Topics:

198	The Thesis of Initiation
199	Success and Failure Are Under the Law of Life
200	Experience, the Greatest of All Teachers
201	The Heart-Born Desire Is Most Easily Brought to Realization
202	All the Forces of Hades Cannot Retard the Man Who Truly Desires
203	To Know to Will to Dare to Keep Silent
204	To Feel Is to Be and to Be Is to Become
205	Cultivating the Faculty of Observation
206	A Positive Imagination for Healing Mental Ills
207	Magnetism, Mesmerism and Hypnotism
208	All Things Begin in Faith
209	Man's First Duty Is to Become Master Over His Own Kingdom
210	"God Grant I May So Act That There May Not Be Cause to Regret
211	Enthusiasts Are the Ambassadors of God
212	The White Brotherhood
213	The Mystery of Magic
214	The Realm of the Soul
215	The Diligent Man Shall Stand Before Kings
216	Recreation Is Necessary in the Development of Mind, Body and Soul
217	The Initiate, Master or Adept Is a Balanced Man
218	All Lasting Changes Are Gradual Changes
219	Desire Is one of the Laws of Life and Achievement
220	One of the Laws of Material Success
221	Man Becomes What He Most Lives in His Thoughts
222	The Desire for the Best Is Not Evil and Should Be an Incentive
223	"Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady"
224	"God Helps Those Who Help Themselves
225	Wealth, Power and Possessions Are Man's if Honestly Obtained
226	Selfishness Destroys the Spiritual Nature
227	Man Is Himself the Implement Through Which He May Achieve Success
228	Success Is the Development and Proper Use of All Man's Capabilities
229	"Do Unto Others as You Would Have Them Do Unto You"
230	To Prepare to Walk on the Path
231	Man Is a Potential Heir to Infinite Power
232	The Laws of Nature Must Be Obeyed
233	A Guide/Teacher Is Necessary on the Path of Truth and Enlightenment
234	ADDENDUM

The entire range of Occult forces is not easily attainable by all Initiates. There are some powers which Solomon hath sealed with his triple seal and are only for those who are above the temptations of earth. Initiates know this. As for others, what matters it to science or to us whether men laugh, believe or doubt? These, in fact, are the triumphs of Occult philosophy, and its votaries have the strength and hardihood to brave accusations of folly or the suspicion of charlatanry when they assert that all these privileges are real. Aye, even promised by Sacred Writ: "For he who overcometh shall inherit the earth." And again: "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall remove mountains."

Among the rights, privileges and powers of the Initiate or the Adept are these:

1. To triumph over adversities.
2. To conquer love and hate. This is the beginning of all Wisdom and attainment.
3. To possess the secrets of wealth; to be always its master and never its slave; to know how to enjoy even poverty.
4. To be at peace and never fall into abjectness and wretchedness.
5. To be able to be in "heaven" while passing through "hell."
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Good fortune and failure are equally necessary to man - especially to him who seeks to attain the ultimate - to prepare him to meet the ever-changing contingencies of life.

Success and failure, fortune and misfortune, are actually interrelated. The misfortune of today may bring the success of tomorrow; the success of today, the misfortune of tomorrow. It all depends on the way we prepare for and accept these things, and the use we make of opportunity; and let it be understood that misfortune may be an opportunity which, accepted as a challenge, will lead us on to fame and fortune.

If failure stalks our every effort, it is because of one of two things. First, we have earned failure; therefore, we are paying a just debt. The more willing and ready we are to pay, the quicker we will be free from it and come into our own. Secondly, if we are paying for something we have not received and which we do not owe, then we have reason to rejoice. It is then that (seemingly) we are for the moment the plaything of fate and are being tested. In the payments we are making, we are laying up "treasures in heaven," providing we are making every effort to free ourselves and profiting by the experience. We are "making deposits" which will return to us many-fold in good time.

The seeker for Initiation quickly learns to appreciate the fact that there is no ultimate injustice. There is a cause for ALL that occurs. We are or have been the cause of the good or ill that is accruing and for which we are responsible. Justice is being meted out to us. In the majority of instances we are, for the moment, "creatures of circumstances or of the machinations of the unjust." In each instance the ultimate reaction of the Law will exact justice from the guilty; will bring peace for our sorrows, and profits and honor for our losses and suffering. The Neophyte quickly appreciates that there is no effect without a cause. He seeks the cause and when it is found, removes it; if hidden and not revealed, he proceeds as though all were as it should be, knowing that, whatever the cause, he will ultimately benefit. In the meantime he will gain strength, knowledge and understanding toward greater achievement. The novice on the Path does not expect immediate results, or good fortune; even though he works wholeheartedly and whole-Souledly toward that end. He is willing to be faithful over small things, being assured that he will then have reason to rejoice when he becomes capable of grasping the unexpected results to which they are related.

Misfortune, at least for a time, may be far more essential to the ultimate success of the Neophyte than immediate good fortune. Misfortune will test the Novice and prove his worth. It will impel him to seek the Cause and to find the inducing factor which is highly important, no matter what his interest. However, the Neophyte should not supinely accept either injustice or loss merely because it may be a reaction of his own past, his own weakness or an evil tendency inherent in him. On the contrary, it may be a test to see whether he is of the material which will impel him to make every effort to see that justice is done. "Seek to know the cause of all things; rectify it if you can; if that is impossible, find a way to surmount that which is undesirable."
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"Seek not to learn from books that which may be learned from Life."

The lessons we are able to learn from books are helpful in outlining a path for us, but they rest on faith. That which we learn from life is the result of experience. Feeling, suffering, sorrow and losses are things which we know. If we ourselves have these experiences, then we know. It is Wisdom gained, and through that Wisdom we are competent to chart our own course and guide others.

The wise man, as also the Neophyte, seeks to gain knowledge by taking careful note of the experiences of others and thereby avoid many of the unpleasant events of life. But in essentials, in all things which concern the principles of basic truths, it is necessary to experience that one may feel, aye, both suffer and enjoy and thus know. This is Wisdom which cannot be controverted by the sophistry of intellect or the shallow findings of pseudoscience.
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"Whatever a man ardently desires in life, a monitor within him assures him that it may be achieved if his Will be strong and his efforts co-ordinated with the wish."

Nature, God or the Law of Causation so constituted man that it is not possible for him to think of, imagine (construct in his Spiritual workshop) of desire that which he cannot attain or obtain if he is willing to:

(1) Make the necessary effort.
(2) Make the necessary sacrifices.

All the great geniuses the world has known did not become such because Nature, one way or another, made life easy for them. They were endowed with a vivid imagination, clear-sightedness as to the needs of humanity and a willingness to work, to actually slave and to sacrifice whatever was necessary in order that the vision created in the laboratory of their imagination might be made manifest in the world of sense and matter.

