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| 97. Thus, if the Absolute totally involves a definite amount of its power in the production of universal matter, this matter cannot from itself produce any further changes in itself. It must therefore stand as the principle of mass-inertia or universal substance, the first product of the Absolute. This universal mass-inertic substance, its energies totally absorbed in merely existing, having no power for development of itself into new forms, depends for any new emergents of its being on the power of the Absolute which generated it, and in which it has its being as a fish within the infinite ocean of power. | 252 |
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| 98. This first production of the Absolute, universal matter, is the prima materia of certain philosophical schools. It is not to be confused with the Absolute itself. It is merely a first product of it, as a ground of further productions, all of which require the prior production of this primal matter as the clay in which their different forms are to be modelled by further activity of the power of the Absolute. | 254 |
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| 99. The universal prime matter's essential characteristic is inertia, the tendency to continue in its state of being unless acted upon by further force from the Absolute. This characteristic is the basis of the power of prime matter to act as a conserver of forms. The Absolute itself, on the other hand, has for its essential characteristic that it is absolutely free from inertia. It is pure initiative, the very cause of all change, the introducer of all new values into existence. | 256 |
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| 1. A tacit conspiracy is a silent agreement not to comment on or to discuss some thing, event, or relation which is understood, but which for certain reasons is considered better unexpressed. | 8 |
| 1. A tacit conspiracy is a silent agreement not to comment on or to discuss some thing, event, or relation which is understood, but which for certain reasons is considered better unexpressed. | 8 |
| 2. If The Tacit Conspiracy we here discuss, brought to be for the generation of evolutionarily necessary relational tensions, were universally known we would have no occasion to break silence about it. But because its original significance has in general lapsed from man's consciousness, with the resulting production of considerable suffering to the human race, it becomes expedient for us to present a sufficient outline of the doctrine so that those who are able to grasp its significance may begin to orientate themselves to the relational problems of human sexual polarity. | 10 |
| 3. Before proceeding with the subject we must stress strongly a most important point, which, if it be properly assimilated, will save considerable misunderstanding of the relation between man and woman, and thus avoid much unnecessary and unprofitable argument, and subsequent unhappiness. | 14 |
| 4. This most important point may shortly be stated by saying that every human being possesses both male and female elements. Whatever is here asserted of either male or female must be understood to apply in some degree to every human being. No male is merely male; no female is merely female. The differences between the so-called male and the so-called female is a difference of stress only. Every human being is a polarised being in itself possessing both male and female elements. | 16 |
| 4. This most important point may shortly be stated by saying that every human being possesses both male and female elements. Whatever is here asserted of either male or female must be understood to apply in some degree to every human being. No male is merely male; no female is merely female. The differences between the so-called male and the so-called female is a difference of stress only. Every human being is a polarised being in itself possessing both male and female elements. | 16 |
| 7. Power to initiate change we may call simply "initiative". Power to formulate we may call "ideation". Power to feel we may call "sentience" (from Latin "sentire", to feel). Power to resist change, which is mass inertia, we may call "substantiality", or in a certain sense, "body". | 22 |
| 9. If the female elements could be wholly eliminated from a human being (which is impossible), such a being would be a being possessing only initiative and ideation, having no feeling awareness or substantiality and therefore no body or stable centre of reference. If the male elements could be entirely removed from the female that being would be a being of mere feeling and substantiality, a sort of passive feeling substance unable to do anything except wait for some force outside to act upon it. | 28 |
| 9. If the female elements could be wholly eliminated from a human being (which is impossible), such a being would be a being possessing only initiative and ideation, having no feeling awareness or substantiality and therefore no body or stable centre of reference. If the male elements could be entirely removed from the female that being would be a being of mere feeling and substantiality, a sort of passive feeling substance unable to do anything except wait for some force outside to act upon it. | 28 |
