The Doctrine and Practice of Yoga

Including the Practices and Exercises of Concentration, both Objectiveand Subjective, and Active and Passive Mentation, an Elucidation of Maya, Guru Worship, and the Worship of the Terrible, also the Mystery ofWill-Force

 BY SWAMI MUKERJI YOGI OF THE SOUTH INDIA ORDER

 1922

ANNOUNCEMENT

In studying these Lessons please remember 3 points:--

1. Not one useless or superfluous sentence is written. Every word is fullof meaning. They are highly condensed. Think deeply over them. 

2. They are meant as a practical supplement to the 'SpiritualConsciousness, ' 'Soul-Force' and 'Inner Forces. ' Studied side by side, these lessons will yield a great deal of benefit. You are expected tothink hard and long. 

3. Let none expect speedy or miraculous results. _All spiritual trainingcalls for infinite patience and deep reverence unto the Guru. Constantrise and fall accompanies all progress_. 

FOREWORD. 

CONCENTRATION AND THOUGHT-CONTROL. 

Student! Your life is your own. You have only yourself to thank for whatyou are, have been and will be. Take your present into your own hand. Consciously shape out of it your future. Direct your forces along linesof study and endeavour that have the strongest attraction for you. Suchattraction is the indication of need. It is the hand pointing out yourLife-purpose. What your heart desires earnestly and clamours forincessantly is _attracted_ to you out of the _invisible supply, i. E. _, the means, the environments, the right sort of persons, books andthought-forces are drawn to you and then you are expected to work outyour desire. This is in perfect accord with the great _Law ofAttraction_. Some call it God: since it answers all sincere prayers. Prayer, remember, is the sincere desire of the heart. I take it that youhunger for Truth and Spiritual Growth--else you and I would not be here. The instructions given you hereunder are meant to give you a strong bodyand a strong will. They will also tend to your Soul-Unfoldment. Talk notof them. Keep your mouth closed. Be serious, earnest and thoughtful. Thenwork at them confidently and with perseverance. Do not be daunted byapparent failures. Failure is the stepping-stone to Success. He fails whogives up a thing in final despair. Go on, I say. You will improve fromthe very first day, and in a short time you will be another man. All theleaders of humanity, past or present, have studied and investigated withtireless zeal along the special lines and, in Spiritual culture, you mustdo the same. But you must have health, a strong will and a steady brain, and I will enable you to have these positively. Keep these instructionsstrictly privately. Master them by constant meditation upon same. 

LESSON I. 

CONCENTRATION. 

Concentration signifies the state of being at a centre (_con_ and_centrum_). Applied to thought, it is the act of bringing the mind to asingle point. Each human being must practise concentration _subjectively_and _objectively_. In other words, each human being aims with more orless precision at concentration on a point _within_ and a point _without_his own world. Concentration "without" is illustrated when you devote allyour attention upon Nature, such as learning a trade, a profession, ascience, an art or some form of business. This is _Evolution_, outgoingor positive mental energy. I shall call this _Objective Concentration_. Concentration "within" implies the withdrawing of attention from theexternal world and the placing of mind on "God, " "Spirit, " "Heaven, ""Religion, " "Peace, " "Nirvana, " "Eternity, " etc. This is _Involution_, _i. E. _, incoming or negative energy. 

When _Objective Concentration_ alone is practised, you develop into ahard-headed, practical man of the world or a successful man of business. You are keen and shrewd. The world is a very matter-of-fact thing toyou. You cannot think of anything else beyond money-making and pleasuresand worldly affairs. You are a "worldling of the world, " very clever, rich, and a master along your own lines. But spiritually you are animbecile, worse than a baby. This is the _Objective Mind_--the "deepestimmersed in matter, literally made of the dust. " "It is the brain ofworldly wisdom, common sense, prudence, methodical arrangement, order, discipline, classification, the skill and knowledge of the expert in anybranch or department of art or science. " This side of the mind is welldeveloped in Scientists, Mathematicians and Businessmen, etc. Whereit is not guided by the Subjective Mind, it can only see diversity anddifference and is the slave of Maya--the slayer of the Real. 

_Subjective Concentration_ is seeking the Kingdom of Heaven _within_you. "God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship in Spiritand Truth. " LAPLACE, the great astronomer, asserted that he had sweptthe heavens with his telescope and found neither God nor Heaven. Yes, poor LAPLACE! He looked for God objectively instead of subjectively. 

The Kingdom of God comes not with 'observation' but it is 'within' you. The be-all and the end-all of religion is the practice of SubjectiveConcentration. The performance of objective work by the human organismnecessitates expenditure of energy and at last death, because allObjective Concentration means 'going from' the Absolute centre--God--andhence it expends Spiritual Energy. Subjective Concentration means 'comingto' the centre and hence it husbands and recuperates this energy. Nownature is motion to and from, and Spirit--the centre of Life. Thistwo-fold motion constitutes what is known as polarity--Evolution andInvolution--negative and positive. At the negative pole life becomesinvolved, _i. E. _, 'wrapped up' in form. At the positive pole life'evolves' or becomes expressed in nature. In Subjective Concentration youreturn for fresh supplies to the inexhaustible storehouse of force--theAbsolute Will. Jesus healed the sick, exhibited control over externalnature by raising the dead, because his chaste soul could receive nothingnegatively from God and could give it out positively to the objectiveworld. All power comes from God. I would impress upon you theall-important necessity of placing yourself in a magnetically passiveattitude towards the Universal Will and then of taking up a calm, positive attitude towards the phenomenal world--which is a projection ofthe lower nature and hence must be handled masterfully, fearlessly andconfidently. Be positive to the external world. Be negative and receptiveto the Lord's Will-force. Remember this. This brings me to the supremestand most solid truth contained in the Science of prayer. The prayingmind, by its mere attitude of faith and earnest expectation, opens itselfout to the tremendous inflow of Divine Energy. It draws close to thecentre of all-power, wisdom and love, and drinks deep of the livingwaters of life so that even the very face or flesh begins to shine underthe influence of this self-polarization--if I may be permitted to usethis word--through prayer. Here is the _causa nuxus_ between a prayer andits sure reply. Do you remember what Lord Rosebery said of the greatPuritan Mystic Oliver Cromwell? If not, please let me quote: "The secretof his extraordinary success--he was a practical mystic--the mostformidable and terrible of all combinations. The man who combinesinspiration, apparently derived--in my judgment, really derived--fromclose communion with the Supernatural and the Celestial, a man who hasthat inspiration and adds to it the energy of a mighty man of action, such a man as that lives in communion on a _Sinai_ of his own; and whenhe pleases to come down to this world below, seems armed with no lessthan the terrors and decrees of the Almighty Himself. " Now both forms ofconcentration must be practised so as to hold the two poles in the evenbalance of harmonious growth. 

You will perform the daily work to which you are naturally adapted in thecommon weal (Objective Concentration) and after the daily task isfinished, retire to the bosom of the Universal Spirit by the regularpractice of Subjective Concentration. 

Now will you realise the ideal of peace in the very midst of the toiland sweat of the day. 

The foregoing diagram, if closely and thoughtfully studied, will show thestages the mind has to 'grow into' in objective and subjectiveconcentration. 

In order to acquire knowledge of the laws of external nature the mirroryou require is accurate observation and you must focus your attention andpush objective concentration to its final stage of perfect knowledge orillumination in order to master any special branch of science. 

In Objective Concentration, _Pratyahara_ and _Dharana_ are thepreparatory stages. Take a scientist, for instance. He knows that whenthe mind is engaged with several things, mind force is scattered. Hecannot be a politician, a musician, etc. , and at the same time an expertscientist. He gradually abstracts his attention from all other subjectsand pauses it on one subject or one set of subjects. 

_Pratyahara_ is the continued effort of the mind to so abstract itself. 

_Dharana_ is reached when this effort is finally successful and themind becomes steadfast and one-pointed. _Dhyana_ is an extension ofthis steadfastness. When _Dhyana_ is reached, the student is beyond therange of books. His mind is occupied with original researches andexperiments and his knowledge becomes more and more definite. Going onand on always on the one line complete knowledge of that subject isattained. This is the objective view of _Samadhi_. All these stages whencompleted make one _Samayana_. The subjective view of _Samadhi_ no booksor writings can teach you. As you go deeper and deeper into Yoga, youwill understand these things in the light of your Soul-Vision. It willcome to you if you follow my subsequent instructions. Despair not. 

WHAT IS MAYA?

Now, first of all, what is Maya (ignorance of the real)? Take thedial-plate of a watch. You know quite well that the hands of the watchare governed by the mechanism behind. Both are necessary. Ignoranceexists in thinking that the hands of the watch move by themselves. Thisvisible universe is the dial-plate of the Invisible. Maya (ignorance)blinds you to this fact, _i. E. _, mere objective knowledge blinds you tothe subjective side of life and you see nothing beyond a materialuniverse. But you, who realize both, objective as well as subjective, need not be afraid of such a danger. For a danger it is to develop theobjective mind die neglect of the subjective. In order to round yourselfout, practise both. _But first, last and always, let the subjectiveguide, govern and illumine the objective_. Also remember this: If yourmind is at all attached to the objective world, try your very best todisattach it and fix it on the subjective side of life, else will youbring untold suffering on yourself. The half-wordly and half-spiritualman who wants to lead a spiritual sensual life eventually brings about aconflict between the laws and forces of the two planes of being. He isoverwhelmed with pain and at last with cries of suffering, disease andloss, he is made to open his eyes. Understand the world for what it isbut do not lower your soul to the point of being attached to its smallthoughts, things and ways. 

HOW TO CONCENTRATE OBJECTIVELY. 

(_a_) In all undertakings whether of small or great importance shutoff all thoughts and ideas except such as have any immediate and directbearing upon the thing in hand. Pay attention. Bend all the energiesof your mind and will upon it till it is completed to your satisfaction. Divert your attention from one thing to another only when you sanctionby a resolve and understand why you do so. Your daily work which youmust choose according to the special bent of your mind, will present youopportunities. 

(_b_) Control impulse. Suppose an idea enters your mind. Composeyourself quietly before carrying out its purport. Consider it. Turnit over in your mind. Contemplate it. Weave your mental energiesaround it, as it were, till at last the idea with your final decisionstands out clear-cut and well-defined. Then proceed to act it outphysically with your mental concentration cutting a way for you straighton to the execution of your designing. This is _forethought_. 

(_c_) In perfect concentration time vanishes. In working out adesign on which you have set your heart dispense altogether with theelement of time and work at it concentratedly for days, months andyears with confident expectation of success. 

(_d_) Take a picture, representing a landscape, the interior of abuilding, an assembly of persons, a square, a triangle or a morecomplicated geometrical figure. Look at it well. Then lay it aside. Closeyour eyes. Reproduce the picture mentally in detail. Then repose yourmind on the same image to the exclusion of all other thoughts. This isa more fixed and meditative method and will sharpen the mind wonderfully. It will also develop the power of conscious Mental Imagery. Thekey to Objective Concentration is _Conscious Attention_, remember. 

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE MENTATION. 

These terms imply two different distinct functions of the humanmind. The active function performs the volitional, voluntary thinking. It is the conscious focusing of the mind on some mental problem. Banishing from the mind all thoughts and ideas not in harmony with yourspecial subject of study implies Active Mentation. This function is usedby the active, wide-awake man in his busy and energetic moments. Itis the key to the development of Will-Power and a vigorous intellect. You are conscious of effort when you are exercising this function. Themind becomes exhausted after a great deal of such effort and cries outfor rest, because conscious attention implies close concentration ofthought and can be exercised only by the conscious use of Will-Power. Youought to be able to concentrate upon one subject of thought, study andobservation with undivided attention and then take your mind off thatsubject and put it on something else, at your will. Train your mind to'give' perfect attention to any subject you like and also to 'shut off'or inhibit all attention on that subject. The mind is a restless thingdarting from one thing to another, and, like a spoilt child, tiring ofcontinued attention. But you must, by Will-Exercise, get control overthis tendency. 'Exercise develops power. Practice makes perfect. ' Thisyou must bear in mind and, by patience and perseverance, train your mindto 'pay attention' where it ought to do so and not to pay attention whereit ought not to. At first your mind will rebel like an unbroken horseat the imposition of such restraint. But really all greatness resultsfrom mind-control. _Remember active mentation is conscious, deliberateconcentration. Passive mentation represents automatic, involuntarythinking. _ This includes the subconscious or 'habit' mind. When a certainthought-groove has been formed in your mind, energy flows into itinvoluntarily, _i. E. _, by itself and without any conscious effort on yourpart. This is passive mentation. It is automatic mental activity. Take anexample. Some school-boys find Mathematics, Science and Geographyeasy to master from the very start. They feel quite in sympathy with theteacher of Mathematics. But History and Language are their abomination. There are others who simply cannot 'take an interest' in anyMathematics but who shine brilliantly in Language, Recitation, Composition, History. As a matter of fact neither of these students issuperior to the other, but each is great in his own line. In one set, youhave an example of automatic mentation in Mathematics, Science andGeography; in the other in Literature and Art. But suppose the first settried to master Literature and Art and the second grappled withMathematics and Science, each would then be practising actualconcentration. In each set the active function would be exercised andwill-power would develop on both sides. Do you see? Occultists say thatall power results from the continual exercise of active mentationand all weak-mindedness is the direct outcome of this wool-gathering, castle-building, inattentive habit which is an extension of passivementation into useless channels of thought-force. Conscious attentionconcentrates and even specializes mental energy as the sun-glassconcentrates and intensifies the heat of the rays of the sun. Focus yourfull attention upon the thing to be done, take a keen interest in itsaccomplishment to the exclusion of all else, and you will obtainwonderful results. The man of developed, concentrative power holds in hishand the key to success, with the results that all his actions, voluntaryor involuntary, are pointed to the accomplishment of his object. Remembertherefore in conclusion:

(1) Concentration is perfect attention consciously directed to agiven point of achievement either objectively or subjectively. 

(2) Concentration is consecration. 

"What ever you do, do it with all your might. Do one thing at a time anddo it well. " By concentration is meant the directing of all your energiesalong a special line of achievement. For instance, if you would be aperfect Yogi, you must concentrate, concentrate, morning, noon and night, at all times, along that line of endeavour. You must study all the vastliterature on Yoga, Psychology, Metaphysics, Mentalism, etc. , and formyour own synthesis on same. You must think hard and work hard for Yoga. "Genius is the power to bear infinite pain. " Nothing ought to be toogreat a sacrifice, including your own life, for the right understandingand achievement of Yoga. 

All half-heartedness, all insincerity, weakens your nature, andweakness has no place either in heaven or in hell. For the half-heartedman is a traitor unto the Divine within him and must pay dearly forhis treachery. 

SUBJECTIVE CONCENTRATION--HOW PRACTISED. 

This is a vast subject. If you practise earnestly my instructions onThought-Control, Will-Culture, and take the Meditation Exercise I amgoing to give you, you will realize greater strength than averagehumanity. But you must study and think hard for yourself before anyconsiderable benefit can be derived from even these. Remember please, youalone can teach yourself through intuition. Intuition is tuition fromwithin. Follow strictly the general rules I give you and you cannot butunfold your Inner Soul Vision which includes intuition in its fullestsense. 

_(a) What is Thought-Force?_

"Thoughts are things. " Thought is a dynamic energy. Just as the food thatyou eat feeds your body, exactly similarly your thoughts and feelingsnourish your soul. Matter is nothing but a concentration of Thought-Forceor Mind-Substance. The entire universe is seen objectively. This is onthe cosmic scale. On the individual scale--"As a man thinketh in hisheart, so he is. " This is a literal truth. Your body is nothing but aThought-Form. Control your modes of thinking and shape them to loftyideals. So will you infallibly, positively and immediately control yourdestiny. Control your thoughts and you can control the thoughts of allother men. The tone of your thoughts must always be lofty. You mustchange your Thought-Habits and shift your plane of consciousness from thelower to the higher life. I am going to give you hints on same. Payattention please. 

_(b) Thought-Forms. _

Every one of us, as he thinks, feels and wills, sends forth Thought-Formsand Thought-Waves of greater or lesser intensity. This force once setinto motion persists, for a greater or lesser period of time, inEther. Thought-Force is the concentration of a high form of vibratoryenergy in the Akasa (universal ether) and the ether, as you know, permeates all space, interpenetrates and pervades all forms of matter, from atom to the sun and the stars. Just as the light-waves of a starexist and move on centuries after the star has ceased to be, just as theheat-vibrations remain in a room even after the producing cause has beenremoved, similarly mentative energy and its corresponding Thought-Formspersist in the ether even after the originating impulse has beenwithdrawn. 

_(c) Thought-Atmosphere. _

In this way places, houses, cities and temples have peculiarThought-Atmospheres of their own, imparted by those living there, exerting an influence upon every one living or going there. These arepositive, animating, purifying and exalting Thought-Atmospheres, andthere are negative, weakening and unholy, morbid Thought-Atmospheres. 

The higher and loftier your tone of general Thought-Activity, thefiner and more powerful the vibrational nature of the energy emanatingfrom you. The quality of the thought determines the rate of vibration. For instance, photographs have been taken through highly-sensitizedplates, indicating the nature of the energy generated. Tongues of flame, brilliant and flashing with golden-yellow, were photographed from prayerand devotion. Rotary forms spreading out in ever widening circles ofintense power appeared from lofty enthusiasm in a noble cause. Dark, murky, cloudy forms resulted from fear, morbidness and worry, and so on. 

_(d) The Human Aura. _

Similarly each human organism has an 'Aura' of Thought-Force around it, having its own peculiar rate of vibration, its peculiar forms of colour, etc. This 'Aura' is an extension of our physical, mental and spiritualenergies. 

_(e) The Adductive Power of Thought. _

Now as you think, the quality of your thoughts and feelings sets upa magnetic centre within your Aura, vortices are created, attracting toyourself similar forms of thought and mentative energy and combiningwith other similar forms of energy, reacting upon you and yourcircumstances and also wielding an influence upon all such as may comewithin its area, radius or field of Force. Thus you see thoughts of the'I can and I will', 'I do and I dare' type draw similar ones to you, everincreasing your own stock and at the same time stimulating and energisingall others vibrating in the same key throughout the world. Hence you seewe owe it to ourselves as well as to humanity in general to generate onlypositive, loving and lofty thoughts. Just brace up and send forthfearless, 'I can and I will' thoughts into the world's great reservoir ofthought forces, and you will be surprised at your power to attractinfluence, and energise others. 

