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THE FIRST LESSON. THE "I."


In India, the Candidates for Initiation into the science of "Raja Yoga," when they apply to the Yogi Masters for instruction, are given a series of lessons designed to enlighten them regarding the nature of the Real Self, and to instruct them in the secret knowledge whereby they may develop the consciousness and realization of the real "I" within them. They are shown how they may cast aside the erroneous or imperfect knowledge regarding their real identity.


Until the Candidate masters this instruction, or at least until the truth becomes fixed in his consciousness, further instruction is denied him, for it is held that until he has awakened to a conscious realization of his Actual Identity, he is not able to understand the source of his power, and, moreover, is not able to _feel_ within him the power of the Will, which power underlies the entire teachings of "Raja Yoga." The Yogi Masters are hot satisfied if the Candidate forms merely a clear intellectual conception of this Actual Identity, but they insist that he must _feel_ the truth of the same--must become _aware_ of the Real Self--must enter into a consciousness in which the realization becomes a part of his everyday self--in which the realizing consciousness becomes the prevailing idea in his mind, around which his entire thoughts and actions revolve. To some Candidates, this realization comes like a lightning flash the moment the attention is directed toward it, while in other cases the Candidates find it necessary to follow a rigorous course of training before they acquire the realization in consciousness.


The Yogi Masters teach that there are two degrees of this awakening consciousness of the Real Self. The first, which they call "the Consciousness of the 'I'," is the full consciousness of _real_ existence that comes to the Candidate, and which causes him to _know_ that he is a real entity having a life not depending upon the body--life that will go on in spite of the destruction of the body--_real_ life, in fact.


The second degree, which they call "the Consciousness of the 'I AM'," is the consciousness of one's identity with the Universal Life, and his relationship to, and "in-touchness" with all life, expressed and unexpressed. These two degrees of consciousness come in time to all who seek "The Path." To some it comes suddenly; to others it dawns gradually; to many it comes assisted by the exercises and practical work of "Raja Yoga."


The first lesson of the Yogi Masters to the Candidates, leading up to the first degree, above mentioned, is as follows: That the Supreme Intelligence of the Universe--the Absolute--has manifested the being that we call Man--the highest manifestation on this planet. The Absolute has manifested an infinitude of forms of life in the Universe, including distant worlds, suns, planets, etc., many of these forms being unknown to us on this planet, and being impossible of conception by the mind of the ordinary man. But these lessons have nothing to do with that part of the philosophy which deals with these myriad forms of life, for our time will be taken up with the unfoldment in the mind of man of his true nature and power.


Before man attempts to solve the secrets of the Universe without, he should master the Universe within--the Kingdom of the Self. When he has accomplished this, then he may, and should, go forth to gain the outer knowledge as a Master demanding its secrets, rather than as a slave begging for the crumbs from the table of knowledge. The first knowledge for the Candidate is the knowledge of the Self. Man, the highest manifestation of the Absolute, as far as this planet is concerned, is a wonderfully organized being--although the average man understands but little of his real nature.


He comprises within his physical, mental and spiritual make-up both the highest and the lowest, as we have shown in our previous lessons (the "Fourteen Lessons" and the "Advanced Course"). In his bones he manifests almost in the form of mineral life, in fact, in his bones, body and blood mineral substances actually exist.


The physical life of the body resembles the life of the plant. Many of the physical desires and emotions are akin to those of the lower animals, and in the undeveloped man these desires and emotions predominate and overpower the higher nature, which latter is scarcely in evidence.


Then Man has a set of mental characteristics that are his own, and which are not possessed by the lower animals (See "Fourteen Lessons"). And in addition to the mental faculties common to all men, or rather, that are in evidence in a greater or lesser degree among all men, there are still higher faculties latent within Man, which when manifested and expressed render Man more than ordinary Man. The unfoldment of these latent faculties is possible to all who have reached the proper stage of development, and the desire and hunger of the student for this instruction is caused by the pressure of these unfolding latent faculties, crying to be born into consciousness. Then there is that wonderful thing, the Will, which is but faintly understood by those ignorant of the Yogi Philosophy--the Power of the Ego--its birthright from the Absolute.


