[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

- his own judge - his own rewarder - his own awarder of punishment. That
every thought, word or action, has its effect upon the future life or lives of
the man - not in the nature of a reward or punishment (as these words are
generally understood) - but as the inevitable result of the great Law of
Fourteen Lessons in Yogi
Please Share
1903-By Yogi
Philosophy and Oriental Occultism
This E-Book
Ramacharaka
SPIRITUAL CAUSE AND EFFECT. 251
cause and effect. The operation of the Law in surrounding us with certain
sets of conditions in a new birth, is influenced by two great general
principles: (1) The prevailing desires, aspirations, likes and dislikes, and
longing of the individual at that particular stage of his existence, and (2) By
the influence of the unfolding Spirit, which, pressing forward eagerly for
fuller expression and less restraint, brings to bear upon the reincarnating
soul an influence which causes it to be governed in its selection of the
desirable conditions of its new birth. Upon the apparently conflicting
influences of these two great forces rests the whole matter of the
circumstances and conditions surrounding the rebirth of the soul, and also
many of the conditions surrounding the personality in the new life - for
these conditions are governed greatly all through life by these conflicting (or
apparently conflicting) forces.
The urge of the desires, aspirations, and habits of the past life, is strongly
pressing the soul towards incarnation in conditions best fitted for the
expression and manifestation of these likes, tastes and desires - the soul
wishes to go on along the line of its past life, and naturally seeks
circumstances and surroundings best fitted for the freest expression of its
personality. But, at the same time, the Spirit, within the soul, knows that
the soul's unfoldment needs certain other conditions to bring out certain
parts of its nature which have been suppressed or not developed, and so it
exerts an attraction upon-
Fourteen Lessons in Yogi
Please Share
1903-By Yogi
Philosophy and Oriental Occultism
This E-Book
Ramacharaka
252 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.
the reincarnating soul, drawing it a bit aside from its chosen course, and
influencing that choice to a certain degree. A man may have an
overpowering desire for material wealth, and the force of his desire will
cause him to choose circumstances and conditions for a rebirth into a family
where there is much wealth, or into a body best suited for the attainment of
his desires, but the Spirit, knowing that the soul has neglected the
development of kindness, will draw it a little aside, and cause it to be
brought into the sweep of circumstances which will result in the man being
made to suffer pain, disappointment and loss, even though he attain great
wealth in his new life, to the end that he may develop that part of his
nature.
We may see illustrations of this last mentioned occurrence in some of the
very rich men of America. They have been born into circumstances in which
they have had the freest expression of the desire for material wealth - they
have possessed themselves of faculties best adapted to that one end, and
have managed to be surrounded with circumstances best calculated to give
the freest manifestations of those faculties. They have attained their heart's
desire, and have piled up wealth in a manner unknown to former ages. But
yet they are most unhappy and dissatisfied as a rule. Their wealth is a
weight around their neck, and they are tormented by fears of losing it and
the anxiety of attending to it. They feel that it has brought them no real
happiness, but has on the contrary sepa-
Fourteen Lessons in Yogi
Please Share
1903-By Yogi
Philosophy and Oriental Occultism
This E-Book
Ramacharaka
SPIRITUAL CAUSE AND EFFECT. 253
rated them from their fellow men, and from the happiness known to those of
moderate means. They are feverish and restless and constantly on the
search for some new excitement which will divert their minds from the
contemplation of their real condition. They feel a sense of their duty toward
the race and although they do not quite understand the feeling behind it all,
they endeavor to balance matters by contributing to colleges, hospitals,
charities, and other similar institutions which have sprung up in response to
the awakening consciousness of the race to the reality of the Brotherhood of
Man and the Oneness of All. Before the end comes, they will feel in the
depths of their soul that this success has not brought them real happiness,
and in the period of rest which will follow their departure from the physical
body, they will "take stock" of themselves, and readjust their mental and
spiritual affairs, so that when they are again born they will no longer devote
their entire energies toward the piling up of wealth that they cannot use, but
will live a more balanced life, and will find happiness in unexpected quarters
and will develop more spiritually. This is not because they have been
impressed with the sense of any special "wickedness" in abnormal money
getting, but because the soul has found that it did not secure happiness in
that way, and is seeking elsewhere for it, and because it has lived out the
desire for wealth, and has turned its attention to other things. Had the Spirit
not exerted its influence, the
Fourteen Lessons in Yogi
Please Share
1903-By Yogi
Philosophy and Oriental Occultism
This E-Book
Ramacharaka
254 YOGI PHILOSOPHY.
man might have been born into the conditions tending to produce
wealth, and yet not have been made to see the one-sidedness of such a
life, in which case it would have continued to be possessed of such an
abnormal desire for wealth that it would have been born again and
again, with increasing power each time, until it would have become
practically a money demon. But the Spirit's influence always
counteracts abnormal desires, although sometimes several incarnations
have to be lived through before the soul wears out its desire, and begins
to be influenced by the Spirit to a marked extent. Sometimes the
Spirit's influence is not sufficiently strong to prevent rebirth into
conditions greatly favoring old desires, but in such cases it is often able
to manage affairs during the life of the man, so as to teach him the
lesson needed to call a halt upon his unbridled desires, by bringing
him into the, sweep of the Law of Attraction and causing certain pain to
befall him - certain disappointment - certain failures - that will cause
him to realize the pain, disappointment, failures and sorrow of others,
and to bring upon him a course of living which will help to unfold his
higher faculties. Many of the sudden strokes of "misfortune" are really
brought about by this higher principle of the man, in order to teach
him certain lessons for his own good. It is not necessarily a higher
power which makes a man realize these lessons of life, but it is
generally his own higher self - the Spirit within him - which
Fourteen Lessons in Yogi
Please Share
1903-By Yogi
Philosophy and Oriental Occultism
This E-Book [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]