| 9. If the female elements could be wholly eliminated from a human being (which is impossible), such a being would be a being possessing only initiative and ideation, having no feeling awareness or substantiality and therefore no body or stable centre of reference. If the male elements could be entirely removed from the female that being would be a being of mere feeling and substantiality, a sort of passive feeling substance unable to do anything except wait for some force outside to act upon it. | 28 |
| 9. If the female elements could be wholly eliminated from a human being (which is impossible), such a being would be a being possessing only initiative and ideation, having no feeling awareness or substantiality and therefore no body or stable centre of reference. If the male elements could be entirely removed from the female that being would be a being of mere feeling and substantiality, a sort of passive feeling substance unable to do anything except wait for some force outside to act upon it. | 28 |
| 9. If the female elements could be wholly eliminated from a human being (which is impossible), such a being would be a being possessing only initiative and ideation, having no feeling awareness or substantiality and therefore no body or stable centre of reference. If the male elements could be entirely removed from the female that being would be a being of mere feeling and substantiality, a sort of passive feeling substance unable to do anything except wait for some force outside to act upon it. | 28 |
| 11. If we imagine a non-polarised being like a single-celled primitive animal, say an amoeba, dividing in order to multiply its chances of survival, we see that if, after division, two of the resultant cells come together and fuse into one, the state of that one is similar to what it was before division. No new marked characteristic shows itself. The division of a cell into parts, the subsequent coming together of the divided parts, and their fusion again into a unity, adds nothing new to the cell's nature. | 34 |
| 11. If we imagine a non-polarised being like a single-celled primitive animal, say an amoeba, dividing in order to multiply its chances of survival, we see that if, after division, two of the resultant cells come together and fuse into one, the state of that one is similar to what it was before division. No new marked characteristic shows itself. The division of a cell into parts, the subsequent coming together of the divided parts, and their fusion again into a unity, adds nothing new to the cell's nature. | 34 |
| 11. If we imagine a non-polarised being like a single-celled primitive animal, say an amoeba, dividing in order to multiply its chances of survival, we see that if, after division, two of the resultant cells come together and fuse into one, the state of that one is similar to what it was before division. No new marked characteristic shows itself. The division of a cell into parts, the subsequent coming together of the divided parts, and their fusion again into a unity, adds nothing new to the cell's nature. | 34 |
| 11. If we imagine a non-polarised being like a single-celled primitive animal, say an amoeba, dividing in order to multiply its chances of survival, we see that if, after division, two of the resultant cells come together and fuse into one, the state of that one is similar to what it was before division. No new marked characteristic shows itself. The division of a cell into parts, the subsequent coming together of the divided parts, and their fusion again into a unity, adds nothing new to the cell's nature. | 34 |
| 12. Let us consider the phenomenon of what is called vegetable reproduction. If we take a potato and cut it into pieces with an eye in each piece, and plant the pieces in the earth, each piece will grow into a potato just like the original one. No new characteristics will appear. All the potatoes so grown will have the same qualities. | 36 |
| 12. Let us consider the phenomenon of what is called vegetable reproduction. If we take a potato and cut it into pieces with an eye in each piece, and plant the pieces in the earth, each piece will grow into a potato just like the original one. No new characteristics will appear. All the potatoes so grown will have the same qualities. | 36 |
| 14. We may call the method of reproduction by cutting pieces from an original potato a non-polarised or non-sexual mode of reproduction. It does not produce new characteristics. The method of allowing the plant to seed and then sowing the seed we may call a polarised or sexual mode of reproduction. It produces new characteristics, some of which may be of greater value to the life function. | 40 |
| 14. We may call the method of reproduction by cutting pieces from an original potato a non-polarised or non-sexual mode of reproduction. It does not produce new characteristics. The method of allowing the plant to seed and then sowing the seed we may call a polarised or sexual mode of reproduction. It produces new characteristics, some of which may be of greater value to the life function. | 40 |