_(f) Thought-Control. _

There are four special classes of thoughts that are poisoning thelives of almost all humanity. They are:--(1) Fear-thoughts, (2)Hate-thoughts, (3) Sensual-thoughts, (4) Selfish-thoughts. All worry, doubt, timidty, lack of self-respect, jealousy, spite, malice, envy, slander, dirty, vicious, will-weakening, health-destroying, poverty-breeding, soul-killing influences radiate from one or all ofthese four. You must cut at their roots and utterly destroy them. In yourefforts follow assiduously the following four rules. They alone can giveyou absolute thought-control. They are infallible:

(1) You can break up old thought-habits and build up new onesby sheer force of Will. 

(2) You can easily become great by associating with some strong-willed, holy, wisdom-steeped soul. This is absolutely necessary andmeans the finding of your Guru. 

(3) By auto-suggestion, _i. E. _, by impressing upon your passivemind the particular change you would have it work out. 

(4) By thought-absorption, _i. E. _, by constant meditation on thatone line of thinking. 

Now let me give you a few valuable hints on the above four in detail:

(1) & (3). _Character Building_. 

You can accomplish this result by tensing the will and by strengtheningthe active function of your mind and thus enabling it to "step in"and simply 'command' the passive function to drop the old thought-habitand take up the new one. This is a magnificent feat and in it only thestrongest succeed. You can obtain good results by combining this withauto-suggestion. Silently concentrate upon your passive mind and impressupon it your order. Say to it earnestly, confidently, and masterfully:'You, my mind, I want you to be fearless, pure, loving and unselfish!'Picture to yourself in imagination as if you were already these, and again command and impress your will upon your mind. Do so silentlyand constantly and never neglect a chance of expressing these qualitiesin action because, at first your mind will rebel, but if 'you' keep upyour efforts determinately and firmly and avail yourself of allopportunities to 'act out' your will, your mind will end up by acceptingyour suggestion and manifesting same naturally as a habit. Some of youwill actually go out of your way to 'act out' a thought when you realisethat the easiest and surest way to check and utterly 'destroy' athought-habit is to refuse deliberately to let it manifest in action andto 'create' a new one all you have got to do is to equally deliberately'express' it in action and thus clinch it into permanent strength. Alsoyou must aim at 'thoroughness' and guard against all compromise with yourlower nature. Chastity must be perfect chastity and nothing short ofthat, and so on in all development. 

(4) _Thought-Absorption. _

i. Go away by yourself to some place where you will not be disturbed. Of course, not always and very rarely can you obtain this condition. Never mind. Do your best where you are and the great law will at leastfind for you all necessary conditions. Shut out all distractingconditions and impressions from the outer world. After a little effortyou will be able to do so anywhere, at any time, and under any condition. All mental disturbance is within you. 

ii. Now relax, go passive, and draw off all tension from your nerves. Just you relax your mind and your body will follow suit. A few deep slowbreaths will help the beginner. 

iii. Concentrate upon your mind inward steadily, calmly and withundivided attention. 

iv. Fix your thought firmly upon your passive mind and mentallysay, 'You, my mind, are quite _pure_. ' Think of this word (with all theideas associated therewith) as sinking deeply into your mind and makinga deep impress upon it as a die upon a wax. Let the outward form ofthe words 'pure, ' 'fearless, ' etc. , sink into your mind. 

v. Form a mental picture of yourself as if you already possessedall 'purity' and 'courage' and act them out in imagination. Make of ita pleasant 'day dream. '

vi. Intensify your relaxed condition of mind. Grow as 'limp' as arag. Then mentally open yourself out to the inrush of all theThought-Forces existing in the ether and connected with positivethoughts. The effort of this imagination to see this tremendous forcepouring into your brain and body will actually put you _en rapport_ withsame. 

vii. Now change from negative to a positive condition and sayvigourously I am '_pure_' and '_strong_' Say it distinctly several times. Actually speak them out. 

viii. Then go out and _live your thoughts out_. This last is the mostimportant condition. 

ix. Practise this daily at the same hour and if possible at the sameplace, morning and evening. In fact hold the thought in your mind asoften as possible till it becomes second Nature. 

x. Use your power for good or you shall weep eternally. To misuseoccult powers for mean, selfish, or low ends and to prostitute it intoenslaving others weaker than yourselves mentally and physically is thegreatest 'sin' man can commit against man. 

(2) _Guru Worship_. 

You grow by absorption and assimilation. In order to quicken yourprogress you need abstract as well as concrete ideals. The secret of allrapid and startling spiritual development is man-worship. By man-worshipI mean devotion to, reverence, and intense and all-absorbing passion forthe perfect individual man of realization--a Mahapurusha. Christ, Buddhaand Vivekananda were all such-type men. You must constantly andthoughtfully meditate upon the lives and writings of saints and heroes. The formative influence and valuable powers of study and meditation uponlofty ideas and ideals are incalculable. Man grows by the deepening ofconsciousness and the acquirement of wisdom. All study, subjective andobjective, is a _Tapashya_ or Austerity directed to the acquirement ofwisdom. It is the worship of Saraswati--the Goddess of Wisdom. Thisworship is definable as perfect emotional solitude, close study, absolutechastity and celibacy, and at last the merging of the personal into theimpersonal. This austere life is the secret of all greatness. You knowhow Archimedes when threatened with death by the vandalistic invaders ofhis country raised his head and said 'Please do not disturb my circles'and nothing more. This man was practising Yoga unconsciously. You must beable to lose all consciousness of this relative personality, the surevictim of death and impermanence. You must give up the personal ego thatin the words of Walt Whitman 'is contained within your hat and boots' andthen alone will you realise an infinite individuality. Truly in losinghimself man finds Himself. 'Ye must be born anew'. Herein, apart from itsformative and moulding influence lies the greatest value of study. Studyand direct aural influence of a perfected soul are the two objectivemeans of instilling powerful suggestions into the subjective self or theinner soul. All knowledge is within the deeps of the eternal subjective. But the gate is locked. Your Guru gives you the master-key with which tounlock the door and enter the gate of wisdom and power. Once you arethere all pain and death shall be conquered. You can then help yourself. Man can only worship such a God as is greater than himself in degree andnot in kind. Such a God he can "grow into. " It is the impersonal God ofthe Hindu Philosophy that gives you the abstract ideas and the livingGuru (God) in human form that gives you the concrete ideal. The one isnecessary for the soaring intellect; the other for the rousing andenkindling of tremendous and indomitable motive-power. Seek both and whenyou find them worship and serve them with all your heart and soul. 'Myworship for my master is the worship of a dog. I do not seek tounderstand his nature. It ever startles with its newness and profounddepth'. So spoke Vivekananda of Ram Krishna. Need I tell you of thetremendous and world-conquering power that awoke in Vivekananda throughmere Guru worship? In India the Guru asks for nothing short of absoluteworship, obedience, and submission to his will although none values andappreciates individual freedom more than the master. So long as you areat the feet of your master be as submissive as a lamb. So will you openyourself to his great batteries of inner power. Serve him. Please him. Obey him. Be his slave. No matter what contradictions you may see. A great and profound nature is full of contrary ways and his characteris a paradox impossible for you to read through reason and observation. You can only understand him by having perfect faith in him, lovingand serving him like a faithful dog. So will you tap on to his innerforces. And when he sends you away into the broad world to live out thegreat ideal he has set before you, you shall be astonished at yourcourage and power. You shall take fearless possession of this worldand every minute you shall realise how only he can command who haslearnt to obey. By commanding I do not mean dominating any one andforcing your views on others. This is the sign of fools. But you willfind your influence radiating and circling out naturally andirresistibly, winning souls to the higher life, and you yourself shallthus stand as a tower of strength, a redeemer of the race, an inspirationand a living benediction unto humanity. Peace be with you! May yourealise strength of soul!

LESSON II. 

PERSONAL MAGNETISM, WILL-CULTURE, SELF-CONTROL. 

Personal Magnetism is the individual expression of a subtle irresistibleand dynamic _Force_ in man, which enables him to exert an unusualinfluence upon others. You all have come into contact with men of thistype. They are endowed with marvelous, almost miraculous powers ofinfluencing, persuading, attracting, fascinating, ruling and bending totheir own Will-Force men of widely varying mental peculiarities andtemperaments. Men actually go out of their way to please them. Theyattract others without any visible effort and others feel drawn to themin spite of themselves. Various are the examples of such power asafforded by history. 

Now what is this power due to? How to develop it within yourself?Is it possible for everyone to acquire it? Has it or can it be put to anyhigher and nobler use than merely to enslave others' minds in order tomake them subservient to your selfish purposes on the relative planeof existence? If so, what is that higher use? I know of a Christiangentleman, Mr. K. By name, who had been smitten with the younggoverness of a Magistrate in Benares. This grown-up man sought outa young College student who was a born leader of men and who wasadored, admired and universally respected by all students, teachers andprofessors. "I wish you would teach me Mesmerism so that I may_fascinate_ that girl"--this was the application of Mr. K. Well, theupshot of it all was that Mr. K. Got a severe and stern rebuke from theyoung mesmerist, who in all truth was a born Yogi and cared not for thepetty ways and small thoughts and attainments of men of this world. Ifind that nearly all modern Western writers on and teachers of thissubject are much, in fact solely, taken up with the idea ofsensationalism through Occultism, so much so that when a reallythoughtful man investigates their writings he feels utterly disgusted, repelled and horrified at the very name of Occultism. "_It is sin tomanifest power_, " said Vivekananda. The man who studies Yoga andOccultism simply with a view to develop, display and demonstrate Psychicand Super-normal Powers and _Siddhies_ always ends in _Lust_ and iscaught up in a psychic machinery of law and destructive thought forcesthat effectually grind him to pieces. His spiritual progress is thrownback over ages and he is made to retrace his steps slowly and painfully. I cannot too strongly condemn the modern tendency to "impress" others, to"strike terror" into others, to "psychologize" others towards theaccomplishment of our personal motives. If you are one such, do, forheaven's sake, open your eyes to your gross ignorance and lowpropensities or be not surprised if one day you find yourself face toface with some powerful scoundrel who would not scruple to crush you inall possible ways. "Harm watch, harm catch. " I am going to give you inpractical form what constitute the real cause at the back of a "Magnetic"personality--that which when developed makes a god-like man of any humanweakling. 

This power is by no means the especial and peculiar possession of somedivinely gifted individuals. _Everyone can cultivate it_. It is in youand needs vigorous stirring up as a condition of its awakening. Thereare some men who are born great; others are made so by certain unforeseencircumstances; a third class becomes great through conscious andintelligent effort. 

Now, what are the causes behind Personal Influence?

(1) Some say that the right control of the Sex-Force or Celibacyis the cause. 

(2) Others say that vegetarianism leads to it. 

(3) Still others assert that it is physical energy and nerve force. 

(4) A fourth class has it that there emanates a current of magnetismfrom the human body and influences everyone coming within its"Magnetic field". 

Taking the last view point first, I should say, with certain otherleading mental Scientists, that the human dynamic force is different from"magnetism" as the latter bears direct reference to the loadstone. 

Again, my own personal observations as well as those of others proveconclusively that although "magnetic" personalities have remarkablywell-disciplined and highly trained physical energies, it is rarely ornever a huge gigantic physique with large, unsightly muscles that exertsthis force. No, it is decidely something other than mere physical energyand brute strength. A light, active, vigorous physique is desirable andany one can have it. Again, the principle value of a non-flesh diet liesin the fact that fruits, nuts, corn and vegetables are possessed ofrhythmic qualities and go to build up a fine, sensitive physique capableof greater powers of endurance and sustained mental effort than the'carcass' of any animal ever can. Matter does affect mind in the lowerstages of organic evolution but the process is largely reversed as soonas CONSCIOUS evolution commences. Therefore vegetarianism, althoughhighly commendable, from a strictly scientific point of view for thedevelopment of an active and energetic, refined organism, is by no meansa rigid and indispensable necessity in this respect. In fact, some most"magnetic" individuate make 'graveyards of their stomachs' as a MentalScientist puts it. 

Lastly, Bramhacharya or Celibacy, as practised by Sannyasis in India, hasa strictly spiritual significance although it certainly has much aseverything to do with Personal Magnetism. To the average man I would say:"Strive for CONTINENCE, chastity and control in this direction. " Do notemasculate, as that would be a waste of force. The stronger this force, the better. All Sannyasis learn consciously or unconsciously to transmutethis energy into mental and spiritual force and generally their mindsdwell on a plane of mental and spiritual effort where there cannot beeven a breath of sensuality or grossness. They have gone beyond suchthings utterly; the same statement applies to all advanced thinkers, philosophers and workers, whether married or unmarried. To me the veryname of philosophy carries with it an atmosphere of Chastity, Solemnity, and Divinity. 

But although there is some measure of truth in all the above fourstatements, they all miss the real thing. The question resolves itselfinto this: "_What makes one man superior to another_?" The study ofnature shows us that the higher form of intelligence controls the lower. All leaders of mankind, such as Napoleon, Alexander, etc. , were clearlyahead of the times. But they strove for low things and their SUCCESSfrom our point of view is doubtful. Let us take higher ground. Buddha, Christ, Zoroaster, etc. , etc. , of ancient times and Vivekananda and a fewothers in modern times exhibited tremendous powers of influencing men. You study their lives and writings and try to find out just those thingsthat constituted the basic cause of their heroic fibre. 

If I were asked to sum up the secrets of their Power I would say:1. "_Their Intelligence_ and _Thought-Power. _ 2. Awakened _Will-Power_and _Self-Control_. "

1. It was by their intelligence that they could take fearless possessionof the world, handle men and women easily, read human nature at a glanceand "be all things to all men, " _i. E. _. , put their fingers direct on thespiritual, mental, and physical _necessities_ of widely varyingtemperaments and help each right where he stood in the ladder ofevolution. 

2. It was by their developed thought-force that they drew the whole worldto themselves. The positive thinker generates a force that draws all suchas are _negative_ to him. Nearly the whole world was negative to theseMasters and hence felt attracted to them. _These were the humantouchstones_. 

3. It was by their strong, manly, marvellous Will-Power that theydrove their suggestions into other minds and gained an immediateascendency over whatever environments they were placed in. The wholeman is summed up in his Will. Every other power in man is subservientto the Will. And say what you will, it is this power more than any otherthat we respect in others. It is the central staff in our character. Intelligence is the directive energy. Will-Power is the propulsiveenergy. And the latter when wielded under the guidance of the formermakes of man a veritable God. 

4. It was by their unusual power of _Self-control_ that they could standsquare upon their feet and could remain unshaken by the waves ofconflicting opinions and the hostile attacks that continually dashed upagainst them. _Master yourself_, i. E. , your personal, relative and lowerself, and beyond the shadow of a doubt, _the mastery of others is alreadyyours. _ But the world will teach you bitter lessons and rend you topieces if you try consciously to control it while you are still a slaveto your lower self. Be great. Strive for Perfection. So will you berecognised by others. And according to the transcendent energy of thehighest law of our Being it is the consciousness of heights scaled, accomplishments achieved and consequent dawning of a Loftier Ideal uponour intellectual horizon that fills us with Strength and Peace ratherthan the recognition of our worth by others. It is a serious mistake tocare for fame, praise and admiration. You get them only when you do notcare for them in the least, when your soul has outgrown all such clingingto the relative in the light of _eternal thought_, when you have risen tothe Absolute and learnt to read the meaning of the "LARGER WORLD" oflife. Do not pass by this lightly. In it is the key to Peace, Power andPoise. All that is Real and Permanent, is on the plane of the Absolute. 

Now we are drawing to the practical side of our Lesson. The fourprincipal points, you will please remember, are: (1) Intelligence. (2)Thought-Force. (3) Will-Power. (4) Self-Control. You might feelsurprised at my retailing this "ancient history" instead of teaching youhow to approach a man, make him your slave and command him to falldown at your feet and do your bidding. Perhaps you expected me totell you how to sail through the air, pass through solid walls, materialize and dematerialize at will and like Appolonius of Tyana vanishin the flash of an eye from the court of Ionysius and appear elsewhere ata distance of 19, 000 miles at the same moment. No, no. I will take itfor granted that you are made of different stuff and _an earnest seekerafter the truth_. If you strive to build yourself on the basis of thesimple principles as laid down in this series of lessons you will in timegrow into the Higher Self and at last become one with it. Moreover, yourdaily life will be the Occasion for the practical application of theseprinciples, thus enabling you to pursue your way through life calmly, earnestly, independently and with the quiet dignity of a man "who knowswhat he is about". I cannot and would not speak of "get-rich-quick"methods of self-development because they are the veriest rot imaginable. 

Now then: (1) Intelligence and (2) Thought-Force are the naturalresults of an organised brain. 

Concentration is the key to such development. Concentration has beenfully explained in Lesson No. 1. By the constant exercise ofconcentration, objectively and subjectively, in your daily life youwill in a short time become conscious of growing Strength. Theexercises I give you in this lesson on Self-Control, Will-Culture andMemory-Culture if gone through with perseverance will further developConcentrative ability. In fact, this entire series of lessons will callfor Effort and Concentration. "Rome was not built in a day"--nor can youachieve real greatness in a few months. No. All I can do is to indicatethe line and the nature of the effort required of you and if clearlyfollowed, Progress and Growth will commence from the first day. Inconnection with this, a little digression would be necessary. TheOccultist says: Nature, unaided, fails. The purposiveness of Deity, manifesting in nature an evolution, is present in all individual centresbut it has the way to full expression opened out to itself only when themore evolved centres of life consciously cooperate with it. Evolution isstarted and carried only by the creation of centres within the GREATCONSCIOUSNESS and by preserving and enlarging or expanding these centres. So long as the race had not reached "SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS" (see YogaLessons) the sub-conscious forces of nature had entire control overevolutionary processes, but this stage was reached by the race accordingto the LAW OF AVERAGES in the seventeenth century and you are nowexpected to take your progress in your hands and consciously direct yourinner forces along such lines as best correspond to the stage of yourgrowth. So independent study and steady thinking form the secrets of akeen and broad intelligence. You will always find that the man who ismore powerful than yourself and moves you at his will has an intelligenceand understanding far superior to yours and he can read your whole natureas he would an open book, although you find him quite beyond yourdepth. Learn to regard earnestly the workings of different mentalitiesaround you. Become a student of human nature. To you, each manought to be only a partial expression of his mind. Examine closely intothe motives acting behind each personality. Learn to respond morequickly to the _Thoughts_ and _Feelings_ of a man than to his outerspeech and action. The latter are objective expressions of the subjectiveself. The study of Phrenology and Physiognomy are good things to startwith in your efforts to acquire knowledge of human nature. _Mind is One_and at the same time, _Many_. Subjectively, it is ONE. Objectively; many. So by looking _impartially_ into "yourself" in the calm light of theintellect and through silent introspection, you will always find a clueto the working bases of other minds. Each man is a puzzle and most of allare _YOU_ a puzzle unto yourself. Solve either and you have solved both. "MAN, KNOW THYSELF. "

THE MYSTERY OF THE WILL-FORCE. 