But while these mental and physical things _belong_ to Man, they are _not_ the Man himself. Before the Man is able to master, control, and direct the things belonging to him--his tools and instruments--he must awaken to a realization of Himself.


He must be able to distinguish between the "I" and the "Not I." And this is the first task before the Candidate. That which is the Real Self of Man is the Divine Spark sent forth from the Sacred Flame. It is the Child of the Divine Parent.


It is Immortal--Eternal--Indestructible--Invincible. It possesses within itself Power, Wisdom, and Reality.


But like the infant that contains within itself the sometime Man, the mind of Man is unaware of its latent and potential qualities, and does not know itself. As it awakens and unfolds into the knowledge of its real nature, it manifests its qualities, and realizes what the Absolute has given it.


When the Real Self begins to awaken, it sets aside from itself those things which are but appendages to it, but which it, in its half-waking state, had regarded as its Self. Setting aside first this, and then that, it finally discards all of the "Not I," leaving the Real Self free and delivered from its bondage to its appendages. Then it returns to the discarded appendages, and makes use of them. In considering the question: "What is the Real Self?"


let us first stop to examine what man usually means when he says "I." The lower animals do not possess this "I" sense.


They are conscious of the outer world; of their own desires and animal cravings and feelings. But their consciousness has not reached the Self-conscious stage. They are not able to think of themselves as separate entities, and to reflect upon their thoughts. They are not possessed of a consciousness of the Divine Spark--the Ego--the Real Self.


The Divine Spark is hidden in the lower forms of life--even in the lower forms of human life--by many sheaths that shut out its light. But, nevertheless, it is there, always. It sleeps within the mind of the savage--then, as he unfolds, it begins to throw out its light.


In you, the Candidate, it is fighting hard to have its beams pierce through the material coverings When the Real Self begins to arouse itself from its sleep, its dreams vanish from it, and it begins to see the world as it is, and to recognize itself in Reality and not as the distorted thing of its dreams. The savage and barbarian are scarcely conscious of the "I." They are but a little above the animal in point of consciousness, and their "I" is almost entirely a matter of the consciousness of the wants of the body; the satisfaction of the appetites; the gratification of the passions; the securing of personal comfort; the expression of lust, savage power, etc.


In the savage the lower part of the Instinctive Mind is the seat of the "I." (See "Fourteen Lessons" for explanation of the several mental planes of man.) If the savage could analyze his thoughts he would say that the "I" was the physical body, the said body having certain "feelings," "wants" and "desires."


The "I" of such a man is a physical "I," the body representing its form and substance. Not only is this true of the savage, but even among so-called "civilized" men of to-day we find many in this stage. They have developed powers of thinking and reasoning, but they do not "live in their minds" as do some of their brothers. They use their thinking powers for the gratification of their bodily desires and cravings, and really live on the plane of the Instinctive Mind.


Such a person may speak of "my mind," or "my soul," not from a high position where he looks upon these things from the standpoint of a Master who realizes his Real Self, but from below, from the point-of-view of the man who lives on the plane of the Instinctive Mind and who sees above _himself_ the higher attributes. To such people the body is the "I."


Their "I" is bound up with the senses, and that which comes to them through the senses. Of course, as Man advances in "culture" and "civilization," his senses become educated, and are satisfied only with more refined things, while the less cultivated man is perfectly satisfied with the 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 relation to the Whole. The full sight of the glory 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 soul 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.

THE FIRST LESSON. THE "I."


In India, the Candidates for Initiation into the science of "Raja Yoga," when they apply to the Yogi Masters for instruction, are given a series of lessons designed to enlighten them regarding the nature of the Real Self, and to instruct them in the secret knowledge whereby they may develop the consciousness and realization of the real "I" within them. They are shown how they may cast aside the erroneous or imperfect knowledge regarding their real identity.


