Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism by Yogi Ramacharaka (the best books of all time TXT) 📖

>Some places are notoriously “unlucky,” and, although this condition may be reversed by the man or woman of strong will, the average person is affected by it. Some houses carry with them an atmosphere of sunshine, good fellowship, and good cheer, while others are cold and repellent. A place of business is very apt to reflect the prevailing thought of those at the head of the enterprise or those who direct its affairs. Certain shops inspire confidence in patrons, while others cause one to keep a tight clutch on the pocketbook and a close eye on the clerks.

Places in which crimes have been committed often carry with them an unpleasant atmosphere, which originally arose from the strong thoughts sent forth from those participating in the occurrence, both the criminal and the victim. The atmosphere of a prison is horrifying to the sensitive. The atmosphere of a place of vice or scene of low animal pleasures is suffocating to one of higher mental traits.The atmosphere of a hospital is apt to influence those visiting it.

The atmosphere of an old church is apt to produce in the mind of the visitor a feeling of quiet and calm. We are speaking in generalities, of course, as there are many influences modifying and changing these tendencies.

Thus it is with, individuals. Some carry about them an atmosphere of cheer, sunniness, and courage, while others bring into a room a feeling of inharmony, distrust, and uneasiness. Many act as “killjoys” and as dampers upon enthusiasm and free expression. Hundreds of instances illustrating this fact might be cited, but the student may supply these from his own experience and observation.

The various waves of thought sent forth by people attract and are attracted by thoughts of a similar character. They form thought strata in the astral space, just as clouds fall into groups in the atmosphere. This does not mean that each stratum of thought occupies a certain portion of space to the exclusion of all other thought clouds. On the contrary, these thought particles forming the clouds are of different degrees of vibration, and the same space may be filled with thought matter of a thousand kinds, passing freely about and interpenetrating, without interference with each other, but not assimilating except with thoughts of similar character, although temporary combinations may be formed in some cases. We cannot go into detail regarding this in this lesson, and merely wish to give the student a general idea of the subject, upon which he may build from time to time.

Each individual draws to himself the thoughts corresponding to those produced by his own mind, and he is of course in turn influenced by these attracted thoughts. It is a case of adding fuel to the fire. Let one harbor thoughts of malice or hate for any length of time, and he will be horrified at the vile flood of thoughts which come pouring into his mind.

And the longer he persists in the mental state the worse matters will get with him. He is making himself a center for thoughts of that kind. And if he keeps it up until it becomes habitual to him, he will attract to himself circumstances and conditions which will give him an opportunity to manifest these thoughts in action. Not only does a mental state attract similar thoughts to it, but it leads the thinker into circumstances and conditions calculated to enable him to make use of these thoughts and inclinations which he has been harboring. Let one’s mind dwell on the animal passions, and all nature will seem to conspire to lead him into position whereby these passions may be gratified.

On the other hand, let one cultivate the habit of thinking higher and better thoughts, and he will in time be drawn into conditions in harmony with the habit of thought, and will also draw to himself other thoughts which will readily coalesce with his own. Not only is this true, but each person will draw to himself other people of similar thoughts, and will in turn be drawn to them. We really make our own surroundings and company by our thoughts of yesterday or today. Yesterday’s thoughts influence us to a greater or lesser. extent, but today’s thought will gradually supplant and drive out the cast off thoughts of the past if we will that such shall be so.

We have said that thought charged with Prana manifested a much stronger force than the ordinary thought. In fact, all positive thought is sent forth charged with more or less Prana. The man of strong will sending forth a vigorous positive thought unconsciously (or consciously if he understands the subject) sends with it a supply of Prana proportioned to the force with which the thought was propelled. Such thoughts are often sent like a bullet to the mark, instead of drifting along slowly like an ordinary thought emanation. Some public speakers have acquired this art, and one can fairly feel the impact of the thought behind their utterances. A strong, vigorous thinker, whose thought is charged strongly with Prana, often creates what are known as Thought-Forms-that is to say, thoughts possessing such vitality that they become almost like living forces. Such thought-forms, when they come into one’s psychic atmosphere, possess almost the same power that the person sending them would possess were he present, urging his thought upon you in an earnest conversation. Those high in occult development frequently send thought-forms to aid and help their fellow-beings when in distress or need, and many of us have experienced the effect of helpful thoughts sent in this manner while we did not dream of the cause of the changed feeling which came over us, bringing with it the consciousness of renewed strength and courage.

