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The Sixth Lesson: Cultivation of Perception.583
this knowledge may be obtained only through the senses. The Yogi student
must be “wide awake” and possessed of developed senses and powers of
Perception. The senses of Sight and Hearing, the two latest in the scale of
Evolutionary growth and unfoldment, must receive a particular degree of
attention. The student must make himself “aware” of what is going on about
and around him, so that he may “catch” the best vibrations.
It would surprise many Westerners if they could come in contact with
a highly developed Yogi, and witness the marvelously finely developed
senses he possesses. He is able to distinguish the finest differences in things,
and his mind is so trained that, in thought, he may draw conclusions from
what he has perceived, in a manner that seems almost “second-sight” to
the uninitiated. In fact, a certain degree of second-sight is possible to one
who develops his sense of Sight, under the urge of Attention. A new world is
opened out to such a person. One must learn to master the senses, not only
in the direction of being independent of and superior to their urgings, but
also in the matter of developing them to a high degree. The development of
the physical senses, also has much to do with the development of the” Astral
Senses,” of which we have spoken in our “Fourteen Lessons,” and of which
we may have more to say in the present series. The idea of Raja Yoga is to
render the student the possessor of a highly developed Mind, with highly
developed instruments with which the mind may work.
In our future lessons we shall give the student many illustrations, directions,
and exercises calculated to develop the different faculties of the mind—not
only the ordinary faculties of everyday use, but others hidden behind these
familiar faculties and senses. Commencing with the next lesson, we shall
present a system of exercises, drills, etc., the purpose of which will be the
above mentioned development of the faculties of the Mind.
In this lesson we shall not attempt to give specific exercises, but will
content ourselves with calling the attention of the student to a few general
rules underlying the development of Perception.