Just so long as we allow the higher portions of the self to give orders, we are masters. It is only when the "I" mounts their throne and lifts the scepter, that order is established and things assume their proper relation to each other.
We praise those who are swayed by their higher selves - they are in a higher grade of evolution, and will work up even further in time. We are calling the attention of those who are ready, to the fact that the Sovereign must assert their will, and that the subjects must obey. Orders must be given and carried out. Compliance must be raised up, and the rightful authority insisted upon. And the time to do it is Now.
You can request that your compliant subjects keep the King on their throne. You can have the mental kingdom be governed by responsible faculties. You can be the master of Desire, Worthy Thoughts, Love and Positiveness. The Will can be put foremost and High Desire can maintain the throne. You can have order in the mental kingdom. You are able to assert the mastery over any emotion, appetite, love or class of thoughts by the assertion of the Will. You can order Love to go to the front; Generosity to come into your presence; Kindness to enter into your sight; Calm to show itself; Serenity to begin visiting you; Controlled Desire and Love to raise their heads in confidence and to become noble masters - all by the assertion of the "I." You may surround yourself with the glorious company of Courage, Love and Self-Control, by the same means. You may raise up the compliance and secure peace and order in your mental kingdom if you will but utter the mandate and insist upon its execution. Before you march forth to empire, you must establish the proper internal condition - must show your ability to govern your own kingdom. The first operation is the giving of the Real Self by the lesser self.
Thought Vibration
by William Walker Atkinson (1906), revised and made thoroughly positive by Darren J. McLeod in 2012.Mind Building - Page 1
HUMANITY can build up their mind and make it what they will. In fact, we are mind-building every hour of our lives, either consciously or unconsciously. Some of us are doing the work consciously, and those who have seen a little below the surface of things have taken the matter in hand and have become conscious creators of their own mentality. They have become masters of themselves. They assert the "I," and compel obedience from the subordinate mental faculties. The "I" is the sovereign of the mind, and what we call WILL is the instrument of the "I." Of course, there is something back of this, and the Universal Will is higher than the Will of the Individual, but the latter is in much closer touch with the Universal Will than is generally supposed, and when one conquers the lower self, and asserts the "I," they become in close touch with the Universal Will and partake largely of its wonderful power. The moment one asserts the "I," and "finds themself," they establish a close connection between the Individual Will and the Universal Will. But before they are able to avail themselves of the mighty power at their command, they must first effect the Mastery of the lower self.
Think of the reasonableness of Humanity claiming to manifest powers, when they are the master of the lower parts of their mental being, which is subordinate. Think of a person being the master of their moods, passions, animal appetites and lower faculties, and at the same time claiming the benefits of the Will. Now, I am teaching the middle way, which seems to me to be a talk of strength. I am speaking of Self-Mastery - the assertion of the "I" over the subordinate parts of oneself. In the higher view of the subject, this "I" is the only real Self, and the rest is the non-self; but our space does not permit the discussion of this point, and we will use the word "self" as meaning the entire person. Before a person can assert the "I" in its full strength they must obtain the complete mastery of the subordinate parts of the self. All things are good when we learn to master them.
Think of the reasonableness of Humanity claiming to manifest powers, when they are the master of the lower parts of their mental being, which is subordinate. Think of a person being the master of their moods, passions, animal appetites and lower faculties, and at the same time claiming the benefits of the Will. Now, I am teaching the middle way, which seems to me to be a talk of strength. I am speaking of Self-Mastery - the assertion of the "I" over the subordinate parts of oneself. In the higher view of the subject, this "I" is the only real Self, and the rest is the non-self; but our space does not permit the discussion of this point, and we will use the word "self" as meaning the entire person. Before a person can assert the "I" in its full strength they must obtain the complete mastery of the subordinate parts of the self. All things are good when we learn to master them.
A Talk about the Mind - Page 6
They appreciate their Passive mental functions, and make good use of them also, charges them with the duties for which they are best fitted, and is able to obtain wonderful results from their work, having mastered them and trained them to do the bidding of the Higher Self. When they do their work properly they free them, and their knowledge allows them to guide them intelligently, and thereby doing themselves good. They develop the faculties and powers within them and learn how to manifest them along the line of Active mentation as well as Passive. They know that the real person within them is the master to whom both Active and Passive functions are but tools. They have invited Love, and enjoy Freedom. They have found themselves. THEY HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF THE I AM.