Will-Force is the power of Re-action. It can render all the othermental functions _active_ or _passive_. It is the DETERMINATIVE facultyand is affected most of all by the JUDGMENT. On the lower planeof mind, Will-Power manifests as Desire and is reciprocally influencedby outside attractions as well as repulsions. On this plane the Will isnot free. But when it draws the volition for externalizing itself from_Within_ in the light of the Higher Reason, then indeed is it_Will-Power. On the material the human will is a slave; on the spiritualplane it is the sovereign. It may then be called the "awakened" will_. Itis my conviction that the eternal crossing of swords between theDeterminists and the Libertarians can be set at rest only by a rightunderstanding of the _spiritual_ makeup of man, otherwise the argumentsof both sets of thinkers are equally strong. Each side has got hold ofhalf the truth, but requires the reconciling light of transcendentalPsychology in order to enable us to see the _whole_ truth as it is. However, the point I am driving at is that your will is free only when itis _self-determined_ i. E. , when it has risen above the impulses of theLower Personal Self and acts under the direction of the Higher ImpersonalSelf_. In order to fix this most important truth in your mind, let usgive you a brief idea of the "I AM" consciousness. Do not pass this by asso much dry rot. No one will ever or can ever manifest genuine Will-Forceof a distinctly spiritual type who does not understand the "I AM"consciousness. So please listen attentively and think over the following. 

THE "I AM" CONSCIOUSNESS. 

If you just turn in and examine the report of your consciousnessregarding the _self_-dwelling within, you will become conscious of the"I". But if you press your examination a little closer you will find thatthis "I" may be split up into two distinct aspects which, while workingin unison and conjunction, may nevertheless be set apart in thought. There is an "I" function and there is a "me" function and these mentaltwins develop distinct phenomena. The first is the "MASCULINE" principle;the second is the "FEMININE" principle. Other terms used in currentwritings on New Psychology are Conscious Mind, Active Mind, VoluntaryMind, Objective Mind and so forth. These all refer to the "I" principle. And the "me" form of mind corresponds to the Sub-Conscious Mind, PassiveMind, Involuntary Mind, Subjective Mind and so on. Ninety-nine p. C. Ofhumanity mean this "me" when they say "I". Now let us examine what this"me" implies. It consists largely of our consciousness, of our body andphysical sensations as associated with touch, taste, smell, sight andhearing. The consciousness of some of us is largely bound up in thephysical and carnal side of life. We "live there. " There are some men whoconsider their "clothes" too as being a part of themselves. But asconsciousness rises in the scale of evolution, man begins to "dissociate"his idea of "me" from the body and he begins to regard his body as abeloved companion and as "belonging to" him. He then identifies himselfwith his mental states, emotions, feelings, likes and dislikes, habits, qualities and characteristics. But, by and by, he begins to realize howeven these moods also are subject to change, born and die and are subjectto the Principles of Rhythm and Polarity. He realizes faintly that he canchange them by an effort of will and "transmute" them into mental statesof an exactly opposite nature. Then he again begins to "dissociate"himself from his emotions and feelings and at last through mentalanalysis, introspection and concentration, he sets them apart into the"not I" collection. He begins _then_ to realize that he is something_above_ his body and emotions. So also with the intellectualfunctions. The intellectual man is very apt to think that although his_physical_ and _emotional_ selves are something different from him andunder his control, _still his intellect is himself_. This is the stage of"Self-Consciousness". "I control my body and emotions. " But asconsciousness unfolds intellectual man finds that he can practicallystand aside and see (mentally, of course) his mind going through variousprocesses of intellection. Study of Psychology and Logic will enableyou to see how all your intellectual processes may be held at arm'slength, examined, analysed, labelled and discussed quite with the sameease as the professor talks of a solid, liquid and acriform substances inhis laboratory. So at last he finds that even the wonderful powers ofthe Intellect must go into the "not I" collection. This is almost as faras the average man can realize. You can realize and say "I am not thebody, not the emotions, not the intellect. " Therefore you see, that sideof consciousness which is the sum-total of your physical, emotional andintellectual functions comprises the "me" or Feminine or Passive mentalprinciple. That which can separate itself in thought from all the aboveis the "I" or the Masculine Function. But another step must be taken. That which you have been taught to regard as the Spiritual Consciousness(see "Spiritual Consciousness") will also eventually go into the"Not-I" or "me" collection. In brief, the spiritual mind may be said tocomprise all that is GOOD, NOBLE and GREAT in the field of consciousness. It is the "Super-Conscious" mind, just now. But, mark this, when throughfurther evolution, the "I" has mastered this field of consciousness alsoand is able to regard it as being the last of the "me" collections, thenit will lose its sense of _relativity_ and _separation_ and the realindividuality, the "I AM" consciousness, will have been realized. What do I mean? This "I AM" is not the petulant self-assertion of therelative ego. "I" but really means GOD CONSCIOUSNESS as perfectExistence, perfect Knowledge or perfect Bliss. It means the realizationof an Infinite and Eternal Self or Individuality. "He that has lost theself has gained the SELF". Here is the explanation: this little self or"I" so long as it is attached to the PERSONALITY which is the productof the "me" consciousness is bound down to the relative plane. It canthink only through only one brain, enjoy through one body and suchhappiness as it gets is transitory, short-lived and impermanent becausethis world of relative existence is itself essentially changeable. It ispermanent only in its impermanence. So long as the "I" thinks and whileonly for the benefits of its personal self, both thinking and willing arelimited and not free. But when it has succeeded in joining itself to theSpiritual mind and works for, aspires after the Larger Self--the "IAM"--it has to renounce or "disattach" itself from the personal self andwork under the guidance of the impersonal Higher Self. "I refuse tobe contained within my hat and boots, " said Walt Whitman. When theVedantist says "Aham Brahmasmi"--"I am the absolute"--he does not meanthis lower "I". No, no. He is not built that way. For him the moorings ofself-consciousness are out. He has lost all sense of his particularrelative "I" and has _one-d_ himself with the absolute "I AM"--theimpersonal, intangible, immortal, omnipotent Self of and over all. This "I am" is Spirit or Atman. There can be but one Individuality--thatof the Absolute. It becomes objectively expressed in man as CosmicConsciousness. Subjectively it is God. Now then you have an idea ofthe "I am" Consciousness. Hold fast to it. It is your real, Larger Self. In the understanding and the exercise of the Will-Power the "I" or thePositive Mental Principle is the chief factor. To use the one you mustunderstand the other. Will is a Soul-Power. This "I"--as I have explainedit above--is negative to the "I AM" or God--both meaning thesame thing. It is positive in relation to the Higher Self. This "I" isthe future promise of the "I AM". It is true it shall lose itself infinding its Self, but so does the child when it grows into full manhood. Christ was one with his Father-in-Heaven (i. E. , on the spiritual plane)and therefore he could still the waves and raise the dead. Yet just youexamine the nature of Lord Christ's Will-Force. Think of his constantretirement into the Silence in order to obtain inspiration for his workin the objective universe. Again, note his utter indifference to andabsolute control over his personal self. Did he care whether his bodywould live or die? Did he live for the enjoyments of the flesh? Did he"play to the gallery" and act and speak for any worldly gain or lowconsiderations? No! He had forgotten the interests of the flesh in hisearnest enthusiasm in the cause of the Eternal Spirit. He was not movedby any dammed sense of prudence and caution. He drew the "Motives" thatenergised his Will-Power in the life of Action from _Within_. Nothingfrom outside, nothing from the world of lower attractions could in theleast swerve his inner determination or unbalance his brain. Do you orcan you prepare yourself to follow in his steps? Then my first point andthe most infallible method of awakening your Will-Power is this:

(_a_) Teach Thy Will to "Resist and Renounce. " Strengthen your Will-Powerby Renunciation. By Resistance is not meant outer resistance oraggressiveness. I find that all the modern teachers of Hypnotism advisetheir students to develop Will-Power by exercising it upon others. Thisis placing the cart before the horse. We Hindus know better. No; byResistance to and Repression of your lower Desire-Nature is meant lettingthe more difficult choice exercise its compelling and restraining powerover the easier one. Says Sister Nivedita: "The Indian ideal is that manwhose lower mind is so perfectly under control that he can at any momentplunge into the thought-ocean and remain there at will without the leastpossibility of a sudden break and unexpected return to the life of thesenses. " Yes, your interests should be within and not without. _You mustrise above all personal impulse_. Even in this world you find that men ofdistinction, fame and honour have achieved recognition by practising alittle _self-denial_, which is a "milder" form of absolute Renunciationas practised by true Sanyasis. The man who can work at his aim withperseverance and denies himself the mess of pottage of present indulgencein view of some future gain develops Will-Power. So in training your Willto 'resist', you must, as a first step, sternly refuse to indulgeimpulses, desires and tendencies not in consonance with the dictates ofyour Higher Self. You must actually go out of your way and "deny"yourself the little or great "comforts" to which you are or have beenaccustomed. The strongest-willed man is he who has the greatest controlover his inclinations, and who can 'force' himself to do such things ashe is naturally most inclined to do. This is a characteristic whichcannot be developed in a day. There are some children and even grown-upmen and women who mistake their 'obstinacy' for Will-Power. They want athing and when they do not get it they tear their hair, gnash theirteeth, stamp their feet and fly into a terrible passion. Since peoplethink that these uncontrolled creatures are strong-willed while all thatyou could say about them is that _they are utter slaves to theirdesires_. You must practise self-denial in fifty different ways and forceyourself to do certain things, 'little and big, ' every day purely fordeveloping this power of Resistance. No short-cut to this. Some childrendevelop it unconsciously by 'forcing' themselves to study when they mightplay, and by applying themselves to such studies as are dry anduninteresting to them they thus practise voluntary Concentration. Practise self-denial in every possible way. Cut off such luxuries as youthink "you must have. " "Take a cold bath when you would prefer a warmone. Arise promptly in the morning. Make yourself call upon people youhave avoided. Stand up in a street car when you would prefer sitting;walk when it is convenient to ride. Make engagements with yourself andkeep them. Promise yourself that when you see something to be done youwill spring at once to it however strong may be the inclination to put itoff awhile" and back of it all let there be the auto-suggestion: "_I amdoing all these hard things in order to build up my Will-Power and eachtime 'I' succeed in forcing 'my mind' to do a thing or not to do it Imake the next victory easier and my Will-Power stronger_. " Of course theabove is only a hint as to your line of practise. 

(_b_) You must not give yourself such hard tasks of Self-Developmentas might be too heavy and beyond the present strength of your Will. In denying yourself you develop self-control. In forcing yourself to docertain things you develop powers of Self-Expression. In one the Willmoves along negative lines. In the other along positive lines. Both arenecessary. The man who cannot control and command himself can neverdevelop and express Himself. But be sure to begin with easy things andthen as you gain in confidence you may attempt more difficult feats. 

(_c_) The faculties of Courage and Confidence are essentially important. Nothing weakens the will so much as Fear and lack of Self-Confidence. Self-Confidence is not blustering self-conceit. That within you whichsays "I CAN" when calmly and doggedly backed by your "I Will" whendeliberately translated into action develops Will-Force and commandsstartling results. 

(_d_) Always hold these words before your passive Mind:

1. Earnestness. 2. Determination. 3. Courage. 4. Confidence. 5. Stick-to-it-ive-ness. 6. Patience. 7. I can and I will. 

(_e_) The tendency of the Masculine function of your mind to "I" istowards giving, expressing or projecting energy; that of the Feminineis towards generating and creating mental progeny such as thoughts, mental energy, new habits, etc. It is why the Feminine Principle hasbeen called the "mental womb" by ancient philosophers. It comprisesalso the faculty of Imagination. The Masculine function does the workof the 'Will' in its varied phases. The Feminine function receivesimpressions and generates mental offspring in the form of new thoughts, ideas, concepts, thought-habits and so forth. Its powers of creativeenergy are strikingly marvellous and have been proved and attestedto in Psychological experiments conducted by the best known mentalscientists of the day. _But "positive" mental energy must be projected bythe 'I' into the Passive Mind through concentration, suggestion andwilling before the latter can be started to work along any line ofcreative effort. _ This suggestion may be given by you to yoursub-conscious mind or it may come as an outer impression. Unless youcontrol your Passive Mind, it is sure to be controlled by others. Thenyou are a slave. Now in cultivating the above seven qualities, youshould take up _one_ word at a time and let the outer form sink into yourmind. Place yourself in a relaxed and passive condition. Close your eyesand picture the _form_ of the word to yourself, for instance, D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. Employ the Imagination and visualize mentally. This done, _i. E. _, when the word-picture is well photographed upon yourmind and fastened in place, your next step will be to picture yourselfthe Ideas, qualities, physical and mental characteristics, etc. , associated with the word. Your third step is to calmly, concentratedlyand confidently command your Passive Mind to generate that quality. Remember, your mind will at first rebel, but a very little persistencewill lead to complete success. Repeat the auto-suggestions daily at thesame time. See that it manifests in Action. Act it out as often aspossible. Of course your efforts will be imperfect to begin with, but, never mind, go ahead, keeping firm hold on your "I can and I will" inspite of all things and success is quite certain. Once you have developedthese seven qualities, you can do anything. 

(_f_) Do not let your friends or anyone--no matter who!--deflectyou from your resolutions. "Let not thy right hand know what thy lefthand does. " Talk never. Let results show. The Lord has hidden himselfbest and His work is wonderful beyond compare! Your very friendsand relatives will spit upon you for lacking any of these qualities. Donot ever impose your will upon others, but never let others to imposeupon you against the sanction of your own judgment. In fact, none canunless you are a weakling and fickle-minded. 

(_g_) Frequent the company of chaste, strong-willed men and youcannot but grow strong. 

(_h_) Read Literature on this subject and obtain all possible aidthrough Knowledge. 

(_i_) If your faculty of imagination and idealism are undeveloped, cultivate them, because it is these two that make a god of a man. Philosophers, scholars, poets and musicians have them well-developed. Butwhere imagination is uncontrolled by higher reason and where idealismis not backed by a strong will, there you have the idle 'dreamer ofdreams' and such a state of mind is reprehensible and pitiable indeed!

(_j_) Will-Power grows by faith in one's ability by exercise; bydevotion to the UNCONDITIONED SPIRIT. 

(_k_) In your efforts to develop Will-Power, be not afraid that yourhealth will break down. In fact, Perfect Health is the result of aperfect Will. Deny the power of disease and weakness over yourself. "_Ican never be ill. My body is my slave. It shall always manifest perfecthealth_. " Convince your passive mind--which has charge of your body--ofthis by repeated commands, demands and assertions. Always think of yourbody as being as strong as adamant. Never talk of either health ordisease or weakness. You must be above caring for these. They areyour Natural rights. Only when you lower yourself they have powerto trouble you. Go beyond the lower self. Your business is to care forthe Higher-Self--that in which "You" live, move, and have your being. Also teach and train your Will to move along negative lines ofself-repression as well as along positive lines of Self-Expression. Balance both. The former precedes the latter. Now I will pass on to thesubject of SELF-CONTROL, with the distinct understanding thatSelf-Control and Will-Power are inextricably bound up in each other. YouGet the real "practical work" in the endeavour for Self-Control. 

SELF-CONTROL. 

Rightly has it been remarked that is easy to talk of and write upon thissubject but most difficult to possess it. Perfect Self-Control meansinfinite power. Only the Buddas and the Christs of this World manifestedPerfect Self-Control. "Anything short of the absolute control of thought, word and deed is only sowing wild oats, " said Vivekananda. It is with nolittle diffidence that I approach this subject as whoever handlesthis subject is rightly culpable as being a "Do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do"class of writers. Still you can make appreciable progress in thisdirection by mastering these instructions, going through the exercisesand last but most important by "carrying the principles in your mind" andapplying them as far as you can in your daily life. Nothing is moreconducive to rapid growth and development as the making of the "littleand big" affairs in your work-a-day life, the occasion for the practicalexpression and conscious translation of your ideals. We all are guilty ofa serious mistake in setting apart our higher ideals for regular'practice' hours and leading a life of low and quite different ideals inour ordinary life. The natural process, as you can see, is to LIVE OUTyour highest ideals every minute of your life. Nothing is more importantthan the daily occupation of a man and if he fails to bring his idealsright into these little things, then Success will ever elude him. Amental scientist has summed up the entire secret of Character-Building inthis valuable advice on Objective Concentration: the simple task ofmental concentration on whatever task, business or profession a man isengaged in is the beginning of the mastery which is the perfection ofObjective Concentration. Whatever you are doing be master of your work. If you are a cobbler mend shoes in a perfect manner; if a barber keepyour razors and scissors in a state that will excite the admiration ofyour customers; if a tailor make the coat fit like a glove; if a clerkkeep your accounts in apple-pie order; if a builder scorn yourjerry-brother; if a singer enchant the listener with a concord of sweetsounds; if an actor enter into the spirit of the character and make theplay-goer feel that

"All the world's a stageAnd all the men and women merely players, They have their exits and their entranceAnd one man in his time plays many parts. "

If a leader in any department of thought or action, remember that if toyou much is given, from you also much is required, for the responsibilityof the lives and happiness of your fellows rests heavy on your shoulders, whether you know it or not and thousands may secretly curse yourincapacity and bungling. It is infinitely better to be a good cobblerthan a bad ruler. 

