Raja-Yoga

PRANA. 43
Why shall I not get that infinite knowledge, infinite
power now ?
That is the ideal of the Yogi ; the whole science of
Yoga is directed to that one end, to teach men how to
shorten the time by adding power, how to intensify the
power of assimilation, and thereby shorten the time
for reaching perfection, instead of slowly advancing
from point to point, and waiting until the whole human
race has come out, and become perfect. All the great
prophets, saints, and seers, of the world, what are
they ? In that one span of life they lived the whole
life of humanity, bridged the whole length of time that
it will take ordinary humanity to come to the state of
perfection. In this life they perfect themselves; they
have no thought for anything else, breathe for nothing
else, never live a moment for any other idea, and thus
the way
is shortened for them. This is what is meant
by concentration, intensifying the action or assimila
tion, and thus shortening the time; and Raja Yoga is
the science which teaches us how to gain the power of
concentration.
What has this Prdndydma to do with spiritualism ?
That is also a manifestation of Prdndydma. If it be
true that the departed spirits exist, only that we can
not see them, it is quite probable that there may be
hundreds and millions living here that we can neither
see, feel, nor touch. We may be continually passing
and repassing through their bodies, and it is also pro
bable that they do not see or feel us. It is a circle
within a circle, universe within universe. Those only