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Lesson III: Spiritual Consciousness.289
This concludes our consideration of the first part of “Light on the Path.”
The second part lies before us. It may be objected to that the second part
refers to the experience of the student, after he has passed through the
silence which followed the storm, and that it concerns not the student who
has not as yet reached that stage. To this we answer, that the experiences of
the privileged student have very close correspondences in the experiences
of the student who has not yet attained. The Path is a spiral, and although the
traveler along it constantly mounts higher, yet he goes around and around, a
single turn of the spiral above the place where he walked a little while back.
Therefore these experiences have correspondences on the higher and lower
levels of the spiral. We feel impressed to continue this consideration of this
wonderful little manual, and we feel that the student on the lower levels
may receive encouragement, benefit and understanding from the same.
The second part of the manual contains great truths, which may profit us all.
Let us face them.
Many of our students have asked them for some of the Yogi exercises
for developing this Spiritual Illumination. Answering this, we say that the
best Yogi authorities do not encourage many of the practices indulged in
by the less enlightened of their brethren. They believe that such practices
are more or less abnormal, and instead of producing the real illumination
desired, simply help to bring on a psychic condition which is but a reflection
of the desired state—a moon instead of the Sun. And such psychic states do
not aid in spiritual unfoldment, although they undoubtedly do produce an
ecstatic condition, pleasing for the moment—a psychic intoxication, if we
are permitted to use the term.
Meditation along the lines of thought touched upon in this lesson, or
similar writings, is of course of benefit, and many Yogi students accompany
this with rhythmic breathing which has a tranquilizing effect. But at the best,
these things merely prepare the ground for the growth of the plant from
which the blossom springs. The plant itself comes when its time is ripe, and
cannot be forced unduly. Let us prepare the best conditions for its growth