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again are we confronted with a set of paradoxical precepts, the first three of which tell us to kill out certain things, and the fourth of which then proceeds to tell us (apparently) to do the very things which we have just been advised not to do. This is another example of the Divine Paradox which underlies all occult teachings—the two sides of the shield. Read what we have said on this subject, on page 10, Lesson I. What we have said there applies to nearly all of the precepts of "Light on the Path."
In the fifth precept we are told to "Kill out all sense of separateness." The eighth precept gives us the reverse side of the shield: "Yet stand alone and isolated, because nothing that is embodied, nothing that is conscious of separation, nothing that is out of the eternal, can aid you." Here we have two vital truths imparted to us—and yet the two are but different sides of the same truth. Let us consider it.
The sense of separateness that causes us to feel as if we were made of different material from our fellow men and women—that makes us feel self-righteous—that makes us thank God we are different from, and better than, other men—is error, and arises from the relative point of view. The advanced occultist knows that we are all parts of the One Life—varying only as we have unfolded so as to allow the higher parts of our nature to manifest through us. The lowly brother is but as we were once, and he will some day occupy the same position that we now do. And both he and we will surely mount to still greater heights—and if he learns his lessons better than do we, he may outstrip us in development. And besides this, we are bound up with the lives of every other man and woman. We participate in the conditions which contribute to their sin and shame. We allow to exist in our civilization conditions and environments which contribute largely to crime and misery. Every mouthful we eat—every garment we wear—every dollar we earn—has had some connection with other people, and their lives and ours are intermingled—we touch all mankind at thousands of points. The law of cause and effect makes close companions of persons apparently as far apart as the poles. What we call sin is often the result of ignorance and misdirected energy—if we were in exactly the same position as those who do wrong—with the same temperament, training, environment, and opportunity—would we do so very much better than they? All life is on the Path—we are all advancing slowly—often slipping back two feet for every three we advance, but still registering a set advance of one foot. And all are really trying to do the best they can, although often the appearances are very much against them. None of us are so very good or perfect—then why should we be so ready to condemn. Let us lend a helping hand whenever we can, but let us not say, "I am holier than thou." Let us remember the precept of the great Master who warned us to cast the first stone only when we were free from sin ourselves. Let us avoid the sense of separateness in the relative sense, for it is a snare and a delusion, and the parent of nearly all error.
But now for the other side of the shield. Let us learn to stand alone—we must learn this lesson in order to advance. Our life is our own—we must live it ourselves. No one else may live it for us—and we may live the life of no one else. Each must stand squarely upon his own feet. Each is accountable for his own acts. Each must reap that which he has sown. Each must suffer or enjoy according to his own acts. Man is responsible only to himself and the Eternal. Nothing outside of the Eternal and himself can aid him. each soul must work out its own destiny, and no other soul may do the work of another. Each soul contains within it the light of the Spirit, which will give it all the help it requires, and each soul must learn to look within for that help. The lesson of Courage and Self-Reliance must be learned by the growing soul. It must learn that while nothing from without can help it, it is equally true that nothing from without can harm it. The Ego is proof against all harm and hurt, once it realizes the fact. It is indestructible, and eternal. Water cannot drown it—fire cannot burn it—it cannot be destroyed—it IS and always will be. It should learn to be able to stand erect—upon its own feet. If it needs the assurance of the presence of an unfailing helper—one that is possessed of unlimited power and wisdom—let it look to the Eternal—all that it needs is there.
The sixth precept tells us to "Kill out desire for sensation." And the eighth tells us to "Learn from sensation, and observe it, because only so can you commence the science of self-knowledge, and plant your foot upon the first step of the ladder." Another paradox. Let us try to find the key.
The warning in the sixth precept bids us to let drop the desire for sense gratification. The pleasures of the senses belong to the relative plane. We begin by enjoying that which appeals to the grosser senses, and from that we gradually work up the enjoyment of that which comes through higher senses. We outgrow certain forms of sense gratification. We pass from sensuality to sensuousness, in its lower and higher degrees. There is a constant evolution in sense gratification in man.
The things we enjoyed yesterday, seem crude and gross to us to-day, and so it will always be, as we pass onward and upward in the scale of life. We must cease to be tied to the gratification of the senses—the soul has higher pleasures awaiting it. The pleasures of the senses are all right in their place—they have their ones to perform in the evolution of the soul—but the soul must beware of allowing itself to be tied to them, as its progress will be retarded if it does so—useless baggage must be cast aside as the soul mounts the upward path—light marching order is the proper thing. The ties which bind you to sense gratification must be boldly cut, that you may go on your way. Therefore "Kill out desire for sensation." Re-member, the precept does not say that you should kill out sensation—only the desire for sensation. Neither desire sensation, nor ran away from it as an evil thing. Turn sensation to good account, by studying it, and learning its lessons, that you may see it for what it is really worth, and thus be able to drop it from you. As the eighth precept tells you: "learn from sensation, and observe it; because only so can you commence the science of self-knowledge, and plant your foot upon the first step of the ladder."
This does not mean that you should yield to sense—gratification in order to learn its lessons—the advanced soul should have passed beyond this stage. Sensations may be studied as if from the outside, and it is not necessary to indulge a sense in order to learn the les-son it has to teach you. The real meaning of this last precept is that when we find that we experience certain sense feelings—sensations—we should weigh. measure, gauge and test them, instead of viewing them with horror, These things are a part of us—they come from the Instinctive Mind, and are our heritage from our previous lowly states of existence. They are not bad in themselves, but are simply unworthy of us in our present stage of development. They are the shadows of our former selves—the reflection of things which were proper and natural in us in our more animal state but which we are now outgrowing. You may learn great lessons by noting the symptoms of these dying sense—manifestations, and thereby will he enabled to cast them away from you sooner than if you allow yourself to fear them as the manifestations of an evil entity outside of yourself—the temptings of a personal Devil. In time you will outgrow these things, their places being filled with something better and more worthy. But in the meantime, view them as you would the instinctive desire to perform some trick of childhood, which while once natural is now unnatural and undesirable. Many grown persons have had much trouble in getting rid of the old baby trick of sucking the thumb, or twisting a lock of hair between the fingers, which while considered as quite "cute" in the baby days, nevertheless brought upon the growing child many reproaches and punishments, and in after years, often required the exercise of the will of the adult to cast it aside as an undesirable thing. Let us so view these symptoms of the baby—days of our soul-life, and let us get rid of them by understanding them, their nature, history, and meaning, instead of fearing them as the "work of the Devil." There is no Devil but Ignorance and Fear.
The seventh precept tells us to "Kill out desire for growth" and yet the eighth advises us to grow—"Grow as the flower grows, unconsciously, but eagerly anxious to open its soul to the air. So must you press forward to open your soul to the eternal. But it must be the eternal that draws forth your strength and beauty, not desire of growth. For in the one case you develop in the luxuriance of purity; in the other, you harden by the forcible passion for personal stature."
The writer of the above words has made so plain the meaning of this twofold statement of truth, that very little comment upon the same is needed, even for those just entering upon the Path. The distinction between the "desire for growth," and the unfoldment