The first necessity, possibly that which brought them more actual suffering than all else, was their readiness to be laughed at, sneered at and derided by friends and foes alike. Nature, God or the Law repaid them well. Not only did they gain fame and honor, empty as that may be, but they greatly and eternally benefitted mankind. What man has done, man continues to be able to do, provided he is willing to undergo similar ordeals. Birth, construction and reconstruction must begin in the heart. The heart-born desire is far more certain to reach maturity than a thought-born desire of the mind or intellect.
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"Men would be gods if they desired (loved) their own enlightenment and advancement as they do women."

Carnal man's ideals, the end and aim of his life to which all his energies are bent, the dream of his existence, the satisfaction of his joy and pleasure, are centered in his desire - the basis of love. Desire and love are frequently synonymous. To gain such love, however shallow it may be, man has for countless ages been willing, as he is today, to suffer all things, make all sacrifices, undergo all degradations and commit all the crimes in the catalog of lofty endeavor, or great achievement, just as in reverse, it has been the causative factor of much of the degradation and misery from which mankind has suffered in the past - and continues to suffer.

If man can arouse within himself an equally keen desire, not based on carnal passion, for the accomplishment of any idea or ideal and is willing to sacrifice, to labor and to suffer the sneers of his fellow man, then whatever dream the mind conceives, whatever picture the imagination portrays, whatever advancement the heart desires, can be brought into manifestation and all the powers and forces of the Adept will be at the command of such a one.

Likewise, the man who is capable of such dreams and who has the strength and the depth of heart and Soul to fully and completely love a woman, and if that woman so loved has the inborn character to first urge and then stand by the man she loves and his dreams, then, a superman and a saint are in the making, and the world will shortly honor another genius.

The hope of the world, as of the great Arcane Fraternity, is in the greater achievement of real men, although all the inimical forces of Hades are banded together to nullify the Law, to establish a profound inertia and cause man to be less active and productive, therefore a prey to self-weakness and final annihilation.
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"Those sciences (hidden, Arcane, Occult) which are remote from one another cannot be extended without bringing them nearer and forming points of contact between them."

Now, as always, mankind in general, although there are exceptions, has placed its faith in material science, in the things it can see and feel; and has condemned and derided the forces, energies and influences which the human mind and material senses could not feel, sense or appreciate. This has been a weakness and a loss to the race.

Because the most potent forces in the universe are hidden, i.e., Occult - unknown, men have either shunned or condemned them, accursed them as evil and undesirable, selfish and destructive, forgetful or unmindful of the fact that all human achievement or advancement has had its inception in the mind as thought, and that almost universally the first idea or motive was by nature selfish.

Unfortunately this has been true as regards the votaries of the Occult. Selfishness in this field, when within lawful limits, is no more to be denounced than selfishness in any other branch of human activity. All advancement begins in the desire to advance or to improve the self. It is only as the personal self does advance that others may be guided or helped. The world in general advances only as the individual improves himself and by example points the way to others, and such efforts are not made unless there is a prospect of self-benefit.

Selfishness is undesirable and should be condemned when it attempts to benefit the self at the expense or the loss or detriment of others, but not when it promotes self-improvement in order that others may be helped.

The Secret Schools recognize that the pursuit of happiness is the Divine right of all mankind and animates even the most Spiritual (religious) devotee at the very shrine of his devotion. Correctly understood, there is probably no such thing as pure disinterestedness on earth(1) or in heaven, because it would be a thing without equilibrium and in itself contrary to all laws and all analogy.
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(1) One of the most notable examples of unselfishness is seen in the mother who willingly and probably without a second thought sacrifices her health and her future welfare to nurse a sick child. Noble as this is, it is not altogether disinterestedness, because it is based on the love inherent for the child and the desire to keep that loved one from passing on, although it might be the eternal welfare of the child to leave the mortal plane. The suffering of the mother, if the child does not recover, is proof of the self involved, yet is not to be condemned because it is natural.
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The Occult recognizes this freely and, while condemning selfishness which seeks to benefit in one way or another to the loss or at the expense of another, does inculcate and incite toward self-improvement and self-benefit, and by methods unknown or misunderstood in material science.

It commands the Neophyte:

To Know.
To Will.
To Dare.
To Keep Silent.

This embraces, first, the knowledge of the ways and means to accomplish; secondly, the intention to perform and the willingness to forswear, if necessary, all else but moral responsibility and personal liability; thirdly, the courage, in defiance of all objection, to execute. In silence is typified not the mere habitual absence of expression, not alone the concealing of dangerous secrets from the unworthy, but also the complete shutting out of all extraneous things that would interfere with the purpose and intent of the operation, and especially the refraining from all boasting as the results. Silence is, in fact, a cardinal principle with the Hermetic philosopher and his art, and is enjoined by all Secret Schools. To mention or to speak of an operation before its consummation may result in its failure, where otherwise there might have resulted complete success.
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"It is a universal law that assurance of success keeps pace with ability; and the fear of miscarriage or failure which hinders our first attempt is gradually dissipated as our skill advances toward the certainty of success."

Knowledge, at least in part, is the result of observation. Wisdom is possible only as a result of applying that which we believe to be true and as a result, feel and experience. We can also prepare for the application of certain accepted facts by close and careful observation. We actually go through the world and most of life with our eyes shut in regard to many of the most common things.

Courage and confidence are born as we gain the information which is essential to application. Skill comes to us by repeated efforts. No man (or woman) can become an Initiate or attain to Adeptship who first does not understand the Law; who, secondly, is unwilling to give his entire being without reservation to the things to be accomplished; and thirdly, fails to imagine himself that which he assumes to become. To feel is to be, at least momentarily. But if we know, if we act, if we apply our knowledge and feel that which we seek to be, then we become that which has been gradually constructing within us by our constant physical and mental efforts.
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In seeking Initiation it becomes the duty of the Neophyte to awaken his every faculty of observation. In every act of man and woman there is a lesson to be learned, because behind every act there is a cause, and it is cause which is of prime importance in the gaining of Wisdom. In doing this, criticism and judgment must be assiduously avoided.

The Neophyte must become saturated with his desire to master all things, and this mastery includes the subjugation or direction of those emotions and passions which lead the mass more often to failure and dishonor than to success and leadership.

