The Secret Doctrine Volume 3.pdf

the second is impeded in his fiendish work by the joint efforts of the human “Stones”
of the “Guardian Wall.” [See Voice of the Silence. pp.68 and 94. art 28. Glossary.]
It is incorrect to think that there exists any special “powder of projection” or
“philosopher’s stone,” or “elixir of life.” The latter lurks in every flower, in every stone
and mineral throughout the globe. It is the ultimate essence of everything on its way
to higher and higher evolution. As there is no good or evil per se, so there is neither
“elixir of life” nor “elixir of death,” nor poison, per se, but all this is contained in one
and the same universal Essence, this or the other effect, or result, depending on the
degree of its differentiation and its various correlations. The light side of it produces
life, health, bliss, divine peace, etc; the dark side brings death, disease, sorrow and
strife. This is proven by the knowledge of the nature of the most violent poisons; of
some of them even a large quantity will produce no evil effect on the organism,
whereas a grain of the same poison kills with (Page 490) the rapidity of lightning; while
the same grain, again, altered by a certain combination, though its quantity remains
almost identical, will heal. The number of the degrees of its differentiation is
septenary, as are the planes of its action, each degree being either beneficent or
maleficent in its effects, according to the system into which it is introduced. He who is
skilled in these degrees is on the high road to practical Adeptship; he who acts at
haphazard—as do the enormous majority of the “Mind Curers,” whether “Mental” or
“Christian Scientists”—is likely to rue the effects on himself as well as on others. Put
on the track by the example of the Indian Yogis, and of their broadly but incorrectly
outlined practices, which they have only read about, but have have no opportunity to
study—these new sects have rushed headlong and guideless into the practice of
denying and affirming. Thus they have done more harm than good. Those who are
successful owe it to their innate magnetic and healing powers which very often
counteract that which would otherwise be conductive to much evil. Beware, I say:
Satan and the Archangel are more than twins; they are one body and one mind—
Deus est Demon inversus.
Is the Practice of Concentration
Beneficent
Such is another question often asked. I answer: Genuine concentration and
meditation, conscious and cautious, upon one’s lower self in the light of the inner
divine man and the Pâramitâs, is an excellent thing. But to “sit for Yoga,” with only a
superficial and often distorted knowledge of the real practice, is almost invariably
fatal: for ten to one the student will either develop mediumistic powers in himself or
lose time and get disgusted both with practice and theory. Before one rushes into
such a dangerous experiment and seeks to go beyond a minute examination of one’s
lower self and its walk in life, or that which is called in our phraseology, “The Chelâ’s
Daily Life Ledger,” he would do well to learn at least the difference between the two
aspects of “Magic,” the White or Divine, and the Black or Devilish, and assure
himself that by “sitting for Yoga,” with no experience, as well as with no guide to
show him the dangers, he does not daily and hourly cross the boundaries of the
Divine to fall into the Satanic. Nevertheless, the way to learn the difference is very
easy; one has only to remember that no Esoteric truths entirely unveiled will ever be
given in public print, in book or magazine.
Nature's Finer Forces (Page 491) I ask students to turn to the Theosophist of November,
1887. On page 98 they will find the beginning of an excellent article by Mr. Râma
Prasâd on “Nature’s Finer Forces.” * [The references to “Nature’s Finer Forces”
which follow, have respect to the eight articles which appeared in the pages of the
Theosophist and not to the fifteen essays and the translation of a chapter of the
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