| 16. If we consider the division of a being into like parts, and the fusing together of these parts in order again to divide, fuse, and divide, and so on, we see a type of activity which by its very nature is not likely to create any peculiar tensions which might result in the appearance of a new kind of reaction, which, being transmitted to the descendants, might prove of greater life-value. | 44 |
| 16. If we consider the division of a being into like parts, and the fusing together of these parts in order again to divide, fuse, and divide, and so on, we see a type of activity which by its very nature is not likely to create any peculiar tensions which might result in the appearance of a new kind of reaction, which, being transmitted to the descendants, might prove of greater life-value. | 44 |
| 16. If we consider the division of a being into like parts, and the fusing together of these parts in order again to divide, fuse, and divide, and so on, we see a type of activity which by its very nature is not likely to create any peculiar tensions which might result in the appearance of a new kind of reaction, which, being transmitted to the descendants, might prove of greater life-value. | 44 |
| 18. If we observe under a microscope the fusion of two like cells into one we observe some degree of excitement in the two cells, such as we should expect from the reunion of the previously separated parts of the original cell from which they were derived. It appears rather like the process of self-excitation one experiences on looking into a mirror after a fairly long absence from it. Not much more. | 48 |
| 18. If we observe under a microscope the fusion of two like cells into one we observe some degree of excitement in the two cells, such as we should expect from the reunion of the previously separated parts of the original cell from which they were derived. It appears rather like the process of self-excitation one experiences on looking into a mirror after a fairly long absence from it. Not much more. | 48 |
| 18. If we observe under a microscope the fusion of two like cells into one we observe some degree of excitement in the two cells, such as we should expect from the reunion of the previously separated parts of the original cell from which they were derived. It appears rather like the process of self-excitation one experiences on looking into a mirror after a fairly long absence from it. Not much more. | 48 |
| 19. But if we observe the behaviour of a sperm in its approach to the ovum which it aims to fertilise, we see an excitement of a much more intense order. It appears that the sperm's excitement on approaching the ovum is far higher than that of the cell which is simply a non-specialised or non-polarised part of an original cell. Specialisation of the sperm in relation to the ovum appears to have increased the excitement they experience as they approach conjunction. This increased excitement is the measure of the degree of polarisation or sexual differentiation the relating partners have undergone. More precisely it is the sperm, the male element, which differentiates itself and thus increases the difference between itself and the ovum. The ovum itself remains close to the original life form in its simplest state. Omne vivo ab ovo. The egg may be viewed as functionally conservative, the sperm as liberal-individualist, determined to introduce some change in the conservative party. Labour, of course, comes later. | 50 |
| 19. But if we observe the behaviour of a sperm in its approach to the ovum which it aims to fertilise, we see an excitement of a much more intense order. It appears that the sperm's excitement on approaching the ovum is far higher than that of the cell which is simply a non-specialised or non-polarised part of an original cell. Specialisation of the sperm in relation to the ovum appears to have increased the excitement they experience as they approach conjunction. This increased excitement is the measure of the degree of polarisation or sexual differentiation the relating partners have undergone. More precisely it is the sperm, the male element, which differentiates itself and thus increases the difference between itself and the ovum. The ovum itself remains close to the original life form in its simplest state. Omne vivo ab ovo. The egg may be viewed as functionally conservative, the sperm as liberal-individualist, determined to introduce some change in the conservative party. Labour, of course, comes later. | 50 |
| 19. But if we observe the behaviour of a sperm in its approach to the ovum which it aims to fertilise, we see an excitement of a much more intense order. It appears that the sperm's excitement on approaching the ovum is far higher than that of the cell which is simply a non-specialised or non-polarised part of an original cell. Specialisation of the sperm in relation to the ovum appears to have increased the excitement they experience as they approach conjunction. This increased excitement is the measure of the degree of polarisation or sexual differentiation the relating partners have undergone. More precisely it is the sperm, the male element, which differentiates itself and thus increases the difference between itself and the ovum. The ovum itself remains close to the original life form in its simplest state. Omne vivo ab ovo. The egg may be viewed as functionally conservative, the sperm as liberal-individualist, determined to introduce some change in the conservative party. Labour, of course, comes later. | 50 |
