the dore lectures on mental science(脑科学讲座)-第15部分
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limitlessly from the Infinite that we are apt to overlook； but as we come to
realize that the soul is itself a reflection and image of the Infinite Spirit
and a clear recognition of the cosmic creative process shows that it cannot
be anything elsewe find that it must possess this power； and that…in fact it
is our possession of this power which is the whole raison d'etre of the
creative process： if the human soul did not possess an unlimited power of
differentiation from the Infinite； then the Infinite would not be reflected in
it； and consequently the Infinite Spirit would find no outlet for its
CONSCIOUS recognition of itself as the Life； Love； and Beauty which it
is。 We can never too deeply ponder the old esoteric definition of Spirit as
〃the Power which knows itself〃： the secret of all things； past； present； and
future is contained in these few words。 The self …recognition or self…
contemplation of Spirit is the primary movement out of which all creation
proceeds； and the attainment in the individual of a fresh centre for self…
recognition is what the Spirit GAINS in the processthis GAIN accruing
to the Spirit is what is referred to in the parables where the lord is
represented as receiving increase from his servants。
When the individual perceives this relation between himself and
Infinite Spirit； he finds that he has been raised from a position of slavery
to one of reciprocity。 The Spirit cannot do without him any more than he
can do without the Spirit： the two are as necessary to each other as the two
poles of an electric battery。 The Spirit is the unlimited essence of Love；
Wisdom； and Power； all three in one undifferentiated and waiting to be
differentiated by APPROPRIATION； that is； by the individual
CLAIMING to be the channel of their differentiation。 It only requires the
claim to be made with the recognition that by the Law of Being it is bound
to be answered； and the right feeling； the right seeing； and the right
working for the particular matter we have in hand will flow in quite
naturally。 Our old enemies； doubt and fear； may seek to bring us back
under bondage to Baali； but our new stand…point for the recognition of the
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All…originating Spirit as being absolutely unified with ourselves must
always be kept resolutely in mind； for； short of this； we are not working on
the creative levelwe are creating； indeed； for we can never divest
ourselves of our creative power； but we are creating in the image of the old
limiting and destructive conditions； and this is merely perpetuating the
cosmic Law of Averages； which is just what the individual has to rise
superior to。 The creative level is where new laws begin to manifest
themselves in a new order of conditions； something transcending our past
experiences and thus bringing about a real advance； for it is no advance
only to go on in the same old round even if we kept at it for centuries： it is
the steady go…ahead nature of the Spirit that has made the world of to…day
an improvement upon the world of the pterodactyl and the icthiosaurus；
and we must look for the same forward movement of the Spirit from its
new starting…point in ourselves。
Now it is this special； personal； and individual relation of the Spirit to
ourselves which is typified by the names Ishi and Hephzibah。 From this
stand…point we may say that as the individual wakes up to the oneness
with the Spirit； the Spirit wakes up to the same thing。 It becomes
conscious of itself through the consciousness of the individual； and thus is
solved the paradox of individual self…recognition by the Universal Spirit；
without which no new…creative power could be exercised and all things
would continue to proceed in the old merely cosmic order。 It is of course
true that in the merely generic order the Spirit must be present in every
form of Life； as the Master pointed out when He said that not a sparrow
falls to the ground without 〃the Father。〃 But as the sparrows He alluded to
had been shot and were on sale at a price which shows that this was the
fate of a good many of them； we see here precisely that stage of
manifestation where the Spirit has not woke up to individual self…
recognition； and remains at the lower level of self…recognition； that of the
generic or race…spirit。 The Master's comment； 〃Ye are of more value than
many sparrows〃 points out this difference： in us the generic creation has
reached the level which affords the conditions for the waking up of the
Spirit to self…recognition in the Individual。
And we must bear in mind that all this is perfectly natural。 There is no
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posing or straining after effect about it。 If YOU have to pump up the Life；
who is going to put the Life into you to pump it？ Therefore it is
spontaneous or nothing。 That is why the Bible speaks of it as the free gift
of God。 It cannot be anything else。 You cannot originate the originating
force； it must originate you： but what you can do is to distribute it。
Therefore immediately you experience any sense of friction be sure there
is something wrong somewhere； and since God can never change； you
may be sure that the friction is being caused by some error in your own
thinkingyou are limiting the Spirit in some way： set to work to find out
what it is。 It is always LIMITING the Spirit that does this。 You are tying it
down to conditions somewhere； saying it is bound by reason of some
existing forms。 The remedy is to go back to the original starting point of
the Cosmic Creation and ask； Where were the pre…existing forms that
dictated to the Spirit then？ Then because the Spirit never changes it is
STILL THE SAME； and is just as independent of existing conditions now
as it was in the beginning； and so we must pass over all existing conditions；
however apparently adverse； and go straight to the Spirit as the originator
of new forms and new conditions。 This is real New Thought； for it does
not trouble about the old things； but is going straight ahead from where we
are now。 When we do this； just trusting the Spirit； and not laying down the
particular details of its actionjust telling it what we want without
dictating HOW we are to get it we shall find that things will open out
more and more clearly day by day both on the inner and the outer plane。
Remember that the Spirit is alive and working here and now； for if ever
the Spirit is to get from the past into the future it must be by passing
through the present； therefore what you have to do is to acquire the habit
of living direct …from the Spirit here and now。 You will soon find that this
is a matter of personal intercourse； perfectly natural and not requiring any
abnormal conditions for its production。 You just treat the Spirit as you
would any other kind…hearted sensible person； remembering that it is
always there〃closer than hands and feet；〃 as Tennyson saysand you will
gradually begin to appreciate its reciprocity as a very practical fact indeed。
This is the relation of Hephzibah to Ishi； and is that worship in Spirit
and in truth which needs neither the temple in Jerusalem nor yet in
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Samaria for its acceptance； for the whole world is the temple of the Spirit
and you yourself its sanctuary。 Bear this in mind； and remember that
nothing is too great or too small； too interior or too external； for the
Spirit's recognition and operation； for the Spirit is itself both the Life and
the Substance of all things and it is also Self…recognition from the stand…
point of your own individuality； and therefore； because the Self…
recognition of Spirit is the Life of the creative process； you will； by simply
trusting the Spirit to work according to its own nature； pass more and more
completely into that New Order which proceeds from the thought of Him
who says； 〃Behold I make all things new。〃
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THE SHEPHERD AND THE
STONE。
The metaphor of the Shepherd and the Sheep is of constant occurrence
throughout the Bible and naturally suggests the idea of the guiding；
guarding； and feeding both of the individual sheep and of the whole flock
and it is not difficult to see the spiritual correspondence of these things in
a general sort of way。 But we find that the Bible combines the metaphor of
the Shepherd with another metaphor that of 〃the Stone；〃 and at first sight
the two
