The Creative Process in the Individual_Thomas Troward

8/12/2019 The Creative Process in the Individual_Thomas Troward

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The Creative Process in the Individual Thomas TrowardChapter 1 The Starting-point

Order and the Personal FactorIt is an old saying that Order is !eaven"s First #aw and$ li%e many other old sayings$ it contains amuch deeper philosophy than appears immediately on the sur&ace' (etting things into a )etter order isthe great secret o& progress$ and we are now a)le to &ly through the air$ not )ecause the laws o& *aturehave altered$ )ut )ecause we have learnt to arrange things in the right order to produce this result thethings themselves had e+isted &rom the )eginning o& the world$ )ut what was wanted was theintroduction o& a Personal Factor which$ )y an intelligent perception o& the possi)ilities contained in thelaws o& *ature$ should )e a)le to )ring into wor%ing reality ideas which previous generations wouldhave laughed at as the a)surd &ancies o& an un)alanced mind'The lesson to )e learnt &rom the practical aviation o& the present day is that o& the triumph o& principleover precedent$ o& the wor%ing out o& an idea to its logical conclusions in spite o& the accumulatedtestimony o& all past e+perience to the contrary, and with such a nota)le e+ample )e&ore us$ can we saythat it is &utile to enuire whether )y the same method we may not unloc% still more important secretsand gain some %nowledge o& the unseen causes which are at the )ac% o& e+ternal and visi)le conditions$and then )y )ringing these unseen causes into a )etter order ma%e practical wor%ing realities o&

possi)ilities which at present seem )ut &antastic dreams. It is at least worth while ta%ing a preliminarycanter over the ground$ and this is all that this little volume pro&esses to attempt, yet this may )esu&&icient to show the lie o& the ground'

*ow the &irst thing in any investigation is to have at least some notion o& the general direction in whichto go /ust as you would not go up a tree to &ind &ish$ though you would &or )irds" eggs' 0ell$ thegeneral direction in which we all want to go is that o& getting more out o& #i&e than we have ever got outo& it we want to )e more alive in ourselves and to get all sorts o& improved conditions in ourenvironment' !owever happily any o& us may )e circumstanced$ we can all conceive something still

)etter$ or at any rate we should li%e to ma%e our present good permanent, and since we shall &ind as ourstudies advance that the prospect o& increasing possi)ilities %eeps opening out more and more widely

)e&ore us$ we may say that what we are in search o& is the secret o& getting more out o& #i&e in a

continually progressive degree' This means that what we are loo%ing &or is something personal$ and thatit is to )e o)tained )y producing conditions which do not yet e+ist, in other words$ it is nothing less thanthe e+ercise o& a certain creative power in the sphere o& our own particular world' So$ then$ what wewant is to introduce our own Personal Factor into the realm o& unseen causes' This is a )ig thing$ and i&it is possi)le at all$ it must )e )y some seuence o& cause and e&&ect$ and this seuence it is our o)/ect todiscover' The #aw o& Cause and &&ect is one we can never get way &rom$ )ut )y care&ully &ollowing itup we may &ind that it will lead us &urther than we had anticipated'!armony

*ow$ the &irst thing to o)serve is that i& we can succeed in &inding out such a seuence o& cause ande&&ect as the one we are in search o&$ some)ody else may &ind out the same creative secret also, andthen$ )y the hypothesis o& the case$ we should )oth )e armed with in&alli)le power$ and i& we wanted to

employ this power against each other we should )e landed in an impasse o& a con&lict )etween twopowers each o& which was irresisti)le' Conseuently it &ollows that the &irst principle o& this power must)e !armony' It cannot )e antagonising itsel& &rom di&&erent centres in other words its operation in asimultaneous order at every point is the &irst necessity o& its )eing'0hat we are in search o&$ then$ is a seuence o& cause and e&&ect so universal in its nature as to includeharmoniously all possi)le variations o& individual e+pression' This primary necessity o& the #aw &orwhich we are see%ing should )e care&ully )orne in mind$ &or it is o)vious that that any seuence whichtransgresses this primary essential must )e contrary to the very nature o& the #aw itsel&$ andconseuently cannot )e conducting us to the e+ercise o& true creative power'0hat we are see%ing$ there&ore$ is to discover how to arrange things in such an order as to set in motiona train o& causation that will harmonise our own conditions without antagonising the e+ercise o& a li%e

power )y others' This there&ore means that all individual e+ercise o& this power is the particularapplication o& a 2niversal power which itsel& operates creatively on its own account independently o&these individual application, and the harmony )etween the various individual applications is )roughta)out )y all the individuals )ringing their own particular action into line with this independent creative


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action o& the original power' It is in &act another application o& uclid"s a+iom that things which areeual to the same thing are eual to one another, so that though I may not %now &or what purposesomeone may )e using this creative power in Pe%ing$ I do %now that i& he and I )oth realise its truenature$ we cannot )y any possi)ility )e wor%ing in opposition to one another'For these reasons$ having now some general idea o& what it is we are in search o&$ we may commenceour investigation )y considering this common &actor which must )e at the )ac% o& all individual e+erciseo& creative power$ that is to say$ the (eneric wor%ing o& the 2niversal Creative Principle'3 2niversal Creative Principle

That such a 2niversal Creative Principle is at wor% we at once realise &rom the e+istence o& the worldaround us with all its inha)itants$ and the interrelation o& all parts o& the cosmic system shows itsunderlying 2nity thus the animal %ingdom depends on the vegeta)le$ the vegeta)le %ingdom on themineral$ the mineral or glo)e o& the arth on its relation to the rest o& the solar system$ and possi)ly oursolar system is related )y a similar law to the distri)ution o& other suns with their attendant planetsthroughout space'Our &irst glance there&ore shows us that the 3ll-originating Power must )e in essence 2nity and inmani&estation 4ultiplicity$ and that it mani&ests as #i&e and 5eauty through the unerring adaptation o&means to ends that is$ so &ar as its cosmic mani&estation o& ends goes' 0hat we want to do is to carry

this mani&estation still &urther )y operation &rom an individual standpoint' To do this is precisely ourplace in the Order o& Creation$ )ut we must de&er until later the uestion why we hold this place'4atter

One o& the earliest discoveries we all ma%e is the e+istence o& 4atter' The )ruised shins o& ourchildhood convince us o& its solidity$ so now comes the uestion$ 0hy does 4atter e+ist. The answer isthat i& the &orm were not e+pressed in solid su)stance$ things would )e perpetually &lowing into eachother so that no identity could )e maintained &or a single moment'To this it might )e replied that a condition o& matter is conceiva)le in which$ though in itsel& a plasticsu)stance in a &luent state$ it might yet )y the operation o& will )e held in any particular &orms desired'The idea o& such a condition o& matter is no dou)t conceiva)le$ and when the &luent matter was thusheld in particular &orms you would have concrete matter /ust as we have it now$ only with this

di&&erence6 that it would return to its &luent state as soon as the supporting will was withdrawn' *ow$ aswe shall see later on$ this is precisely what matter really is$ only the will which holds it together inconcrete &orm is not individual )ut cosmic'In itsel& the ssence o& 4atter is precisely the &luent su)stance we have imagined$ and as we shall seelater on$ the %nowledge o& this &act$ when realised in its proper order$ is the )asis o& the legitimatecontrol o& mind over matter' 5ut a world in which every individual possessed the power o& concretingor &lu+ing matter at his own sweet will$ irrespective o& any universal co-ordinating principle$ isaltogether inconceiva)le the con&lict o& wills would prevent such a world remaining in e+istence'4iraclesOn the other hand$ i& we conceive o& a num)er o& individuals each possessing this power$ and allemploying it on the lines o& a common cosmic unity$ then the result would )e precisely the same sta)le

condition o& matter with which we are &amiliar this would )e a necessity o& &act &or the masses whodid not possess this power$ and a necessity o& principle &or the &ew who did' So under thesecircumstances the same sta)le conditions o& *ature would prevail as at present$ varied only when theinitiated ones perceived that the order o& evolution would )e &urthered$ and not hindered$ )y calling intoaction the higher laws'Such occasions would )e o& rare occurrence$ and then the departure &rom the ordinary law would )eregarded )y the multitude as a miracle' 3lso we may )e uite sure that no one who had attained this%nowledge in the legitimate order would ever per&orm a miracle &or his own personal aggrandisementor &or the purpose o& merely astonishing the )eholder to do so would )e contrary to the &irst principleo& the higher teaching which is that o& pro&ound reverence &or the 2nity o& the 3ll-originating Principle'The conception$ there&ore$ o& such a power over matter )eing possessed )y certain individuals is in noway opposed to our ordinary recognition o& concrete matter$ and so we need not at present trou)leourselves to consider these e+ceptions'


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Illusion.3nother theory is that matter has no e+istence at all )ut is merely an illusion pro/ected )y our ownminds' I& so$ then how is it that we all pro/ect identically similar images. On the supposition that eachmind is independently pro/ecting its own conception o& matter$ a lady who goes to )e &itted might )eseen )y her dress-ma%er as a cow' (enerations o& people have seen the (reat Pyramid on the same spot,

)ut on the supposition that each individual is pro/ecting his own material world in entire independenceo& all other individuals$ there is no reason why any two persons should ever see the same thing in thesame place'On the supposition o& such an independent action )y each separate mind$ without any common &actor

