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A Series of Lessons in Raja Yoga532
that pass before his notice. In every other man—in every animal—in every
plant—in every mineral—he sees behind the sheath and form of appearance,
an evidence of the presence of the Spirit which is akin to his own Spirit—yea,
more than akin, for the two are One. He sees Himself in all forms of life, in
all time in all places. He realizes that the Real Self is everywhere present and
everlasting, and that the Life within himself is also within all the Universe—in
everything, for there is nothing dead in the Universe, and all Life, in all of its
varying phases, is simply the One Life, held, used and enjoyed in common
by all. Each Ego is a Centre of Consciousness in this great ocean of Life, and
while apparently separate and distinct, is yet really in touch with the Whole,
and with every apparent part.
It is not our intention, in this lesson, to go into the details of this great
mystery of Life, or to recite the comparatively little of the Truth that the
most advanced teachers and Masters have handed down. This is not the
place for it—it belongs to the subject of Gnani Yoga rather than to Raja
Yoga—and we touch upon it here, not for the purpose of trying to explain
the scientific side of it to you, but merely in order that your minds may be led
to take up the idea and gradually manifest it in conscious realization. There
is quite a difference between the scientific, intellectual teaching of Gnani
Yoga, whereby the metaphysical and scientific sides of the Yogi teachings
are presented to the minds of the students, in a logical, scientific manner,
and the methods of Raja Yoga, in which the Candidate is led by degrees to
a consciousness (outside of mere intellectual belief) of his real nature and
powers. We are following the latter plan, for this course is a Course in Raja
Yoga. We are aiming to present the matter to the mind in such a manner that
it may prepare the way for the dawning consciousness, by brushing away the
preconceived notions and prejudices, and allowing a clean entrance for the
new conception. Much that we have said in this lesson may appear, on the
one hand, like useless repetition, and, on the other hand, like an incomplete
presentation of the scientific side of the Yogi teachings. But it will be found,
in time, that the effect has been that the mind of the student has undergone