I believe the above advice if followed conscientiously by you wouldgo to make you really fit for initiation into the more advanced stages ofmastery. Take it to heart by all means. Be convinced, the man wholooks for quick results and a royal road to the mastery of Mental Sciencebreaks down in frequent despair at apparent failures and neglects hisdaily work will never go far. In fact, his very impatience will lead tofailure. No individual life is fully rounded out unless some useful workforms part of it. The Yogi who has renounced the world has alreadydone his work and is ahead of the times. The real hermit and the saintare the Pillars of Strength on which this world stands. I cannot repeatthis too often. The mere fact of their breathing the same atmosphereas you is a benediction and an inestimable boon unto the race. 

PRELIMINARY STEPS. 

"The first requisite, " says Mr. Atkinson, "of concentering is theability to shut out outside thoughts, sights and sounds; to conquerinattention; to obtain perfect control over the body and mind. The bodymust be brought under the control of the mind; the mind under thedirect control of the Will. The Will is strong enough, but the mind needsstrengthening by being brought under the direct influence of the will. The mind, strengthened by the impulse of the will, becomes a much morepowerful projector of thought vibrations than otherwise and thevibrations have much greater force and effect. "

The first four exercises are meant to train the mind to readily obey thecommands of the mind. Take them in the privacy of your own room and nevertalk of them to others. Also do not let their apparent simplicity leadyou to neglect them. If you are one of those empty-brained men who goabout talking of their exercises hoping in this way to win praise, youwill never succeed. Be serious, earnest and sincere in your work. Giveup, once for ever, all fickle-mindedness and learn to accumulate Power insilence and through work. Prayer gives you strength to "work"--the answercomes from your Larger Self--which is the Spirit of God "brooding" overall and pouring strength into all. But do not fly in the face of DEITY byexpecting it to "do the work" for you while you go about loafing afteroffering your prayer. Nonsense. That man prays who works constantly, silently, patiently, unceasingly and intelligently. 

Exercise 1. 

Sit still; relax your body all over and then neck, chest, and head heldin a straight line; legs crossed one under the other and weight of thebody resting easily upon the ribs; right hand on right leg, left handon left leg. There should not be a single movement of the muscles inany part of the body. Mind, you must avoid all rigidness and tension ofthe body. There should not be the least strain on muscles. You shouldbe able to "relax" completely. Start with 5 minutes. Continue till youcan accomplish the 5 minutes sitting without any conscious effort, increase to 15 minutes which is about all you need. The aim is to giveyou absolute dominion over all involuntary muscular movements. It is alsoan ideal "rest-cure" after fatiguing physical and mental exercise orexertion. The principal thing is "STILLNESS" and you can, if you like, practise it even sitting on a chair or anywhere else; the idea is one of"relaxation" and physical and mental quietude. Let not the apparentsimplicity of this exercise deceive you. It is not so very easy afterall. You will find that by concentrating the mind upon a particulartrain of thoughts or ideas or by joining the mind to the Larger Self, you can easily lose all idea of the body and thus maintain this stillnessfor a considerable length of time. Genius, inspiration and intuitionare more or less the scientific and psychological results ofself-forgetfulness. "When he sits down to meditate, " it was said ofVivekananda, "in 10 minutes he becomes quite unconscious of the bodyalthough it may be black with mosquitoes. " Do you understand now?Absolute physical self-forgetfulness is essential to deep concentration. Dr. Fahnestock called it the "STATUVOLIC" condition or that state inwhich the Will-Power is really active and the 'outer-self' is totally inabeyance and forgotten. 

Exercise 2. 

Cultivate a self-poised attitude and demeanour in your everyday life. Avoid a tense, strained, nervous, fidgety manner and an over-anxiousappearance. Be easy, self-possessed and dignified in your bearing. Be courteous, thoughtful and quiet. Mental exercise and Will-Culturewill enable you to acquire the proper carriage and demeanour. Stopswinging your feet and moving your hands or rocking your selfbackwards in your chair while talking or sitting. Stop biting your nails, chewing your moustaches, rolling your tongue in your mouth or anyother unnecessary movement such as may have become "second nature"with you while studying, reading or writing. Never twitch or jerk yourbody. Never wink your eyes or look blank. Train yourself to standsudden and loud noises with equanimity and composure. Such thingsbetray lack of control. Do not let anything outside (or even within you)disturb your composure. When engaged in conversation let your speechbe calm and measured and your voice well-controlled and even. A certaindegree of reserve should always be observed. In short, keep yourselfwell under control on all occasions. You can acquire this poise byalways carrying the thoughts of "Firmness, " "Self-Control", and"Self-Respect" in your mind and letting these express themselves in youroutward bearing. Avoid bluster, self-assertion, gossip, levity or lighttalk, too much laughter, excitement and so forth. Too much laughterweakens the will. Be a quiet, earnest-thinking being. Be serious. Regard"solitude" as the greatest medium of self-development. 

Exercise 3. 

Fill a wine glass full of water and taking the glass between the fingers, extend arm directly in front of you. Fix your eyes upon the glass andendeavour to hold your arm so steady that no quiver will be noticeable. Commence with one minute exercise and increase until the 5 minutes limitis reached. Alternate right and left arms. Increase to 15 minutes. 

Exercise 4. 

Sit erect in your chair, with your head up, chin out and shouldersback. Raise your right arm until it is level with your shoulders, pointing to the right. Turn your head and fix your gaze on your hand andhold the arm perfectly steady for one minute. Repeat with left arm. Increase the time gradually to 5 minutes. The palms of the hands shouldbe turned downwards. 

The following exercises are meant to aid you in getting under control, such mental faculties will produce voluntary movements. 

Exercise 5. 

Sit in front of a table, placing your hands upon the table, the fistsclinched and lying with the back of the hand upon the table, the thumbbeing doubled over the fingers. Fix your gaze upon the fist for awhileand then slowly extend the thumb, keeping your whole attention fixedupon the act, just as if it was of the greatest importance. Then slowlyextend your first finger, then your second and so on, until they are allopen and extended. Then reverse the process, closing first the littlefinger and continuing the closing until the fist is again in its originalposition, with the thumb closed over the fingers. Repeat with left hand. Continue this exercise 5 times at a sitting, then increase to 10 times. Don't forget to keep your attention closely fixed upon the fingermovements. That is the main point. 

Exercise 6. 

Place the fingers of one hand between the fingers of the other, leavingthe thumbs free. Then slowly twirl the thumbs one over the other, with acircular motion. Be sure to keep the attention firmly fixed upon the endof the thumbs. 

_N. B. _ Exercises Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 have been culled (with slightmodifications by me) from the works of Yogi Ramacharaka. 

Exercise 7. 

Forty-eight hours after the full moon in each month, go by yourself intoa darkened chamber and quietly concentrate your mind upon one thing. Dothis as long as possible without allowing other thoughts to enter yourmind. At first you will find that your thoughts will fly from one thingto another and it will be hard for you to accomplish this, but bycontinued practice you will be able to think of one thing for a longtime. This should be continued for 5 nights in succession and one houreach night. 

Exercise 8. 

Go out into the open air each evening when the sky is clear and seehow many stars you can count without allowing any other thoughts toenter your mind. The more stars you can count without thinking ofanything the greater the degree of development produced. Quite aninteresting exercise. 

Exercise 9. 

Take 12 ordinary pebbles. Place them in your left hand. Then with yourright hand pick up one pebble, hold it at arm's length and concentrateyour mind thereupon without allowing other thoughts for full 60 seconds. So with all the pebbles. Then start picking up with left hand. Do thisfor one hour daily. 

Exercise 10. 

Concentrate your mind determinedly upon some one at a distance withoutallowing other thoughts. Will that he do get strong, healthy andspiritual. Get up a mental picture of your subject as if sittingbefore you. Then give earnest, positive, forceful suggestions to hissub-conscious mind. Will that he get into sympathy with you, write you onthe subject and earnestly co-operate with you in his spiritualregeneration. Do it calmly and earnestly. 

Exercise 11. 

Get some moistened sand spread over the surface about a yard square. Makeit perfectly smooth. Then with your index finger draw any characters orpictures in the sand. For instance, a square, a triangle or any otherfigure. Fasten your gaze upon this figure. Concentrate your mind calmlythereupon and will that the thought-form so created by your concentrationbe transmitted to someone (whom you know to be sensitive to your will). Do this for 15 minutes daily at the same time till your subject gets theimpression. Ask him to sit relaxed at the same time in the _silence_ in areceptive mental attitude. Face the direction, North, South, East or Westin which you send your thought. Imagine a psychic wire connecting youwith your subject and aim straight. Remember, the Will-Power isrepresented in symbology by a straight line because it goes straight toits mark. 

Exercise 12. 

Every night before retiring, concentrate upon your passive mind:"_When I get up in morning, my Will-power and Thought-Force will haveincreased. I expect you to bring about a thorough change in myWill-Force. It will gain in vigour, resolution, firmness and confidence. It must grow strong, strong, strong_. " Project these positive suggestionsinto your subjective self earnestly, confidently and concentratedly. Youwill progress quickly by leaps and bounds. Every morning shall findyou stronger and full of vim, sap and energy. Persevere, persevere. Infollowing up such ideals to a successful conclusion you must have an(i) overpowering desire; (ii) a strong belief in your ability toaccomplish anything; (iii) an invincible determination not a backboneless'I will try to'; (iv) earnest expectation. This is an important and aninfallible method in Will-development. 

Exercise 13. 

Go by yourself into a room where you will not be disturbed. At thebeginning 'relax' all over. Then count from one to ten without allowingany other thoughts. As soon as you accomplish this, your mind is ina receptive state. Concentrate as before and order your sub-consciousself to evolve a strong, infallible memory. Form your ownauto-suggestions. 

Exercise 14. 

Pick out half a dozen unfamiliar faces. Vividly impress them uponyour subjective mind. Then recall them at least once each day for fullone year, each day impressing at least one more new face. Should youfind you are forgetting any of your older faces, do not add new ones butfirmly fix the other old faces in your mind through concentration. Thisis a very interesting exercise. Memory belongs to the sub-consciousmind, remember. 

Exercise 15. 

Concentrate the mind on a paragraph in some holy book and committo memory. Learn by heart one paragraph daily taking care not toforget the old ones. In time, you will improve wonderfully. 

Exercise 16. 

People with weak memories always lack concentrative ability. Concentration is the key to all mind-power. You will find the aboveexercises quite 'tedious' and monotonous. But you can train your'attention' only by giving it trivial and 'dry' exercises. The strongwill can cope with the most 'monotonous' and uninteresting tasks withoutexperiencing fatigue. You must set yourself such tasks as might seem like'work' to your attention. Remember, the effort required to concentrateattention voluntarily on uninteresting, dry and monotonous worksstrengthens and develops Will-Power and gives you 'mental muscle. ' Youwill thereby acquire firm control over mind and body and be 'Master' overyour lower impulses. Power over self will express outwardly as power overothers. If you can control yourself, you will find no difficulty inimpressing your will on others. But, mark you, this sacred power shouldbe used only to elevate, stimulate and strengthen others. Try your Willupon your personality in all possible ways and be satisfied with nothingshort of perfect control. The absolute mastery of 'self' ought to beyour aim. I have given you the real secrets. You must exerciseyour own ingenuity and intelligence in utilising them towards yourSelf-development. I leave you to finish the fight for yourself. Get upand start in to work at your task from to-day and not to-morrow. Back ofall efforts, always have this positive incentive and auto-suggestion:

"THIS IS TO DEVELOP MY WILL-POWER AND NO TEMPORARY PAIN CAN EQUAL THEPOWER AND HAPPINESS ARISING OUT OF SELF-CONTROL. "

Get firm control over your emotions. Use this natural force but benot used by it. Control over speech will lead to Emotion-control. Alwaystalk to the point. Cultivate silence. Repress volubility. Be briefin speech and writing. Keep a cool head. Be level-headed andconcentrative. 

GLEANINGS FROM PROFESSOR JAMES ON THE LAW OF HABIT. 

An acquired habit, from the physiological point of view, is nothingbut a new pathway of discharge formed in the brain, by which certainincoming currents ever often tend to escape. 

The great thing is to make our nervous system our ally instead ofour enemy. --Guard against ways that are likely to be disadvantageousto us, as we should guard against the plague. 

The more of the details of our daily life we can hand over to theeffortless custody of automatism, the more our higher powers of mindwill be set free for their own proper work. There is no more miserablehuman being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision andfor whom (every act) the time of rising and going to bed, the beginningof every bit of work, are subjects for express volitional deliberation. 

Maxim I. In the acquisition of a new thought or the leaving off ofan old one we must take care to launch ourselves with as strong anddecided initiative as possible. 

Maxim II. Never suffer an exception to occur until the new habitis securely rooted in your life. 

Each lapse is like letting fall a ball of string which one is carefullywinding up; a single slip means more than a great many turns will windagain. 

Continuity of training is the great means of making the nervoussystem act infallibly right. It is necessary above all things never tolose a battle. Every gain on the wrong side undoes the effect of manyconquests on the right. 

The essential precaution is to so regulate the opposing powers thatthe one may have a series of uninterrupted success, until repetition hasfortified it to such a degree as to enable it to cope with the oppositionunder any circumstances. 

The need of securing success at the outset is imperative. To behabitually successful is the thing. 

Be careful not to give the will such a task as to insure its defeatat the outset, but provided one can stand it, a sharp period ofsuffering, and then a free time is the best to aim at, whether in givingup the opium habit or in simply changing one's hours of rising or ofwork. 

It is surprising how soon a desire will die of inanition if it be neverfed. 

Without unbroken advance there is no such thing as accumulationof the ethical forces possible, and to make this possible and to exerciseand habituate us in it is the sovereign blessing of regular work. Maxim III. Seize the very first possible opportunity to act on everyresolution you make and on every emotional prompting you may experiencein the direction of habits you aspire to gain. 

It is not the moment of their forming but in the moment of theirproducing motor effects, that resolves and aspirations communicate thenew 'set' to the brain. 

The actual presence of the practical opportunity alone furnishes thefulcrum upon which the lever can rest, by means of which the moralwill may multiply its strength and raise itself aloft. He who had nosolid ground to press against will never get beyond the stage of emptygesture making. 

When a resolve or a fine glow of feeling is allowed to evaporatewithout bearing practical fruit, it is a waste and a chance lost; itworks so as positively to hinder future resolutions and emotions fromtaking the normal path of discharge. 

If we let our emotions evaporate, they get in a way of evaporating. 

WORSHIP OF THE TERRIBLE. 

The attitude of the soul which is not to be baffled by the lower natureor the "Personal Self" should be to seek Death and not life, to hurloneself upon the sword's point and become one with the terrible. Thosewho are commissioned by the Lord to bear aloft the torch of spirit arefated to see every joy of the senses turn to ashes and crushing blowsupon their eyes to the unsubstantially of the relative life of Maya. 

The lion when stricken to the heart gives out his loudest roar, When smitten on the head the cobra lifts its hoodAnd the majesty of the Soul comes out only when a man is wounded to hisdepths. 

The Western ideal is to be doing: the Eastern to be suffering. Theperfect life would be a harmony between (selfless or non-attached) doingand suffering. Worship the terrible. Worship Death, for its own sake;despair for its own sake; pain for its own sake. Yet this is not thecoward's or the suicide's or the weakling's morbid love of Death, but itis the cry of the philosopher who has sounded everything to its depthsand knows intensely the vanity of the desire for happiness on therelative plane of limitations. Remember the triumphant cry of St. Francisof Assisi: "WELCOME, SISTER DEATH!" "Be witness"--of all that goes on butbe not entangled. Reserve to yourself the power to remain unattached atall times. Accept nothing however pleasant, if it conceals a fetter intothy Soul. At a word stand ready to sever any connection that gives a hintof soul-bondage. Keep thy mind clear. Keep thy will pure. Attain theImpersonal Standpoint, O you man! there alone canst thou quench thythirst for happiness never on the plane of personal. Who and what diesand is reborn?--Your lower self, your personality. 

"Sometimes naked, sometimes mad, Now as a scholar, again as a foolHere a rebel, there a saint, Thus they appear on the earth--the Perfect Ones. Paramhamsas"--Viveka Chudamani. 

If you accept the report of the senses as final, you will say "soulfor nature"--but if you can gain the spiritual point of view, you willsay "no-nature for soul. " Evolution, devolution and involution are allin nature and will go on cyclically and eternally. All this is merely dueto the wish of the soul to manifest itself. But such expression can comeonly when the soul lives on its plane. Say "Money is my slave, not I. "Say "Nature is my slave, not I". Give up life, give up body, give up alldesire for enjoyment on the relative plane. So shall you transcend alllimitation. Your real nature is Infinite and Absolute. Only when youlower your nature by limiting it to the "particular self, " do you becomebound and unhappy. On the relative plane, you are a slave to the pairof opposites--life and death, pleasure and pain, and so on. Here islimitation. Here you are a slave to competition, and "Survival of theFittest" is the law. Be not blinded by the flashing light of the glareof modern civilization. Every morsel you eat is ground out of yourbrother's blood. Slave to a breath of air, slave to food, slave tolife, slave to Death, slave to a word of praise, slave to a word ofblame--"Slave--Slave--Slave"--that is your condition. The Soul cannotstoop to any compromise. It refuses to conquer nature by obedience. Itwill conquer nature by renouncing the body and by knowing itself. Findthyself bodiless. Power felt within is soul; without, nature. "We mustcrush Law (nature) and become outlaws. "

"Deliver thou thyself, by thyselfAh, do not let thyself sinkFor thou art thyself thy greatest friendAnd thyself (the relative 'I') thy greatest enemy. "

This, student, is not the ravings of a lunatic. It is the secret ofSAT-CHIT-ANANDA--eternal existence, knowledge and bliss. Attainmentof perfection means absolute Freedom. Do you or would you know themeaning of Life? It is the search after _Sat-chit-ananda_. But man istrying to realise this Perfect Existence in the transitory things ofthe earth-plane. Only when he knows that not attachment to the thingsof the "world, the flesh and the devil" but renunciation of same and thebringing of the Impersonal Ideal into his everyday life would lead himto it, then Maya will have fulfilled its purpose--which is to show manhis divinity. "Kill out the desire for life. Kill out Ambition. Kill outdesire for comfort; yet work as those who love life. Respect life asthose who are ambitious. Be happy as those are who live for happiness. "

So says Mabel Collins in the _Light on the Path_. Yes, you must workconstantly, train your intellect, develop your personality but do not doall this for your own personal self but for the Higher Self, The BRAHMAN, Eternal--to manifest through. As soon as you lose this view-point yourpersonal strivings end in Pain and Disappointment. Work as hard as theambitious man and the lover of pleasures but remember your actions areinspired by different motives. Here Spirit is the director. 

