Arcane principle that the Universal Life is not Absolute—not Independent and Self Governed—not Sovereign Power—not God, in the highest sense of the word; but instead is Relative, Subordinate, and under The Law. The Arcane Teaching that the Universal Life is not its own law, but is under Law and governed by Laws, is the only explanation consistent with the highest report of the reason—the highest form of Logic—and the experience of science, based upon observed facts.
One of the greatest and most glaring of the fallacies of Pantheism or allied systems of thought, is that which assumes that The Absolute or Deity is "trying to" accomplish something—either in the direction of "gaining experience," or "building up" some great universe by continual progression. The idea of an Absolute, which must be Perfect, desiring anything other than it has is illogical. The idea of an Absolute Pantheistic Deity who must be All-Wise, trying to "gain experience" or learn something by playing the game of Many Parts, is childlike and ridiculous—surely an unworthy role to attribute to an Omniscient Deity. The idea of an Absolute or Omnipotent Deity "trying to," or endeavoring to build up universes by slow and arduous labor belongs to the category of child-thought. To think of such a Being doing "day work" is ridiculous—and then what could He gain by it, this Perfect and Self-Sufficient Being? And the fact remains that if all past Time has not been sufficient to accomplish perfect results, then all future Time will fail to accomplish them—for just as future Time has no ending, past Time has no beginning, and existed forever. And then, what did this Creative Being do in all the Eternity before Creation, if it be held that Creation had its beginning in time?
At the last analysis, the report of the illumined of the race will be found to agree with the highest report of the human reason—the report that the Universal Life can be but Relative; governed by a Sovereign Absolute Law; and subject to the Laws of Rhythm and Cyclicity—having its Ebb and Flow; its Action and Reaction; its Rise and Fall; its Days and Nights; its Periods of Creative Activity, and Creative Rest. And the Arcane Teaching squares fully with these requirements—for it is founded on Cosmic Truth.
Lesson VI. Involution and Evolution.
IN ORDER to understand the Arcane Teaching regarding the processes whereby the Cosmic Will manifests in the universe of life and action; shape and form; change, appearance, and variety; let us seek the wisdom of the Aphorisms. Listen to the Aphorisms:
APHORISM VIII. By the Law of Analogy the Manifest Cosmos may be known. "Ex Uno disce Omnes"—From One know All. Like unto a World-Brain is the Cosmos. Its brain-substance is the Substance-Principle; its thought-energy is the Motion-Principle; its Mind is the Consciousness-Principle. Its will is the Cosmic Will. Its spirit is the Cosmic Spirit. Its laws are the Seven Laws. Its Sovereign is The Law.
Many philosophies have held that the universe is mental, in its last analysis, and that the Universal Mind is the reality behind the appearances. Others have held that the universe is merely an imagination, illusion, or dramatization, in the mind of a Supreme Being. But all of these conceptions use the terms "mind" or "mental" as something having no connection with material substance, the latter being an illusion. But the Arcane Teaching recognizes Substance as being as real and actual as Mind or Motion—the three being but aspects of the same thing—the Three Principles which are really One. And in giving to Substance and Motion equal places with Mind, the conception is seen to be rather more like a "World-Brain" than a "World-Mind," for like the brain it contains the principles of Substance, Motion and Consciousness. Thought is the product of these three—the action of Consciousness upon Substance, by means of the vibrations of Motion. As in the human brain, so in the Cosmic Brain—"as above, so below; as below, so above." From One know All. Substance and Motion are not illusions—they are co-equal with Mind, in reality and actuality. There can be no Mind without Substance and Motion; there can be no Substance without Mind and Motion; there can be no Motion without Mind and Substance. The "Three Principles" are always found together—in Everything the Three are found. There is no separateness in the Three Principles—there are, and must be, always in combination. And this combination in the Cosmos, gives us that which may be called the World-Brain.
APHORISM IX. In the World-Brain of the Cosmos arises and is manifested all natural phenomena. All natural phenomena is but the perpetual action and reaction; combination and re-combination; distribution and redistribution; of the Three Principles, in the World-Brain, by the Cosmic Will. As in the human brain material changes of form, shape, combination, character, and degree, result from mental activities—organic structural changes accompany mental states—states of consciousness are embodied in forms of material brain substance— so in the World-Brain, by the Cosmic Will, do Thoughts become Things; Desires take on Material Form; Ideas become Manifested; Mental Images become reproduced in the Material and Physical Forms, Shapes, and Appearances. Mental States precede Material Form—Mental Images precede Materialization.
In this Aphorism is contained a marvelous scientific truth, little suspected by the majority of thinkers. Every mental state produces a corresponding material change in the structure and substance of the brain—the brain-cells respond to the faintest mental state. The Arcane Teaching informs us that the Cosmos, being a great World-Brain, is governed by the same laws— "as below, so above." This being so, we may see how the Cosmos while still being mental may yet manifest in actual material and physical forms and phenomena, under the direction of the Mind. There is Mind back of every material and physical form and appearance. Here is the reconciliation between mentalism and materialism—idealism and naturalism. Read the above Aphorism carefully, a number of times—it contains the key of the material Cosmos, and the secret of Mentalism. Read between its lines. It informs you why and how Thoughts become Things—Mental States produce Material Forms—Mental Images cause Materialization. Here is the Key to unlock many Occult Doors. Can you use it?
APHORISM X. What men call "Matter" is but the countless centres produced by Will in the Substance Principle, through the action of the Motion Principle. What men call "Force and Energy" is but the action of the Motion-Principle upon the Substance-Principle, induced by the Will. What men call "Thought" is but the action of the Will upon the Consciousness-Principle, employing the Substance and Motion-Principles in the operation. In every action of the Cosmic Will all Three Principles are employed and involved, in varying degrees and combinations. The Will is the Motive Power behind all manifestation in the World-Brain of the Cosmos.
The above Aphorism states that which some of the more advanced of modern scientists and philosophers now hold to be a proven fact. Science and Philosophy is fast approaching a meeting point, where they will see that behind the activities and phenomena of the universe there is to be found a Cosmic Will manifesting in the multitudinous variety of shape and form; life and action. Science and the Arcane Teaching agree upon this point. As a celebrated philosopher-scientist said: "The material universe is but the outer wrapper behind which is hidden a spiritual creative activity; a striving, feeling, sensing, like that which we experience in ourselves." Conation (the voluntary power impelling to effort) is held by Wundt to be the fundamental essence of this activity. Thus Wundt postulates the existing of a Cosmic Will, similar to that of the Arcane Teaching. A recent paper by an English scientist says: "There is but one substance, and that is Spirit. Matter, so-called, is nothing but rigid places in spirit." Matter is now known to be but combinations of the ions or electrons, which are held to be little more than "centres of force" in the ether. Thought without thinking-substance and motion is held to be unthinkable. Likewise science now holds that there is life and mind in all material substance, from atom to protoplasm. Science like the Arcane Teachers, finds the Three Principles, Substance, Motion and Consciousness in everything. And science is beginning to see in "energy and force" the evidences of "something akin to conation." "Conation" is "the voluntary power impelling to effort; the faculty of voluntary agency," etc.; or as Mill said: "Conation, in other words, is Desire
