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A Series of Lessons in Raja Yoga550
the farthest removed from our conceptions of mechanism and matter, as
we commonly define them.” Holmes was correct in his idea, but faulty in his
details. The Will does not change its seat, which is always in the center of
the Ego, but the Will forces the mind to all parts, and in all directions, and
it directs the Prana or vital force likewise. The Will is indeed the generalin-chief,
but it does not rush to the various points of action, but sends its
messengers and couriers there to carry out its orders. Buxton has said:
“The Will will do anything that can be done in this world. And no talents,
no circumstances, no opportunities will make a two-legged creature a Man
without it.” Ik Marvel truly says: “Resolve is what makes a man manifest; not
puny resolve, not crude determinations, not errant purpose—but that
strong and indefatigable Will which treads down difficulties and danger, as
a boy treads down the heaving frost-lands of winter; which kindles his eye
and brain with a proud pulse-beat toward the unattainable. Will makes men
giants.”
The great obstacle to the proper use of the Will, in the case of the majority
of people, is the lack of ability to focus the attention. The Yogis clearly
understand this point, and many of the Raja Yoga exercises which are given
to the students by the teachers, are designed to overcome this difficulty.
Attention is the outward evidence of the Will. As a French writer has said:
“The attention is subject to the superior authority of the Ego. I yield it, or I
withhold it, as I please. I direct It in turn to several points. I concentrate it
upon each point as long as my Will can stand the effort.” Prof. James has said:
“The essential achievement of the Will, when it is most voluntary, is to attend
to a difficult object, and hold it fast before the mind. Effort of Attention is
the essential phenomenon of the Will.” And Prof. Halleck says: “The first step
toward the development of Will lies in the exercise of Attention. Ideas grow
in distinctness and motor-power as we attend to them. If we take two ideas
of the same intensity and center the attention upon one, we shall notice
how much it grows in power.” Prof. Sully says: “Attention may be roughly
defined as the active self-direction of the mind to any object which presents