In observing the actions of men and seeking the incentive for the action, the Neophyte must necessarily become a separate entity, and in no wise be influenced either by the actions of men, nor yet by the reactions which result. Should he permit himself to be influenced one way or the other, his own passions or emotions would become aroused, certain weakness would result, folly instead of Wisdom would follow, and he might in some instances take on the Karma of the actor. Shakespeare was right when he voiced the sentiment that "all the world's a stage," and, naturally, all the people are actors, very few capable of dictating their own part, though primarily responsible for it. He who seeks Wisdom must separate himself from the actors and look upon the world as a stage, and be no more influenced than he is when witnessing a drama or hearing an opera.

Observe, analyze and feel only when something is to be learned which will be of interest to the self or of benefit to mankind. If experience can be gained by such observation then, by all means take advantage of it, store it in the memory as important papers are filed for future reference; but do not be influenced except to benefit thereby.

Through this method of observation or blending(2), the Neophyte will not only be able to learn the character and capacity of those he meets, but in time he will be able to so blend with them as to be able to read their very thoughts; even more, to trace their thoughts by means of mental reflection back into the domain of retrospection and so learn of acts in their past life and find the causative incentive of the passion, emotion, misfortune or even ailment from which they suffer. All this must be done in a wholly impersonal manner without prejudgment or condemnation of anything that is revealed.
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(2) The term "blending" was first used by Dr. P.B. Randolph, the Supreme grand Master of the Rosy Cross and appendant Orders; and later by Peter Davidson, the world's greatest authority on the ancient Druids and their philosophy.
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"Deceit, idle curiosity, indiscretion, unwholesome desire, negative thoughts are the creation of the imagination which enslave the Soul or higher self of man and incline the person toward weakness and disease, failure and sorrow. The power or force for the elimination of these undesirable qualities also lies in the same abused imagination."

Much of sickness and weakness have their beginning in a negative imagination which - instead of picturing radiant health, strength, energy and joy in life - permits visions of weakness, loss and suffering to usurp the constructive poser of the mind; and this is repeated so frequently that finally these negative pictures become reflected in the subconscious perceptions. The Initiate fully comprehends this Law and is aware that by the power of his suggestion and the force of his Will, he may eliminate the mind- pictures of disease and weakness from the mind of the victim - the self-sufferer, and replace them with pictures of health, strength and happiness. There are only a few ailments, except those of an organic or undernourished nature, which will not yield if such a course is persistently followed. The Occult Master may proceed far beyond this in cases demanding it. He may even enter a realm unknown to medical science in the elimination of diseases especially those in the category of nervous and neurotic afflictions so prevalent today, most of which are the result of reflex mental distortions, and become so strong as to govern conscious mental activity and physical response in the form of disease, weakness and even distortions.

These come within the realm of the human magnetic field or mental, material science known as hypnotism; a procedure first practiced and made known by the Occult Initiates, derided by science and medicine and then grudgingly accepted - now widely practiced.
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Numerous Initiates have maintained that magnetism - human electricity - is the real key to "magical" operations and contains in itself the explanation of almost all the achievements and marvelous feats attributed to the Magi of all ages. It is the common ground between materialism and Spiritual Consciousness where the natural and the so-called supernatural may meet and harmonize. It is the physical base upon which is reared the whole grand superstructure of Occultism, at least in its primary degrees. It involves in its operation matter, mind and Soul. Its foundation is deep in physical science, but its superstructure reaches to the very cloud heights of speculation and conjecture, and it promises to serve as a tower connecting earth and heaven.

This science of physical energy and mental forces was well known to the ancient Magi Initiates; but its secrets were studiously concealed from all but the very Initiates, and nearly lost to the world by the burning of the Alexandrian Library in the fourth century.

It remained for Mesmer to recover, by the most natural and commonplace means and without the aid of extensive Occult knowledge, this universal agent of life, and to introduce it with all its possibilities into the domain of science and research; and later, Moll unveiled another branch of the same art, i.e., hypnotism or hypnosis, which starts with the conscious mind, placing it in abeyance and, then, reaches into the Subconsciousness. There it eliminates or eradicates the mental picture of weakness, disease and failure which had been projected into the Subconsciousness by the conscious, though of a negative mind, and substitutes in its place a picture of health, strength and well-being - or whatever the desire of the operator or physician.

Thus, that class of mental, neurotic or psychopathic sufferers who cannot be influenced by mere suggestion or mental force or medication may be influenced by a fixity of look, sometimes supplemented by a slight, soothing undulating movement of the hands; others only by a slight or profound magnetic sleep. This magnetic sleep has been divided into four stages: the primary, which is but a partial subjection; the secondary, which is a controlled somnambulism; the tertiary, which is a state of absolute unconsciousness of pain as well as a complete subjection to the Will of the operator. In the last stage the subject can be made to believe anything the operator desires to impress upon the mind, however improbable or inconsistent. The subject may be impelled to any action in obedience to the Will of the superior mind, provided it is not against the moral instinct of the subject. This last state is not always attainable with all subjects, although in general any subject who will succumb to the first operation can, by repeated experiment, be brought to the highest degree of subjection(3).
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(3) Due to charlatanry, hypnotism was for a time relegated to oblivion. However, science has not permitted it to be permanently buried merely because it was grossly abused and exploited. Men such as Dr. Thomas Garrett, Alfred J. Fox, M.D., Dr Alexander Cannon, and Dr. Walter Bromberg gave it serious consideration, acknowledging its vast possibility in the field on mental hygiene, the correction of wrong mental attitudes and the results following constrictive thinking.
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"Knowledge is gained, and Wisdom attained by degrees. During the earlier stages of the search for truth, it is but natural that the mind is beclouded, and comprehension at a loss. It is during this period that the Neophyte must remember the command: Go forward, have faith and knowledge will unveil itself."

Irrespective of man's station in life, he enters the Occult Path in blindness, but with a purpose. It is at the very threshold where there is the greatest need of faith. It has been well said that "all things begin in faith," and this is especially true in the search for Wisdom, enlightenment, and the attainment of the powers promised those who are faithful and overcome.

With a deep desire and but little faith, we may begin the search and enter on the Path. As we proceed and progress, we begin to see that every effort has a purpose and to the degree of our application further light is revealed to us. Our faith increases in perfect ratio as we apply ourselves and open our inner self to the reception of truth and understanding. Thus, we proceed step by step on the climb toward the ultimate. Every grain of additional faith is an incentive to greater effort. Every effort brings greater enlightenment and the capability to receive and comprehend that which is seen and experienced, also the Wisdom to apply that which has come to us as a result of effort and understanding. It is a continuous, progressive process of becoming and wholly dependent upon capability and the application of knowledge as it is unrolled to our mental vision before us. Have faith! is the command. as we have a little faith and apply it, greater faith is given us. the beclouded vision becomes clear, doubts are dispelled, power is felt throughout the entire being, and we proceed toward the ultimate of Initiation or Soul Consciousness.
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"He who would be superior to external influences must become superior to his own passions."

