity1 we are all by nature filled with this desire4 ,none the less are many deprived of this most noble perfection1 by divers causes1 which1 acting upon man from within and from without1 remove him from the estate of knowledge 99 99 99 ,manifest is it1 therefore1 to him who considereth well1 that there are but few who can attain to that estate desired of all1 and that almost innumerable are they who are forever famishing for this food4 ,oh6 blessed are those few that are seated at the table where the bread of the angels is eaten1 and miserable are they who feed in common with the sheep6 ,but because every man is by nature a friend to every other man1 and because every friend is grieved by the necessities of him he loves2 so they who are fed at so lofty a table1 are not without compassion toward them whom they see wandering in the pastures of the brutes1 and feeding upon acorns4 ,and because compassion is the mother of benevolence1 therefore always liberally do they who know1 share of their great riches with the truly poor1 and are like a living fountain1 whose waters slack the thirst of nature before named1 7for knowledge74 ,and ,i1 therefore1 who do not sit at the blessed table1 but have fled from the pasture of the herd1 and at the feet of those who are seated there1 gather up what they let fall1 and who know the miserable life of those whom ,i have left behind me1 moved to mercy by the sweetness of that which ,i have gained little by little1 and not forgetting myself1 have reserved something for these wretched ones1 which ,i have already1 and for some time1 held before their eyes1 making them thereby all the more desirous of it40 ,yours1 ,k4 ,h4 ,,rome1 ,,italy1 ,nov41 #ahhf4 ,,universal ,,unity4 ,,read ,,at ,a ,,meeting ,,of ,,the ,,first ,,theosophical ,,society ,,of ,,cincinnati1 ,o4 ',tis said they who the starry heavens watch ,spending their time in silent contemplation ,and view the worlds and systems moving round ,become so filled with peace and perfect trust ,that unto them life1 death1 grief1 care and fear ,are almost naught4 ,so1 ,i1 a long time past ,having passed my time in watching night by night ,the stare move in their orbits2 and my days ,in making out their past and future course ,one ,august night1 while that the quiet moon ,flooded tree and bush1 and vale and hill-top ,stream1 and bank and spire and roof with light ,and whistling and rustling leaves added ,their voices to the myriad sounds ,of insect life1 fell fast asleep4 ,and then ,i saw the moon swinging slowly to and fro1 ,and round our ,sun the earth and other satellites ,revolving ceaselessly4 ,and as they moved ,i heard a sweet melodious sound ,and felt a soft and mellow light ,and still ,i saw our ,sun with other suns ,all circling round one common central point ,all these centres round some other centre circling4 ,the sound increased till all things seemed but sound ,the light increased till all things seemed but light ,the heat increased till all things seemed but heat ,and then ,i felt my soul beat rapturously ,against the throbbing pulsing central life4 ,from thence ,i felt the light1 the heat1 the sound1 ,the life1 the love1 the peace pass out unceasingly4 ,from thence ,i knew all life to flow4 ,and passing out ,i knew all life was part of it1 and it of life2 ,i knew that ,i was it1 and it was ,i2 ,that sound and light1 and life1 and ,i and it were one ,that life and death and tree and bush and stream ,and bank and flower and seed and it are one ,then there passed into my soul1 a perfect1 ,great content4 ,and rising from my sleep1 ,i passed into my life a happy man4 ,,henry ,,turner ,,patterson4 ,copyright1 #ahhg4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a delicious fragrance spreads from the ,leaders of the ,world over all quarters1 a fragrance by which1 when the wind is blowing1 all these creatures are intoxicated4--,saddharma-,pundarika4 ,,om4 ,,footnotes3 #agj ,bagavad-,gita1 ch4 #ae4 #aga ,compare the 8,elixir of ,life0 in ,the ,theosophist4 #agb ,this has nothing whatever to do with so-called 8stigmatization03 the latter being merely the result of a strong imagination upon a weak body4 #agc 8,that which was from the beginning40 etc4--,john4 ,epistle ,i1 i4 #agd ,i ,cor4 xv4 #age ,light on the ,path4 #agf ,vedanta4 #agg ,it is known that in ,ireland and other places1 many peasants possess words whose sound can thrill a man and make a horse unmanageable4 ,,ed4 #agh ,vedanta4 #agi ,light on the ,path4 #ahj ,see ,fiske1 ,stuart1 et al4 #aha ,emerson4 #ahb ,on sound1 ,p4 #ed4 #ahc ,vedanta4 #ahd ,idem4 #ahe ,through the ,gates of ,gold3 a ,fragment of ,thought4 ,boston3 ,roberts ,brothers4 #ahhg4 ,price1 #ej cents4