| 21. Let us consider this a little more closely. If we imagine a cell to split into equal halves with like characteristics in each half, and these halves to fuse together again, we have no ground to assume any great tension or excitement when the two conjoin. Their similarity means that they have little stimulus-value for each other. They cannot stimulate each other in new ways, and therefore cannot produce new responses. | 56 |
| 21. Let us consider this a little more closely. If we imagine a cell to split into equal halves with like characteristics in each half, and these halves to fuse together again, we have no ground to assume any great tension or excitement when the two conjoin. Their similarity means that they have little stimulus-value for each other. They cannot stimulate each other in new ways, and therefore cannot produce new responses. | 56 |
| 22. But if we imagine a cell to split into two halves and one of the halves to compact itself and change its shape (as a sperm cell does), we see at once that by so doing this half has created a new kind of stimulus, which must produce a new kind of reaction. The increased excitation in the ovum produces new energy expressions, new functions and processes, which may be so accelerated that they result in the precipitation of new characteristics, some of which may further life's evolutionary purpose. | 58 |
| 22. But if we imagine a cell to split into two halves and one of the halves to compact itself and change its shape (as a sperm cell does), we see at once that by so doing this half has created a new kind of stimulus, which must produce a new kind of reaction. The increased excitation in the ovum produces new energy expressions, new functions and processes, which may be so accelerated that they result in the precipitation of new characteristics, some of which may further life's evolutionary purpose. | 58 |
| 22. But if we imagine a cell to split into two halves and one of the halves to compact itself and change its shape (as a sperm cell does), we see at once that by so doing this half has created a new kind of stimulus, which must produce a new kind of reaction. The increased excitation in the ovum produces new energy expressions, new functions and processes, which may be so accelerated that they result in the precipitation of new characteristics, some of which may further life's evolutionary purpose. | 58 |
| 22. But if we imagine a cell to split into two halves and one of the halves to compact itself and change its shape (as a sperm cell does), we see at once that by so doing this half has created a new kind of stimulus, which must produce a new kind of reaction. The increased excitation in the ovum produces new energy expressions, new functions and processes, which may be so accelerated that they result in the precipitation of new characteristics, some of which may further life's evolutionary purpose. | 58 |
| 23. Within certain limits the greater the excitement generated when two differentiated cells conjoin, the more likely it is that the life-forces will be provoked into new types of reaction, new patterns of response to the life-environment. Polarised union thus tends to further the creation of new life functions which may well advance the evolving life-forms far further in less time than would be possible by a non-polarised mode of conjunction. | 60 |
| 24. The creation of new tensions in biological forms means the probable acceleration of the inherent forces of those forms to the appearance of new behaviour patterns conducive to more rapid attainment of life's goal - the creation of the being of immediate optimal response, the being called in the New Testament the "quick", as opposed to the "dead". The "dead" is the being ruled by inertia, able to respond to a new stimulus only in an old way. Ultimately only the "quick" will survive, for the "dead" will have failed to adapt to the ever increasing demand for more adequate response to the world-stimulus situation. | 62 |
| 25. New relational tensions, if properly assimilated, create new life values. Any method of creating new relational tensions, providing the organism can adjust to them, furthers the evolution of higher life forms and moves towards the creation of the "quick" being whose speed of stimulus adaptation and assimilation is so great that nothing in the universe can overthrow its equilibrium. Such a "quick" being has attained the state of reflexive self-consciousness (which we abbreviate to "resec"), which is the mark of the being able to respond immediately and adequately to the stimulus situation presented. (See the book called "Reflexive Self-Consciousness"). | 66 |
