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more material and gross sense gratifications. Much that we call
"cultivation" and "culture" is naught but a cultivation of a more
refined form of sense gratification, instead of a real advance in
consciousness and unfoldment. It is true that the advanced student and
Master is possessed of highly developed senses, often far surpassing
those of the ordinary man, but in such cases the senses have been
cultivated under the mastery of the Will, and are made servants of the
Ego instead of things hindering the progress of the soul they are made
servants instead of masters. As Man advances in the scale, he begins to
have a somewhat higher conception of the "I." He begins to use his mind
and reason, and he passes on to the Mental Plane-his mind begins to
manifest upon the plane of Intellect. He finds that there is something
within him that is higher than the body. He finds that his mind seems
more real to him than does the physical part of him, and in times of
deep thought and study he is able almost to forget the existence of the
body. In this second stage, Man soon becomes perplexed. He finds
problems that demand an answer, but as soon as he thinks he has answered
them the problems present themselves in a new phase, and he is called
upon to "explain his explanation." The mind, even although not
controlled and directed by the Will, has a wonderful range, but,
nevertheless, Man finds himself traveling around and around in a circle,
and realizes that he is confronted continually by the Unknown. This
disturbs him, and the higher the stage of "book learning" he attains,
the more disturbed does he become. The man of but little knowledge does
not see the existence of many problems that force themselves before the
attention of the man of more knowledge, and demand an explanation from
him. The tortures of the man who has attained the mental growth that
enables him to see the new problems and the impossibility of their
answer, cannot be imagined by one who has not advanced to that stage.
The man in this stage of consciousness thinks of his "I" as a mental
thing, having a lower companion, the body. He feels that he has
advanced, but yet his 'I" does not give him the answer to the riddles
and questions that perplex him. And he becomes most unhappy. Such men
often develop into Pessimists, and consider the whole of life as utterly
evil and disappointing-a curse rather than a blessing. Pessimism belongs
to this plane, for neither the Physical Plane man or the Spiritual Plane
man have this curse of Pessimism. The former man has no such disquieting
thoughts, for he is almost entirely absorbed in gratifying his animal
nature, while the latter man recognizes his mind as an instrument of
himself, rather than as himself, and knows it to be imperfect in its
present stage of growth. He knows that he has in himself the key to all
knowledge-locked up in the Ego-and which the trained mind, cultivated,
developed and guided by the awakened Will, may grasp as it unfolds.
Knowing this the advanced man no longer despairs, and, recognizing his
real nature, and his possibilities, as he awakens into a consciousness
of his powers and capabilities, he laughs at the old despondent,
pessimistic ideas, and discards them like a worn-out garment. Man on the
Mental Plane of consciousness is like a huge elephant who knows not his
own strength. He could break down barriers and assert himself over
nearly any condition or environment, but in his ignorance of his real
condition and power he may be mastered by a puny driver, or frightened
by the rustling of a piece of paper. When the Candidate becomes an
Initiate-when he passes from the purely Mental Plane on to the Spiritual
Plane-he realizes that the "I," the Real Self is something higher than
either body or mind, and that both of the latter may be used as tools
and instruments by the Ego or "I." This knowledge is not reached by
purely intellectual reasoning, although such efforts of the mind are
often necessary to help in the unfoldment, and the Masters so use it.
The real knowledge, however, comes as a special form of consciousness.
The Candidate becomes "aware" of the real "I," and this consciousness
being attained, he passes to the rank of the Initiates. When the
Initiate passes the second degree of consciousness, and begins to grow
into a realization of his relationship to the Whole-when he begins to
manifest the Expansion of Self-then is he on the road to Mastership. In
the present lesson we shall endeavor to point out to the Candidate the
methods of developing or increasing the realization of this "I"
consciousness-this first degree work. We give the following exercises or
development drills for the Candidate to practice. He will find that a
careful and conscientious following of these directions will tend to
unfold in him a sufficient degree of the "I" consciousness, to enable
him to enter into higher stages of development and power. All that is
necessary is for the Candidate to feel within himself the dawn of the
awakening consciousness, or awareness of the Real Self. The higher
stages of the "I" consciousness come gradually, for once on the Path
there is no retrogression or going backward. There may be pauses on the
journey, but there is no such thing as actually losing that which is
once gained on The Path. This "I" consciousness, even in its highest
stages, is but a preliminary step toward what is called "Illumination,"
and which signifies the awakening of the Initiate to a realization of
his actual connection with and re1ation to the Whole. The full sight of
the g1ory of the "I," is but a faint reflected glow of "Illumination."