)inding them all to one particular mode o& recognition$ no intercourse )etween individuals would )epossi)le' Then$ without the consciousness o& relation to other individuals$ the consciousness o& our ownindividuality would )e lost$ and so we should cease to have any conscious e+istence at all'Cosmic 4indI&$ on the other hand$ we grant that there is$ a)ove the individual minds$ a great Cosmic 4ind whichimposes upon them the necessity o& all seeing the same image o& 4atter$ then that image is not a

pro/ection o& the individual minds )ut o& the Cosmic 4ind, and since the individual minds arethemselves similar pro/ections o& the Cosmic 4ind$ matter is &or them /ust as much a reality as their

own e+istence' I dou)t not that material su)stance is thus pro/ected )y the 3ll-em)racing 7ivine 4ind,)ut so also are our own minds pro/ected )y it$ and there&ore the relation )etween them and matter is areal relation and not merely a &ictitious one'I particularly wish the student to )e clear on this point$ that where two &actors are pro/ected &rom acommon source$ their relation to each other )ecomes an a)solute &act in respect o& the &actorsthemselves$ notwithstanding that the power o& changing that relation )y su)stituting a di&&erent

pro/ection must necessarily always continue to reside in the originating source' To ta%e a simplearithmetical e+ample )y my power o& mental pro/ection wor%ing through my eyes and &ingers$ Iwrite 8 9 :' !er I have esta)lished a certain numerical relation which can only produce ; as its result'3gain$ I have power to change the &actors and write 8 9


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Chemistry recognises in all a)out seventy ?now over one hundred d@ o& these elements$ each withits peculiar a&&inities, )ut the more advanced physical science o& the present day &inds that they are allcomposed o& one and the same ultimate su)stance to which the name o& ther has )een given$ and thatthe di&&erence )etween an atom o& iron and an atom o& o+ygen results only &rom the di&&erence in thenum)er o& etheric particles o& which each is composed and the rate o& their motion within the sphere o&the atom$ thus curiously coming )ac% to the dictum o& Pythagoras that the 2niverse has its origin innum)er and motion' 0e may there&ore say that our entire solar system$ together with every sort o&material su)stance which it contains$ is made up o& nothing )ut this one primary su)stance in variousdegrees o& condensation'

*ow the ne+t step is to realise that this ether is everywhere' This is shown )y the undulatory theory o&light' #ight is not a su)stance$ )ut is the e&&ect produced on the eye )y the impinging o& the ripples o&the ether upon the retina' These waves are e+cessively minute$ ranging in length &rom 1A


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3t this primordial stage neither Time nor Space can )e recognised$ &or )oth imply measurement o&successive intervals$ and in the primary movement o& 4ind upon itsel& the only consciousness must )ethat o& Present 3)solute 5eing$ )ecause no e+ternal points e+ist &rom which to measure e+tension eitherin time or space' !ence we must eliminate the ideas o& time and space &rom our conception o& Spirit"sinitial Sel&-contemplation'This )eing so$ Spirit"s primary contemplation o& itsel& as simply 5eing necessarily ma%es its presenceuniversal and eternal$ and conseuently$ parado+ical as it may seem$ its independence o& Time andSpace ma%es it present throughout all Time and Space' It is the old esoteric ma+im that the pointe+tends to in&initude$ and that in&initude is concentrated in the point'Ideal elativity0e start$ then$ with Spirit contemplating itsel& simply as 5eing' 5ut to realise your )eing you must haveconsciousness$ and consciousness can only come )y recognition o& your relation to something else' Thatsomething else may )e an e+ternal &act or a mental image, )ut even in the latter case to conceive theimage at all you must mentally stand )ac% &rom it and loo% at it something li%e the man who was runin )y the police at (ravesend &or wal%ing )ehind himsel& to see how his new coat &itted' It stands thus6i& you are not conscious o& something$ you are conscious o& nothing, and i& you are conscious o&nothing$ then you are unconscious, so that to )e conscious at all$ you must have something to )e

conscious o&'This may seem li%e an e+tract &rom Paddy"s Philosophy$ )ut it ma%es it clear that consciousness canonly )e attained )y the recognition o& something which is not the recognising ego itsel& in otherwords$ consciousness is the realisation o& some particular sort o& relation )etween the cognising su)/ectand the cognised o)/ect' 5ut I want to get away &rom academic terms into the speech o& human )eings$so let us ta%e the illustration o& a )room and its handle the two together ma%e a )room' That is onesort o& relation, )ut ta%e the same stic% and put a ra%e-iron at the end o& it$ and you have an altogetherdi&&erent implement' The stic% remains the same$ )ut whatever is put at the end o& it ma%es the wholething a )room or a ra%e' *ow the thin%ing and &eeling power is the stic%$ and the conception which it&orms is the thing at the end o& the stic%$ so that the uality o& its consciousness will )e determined )ythe ideas which it pro/ects, )ut to )e conscious at all$ it must pro/ect ideas o& some sort'

#i&e*ow o& one thing we may )e uite sure6 that the Spirit o& #i&e must &eel alive' Then to &eel alive it must)e conscious$ and to )e conscious it must have something to )e conscious o&' There&ore thecontemplation o& itsel& as standing related to something which is not its own originating sel& in propria

persona ?a legal term meaning in one"s own person or character without the assistance o& an attorney d@ is a necessity o& the case, and conseuently the Sel&-contemplation o& Spirit can only proceed )y itsviewing itsel& as related to something standing out &rom itsel&$ /ust as we must stand at a proper distanceto see a picture in &act the very word e+istence means standing out' Thus things are called intoe+istence or outstandingness )y a power which itsel& does not stand out$ and whose presence isthere&ore indicated )y the word su)sistence'The ne+t thing is that since in the )eginning there is nothing e+cept Spirit$ its primary &eeling o&

aliveness must )e that o& )eing alive all over, and to e+perience such a consciousness o& its ownuniversal livingness there must )e the recognition o& a corresponding relation eually e+tensive incharacter, and the only possi)le correspondence to &ul&il this condition is there&ore that o& a universallydistri)uted and plastic medium whose particles are all in per&ect euili)rium$ which is e+actly thedescription o& the Primary Su)stance$ or ether' 0e are thus philosophically led to the conclusion that2niversal Su)stance must )e pro/ected )y 2niversal Spirit as a necessary conseuence o& Spirit"s owninherent &eeling o& 3liveness, and in this way we &ind that the great Primary Polarity o& 5eing )ecomesesta)lished'PolarityFrom this point onwards we shall &ind the principle o& Polarity in 2niversal activity' It is that relation

)etween opposites without which no e+ternal 4otion would )e possi)le$ )ecause there would )enowhere to move &rom and nowhere to move to, and without which e+ternal Form would )e impossi)le

)ecause there would )e nothing to limit the di&&usion o& su)stance and )ring it into shape' Polarity$ orthe interaction o& 3ctive and Passive$ is there&ore the )asis o& all volution'


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This is a great &undamental truth when we get it in its right order, )ut all through the ages it has )een aproli&ic source o& error )y getting it in its wrong order' 3nd the wrong order consists in ma%ing Polaritythe originating point o& the Creative Process' 0hat this misconception leads to we shall see later on, )utsince it is very widely accepted under various guises even at the present day$ it is well to )e on ourguard against it' There&ore I wish the student to see clearly that there is something which comes )e&orethat Polarity which gives rise to volution, and that this something is the original movement o& Spiritwithin itsel&$ o& which we can )est get an idea )y calling it Sel&-contemplation'Personal 3pplication

*ow this may seem an e+tremely a)stract conception and one with which we have no practical concern'I &ancy I can hear the reader saying$ The #ord only %nows how the world started$ and it is !is )usinessand not mine which would )e per&ectly true i& this originating &aculty were con&ined to the Cosmic4ind' 5ut it is not$ and the same action ta%es place in our own minds also$ only with the di&&erence thatit is ultimately su)/ect to that principle o& Cosmic 2nity o& which I have already spo%en'5ut$ su)/ect to that uni&ying principle$ this same power o& origination is in ourselves also$ and our

personal advance in evolution depends on our right use o& it, and our use o& it depends on ourrecognition that we ourselves give rise to the particular polarities which e+press themselves in ourwhole world o& consciousness$ whether within or without' For these reasons it is very important to

realise that volution is not the same as Creation' It is the un&olding o& potentialities involved in thingsalready created$ )ut not the calling into e+istence o& whatever does not yet e+ist that is Creation'The order$ there&ore$ which I wish the student to o)serve is$ &irst$ the Sel&-contemplation o& Spirit

producing Polarity$ and ne+t$ Polarity producing 4ani&estation in Form and also to realise that it is inthis order his own mind operates as a su)ordinate centre o& creative energy' 0hen the true place o&Polarity is thus recognised$ we shall &ind in it the e+planation o& all those relations o& things which giverise to the whole world o& phenomena, &rom which we may draw the practical in&erence that i& we wantto change the mani&estation$ we must change the polarity, and to change the polarity$ we must get )ac%to the Sel&-contemplation o& Spirit' 5ut in its proper place as the root-principle o& all secondarycausation$ Polarity is one o& those &undamental &acts o& which we must never lose sight'The term Polarity is adopted &rom electrical science' In the electric )attery it is the connecting