"To the work thou hast the right, O Partha, but not to the fruitsthereof"--_Gita_. All clinging to results leads to degeneration. Thesoul should cling to nothing. All work and all effort must be dedicatedunto the Higher Self. When you care for the results you are onlyworshipping the lower self. Hence the value of selfless labour, thus themaya-fascinated mind is purified and de-hypnotised and we attain to theemergence of the personal into the Impersonal. Either say "I am thou, OLord!" and thus out at the root of the lower "I" and destroy it for everor say "I am nothing, O Eternal One! thou art everything" and therebylose the lower into the Higher. The first is for the Gnani--the secondfor the Bhakti Yogi. Both mean the same thing. Love everyone but donot depend upon the love of any one. Give everything. Take nothing. Serve every one. Do not care for service and gratitude in return. Youare the Heir to the Infinite. All Power is behind you. But so long asyou are a beggar, a beggar shall you remain. Renounce the lower self, Live for the Higher. What you call Universal Love is the expressionon the lower plane of the subjective reception of ABSOLUTE UNITYon the Buddhic plane and in SAMADHI (Final Illumination). 

LESSONS III AND IV. 

THE YOGI SELF-DEVELOPER

INTRODUCTION. 

In lessons 1 and 2 we have initiated you into the mysteries of Willand Mind-Force, the governing principles of the Universe and the lawsof their development. We have also taught you how to acquire absolutecontrol over Body and Mind. In these lessons we have striven to pointout to you the right "Mental Attitude" towards your daily life, so thatwhile mainly engaged in the task of Self-Culture you might also lend ahand in the great work of strengthening the race. Moreover ourconvictions, beliefs, and ideals are no mean, are insignificant factorsin the determination of our health and environmental conditions. Theyreact on our circumstances as well as on the WHOLE MAN. We have alsogiven you important points of instruction in Soul Unfoldment, Meditation, Bramhacharya, Breathing, Fasting, Health-Culture, Body buildingand shown you, as distinctly as we could, the exact process of developinga single virtue in your self thereby you may master the process andmethod of developing other virtues, the lines of action and thought beingwell nigh similar in all, and foculising at certain common points ofprimary importance. We have given the bare body of truth in connectionwith the development, evolution and unfoldment of the body and thesoul, stripping of the metaphysical trappings and the theoreticaldraperies in which they are clothed. We have had to literally rendasunder the heavy wheel that had the divine face of truth. Hence ourlessons are brief and to the point. We have had to contend against andovercome another serious difficulty. Expressed in the matter of factEnglish language, these wondrous truths of mysticism cannot but lose theair of profound solemnity and sanctity that pervades the subject of Yogain Sanskrit literature. The wise and thoughtful student and we certainlydo not write for light-headed and non-serious people, will not let theirapparent simplicity deceive him or throw him off his guard. Ratherlet him realise that these lessons can be pressed into service in alldirections and in all spheres of life. Let him just put them intopractice and he will at once see their practical bearing on his dailylife. These lessons do not go into the "WHAT" but point out the "HOW" ofevery thing. We leave every student to suit his individual case as to theintellectual side of the ETERNAL PROBLEM. In conclusion we have tosay that this Course does not pretend to deal with the advanced stagesof Yoga, much less exhaust them. But they will, positively and decidedlyprepare him for those higher things by lifting the PALL OF DARKNESSfrom his mind. 

LESSONS III AND IV. 

Quite a number of you there must be to whom the "Fearless" mind is notonly an enviable possession but something to which you are and have beenan utter stranger. You may not say it to others--confession may hurt yourpride--but secretly away deep in your heart, there resides strongly andfiercely the desire to be a Fearless Individual. And it is a worthydesire. To be able to wipe off all fearfulness, anxiety and worry fromyour mental tablets is no easy task, but when once accomplished, it givesyou a glimpse of Heavenly Joy and Superhuman Strength. And, _You can beFearless_, I tell you--each one of you--you can be what you will to be. Ihave seen it. I have done it. I am going to give you sound and positiveinstructions in this paper so that you may forge ahead towards your goal. These instructions are based upon good psychological grounds, have beentested and proved by millions and proved a blessing to whoever took themup in all earnestness and gave them a trial. If you want to be Fearless, hesitate not to follow them to the very letter. 

I shall not waste space telling you about the dire results of fear, cowardice, worry, anxiety and the vile brood of negative thoughtsbranching of FEAR. Physically, mentally and spiritually man is what hethinks in his heart. As you think, so you are. Mind governs everything, creates or destroys everything, on the physical as well as other planes. Your thoughts affect your health, your circumstances, your environments;those who come into daily contact with you, those who are separatedfrom you by space, those who are what you call "dead" but who are reallyalive in spirit-life and bound to you more or less by mystic chords ofsympathy in thought and soul-life, affecting you and being affected byyou every minute. The range of influence exerted by a man's dailythoughts is simply tremendous. Trees and animals, minerals and otherobjects of material life absorb it. The walls of your room, the clothesyou wear, the letters you write are all being impressed by the aura ofyour thought-force. If you go to a clairvoyant or a psychometeristand put into his hands a letter, a lock of hair, a cloth-piece, oranything else pertaining to one of your friends, he or she willpsychically trace out the personal appearance, temperament, past andpresent history, and everything else in connection with that person. Marvellous, 'Impossible' you cry in surprise. But it is done. Realisethrough study and investigation the importance of your thought-life andavoid vitiating it by fear-thoughts, hate-thoughts, sensual and sensuousthoughts and vanity thoughts. Because, mark you, these four giant-weedspoison the roots of the Tree of Life. All humanity suffers pain indiverse ways, on account of these four bad thoughts and their millions ofoff-springs. Now you will say this is all very well but:

HOW?

That is just what I mean to teach you all along. I don't want to feed youon mere empty theories, but I can and I will give you that knowledgewhich when assimilated shall build up strong flesh, bone, muscle, tissue, pith and marrow which will give you superb health, strength of mind andspirit--all of which are necessary adjuncts to Spiritual Growth andHappiness. Let me give you in detail methods and exercises. The idealfearless man has many qualities. I say the Ideal Hero--no imitation patchwork vulgarian. These qualities are in rough detail: (1) Devotion to God. (2) Knowledge. (3) Concentration. (4) Will Power. (5) Energy andAspiration. (6) Health. (7) Self-Esteem. (8) Self-Control. (9) Love forHumanity. (10) Chastity. There may be other qualities but you will dowell to build up the above and others will come to you by themselves. Letme drop a few helpful suggestions on the above. Follow each sentenceclosely. 

1. DEVOTION TO THE ABSOLUTE WILL. 

I have always said, written, observed and felt that the most courageousindividuals are devoted to God. Such men are rare. You all understand themeaning of "Fearlessness" in its fullest sense. It means absoluteindependence--in two words, he is the FEARLESS man who "fears-nothing, "and "faces-everything. " That everything includes everyone. That nothingexcludes no one. Viewed from this standpoint is not the fearless manrarely to be met with? You may come across degrees of fearlessness. Nowthe man who possesses this quality in the "highest degree" has faith inthis God. Everyone has his conception of God. Everyone sees the absolutefrom his individual plane of vision. That conception which you have ofGod will do for you. I say, it will do for you and you alone. Don't forceit upon others. Keep it for yourself. If you want to improve thisconception of God pray in the Silence thus: "O, THOU, I UNDERSTAND NOTTHY NATURE. I KNOW NOT--YET I YEARN TO KNOW. DO THOU REVEAL THYSELFUNTO MY SOUL. DO THOU OPEN MY SPIRITUAL EYES AND LEAD ME ON. " Student, don't treat this lightly. Listen not to that conceited or blinded brotherof yours who says he does not care for God--who says he can go on withoutthe aid of God. Listen not. Listen not. The strongest and greatest prayoften. Only they do not talk of this to others. They never make a show oftheir devotion. But they have all prayed and do all pray. They believe inpersonal effort--they also believe in Divine leading and guidance. Learnto be "lead by the Spirit. " Everything shall come to you in this way. Youwill also notice that the Fearless Man is not a mere God-fearing man. Heis a God-loving Individual. He loves God for God's sake largely. That manwho is fearful in spite of his devotion to God is a sham devotee. But thegrace of the LORD'S name is such that it shall purify the most impure ofheart. It shall build up even a sham devotee into a real devotee who intime shall transcend all limitation. Therefore have faith in God. "Beregular" in your devotions. Also remember that each trial is a painaccompanying spiritual regeneration--each pain a process of strengtheningthe herald of a mere glorious dawn of wisdom. Hence give up a grumbling. The great God whose Infinite power regulates the motions of planetsand yet takes note of the sparrow's fall has your soul's best interest atheart. All you do, all you say, all you feel, all you hope, all yourexperiences--all, all is His will. Man's Will is God's Will. God's Willis Man's Will. And who can define God? God alone has the power to defineHimself. He has defined Himself as the Universe--Bramhanda. Nothing isimpossible for the devotee of God. Let him but be willing to work and Godshall give him everything. Regular devotion to God will surely developextreme Fearlessness. "God is Love. "

(2). KNOWLEDGE _(Gnayanam)_. 

Fear is due to ignorance. When in the dark of night you mistook the ropefor a snake, you shrieked out in terror. Cause? IGNORANCE. But when yousaw the rope as a rope, you laughed out in amusement. Cause? KNOWLEDGE. All your fear is due to your ignorance of your real nature. All the fearat the last is fear of death. You have to realise through knowledge ofthe Vedanta that you are birthless, deathless. You have to unfold bymeditation a consciousness of your Real Self. I give you hereunder ameditation exercise that will help you in this direction. 

MEDITATION EXERCISE NO. 1. 

Retire into the SILENCE. Shut off all thoughts and purposes relatingto the external world. Try to realise that you, the Real Ego are notthe body but that it is a mere garment you have put on for functioningon the physical plane and which you shall put off some day. Try torealise that you are immortal and that although a thousand bodies mightcome and go, you, the Ego, shall be as alive as ever. These are yourshadows--your personalities. What dies and is born is a mirage--amere phantasm--which you materialise for certain purposes. All thesepurposes centralise in one POTENTIALISED PURPOSE--the conquest of matter. Realise that you the Ego, have your dwelling in Supernal Regions--on thespiritual plane--with your Father-in-Heaven--but that you have come downinto matter that you may find the fullest possible objective expression. Realise that you, the Ego, are a differentiated centre of consciousnessin the Great Consciousness--THE ABSOLUTE--EGO--SUM of the entire Universewith all its gross and subtle manifestations--that you are endowed withall the powers and attributes of the Absolute Self. Realise that you arenot the emotional and passional manifestations--surging up in yourpersonality. These are subject to the law of Flux and Rhythm and must bebrought under the control of Reason and Will--the balancing, equatingprinciple of mind. Realise that you are not the mind nor the intellect, but that you exercise this function in order to analyse the externalmanifestations of nature and study same. Realise that you are pureConsciousness, Bliss and Existence in your essential nature--on with theall-life. Realise that the form side of manifestation is but aconcentration, a precipitation within you. Your subjective nature is onewith the subjective self of others--an inlet for the influx andefflux of the GREAT SUB-CONSCIOUS. Realise thus your Unity withAll-Life-manifesting objectively as Universal Brotherhood of all livingbeings and the perfect recognition of the All-Father-Mother, the GreatCosmic Power and Intelligence known as God whose intelligenceall-blissfulness and existence are ever pouring into each Unit ofIndividualised Divine Energy and evolving through nature. And, student, when you meditate daily that you are neither the body nor the emotionsnor the mind, you shall then unfold the consciousness of the "I am I"that which rules the personality that which has been calledSoul-Consciousness. You shall then be Chaitanya-Spiritually awake. You shall then know no Fear. Fear shall drop away like a worn-outsheath. All fear-thoughts are due to undeveloped race-consciousnesswhich reacts upon individual consciousness and is stamped more or lessupon every atom of matter. You 'fear' because you think you are thebody. When you realise that you can command as many bodies for youruse as you like; when you realise in your heart of hearts that you are aSpiritual Being expressing and energising through material personalities;when you realise that you cannot die, fear shall be afraid of you anddrop tormenting and teasing you. Fear resides in the matter-fedmind--that mind which has been grown and matured by the reception andre-action upon external sensations and stimuli--what has been calledthe objective mind. This mind identifies itself with the form, the body. It has an incorrigible determination towards the form-side, theconcrete-side of existence. It sees nothing but the body and is darkenedby the forces of _Maya_. It sees nothing but separation. Yes, it is thematter-fed mind. People with a development of this side of consciousnessare invariably selfish; have generally small, conical eyes, understandnothing, but the welfare of the body. They are subject to the fear andthe delight in making others fear them. This mind needs illumination fromthe soul, the Subjective Man, the "I am I" side of consciousness. It isnot that you are a body and have a soul--this is the dirty conviction ofthe matter-fed mind--but you are a soul and have a body. The dawn ofSoul-Consciousness makes a man a Force for good. He himself is Fearless. His is the voice of strength that does not crush and dominate but thatputs warmth, life, energy, hope and indomitable courage into cold anddespairing hearts. Some are born with this Soul-Consciousness. Do notthink that I am feeding with the theories of eccentricity. Often when aboy playing with others the thought would strike me hard, "Are you thesame that is running and jumping and shouting. " I would stop, lookingblankly ahead. A feeling of confusion would come over me and I wouldforget everything. I could recall the feeling distinctly and vividly. NowI understand. These were flashes of Soul-Consciousness unfolded in apast life and struggling for "recognition" in this life. Such men faceDEATH for themselves calmly. They know they can't die. Such men areincapable of sustained hatred. They too have their physiognomicalsigns and distinctions. They represent an advanced order of intellect. And, lastly, when the full blaze of realisation comes, your one object inlife shall be to bestow your sense of freedom on others. You shallnot be able to mock and smile calmly at the pain, the ignorance toimperfections of your brother-man. You shall realise what it is to 'feel'for humanity, yea, even for animals. You shall glimpse, in some measures, the great feeling of pain that rent the hearts of the Buddas, theChrists, the Ramakrishnas, the Vivekanandas of this world. They suffered, they felt for humanity. And when undeveloped humanity forced them to theCross; they bore it in the same spirit in which the gentle nurse bearsthe blows and abuses of the disease-racked patient. "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. " Verily to know all is to forgive all. This Soul-Consciousness is as much yours as that of anyone. It comesthrough meditation on the Infinite, and the Formless Absolute--theOver-soul of the universe--the Brahman of the Vedanta--the Self of thephilosophers--the Atman of the Yogis--the personal--impersonal Godof the devotee--and, last, but not least, the humanity of thehumanitarian. 

CONCENTRATION. 

The mind can think of one thing only. Fear is an acute form of negativeconcentration--worry its chronic form. If you learn how to place yourmind upon a particular subject and inhibit or "shut off" all otherthoughts, the fascination of fear and worry shall have no power over you. Most of the things you fear never happen--others can be routed by a boldfront. Even if something ugly does befall you, you have the power withinto enable you to 'bear up' heroically. Fear is a mere negativethought-habit. It is a negative tendency in the mind. You can besteradicate this weed from your mind by cultivating the positive attitudeof Courage. There are particular sets of brain-cells being created ordestroyed by particular types of thoughts. The best way to destroynegative brain-cells is to develop positive brain-cells. If you want to_Kill off Fear-thoughts_, do not fight them. That would be like trying torealise how dark a place is and then starting to pitch it out by thehandful. You know you cannot do it. Just open the blinds and let insunshine and the place will be flooded with light. The mind hypnotisedby negative thoughts has been compared by a mental scientist to a dirtywash-bowl full of dirty water. Take the wash-bowl near a tap and turnthe tap on. The steady pour of clean water will soon wash off all thedirty water and fill the wash-bowl with clear water. So the only wayto root out and destroy evil thoughts is to turn a steady stream ofpositive thoughts to overcome all fear thoughts, you should thinkcourage-thoughts. Don't crawl on your belly; don't call upon Heaven towitness that despicable creature you are. No--a thousand times--no. ActCourage. Think Courage. Say Courage. That's the way. Turn your facetowards the rising sun. Take "Courage" for your watchword. Affirmit as far as you can. Fasten it deep and strong in your mind. Always tellyourself that you are full of courage, morning, noon and night; nevertell yourself that you are weak. 

Now, in order to inhibit fear-thoughts and exhibit Courage-thoughts, you must possess CONCENTRATION. You should be able to take your mind offa certain subject and put it on something else at your will. Do you knowwhat Concentration means? Let me give you in my own words something Iremember reading about Napoleon. When banished to St. Helena andsuffering from disease, one day his doctor expressed his curiosity as tothe secret of his success and astonishing power. Napoleon replied"Doctor, there are drawers in my brain. When I want to think of politicsI pull out the drawer of politics, when I want to think of Josephine, Ipull out the drawer of Law, and so on; and when I shut all these drawers, I can go to sleep. " The doctor smiled incredulity blandly. "Doctor, I canshow you this minute. Doctor, I shut all drawers"--even while sayingthis, Napoleon fell with a thud on his pillow. He was fast asleep. Theman of science and medicine examined him in all ways, but Napoleon hadfallen actually fast asleep. This is Concentration and Mind-Control. Idon't admire men of Napoleon's selfish types. Their place is in darkhell. They use their power for preying upon others. But that his powersof mind were great, I don't deny. Napoleon in his past life had been agreat Yogi, but the remnants of self and cumulative force of bad Karmaprecipitated the bloody results you all know in connection withNapoleon's career. No doubt, this man was only a means used by God tobring about certain changes and revolutions. 

To develop Concentration, pay attention to the daily work of your life. Don't neglect small things. Put interest and attention into whateveryou think, say, or do. Be a wide-awake man. Don't go about your workhalf-asleep. Wake up and display a few signs of life. Be progressive. Think much and to the purpose. 