| 27. The polarisation of life forms by sexual differentiation creates the new relational tensions needed to lift life onto higher functional levels. And it does this in less and less time. Polarisation saves time. The speed at which a sperm travels relative to its size is far greater than that of the non-polarised mono-cell. For untold millions of years the non-polarised amoeba has crawled the waters of the earth without changing its form. Polarisation of life forms has accelerated evolution and with the appearance of man has attained a velocity before unequalled. | 70 |
| 27. The polarisation of life forms by sexual differentiation creates the new relational tensions needed to lift life onto higher functional levels. And it does this in less and less time. Polarisation saves time. The speed at which a sperm travels relative to its size is far greater than that of the non-polarised mono-cell. For untold millions of years the non-polarised amoeba has crawled the waters of the earth without changing its form. Polarisation of life forms has accelerated evolution and with the appearance of man has attained a velocity before unequalled. | 70 |
| [ Why a tacit conspiracy? ] | 72 |
| 28. Because like forms have only low stimulus value for each other the Tacit Conspiracy was devised as a means of hiding the basic identity of beings, and presenting an appearance of differences which ultimately ontologically must be said to be illusory, being merely functional and not absolute differences. | 74 |
| 30. Let us borrow an Indian myth to illustrate the point. Before creation, says this myth, God was alone. Suddenly He realised His aloneness. Thereupon He created for Himself a consort with whom He tried to copulate. But His consort, knowing Him to be her origin and thus identical with her, refused to relate herself to Him, and fled. He pursued her. She changed into various animal forms, but each time she changed He caught her. Thus from their various conjunctions came forth all the creatures of the universe. | 78 |
| 31. The important point to note here is, that after being created by God, His consort, knowing Him to be her origin, and thus seeing herself as non-different from Him, fled away from Him. As identical beings their stimulus value to each other would be very low. By fleeing from Him she created an actuality difference, that is a difference of mode of action which immediately raised her stimulus value to Him. He, delighted with the new stimulus emergent, joyously pursued her. Each time she changed her form the stimulus value of the new mode of relation climbed to a higher level. La donna e mobile. Here is the root of woman's pre-occupation with changing fashions. | 80 |
| 31. The important point to note here is, that after being created by God, His consort, knowing Him to be her origin, and thus seeing herself as non-different from Him, fled away from Him. As identical beings their stimulus value to each other would be very low. By fleeing from Him she created an actuality difference, that is a difference of mode of action which immediately raised her stimulus value to Him. He, delighted with the new stimulus emergent, joyously pursued her. Each time she changed her form the stimulus value of the new mode of relation climbed to a higher level. La donna e mobile. Here is the root of woman's pre-occupation with changing fashions. | 80 |
| 33. Through the suppression of the knowledge of the fundamental identity of male and female there gradually arose the erroneous idea that the two sexes were basically different and mutually exclusive, each sex having its own sphere of clearly marked function, a product of its own essence. Men holding this view at one time reached the point of saying that men have souls and women do not. | 90 |
| 35. In response to this abstractionist analysis of the fact of sexual functional differences, women tried to establish matriarchal societies. Men replied by setting up counter-systems on a patriarchal basis. The struggle developed in peculiar ways. The Amazon women cut off their right breast in order safely to draw a bow string and shoot their arrows at the Greeks. Elsewhere men raped the Sabine women and carried them to slavery. | 94 |
| 35. In response to this abstractionist analysis of the fact of sexual functional differences, women tried to establish matriarchal societies. Men replied by setting up counter-systems on a patriarchal basis. The struggle developed in peculiar ways. The Amazon women cut off their right breast in order safely to draw a bow string and shoot their arrows at the Greeks. Elsewhere men raped the Sabine women and carried them to slavery. | 94 |
| 36. Men's superior initiative and ideation, put into muscle power, set them up nearly everywhere as authorities over women. Men's abuse of this authority, from failure to understand the nature of polarised relations, compelled women to react violently in a struggle to re-state the equal rights which in principle all parts of human protoplasm were made to enjoy. | 96 |
| 38. Unfortunately however, instead of interpreting the revolt of women correctly as resulting from a failure on the part of men to comprehend the nature of polarised relation and the Tacit Conspiracy, men began to accept in part the women's claims. Was it not obvious during the struggle to free themselves from slavery that women had exhibited qualities of initiative and ideational rationality like those previously believed to be confined to men? | 100 |