together o& the opposite poles o& >inc and copper ?5attery technology has changed somewhat since1B1$ )ut the principle is still the same d'@ that causes a current to &low &rom one to the other and soprovides the energy that rings the )ell' I& the connection is )ro%en there is no action' 0hen you pressthe )utton you ma%e the connection' The same process is repeated in respect o& every sort o& polaritythroughout the 2niverse' Circulation depends on polarity$ and circulation is the mani&estation o& #i&e$which we may there&ore say depends on the principle o& Polarity' In relation to ourselves$ we areconcerned with two great polarities$ the polarity o& Soul and 5ody and the polarity o& Soul and Spirit,and it is in order that he may more clearly realise their wor%ing that I want the student to have some

preliminary idea o& Polarity as a general principle'The Creative OrderThe conception o& the Creative Order may there&ore )e generalised as &ollows' The Spirit wants to en/oy

the reality o& its own #i&e not merely to vegetate$ )ut to en/oy living and there&ore )y Sel&-contemplation it pro/ects a polar opposite$ or complementary$ calculated to give rise to the particularsort o& relation out o& which the en/oyment o& a certain mode o& sel&-consciousness will necessarilyspring' #et this sentence )e well pondered over until the &ull e+tent o& its signi&icance is grasped$ &or it isthe %ey to the whole matter'Gery well$ then6 Spirit wants to n/oy #i&e and so$ )y thin%ing o& itsel& as having the en/oyment whichit wishes$ it produces the conditions which$ )y their reaction upon itsel&$ give rise to the reality o& thesort o& en/oyment contemplated' In more scienti&ic language$ and opposite polarity is induced$ givingrise to a current which stimulates a particular mode o& sensation$ which sensation in turn )ecomes a&resh starting-point &or still &urther action, and in this way each successive stage )ecomes the stepping-stone to a still higher degree o& sensation that is$ to a Fuller n/oyment o& #i&e'Such a conception as this presents us with a Progressive Series to which it is impossi)le to assign anylimit' That the progression must )e limitless is clear &rom the &act that there is never any change in themethod' 3t each successive stage the Creating Power is the Sel&-consciousness o& the Spirit$ as realisedat that stage$ still reaching &orward &or yet &urther en/oyment o& #i&e$ and so always %eeping on


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repeating the one Creative Process at an ever-rising level, and since these are the sole wor%ingconditions$ the progress is one which logically admits o& no &inality' 3nd this is where the importance o&realising the Singleness o& the Originating Power comes in$ &or with a 7uality each mem)er would limitthe other, in &act$ 7uality as the Originating Power is inconceiva)le &or$ once more to uote Paddy"sPhilosophy$ &inality would )e reached )e&ore anything was )egun'ecapitulationThis Creative Process$ there&ore$ can only )e conceived o& as limitless$ while at the same time strictly

progressive$ that is$ proceeding stage )y stage$ each stage )eing necessary as a preparation &or the onethat is to &ollow' #et us then )rie&ly s%etch the stages )y which things in our world have got as &ar asthey have' The interest o& the enuiry lies in the &act that i& we can once get at the principle which is

producing these results$ we may discover some way o& giving it personal application'On the hypothesis o& Sel&-contemplation o& Spirit )eing the originating power$ we have &ound that a

primary ether$ or universal su)stance$ is the necessary correspondence to Spirit"s simple awareness o& itsown )eing' 5ut though awareness o& )eing is the necessary &oundation &or any &urther possi)ilities$ it is$so to say$ not much to tal% a)out' The &oundation &act$ o& course$ is to %now that I 3m, )ut immediatelyon this consciousness there &ollows the desire &or 3ctivity I want to en/oy my I 3m-ness )y doingsomething with it'

Translating these words into a state o& consciousness in the Cosmic 4ind$ they )ecome a #aw o&Tendency leading to localised activity and$ loo%ing only at our own world$ this would mean thecondensation o& the 2niversal etheric su)stance into the primary ne)ula$ which later on )ecomes oursolar system$ this )eing the correspondence to the activity instead o& remaining a)sor)ed in simpleawareness o& 5eing' Then this Sel&-recognition would lead to the conception o& still more speci&icactivity having its appropriate polar opposite$ or material correspondence$ in the condensation o& thene)ula into a solar system'4otion

*ow at this stage$ Spirit"s conception o& itsel& is that o& 3ctivity$ and conseuently the materialcorrespondence is 4otion$ as distinguished &rom the simple di&&used ether$ which is the correspondenceo& mere awareness o& 5eing' 5ut what sort o& motion. Is the material movement evolved at this stage

)ound to ta%e any particular &orm. 3 little consideration will show us that it is' 3t this initial stage the &irst awa%ening$ so to say$ o& Spirit into activity its consciousness can only )e that o& activitya)solute, that is$ not as related to any other mode o& activity$ )ecause as yet there is none$ )ut only asrelated to an all-em)racing 5eing, so that the only possi)le conception o& 3ctivity at this stage is that o&Sel&-sustained activity$ not depending on any preceding mode o& activity$ )ecause there is none'The law o& reciprocity there&ore demands a similar sel&-sustained motion in the materialcorrespondence$ and mathematical considerations show that the only sort o& motion which can sustain asel&-supporting )ody moving in vacuo ?i'e' in a vacuum d'@ is a rotary motion )ringing the )odyitsel& into a spherical &orm' *ow this is e+actly what we &ind at )oth e+tremes o& the material world' 3tthe )ig end$ the spheres o& the planets rotating on their a+es and revolving round the sun, and at the littleend$ the spheres o& the atoms consisting o& particles which$ modern science tells us$ in li%e manner

rotate around a common centre at distances which are astronomical as compared with their own mass'Thus the two ultimate units o& physical mani&estation$ the atom and the planet$ )oth &ollow the same lawo& sel&-sustained motion which we have &ound that$ on a priori ?i'e' relating to or derived )y reasoning&rom sel&-evident propositions d'@ grounds$ they ought ?to &ollow d'@ in order to e+press the

primary activity o& Spirit' 3nd we may note in passing that this rotary$ or a)solute$ motion is thecom)ination o& the only two possi)le relative modes o& motion$ namely motion &rom a point and motionto it that is to say$ centri&ugal and centripetal motion, so that in rotary$ or a)solute$ motion we &indthat )oth the polarities o& motion are included$ thus repeating on the purely mechanical side the

primordial principle o& the 2nity including the 7uality in itsel&'5ut the Spirit wants something more than mechanical motion$ something more alive than the

preliminary ota ?i'e' a &i+ed order o& rotation d'@$ and so the &irst step toward individualisedconsciousness meets us in plant li&e' Then$ on the principle that each successive stage a&&ords the

plat&orm &or a &urther outloo%$ plant li&e is &ollowed )y animal li&e$ and this )y the !uman order$ inwhich the li)erty o& selecting its own conditions is immensely e+tended' In this way the Spirit"s


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e+pression o& itsel& has now reached the point where its polar complementary$ or eciprocal$ mani&estsas Intellectual 4an thus constituting the Fourth great stage o& Spirit"s Sel&-recognition'In&inite Progress5ut the Creative Process cannot stop here &or$ as we have seen$ its root in the Sel&-contemplation o&Spirit renders it o& necessity an In&inite Progression' So it is no use as%ing what is its ultimate$ &or it hasno ultimate, its word is +celsior ever #i&e$ and #i&e more 3)undant' There&ore the uestion isnot as to the ne+t step in the progression' Four %ingdoms we %now, what is to )e the Fi&th. 3ll along theline$ the progress has )een in one direction$ namely$ toward the development o& more per&ectIndividuality, and there&ore$ on the principle o& continuity$ we may reasona)ly in&er that the ne+t stagewill ta%e us still &urther in the same direction'0e want something more per&ect than we have yet reached$ )ut our ideas as to what it should )e arevery various$ not to say discordant$ &or one person"s idea o& )etter is another person"s idea o& worse'There&ore what we want to get at is some )road generalisation o& principle which will )e in advance o&our past e+periences' This means that we must loo% &or this principle in something that we have not yete+perienced$ and the only place where we can possi)ly &ind principles which have not yet mani&estedthemselves is in gremio 7ei ?literally$ in the )osom o& (o& d'@ that is$ in the innermost o& theOriginating Spirit$ or as St Hohn calls it$ in the )osom o& the Father' So we are logically )rought to

personal participation in the 7ivine Ideal as the only principle )y which the advance into the ne+t stagecan possi)ly )e made' There&ore we arrive at the uestion$ 0hat is the 7ivine Ideal li%e.

