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THE REALIZATION OF THE "I."
The Candidate must first acquaint himself with the reality of the "I,"
before he will be able to learn its real nature. This is the first step.
Let the Candidate place himself in the State of Meditation, as
heretofore described. Then let him concentrate his entire attention upon
his Individual Self, shutting out all thought of the outside world, and
other persons. Let him form in his mind the idea of himself as a real
thing-an actual being-an individual entity-a Sun around which revolves
the world. He must see himself as the Centre around which the whole
world revolves. Let not a false modesty, or sense of depreciation
interfere with this idea, for you are not denying the right of others to
also consider themselves centres. You are, in fact, a centre of
consciousness-made so by the Absolute -and you are awakening to the
fact. Until the Ego recognizes itself as a Centre of Thought, Influence
and Power, it will not be able to manifest these qualities. And in
proportion as it recognizes its position as a centre, so will it be able
to manifest its qualities. It is not necessary that you should compare
yourself with others, or imagine yourself greater or higher than them.
In fact, such comparisons are to be regretted, and are unworthy of the
advanced Ego, being a mark and indication of a lack of development,
rather than the reverse. In the Meditation simply ignore all
consideration of the respective qualities of others, and endeavor to
realize the fact that YOU are a great Centre of Consciousness-a Centre
of Power -a Centre of Influence-a Centre of Thought. And that like the
planets circling around the sun, so does your world revolve around YOU
who are its centre.
It will not be necessary for you to argue out this matter, or to
convince yourself of its truth by intellectual reasoning. The knowledge
does not come in that way. It comes in the shape of a realization of the
truth gradually dawning upon your consciousness through meditation and
concentration. Carry this thought of yourself as a "Centre of
Consciousness Influence-Power" with you, for it is an occult truth, and
in the proportion that you are able to realize it so will be your
ability to manifest the qualities named. No matter how humble may be
your position-no matter how hard may be your lot-no matter how deficient
in educational advantages you may be-still you would not change your "I"
with the most fortunate, wisest and highest man or woman in the world.
You may doubt this, but think for a moment and you will see that we are
right. When you say that you "would like to be" this person or that, you
really mean that you would like to have their degree of intelligence,
power, wealth, position, or what not. What you want is something that is
theirs, or something akin to it. But you would not for a moment wish to
merge your identity with theirs, or to exchange selves. Think of this
for a moment. To be the other person you would have to let yourself die,
and instead of yourself you would be the other person. The real you
would be wiped out of existence, and you would not be you at all, but
would be he. If you can but grasp this idea you will see that not for a
moment would you be willing for such an exchange. Of course such an
exchange is impossible. The "I" of you cannot be wiped out. It is
eternal, and will go on, and on, and on, to higher and higher states-but
it always will be the same "I." Just as you, although a far different
sort of person from your childhood self, still you recognize that the
same "I'' is there, and always has been there. And although you will
attain knowledge, experience, power and wisdom in the coming years, the
same "I" will be there. The "I" is the Divine Spark and cannot be
extinguished. The majority of people in the present stage of the race
development have but a faint conception of the reality of the "I." They
accept the statement of its existence, and are conscious of themselves
as an eating, sleeping, living creature-something like a higher form of
animal. But they have not awakened to an "awareness" or realization of
the "I," which must come to all who become real centres of Influence and
Power. Some men have stumbled into this consciousness, or a degree of
it, without understanding the matter. They have "felt" the truth of it,
and they have stepped out from the ranks of the commonplace people of
the world, and have become powers for good or bad. This is unfortunate
to some extent, as this "awareness" without the knowledge that should
accompany it may bring pain to the individual and others. The Candidate
must meditate upon the "I," and recognize it-feel it-to be a Centre.
This is his first task. Impress upon your mind the word "I," in this
sense and understanding, and let it sink deep down into your
consciousness; so that it will become a part of you. And when you say
"I," you must accompany the word with the picture of your Ego as a
Centre of Consciousness, ' and Thought, and Power, arid Influence. See
yourself thus, surrounded by your world. Wherever you go, there goes the
Centre of your world. YOU are the Centre, and all outside of you
revolves around that Centre. This is the first great lesson on the road
to Initiation. Learn it ! The Yogi Masters teach the Candidates that
their realization of the "I" as a Centre may be hastened by going into
the Silence, or State of Meditation, and repeating their first name over
slowly, deliberately and solemnly a number of times. This exercise tends
to cause the mind to centre upon the "I," and many cases of dawning
Initiation have resulted from this practice. Many original thinkers have
stumbled upon this method, without having been taught it. A noted
example is that of Lord Tennyson, who has written that he attained a
degree of Initiation in this way. He would repeat his own name, over and
over, and the same time meditating upon his identity, and he reports
that he would become conscious and "aware" of his reality and
immortality-in short would recognize himself as a real center of
consciousness. We think we have given you the key to the first stage of
meditation and concentration. Before passing on, let us quote from one
of the old Hindu Masters. He says, regarding this matter : "When the
soul sees itself as a Centre surrounded by its circumference-when the
Sun knows that it is a Sun, and is surrounded by its whirling
planets-then is it ready for the Wisdom and Power of the Masters."

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE "I" FROM THE BODY.
Many of the Candidates find themselves prevented from a full realization
of the "I" (even after they have begun to grasp it) by the confusing of
the reality of the "I" with the sense of the physical body. This is a
stumbling block that is easily overcome by meditation and concentration,
the independence of the "I" often becoming manifest to the Candidate in
a flash, upon the proper thought being used as the subject of
meditation. The exercise is given as follows: Place yourself in the
State of Meditation, and think of YOURSELF -the Real "I"-as being
independent of the body, but using the body as a covering and an
instrument. Think of the body as you might of a suit of clothes. Realize
that you are able to leave the body, and still be the same "I." Picture
yourself as doing this, and looking down upon your body. Think of the
body as a shell from which you may emerge without affecting your
identity. Think of yourself as mastering and controlling the body that
you occupy, and using it to the best advantage, making it healthy,
strong and vigorous, but still being merely a shell or covering for the
real "You." Think of the body as composed of atoms and cells which are
constantly changing, but which are held together by the force of your
Ego, and which you can improve at Will. Realize that you are merely
inhabiting the body, and using it for your convenience, just as you
might use a house. In meditating further, ignore the body entirely, and
place your thought upon the Real "I" that you are beginning to feel to
be ''you," and you will find that your identity-your "I"-is something
entirely apart from the body. You may now say "my body" with a new
meaning. Divorce the idea of your being a physical being, and realize
that you are above body. But do not let this conception and realization
cause you to ignore the body. You must regard the body as the Temple of
the Spirit, and care for it, and make it a fit habitation for the "I."
Do not be frightened if, during this meditation, you happen to
experience the sensation of being out of the body for a few moments, and
of returning to it when you are through with the exercise. The Ego is
able (in the case of the advanced Initiate) of soaring above the
confines of the body, but it never severs its connection at such times.
It is merely as if one were to look out of the window of a room, seeing
what was going on outside, and drawing in his head when he wishes. He
does not leave the room, although he may place his head outside in order
to observe what is doing in the street. We do not advise the Candidate
to try to cultivate this sensation-but if it comes naturally during
meditation, do not fear.
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 * OLX 2.2 * aham brahma asmi
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