| 43. Let us examine how an average man now tends to respond to non-rational behaviour in his female consort. He has a concept that women can be rational. This is supported by the insistence of women that they have equal rights with men. (During the war women convincingly did jobs previously classed as jobs for men. And a significant percentage of women stopped menstruation for some years). | 110 |
| 43. Let us examine how an average man now tends to respond to non-rational behaviour in his female consort. He has a concept that women can be rational. This is supported by the insistence of women that they have equal rights with men. (During the war women convincingly did jobs previously classed as jobs for men. And a significant percentage of women stopped menstruation for some years). | 110 |
| 44. Man therefore tends to talk rationally to and to expect a rational response from his female consort. Sometimes he receives the response he expects. Sometimes he does not. At this point trouble tends to begin for him, and possibly for his consort. | 112 |
| 45. When a man fails to get a rational response to his rational requests, alternative patterns of behaviour are open to him. Either he may re-state his earlier belief that women are inherently irrational, or he may come to believe that his consort is deliberately acting in an irrational manner for some feminine purpose of her own, without regard to the suffering it brings to him. This latter view is quite usual for the average man. | 114 |
| 45. When a man fails to get a rational response to his rational requests, alternative patterns of behaviour are open to him. Either he may re-state his earlier belief that women are inherently irrational, or he may come to believe that his consort is deliberately acting in an irrational manner for some feminine purpose of her own, without regard to the suffering it brings to him. This latter view is quite usual for the average man. | 114 |
| 46. The man who believes that his consort is acting irrationally from sheer, deliberate bad will tends to suffer emotionally from her action. He feels disorientated, impotent to deal with her. He may fall into hysterical reaction himself or descend to physical violence in an attempt to restore her to rationality. He may become estranged from her. He cannot yet let go of his belief in the rationality potential of woman. So he tends to drift away from his consort, gravitating naturally towards any other woman who, for whatever reasons, shows him some sympathy. He tends now to believe that he has made a mistake in committing himself in relation with his consort. Somewhere, he now believes, there is the woman he should have found before, the one destined for him. It does not matter how many times he falls into new relations with women who disillusion him. Always he tends to believe that somewhere there is a woman who will act rationally and sympathetically, and who was obviously made for him. He does not yet realise how much of this is the woman in himself seeking a husband-protector. | 116 |
| 46. The man who believes that his consort is acting irrationally from sheer, deliberate bad will tends to suffer emotionally from her action. He feels disorientated, impotent to deal with her. He may fall into hysterical reaction himself or descend to physical violence in an attempt to restore her to rationality. He may become estranged from her. He cannot yet let go of his belief in the rationality potential of woman. So he tends to drift away from his consort, gravitating naturally towards any other woman who, for whatever reasons, shows him some sympathy. He tends now to believe that he has made a mistake in committing himself in relation with his consort. Somewhere, he now believes, there is the woman he should have found before, the one destined for him. It does not matter how many times he falls into new relations with women who disillusion him. Always he tends to believe that somewhere there is a woman who will act rationally and sympathetically, and who was obviously made for him. He does not yet realise how much of this is the woman in himself seeking a husband-protector. | 116 |
| 46. The man who believes that his consort is acting irrationally from sheer, deliberate bad will tends to suffer emotionally from her action. He feels disorientated, impotent to deal with her. He may fall into hysterical reaction himself or descend to physical violence in an attempt to restore her to rationality. He may become estranged from her. He cannot yet let go of his belief in the rationality potential of woman. So he tends to drift away from his consort, gravitating naturally towards any other woman who, for whatever reasons, shows him some sympathy. He tends now to believe that he has made a mistake in committing himself in relation with his consort. Somewhere, he now believes, there is the woman he should have found before, the one destined for him. It does not matter how many times he falls into new relations with women who disillusion him. Always he tends to believe that somewhere there is a woman who will act rationally and sympathetically, and who was obviously made for him. He does not yet realise how much of this is the woman in himself seeking a husband-protector. | 116 |