While thought-forms are often sent out unconsciously by men of selfish desires and aims and many are affected by them, we wish to say that there need be no fear of any one being affected against his own good if he will maintain a mental atmosphere of Love and Confidence. These two conditions will repel the strongest thoughtwave which may either be directed against one or which may be encountered in the astral atmosphere. The higher the order of thought the stronger it is, and the weakest person, providing his mind is filled with Universal Love and Confidence in the One Power, is many times stronger than the person of the strongest power who would stoop to use that power for selfish ends. The highest powers of this kind can be possessed only by those of great spiritual development, who have long since left behind them the low aims and ambitions of undeveloped man. Such persons are constantly sending forth thoughtwaves of strength and help, which may be drawn upon by those who need such help. All that one has to do is to make the mental demand for help from those who are able to give it, and at once they attract to themselves the waves of the strong, helpful spiritual thought which is being constantly emanated from the minds of the helpers of the race, both in the flesh and out of it. Were the race at the mercy of those of selfish thoughts, it would have perished long since, but things are otherwise ordered.

The only things to be feared in the world of thought-forms are those corresponding with any base thoughts which we may be entertaining ourselves. For instance, if we entertain low, selfish thoughts, we are open to thought-forms of similar character which may be lurking in the psychic atmosphere, which may take hold of our minds and urge us on to the doing of things which we would have shrunk from doing in the beginning. We have the right to invite what mental guests we wish - let us be careful to whom we issue invitations.

Our strong desires create thought-forms which work toward the gratification of those desires, be they good or bad. We draw things toward us and are drawn toward things by these thought-forms. They become powerful helpers, and never sleep in their work. Let us be careful how we send them forth. Send forth no strong thought-desire unless it meet with the approval of the Highest Self.

Otherwise you will become enmeshed in the consequences arising from it, and will suffer much in learning the lesson that psychic powers must not be used for unworthy ends. You are punished by such things, not for them. Above all, never under any circumstances send forth a strong desire-thought to injure another, for there is but one consequence of such an act and the experience, will prove a bitter lesson. Such a person is usually hanged on the gallows he builds for others. Evil thought projected against a pure mind will rebound at once to the sender, and will gather force from the impact. We must apologize to our students for laying so much stress on these matters, but as there is always the chance of lessons of this kind falling into the hands of those unprepared to receive them, it is necessary for the warning to accompany anything written on the subject, in order to prevent thoughtless persons using the information improperly and thereby injuring themselves as well as others. It is the “Danger” signal displayed for the careless or thoughtless.

Those who have made a study of the dynamics of thought are aware of the wonderful possibilities open for those who wish to take advantage of the stored-up thought which has emanated from the minds of thinkers in the past and present, and which is open to the demand and attraction of the one who may wish to use it and who knows how to avail himself of it.

There has been but little written on this phase of the subject, which fact is somewhat surprising when one considers the wonderful possibilities open to those who wish to take advantage of them. Much thought has been sent forth upon all subjects, and the man who is working along any line today may attract to himself most helpful thoughts relating to his favorite subject.

In fact, some of the greatest inventions and most wonderful plans have come to some of the world’s great people in this way, although those to whom they came have not realized from whence their information originated.

Many a man has been thinking intently upon a certain subject, and has thrown himself open to the outside thought influences which have rushed toward his receptive mind, and lo the desired plan - the missing link-came into the field of consciousness.

Unexpressed thought, originally sent out with considerable force of desire, constantly seeks for expression and outlet, and is easily drawn to the mind of one who will express it in action. That is to say, if an ingenious thinker evolves ideas which he, has not the energy or ability to express in action, to take advantage of, the strong thoughts on the subject which he throws off will for years after seek other minds as a channel of expression; and when such thoughts are attracted by a man of sufficient energy to manifest them, they will pour into his mind like a flood until he seems to be inspired.

If one is working upon some problem which baffles him, he will do well to assume a receptive attitude toward thoughts along the same line, and it is extremely likely that when he has almost ceased to think of the matter at all the solution will flash before him as if by magic. Some of the world’s greatest thinkers, writers, speakers, and inventors have experienced examples of this law of the thought world, although but few of them have realized the cause behind it. The astral world is full of excellent unexpressed thoughts waiting for the one who will express them and use them up. This is merely a hint of a great truth