be earned and evolved an Ego, before that Ego may persist in Re-embodiment and Re-birth. Many of the ordinary teachings regarding Reincarnation hold that there is a continuous chain of Rebirth or Reincarnations from the lowest form of animal life (and often still lower) to that of advanced Man and beyond. This is not so held in the Arcane Teaching. The Arcane Teaching holds that there is Physical Evolution from the very lowest life forms to the highest (up to a certain advanced stage to be noted hereafter), but that Spiritual Evolution begins only when the Ego is evolved from the Personal Self of some creature on the plane of humanity, or some plane equal to it in other worlds. From thence on there is Spiritual Evolution, and Metempsychosis, Re-birth or Re-embodiment, which latter continues until the Ego passes through that stage and thenceforth pursues its Spiritual Evolution without the necessity of Rebirth. Most positively does the Arcane Teaching deny that You, the Ego, as a soul, have arisen by steps of Spiritual Evolution from the various soul-stages of the animals. The Arcane Teachings also hold that the majority of human beings on earth to-day have not developed Egohood, and are therefore not likely to be reborn or re-embodied, but will, after a period of life in the Astral World, in their astral bodies, again die and fade away, being resolved into their original elements in the Cosmos.
All living things have Personality, and are able to distinguish between "Me and Not-Me"—between their personal selves and the things of the outside world. But only a portion of the human race have developed the phase called by psychologists, "Self-Consciousness," or "The Sense of Individuality," in which they are able to distinguish between the "I" and the "Me." By the "Me" is meant the things of personality-the body, the mental states, the feelings, the desires, the characteristics of personality, etc. By the "I" is meant that transcendental Something in oneself which is able to stand aside and apart and view the "Me" as from outside—that something which enables one to feel, "I Am"—that Something which enables one to know that he is superior to the body, or the personality, and that he will always be "I Am" no matter in what part of the Cosmos he may be, or after how many æons of time he may say it. It is most difficult to describe this phase of consciousness, but those who have it will recognize it, and those who have it not will likewise realize the lack. Some may not recognize it under the term Ego or the "I Am," but will understand when we say it is that which may be called "Soul Consciousness"—that is, a consciousness that You are a Soul, inhabiting a body and using a mind—a Something over and above personality and mortal life—a Something destined to live on, and on, and on-a Something which feels and knows that it is. A great many people do not recognize this Something Within them, but instead believe that they have a soul, or will have one at least—their idea of "soul" being something that will emerge from them after death. The true Soul recognizes itself as being Now—it can say "I Am the Soul—Here and Now!" This is Egohood in its early stages.
The Cosmic Will, or One Life, begins its work of physical evolution, working from lowly forms to higher and higher, the benefits of acquired conscious experience being transmitted through the laws of Sequence or Heredity. In this way the lower animals advanced in the scale of evolution, and Man appeared. But Man was, and in many cases is now, but a higher form of the lower animals—his soul life comes later. As Man advanced in the scale, there were evolved personalities which experienced the pangs of soul-birth. They felt the struggles of the developing Something Within, and began to realize that they were individuals—the "I Am" began to manifest itself. These individuals were not always "good" people—both poles of the opposites manifested here as elsewhere—they were simply stronger and more soulful people—people who felt the Real Self within them. Thus were the Egos evolved.
When physical death overcame these individuals, after spending their allotted and usual time in the Astral World, and sinking into the astral slumber preceding the usual astral dissolution and final death, these Egos awoke to a new life in new bodies—Metempsychosis in its earlier stages. Each Ego was reborn into a new body, along the lines of its general character and desires, although it preserved but a faint memory of its past life. The Ego preserved its Character, however, although its Personality had slipped away from it. Thenceforth these Egos proceeded along the lines of Spiritual Evolution, in connection with Physical Evolution—and thereby the One Cosmic Life was enabled to evolve and progress along two lines of Evolution, instead of one as before—the Cosmic Will doubled its resources. In order to see the "why" and "how" of this process of re-embodiment, or re-birth, let us listen to the Aphorism:
APHORISM XIV. Know ye this second Truth of Metempsychosis: Persistence in Egohood in Rebirth or Re-embodiment, is but the Recollection or the Memory of the Cosmic Will, in the World-Brain. As the mortal brain recollects (and thus embodies) an idea, or thing— so does the World-Brain recollect (and thus embodies) the Egos. This is the Truth of Metempsychosis, and the phases of Life beyond Metempsychosis.
To those who have deemed incapable of solution the "how" of Re-embodiment, the Truth contained in the above Aphorism will come like a flash of lightning illumining the darkness of midnight. The analogy is seen at once by those familiar with the laws of the mind and the phenomena of the brain. An idea or thing, the impression of which is in the memory (occultists claim the memory to be largely astral in its nature) is recalled or recollected, and immediately passes into the field of consciousness. And to pass into the conscious field it must be embodied in the brain substance or cells—it must be given an appropriate body. The Cosmic Will remembers the Ego in the Astral World, and in the World-Brain it again embodies it in material form. We urge you to study this carefully and thoroughly, before proceeding further, in order that you may make this great Truth your own for all time. Consider this: To be remembered by the Cosmic Will in the World-Brain, is to persist in Being—for whatever is so remembered cannot perish so long as the World-Brain persists and exists.
And now listen to the Aphorism, telling the third truth of Metempsychosis:
APHORISM XV. Know ye this third Truth of Metempsychosis: In recognizing and knowing the "I," the individual recognizes and knows the Cosmic Will—and the Cosmic Will knows and recognizes the individual. Egohood is mutual conscious recognition—all below this phase belongs to the sub-conscious plane of the World-Brain.
In this Aphorism is contained another remarkable Truth. It informs us that the "I Am," or "I," or "Soul" recognized by the individual, even faintly, is the conscious recognition of the Cosmic Will or One Life which is our Real Self. And, likewise, such recognition is mutual, for in it also is comprised the recognition of the individual by the One Life. When we know, recognize and realize the "One" within us; then the "One" recognizes us within itself. And thenceforth it remembers us, and our Spiritual Evolution begins. As the Aphorism says: "Egohood is mutual recognition—mutual recognition between the Individual and the All." The Aphorism also informs us that below the plane of Ego, all the life activities of the World-Brain are along sub-conscious lines—below the plane of Consciousness. In other words, the Being in whom we are, knows and is conscious of us, only when we are conscious of Being within us. The recognition is mutual in consciousness. And, correspondingly, as we advance in the great scale of Consciousness, we come into a closer recognition and consciousness of the One, and the One comes into a closer recognition and consciousness of us. Finally, at the High Noon of Cosmic Consciousness, we come to know that we are the One—and the One comes to know that it is us. And toward this is the aim and goal of Spiritual Evolution.
But not all the Egos reach this stage—many fall by the wayside, or sink into the mire. We shall speak of this in the succeeding lesson, and we mention it here merely to prevent a misapprehension.
The Arcane Teaching does not hold that Re-Birth is imposed arbitrarily upon the Ego, or by reason of punishment or reward for deeds "good and evil" of the physical life; but, on the contrary, that it proceeds in accordance with the operation of the Seven Laws following the general path of the Desire and Character of the Individual. In other words, the "character" of the individual, which is composed of the sum of his experience and his desires, follows the line of the general Expression of his Desires in deciding his future embodiments and life. Desire is the strong motive force of Life, as we shall explain in a future lesson, and its urge toward expression