Until the Candidate masters this instruction, or at least until the truth becomes fixed in his consciousness, further instruction is denied him, for it is held that until he has awakened to a conscious realization of his Actual Identity, he is not able to understand the source of his power, and, moreover, is not able to _feel_ within him the power of the Will, which power underlies the entire teachings of "Raja Yoga." The Yogi Masters are hot satisfied if the Candidate forms merely a clear intellectual conception of this Actual Identity, but they insist that he must _feel_ the truth of the same--must become _aware_ of the Real Self--must enter into a consciousness in which the realization becomes a part of his everyday self--in which the realizing consciousness becomes the prevailing idea in his mind, around which his entire thoughts and actions revolve. To some Candidates, this realization comes like a lightning flash the moment the attention is directed toward it, while in other cases the Candidates find it necessary to follow a rigorous course of training before they acquire the realization in consciousness.


The Yogi Masters teach that there are two degrees of this awakening consciousness of the Real Self. The first, which they call "the Consciousness of the 'I'," is the full consciousness of _real_ existence that comes to the Candidate, and which causes him to _know_ that he is a real entity having a life not depending upon the body--life that will go on in spite of the destruction of the body--_real_ life, in fact.


The second degree, which they call "the Consciousness of the 'I AM'," is the consciousness of one's identity with the Universal Life, and his relationship to, and "in-touchness" with all life, expressed and unexpressed. These two degrees of consciousness come in time to all who seek "The Path." To some it comes suddenly; to others it dawns gradually; to many it comes assisted by the exercises and practical work of "Raja Yoga."


The first lesson of the Yogi Masters to the Candidates, leading up to the first degree, above mentioned, is as follows: That the Supreme Intelligence of the Universe--the Absolute--has manifested the being that we call Man--the highest manifestation on this planet. The Absolute has manifested an infinitude of forms of life in the Universe, including distant worlds, suns, planets, etc., many of these forms being unknown to us on this planet, and being impossible of conception by the mind of the ordinary man. But these lessons have nothing to do with that part of the philosophy which deals with these myriad forms of life, for our time will be taken up with the unfoldment in the mind of man of his true nature and power.


Before man attempts to solve the secrets of the Universe without, he should master the Universe within--the Kingdom of the Self. When he has accomplished this, then he may, and should, go forth to gain the outer knowledge as a Master demanding its secrets, rather than as a slave begging for the crumbs from the table of knowledge. The first knowledge for the Candidate is the knowledge of the Self. Man, the highest manifestation of the Absolute, as far as this planet is concerned, is a wonderfully organized being--although the average man understands but little of his real nature.


He comprises within his physical, mental and spiritual make-up both the highest and the lowest, as we have shown in our previous lessons (the "Fourteen Lessons" and the "Advanced Course"). In his bones he manifests almost in the form of mineral life, in fact, in his bones, body and blood mineral substances actually exist.


The physical life of the body resembles the life of the plant. Many of the physical desires and emotions are akin to those of the lower animals, and in the undeveloped man these desires and emotions predominate and overpower the higher nature, which latter is scarcely in evidence.


Then Man has a set of mental characteristics that are his own, and which are not possessed by the lower animals (See "Fourteen Lessons"). And in addition to the mental faculties common to all men, or rather, that are in evidence in a greater or lesser degree among all men, there are still higher faculties latent within Man, which when manifested and expressed render Man more than ordinary Man. The unfoldment of these latent faculties is possible to all who have reached the proper stage of development, and the desire and hunger of the student for this instruction is caused by the pressure of these unfolding latent faculties, crying to be born into consciousness. Then there is that wonderful thing, the Will, which is but faintly understood by those ignorant of the Yogi Philosophy--the Power of the Ego--its birthright from the Absolute.


But while these mental and physical things _belong_ to Man, they are _not_ the Man himself. Before the Man is able to master, control, and direct the things belonging to him--his tools and instruments--he must awaken to a realization of Himself.


He must be able to distinguish between the "I" and the "Not I." And this is the first task before the Candidate. That which is the Real Self of Man is the Divine Spark sent forth from the Sacred Flame. It is the Child of the Divine Parent.


It is Immortal--Eternal--Indestructible--Invincible. It possesses within itself Power, Wisdom, and Reality.


But like the infant that contains within itself the sometime Man, the mind of Man is unaware of its latent and potential qualities, and does not know itself. As it awakens and unfolds into the knowledge of its real nature, it manifests its qualities, and realizes what the Absolute has given it.