A Talk about the Mind - Page 5
This law of evolution is still in progress, and humanity is beginning to develop new powers of mind, which, of course, are first manifesting themselves along the lines of Passive effort. Some people have developed these new faculties to a considerable degree, and it is possible that before long Humanity will be able to exercise them along the line of their Active functions. In fact, this power has already been attained by a few. This is the secret of the Oriental occultists, and of some of their Occidental brethren.
The amenability of the mind to the will can be increased by properly directed practice. That which we are in the habit of referring to as the "strengthening of the Will" is in reality the training of the mind to recognize and absorb the Power Within. The Will is strong enough, but the mind needs to be trained to receive and act upon the suggestions of the Will. The Will is the outward manifestation of the I AM. The Will current is flowing in full strength along the spiritual wires; but you must learn how to raise the trolley-pole to touch it before the mental car will move. This is a somewhat different idea from that which you have been in the habit of receiving from writers on the subject of Will Power, but it is correct, as you will demonstrate to your own satisfaction if you will follow up the subject by experiments along the proper lines.
The attraction of THE ABSOLUTE is drawing humanity upward, and the vibratory force of the Primal Impulse continues. The time of evolutionary development has come when people can help themselves. The person who understands the Law can accomplish wonders by means of the development of the powers of the mind; whilst the person who faces the truth will benefit from their knowledge of the Law.
Those who understand the law of their mental being, develops their powers and uses them intelligently.
The amenability of the mind to the will can be increased by properly directed practice. That which we are in the habit of referring to as the "strengthening of the Will" is in reality the training of the mind to recognize and absorb the Power Within. The Will is strong enough, but the mind needs to be trained to receive and act upon the suggestions of the Will. The Will is the outward manifestation of the I AM. The Will current is flowing in full strength along the spiritual wires; but you must learn how to raise the trolley-pole to touch it before the mental car will move. This is a somewhat different idea from that which you have been in the habit of receiving from writers on the subject of Will Power, but it is correct, as you will demonstrate to your own satisfaction if you will follow up the subject by experiments along the proper lines.
The attraction of THE ABSOLUTE is drawing humanity upward, and the vibratory force of the Primal Impulse continues. The time of evolutionary development has come when people can help themselves. The person who understands the Law can accomplish wonders by means of the development of the powers of the mind; whilst the person who faces the truth will benefit from their knowledge of the Law.
Those who understand the law of their mental being, develops their powers and uses them intelligently.
A Talk about the Mind - Page 4
Humanity, the highest type of life yet produced, at least upon this planet, shows the highest form of Passive mentation, and also a much higher development of Active mentation than is seen in the lower animals, and yet the degrees of that power vary widely among people. Among people the different degrees of Active mentation are plainly noticeable; these degrees not depending by any means upon the amount of "culture," social position or educational advantages possessed by the individual: Mental Culture and Mental Development are two very different things.
You have but to look around you to see the different stages of the development of Active mentation in humanity. The reasoning of some people is Active mentation, exhibiting a lot of the qualities of volitional thought. They prefer to think for themselves. Active mentation invigorates them and they find the deliberate, conscious, Active mental process much easier. Their minds work along the lines of some resistance. They are more than human.
Among the higher types of people Active mentation is released upon the grosser and finer faculties - the material and mental plane; the higher mental faculties working along the deliberate, conscious lines of the Active function.
As the lower forms of life progressed in the evolutionary scale, they developed new faculties which were latent within them. These faculties always manifested in the form of rudimentary Passive functioning, and afterwards worked up through higher Passive forms, until the Active functions were brought into play. The evolutionary process still continues, the invariable tendency being toward the goal of highly developed Active mentation. This evolutionary progress is caused by the vibratory impulse imparted by the Primal Cause, aided by the uplifting attraction of THE ABSOLUTE.
You have but to look around you to see the different stages of the development of Active mentation in humanity. The reasoning of some people is Active mentation, exhibiting a lot of the qualities of volitional thought. They prefer to think for themselves. Active mentation invigorates them and they find the deliberate, conscious, Active mental process much easier. Their minds work along the lines of some resistance. They are more than human.
Among the higher types of people Active mentation is released upon the grosser and finer faculties - the material and mental plane; the higher mental faculties working along the deliberate, conscious lines of the Active function.
As the lower forms of life progressed in the evolutionary scale, they developed new faculties which were latent within them. These faculties always manifested in the form of rudimentary Passive functioning, and afterwards worked up through higher Passive forms, until the Active functions were brought into play. The evolutionary process still continues, the invariable tendency being toward the goal of highly developed Active mentation. This evolutionary progress is caused by the vibratory impulse imparted by the Primal Cause, aided by the uplifting attraction of THE ABSOLUTE.