Chapter < The 7ivine IdealPrinciple 5e&ore ules0hat is the 7ivine Ideal. 3t &irst it might appear hopeless to attempt to answer such a uestion$ )ut )yadhering to a de&inite principle$ we shall &ind that it will open out$ and lead us on$ and show us thingswhich we could not otherwise have seen' This is the nature o& principle and is what distinguishes it &rommere rules$ which are only the application o& principle under some particular set o& conditions'0e &ound two principles as essential in our conception o& the Originating Spirit$ namely its power o&Selection and its power o& Initiative, and we &ound a third principle as its only possi)le 4otive6 namely

the 7esire o& the #IGI*( &or ever increasing n/oyment o& #i&e' *ow with these three principles as thevery essence o& the 3ll-originating Spirit to guide us$ we shall$ I thin%$ )e a)le to &orm some conceptiono& that divine Ideal which gives rise to the Fi&th Stage o& 4ani&estation o& Spirit$ upon which we shouldnow )e preparing to enter'eciprocal n/oyment0e have seen that the Spirit"s n/oyment o& #i&e is necessarily a reciprocal it must have acorresponding &act in mani&estation to answer to it, otherwise$ )y the inherent law o& mind$ noconsciousness and conseuently no en/oyment could accrue, and there&ore )y the law o&continuous progression$ the reuired eciprocal should mani&est as a )eing awa%ening to theconsciousness o& the principle )y which he himsel& comes into e+istence'Such an awa%ening cannot proceed &rom a comparison o& one set o& e+isting conditions with another$

)ut only &rom the recognition o& a Power which is independent o& all conditions that is to say$ thea)solute Sel&-dependence o& the Spirit' 3 )eing thus awa%ened would )e the proper correspondence o&the Spirit"s n/oyment o& #i&e at a stage not only a)ove mechanical motion or physical vitality$ )ut evena)ove intellectual perception o& e+isting phenomena$ that is to say$ at the stage where the Spirit"sn/oyment consists in recognising itsel& as the Source o& all things' The position in the 3)solute would

)e$ so to spea%$ the awa%ening o& Spirit to the recognition o& its own 3rtistic 3)ility'I use the word 3rtistic as more nearly e+pressing an almost unstata)le idea than any other I can thin%o&$ &or the wor% o& the artist approaches more closely to creation e+ nihilo ?out o& nothing d'@ thanany other &orm o& human activity' The wor% o& the artist is the e+pression o& the sel& that the artist is$while that o& the scientist is the comparison o& &acts which e+ist independently o& his own personality' Itis true that the realm o& art is not without its methods o& analysis$ )ut the analysis is that o& the artist"sown &eeling and o& the causes which give rise to it' These are &ound to contain in themselves certain

principles which are &undamental to all 3rt$ )ut these principles are the laws o& the creative action o&mind rather than those o& the limitation o& matter'


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*ow i& we may trans&er this &amiliar analogy to our conception o& the wor%ing o& the 3ll-originating4ind$ we may picture it as the (reat 3rtist giving visi)le e+pression to !is &eeling )y a process which$though su)/ect to no restriction &rom antecedent conditions$ yet wor%s )y a #aw which is insepara)le&rom the Feeling itsel& in &act the #aw is the Feeling$ and the Feeling is the #aw$ the #aw o& Per&ectCreativeness'The Fi&th Stage o& 7evelopmentSome such Sel&-contemplation as this is the only way in which we can conceive the ne+t$ or Fi&th$ stageo& Spirit"s Sel&-recognition as ta%ing place' !aving got as &ar as it has in the &our previous stages thatis$ to the production o& intellectual man as its correspondence the ne+t step in advance must )e on thelines I have indicated, unless$ indeed$ there were a sudden and ar)itrary )rea%ing o& the #aw o&Continuity$ a supposition which the whole Creative Process up to now &or)ids us to entertain'There&ore we may picture the Fi&th stage o& the Sel&-contemplation o& Spirit as its awa%ening to therecognition o& its own 3rtistic 3)ility$ its own a)solute &reedom o& action and creative power /ust asin studio parlance we say that an artist )ecomes &ree o& his palette' 5ut )y the always present #aw o&eciprocity$ through which alone sel&-consciousness can )e attained$ this Sel&-recognition o& Spirit inthe 3)solute implies a corresponding o)/ective &act in the world o& the elative, that is to say$ thecoming into mani&estation o& a )eing capa)le o& realising the Free Creative 3rtistry o& the Spirit$ and o&

recognising the same principle in himsel&$ while at the same time realising also the relation )etween the2niversal 4ani&esting Principle and its Individual 4ani&estation'Such$ it appears to me$ must )e the conception o& the 7ivine Ideal em)odied in the Fi&th Stage o& the

progress o& mani&estation' 5ut I would draw particular attention to the concluding words o& the lastparagraph$ &or i& we miss the relation )etween the 2niversal mani&esting Principle and its Individual4ani&estation$ we have &ailed to realise the Principle altogether$ whether in the 2niversal or in theIndividual' It is /ust their interaction that ma%es each )ecome what it does )ecome, and in this &urther

)ecoming consists the progression'!armonyThis relation proceeds &rom the principle I pointed out in the opening chapter which ma%es it necessary&or the 2niversal Spirit to )e always harmonious within itsel&, and i& this 2nity is not recognised )y the

individual$ he cannot hold that position o& eciprocity to the Originating Spirit which will ena)le it torecognise itsel& as in the n/oyment o& #i&e at the higher level we are now contemplating' ather$ the&eeling conveyed would )e that o& something antagonistic$ producing the reverse o& en/oyment$ thus

philosophically )ringing out the point o& the Scriptural in/unction$ (rieve not the Spirit' 3lso$ thereaction upon the individual must necessarily give rise to a corresponding state o& inharmony$ though hemay not )e a)le to de&ine his &eeling o& unrest or to account &or it'5ut on the other hand$ i& the grand harmony o& the Originating Spirit within itsel& is duly regarded$ thenthe individual mind a&&ords a &resh centre &rom which the Spirit contemplates itsel& in what I haveventured to call its 3rtistic Originality a )oundless potential o& Creativeness$ yet always regulated )yits own inherent #aw o& 2nity'3nd this #aw o& the Spirit"s Original 2nity is a very simple one' It is the Spirit"s necessary and )asic

conception o& itsel&' Then$ since the Spirit"s statement o& conception o& anything necessarily ma%es thatthing e+ist$ it is logically impossi)le &or it to conceive a lie' There&ore the Spirit is Truth' Similarly$disease and death are the negative o& #i&e$ and there&ore the Spirit$ as the Principle o& #i&e$ cannotem)ody disease or death in its Sel&-contemplation' In li%e manner also$ since it is &ree to produce what itwill$ the Spirit cannot desire the presence o& repugnant &orms$ and so one o& its inherent #aws must )e5eauty' In this three&old #aw o& Truth$ #i&e$ and 5eauty$ we &ind the whole underlying nature o& theSpirit$ and no action on the part o& the individual can )e at variance with the Originating 2nity whichdoes not controvert these &undamental principles'Individual #i)ertyThis$ it will )e seen$ leaves the individual a)solutely un&ettered e+cept in the direction o& )rea%ing upthe &undamental harmony on which he himsel&$ as included in the general creation$ is dependent' Thiscertainly cannot )e called limitation$ and we are all &ree to &ollow the lines o& our own individuality inevery other direction, so that$ although the recognition o& our relation to the Originating Spiritsa&eguards us &rom in/uring ourselves or others$ it in no way restricts our li)erty o& action or narrowsour &ield o& development'


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3m I$ then$ trying to )ase my action upon a &undamental desire &or the opening out o& Truth$ &or theincreasing o& #ivingness$ and &or the creating o& 5eauty. !ave I got this as an ever present #aw o&Tendency at the )ac% o& my thought. I& so$ then this law will occupy precisely the same place in 4y4icrocosm$ or personal world$ that it does in the 4acrocosm$ or great world$ as a power which is initsel& &ormless$ )ut which )y reason o& its presence necessarily impresses its character upon all that thecreative energy &orms'On this )asis the creative energy o& the 2niversal 4ind may )e sa&ely trusted to wor% through thespecialising in&luence o& our own thought ?See my 7or #ectures on 4ental Science@$ and we mayadopt the ma+im trust your desires$ )ecause we %now that they are the movement o& the 2niversal inourselves and that$ )eing )ased upon our &undamental recognition o& the #i&e$ #ove$ and 5eauty whichthe Spirit is$ their un&oldments must carry these initial ualities with them all down the line, and this$ inhowever small a degree$ )ecomes a portion o& the wor%ing o& the Spirit in its inherent creativeness'Perpetual CreativityThis perpetual Creativeness o& the Spirit is what we must never lose sight o&$ and that is why I want thestudent to grasp clearly the idea o& the Spirit"s Sel&-contemplation as the only possi)le root o& theCreative Process' *ot only at the &irst creation o& the world$ )ut at all times$ the plane o& the innermostis that o& Pure Spirit ?see my din)urgh #ectures on 4ental Science@$ and there&ore at this$ the

originating point$ there is nothing else &or the Spirit to contemplate e+cepting itsel&' Then this Sel&-contemplation produces corresponding mani&estation$ and since Sel&-contemplation or recognition o& itsown e+istence must necessarily go on continually$ the corresponding creativeness must always )e atwor%' I& this &undamental idea )e clearly grasped we shall see that incessant and progressivecreativeness is the very essence and )eing o& Spirit' This is what is meant )y the 3&&irmativeness o& theSpirit' It cannot per se ?)y itsel& d'@ act negatively that is to say$ uncreatively &or )y the verynature o& its Sel&-recognition$ such a negative action would )e impossi)le'O& course i& we act negatively$ then$ since the Spirit is always acting a&&irmatively$ we are moving in theopposite direction to it, and conseuently so long as we regard our own negative action as )einga&&irmative$ the Spirit"s action must appear to us negative, and thus it is that all the negative conditionsin the world have their root in negative or inverted thought' 5ut the more we )ring our thought into

harmony with the #i&e$ #ove$ and 5eauty which the Spirit is$ the less these inverted conditions willo)tain$ until at last they will )e eliminated altogether'To accomplish this is our great o)/ect, &or though the progress may )e slow$ it will )e steady i& we