When the Real Self begins to awaken, it sets aside from itself those things which are but appendages to it, but which it, in its half-waking state, had regarded as its Self. Setting aside first this, and then that, it finally discards all of the "Not I," leaving the Real Self free and delivered from its bondage to its appendages. Then it returns to the discarded appendages, and makes use of them. In considering the question: "What is the Real Self?"


let us first stop to examine what man usually means when he says "I." The lower animals do not possess this "I" sense.


They are conscious of the outer world; of their own desires and animal cravings and feelings. But their consciousness has not reached the Self-conscious stage. They are not able to think of themselves as separate entities, and to reflect upon their thoughts. They are not possessed of a consciousness of the Divine Spark--the Ego--the Real Self.


The Divine Spark is hidden in the lower forms of life--even in the lower forms of human life--by many sheaths that shut out its light. But, nevertheless, it is there, always. It sleeps within the mind of the savage--then, as he unfolds, it begins to throw out its light.


In you, the Candidate, it is fighting hard to have its beams pierce through the material coverings When the Real Self begins to arouse itself from its sleep, its dreams vanish from it, and it begins to see the world as it is, and to recognize itself in Reality and not as the distorted thing of its dreams. The savage and barbarian are scarcely conscious of the "I." They are but a little above the animal in point of consciousness, and their "I" is almost entirely a matter of the consciousness of the wants of the body; the satisfaction of the appetites; the gratification of the passions; the securing of personal comfort; the expression of lust, savage power, etc.


In the savage the lower part of the Instinctive Mind is the seat of the "I." (See "Fourteen Lessons" for explanation of the several mental planes of man.) If the savage could analyze his thoughts he would say that the "I" was the physical body, the said body having certain "feelings," "wants" and "desires."


The "I" of such a man is a physical "I," the body representing its form and substance. Not only is this true of the savage, but even among so-called "civilized" men of to-day we find many in this stage. They have developed powers of thinking and reasoning, but they do not "live in their minds" as do some of their brothers. They use their thinking powers for the gratification of their bodily desires and cravings, and really live on the plane of the Instinctive Mind.


Such a person may speak of "my mind," or "my soul," not from a high position where he looks upon these things from the standpoint of a Master who realizes his Real Self, but from below, from the point-of-view of the man who lives on the plane of the Instinctive Mind and who sees above _himself_ the higher attributes. To such people the body is the "I."


Their "I" is bound up with the senses, and that which comes to them through the senses. Of course, as Man advances in "culture" and "civilization," his senses become educated, and are satisfied only with more refined things, while the less cultivated man is perfectly satisfied with the 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 relation to the Whole. The full sight of the glory 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 soul 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.


Tmoorow we will cover the rules and exercises in this lesson.

THE EXOTERIC THEORY OF BREATH.
In this chapter we will give you briefly the theories of the Western
scientific world regarding the functions of the respiratory organs,
and the part in the human economy played by the breath. In subsequent
chapters we will give the additional theories and ascertained facts of
the Oriental school of thought and research. The Oriental accepts the
theories and facts of his Western brothers (which have been known to
him for centuries) and adds thereto much that the latter do not now
accept, but which they will in due time "discover" and which, after
renaming, they will present to the world as a great truth.

Before taking up the Western idea, it will perhaps be better to give a
hasty general idea of the Organs of Respiration.

The Organs of Respiration consist of the lungs and the air passages
leading to them. The lungs are two in number, and occupy the pleural
chamber of the thorax, one en each side of the median line, being
separated from each other by the heart, the greater blood vessels and
the larger air tubes. Each lung is free in all directions, except at
the root, which consists chiefly of the bronchi, arteries and veins
connecting the lungs with the trachea and heart. The lungs are spongy
and porous, and their tissues are very elastic. They are covered with
a delicately constructed but strong sac, known as the pleural sac, one
wall of which closely adheres to the lung, and the other to the inner
wall of the chest, and which secretes a fluid which allows the inner
surfaces of the walls to glide easily upon each other in the act of
breathing.