No man is greater than the control he is able to exercise over his passions! This is a law in all the realms of physical life. Man's greatest field of attack, the most vulnerable spot, the personal aspect which permits easiest defeat, is the weakness within himself which he has failed to control and which is not at all times subject to his direction.

One of the first and most important steps to be taken in the search for Wisdom, the gaining of power and the attainment of Self- mastery and Initiation, is to make a thorough search, a most careful analysis of the self and its carnal passions and to judge with a harsh and impartial judgment. It is not a disgrace to be possessed of strong passions; but it is ignoble to be governed by them. The weaker passions must be strengthened by right direction so that no outside force or influence, coercion or flattery can mislead or misdirect them while the stronger passions must be correctly directed. The temptations of the world are strong and all-powerful; to give way to them is not only weakness but is to fail in the Great Work that is to be accomplished.

It is a Magical axiom: "If thou wouldst be loved by fairy queens, by sylphs and undines and the beautiful damsels of light, be chaste as the moon and without encumbrances, for the elemental spirits are ofttimes jealous of the affairs of men."

Which is merely to say that in seeking for Mastership and all it embraces man must be his own master and must not dissipate any of his forces, nor by any means permit himself to be misled or to deviate from the Path or obedience to the law which governs the higher attainment. It is, of course, equally true that no man can command the elemental spirits or forces, as can be done in the higher Occult, unless he has complete command of his desires, passions and native forces. "Thy God is a jealous God" merely decrees that he who is to command forces outside of himself must first exercise mastery of those within himself; the Law is jealous of its application and permits none to choose and to be subject to carnal desires before it.

"The Initiate, above all men, must hold the reins of passion with a firm hand and Will, guided by reason. It is always a trial of strength. He who yields to the first temptation may not aspire after the precious gifts of ‘heaven' which are reserved only for the wise and the strong."

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"The man of yesterday is not the man of today, nor will he be the same tomorrow."

Nothing is stationary in nature. Man either advances or he retrogrades. This is one of the great Laws recognized by the Initiate, and it is by reason of its recognition that constant advancement is possible.

Yesterday is not to be condemned or entirely forgotten, but is to be an example. If that which was committed did not benefit the self or another, it should serve as a warning for us not to repeat. It is past; it belongs to God; "the dead must bury its dead"; but the lesson learned is to be applied in the affairs of today and thus help prepare for a better tomorrow.

Yesterday left us either wiser and stronger, or weaker and more beclouded. Whatever the experience, we are today or we started the day as we were yesterday, and it is either to be our guide or act as a warning in all we undertake today. Tomorrow will be a continuance of today; thus, we advance according to our ability to adsorb the lessons and experiences as we pass through them.

The Neophyte on the Path does not fail to give special attention to this activating Law, knowing as he does that by taking advantage of it he learns one or more lessons each day, and he applies them to the day that follows, thereby advancing himself step by step, day by day. In all his efforts his heartfelt prayer must be:

"God grant I may so act and direct myself that there may not hereafter be cause to regret."

In this manner does the Initiate harmonize himself with the Law and thus wise will the Law protect him, guide him and help him to attain Mastery.

The common mass is governed by only one incentive - self- interest, and because of this, one day follows the other in rhythm-like manner with seldom a change. Life ebbs, strength wastes, mind dulls and death ends it. The Neophyte who would be a Magus must become superior to the mass, rise above their weaknesses and attain superior knowledge. He differs from the mass in that he denies himself the unessentials, he controls his natural and carnal desires; and he has no expectation for immediate self-benefit, fully comprehending that only in this wise can strength for even greater things be gained.
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"All available means, all requisite agencies for acquiring knowledge, will come to the Neophyte whenever these become indispensable to his progress. This dogma is an article of faith to all Neophytes on the Path and must be accepted in full confidence."

No knowledge or achievement is beyond the reach of any Aspirant who is possessed with the requisite personal qualities of the Magus; these are enthusiasm, courage, indomitable Will, patience, industry, perseverance and silence. Properly understood and applied, these qualities compel success.

Dr. P. B. Randolph has said that "enthusiasts are the Ambassadors of God." Without enthusiasm the desire, the incentive and the Will to make the necessary effort are lacking. Enthusiasm for an object to be attained is like love for a woman; it is the guiding, drawing attractive power surmounting all obstacles.

Courage is essential in that it holds the seeker steadfast to a charted course. It helps him defy all opposition, ignore opinion, welcome criticism and find incentive in the skepticism of others.

The Indomitable Will is like steam to an engine. It is the driving force of the human mechanism. It brooks no opposition, recognizes no defiance; it challenges fate and wins it to its side. It is the power which lifts man to the throne of God and makes him as one of the gods.

Patience is as important as the Will. Without patience, the strongest Will is of no greater value than a simple wish. Patience recognizes even the necessity of failure; that failures rightly accepted are stepping stones to success; and that each failure is simply to be considered as an incentive to greater effort. It is the patience in Nature which permits the seed to germinate and the sprout to grow into a tree, the tree to bear fruit. Patience is the cement which holds stone to stone until the structure is complete.

What is Industry? To wish is weakness; but to turn a wish into a keen desire is Alchemy; and to make that desire so strong as to be willing to labor, to deny, to sacrifice in order to achieve - that is the need in the Great Work. Enthusiasm, Courage, Will, patience, all these must fail where effort is lacking.

Perseverance is akin to patience. To be patient is to persevere until success has been attained. Stick-to-itiveness is the greatest need of our modern, impatient age. Without it, all must fail and man return to his earliest estate.

Silence is recognized by Initiates and Occultists as not alone the habitual refraining from useless speech and frivolous discussions, but also the shutting out of sight and mind all ulterior interests.

As Nature crushes a man who stands in her way as readily as she would crush an apple, so must the devotee to science stop at no petty scruples in casting aside the little obstacles which tend to obstruct the way. He must crush out from his heart all the ordinary weaknesses of human nature which contribute to molding the character and destination of common men. One sentiment he, indeed, acknowledges and never ignores - the sense of justice, one's feeling and affection.

The Magus, like other men, more so than other men, must keep himself innocent if he would be happy and successful. Selfishness becomes the serpent in his Eden and destroys his hope of Immortality.
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"And since he kept his mind on one sole aim,
Nor ever touched fierce wine, nor tasted flesh,
Nor owned a sensual wish - to him the wall
That sunders ghosts and shadow - casting men
Became a crystal, and he saw them thro' it
And heard their voices talk behind the wall,
And learned their elemental secrets, powers and forces."
_______Tennyson, in "Vivian."