proceed on a de&inite principle, and to lay hold o& the true principle is the purpose o& our studies' 3ndthe principle to lay hold o& is the Ceaseless Creativity o& Spirit' This is what we mean when we spea% o&it as The Spirit o& the 3&&irmative$ and I would as% my readers to impress this term upon their minds'Once grant that the 3ll-originating Spirit is thus the Spirit o& the Pure 3&&irmative$ and we shall &indthat this will lead us logically to results o& the highest value'I&$ then$ we %eep this Perpetual and Progressive Creativeness o& the Spirit continually in mind$ we mayrely upon its wor%ing as surely in ourselves as in that great cosmic &orward movement which we spea%o& as volution' It is the same power o& volution wor%ing within ourselves$ only with this di&&erence6

that in proportion as we come to realise its nature$ we &ind ourselves a)le to &acilitate its progress )yo&&ering more and more &avoura)le conditions &or its wor%ing' 0e do not add to the &orce o& the Power$&or we are products o& it and so cannot generate what generates us, )ut )y providing suita)le conditions$we can more and more highly specialise it'This is the method o& all the advance that has ever )een made' 0e never create any &orce Je'g'electricityK )ut we provide special conditions under which the &orce mani&ests itsel& in a variety o&use&ul and )eauti&ul ways unsuspected possi)ilities which lie hidden in the power until )rought tolight )y the co-operation o& the Personal &actor'Practical 3pplication

*ow it is precisely the introduction ?See my 7or #ectures on 4ental Science@ o& this Personal &actorthat concerns us$ )ecause to all eternity we can only recognise things &rom our own centre o&consciousness$ whether in this world or in any other, there&ore the practical uestion is how to specialisein our own case the generic Originating #i&e which$ when we give it a name$ we call the Spirit'The method o& doing this is per&ectly logical when we once see that the principle involved is that o& theSel&-recognition o& Spirit' 0e have traced the modus operandi ?method o& operation d'@ o& the


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Creative Process su&&iciently &ar to see that the e+istence o& the cosmos is the result o& the Spirit"s seeingitsel& in the cosmos$ and i& this )e the law o& the whole$ it must also )e the law o& the part' 5ut there isthis di&&erence$ that so long as the normal average relation o& particles is maintained$ the wholecontinues to su)sist$ no matter what position any particular particle may go into$ /ust as a &ountaincontinues to e+ist no matter whether any particular drop o& water is down the )asin or at the top o& the

/et' This is the generic action which %eeps the race going as a whole' 5ut the uestion is$ 0hat is goingto )ecome o& ourselves. Then$ )ecause the law o& the whole is also the law o& the part$ we may at oncesay that what is wanted is &or the Spirit to see itsel& in us in other words$ to &ind in us the eciprocalwhich$ as we have seen$ is necessary to its n/oyment o& a certain Luality o& Consciousness'

*ow$ the &undamental consciousness o& the Spirit must )e that o& Sel&-sustaining #i&e$ and &or the &ullen/oyment o& this consciousness there must )e a corresponding individual consciousness reciprocatingit, and on the part o& the individual$ such a consciousness can only arise &rom the recognition that hisown li&e is identical with that o& the Spirit not something sent &orth to wander away )y itsel&$ )utsomething included in$ and &orming part o&$ the (reat #i&e'Then )y the very conditions o& the case$ such a contemplation on the part o& the individual is nothingelse than the Spirit contemplating itsel& &rom the standpoint o& the individual consciousness$ and thus&ul&illing the #aw o& the Creative Process under such specialised conditions as must logically result in

the perpetuation o& the individual li&e' It is the #aw o& the Cosmic Creative Process trans&erred to theindividual'This$ it seems to me$ is the 7ivine Ideal6 that o& an Individuality which recognises its Source$ andrecognises also the method )y which it springs &rom that Source$ and which is there&ore a)le to open upin itsel& a channel )y which the Source can &low in uninterruptedly, with the result that &rom themoment o& this recognition$ the individual lives directly &rom the Originating #i&e$ as )eing himsel& aspecial direct creation$ and not merely as )eing a mem)er o& a generic race' The individual who hasreached this stage o& recognition thus &inds a principle o& enduring li&e within himsel&, so then the ne+tuestion is in what way this principle is li%ely to mani&est itsel&'

Chapter 8 The 4ani&estation o& the #i&e Principle

From Principle to 4ani&estation0e must )ear in mind that what we have now reached is a principle$ or 2niversal potential$ only wehave located it in the individual' 5ut a principle$ as such$ is not mani&estation' 4ani&estation is thegrowth proceeding &rom the principle that is to say$ some Form in which the principle )ecomesactive' 3t the same time we must recollect that$ though a &orm is necessary &or mani&estation$ the &ormis not essential$ &or the same principle may mani&est through various &orms$ /ust as electricity may wor%either through a lamp or a tram car without in any way changing its inherent nature'In this way we are )rought to the conclusion that the #i&e-Principle must always provide itsel& with a

)ody in which to &unction$ though it does not &ollow that this )ody must always )e o& the same chemicalconstitution as the one we now possess' 0e might well imagine some distant planet where the chemicalcom)inations with which we are &amiliar on arth did not o)tain, )ut i& the essential li&e-principle o&

any individual were transported thither$ then$ )y the #aw o& the Creative Process$ it would proceed toclothe itsel& with a material )ody drawn &rom the atmosphere and su)stance o& that planet, and the

personality thus produced would )e uite at home there$ &or all his surroundings would )e per&ectlynatural to him$ however di&&erent the laws o& *ature might )e there &rom what we %now here'In such a conception as this we &ind the importance o& the two leading principles to which I have drawnattention6 &irst$ the power o& the Spirit to create e+ nihilo ?out o& nothing d'@$ and secondly$ theindividual"s recognition o& the )asic principle o& 2nity giving permanence and solidarity to the &rame o&

*ature' 5y the &ormer$ the Sel&-recognising #i&e-Principle could produce any sort o& )ody it chose, and)y the latter$ it would )e led to pro/ect one in harmony with the natural order o& the particular planet$thus ma%ing all the &acts o& that order solid realities to the individual$ and himsel& a solid and natural

)eing to the other inha)itants o& that world'5ut this would not do away with the individual"s %nowledge o& how he got there, and so$ supposing himto have realised his identity with the 2niversal #i&e-Principle su&&iciently to consciously control the

pro/ection o& his own )ody$ he could at will disintegrate the )ody which accorded with the conditions o&one planet and constitute one which accorded /ust as harmoniously with those o& another$ and thus


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&unction on any num)er o& planets as a per&ectly natural )eing on each o& them' !e would in all respectsresem)le the other inha)itants$ with one all-important e+ception6 that since he had attained to unity withhis Creative Principle$ he would not )e tied )y the laws o& matter as they were'3nyone who should attain to such a power could only do so )y his realisation o& the 3ll-em)racing2nity o& the Spirit as )eing the Foundation o& all things, and this )eing the )asis o& his own e+tended

powers$ he would )e the last to controvert his own )asic principle )y employing his powers in such away as to distur) the natural course o& evolution in the world where he was' !e might use them to help&orward the evolution o& others in that world$ )ut certainly never distur) it$ &or he would always act onthe ma+im that Order is !eaven"s First #aw'Sel&-Creation in the !ere and *owOur o)/ect$ however$ is not to trans&er ourselves to other planets$ )ut to get the )est out o& this one, )utwe shall not get the )est out o& this one until we realise that the power which will ena)le us to do so isso a)solutely 2niversal and &undamental that its application in this world is precisely the same as in anyother$ and that is why I have stated it as a general proposition applica)le to all worlds'The principle )eing thus 2niversal$ there is no reason why we should postpone its application till we&ind ourselves in another world$ and the )est place and time to )egin are !ere and *ow' The starting-

point is not in time or locality$ )ut in the mode o& Thought, and i& we realise that this Point o&

Origination is Spirit"s power to produce something out o& nothing$ and that it does this in accordancewith the natural order o& su)stance o& the world in which it is wor%ing$ then the spiritual ego inourselves$ as proceeding direct &rom the 2niversal Spirit$ should )e a)le$ &irst$ to so harmoniouslycom)ine the wor%ing o& Spiritual and physical laws in its own )ody as to %eep it in per&ect health,secondly$ to carry this process &urther and renew the )ody$ thus eradicating the e&&ects o& old age, andthirdly$ to carry the process still &urther and perpetuate this renewed )ody as long as the individualmight desire'I& the student shows this to one o& his average acuaintances who has never given any thought to thesethings$ his &riend will undou)tedly e+claim$ TommyrotM even i& he does not use a stronger e+pletive'!e will at once appeal to the past e+perience o& all man%ind$ his argument )eing that what has not )eenin the past cannot )e in the &uture, yet he does not apply the same argument to aeronautics and is uite

o)livious o& the &act that the Sacred Golume which he reverences contains promises o& these verythings' The really earnest student must never &orget the ma+im that Principle is not )ound )yPrecedent' I& it were$ we should still )e primitive savages'To use the Creative Process$ we must 3&&irm the Creative Power that is to say$ we must go )ac% tothe 5eginning o& the series and start with Pure Spirit$ only remem)ering that this starting-point is nowto )e &ound in ourselves$ &or this is what distinguishes the individual Creative Process &rom the cosmicone' This is where the importance o& realising only O* Originating Power instead o& two interacting

powers comes in$ &or it means that we do not derive our power &rom any e+isting polarity$ )ut that weare going to esta)lish polarities which will start secondary causation on the lines which we thusdetermine' This also is where the importance comes in o& recognising that the only possi)le originatingmovement o& Spirit must )e Sel&-contemplation$ &or this shows us that we do not have to contemplate

e+isting conditions )ut the 7ivine Ideal$ and that this contemplation o& the 7ivine Ideal o& 4an is theSel&-contemplation o& the Spirit &rom the standpoint o& !uman Individuality'4ental 5loc%ageThen the uestion arises$ I& these principles are true$ why are we not demonstrating them. 0ell$ whenour &undamental principle is o)viously correct and yet we do not get the proper results$ the onlyin&erence is that somewhere or other we have introduced something antagonistic to the &undamental

principle$ something not inherent in the principle itsel& and which owes its presence to some action o&our own' *ow the error consists in the )elie& that the Creative Power is limited )y the material in whichit wor%s' I& this )e assumed$ then you have to calculate the resistances o&&ered )y the material$ and since