The Air Passages consist of the interior of the nose, pharynx, larynx,
windpipe or trachea, and the bronchial tubes. When we breathe, we draw
in the air through the nose, in which it is warmed by contact with the
mucous membrane, which is richly supplied with blood, and after it has
passed through the pharynx and larynx it passes into the trachea or
windpipe, which subdivides into numerous tubes called the bronchial
tubes (bronchia), which in turn subdivide into and terminate in minute
subdivisions in all the small air spaces in the lungs, of which the
lungs contain millions. A writer has stated that if the air cells of
the lungs were spread out over an unbroken surface, they would cover
an area of fourteen thousand square feet.

The air is drawn into the lungs by the action of the diaphragm, a
great, strong, flat, sheet-like muscle, stretched across the chest,
separating the chest-box from the abdomen. The diaphragm's action is
almost as automatic as that of the heart, although it may be
transformed into a semi-voluntary muscle by an effort of the will.
When it expands, it increases the size of the chest and lungs, and the
air rushes into the vacuum thus created. When it relaxes the chest and
lungs contract and the air is expelled from the lungs.

Now, before considering what happens to the air in the lungs, let us
look a little into the matter of the circulation of the blood. The
blood, as you know, is driven by the heart, through the arteries, into
the capillaries, thus reaching every part of the body, which it
vitalizes, nourishes and strengthens. It then returns by means of the
capillaries by another route, the veins, to the heart, from whence it
is drawn to the lungs.

The blood starts on its arterial journey, bright red and rich, laden
with life-giving qualities and properties. It returns by the venous
route, poor, blue and dull, being laden down with the waste matter of
the system. It goes out like a fresh stream from the mountains; it
returns as a stream of sewer water. This foul stream goes to the right
auricle of the heart. When this auricle becomes filled, it contracts
and forces the stream of blood through an opening in the right
ventricle of the heart, which in turn sends it on to the lungs, where
it is distributed by millions of hair-like blood vessels to the air
cells of the lungs, of which we have spoken. Now, let us take up the
story of the lungs at this point.

The foul stream of blood is now distributed among the millions of tiny
air cells in the lungs. A breath of air is inhaled and the oxygen of
the air comes in contact with the impure blood through the thin walls
of the hair-like blood vessels of the lungs, which walls are thick
enough to hold the blood, but thin enough to admit the oxygen to
penetrate them. When the oxygen comes in contact with the blood, a
form of combustion takes place, and the blood takes up oxygen and
releases carbonic acid gas generated from the waste products and
poisonous matter which has been gathered up by the blood from all
parts of the system.

The blood thus purified and oxygenated is carried back to the heart,
again rich, red and bright, and laden with life-giving properties and
qualities. Upon reaching the left auricle of the heart, it is forced
into the left ventricle, from whence it is again forced out through
the arteries on its mission of life to all parts of the system. It is
estimated that in a single day of twenty-four hours, 35,000 pints of
blood traverse the capillaries of the lungs, the blood corpuscles
passing in single file and being exposed to the oxygen of the air on
both of their surfaces. When one considers the minute details of the
process alluded to, he is lost in wonder and admiration at Nature's
infinite care and intelligence.

It will be seen that unless fresh air in sufficient quantities reaches
the lungs, the foul stream of venous blood cannot be purified, and
consequently not only is the body thus robbed of nourishment, but the
waste products which should have been destroyed are returned to the
circulation and poison the system, and death ensues. Impure air acts
in the same way, only in a lessened degree. It will also be seen that
if one does not breathe in a sufficient quantity of air, the work of
the blood cannot go on properly, and the result is that the body is
insufficiently nourished and disease ensues, or a state of imperfect
health is experienced. The blood of one who breathes improperly is, of
course, of a bluish, dark color, lacking the rich redness of pure
arterial blood. This often shows itself in a poor complexion. Proper
breathing, and a consequent good circulation, results in a clear,
bright complexion.

A little reflection will show the vital importance of correct
breathing. If the blood is not fully purified by the regenerative
process of the lungs, it returns to the arteries in an abnormal state,
insufficiently purified and imperfectly cleansed of the impurities
which it took up on its return journey. These impurities if returned
to the system will certainly manifest in some form of disease, either
in a form of blood disease or some disease resulting from impaired
functioning of some insufficiently nourished organ or tissue.