| 48. Almost always the man who has suffered from the non-rational behaviour of a woman develops the idea that somewhere another woman, intended for him by nature, waits for him, the one he should have married, the one who would anticipate all his desires and fulfil them, the one who, if he got her, would completely stop his further evolution; la belle dame sans merci. | 120 |
| 49. Man's evolution to higher levels of being depends on the creation and maintenance of polarisation tensions which absolute identity of outlook and action cannot give. Too much agreement too soon secured may stop man’s development and hold him on a plane of being he should long ago have transcended. | 124 |
| 52. The whole human being is a four-quality being of initiative, rationality, feeling and body orientation or inertia. We may say this in various ways. We may say the human being has spirit, mind, soul and body. Spirit is initiative, the producer of change and source of the other three. Mind is the ideation function, rationality. Soul is the feeling awareness of the self. Body is mass inertia of energy, producing resistance or stability, or a centre of reference for consciousness. | 132 |
| 52. The whole human being is a four-quality being of initiative, rationality, feeling and body orientation or inertia. We may say this in various ways. We may say the human being has spirit, mind, soul and body. Spirit is initiative, the producer of change and source of the other three. Mind is the ideation function, rationality. Soul is the feeling awareness of the self. Body is mass inertia of energy, producing resistance or stability, or a centre of reference for consciousness. | 132 |
| 56. Initiative is the cause of the introduction of change into established systems. It is referred to by Jesus when he says, "The spirit blows where it lists; one can hear it passing but does not know from whence it came or whither it goes. So is everyone born of the spirit." We see initiative at work at the human level wherever we see a human being creating new forms or new values, or breaking through inertic patterns of behaviour in order to clear the ground for further new creations. Initiative is the power to produce intelligent changes and to disclose new creative directions. | 142 |
| 66. An example may illustrate this. A man tends to think that once a formal declaration has been made of a relation between himself and the woman of his choice, the relation should now require no further attention, no re-statement or corroboration. He accepts the formal declaration as evidence of the existence of the relation. He assumes because of his own stress of formal mental processes that the woman will likewise accept the declaration of the relation as equivalent to the relation. He assumes that she will therefore proceed with all those relational activities for which he committed himself into relation with her. | 168 |
| 66. An example may illustrate this. A man tends to think that once a formal declaration has been made of a relation between himself and the woman of his choice, the relation should now require no further attention, no re-statement or corroboration. He accepts the formal declaration as evidence of the existence of the relation. He assumes because of his own stress of formal mental processes that the woman will likewise accept the declaration of the relation as equivalent to the relation. He assumes that she will therefore proceed with all those relational activities for which he committed himself into relation with her. | 168 |
| 66. An example may illustrate this. A man tends to think that once a formal declaration has been made of a relation between himself and the woman of his choice, the relation should now require no further attention, no re-statement or corroboration. He accepts the formal declaration as evidence of the existence of the relation. He assumes because of his own stress of formal mental processes that the woman will likewise accept the declaration of the relation as equivalent to the relation. He assumes that she will therefore proceed with all those relational activities for which he committed himself into relation with her. | 168 |
| 67. The woman, however, with her feeling stress and material body-orientation, has a different view of the situation. She has no intention of assuming the relation to exist simply because of the man's verbal declaration to that effect. She wishes the relation to be felt, not merely ideated or thought. She wishes the relation to be personal, particular, concrete and substantially factual, an existential relation, not an abstraction owing itself only to words. | 170 |
| 70. Because similarly constituted beings have not a high stimulus value for each other, polarisation or sexual differentiation was evolved in order to raise the stimulus-intensity of relations, and thus accelerate humanity's evolution. The goal to be reached is the regaining of absolute awareness, the awareness of the Absolute Sentient Power from which we derive, and which awareness was lost in the veiling of consciousness implied in the descent into material manifestation in a finite body vehicle, a descent symbolically expressed in the myth of the Fall of Lucifer and of Adam. | 178 |