)y the terms o& the Creative Process these resistances do not really e+ist$ you have no )asis o&calculation at all in &act$ you have no means o& %nowing where you are$ and everything is incon&usion' This is why it is so important to remem)er that the Creative Process is the action o& a SinglePower$ and that the interaction o& two opposite polarities comes in at a later stage$ and is not creative$

)ut only distri)utive that is to say$ it localises the nergy already proceeding &rom the Single Power'


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This is a &undamental truth which should never )e lost sight o&' So long$ however$ as we &ail to see thistruth$ we necessarily limit the Creative Power )y the material it wor%s in$ and in practice we do this )yre&erring to past e+perience as the only standard o& /udgment' 0e are measuring the Fi&th Ningdom )ythe standard o& the Fourth$ as though we should say that an intellectual man$ a )eing o& the FourthNingdom$ was to )e limited )y the conditions which o)tain in the First or 4ineral Ningdom' To useScriptural language$ we are see%ing the #iving among the dead'3nd moreover at the present time$ a new order o& e+perience is )eginning to open out to us$ &or well-authenticated instances o& the cure o& disease )y the invisi)le power o& the Spirit are steadily increasingin num)er' The &acts are now too patent to )e denied, what we want is a )etter %nowledge o& the powerwhich accounts &or them' 3nd i& this )eginning is now with us$ )y what reason can we limit it. Thedi&&erence )etween the healing o& disease and the renewal o& the entire organism and the perpetuation o&li&e is only a di&&erence o& degree and not o& %ind, so that the actual e+perience o& increasing num)ersshows the wor%ing o& a principle to which we can logically set no limits'The #aw o& #i&eI& we get the steps o& the Creative Process clearly into our minds$ we shall see why we have hitherto hadsuch small results'Spirit creates )y Sel&-contemplation,

There&ore$ 0hat it contemplates itsel& as )eing$ that it )ecomes'ou are individualised Spirit,There&ore$ 0hat you contemplate as the #aw o& your )eing )ecomes the #aw o& your )eing'!ence$ contemplate a #aw o& 7eath arising out o& the Forces o& the 4aterial reacting against the Powero& the Spirit and overcoming it$ and you impress this mode o& sel&-recognition upon Spirit in yoursel&'O& course$ you cannot alter its inherent nature$ )ut you cause it to wor% under negative conditions andthus ma%e it produce negative results so &ar as you yoursel& are concerned'5ut reverse the process$ and contemplate a #aw o& #i&e as inherent in the very 5eing o& the Spirit$ andthere&ore as inherent in Spirit in yoursel&, and contemplate the &orces o& the 4aterial as practically non-e+istent in the Creative Process$ )ecause they are products o& it and not causes loo% at things in thisway$ and you will impress a corresponding conception upon the Spirit which$ )y the #aw o&

eciprocity$ thus enters into Sel&-contemplation on these lines &rom the standpoint o& your ownindividuality, and then$ )y the nature o& the Creative Process$ a corresponding e+ternalisation is )oundto ta%e place' Thus our initial uestion$ !ow did anything come into e+istence at all$ )rings us to therecognition o& a #aw o& #i&e which we may each specialise &or ourselves, and in the degree to which wespecialise it$ we shall &ind the Creative Principle at wor% within us )uilding up a healthier and happier

personality in mind$ )ody$ and circumstances'Spirit$ Form$ and (rowthOnly$ we must learn to distinguish the vehicles o& Spirit &rom Spirit itsel&$ &or the distinction has veryimportant )earings' 0hat distinguishes the vehicles &rom the Spirit is the #aw o& (rowth' The Spirit isthe Formless principle o& #i&e$ and the vehicle is a Form in which this principle &unctions' *ow thevehicle is a pro/ection )y the Spirit o& su)stance co-ordinate with the natural order o& the plane on

which the vehicle &unctions$ and there&ore reuires to )e )uilt up con&orma)ly to that order'This )uilding up is what we spea% o& as (rowth, and since the principle which causes the growth is theindividualised Spirit$ the rate at which the growth will go on depends on the amount o& vitalising energythe Spirit puts into it$ and the amount o& vitalising energy will depend on the degree in which theindividualised Spirit appreciates its own livingness, and &inally$ the degree o& this appreciation willdepend on the uality o& the individual"s perception o& the (reat 3ll-originating Spirit as re&lecting itsel&in him and thus ma%ing his contemplation o& It nothing else than the Creative Sel&-contemplation o& theSpirit proceeding &rom an individual and personal centre'0e must there&ore not omit the #aw o& (rowth in the vehicle &rom our conception o& the wor%ing o& theSpirit' 3s a matter o& &act$ the vehicle has nothing to say in the matter$ &or it is simply a pro/ection &romthe Spirit, )ut &or this very reason$ its &ormation will )e slow or rapid in e+act proportion to theindividual spirit"s vitalising conception'0e could imagine a degree o& vitalising conception that would produce the corresponding &orminstantaneously$ )ut at present we must allow &or the wea%ness o& our spiritual power not as thin%ingit )y any means incapa)le o& accomplishing its o)/ect$ )ut as )eing &ar slower in operation now than we


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hope to see it in the &uture, and so we must not allow ourselves to )e discouraged$ )ut must hold ourthought$ %nowing that it is doing its creative wor%$ and that the corresponding growth is slowly )utsurely ta%ing place thus &ollowing the 7ivine precept that men ought always to pray and not to &aint'(radually$ as we gain e+perience on these new lines$ our con&idence in the power o& the Spirit willincrease$ and we shall )e less inclined to argue &rom the negative side o& things, and thus the hindrancesto the in&low o& the Originating Spirit will )e more and more removed$ and greater and greater resultswill )e o)tained'Progressive CondensationI& we would have our minds clear on this su)/ect o& 4ani&estation$ we should remem)er its three&oldnature6 First$ the (eneral #i&e-Principle, secondly$ the #ocalisation o& this principle in the Individual,and thirdly$ the (rowth o& the Gehicle as it is pro/ected )y the individualised spirit with more or lessenergy' It is a seuence o& progressive condensation &rom the 2ndi&&erentiated 2niversal Spirit to theultimate and outermost vehicle a truth enshrined in the esoteric ma+im that 4atter is Spirit at itslowest level'The &orms thus produced are in true accord with the general order o& *ature on the particular planewhere they occur$ and are there&ore per&ectly di&&erent &rom &orms temporarily consolidated out o&material drawn &rom other living organisms' These latter phantasmal )odies are held together only )y an

act o& concentrated volition$ and can there&ore only )e maintained &or a short time and with e&&ort, whilethe )ody which the individualised spirit$ or ego$ )uilds &or itsel& is produced )y a per&ectly naturalprocess and does not reuire any e&&ort to sustain it$ since it is %ept in touch with the whole system o&the planet )y the continuous and e&&ortless action o& the individual"s su)conscious mind'This is where the action o& su)conscious mind as the )uilder o& the )ody comes in' Su)conscious mindacts in accordance with the aggregate o& suggestion impressed upon it )y the conscious mind$ and i& thissuggestion is that o& per&ect harmony with the physical laws o& the planet$ then a corresponding )uilding

)y the su)conscious mind will ta%e place a process which$ so &ar &rom implying any e&&ort$ consistsrather in a rest&ul sense o& unity with *ature' ?See my din)urgh #ectures in 4ental Science@'3nd i& to this sense o& union with the Soul o& *ature$ that 2niversal Su)conscious 4ind which holds inthe cosmos the same place that the su)conscious mind does in ourselves i& to this there )e

superadded a sense o& union with the 3ll-creating Spirit &rom which the Soul o& *ature &lows$ then$through the medium o& the individual"s su)conscious mind$ such specialised e&&ects can )e produced inhis )ody as to transcend our past e+periences without in any way violating the order o& the 2niverse'The Old #aw was the mani&estation o& the Principle o& #i&e wor%ing under constricted conditions, the

*ew #aw is the mani&estation o& the same Principle wor%ing under e+panding conditions' Thus it is thatthough (od never changes$ we are said to increase with the increase o& (od'