The transcendent powers possessed by the Magus are never imparted to those who prove unworthy. The Initiatory Schools teach as a fundamental that the Soul of man passes through many phases of existence, and in every successive stage may be improved and refined. Following death and after proper rest - as the body does from its labor sleep nightly - the Soul takes possession of a new earthly tenement and is reincarnated in the body of an infant whose opportune arrival is instantly taken advantage of for the purpose; then, the incarnating Soul at once enters upon another earthly pilgrimage during which new trials must be passed through, and new opportunities afforded for improvement. Under proper culture and direction, great strides may be made in one lifetime; but it may take several incarnations or, in other words, several different life-experiences to work out a moral taint. Sometimes, in consequence of very strong hereditary taint, transmitted through a line of ancestors noted for their selfishness and the undue ascendancy of evil passions in their nature, the Soul struggles long in the depths of error and moral degradation before there is aroused even a tendency toward the right direction and then a gradual improvement. Unless overcome and set back by some great temptation of a train of evils too strong to be successfully opposed, the Soul is destined to become in time thoroughly free from the moral defects imposed upon it and it becomes worthy of fellowship with the Hierarchy of the true and good who by the grace of God are in charge of the invisible Brotherhood.(4)
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(4) Some of these statements may appear cryptic. The Soul itself does not sin and is not actually contaminated by evil. By its acceptance of responsibility for whatever the medium - the body in which it incarnated - it must pay for its Spiritual identity, and by the power of such consciousness it is capable if influencing the personality - the physical self, the house it inhabits - to gradually come within the Divine Law.

This might be comparable to one born into an unfavorable condition and who continues to live therein and is seemingly unconscious of his conditions by reason of one cause or another becomes conscious of the undesirability of his habitation and gradually, to the degree of his consciousness, he begins to repair his house until it becomes a desirable place to live in from every point of view.
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Thus, the Brotherhood of Magi are as guardians of such Souls who seek to free themselves from the taint of selfishness, which is weakness, instruct them in the nature of the Spiritual life and ultimately initiate them into the visible Brotherhood. This Fraternity is always governed by a High and Secret Council composed of Initiates who act under the inspiration of the unseen Powers of Hierarchies who direct the affairs of the Fraternity through the Supreme Grand Master.
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"The art of magic consists in employing invisible or so-called Spiritual agencies, the Hierarchies or Principalities of Light, to obtain visible results."

*The term "Magic" as here used is not to be confused with the general meaning or usage of the word. In the Occult or spiritual application of the word, it indicates the direction of a force in Nature generally unknown.

He who in sincerity enters the study of the Great Work, at once begins to live a double life. One life he lives in the imitation spirit, as do all men, but he also lives another life in the conscious Spirit which through his efforts is being developed. The conscious Spirit is the fruit of years of study and training. Man is unknown to himself until he begins to consciously make an effort to find the real self within himself and which allies him to the invisible Spiritual Hierarchies.

Gradually, after studying and long training, he begins to sense the other, the hidden self, and to comprehend the part he plays in the great drama of life. Man cannot know God of the Spiritual things until he becomes a child of the Light. Then, and then only, is his relationship with God established. While man lives only in the imitation spirit, he does not truly live; he exists as the plaything of fate and characters stronger than himself. He is a pawn in the game of life. When he establishes the conscious life, then, the Light gives life. He will see life as it is, and irrespective of where he may be, there will be the Spiritual forces to command. Like David of old, he can no longer hide from God, for God is everywhere.

Almost from the very beginning, the Neophyte is engaged in seeking this Light and in connecting with the Hierarchies or Principalities of Light, because therein alone is to be found that which is above the human equation. This does not make him less human or less practical. It enhances his understanding of the self and his usefulness to his fellow creatures.
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The Kingdom of heaven is compared not to any great kernel or nut, but to a grain of mustard seed, which is one of the least grains, but has in it a property and spirit hastily to get up and spread. So there are states great in territory and yet not apt to enlarge or command; and some that have but a small dimension of stem, and yet apt to be the foundations of great monarchies." - Bacon.

Man as a whole may be compared to a sovereign country which is made up of an aggregation of independent states, small and large, all united in a rather loose confederation for the purpose of common defense and the furtherance of mutual interests. Man's passions, emotions and desires are these independent units of his being. They are all more or less selfish, jealous of their existence and power, and ready to unite in a common defense against any usurpation. Within this sovereign country or universe of man there is hidden the "grain of mustard seed," small but potent if permitted to spring into life. In general, in fact almost universally so, the independent states, the passions, emotions and desires of selfish interests will continue to hold control during his life; and, as in most instances in national life where selfish interests predominate, they will ultimately destroy the composite whole; however, there are exceptions. It is then that the mind of the composite individual begins to sense there is something far greater than this conglomeration of selfishness and weakness, and begins his search to unravel the mystery.

This "mustard seed," least among "seeds," is then awakened and husbanded into life and given the opportunity to become the greatest in the personal kingdom. This "mustard seed" is the Soul which has been allowed to remain dormant for ages, yet which contains within itself all that has ever existed, the Light which allies it to God and when unfolded contains within itself all the powers ever possessed by man. This little "seed," native to all normal human creatures, is in truth the Winged Globe(5) wherein man finds his heaven.
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(5) This Winged Globe is the Rosicrucian's symbol of the Illuminated Soul, the Initiate.
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Initiation is the process of subduing the clamors of the principalities of selfish passions, emotions and desires; of transmuting or changing the very nature of them; of harmonizing them with the Great Work to bring this "grain of mustard seed," the Soul, to conscious life and into touch with the invisible or Spiritual entities. Yet, this Work, great as it is, is no more than the development of the whole man to harmonize with the Universal Law and Order.

* In this age of usurpation, the Neophyte who demands privileges is not entitled to them, and should study this quotation until its precepts and Spiritual Law ARE BURNED into the Consciousness so that not even in thought may he be guilty of this evil which is really a part of avarice - a MOST IGNOBLE human trait. Any Neophyte guilty of this weakenss would eliminate himself from the ranks of the August Fraternity.
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"Would you be among the great? Then remember this: "The great are great only because we are on our knees. Let us rise!" ___Pridhomme.

