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bserving how a certain law works under the conditions spontaneously provided by nature； next in carefully considering what principle this spontaneous working indicates； and lastly deducing from this how the same principle would act under specially selected conditions； not spontaneously provided by nature。
The progress of shipbuilding affords a good example of what I mean。 Formerly wood was employed instead of iron； because wood floats in water and iron sinks； yet now the navies of the world are built of iron； careful thought showed the law of floatation to be that anything could float which； bulk for bulk； is lighter than the mass of liquid displaced by it； and so we now make iron float by the very same law by which it sinks； because by the introduction of the PERSONAL factor； we provide conditions which do not occur spontaneouslyaccording to the esoteric maxim that 〃Nature unaided fails。〃 Now we want to apply the same process of specializing a generic Law to the first of all Laws； that of the generic life…giving tendency of Spirit itself。 Without the element of INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITY the Spirit can only work cosmically by a GENERIC Law； but this law admits of far higher specialization； and this specialization can only be attained through the introduction of the personal factor。 But to introduce this factor the individual must be fully aware of the PRINCIPLE which underlies the spontaneous or cosmic action of the law。 Where； then； will he find this principle of Life？ Certainly not by contemplating Death。 In order to get a principle to work in the way we require it to； we must observe its action when it is working spon〃 taneously in this particular direction。 We must ask why it goes in the right direction as far as it doesand having learnt this we shall then be able to make it go further。 The law of floatation was not discovered by contemplating the sinking of things； but by contemplating the floating of things which floated naturally； and then intelligently asking why they did so。
The knowledge of a principle is to be gained by the study of its affirmative action； when we understand THAT we are in a position to correct the negative conditions which tend to prevent that action。
Now Death is the absence of Life； and disease is the absence of health； so to enter into the Spirit of Life we require to contemplate it； where it is to be found； and not where it is not… …we are met with the old question； 〃Why seek ye the living among the dead？〃 This is why we start our studies by considering the cosmic creation； for it is there that we find the Life Spirit working through untold ages； not merely as deathless energy； but with a perpetual advance into higher degrees of Life。 If we could only so enter into the Spirit as to make it personally IN OURSELVES what it evidently is in ITSELF； the magnum opus would be accomplished。 This means realizing our life as drawn direct from the Originating Spirit； and if we now understand that the Thought or Imagination of the Spirit is the great reality of Being； and that all material facts are only correspondences； then it logically follows that what we have to do is to maintain our individual place in the Thought of the Parent Mind。
We have seen that the action of the Originating Mind must needs be GENERIC； that is according to types which include multitudes of individuals。 This type is the reflection of the Creative Mind at the level of that particular GENIUS； and at the human level it is Man； not as associated with particular circumstances； but as existing in the absolute ideal。
In proportion then as we learn to dissociate our conception of ourselves from particular circumstances； and to rest upon our ABSOLUTE nature； as reflections of the Divine ideal； we； in our turn； reflect back into the Divine Imagination its original conception of itself as expressed in generic or typical Man； and so by a natural law of cause and effect； the individual who realizes this mental attitude enters permanently into the Spirit of Life； and it becomes a perennial fountain of Life springing up spontaneously within him。
He then finds himself to be as the Bible says； 〃the image and likeness of God。〃 He has reached the level at which he affords a new starting point for the creative process； and the Spirit； finding a personal centre in him； begins its work de nova； having thus solved the great problem of how to enable the Universal to act directly upon the plane of the Particular。
It is in this sense； as affording the requisite centre for a new departure of the creative Spirit； that man is said to be a 〃microcosm；〃 or universe in miniature； and this is also what is meant by the esoteric doctrine of the Octave； of which I may be able to speak more fully on some other occasion。
If the principles here stated are carefully considered； they will be found to throw light on much that would otherwise be obscure； and they will also afford the key to the succeeding essays。
The reader is therefore asked to think them out carefully for himself； and to note their connection with the subject of the next article。
INDIVIDUALITY。
Individuality is the necessary complement of the Universal Spirit； which was the subject of our consideration last Sunday。 The whole problem of life consists in finding the true relation of the individual to the Universal Originating Spirit； and the first step towards ascertaining this is to realize what the Universal Spirit must be in itself。 We have already done this to some extent； and the conclusions we have arrived at are：
That the essence of the Spirit is Life； Love； and Beauty。
That its Motive； or primary moving impulse； is to express the Life； Love and Beauty which it feels itself to be。
That the Universal cannot act on the plane of the Particular except by becoming the particular； that is by expression through the individual。
If these three axioms are clearly grasped； we have got a solid foundation from which to start our consideration of the subject for to…day。
The first question that naturally presents itself is；
If these things be so； why does not every individual express the life； love； and beauty of the Universal Spirit？ The answer to this question is to be found in the Law of Consciousness。 We cannot be conscious of anything except by realizing a certain relation between it and ourselves。 It must affect us in some way； otherwise we are not conscious of its existence； and according to the way in which it affects us we recognize ourselves as standing related to it。 It is this self…recognition on our own part carried out to the sum total of all our relations； whether spiritual； intellectual； or physical； that constitutes our realization of life。 On this principle； then； for the REALIZATION of its own Livingness； the production of centres of life； through its relation to which this conscious realization can be attained； becomes a necessity for the Originating Mind。 Then it follows that this realization can only be complete where the individual has perfect liberty to withhold it； for otherwise no true realization could have taken place。 For instance； let us consider the working of Love。 Love must be spontaneous； or it has no existence at all。 We cannot imagine such a thing as mechanically induced love。 But anything which is formed so as to automatically produce an effect without any volition of its own； is。nothing but a piece of mechanism。 Hence if the Originating Mind is to realize the reality of Love； it can Only be by relation to some being which has the power to withhold love。 The same applies to the realization of all the other modes of livingness； so that it is only in proportion； as the individual life is an independent centre of action； with the option of acting either positively or negatively； that any real life has been produced at all。 The further the created thing is from being a merely mechanical arrangement； the higher is the grade of creation。 The solar system is a perfect work of mechanical creation； but to constitute centres which can reciprocate the highest nature of the Divine Mind； requires not a mechanism； however perfect； but a mental centre which is； in itself； an independent source of action。 Hence by the requirements of the case man should be capable of placing himself either in a positive or a negative relation to the Parent Mind； from which he originates； otherwise he would be nothing more than a clockwork figure。
In this necessity of the case； then； we find the reason why the life； love； and beauty of the Spirit are not visibly reproduced in every human being。 They ARE reproduced in the world of nature； so far as a mechanical and automatic action can represent them； but their perfect reproduction can only take place on the basis of a liberty akin to that of the Originating Spirit itself； which therefore implies the liberty of negation as well as of affirmation。
Why； then； does the individual make a negative choice？ Because he does not understand the law of his own individuality； and believes it to be a law of limitation； instead of a Law of Liberty。 He does not expect to find the starting point of the Creative Process reproduced within himself； and so he looks to the mechanical side of things for the basis of his reasoning about