WILL-POWER. 

You all understand this. It is that aspect of your make-up that enablesyou to make your mind and body obey you. The true principle of Will isclosely interlocked with the "I am I" as I have already explained it. Resolve at the start to do one thing once in 24 hours that you would doif you were not afraid. Face fear and it is your slave. Your Will-powerenables you to prove things practically to yourself and to the world; tomake actions match-thoughts. Give your Will much exercise in the rightdirection. Without Will a man is no better than a log of wood. Keepyour Will strong by auto-suggestion and exercise. Try the powers of yourWill on your personality till you can do anything and be anything. Say "Ican and I will" in a thousand different ways and prove it too. Therequisite qualities that form valuable adjuncts to Will-power are:1. Determination. 2. Stick-to-it-ive-ness. 3. Perseverance. 4. Invincibleand indomitable courage. 5. Non-attachment. 6. Faith in yourself. 7. Faith in God. 8. I can and I will. Repeat this affirmation often tillit becomes a constant mental trait. 

AFFIRMATIONS. 

1. I am fearless. I am full of courage. There is nothing to fear. I say courage, I think, I act courage. 

2. Courage is my distinct and leading trait. Everyone knows meas a man of Indomitable courage. The criticisms and opinions of otherscannot affect me the least. 

3. I am part of the Divine Self. I harm none. My nature knowsno harm. Hence no harm comes to me. 

4. I am equal to anything. Nothing can crush my spirit. I canface everything. I can face everybody. 

5. My powers of resistance are strong, strong, strong. I use themnever for the aggression of others. They are for my self-defence. 

6. I am absolutely fearless morally and physically. 

7. I stand for absolute truthfulness and justice and manifest themin myself. 

8. Work with this affirmation. Strongly implant it in your mind. The use of strong, positive Affirmation in the Silence is valuable inthat it gives you a firm hold of your thought so that you can "carry thethought" mentally. The value of expressing thought in act and speech liesin this that it clinches your thought into a permanent habit. Rememberthis psychologic axiom: 1. Thoughts take form in action. 2. Actioninduces thought and corresponding habits. Therefore act out the partphysically. If you want a courageous mind--"act out" the part physically, in your daily life, on suitable occasions, in all earnestness as youwould in a theatre or drama. In a very short time it shall become aconfirmed habit. Force yourself to it. Take an interest in what you doand say. Have confident expectations of SUCCESS. Never be daunted andcowed down by initial difficulties and failures. Never say die. If yougo down--don't remain lying and moaning. Never, I say, never. Get up. Shake yourself up free and say, like the royal lion "Come one, come all, this rock shall fly sooner from its base than I. " Have a will of yourown and be a force for good. Exercise your Will-power. Be something. Do something. 

LOVE FOR HUMANITY, ENERGY, ASPIRATION, SELF-ESTEEM. 

I cannot too strongly emphasise the difference between Self-Esteemand Self-Conceit. I wish to drive and thoroughly pound this differenceinto your brain. Self-Esteem is decidedly a manly trait. It is basedupon a conviction of the Kingship of God and the Sonship of Man. Manis a dignified being with divine attributes. He should not disgrace hisMaker by crawling on the ground. This is Self-Esteem. Self-Esteemdoes not lower itself. It never lowers others. You shall never see aleader of mankind without tremendous faith in himself. But equally trulyyou shall never see a true man or woman taking delight in having otherscrawl to dust before them. They feel pained and shocked at such a sight. There is infinite humiliation to them hi this sorry spectacle. ButSelf-Conceit is that original obliquity that leads a man to make a hog ofhimself. It is the old, dirty, unmanly "I-am-greater-than-you" feeling. Such men are hogs, hogs, hogs. They are not the true sons of theirmothers. They are bastards and imbeciles. If you come across this typeand get a chance to deal with him on your private strength open his eyesto his hoggishness. If he has any manly stuff in himself, he shallreform. If not, let him sizzle in his fat. Nature and its rigorous Lawswill rub the lesson home some day. But don't you stand their nonsense forwant of moral backbone. And the "I am" in you shall revolt against anysuch meanness and smallness in yourself. Encourage it not. Revere God. Revere yourself. Revere others. Next, as to energy and aspiration--thesetwo characteristics transmute your mind from a negative into a positivetype. They give you an aura of thought-force such as never knows fear. Inpoint of fact fear is starved off to death. Be progressive. Take aninterest in the affairs of this world and be a force for good. Raiseyourself first. Then give others a lift. Have an Increasing Purposein your life. Work towards its accomplishment. The man who renounces theworld does not become a burden unto others. He helps others to shouldertheir responsibilities. Nature aids at building up strong individuals. Ithas no use for barnacles and is always scraping them off. Nature does nottolerate leeches, vampires and parasites. Aspire to do something great inlife "for the good of many, for the happiness of many. " Live to somepurpose. When you have a positive life-purpose, your tone of mind shallbe dominant and positive and your thoughts shall match. All-strengthshall come to you. Bad health, fear, worry and the whole array ofdisintegrating forces are set into active motion by a purposeless life. The Purposeful Man has no time to bother about them. Understand clearly, spirituality is not laziness, whatever else it may be. 

AFFIRMATIONS. 

1. I have perfect Self-Confidence. I am a Divine Being. I lowernot myself--I lower not others. 

2. My Life-Purpose is Constructive--not Destructive. 

3. I will be great spiritually and mentally. I will make othersgreat. I am an irresistible force for good. 

4. I live to some great purpose. I am an Individual. I recognisethe Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man. 

HEALTH, CHASTITY AND SELF-CONTROL. 

Chastity and Self-Control bring to you a clean healthy physique. Stronghealth means strong brain. And strong brain means abounding vitality, magnetism and ambition. Remember our aim is the development of courage. The Chaste brain has tremendous energy. You should observeBramhacharya--the conservation of vital energy in the body. You shouldacquire control over your passions and appetites. The energy generated inyour body should not be drawn off at the lower end of your being, butshould be transmuted into creative activity mentally and spiritually. Geta clean body, first. You can get it by fasting, breathing and exercise. 

FASTING AND SELF-CONTROL. 

If you feel heavy in body and brain, if you feel mentally sluggish itis a sure indication that your system is "clogged" with waste matter, dueto partial or total inactivity of the physical channels of elimination. You have been indulging in high living and gluttony or you have beenindulging in physical gratifications and have thus exhausted the vitalfibres of your body. Perhaps you have drunk very little water which isnature's demand for cleaning the vessels of the body. Perhaps you haveexercised little and thus the supply of oxygen required for burning offcarbon and energising the blood has been rather limited. Mentaldepression, 'weak nerves, ' melancholy, despair, fear, lack ofconcentration and lots of other mental weakness are due to a clogging ofthe system with accumulated refuse. In brief, the following are a few ofthe benefits derivable from scientific fasting:--(1) It gives nature achance to "Clean Up. " The day of fasting is a day of physical "housecleaning. " (2) Like the galvanic battery the body "recuperates" itsenergies. Strength is invariably rested to one's powers of digestionafter a careful fast. No case of dyspepsia, constipation, etc. , there is, but can benefit or be totally and radically cured by fasting. Fastingwill increase powers of assimilation, quicken hunger, purify andstrengthen the nerves and raise your health in all ways. (3) By gainingcontrol over appetite you gain control over your lower nature. It is asplendid drill for your Will. You shall gain in spiritual strength. Youshall grow positive to your flesh and its cravings. Jesus Christ fastedfor 40 days in order to prepare himself to face his great trial andtemptation. Our Yogis are all great fasters. 

HOW TO FAST. 

Don't undertake too much. If you have never observed a fast beginwith a 24 hour fast. Drink at least 5, if possible, 8 tumblers of purewater at frequent intervals slowly. Keep yourself gently active andoccupied the whole day, mentally and physically. You may feel a feelingof faintness, all-goneness and an irresistible craving for food. Theseare mischievous pranks of a cultivated and pampered and artificialappetite. Drink water slowly but don't give your body anything else. Always keep before yourself the distinction between the regal "I--am--I"the soul and the carnal, sensating animal known as the body. The greatpoint of achievement during a fast lies in thinking high thoughts andforgetting the demands of the flesh. Don't think of your fast. If youdo think say to yourself "this is to develop my will. " Breathe plenty offresh air. Exercise gently and walk. I have seen educated men afraid togo out for a walk during a day's religious fast "lest they should feelhungry. " O shame! You can't control a little hunger! You shouldbathe daily thoroughly early in the morning, fast or no fast. 

And don't be afraid. "Man liveth not by bread alone but by veryword that proceeds from the mouth of God"--said Christ. Starvationmay kill off your body but not fasting. Deny the power of all diseaseand weakness over yourself. Your mind is master of your body. Assertthis mental control. Lastly, during a fast, your body is sensitive toyour suggestions. Fill your mind with incessant affirmations of courage. Think courage, say courage, act courage. Take time by the forelock. Force your suggestions upon body and brain right now. 

HOW TO BREAK A FAST. 

When breaking a fast, be sure to control re-action. Eat very lightlyand only sensible food. Now that you have a clean body, stay cleanYou can train yourself to fast for 40 days at a stretch. 

TRANSMUTING SEX-ENERGY. 

Here is some sensible advice from a leading thinker and teacher:To be a perfect Bramhacharin (a regenerate). 

1. You must have a clean, healthy body; 2. Good breathing capacity andsome control over same; 3. A strong will such as can move body and mind;4. Assiduous cultivation of the intellectual side; 5. Control overemotions; 6. A fearless mind; 7. Great determination; 8. And abstemiousliving and high thinking. 

The Yogis possess great knowledge regarding the use and abuse ofthe reproductive principle in both sexes. Some hints of this esotericknowledge have filtered out and have been used by Western writers onthe subject, and much good has been accomplished in this way. In thislittle book we cannot do more than touch upon the subject, and omittingall except a bare mention of theory, we will give a practical breathingexercise whereby the student will be enabled to transmute there-productive energy into vitality for the entire system, instead ofdissipating and wasting it in lustful indulgence in or out of themarriage relations. The reproductive energy is creative energy, and maybe taken up by the system and transmuted into strength and vitality, thusserving the purpose of regeneration instead of generation. If the youngmen of the Western world understood these underlying principles theywould be saved much misery and unhappiness in after years, and would bestronger mentally, morally and physically. 

This transmutation of the reproductive energy gives more vitality tothose practising it. They will be filled with great vital force, whichwill radiate from them and will manifest in what has been called"personal magnetism. " The energy thus transmuted may be turned into newchannels and used to great advantage. Nature has condensed one of itsmost powerful manifestations of prana into productive energy, as itspurpose is to create. The greatest amount of vital force is concentratedin the smallest area. The re-productive organism is the most powerfulstorage factory in animal life, and its force can be drawn upward andused, as well as expended in the ordinary functions of reproduction, orwasted in vicious lust. The majority of our students know something ofthe theories of regeneration, and we can do little more than to state theabove facts, without attempting to prove them. 

The Yogi exercise for transmuting re-productive energy is simple. It iscoupled with rhythmic breathing, and can be easily performed. It may bepractised at any time, but is especially recommended when one feels theinstinct more strongly, at which time the re-productive energy ismanifesting and may be most easily transmuted for regenerative purpose. The exercise is as follows:--

Keep the mind fixed on the idea of energy, and away from ordinarysexual thoughts and imaginings. If these thoughts come into the minddo not be discouraged, but regard them as manifestations of a force whichyou intend using for the purpose of strengthening the body and mind. Lie passively or sit erect, and fix your mind on the idea of drawing there-productive energy upward to the Solar Plexus, where it will betransmuted and stored away as a reserve force of vital energy. Thenbreathe rhythmically, forming the mental image of drawing up there-productive energy with each inhalation. With each inhalation make acommand of the Will that the energy be drawn upward from there-productive organisation to the Solar Plexus. If the rhythm is fairlyestablished and the mental image is clear, you will be conscious of theupward passage of the energy, and will feel its stimulating effect. Ifyou desire an increase in mental force, you may draw it up to the braininstead of to the Solar Plexus, by giving the mental command and holdingthe mental image of the transmission to the brain. 

The man or woman doing mental creative work, or bodily creative work willbe able to use this creative energy in their work by following the aboveexercise, drawing up the energy with the inhalation and sending it forthwith the exhalation. In this last form of exercise only such portions asare needed in the work will pass into the work being done, the balanceremaining stored up in the Solar Plexus. 

You will understand, of course, that it is not the reproductive fluidswhich are drawn up and used, but the etheric prana energy which animatesthe latter, the soul of the reproductive organism, as it were. It isusual to allow the head to bend forward easily and naturally during thetransmuting exercise. 

Practise this Breathing Exercise sturdily. Be heroic. Learn to make 100Pranayams at a sitting, but do not rush things. Deep breathing exercise, Will-Culture, regular Meditation and a clean normal mode of living whencombined with much thinking will surely awaken your Latent Powers. Be notworried if progress be a bit slow at first. Keep up cheerful and workpatiently. Things cannot but come your way if you don't give up butpreserve to the last. Have infinite and unbounded faith in yourself. And, lastly, if you want to grow space in Wisdom and Power, persevere in deepbreathing. Pranayam is the key to all spiritual success. "Spirituality isfullness of Breath. " Almost all forms or Mental and physical weakness aredue to imperfect and shallow breathing. Of all these instructions youpractise nothing but the Breathing Exercise, your gain shall be great butin order to get all the results you must practise all the instructionsregularly and methodically. 

Your sex-force is under the direction of your sub-conscious mind which isquite amenable to your authoritative suggestions. Get control throughyour sub-consciousness. All you have to do is to let it to do its ownwork without adverse and negative suggestions and fear-thoughts. Say "No"vigorously to all adverse thoughts and shake them off from you. Allhealth comes by letting nature alone. 

BREATHING EXERCISE. 

Find a quiet place as far as possible, where the air is pure and thesurroundings soothing and pleasant. After a bath or a thorough rubbingof the body from top to toe, with a wet towel, on an empty stomach, take this exercise: Send a current of holy thought to everyone, onplanes seen and unseen, north and south, east and west, engage inmeditation--take anyone of the meditation exercises you like. When youare perfectly calm and relaxed, seat yourself cross-legged, assuming anyposture that comes easiest to you, with head, neck and chest held in astraight line and the weight of the upper parts of the body resting onribs. Keep the region about the waist quite free. Loosen the cloth thereout and out. Now inhale air slowly and steadily through right nostrilafter closing left nostril with your finger as long as it takes to countsixteen mentally. Close both nostrils, holding the inspired air withinand count sixty-four. Then very slowly exhale the air through the leftnostril for as long as it takes to count thirty-two. You must begin witha 4 second inhalation, 16 second retention and 8 second exhalation. Instead of dry counting you might improve yourself decidedly by repeatingthe word "Fearless" as many times holding mentally that dominant ideaback of the word. Practise 5 pranayamas mornings and evenings for oneweek daily. Increase to 10 next week. Work up to 20. Go slowly. Practiseas long as you like, but not less than 6 months. Be serious and earnest. This is not for non-serious minds. This exercise will augment digestivepower, steady heart-action, make the body light and the mind calm. Itshall help also miraculously in your Soul-Unfoldment. During thispractice be pure in all ways. Observe Bramhacharya. Practice mentalconcentration and spiritual meditation. Don't talk much with others. Don't encourage any but holy society. Don't sleep much. Don't work veryhard. Keep your emotions well-in-hand. Be always engaged mentallyand physically. Be hopeful and cheerful. Never encourage negativethinking. It shall do wonders for you. 

PHYSICAL EXERCISE. 

Exercise No. 1. 

Stand straight, facing a corner of the room with bare feet about 14 or 15inches from the corner itself, arms straight out, even with shoulders orperhaps two inches below, hands resting on the two-side walls, chest out, abdomen in. Now lean forward towards the corner, without moving the feetor bending the knees. Aim lightly to touch the corner with the chest, while holding the head and abdomen as far back from the corner aspossible, arms and hands slipping forward on the walls in a straight linewith shoulders. Resume first position without moving the feet or loweringthe arms, and repeat. Make the forward movement slowly, at the same timeinhaling through nostrils a slow, full breath; put your whole effort intostretching the chest forward and upward (careful not to bruise yourselfagainst wall) and head and abdomen backward, thus straightening the backat the shoulders. Hold the chest to the corner a moment, holding thebreath likewise, then slowly resume original upright position, slowlyexhaling through slightly open lips at the same time bending the headforward towards the chest. As you lean forward toward the corner, mentally keep count of your exercise one, two, three, etc. As you resumethe upright position, exhaling and bending the head forward mentally, affirm "I am fearless, pure, strong. " Make these movements always slowly, deliberately, with the closest attention. Begin with 5 or 6 movements andraise to 20 at a time. 

Exercise No. 2. 

Stand straight about two feet from the wall. Place the palms on thewall-level with the shoulders. Without moving the feet or bending thebody, lean forward slowly, inhaling slowly as you do so, until thechest touches the wall, head back; then push yourself slowly to anupright position slowly exhaling as you do so. Repeat 10 times or more. 

Exercise No. 3. 

Clasp the hands behind. As you slowly inhale extend the clasped handslowly downwards as far as possible, straightening arms at elbow andlowering shoulders as much as possible, at the same time extendingand lifting the chest as far as you can. Hold the breath and the positiona moment only, shoulders down, chest out and up, abdomen in, then releasethe hand and slowly exhale. A rather vigorous exercise. So go slowly. 

Exercise No. 4. 

Stand straight, arms extended even with the shoulders, head up;tense muscles of right arm doubling slowly at elbow and hand only, untilthe clenched fist touches the shoulders; at the same time tensing theneck muscles, chin up, and turning the head slowly to face the clenchedfist. Repeat with the left arm. The arms from shoulder to elbow mustbe kept in a horizontal position. 

Exercise No. 5. 

Stand straight, hands at sides. Bend as far over to the right aspossible, slowly; then to the left as far as possible. Repeat 10 times. 

Exercise No. 6. 

Stand straight, arms at sides. Lean as far forward as you can withoutbending the knees and roll the body clear around in a circle to theright, arms and body as limp as possible. Repeat 5 times. Then rollfive times to the left. 

Exercise No. 7. 