A man is only a human creature, but he may become a whole man. The instincts of a gentleman will prompt him to do the proper thing under any and all circumstances. Therefore, it is the duty of man to develop the character of a gentleman and the capability to govern himself. Ignorance and vice are the conditions of which man should be ashamed, that can properly exclude him from any society on earth to which he has gained the entree. Solomon's precept: "The diligent man shall stand before kings," is the watchword which activates the August Fraternity as it does the Neophyte and makes all progress possible. (6)
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(6) The Neophyte or any self-respecting, responsible man will not demand acceptance into any phase of Society for which he has not prepared himself so as to be acceptable. DEMAND BY COMPULSION IN PLACE OF WORTH, PROVES UNFITNESS.
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The true Neophyte is never a snob. He recognizes that rank, heredity and good breeding do count for much; that generations of greatness, of gentle breeding and refined living all leave their mark. Man, lacking good breeding, if he will it, may develop it to the highest degree. The laws of heredity are recognized by the fraternity, and every effort is made by those on the Path to free themselves of weaknesses and taints of whatever nature, so that their descendants shall have greater possibilities, with less to overcome and be better able to carry forward the traditions of the Great Work. In the ultimate, greatness, whether of birth or of self-development, manifests itself in simplicity, in gentleness and in the refinement of behavior. The truly great are never boastful and never attempt to impress their refinement or birthrights upon anyone, nor do they ever demand rights and privileges which do not belong to them. In truth, the gently-born, who are also gentle- minded, are unconscious of their status in the ranks of man. The Neophyte at all times makes effort to attain this distinction, and to be unconscious of it as he achieves it.
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"Whoever hopes to employ any part of his time with efficacy and vigor must allow some of it to pass in trifles." _____Locke.

In modern parlance: A little foolishness now and then is relished by the best (and greatest) of men.

It is an acknowledged fact that there is no more irrational being, no more radical person, than the one just converted from one religion to another, one political party to another, or one system of living and thinking to another.

This is equally true in the realm of Occult and Arcane. It is regrettable that this is so and that reason is ignored. It has been the thought and theme of many that, once they change from the material and carnal and accept the teachings and rules of the Ancient and Secret Schools and the August Fraternity, all things they formerly were part of and all thoughts and ideas they subscribed to, must not only be discontinued but are, in toto, to be condemned. The cruelest men of all ages, the most blood-thirsty and the most unreasonable, have been those converted from one form of religion to another.

The line of demarcation between the things of the world and the Spirit is not that sharply drawn. That which is generally, aye, universally, employed for carnal, even evil purpose is the same thing and the identical material which is used in the attainment of the higher life; it is merely changed - transmuted - and differently applied; correct use takes the place of misuse. This requires time and effort.

Pleasures and recreations are hardly ever in themselves evil, the cause of evil or direct means of weakness or degradation. It is their abuse that is evil. It is the same with worldly possessions, with associations and with various activities. The Neophyte is, therefore, warned what he, above all others, must avoid becoming either irrational, radical or prone to condemn; but instead, must constantly seek to be more reasonable and tolerant, willing to give the benefit of the doubt in all things where he is uncertain of lack actual knowledge.

Foolishness or trifles, as Locke states, do have their part in life, just as recreation is necessary in the development and rationalizing of mind and body. Moreover, frequently recreation in one form or another is the ideal means toward gaining friendships, knowledge or even the entree to a society otherwise impossible and which will work toward the advantage and benefit of the one wise enough to seize the opportunity. The Neophyte, above all other men, should constantly seek to improve himself, his position in life and his Spiritual or higher self by every means approved by a just and higher Law, and by such legitimate means become the master of self, of the forces of nature, both within and outside of himself. No opportunity is to be considered too insignificant and no benefit so great as to induce him to be unjust or take unfair advantage of a fellow man.
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"Study has something cloudy and melancholy in it which, in not carefully guarded against, may spoil that natural cheerfulness; it may deprive a man of that readiness of wit and freedom of fancy which are required toward a polite conversation. Meditation has still worse effects in civil society; wherefore, let me advise you to take care that you lose not by it with your friends what you think to gain with yourslf." ___St. Everemond.

The Initiate, Master or Adept is a balanced man. Nothing except meanness and smallness of mankind is of too little importance to him to receive his attention. It is an axiom in the Occult that Life success and Immortality itself are made up by weaving the little things into one great web. If man must lose something precious, such as friendship and the entree to civil society whereby to gain some power, whether occult or otherwise, then he has lost in the exchange. The secret of life is not to lose or destroy anything, but to turn it to good account. No good thing need be given up, no true pleasure denied, no friendship repudiated, in the search for enlightenment and Spiritualization. All these things have their purpose and use. Some of them it is true, are misdirected, but the Initiate redirects them, and they become of benefit to himself and to others.

Study may have a tendency to make the mind heavy and to eliminate natural cheerfulness; therefore, all the more need to woo friendship and engage in innocent pastime and constructive recreation; nor will this interfere one whit with the desired advancement and development. All good things in the universe belong to the scheme of life, whether these fit into the category of the tot's prattle or the Master Teacher's inculcations.

It is well for the Neophyte to be enthusiastic about his Occult study and training, but he must at all times make every effort to remain free from a melancholy which is natural to one who sees and feels the cause of suffering of the human family - causes which he soon learned are self created, yet denied and placed upon the shoulders of others. He must become grandly simple in his self- possession, unconventional as good society allows or demands, always free to give but never extravagant, endowed with the natural freshness and exuberance of youth; yet, never guilty of foolish action. All this appears involved, yet is simple and easily attained by those who seek the truth and who refuse to become the victims of self-righteousness.
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"An extreme rigor is sure to arm everything against it and at length to relax into a supine neglect." ________Burke.

In the transition from the worldly and carnal life into the Path of the Occult and the Secret Schools, the Acolyte is very apt to reverse himself completely. In doing this he will be prone to condemn all things of his former life and all concerned or associated with it. He will be ready to accept, endorse and even force upon others that which he imagines is to be a part of his new life. This is both undesirable and potent enough to turn all his former associates against him, to cause much unpleasantness and sorrow to former friends and loved ones - not enumerating other losses in one form or another.

If there were a possibility of gain or advancement in such revulsion and action, it might, in a sense, be condoned but there is no advantage whatever in such a repudiation of all that formerly was held dear. It is, therefore, to be considered a loss, a disadvantage, in every respect and certain to bring the condemnation of all concerned upon the philosophy and activity the Novice now engages in. Moreover, all such former associates are justified in their judgment since it must necessarily be based on what they see and in the change which has taken place in an associate who once had been one of them.

