A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga: The Yoga of WisdomAtkinson, William Walker
Religion
A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga: The Yoga of Wisdom
Atkinson, William Walker
Yoga, Jñana
Scientists have used the term, "Appetency," defining it as, "the
instinctive tendency of living organisms to perform certain actions;
the tendency of an unorganized body to seek that which satisfies the
wants of its organism." Now what is this tendency? It cannot be an
effort of reason, for the low form of life has nothing with which to
reason. And it is impossible to think of "purposive tendency" without
assuming the existence of mental power of some kind. And where can such
a power be located if not in the form itself? When we consider that the
Will is acting in and through all forms of Life, from highest to
lowest--from Moneron to Man--we can at once recognize the source of the
power and activity. It is the Great Life Principle--the Creative Will,
manifesting itself.
We can perhaps better form an idea of the Creative Will, by reference
to its outward and visible forms of activity. We cannot see the Will
itself--the Pressure and the Urge--but we can see its action through
living forms. Just as we cannot see a man behind a curtain, and yet may
practically see him by watching the movements of his form as he presses
up against the curtain, so may we see the Will by watching it as it
presses up against the living curtain of the forms of life. There was a
play presented on the American stage a few years ago, in which one of
the scenes pictured the place of departed spirits according to the
Japanese belief. The audience could not see the actors representing the
spirits, but they could see their movements as they pressed up close to
a thin silky curtain stretched across the stage, and their motions as
they moved to and fro behind the curtain were plainly recognized. The
deception was perfect, and the effect was startling. One almost
believed that he saw the forms of formless creatures. And this is what
we may do in viewing the operation of the Creative Will--we may take a
look at the moving form of the Will behind the curtain of the forms of
the manifestation of life. We may see it pressing and urging here, and
bending there--building up here, and changing there--always acting,
always moving, striving, doing, in response to that insatiable urge and
craving, and longing of its inner desire. Let us take a few peeps at
the Will moving behind the curtain!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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