Stand straight. Extend arms easily in front. Wave them backwards andupwards in a sort of reversed swimming movement, until they meetoverhead; at the same time bending backward as far as possible slowlyinhale a full breath. Now bend forward, exhaling breath, taking care notto bend the knees, until your fingers touch your toes, head hanging aslow as possible, toes and head as limp as possible, fingers reachingtowards the floor. Repeat upright position. Keep the knees straightthroughout. Aim to stretch the entire body and hands upward and backwardas far as possible, with the upward motion of the arms. If you can'ttouch the floor without bending the knees, just come as near it as youcan. Practice will limber you up until you can touch it. 

Exercise No. 8. 

Lie full length on the back of the floor, hands clasped under head. Tense the muscles of the right leg, raising the knee slowly until ittouches or almost touches the body, at the same time bending the footdownward as far as possible, stretching the toes towards the floor. Nowslowly lower the right leg, still tense, towards the floor, straighteningthe knee and turning the toe upward towards the body. As the rightleg is being lowered, raise the left one upward in the same way tensingthe muscles, knee to chest, toes stretching upward; as the left leg goesdown, point the toes and foot toward the knee 5 times, increasinggradually to 10 times. 

PHYSICAL EXERCISES. 

SERIES 2. 

Exercise I. 

(1) Extend the arms straight out in front of you, on the level ofthe shoulder, with palms of the hand touching each other; (2) swingback the hands until the arms stand out straight, sideways, from theshoulders or even a little further back if they will go there easilywithout forcing; return briskly to position 1, and repeat several times. The arms should be swung with a rapid movement and with animation andlife. Do not go to sleep over the work or rather play. This exercise ismost useful in developing the chest, muscles of the shoulders, etc. Inswinging the hands backward, it is an improvement if you will rise onyour toe during the backward sweep; sinking on your heels as you move thearms forward again. The repeated movements should be rhythmical, backwardand forward, like the swinging of a quick pendulum. 

Exercise II. 

(1) Extend the arms straight in front of you, letting the little fingersof each hand touch each other, the palms being upward; (2) then keepingthe little fingers still touching, bring the hands straight up in acurved circular movement, until the tips of the fingers of both handstouch the top of the head back of the forehead, the backs of the fingerstouching, the elbows swinging out as the movement is made until (whenthe fingers touch the head, with thumbs pointing the rear) they pointout straight sideways; (3) let the fingers rest on the top of the head amoment, and then with the elbows pressing back (which forces theshoulders back) force the arms backward with an oblique motion untilthey reach the sides at full length, as in the standing position. 

Exercise III. 

(1) Extend the arms straight out, sideways, from the shoulders;(2) then, still keeping the upper arms extended in same position, bendthe arms at the elbow and bring the forearm upward with a circularmovement, until the tips of the extended fingers lightly touch the topsof the shoulders; (3) then with fingers in the last position, force theelbows out to the front until they touch, or nearly go (a little practicewill enable you to touch them together); (4) then, keeping the fingersstill lightly touching the tops of the shoulders, swinging the elbows asfar back as you can get them. (A little practice will enable you to getthem much farther back than at the first attempt. ) (S) Swing the elbowsto the front position and then back to the rear position, several times. 

Exercise IV. 

(1) Place the hands on the hips, thumbs to the rear, and elbows pressedback; (2) bend the body forward, from the hips as far as you can, keepingthe chest protruding and the shoulders pressed back; (3) raise the bodyto the original standing position (hands still at the hips) and then bendbackward. In these movements the knees should not be bent and the motionsshould be made slowly and gently; (4) then (hands still on the hips) bendgently to the right, keeping the heels firmly on the ground, knees unbentand avoid twisting the body; (5) resume original position, and then bendthe body gently to the left, observing the precautions given in the lastmovement. This exercise is somewhat fatiguing and you should be carefulnot to overdo it at the start. Proceed gradually; (6) with hands in sameposition on the hips, swing the upper part of the body around in acircle, from the waist-up, the head describing the largest circle, ofcourse. Do not move the feet or bend the knees. 

Exercise V. 

(1) Standing erect, with hands on hips, raise yourself on the ballsof the feet several times, with sort of a springing motion. Pause amoment after you have raised upon your toes, then let the heels sink tothe floor, then repeat, as above suggested. Keep the knees unbent and theheels together. This exercise is specially beneficial in developing thecalf of the leg, and will make it sure the first few times it is tried. If you have an undeveloped calf here is the exercises for you; (2) withhands still on hips place your feet about two feet apart, and then coverthe body into a "squatting" position, pausing a moment and then resumingoriginal position. Repeat several times, but not too often at the first, as it will make the thighs feel a little sore at the beginning. Thisexercise will give one well developed thighs. This last movement may beimproved upon by sinking down with the weight resting upon the balls ofthe foot, instead of upon the heel. 

Exercise VI. 

(1) Stand erect with hands on hips; (2) keeping the knee straight, swing the right leg out about fifteen inches (keeping the toe turned alittle out and the sole flat)--then swing back to the rear until the toepoints straight to the ground, _keeping the knee stiff all the time_; (3)repeat the swinging backward and forward several times; (4) then dothe same with the left leg; (5) with hands still on hips, raise the rightleg up, bending the knee, until the upper-leg (thigh) stands straight outfrom the body (if you can raise it still higher, you may do so); (6)place your foot again on the ground, and go through the same motionwith the left leg; (7) repeat several times, first one leg and then theother, moving slowly at first and gradually increasing your speed untilyou are executing a slow trot without moving from the over spot. 

Exercise VII. 

(1) Stand erect, with the arms extended straight in front of you, fromthe shoulders, and of course on a level with the shoulders--the palmsmust be down, fingers straight out, thumbs folded under and the thumbside of hands touching each other; (2) bend the body forward from thehips, stooping forward as far as possible and at the same time swing thearms forward with a sweeping movement, sending them down, backward andupward at the back, so that when the body has reached the limit of thebending forward movement the arms are extended back and over thebody--keep the arms stiff and do not bend the knees; (3) resume standingposition and repeat several times. 

Exercise VIII. 

(1) Extend the arms straight, sideways, from the shoulder and hold themthere stiff and rigid with hands open; (2) close the hands forciblywith a quick motion, pressing the fingers well into the palm; (3) openthe hands forcibly and quickly, spreading out the fingers and thumbsas widely as possible forming a fan shaped hand; (4) close and openthe hands as above stated, several times, as rapidly as possible. Putlife into the exercise. This is a splendid exercise for developing themuscles of the hand and for acquiring manual dexterity. 

Exercise IX. 

(1) Lie upon your stomach, extending your arms above your head and thenbowed upward and your legs stretched out full length and raised backwardand upward. The correct position may be carried in the mind by imagininga watch--crystal or a saucer resting on the table on its middle, withboth ends turning upward; (2) lower and raise the arms and legs, severaltimes; (3) then turn over on your back and lie extended at full length, with arms extended straight out upwards over the head, with back offingers touching the ground; (4) then raise up both legs from the waistuntil they stand straight up in the air, like the mast of a ship, yourupper-body and arms remaining in the last position named. Lower the legsand raise them several times; (5) resume position 3, lying flat upon theback at full with arms extended straight out upward, over the head, withbacks of fingers touching the ground; (6) then gradually raise body tositting position, with arms projecting straight in front of theshoulders. Then go back gradually to the lying down position, andrepeat the raising and lowering several times; (7) then turn over on theface and stomach again and assume the following position:--Keepingthe body rigid from head to foot, raise your body until its weight restsupon your palms (the arms being stretched out straight in front of you)at one end, and upon your toes at the other end. Then gradually bendarms at the elbow, allowing your chest to sink to the floor; then raiseup your chest and upper-body by straightening out your arms, the entireweight falling upon the arms, with the toes as a pivot--this last is adifficult motion, and should not be overdone at first. 

Exercise X. 

This exercise is for those troubled with a too large abdomen, whichtrouble is caused by too much fat gathering there. The abdomen maybe materially reduced by a reasonable indulgence in this exercise--butalways remember "moderation in all things" and do not overdo matters, or be in too much of a hurry. Here is the exercise: (1) exhale the breath(breathe out all the air in the lungs, without straining yourself toomuch) and then draw the abdomen in and up as far as you can, then holdfor a moment and let it resume its natural position. Repeat a number oftimes and then take a breath or two and rest a moment. Repeat severaltimes, moving it in and out. It is surprising how much control one maygain over these stubborn muscles with a little practice. This exercisewill not only reduce the fatty layers over the abdomen, but will alsogreatly strengthen the stomach muscles. (2) Give the abdomen a good butnot rough kneading and rubbing. 

Exercise XI. 

The exercise is as follows:--Follow it carefully. (1) stand erect, withheels together, toes slightly pointed outward; (2) raise the arms up bythe sides (with a circular movement) until the hands meet over the head, thumbs touching each other; (3) keeping the knees stiff; the body rigid;_the elbows unbent_; (and shoulders bent well back as the movement ismade); bring down the hands, slowly, with a sideway circular motion, until they reach the sides of the legs the little finger and theinner-edge (the "chopping-edge") of the hand alone touching the legs, andpalms of the hands facing straight to the front. The shoulder gets theright position by touching the little finger of each hand to the seam ofthe trousers. (4) Repeat several times, _slowly_ remember. With the handsin the last position, having been placed there by the motion stated, itis very difficult for the shoulders to warp forward. The chest isprojected a little; the head is erect; neck is straight, the backstraight and hollowed a little (the natural position); and the knees arestraight. In short, you have a fine, erect carriage--_now keep it_. 

SEVEN MINOR BREATHING EXERCISES. 

Exercise I. 

(1) Stand erect with hands at sides. (2) Inhale complete breath. (3) Raise the arms slowly, keeping them rigid until the hands touch overhead. (4) Retain the breath a few minutes with hands over head. (5)Lower hands slowly to sides exhaling slowly at the same time. (6)Practise cleansing breath. 

Exercise II. 

(1) Stand erect with arms straight in front of you. (2) Inhalecomplete breath and retain. (3) Swing arms back as far as they will go;then back to first position; then repeat several times, retaining thebreath all the while. (4) Exhale vigorously through mouth. (5) Practisecleansing breath. 

Exercise III. 

(1) Stand erect with arms straight in front of you. (2) Inhale completebreath. (3) Swing arms around in a circle, backward, a few times. Thenreverse a few times retaining the breath all the while. You may vary thisby rotating them alternately like the sails of a wind-mill. (4) Exhalethe breath vigorously through the mouth. (5) Practise cleansing breath. 

Exercise IV. 

(1) Lie on the floor with your face downward, and palms of hands flatupon the floor by your sides. (2) Inhale complete breath and retain. (3) Stiffen the body and raise yourself up by the strength of your armsuntil you rest on your hands and toes. (4) Then lower yourself tooriginal position. Repeat several times. (5) Exhale vigorously throughthe mouth. (6) Practise cleansing breath. 

Exercise V. 

(1) Stand erect with your palms against the wall. (2) Inhale completebreath and retain. (3) Lower the chest to the wall, resting yourweight on your hands. (4) Then raise yourself back with the arm musclesalone, keeping the body stiff. (5) Exhale vigorously through the mouth. (6) Practise cleansing breath. 

Exercise VI. 

(1) Stand erect with arms "akimbo" that is with hands resting around thewaist and elbows standing out. (2) Inhale complete breath and retain. (3)Keep legs and hips stiff and bend well forward, as if bowing, at the sametime exhaling slowly. (4) Return to first position and then take anothercomplete breath. (5) Then bend backward exhaling slowly. (6) Return tofirst position and take a complete breath. (7) Then bend sidewaysexhaling slowly (vary by bending to right and then to left). (8) Practisecleansing breath. 

Exercise VII. 

(1) Stand erect or sit erect with straight spinal column. (2) Inhale acomplete breath but instead of inhaling on a continuous steady stream, take a series of short, quick "sniffs" as if you were smelling aromaticsalts and ammonia and did not wish to get too strong a "whiff. " Do notexhale any of these little breaths, but add one to the other until theentire lung space is filled. (3) Retain for a few seconds. (4) Exhalethrough the nostrils in a long restful breath. (5) Practise cleansingbreath. 

WHEN YOU ARE IN TRAINING. 

Do not attempt to take all the above exercises at one and the sametime. Take them several times in the day. Never exercise immediatelyafter a meal or before it. Do not try to force development as you willbe apt to suffer from re-action. Slow and steady wins the race. Gentleand persistent exercises are advisable. That will lead to permanentdevelopment. 

EFFECT OF MIND AND BODY. 

It has been proved conclusively even on the physical plane that a"a Man thinketh in his heart so is he. " The great thing to avoid is Fearand Worry thoughts. These and all other undesirable thoughts are dueto bad health partially but it is even a greater truth that physicaldegeneration is due to bad thinking. Fear affects the heart. Duringepidemics such as plague, cholera, etc. , you generally first project thedeadly germs of Fear-Thoughts upon yourself and thus by weakening yourmind you weaken your body and expose yourself to disease influence. Again, if you have some hereditary disease and if you accept adversesuggestions from ignorant people and keep telling yourself that such andsuch a disease has taken shelter in you and your body as its "fixedabode" you simply hasten your own end. The body and mind areinterrelated. Thoughts materialize themselves in your body. You shouldget as far away from the idea of disease and old age and weaknesses aspossible and hold the health-thoughts steadily before your mind. The onlyway in which to be quite immune from Disease is to Deny the Power ofDisease on yourself. Say "I cannot be ill, " "I will not admit disease. "Health and strength are in the unyielding will. De-hypnotise yourselfof that superstition that God sends disease. Your body is yours tocontrol and keep healthy. God will give you--(He has already given yourather)--the Power to control your body. Remember always; you alone cansave yourself. All Power and Wisdom are potentially resident in you. Have confidence and set that thing in motion, exercise it constantly andpersistently and it shall grow and unfold. God is in you and you are inGod. When you pray you are simply, although often unconsciously, helpingthat Latent Power to uncoil itself. Remember again: God will grant youthe opportunity, the means, the wisdom, the ability to accomplish athing, but You Shall Have to do the work yourself. Hence, you see, theillumined mind is quite necessary for perfect health. Get rid of all weakthoughts. Have a strong mind. Remember lastly:

MIND ACTS UPON BODY IN ALL WAYS. 

Make your mind positive to your body. I have told you how to do so. Physical exercise plus Mental Exercise will put you on the road toPower and Poise. And side by side with this follow health-laws. Butbear in mind that if you assert your power on your mind and bodyconfidentially, they cannot but obey your commands. The body has anintelligence of its own. This intelligence knows its work perfectly. Itis what you call Instinct. It digests your meals; assimilates andeliminates; repairs wastes; works the heart and controls the circulation;heals wounds and presides over all other natural and involuntaryprocesses in the body. This Instinctive mind knows its work perfectly. But, mark you, this intelligence in the cells and nerve-centres of yourbody is negative to the Central Intelligence in the brain--thecontrolling centre--the "I Am" and is affected by suggestions, beliefsand thoughts in your brain. All you have got to do is to avoid projectingnegative thoughts from your mind and let it alone. But suppose you haveby violation of the Laws of Nature disturbed the action of theInstinctive Mind, disease results. Disease is simply the effect of natureto throw off unnatural conditions and re-assert natural conditions. Insuch a case all you have got to do is to re-establish natural states. Youcan do so by simply increasing the general vitality of the body and bychanging your Mental Attitude. For instance, if you somehow or other haveaccepted the "belief" that your stomach is weak or your heart is weak oryour liver is slow or your circulation is bad or your vitality is low, etc. , your instinctive Mind will take up your Beliefs and work them outin no time physically. The Instinctive Mind--which is the same as thesub-conscious Mind working in the body--_never reasons_. It is on theplane of Automatism. Therefore, if you have done any such negativethinking your first step is to wipe out these noxious mental weeds by thePositive Denial. Say "No, No, No, my body is strong; my stomach isstrong, my heart is strong, etc. " In this form of suggestion you usepositive Denial as well as Positive Affirmation. The former isdestructive of evil if rightly applied, the latter is constructive ofgood. Belief and confident expectation are mighty forces. Be sure youapply them wisely. The power of mind over matter is supreme and a ProvenReality. 

RESERVE FORCE. 

Here I should like to draw your attention to the Reserve Power existingin your body. Of course there are soul-powers existing potentiallywithin YOU which leap into brilliant expression as you succeed indeveloping and expanding your brain to a state of perfect responsivenessto the touch of your will. For really and truly your will, forming as itdoes the divine part of yourself, is always strong and must unfold "as arose" by exercising itself, in the field of matter, force and mind;--allof which are subordinate to YOU and the real aim of human evolution isactually to place in your hands the wand of power. 

What is within your body is sure to find its correspondent outside inNature. Control nature inside and you will move as a master out in thisuniverse. 

Now without going into details let me tell you--if you do not know italready--that mind is the finest form of matter, and matter the grossestform of mind, and there is a constant interaction between the two poles. But since mind represents the positive end and matter the negative, theformer can dominate the latter. You can evoke states of consciousness byapplying stimulus to the periphery and again mental states evokecorresponding vibrations in the cellular life of body and brain. 

Hence you see your mind controls and forms your body. Also your bodyreacts upon your brain and affects that part of your mind which has tooperate through the brain, which is matter pure and simple. So to keeparight the polarities of your brain and body a constant adjustment offorces is needed and thus you can establish POISE. 

In order always to be in a state of perfect health two things arenecessary. Deny the power of disease over yourself. In the unyieldingwill is health. In the weak, vacillating, fearful mind is disease anddeath. At the same time always be in perfect magnetic trim with thephysical laws of health. A knowledge of the latter and the ascension of afearless mental attitude will open up hitherto unrecognised channels ofphysical and mental expression. Physiological researches have led sincereinvestigators to the inevitable conclusion that there is subtle, refined, dynamic substance, a reality that binds up the reorganization, causesgrowth, vitality and motion; repairs injuries; makes up losses; overcomesand cures diseases. Von Helment called it "Archeus"; Stahl called it"Anima;" Whytt called it the "sentiment principle;" Dr. Cullen called it"Caloric;" Dr. Darwin called it "Sensorial energy"; Rush called it"Occult cause;" and many other names such as "Vital Principle, " "Livingpower, " "Conservative Power, " "Odic Force, " etc. , etc. , have been givento it. We of India have recognised it and devised Yoga methods forcontrolling it; we call it Prana and only in India do you come across menwho possess pranic control or control over universal energy. 