There is never any need to bring such scorn and ill opinion upon a noble science and exaltedness of life. There is no reason why the Neophyte should not be among other men - though not like them - nor must he be a partaker of the things which are not good, any more than there is reason for an abrupt change, or a dispositioned inclination to condemn all that was formerly considered desirable. In silent action (change) there is strength and no offense. All lasting changes are gradual changes, so imperceptible as to pass unnoticed. Change is made step by step so as to shock neither the self nor one's associates. Only where there is imminent evil or destructive conduct is there cause for immediate action.
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"Every desire, however innocent, may grow dangerous, as by long indulgence it becomes ascendant in the mind. When we have been much accustomed to consider anything as capable of giving happiness, it is not easy to refrain our ardor or to forbear some precipitation in our advances and irregularity in our pursuits."____Dr. Johnson.

This is unquestionable a law of life, and it may be safe to conclude that desire, satisfied, becomes a habit, and in time desire and habit will control and induce the person to do anything necessary to fulfill that desire.

Every Law is dual. As it operates on the material, carnal or self plane, so likewise is it operative on the Spiritual or Soul Plane or sphere. This is especially applicable to the Neophyte on the Path. It is the first principle of the Law that there must be a supreme desire; that every avenue to the accomplishment of that desire must be opened; that every effort to attain the desire must be followed and all forces concentrated toward that end. From the Spiritual point of view, such a desire does not become dangerous; instead, it becomes the attracting "star," the focal point, toward which all the forces of the man, material, mental and Spiritual, are directed. In the process, the desire becomes concentrated and centralized. The Law protects against misuse, because only good is sought, and no harm or loss to anyone is intended. Every force, every power, every energy within the threefold being is called upon and directed toward the given end. Fusion of all forces ultimately results, and the end is achieved.

All Nature tends toward a given end: it is only man who is inimical or antagonistic to the Law, and because of his erroneously directed self-will retards his own progress and brings upon himself all the misery and the woes to which human mind and flesh are heir.

The Neophyte must draw a clearly defined line of demarcation between desire which is unselfish and elevating, and what which is selfish and in its accomplishment a detriment to others. While it is true that he may seek self-benefit and self-advancement, it must not ever be to the loss or hurt of another. He is perfectly justified, as a Neophyte, in his attempts to attain the highest in every avenue of life: but it must be through the legitimate means of self-development, self-improvement and the husbanding and direction of natural forces - all of which are his by Divine Right to develop, use and direct.
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"The Neophyte must constantly be conscious that there is a Spiritual power or force which, when he has once fully formed a plan or purpose in mind, should cause him to hold to it firmly and without doubt, and not be led, swayed, influenced, cajoled, tempted, jeered or ridiculed out of it by others. Once he has resolved to be something different and greater in art, science or business, it will be an incentive to greater effort. The man or woman who is to succeed must always in desire and imagination, live, move, think and act as if he had already gained that success, or he will never gain it. That attitude is the Occult drawing force that makes achievement possible."

Initiate Masters, in the empire of mind, think as highly of themselves and value themselves as much when compelled temporarily to take what the world calls a humble place, as though they were active in their rightful sphere. Honest labor does not disgrace the laborer, although the worker may be reduced to the task in hand. Those about them feeling this thought of self-appreciation, which is by no means false vanity, will always pay them the respect due them. Such men and women, because they do not permit honest labor to degrade them, will always by the force of their Spiritual attainment gravitate to whatever station they belong. They do this naturally by vibrations created by thoughts, desires, knowledge and the silent forces of the mind - under the Occult Law by which they are governed and live.
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The Occult Initiate is what he most lives in thought, since it is thought which draws its material correspondence to him. If in mind he abases himself in feeling before others' power or talent, their grander manner of living, or is over awed by their pretentiousness into a sort of envious humiliation, or into that sinful self-deprecation which is ever whispering, "I can never be as they, " the lower vibrations resulting from such thoughts and feelings at once place barriers in his Path such as will be difficult to surmount. He must learn to think expectantly of the best things the world has to offer, and as though they already were his own; not that he for a moment lowers himself to the plane of envy, desiring their position or possessions, but is stimulated to earn by his own efforts the things desired. This is the basis of manhood, the foundation for Mastership.
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The merest tyro in the Occult should quickly appreciate that it is not wrong either to own or to enjoy the best things this earth affords. It is a necessity and a benefit that all his finer tastes be supplied with their needs. But it is to be remembered that there are methods both just and unjust for obtaining the best the earth affords. There are wise as well as unwise methods of obtaining necessities as well as the things to enjoy.
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This maxim applies to all activities in life. The fainthearted should never enter the Occult Path. Immediate results, except insofar as health and mental clarity are concerned, should not be expected. It is a very common failing of the many to become easily dissatisfied and discourage after a short period of study and preliminary training. Initiation requires sufficient time for the Soul to come into the realization of its own powers and to unfold its wings. Necessarily there must be failures before there can be success. But when once the Occult powers have been developed and confidence is established, the Neophyte will nevermore be content to crawl upon the earth - like the serpent on its belly - but will arise and soar into new realms, although, if wise, his feet will always remain on the ground.
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All men should desire success, and many of them actually endeavor to attain it, with more or less energy and perseverance. The universal desire to better one's condition is both natural and laudable; a morbid discontent and querulous repining at one's lot in life is to be deprecated and is never part of the mental attitude of the real Neophyte. The invalid has a perfect right to pray for health, the hungry man for food, the naked for clothing, the poor for a competence, the ignorant for instruction and guidance; but, under the Divine Law, all these supplicants, in order that their petitions be fruitful, must in conjunction with their prayer begin to make every effort to obtain or attain for themselves that for which they pray, otherwise theirs is "a foolish virgin's prayer" and lacks potency and attracting power.
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Success in life implies not merely freedom from want and privation, but the actual possession of comforts and conveniences, providing these do not have the tendency to cause mental or physical weakness, fatal inertia or actual laziness. All men, no doubt, sincerely join in the one part of the prayer of Agus, the son of Jakeh: "Give me not poverty"; but few are there to be found who sincerely complete the rest of the sentence: "neither give me riches." Practically all men feel poverty is in itself an evil, despite the fact that the world has known many great and noble men who have been universal benefactors, yet lived their lives in comparative poverty - even in exile. These were inherently great and noble, and in many instances their poverty was the result of deprivation.

The Neophyte seeks for the fulfillment of that other passage in the Book of Proverbs which exhorts men to get Wisdom, because, among other things, "Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand is riches and honor." Wealth - power and possessions - is a good thing to desire and to strive for, but it should be obtained with honor and in fair dealing, otherwise, sooner or later, it is liable to change to gall.
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Unless one of the wisest men who ever lived was greatly in error, there is no incompatibility between the strictest care for one's material interests and the highest Spiritual life. He exhorted all to be "in diligence, not slothful," no less earnestly than to be "serving the Lord."