The blood, when properly exposed to the air in the lungs, not only has
its impurities consumed, and parts with its noxious carbonic acid gas,
but it also takes up and absorbs a certain quantity of oxygen which it
carries to all parts of the body, where it is needed in order that
Nature may perform her processes properly. When the oxygen comes in
contact with the blood, it unites with the hemoglobin of the blood and
is carried to every cell, tissue, muscle and organ, which it
invigorates and strengthens, replacing the worn out cells and tissue
by new materials which Nature converts to her use. Arterial blood,
properly exposed to the air, contains about 25 per cent of free
oxygen.

Not only is every part vitalized by the oxygen, but the act of
digestion depends materially upon a certain amount of oxygenation of
the food, and this can be accomplished only by the oxygen in the blood
coming in contact with the food and producing a certain form of
combustion. It is therefore necessary that a proper supply of oxygen
be taken through the lungs. This accounts for the fact that weak lungs
and poor digestion are so often found together. To grasp the full
significance of this statement, one must remember that the entire body
receives nourishment from the food assimilated, and that imperfect
assimilation always means an imperfectly nourished body. Even the
lungs themselves depend upon the same source for nourishment, and if
through imperfect breathing the assimilation becomes imperfect, and
the lungs in turn become weakened, they are rendered still less able
to perform their work properly, and so in turn the body becomes
further weakened. Every particle of food and drink must be oxygenated
before it can yield us the proper nourishment, and before the waste
products of the system can be reduced to the proper condition to be
eliminated from the system. Lack of sufficient oxygen means Imperfect
nutrition, Imperfect elimination and imperfect health. Verily, "breath
is life."

The combustion arising from the change in the waste products generates
heat and equalizes the temperature of the body. Good breathers are not
apt to "take cold," and they generally have plenty of good warm blood
which enables them to resist the changes in the outer temperature.

In addition to the above-mentioned important processes the act of
breathing gives exercise to the internal organs and muscles, which
feature is generally overlooked by the Western writers on the subject,
but which the Yogis fully appreciate.

In imperfect or shallow breathing, only a portion of the lung cells
are brought into play, and a great portion of the lung capacity is
lost, the system suffering in proportion to the amount of
under-oxygenation. The lower animals, in their native state, breathe
naturally, and primitive man undoubtedly did the same. The abnormal
manner of living adopted by civilized man--the shadow that follows
upon civilization--has robbed us of our natural habit of breathing,
and the race has greatly suffered thereby. Han's only physical
salvation is to "get back to Nature."

"BREATH IS LIFE."

Life is absolutely dependent upon the act of breathing. "Breath is
Life."

Differ as they may upon details of theory and terminology, the
Oriental and the Occidental agree upon these fundamental principles.

To breathe is to live, and without breath there is no life. Not only
are the higher animals dependent upon breath for life and health, but
even the lower forms of animal life must breathe to live, and plant
life is likewise dependent upon the air for continued existence.

The infant draws in a long, deep breath, retains it for a moment to
extract from it its life-giving properties, and then exhales it in a
long wail, and lo! its life upon earth has begun. The old man gives a
faint gasp, ceases to breathe, and life is over. From the first faint
breath of the infant to the last gasp of the dying man, it is one long
story of continued breathing. Life is but a series of breaths.

Breathing may be considered the most important of all of the functions
of the body, for, indeed, all the other functions depend upon it. Man
may exist some time without eating; a shorter time without drinking;
but without breathing his existence may be measured by a few minutes.

And not only is Man dependent upon Breath for life, but he is largely
dependent upon correct habits of breathing for continued vitality and
freedom from disease. An intelligent control of our breathing power
will lengthen our days upon earth by giving us increased vitality and
powers of resistance, and, on the other hand, unintelligent and
careless breathing will tend to shorten our days, by decreasing our
vitality and laying us open to disease.

Man in his normal state had no need of instruction in breathing. Like
the lower animal and the child, he breathed naturally and properly, as
nature intended him to do, but civilization has changed him in this
and other respects. He has contracted improper methods and attitudes
of walking, standing and sitting, which have robbed him of his
birthright of natural and correct breathing. He has paid a high price
for civilization. The savage, to-day, breathes naturally, unless he
has been contaminated by the habits of civilized man.