Chapter D The Personal FactorThe 2niversal 4indI have already pointed out that the presence o& a single 3ll-em)racing Cosmic 4ind is an a)solutenecessity &or the e+istence o& any creation whatever$ &or the reason that i& each individual mind were an

entirely separate centre o& perception$ not lin%ed to all other minds )y a common ground o& underlyingmentality independent o& all individual action$ then no two persons would see the same thing at thesame time, in &act$ no two individuals would )e conscious o& living in the same world'I& this were to )e the case$ there would )e no common standard to which to re&er our sensations, and$indeed$ coming into e+istence with no consciousness o& environment e+cept such as we could &orm )your own unaided thought$ and having )y the hypothesis no standard )y which to &orm our thoughts$ wecould not &orm the conception o& any environment at all$ and conseuently could have no recognition o&our own e+istence' The con&usion o& thought involved even in the attempt to state such a conditionshows it to )e per&ectly inconceiva)le$ &or the simple reason that it is sel&-contradictory and sel&-destructive'On this account$ it is clear that our own e+istence and that o& the world around us necessarily impliesthe presence o& a 2niversal 4ind acting on certain &i+ed lines o& Its own which esta)lish the )asis &orthe wor%ing o& all individual minds' This paramount action o& the 2niversal 4ind thus sets anunchangea)le standard )y which all individual mental action must eventually )e measured$ andthere&ore our &irst concern is to ascertain what this standard is and to ma%e it the )asis o& our own


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action' 5ut i& the independent e+istence o& a common standard o& re&erence is necessary &or our sel&-recognition simply as inha)itants o& the world we live in$ then$ a &ortiori ?all the more so d'@$ acommon standard o& re&erence is necessary &or our recognition o& the uniue place we hold in theCreative Order$ which is that o& introducing the Personal &actor without which the possi)ilitiescontained in the great Cosmic #aws would remain undeveloped$ and the Sel&-contemplation o& Spiritcould never reach those in&inite un&oldments o& which it is logically capa)le'The Personal FactorThe evolution o& the Personal &actor is there&ore the point with which we are most concerned' 3s amatter o& &act$ whatever theories we may hold to the contrary$ we do all realise the same cosmicenvironment in the same way6 that is to say$ our minds all act according to certain generic laws whichunderlie all our individual diversities o& thought and &eeling' This is so )ecause we are made that wayand cannot help it'5ut with the Personal Factor the case is di&&erent' 3 standard is no less necessary$ )ut we are not somade as to con&orm to it automatically' The very conception o& automatic con&ormity to a personalstandard is sel&-contradictory$ &or it does away with the very thing that constitutes personality namely$ &reedom o& volition$ the use o& powers o& Initiative and Selection'For this reason$ con&ormity to the Standard o& Personality must )e a matter o& choice$ which amounts to

the same thing as saying that it rests with each individual to &orm his own conception o& a standard o&Personality, )ut which li)erty$ however$ carries with it the inevita)le result that we shall )ring intomani&estation the conditions corresponding to the sort o& personality we accept as our normal standard'0hat is *ormal.I would draw attention to the words *ormal Standard' 0hat we shall eventually attain is$ not what wemerely wish$ )ut what we regard as normal' The reason is that since we su)consciously %now ourselvesto )e )ased upon the inherent #aw o& the 2niversal 4ind$ we &eel whether we can reason it out ornot that we cannot &orce the 3ll-producing 4ind to wor% contrary to its own inherent ualities$ andthere&ore we intuitively recognise that we cannot transcend the sort o& personality which is normalaccording to the #aw o& 2niversal 4ind'This thought is always at the )ac% o& our mind$ and we cannot get away &rom it &or the simple reason

that it is inherent in our mental constitution$ )ecause our mind is itsel& a product o& the Creative Process,and to suppose ourselves transcending the possi)ilities contained in the Originating 4ind would involvethe a)surdity o& supposing that we can get the greater out o& the less'

*evertheless there are some who try to do so$ and their position is as &ollows' They say$ in e&&ect$ I wantto transcend the standard o& humanity as I see it around me' 5ut this is the normal standard according tothe #aw o& the 2niverse' Conseuently$ I cannot draw the necessary power &rom that #aw$ and so thereis nowhere else to get it e+cept &rom mysel&'Thus the aspirant is thrown )ac% upon his own individual will as the ultimate power$ with the result thatthe onus lies on him o& concentrating a &orce su&&icient to overcome the #aw o& the 2niverse' There isthus continually present to him a suggestion o& struggle against a tremendous opposing &orce and$ as aconseuence$ he is continually su)/ecting himsel& to a strain which grows more and more intense as he

realises the magnitude o& the &orce against which he is contending'Then$ as he )egins to realise the ineuality o& the struggle$ he see%s &or e+traneous aid$ and so he &alls

)ac% on various e+pedients$ all o& which have this in common$ that they ultimately amount to invo%ingthe assistance o& other individualities$ not seeing that this involves the same &allacy which has )roughthim to his present straits the &allacy$ namely$ o& supposing that any individuality can develop a

power greater than that o& the Source &rom which itsel& proceeds'The &allacy is a radical one, and there&ore all e&&orts )ased upon it are &oredoomed to ultimate &ailure$whether they ta%e the &orm o& reliance on personal &orce o& will$ or magical rites$ or austerity practisedagainst the )ody$ or attempts )y a)normal concentration to a)sor) the individual in the 2niversal$ or theinvocation o& spirits$ or any other method' The same &allacy is involved in them all6 that the less islarger than the greater'

*ow the point to )e noted is that the idea o& transcending the present conditions o& humanity does notnecessarily imply the idea o& transcending the normal law o& humanity' The mista%e we have hithertomade has )een in &i+ing the Standard o& Personality too low and in ta%ing our past e+periences asmeasuring the ultimate possi)ilities o& the race' Our li)erty consists in our a)ility to &orm our own


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conception o& the *ormal Standard o& Personality$ only su)/ect to the conditions arising out o& theinherent #aw o& the underlying 2niversal 4ind, and so the whole thing resolves itsel& into the uestion$0hat are those &undamental conditions. The #aw is that we cannot transcend the *ormal, there&orecomes the uestion$ 0hat is the *ormal.Properties o& The SpiritI have endeavoured to answer this uestion in the chapter on the 7ivine Ideal$ )ut since this is thecrucial point o& the whole su)/ect$ we may devote a little &urther attention to it' The *ormal Standard o&Personality must necessarily )e the reproduction in Individuality o& what the 2niversal 4ind is in itsel&$

)ecause$ )y the nature o& the Creative Process$ this standard results &rom Spirit"s Sel&-contemplation atthe stage where its recognition is turned towards its own power o& Initiative and Selection'3t this stage$ Spirit"s Sel&-recognition has passed )eyond that o& Sel&-e+pression through a mere #aw o&3verages into the recognition o& what I have ventured to call its 3rtistic 3)ility, and as we have seenthat Sel&-recognition at any stage can only )e attained )y the realisation o& a relation stimulating that

particular sort o& consciousness$ it &ollows that &or the purpose o& this &urther advance$ e+pressionthrough individuals o& a corresponding type is a necessity' Then$ )y the #aw o& eciprocity$ such )eingsmust possess powers similar to those contemplated in itsel& )y the Originating Spirit, in other words$they must )e$ in their own sphere$ the image and li%eness o& the Spirit as it sees itsel&'

*ow we have seen that the Creating Spirit necessarily possesses the powers o& Initiative and Selection'These we may call its active properties the summing up o& what it does' 5ut what any power doesdepends on what it is$ &or the simple reason that it cannot give out what is does not contain, there&ore$ atthe )ac% o& the initiative and selective powers o& the Spirit$ we must &ind what the Spirit is$ namely$what are its su)stantive properties'To )egin with$ it must )e #i&e' Then$ )ecause it is #i&e$ it must )e #ove )ecause$ as theundi&&erentiated Principle o& #i&e$ it cannot do otherwise than tend to the &uller development o& li&e ineach individual$ and the pure motive o& giving greater en/oyment o& li&e is #ove' Then$ )ecause it is #i&eguided )y #ove$ it must also )e #ight that is to say$ the primary$ all-inclusive perception o&

)oundless mani&estations yet to )e' Then &rom this proceeds Power$ )ecause there is no opposing &orceat the level o& Pure Spirit, and there&ore #i&e urged &orward )y #ove or the desire &or recognition$ and

)y #ight or the pure perception o& the #aw o& In&inite Possi)ility$ must necessarily produce Power$ &orthe simple reason that under these conditions it could not stop short o& action$ &or that would )e thedenial o& the #i&e$ #ove$ and #ight which it is'Then$ )ecause the Spirit is #i&e$ #ove$ #ight$ and Power$ it is also Peace again &or a very simplereason6 that )eing the Spirit o& the 0hole$ it cannot set one part in antagonism against another$ &or thatwould )e to destroy the wholeness' *e+t the Spirit must )e 5eauty$ )ecause on the same principle o&0holeness$ it must duly proportion every part to every other part$ and the due proportioning o& all partsis )eauty' 3nd lastly the Spirit must )e Hoy$ )ecause$ wor%ing on these lines$ it cannot do otherwise than&ind pleasure in the Sel&-e+pression which its wor%s a&&ord it and in the contemplation o& thelimitlessness o& the Creative Process )y which each realised stage o& evolution$ however e+cellent$ isstill the stepping-stone to something yet more e+cellent$ and so on in everlasting progression'

