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are coming the material proofs of the spiritual teachings. Listen to these words from Dr. Saleeby, in his recent
valuable scientific work, "_Evolution, the Master Key_." He says:
"Life is potential in matter; life-energy is not a thing unique and created at a particular time in the past. If
evolution be true, living matter has been evolved by natural processes from matter which is, apparently, not
alive. But if life is potential in matter, it is a thousand times more evident that Mind is potential in Life. The
evolutionist is impelled to believe that Mind is potential in matter. (I adopt that form of words for the moment,
but not without future criticism.) The microscopic cell, a minute speck of matter that is to become man, has in
it the promise and the germ of mind. May we not then draw the inference that the elements of mind are
present in those chemical elements--carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, sodium,
potassium, chlorine--that are found in the cell. Not only must we do so, but we must go further, since we
know that each of these elements, and every other, is built up out of one invariable unit, the electron, and we
must therefore assert that Mind is potential in the unit of Matter--the electron itself... It is to assert the
sublime truth first perceived by Spinoza, that Mind and Matter are the warp and woof of what Goethe called
'the living garment of God.' Both are complementary expressions of the Unknowable Reality which underlies
both."
There is no such thing as non-vital attraction or repulsion. All inclinations for or against another object, or
thing, is an evidence of Life. Each thing has sufficient life energy to enable it to carry on its work. And as
each form advances by evolution into a higher form, it is able to have more of the Life energy manifest
through it. As its material machinery is built up, it becomes able to manifest a greater and higher degree of
Life. It is not that one thing has a low life, or another a high life--this cannot be, for there is but One Life. It
is like the current of electricity that is able to run the most delicate machinery or manifest a light in the
incandescent lamp. Give it the organ or machinery of manifestation, and it manifests--give it a low form, and
it will manifest a low degree--give it a high form, and it will manifest a high degree. The same steam power
runs the clumsy engine, or the perfect apparatus which drives the most delicate mechanism. And so it is with
the One Life--its manifestations may seem low and clumsy, or high and perfect--but it all depends upon the
material or mental machinery through which it works. There is but One Life, manifesting in countless forms
and shapes, and degrees. One Life underlying All--in All.
From the highest forms of Life down through the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms, we see Life
everywhere present--Death an illusion. Back of all visible forms of material life there is still the beginnings
of manifested life pressing forward for expression and manifestation. And underneath all is the Spirit of
Life--longing, striving, feeling, acting.
In the mountain and the ocean--the flower and the tree--the sunset--the dawn--the suns--the stars--all is
Life--manifestations of the One Life. Everything is Alive, quick with living force, power, action; thrilling
with vitality; throbbing with feeling; filled with activity. All is from the One Life--and all that is from the
One Life is Alive. There is no dead substance in the Universe--there can be none--for Life cannot Die. All
is Alive. And Life is in All.
Carry with you this Central Thought of the Lesson:
CENTRAL THOUGHT: _There is but One Life, and its manifestations comprise all the forms and shapes of
the Universe. From Life comes but Life--and Life can come only from Life. Therefore we have the right to
expect that all manifestations of the One Life should be Alive. And we are not mocked in such belief. Not
A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga 18
only do the highest Occult Teachings inform us that Everything is Alive, but Modern Science has proven to us
that Life is present everywhere--even in that which was formerly considered dead matter. It now sees that
even the atom, and what lies back of the atom, is charged with Life Energy and Action. Forms and shapes
may change, and do change--but Life remains eternal and infinite. It cannot Die--for it is LIFE._
Peace be with thee.
THE THIRD LESSON
THE CREATIVE WILL.
In our first lesson of this series, we stated that among the other qualities and attributes that we were
compelled, by the laws of our reason, to think that the Absolute possessed, was that of Omnipotence or
All-Power. In other words we are compelled to think of the One as being the source and fount of all the
Power there is, ever has been, or ever can be in the Universe. Not only, as is generally supposed, that the
Power of the One is greater than any other Power,--but more than this, that there can be no other power, and
that, therefore, each and every, any and all manifestations or forms of Power, Force or Energy must be a part
of the great one Energy which emanates from the One.
There is no escape from this conclusion, as startling as it may appear to the mind unaccustomed to it. If there
is any power not from and of the One, from whence comes such power, for there is nothing else outside of the
One? Who or what exists outside of the One that can manifest even the faintest degree of power of any kind?
All power must come from the Absolute, and must in its nature be but one.
Modern Science has recognized this truth, and one of its fundamental principles is the Unity of Energy--the
theory that all forms of Energy are, at the last, One. Science holds that all forms of Energy are
interchangeable, and from this idea comes the theory of the Conservation of Energy or Correlation of Force.
Science teaches that every manifestation of energy, power, or force, from the operation of the law of
gravitation, up to the highest form of mental force is but the operation of the One Energy of the Universe.
Just what this Energy is, in its inner nature, Science does not know. It has many theories, but does not advance
any of them as a law. It speaks of the Infinite and Eternal Energy from which all things proceed, but [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]