The percentage of civilized men who breathe correctly is quite small,
and the result is shown in contracted chests and stooping shoulders,
and the terrible increase in diseases of the respiratory organs,
including that dread monster, Consumption, "the white scourge."
Eminent authorities have stated that one generation of correct
breathers would regenerate the race, and disease would be so rare as
to be looked upon as a curiosity. Whether looked at from the
standpoint of the Oriental or Occidental, the connection between
correct breathing and health is readily seen and explained.

The Occidental teachings show that the physical health depends very
materially upon correct breathing. The Oriental teachers not only
admit that their Occidental brothers are right, but say that in
addition to the physical benefit derived from correct habits of
breathing, Man's mental power, happiness, self-control,
clear-sightedness, morals, and even his spiritual growth may be
increased by an understanding of the "Science of Breath." Whole
schools of Oriental Philosophy have been founded upon this science,
and this knowledge when grasped by the Western races, and by them put
to the practical use which is their strong point, will work wonders
among them. The theory of the East, wedded to the practice of the
West, will produce worthy offspring.

This work will take up the Yogi "Science of Breath," which includes
not only all that is known to the Western physiologist and hygienist,
but the occult side of the subject as well. It not only points out the
way to physical health along the lines of what Western scientists have
termed "deep breathing," etc., but also goes into the less known
phases of the subject, and shows how the Hindu Yogi controls his body,
increasing his mental capacity, and develops the spiritual side of his
nature by the "Science of Breath."

The Yogi practices exercises by which he attains control of his body,
and is enabled to send to any organ or part an increased flow of vital
force or "prana," thereby strengthening and invigorating the part or
organ. He knows all that his Western scientific brother knows about
the physiological effect of correct breathing, but he also knows that
the air contains more than oxygen and hydrogen and nitrogen, and that
something more is accomplished than the mere oxygenating of the blood.
He knows something about "prana," of which his Western brother is
ignorant, and he is fully aware of the nature and manner of handling
that great principle of energy, and is fully informed as to its effect
upon the human body and mind. He knows that by rhythmical breathing
one may bring himself into harmonious vibration with nature, and aid
in the unfoldment of his latent powers. He knows that by controlled
breathing he may not only cure disease in himself and others, but also
practically do away with fear and worry and the baser emotions.

To teach these things is the object of this work. We will give in a
few chapters concise explanations and instructions, which might be
extended into volumes. We hope to awaken the minds of the Western
world to the value of the Yogi "Science of Breath."

The Yogi Philosophy may be divided into several great branches, or
fields. What is known as "Hatha Yoga" deals with the physical body and
its control; its welfare; its health; its preservation; its laws, etc.
What is known as "Raja Yoga" deals with the Mind; its control; its
development; its unfoldment, etc. What is known as "Bhakti Yoga" deals
with the Love of the Absolute--God. What is known as "Gnani Yoga" deals
with the scientific and intellectual knowing of the great questions
regarding Life and what lies back of Life--the Riddle of the Universe.

Each branch of Yoga is but a path leading toward the one
end--unfoldment, development, and growth. He who wishes first to
develop, control and strengthen his physical body so as to render it a
fit instrument of the Higher Self, follows the path of "Hatha Yoga." He
who would develop his will-power and mental faculties, unfolding the
inner senses, and latent powers, follows the path of "Raja Yoga." He
who wishes to develop by "knowing"--by studying the fundamental
principles, and the wonderful truths underlying Life, follows the path
of "Gnani Yoga." And he who wishes to grow into a union with the One
Life by the influence of Love, he follows the path of "Bhakti Yoga."

Yoga is divided into several branches, ranging from that which teaches
the control of the body, to that which teaches the attainment of the
highest spiritual development. In the work we will not go into the
higher phases of the subject, except when the "Science of Breath"
touches upon the same. The "Science of Breath" touches Yoga at many
points, and although chiefly concerned with the development and
control of the physical, has also its psychic side, and even enters
the field of spiritual development.