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Lesson X: The Riddle of the Universe.431
meaning the particular presentation of the Whole coming within the field
of our consciousness. We are unable to see the thing in its entirety, and
consequently speak of that which we see as “a part,” or “a portion” of the
Absolute or Whole. But the limitation is within ourselves, and our mind
makes the relative distinction because its field is too limited to take in a
view of the whole. The mind breaks up the Whole into these limited and
partial views, and calls each “a part,” although in the absolute and true sense
there is no partition, division or separation of these so-called “parts,” and, in
reality and truth the Whole remains unchanged and unseparated, although
the little finite, relative, field of consciousness breaks it into imaginary “parts”
for its own convenience and accommodation. The matter may be illustrated,
crudely, by the following example. From the window by the side of which
this lesson is written, there may be seen a great mountain range. As far as the
eye reaches, it extends. Our eye takes it in as a whole, or rather recognizes
it as a whole as it sweeps along its stretch, notwithstanding that at no time
does the field of vision cover the whole range. Still the sense of continuity or
wholeness is there, and if the eye were to be placed at a sufficient distance,
it would take in the whole picture as one. But suppose that we wished to
photograph this range, from this window. We would be compelled to first
point the camera at one “part,” and then after snapping it, point it at another
“part,” and so on until we had secured pictures of the whole. The several
pictures would show no connection with each other, and the whole range
would appear as if broken up or separated into “parts” or “portions,” and yet
in reality there has been no partition, separation or division in the mountain
itself. The mountain itself remains unchanged—whole, and undivided.
Distribute the pictures, and each person looking at his particular one would
see only a “part,” each looking different, and having no connection with any
other, unless the two be placed together. One wishing to get a correct view
of the range, would have to piece together the “parts,” before he could
see a representation of the whole without division or separateness. And
yet, whether the pictures be viewed separately or together, the mountain