There exists in your physical organism reserve stores of vital energystored away for your use, particularly in that central ganglion of yourvital battery known as the Solar Plexus and generally in the chain ofganglia or storage batteries along and up your spine and elsewhere inother nerve-centres. The solar plexus is also known as the AbdominalBrain and your brain depends and draws upon this vital centre for itsenergies. You will find after the prolonged concentration and brain-workthat this part of your body--at the back of pit of stomach--becomeswarm. Now when you engage in physical exercise, for instance, you musthave noticed how at first you soon get tired and all done up. But if youwait a little and then start again, you will find how the sense offatigue has quite passed away and you can run your body under fullpressure for a very long time, and the more you exert yourself thegreater and more powerful the surging up of your vital energy. With eachnew exertion you seem to acquire a fresh start. This has puzzledphysiologists. You will find a parallel phenomenon in mental work. Youmay experience a sense of weariness and fatigue in some brain-work whichdemands close thinking and attention, but if you attack your work alittle later after the first effort you will do your work a surprisingdegree of freshness, vigour, and enthusiasm far surpassing the originalattempt. Again everyone can and does put forth universal energy underpressure of some urgent necessity, which will startle even himself. Nomatter who you are and what your physical condition, there is an enormousamount of power in your body that has never been drawn upon at alland impatiently waiting for up-call. We go on in ordinary dog trot pace, resting, limping, "taking care of our health, " and then we think we aredoing our best. Do not permit your mind to be self-hypnotised into afalse sense of being "exhausted" and "old. " Neither of them is a factexcept in your thought of yourself. All your powers are lying dormant. All your latent energies are lying unused. Back of your consciousmentality are tremendous energies awaiting the pull of your will. Whenyour brain conceives of being something unusually great, at least so itmay appear from your view-point, do not question your strength but goahead unhesitatingly, fearlessly and steadily. Assert your life-force. Feel that you are young, strong and healthy and fit. Live in mentalconsciousness of power and never think of weakness. Keep your grip andrun right along. Nature is sure to honor your draft. Nature is sure togive you strength, energy and vim, in boundless measure. Just try thismy friends, you, who write me of "there being a serious lack of vitality"in your system and hence your inability to grapple with the occult. Nosuch thing. Fact is you lack courage and initiative, pluck and "go" andyou are labouring under the hypnotism of weakening thoughts. Just changeyour thoughts, and your reserve forces will rush out into activityand you will be a changed man in no time. 

HOW TO EXERCISE. 

In exercising aim at rhythm of motion. Let your movements be easy, regular, rhythmic and graceful. Take an interest in your work. Do payattention. Put Will-Power and Mind into your work. Think of all it means. Do not fatigue yourself unduly. After exercise towelling or a spray-bathis advisable. Wet your towel, pass it over your body, rubbing thoroughly. Raise the towel and repeat. After exercise and towelling, you should bein a splendid glow. Be sure to keep the windows open when exercising. Fresh air is an absolute necessity. Never mind about cold and so forth. Remember the Positive Denial will fill you with Power of Resistance. Say"Cold cannot affect my body" and believe what you say. You can faceanything in this way and remain untouched. 

BATHING AND LINEN. 

The student should bathe daily, using plenty of water, rubbing andcleaning the body from top to toe. I myself bathe very early in themorning, in all seasons, in cold water. Cold water stimulates circulationand is a wonderful tonic internally and externally. Warm water issoothing and relaxing in its effect. If you can bathe in the flowingwater of a river, so much the better. Swimming is a wonderful bracer, besides being an enjoyment in itself. There is Prana in water and yourbody extracts this Prana from air, water and food. I cannot give youinstructions as to different forms of bathing, as this is not a "doctor"book. As far as possible bathe twice a day, mornings and evenings; ifnot, once in the morning, using the towel at other times. Bathing is notmerely pouring water on body but cleansing it out and out with waterrubbing and scrubbing with hands and towels. Aim at perfect cleanliness. Cleanliness is Godliness and Health is Holiness. 

Then again while bathing if you let the water flow over your bodyand try to "appreciate the sensation" and dwell on the idea ofPrana-absorption from water, you shall get double benefit. 

About linen--_Be neat_, for God's sake. I have seen orthodox peoplewho bathe twice and wash their hands hundreds of times in the day, butwhose clothes are sticky with dirt, sweat and oil. Whatever else it maymean, Religion does not mean squalor, offensive odours in body andclothes and general neglect of external clean linen and dirt. The Yogiis a man of supreme REFINEMENT. Read that word and understand all itmeans. The clothes you wear in day-time should not be worn at night. Beclean internally as well externally. Be clean. Be clean. Be clean, withinas well as without. 

DRINKING WATER AND SWALLOWING AIR. 

Your body needs a reasonable supply of water and air. Water is used bynature in different ways. Form the habit of drinking pure water from5 to 8 tumblers a day. Drink slowly and form a mental image ofPrana-absorption from the water. 

The student needs fresh air too in plenty. If your heart and lungsare in sound condition they will draw in air naturally and extract oxygenin proper quantities. If not, perform the following exercises carefullyone by one in the open air every day. They are quite reliable. 

THE YOGI CLEANSING BREATH. 

(1) Inhale a complete breath. (2) Retain the air a few seconds. (3) Pucker up the lips as if for a whistle (but do not swell out thecheeks) then exhale a little air through the opening with considerablevigor. Then stop for a moment retaining the air and then exhale a littlemore air. Repeat until the air is completely exhaled. Remember thatconsiderable vigor is to be used in exhaling air through the opening inthe lips. This breath will be found quite refreshing when one is tiredand generally "used up. " A trial will convince the student of its merits. This exercise should be practised until it can be performed naturally andeasily, as it is used to finish up a number of other exercises given inthis book and it should be thoroughly understood. 

NERVE VITALISING BREATH. 

(1) Stand erect. (2) Inhale a complete breath and retain same. (3) Extendthe arms straight in front of you, letting them somewhat limp andrelaxed, with only sufficient nerve force to hold them out. (4) Slowlydraw the hands back towards the shoulders gradually, contracting themuscles and putting force into them, so that when they reach theshoulders the fists will be so tightly clenched that a tremulous motionis felt. (5) Then keeping the muscles tense push the fists slowly out andthen draw them back rapidly (still tense) several times. (6) Exhalevigorously through the mouth. (7) Practise the cleansing breath. (8)The efficiency of this exercise depends greatly upon the speed of thedrawing back of the fists, and the tension of the muscles, and, of courseupon the full lungs. This exercise must be tried to be appreciated. Itis without equal as a "bracer" as our western friends put it. 

THE VOCAL BREATH. 

(1) Inhale a complete breath very slowly, but steadily, through thenostrils, taking as much time as possible in the inhalation. (2) Retainfor a few seconds. (3) Expel the air vigorously in one great breath, through the wide-opened mouth. (4) Rest the lungs by the cleansingbreath. This would give you a good, rolling voice. 

THE RETAINED BREATH. 

(1) Stand erect. (2) Inhale a complete breath. (3) Retain thebreath as long as you can comfortably. (4) Exhale vigorously throughthe open mouth. (5) Practise the cleansing breath. At first you willbe able to retain the breath only a short time, but a little practisewill also show a great improvement. Time yourself with a watch, if youwish to note your progress. 

CELL STIMULATION. 

(1) Stand erect with hands in sides. (2) Breathe in very slowly andgradually. (3) While inhaling, gently tap the chest with the fingertips, constantly changing position. (4) When the lungs are filled, retain thebreath and the chest with the palms of the hands. (5) Practise thecleansing breath. 

RIB STRETCHING. 

(1) Stand erect. (2) Place the hands one on each side of the bodyas high up in the armpits as convenient, the thumbs reaching towardsthe back, the palms on the side of the chest and the fingers to the frontover the breast. (3) Inhale a complete breath. (4) Retain the air fora short time. (5) Then gently squeeze the sides at the same time slowlyexhaling. (6) Practise the cleansing breath. 

CHEST EXPANSION

(1) Stand erect. (2) Inhale a complete breath. (3) Retain theair. (4) Extend both arms forward and bring the two clenched fiststogether on a level with the shoulder. (5) Then swing back the fistsvigorously until the arms stand out straight side-ways from theshoulders. (6) Then bring back to position (4) and swing to position(5). Repeat several times. (7) Exhale vigorously through the open mouth. (8) Practise the cleansing breath. 

WALKING EXERCISE. 

(1) Walk with head up, chin drawn slightly in, shoulders back, andwith measured tread. (2) Inhale a complete breath, counting (mentally)1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, one count to each step making the inhalationextend over the eight counts. (3) Exhale slowly through the nostrils, counting as before 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, one count to a step. (4) Restbetween breaths, continuing, walking and counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, one count to a step. (5) Repeat until you begin to feel tired. Then restfor a while and resume at pleasure. Repeat several times a day. You mayvary the exercise by retaining the breath during a 1, 2, 3, 4, count andthen exhale in an eight-step count. Practise whichever plan seems mostagreeable to you. 

MORNING EXERCISE. 

(1) Stand erect in a military attitude, head up, eyes front, shouldersback, knees stiff, hands at sides. (2) Raise body slowly on toes, inhaling a complete breath, steadily and slowly. (3) Retain the breathfor a few seconds, maintaining the same position. (4) Slowly sink thefirst position at the same time slowly exhaling the air through thenostrils. (5) Practise cleansing breath. (6) Repeat several times, varying by using right leg alone, then left leg alone. 

STIMULATING CIRCULATION. 

(1) Stand erect. (2) Inhale a complete breath and retain. (3) Bendforward slightly and grasp a stick or cane steadily and firmly, andgradually exerting your entire strength upon the grasp. (4) Relax thegrasp, return to first position, and slowly exhale. (5) Repeat severaltimes. (6) Finish with the cleansing breath. (N. B. --_The above arefrom the Yoga Teachings_. )

MEDITATION EXERCISE No. I. 

Retire into the silence. Say: I AM FEARLESS. Concentrate calmly on thatidea. Think it out in all its bearings. See yourself in your mind's eyeas possessing the desired quality and acting it out in actual life. Letyour mind indulge in a good, strongly-dramatized day-dream. Only insistupon its sticking to the particular text of thought and always showingyou successful at the end. Finish up with a vigorous affirmation of the"I am. " Practise at the same hour daily for 6 months at least. 

Exercise No. II. 

Retire into the silence. Concentrate earnestly thus: _I send outstrong, positive, healing thought-waves of love to all mankind. Let thedisease-ridden become healthy. Let the weak become strong. Let theneedy ones become prosperous and happy. Let the fearful ones becomefilled with courage. Let the cruel become kind and merciful. Let thehateful and hating ones become loving. Let the impure ones becomepure. Let the bereaved, deserted, sorrow-stricken ones become soothedand comforted_. 

Picture to yourself strong waves of Thought-Force passing out ofyou and encircling the whole world. Picture the world as peopled withmen and women manifesting the desired conditions. 

The more friends sit together in union of will and soul concentratingas above-indicated the better. Practise alone if you can find no earnestand serious-minded ones to join you. 

Believe in your power to so help humanity. The power of thoughtis unlimited. In blessing others bless yourself. The effect of thisexercise will be far-reaching. It shall follow and be a blessing to youeven after death. Practise regularly at the same place and time as far aspossible. 

Be earnest in your work. 

Do not talk of your exercises to others. 

The above exercises will wonderfully develop and strengthen anyone whotries them. The deep breathing exercise already given is known asPranayama or Controlling the Psychic Breath. Its main purpose is togive you control over your Prana and unfold the Psychic Force latent inyou. Practised on an impure body and weak lungs it may do harm. Hencestudents are advised to undergo the above 10 breathing exercises firstand then, when their lungs have developed the power of endurance, theyshould take that up. It will take time, patience, and serious work. But if the student is sufficiently energetic he will perfect all theseexercises in six months. But follow nature's plan and be slow and steady. 

DIET. 

You all know that pure food brings pure blood. You should avoidthe two extremes of gluttony and daily fasting and abstemiousness. Youshould know (1) What to eat (2) How to eat (3) When to eat. 

Concentrated food such as contains the maximum amount of nourishmentin a minimum quantity should be used. The student should study somereliable hand book on the relative values of food and use hisjudgment. We ourselves use nuts, milk, fruits, whole wheat bread, ricein very small quantity, pulse, etc. Those who are non-meat eaters--andwe advise it strongly--will do well to see to it that their _menu_ has agood supply of albuminous food, as vegetarians often run the risk ofbeing overfed as to starch and underfed in nitrogenous foods. 

(2) Chew and masticate properly so as to extract the food-Prana in fulland break up the food-substance into very small bits, reducing it topulp. Do not be in a hurry to bolt your food but let it linger in yourmouth so as to be properly insalivated and so that the nerves of thetongue, cheek, etc. , may all absorb energy from food. Remember yourstomach is not lined with rows of teeth. This will give you double thenourishment you get ordinarily, avoid constipation, prevent malnutrition, non-assimilation and over-eating. Out of a very small quantity of foodyou can extract perfect nourishment and thus you avoid loading and"stuffing" the stomach with unnecessary food. It is also economical incase you are a thrifty soul! Eat to live. Don't live to eat. 

(3) Eat when you are hungry. That cultivated "appetite" that craves forsatisfaction at certain stated intervals of the day and brings on an"all-gone" fainting, nauseating sensation in the stomach is not real"hunger. " In real hunger there is absolutely no sensation in the stomachbut there is a rich and continuous flow of saliva in the mouth and thatsort of thing makes you enjoy the plainest of fares. Even a dry crustof bread will taste sweet as Manna. Cut off your breakfasts. Drinkcold water instead. Eat one good, nourishing meal at 12 A. M. , and onelight meal in the evening. 

Lastly, students, let plain living and high thinking be your motto. Do not be afraid to eat when you are hungry and so long as you exerciseand work with brain and body even two square meals a day are permissible. Do not grow ethereal and airy, because then you will not amount to muchin the world's work. Students, who are perfect Brahmacharies, will notcare half as much for lots of food as ordinary folk do. A constantfeeling of satisfaction and fullness is present in such. But hardworkers must never present in such. But hard workers must never beunder-nourished and they require more food than others. 

SLEEP. 

It is the depth and relaxation in sleep that counts. High-strung peoplefind it hard to relax and keep tossing on their pillows. Bathe your feetin cold water in hot season and in cool water in cold season. That willdraw off the surplus blood gurgitating in your brain. Also bathe the napeof the neck. The student should engage in meditation before falling tosleep, as during sleep the Man leaves the physical form and goes tosuper-physical planes and it is the last train of thought in your mindthat determines and conforms you to the special super-physical influenceyou are to obtain. The physical benefits too shall be great. You willfeel more rested in this way and your sleep will be sleeping a sounderand more refreshing sleep than otherwise. One of the chief signs ofsuccess in Mental and Physical Control is that your sleeps areundisturbed and peaceful. 

During sleep you are in a passive, relaxed condition and all sortsof unseen influences play around you. It is good therefore to encloseyourself in an Astral Shell. Concentrate upon your aura and picture itas extending some 18 inches all around you and forming a shell aroundyou. Now take this affirmation to concentrate your mind. 

1. I am charging my aura with my Will-Force. 

2. It is strong, strong, strong and can and will resist, repel anddrive off all bad influences and admit only pure and holy influence. 

3. It will remain around me right along the period of my sleep. 

The student is advised to surround himself in this "auric Shell"even when awake so that it may beat off all malign and harmfulthought-forces. As he grows in Will-Power and Self-Confidence, aProtective Aura will form around him naturally and will be felt byothers. 

RELAXATION VERSUS CONTRACTION. 

The student should learn to relax his body completely so that it shalllie still and limp and soft as cotton. He should be able to tense andcontract his muscles so that they will become hard as iron. In all thephysical exercises you will find two special actions (1) Musclecontraction (2) Stretching. When you contract muscle and harden it, youhave sent currents of nerve-force and will to that part; when you relaxit, you "let go" completely. What we want is Strength in Repose readyto leap into action in the flash of an eye. We have taught you how torelax in Lesson 2 on Will-Force. You all have noticed a cat crouchingfor its prey. How intensely still it is; yet you know what such stillnessmeans. It is very far from laziness. Relaxation husbands and conservesnerve-force. It is a great thing to be calm and silent. Calmness is thecentralization of tremendous power. Practise being calm, as far asyou can. 

SOLAR ENERGY. 

There is great electrical and thermal power in the sun's rays. If thehuman body be properly exposed to the sun during the first five hoursin the morning and the evening, the body would absorb energy therefromand gain in strength. Do not over do this, especially you of the warmclimate. 

LAST WORD ON HEALTH. 

Trust Nature. It is her office to keep your body-machine runningin perfect order. "Prevention is better than cure"--they say. Observethe healthy man. See how he lives and follow his example. But notethat body is yours to control and God will not do that work for you. Also get rid of the stupidity that God sends diseases. Think, study andobserve and you will know what Health Laws are. 

CONCLUSION. 

Student, I have indicated the lines along which you are to seek theway to Spiritual Independence. I cannot run your life-affairs, solve yourlife-problems, do your work for you. I have pointed out a few principles, observe, think and complete your knowledge. You must climb the stepsof the ladder of attainment and Self-Perfection yourself. 

Fear is a great stumbling-block in the way. Fight it down. Starve it out. Be earnest. Be thorough. Live your life silently and earnestly. Giveothers a helping hand whenever you can without that patronising air ofsuperiority so characteristic of the modern snobs passing for"gentlemen. " Be proud that you are an "Indian. " Follow Indian ideals ofgreatness. Consider it a privilege to help deserving souls. We all needhelp, encouragement and guidance to some extent. Co-operation, interdependence are the basic foundations of human well-being. Be strong. Be manly. Be courageous. Be great and good. Take your place in theworld's evolutionary progress and lend your hand in turning the wheelof life. In the same measure that you help others, shall you yourself behelped on all planes of life. Be reasonable. Be just and fair untoothers. Be a source of blessing unto others. So long as you labour underthe vitiating influence of negative thoughts, you cannot achieve much inany direction. I have told you "how" you are to proceed. 

May God bless you. May he guide, help and strengthen where I have failed. 

SWAMI MUKERJI.