A man's merit is to a great degree rightly estimated by his success as well as by his influence for good. It is the reverse of a compliment to a man to call him idle, improvident, negligent, careless or shiftless; it is not a compliment to call him poor. In a thoroughly selfish world it has come to be considered a kind of misdemeanor for any other man to be rich or, at least, to be much richer than his neighbor. But on looking into the matter we will be almost certain to find that the censor really inveighs only against those who possess more than he; the reason for his complaint is degrading envy. His conscience is not disturbed should he find himself richer than someone else. The real grievance with such a man is that anyone should be richer than he himself is. The Divine Law recognizes the difference between reason and selfishness and inveighs against selfishness and inertia because these are diseases that destroy the Spiritual nature.
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No man has a right to success unless he shall avail himself of all the opportunities which lie before him; then, door after door will open to him as he proceeds. These opportunities, in the first instance, are based on the development of capabilities and talents with which he is endowed. These are capable of continual improvement and development as he progresses. A man is himself the implement with which he is to work. Hand and brain, eye and ear, mind and imagination, thought and desire, should be trained to the utmost extent of their capabilities for the work in which he is to be engaged. A man must, before all things, endeavor to make the most of himself. Probably no man ever did this to the ultimate afforded him.(7) The most successful man, other than the Initiate, will feel that he has only partially succeeded in his self- education and self-development. If, perchance, he has not done many things which he ought to have done, his sin is one of omission more than of commission.
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(7) It is well to bear in mind such men as Michelangelo, and in our time Burbank, Edison, Steinmetz, Lincoln and a few others, some of whom were not Initiates but men of "stature."
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The Neophyte's opportunities lie greatly in the circumstances and conditions by which he is surrounded. No man can do all things, but many men can do more than one thing. If a man cannot find the work which he would like best to do, he must learn to like that which he can find to do until such time as he has properly prepared himself for the work he really wants to do or the profession he desires to follow. Thus, harmonizing himself and willingly doing that which is given him to do, he will attract to himself that which he desires and seeks. this is the great but little appreciated Occult Law of Success. Favorable opportunities sometimes do come without the seeking, but more often they must be sought. When a promising opportunity presents itself or is found, it must be seized. More men fail to reach success from hesitancy than from rashness, and still more from a lack of fitness for making good use of the opportunity when presented.

The aim of the Occult in its practical aspect is to make a comprehensive survey of those elements of character which lead to success in the affairs of men, and point out the sure and certain means by which it may be won. Success, in the true significance of the word, means attaining to the place in life for which each individual is fitted - is fitting himself; it embraces the development and proper use of all man's abilities. It includes the living of a peaceful and useful, though not always happy, life without injury to any fellow creature, and which benefits everyone who comes within the influence of such a life.
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There is no power on earth or in heaven which can be known to man or directed by man which is potent for good and not equally potent for evil when diverted from its proper and legitimate purpose. The stream which turns millions of wheels to do the work of our complex civilization becomes a destroying agent of tremendous force when it bursts the barriers which confine it and constrain it to work in useful avenues. The electricity, which conveys messages under the ocean and becomes the obedient servant at man's direction when controlled, will also rend, burn and destroy life and property when it is set free in a thunderbolt. It is identically the same with occult forces. There is no safety from the action of the forces of nature in the hands of unscrupulous men, only in the cultivation of a knowledge of the directing and activating Law. He who knows the certain and terrible results of a course of wrong thought and action would not willfully use the power to inflict loss or injury in another. Men become aware of the fact that by so doing they injure themselves most of all and rob themselves of power. He who injures another willfully and knowingly commits both moral and Spiritual suicide. These are the Laws the Higher Occult inculcates. |Top|

Before the Neophyte is prepared to walk in the Path of the Initiate, he must thoroughly purge himself of pride, of purely selfish ambitions and of avarice, which most frequently manifest themselves in jealousies. He must be willing, even anxious, to relinquish every error, irrespective of how sacred it may, at one time, have appeared to him, and be ready to accept and defend every truth, however unpopular it may be at the moment.
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The Neophyte must come to the full knowledge that every human being like himself is a repository of infinite possibilities, an agent free to accept or to refuse and, thereby remain a semi-slave. All are the creatures of God and the potential heirs to his infinite power. This thought must be assiduously cultivated until it actually becomes a part of the Consciousness and gradually brings into activity the latent power within, a power which is potent to overcome all adverse conditions, whether these be weakness, disease or failure in life's mission.
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Nature is arbitrary; her fiat is inexorable, especially so far as the physical, material and mental man is concerned. She lays down the Law dogmatically, and she must be obeyed. The Occult realm is no exception. Having learned that our motives are lawful, that we seek truth and Light above all things, that we seek Light because we desire to follow it, a certain amount of both knowledge and faith is also necessary to enable us to proceed, for without these we cannot succeed.

If the Neophyte's mind is filled with doubts and dogmatism, if his Spiritual nature is not yet stirred into life, he will naturally refuse to accept these assertions and will consider them no concern of his and ignore them.

But if by good fortune he has caught but the faintest glimpse of the Divine possibilities of the majesty and possibilities residing within his own Soul, he will never again know a moment's satisfaction until he has realized the full measure of his own God- given powers and capabilities, and begins to direct them to the benefit, first, of himself and, then, of his fellow man.
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The Neophyte is in need of a guide from the very beginning of his acceptance of these truths. He will need the help and instructions of one who has passed along this same road and has overcome the obstructions which are always in the Path of those who leave the beaten highway.

The neophyte must remember that the results which he seeks are only attainable by a strict compliance with the unvarying Divine Law, and that it is wise for him to seek and to accept the guidance of those who know and to follow instructions implicitly - without doubt or question.
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The purpose of the present text has in view the positive inculcation of the Divinely given Laws which, if obeyed assures the welfare of man in every aspect of his manifold life, and is equally positive in the assertion that every dormant capability, both physical and Spiritual, can be developed to the fullest extent by those who are truly interested in obtaining all that is good in life and within the Law.

The various terms used so frequently throughout the text, such as the Arcane Science, Soul Science, Philosophic Initiation are frequently used interchangeably and have reference to the means, the method, the way to the attainment of Soul Consciousness, Illumination, Mastership and finally become the "selected," or "accepted."

To the many interested in the more advanced studies of the Arcane as taught in the Great Work, the opportunity is offered them to obtain gratis several Monographs: The Secret Schools, having for its subject the authentic Rosicrucians, or Fraternatis Rosæ Crucis, their work of instructions and guidance, and The Confederation of Initiates, devoted to the Æth Priesthood and Priests of Melchizadek. These Monographs provide a means of contact by the sincere seeker with those capable of directing him along the Path of Attainment.

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