The Candidate, once that he enters fully into the "I" consciousness,
becomes an "Initiate." And the Initiate who enters into the dawn of
Illumination takes his first step upon the road to Mastery. The
Initiation is the awakening of the sou1 to a knowledge of its real
existence-the Illumination is the revelation of the real nature of the
soul, and of its relationship with the Whole. After the first dawn of
the "I" consciousness has been attained, the Candidate is more able to
grasp the means of developing the consciousness to a still higher
degree-is more able to use the powers latent within him; to control his
own mental states; to manifest a Centre of Consciousness and Influence
that will radiate into the outer world which is always striving and
hunting for such centres around which it may revolve. Man must master
himself before he can hope to exert an influence beyond himself. There
is no royal road to unfoldment and power-each step must be taken in
turn, and each Candidate must take the step himself, and by his own
effort. But he may, and will, be aided by the helping hand of the
teachers who have traveled The Path before him, and who know just when
that helping hand is needed to lift the Candidate over the rough places.
We bid the Candidate to pay strict attention to the following
instruction, as it is all important. Do not slight any part of it, for
we are giving you only what is necessary, and are stating it as briefly
as possible. Pay attention, and follow the instruction closely. This
lesson must be mastered before you progress. And it must be practiced
not only now, but at many stages of the journey, until full Initiation
and Illumination is yours.

RULES AND EXERCISES DESIGNED TO AID THE CANDIDATE IN HIS INITIATION.
The first instruction along the line of Initiation is designed to awaken
the mind to a full realization and consciousness of the individuality of
the "I." The Candidate is taught to relax his body, and to calm his mind
and to meditate upon the "I" until it is presented clearly and sharply
before the consciousness. We herewith give directions for producing the
desired physical and mental condition, in which meditation and
concentration are more readily practiced. This state of Meditation will
be referred to in subsequent exercises, so the Candidate is advised to
acquaint himself thoroughly with it.

STATE OF MEDITATION.
If possible, retire to a quiet place or room, where you do not fear
interruption, so that your mind may feel secure and at rest. Of course,
the ideal condition cannot always be obtained, in which case you must do
the best you can. The idea is that you should be able to abstract
yourself, so far as is possible, from distracting impressions, and you
should be alone with yourself-in communion with your Real Self.
It is well to place yourself in an easy chair, or on a couch, so that
you may relax the muscles and free the tension of your nerves. You
should be able to "let go" all over, allowing every muscle to become
limp, until a feeling of perfect peace and restful calm permeates every
particle of your being. Rest the body and calm the mind. This condition
is best in the earlier stages of the practice, although after the
Candidate has acquired a degree of mastery he will be able to obtain the
physical relaxation and mental calm whenever and wherever he desires.
But he must guard against acquiring a "dreamy" way of going around,
wrapped in meditation when he should be attending to the affairs of
life. Remember this, the State of Meditation should be entirely under
the control of the Will, and should be entered into only deliberately
and at the proper times: The Will must be master of this, as well as of
every other mental state. The Initiates are not "day dreamers," but men
and women having full control of themselves and their moods. The "I"
consciousness while developed by meditation and consciousness, soon
becomes a fixed item of consciousness, and does not have to be produced
by meditation. In time of trial, doubt, or trouble, the consciousness
may be brightened by an effort of the Will (as we shall explain in
subsequent lessons) without going into the State of Meditation.
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 * OLX 2.2 * aham brahma asmi
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