The 2niversal Principle o& !umanityFor these reasons we may sum up the Su)stantive 5eing o& the 3ll-originating Spirit as #i&e$ #ove$#ight$ Power$ Peace$ 5eauty$ and Hoy, and its 3ctive Power as that o& Initiative and Selection' These$there&ore$ constitute the )asic laws o& the underlying 2niversal 4entality which sets the Standard o&

*ormal Personality a standard which$ when seen in this light$ transcends the utmost scope o&thought$ &or it is nothing less than the Spirit o& the In&inite 3&&irmative conceived in !umanIndividuality )y the same #aw o& eciprocity which we have &ound to )e the &undamental law o& theCreative Process only now we are tracing the action o& this #aw in the Fi&th Ningdom instead o& inthe Fourth'The Standard$ then$ we may call the 2niversal Principle o& !umanity, and having now traced thesuccessive steps )y which it is reached &rom the &irst cosmic movement o& the Spirit in the &ormation o&the primary ne)ula$ we need not go over the old ground again$ and may hence&orward ta%e this 7ivinePrinciple o& !umanity as our *ormal Standard and ma%e it the starting-point &or our &urther evolution'5ut how are we to do this. Simply )y using the one method o& Creative Process that is$ the Sel&-contemplation o& Spirit' 0e now %now ourselves to )e eciprocals o& the 7ivine Spirit$ centres in


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which It &inds a &resh standpoint &or Sel&-contemplation, and so the way to rise to the heights o& this(reat Pattern is )y contemplating it as the *ormal Standard o& our own Personality'Personal 2n&oldment3nd )e it noted that the Pattern thus set )e&ore us is 2niversal' It is the em)odiment o& all the great

principles o& the 3&&irmative$ and so in no way inter&eres with our own particular individuality' That issomething )uilt up upon this &oundation$ something additional a&&ording the di&&erentiating mediumthrough which this uni&ying Principle &inds variety o& e+pression, there&ore we need )e under noapprehension that )y resting upon this Pattern we should )ecome less ourselves'On the contrary$ the recognition o& it sets us at li)erty to )ecome more &ully ourselves$ )ecause we%now that we are )asing our development$ not upon the strength o& our own unaided will$ nor yet uponany sort o& e+traneous help$ )ut upon the 2niversal #aw itsel&$ mani&esting through us in the properseuence o& the Creative Order, so that we are still dealing with 2niversal principles$ only the principle

)y which we are now wor%ing is the 2niversal Principle o& Personality'I wish the student to get this idea very clearly )ecause this is really the cru+ o& the passage &rom theFourth Ningdom into the Fi&th' The great pro)lem o& the &uture o& evolution is the introduction o& thePersonal Factor' The reason why this is so is very simple when we see it' To ta%e a thought &rom myown 7or #ectures$ we may put it in this way6

In &ormer days$ no one thought o& )uilding ships o& iron$ )ecause iron does not &loat, yet now ships areseldom )uilt o& anything else$ though the relative speci&ic gravities o& iron and water remain unchanged'0hat has changed is the Personal Factor' It has e+panded to a more intelligent perception o& the law o&&lotation$ and we now see that wood &loats and iron sin%s$ )oth o& them )y the same principle wor%ingunder opposite conditions the law$ namely$ that anything will &loat which$ )ul% &or )ul%$ is lighterthan the volume o& water displaced )y it, so that )y including in our calculations the displacement o& thevessel as well as the speci&ic gravity o& the material$ we now ma%e iron &loat )y the very same law )ywhich it sin%s'This e+ample shows that the &unction o& the Personal Factor is to analyse the mani&estations o& #awwhich are spontaneously a&&orded )y *ature and to discover the 2niversal 3&&irmative Principle whichlies hidden within them, and then$ )y the e+ercise o& our powers o& Initiative and Selection$ to provide

such specialised conditions as will ena)le the 2niversal Principle to wor% in per&ectly new waystranscending anything in our past e+perience' This is how all progress has )een achieved up to thepresent$ and is the way in which all progress must )e achieved in the &uture, only$ &or the purpose o&evolution$ or growth &rom within$ we must trans&er the method to the spiritual plane'The &unction$ then$ o& the Personal &actor in the Creative Order is to provide specialised conditions )ythe use o& the powers o& Selection and Initiative a truth indicated )y the ma+im *ature unaided&ails, )ut the di&&iculty is that i& enhanced powers were attained )y the whole population o& the worldwithout any common )asis &or their use$ their promiscuous e+ercise could only result in chaoticcon&usion and the destruction o& the entire race' To introduce the creative power o& the Individual and atthe same time avoid converting it into a devastating &lood is the great pro)lem o& the transition &rom theFourth Ningdom into the Fi&th'

For this purpose it )ecomes necessary to have a Standard o& the Personal Factor independent o& anyindividual conceptions$ /ust as we &ound that in order &or us to attain sel&-consciousness at all$ it was anecessity that there should )e a 2niversal 4ind as the generic )asis o& all individual mentality, only$ inregard to the generic )uild o& mind$ the con&ormity is necessarily automatic, while in regard to thespecialising process$ the &act that the essence o& that process is Selection and Initiative renders itimpossi)le &or the con&ormity to the Standard o& Personality to )e automatic, the very nature o& thething ma%es it a matter o& individual choice'3 Standard o& Personality

*ow a Standard o& Personality independent o& individual conceptions must )e the essence o&Personality as distinguished &rom individual idiosyncrasies$ and can there&ore )e nothing else than theCreative #i&e$ #ove$ 5eauty$ etc' viewed as a 7ivine Individuality$ )y identi&ying ourselves with whichwe eliminate all possi)ility o& con&lict with other personalities )ased on the same &undamentalrecognition, and the very 2niversality o& this Standard allows &ree play to all our particularidiosyncrasies while at the same time preventing them &rom antagonising the &undamental principles to


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which we have &ound that the Sel&-contemplation o& the Originating Spirit must necessarily give rise' Inthis way we attain a Standard o& 4easurement &or our own powers'I& we recognise no such Standard$ our development o& spiritual powers$ our discovery o& the immense

possi)ilities hidden in the inner laws o& *ature and o& our own )eing$ can only )ecome a scourge toourselves and others$ and it is &or this reason that these secrets are so /ealously guarded )y those who%now them$ and that over the entrance to the temple are written the words s%ato 5e)eloi6 !ence$ yePro&ane' 5ut i& we recognise and accept this Standard o& 4easurement$ then we need never &ear ourdiscovery o& hidden powers either in ourselves or in *ature$ &or on this )asis it )ecomes impossi)le &orus to misuse them' There&ore it is that all systematic teaching on these su)/ects )egins with instructionregarding the Creative Order o& the Cosmos$ and then proceeds to e+hi)it the same Order as reproducedon the plane o& Personality$ and so a&&ording a &resh starting-point &or the Creative Process )y theintroduction o& Individual Initiative and Selection' This is the doctrine o& the 4acrocosm and the4icrocosm, and the transition &rom the generic wor%ing o& the Creative Spirit in the Cosmos to itsspeci&ic wor%ing in the Individual is what is meant )y the doctrine o& the Octave' ?See #ecture ; in The7or #ectures on 4ental Science' - d'@

Chapter E The Standard o& Personality

Practical Considerations0e have now got some general idea as to the place o& the personal &actor in the Creative Process$ and sothe ne+t uestion is$ !ow does this a&&ect ourselves. The answer is that i& we have grasped the&undamental &act that the moving power in the Creative Process is the Sel&-contemplation o& Spirit$ andi& we also see that$ )ecause we are miniature reproductions o& the Original Spirit$ our contemplation o&It )ecomes Its contemplation o& Itsel& &rom the standpoint o& our own individuality i& we havegrasped these &undamental conceptions$ then it &ollows that our process &or developing power is tocontemplate the Originating Spirit as the Source o& the power we want to develop'3nd here we must guard against a mista%e which people o&ten ma%e when loo%ing to the Spirit as theSource o& power' 0e are apt to regard It as sometimes giving and sometimes withholding power$ andconseuently are never sure which way It will act' 5ut )y so doing we ma%e Spirit contemplate Itsel& as

having no de&inite action at all$ as a plus and minus which mutually cancel each other$ and there&ore )ythe #aw o& the Creative Process no result is to )e e+pected' The mista%e consists in regarding the poweras something separate &rom the Spirit, whereas )y the analysis o& the Creative Process which we havenow made$ we see that the Spirit Itsel& is the power$ )ecause the power comes into e+istence onlythrough Spirit"s Sel&-contemplation' Then the logical in&erence &rom this is that )y contemplating theSpirit as the power and$ vice versa$ )y contemplating the power as the Spirit$ a similar power is )einggenerated in ourselves'Concentrate on the Power$ *ot the Pro)lem3gain an important conclusion &ollows &rom this$ which is that to generate any particular sort o& power$we should contemplate it in the a)stract rather than as applied to the particular set o& circumstances wehave in hand' The circumstances indicate the sort o& power we want )ut they do not help us to generate

it, rather they impress us with a sense o& something contrary to the power$ something which has to )eovercome )y it$ and there&ore we should endeavour to dwell on the power in itsel&$ and so come intotouch with it in its limitless in&initude'It is here that we )egin to &ind the )ene&it o& a 7ivine Standa

The Creative Process in the Individual_Thomas Troward

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Transcript of The Creative Process in the Individual_Thomas Troward