| 70. Because similarly constituted beings have not a high stimulus value for each other, polarisation or sexual differentiation was evolved in order to raise the stimulus-intensity of relations, and thus accelerate humanity's evolution. The goal to be reached is the regaining of absolute awareness, the awareness of the Absolute Sentient Power from which we derive, and which awareness was lost in the veiling of consciousness implied in the descent into material manifestation in a finite body vehicle, a descent symbolically expressed in the myth of the Fall of Lucifer and of Adam. | 178 |
| 70. Because similarly constituted beings have not a high stimulus value for each other, polarisation or sexual differentiation was evolved in order to raise the stimulus-intensity of relations, and thus accelerate humanity's evolution. The goal to be reached is the regaining of absolute awareness, the awareness of the Absolute Sentient Power from which we derive, and which awareness was lost in the veiling of consciousness implied in the descent into material manifestation in a finite body vehicle, a descent symbolically expressed in the myth of the Fall of Lucifer and of Adam. | 178 |
| 71. Exactly similar beings may conjoin or fuse without great change in their level of awareness or response-capacity. But the less similar are the beings entering a relation, and the less easy is the assimilation of each other's stimulus content, the more the level of awareness of the relation is raised, and the greater the likelihood of self-awareness and subsequent self-examination. Relational difficulties tend to force self-awareness on the partners in a relation, a self-awareness which, if positively affirmed, may accelerate man's evolution to the level of the absolute awareness which constitutes his ultimate goal and self-fulfilment. | 182 |
| 71. Exactly similar beings may conjoin or fuse without great change in their level of awareness or response-capacity. But the less similar are the beings entering a relation, and the less easy is the assimilation of each other's stimulus content, the more the level of awareness of the relation is raised, and the greater the likelihood of self-awareness and subsequent self-examination. Relational difficulties tend to force self-awareness on the partners in a relation, a self-awareness which, if positively affirmed, may accelerate man's evolution to the level of the absolute awareness which constitutes his ultimate goal and self-fulfilment. | 182 |
| 71. Exactly similar beings may conjoin or fuse without great change in their level of awareness or response-capacity. But the less similar are the beings entering a relation, and the less easy is the assimilation of each other's stimulus content, the more the level of awareness of the relation is raised, and the greater the likelihood of self-awareness and subsequent self-examination. Relational difficulties tend to force self-awareness on the partners in a relation, a self-awareness which, if positively affirmed, may accelerate man's evolution to the level of the absolute awareness which constitutes his ultimate goal and self-fulfilment. | 182 |
| 72. All relational tensions and difficulties tend to accelerate evolution provided that they do not require a greater energy expenditure in adaptive responses than the receiving organism possesses. It is a good thing, therefore, from the evolutionary point of view, if we expose ourselves to tension situations and relational difficulties to the full extent of the energy we have sufficient for adaptive responses. | 184 |
| 72. All relational tensions and difficulties tend to accelerate evolution provided that they do not require a greater energy expenditure in adaptive responses than the receiving organism possesses. It is a good thing, therefore, from the evolutionary point of view, if we expose ourselves to tension situations and relational difficulties to the full extent of the energy we have sufficient for adaptive responses. | 184 |
| 74. In its positive phase self-awareness is actively engaged in furthering the process of self-discovery. It aims at the attainment of permanent self-reflexion, the gaining of the reflexive self-consciousness which will establish the self as a vehicle of the Absolute Sentient Power, source of all being, which works incessantly for and through evolving nature for the creation of such vehicles. | 188 |
| 76. If we are to become able to adapt to every conceivable situation and to assimilate every conceivable stimulus, (the pre-condition of immortality), our awareness must be raised to such a level that we shall be able to detect immediately any change in any environment, and our adaptability and stimulus assimilation power must likewise reach optimal level of efficiency. To this end we must be prepared to expose ourselves to whatever stimulus situations may be necessary for the development of the capacity we seek. | 192 |
| 78. In marriage a man and woman expose their beings one to the other on every plane. Not only is the heart involved in the relation, but every element of the organism, every function, spiritual, mental, psychic and physical. Here body, soul, mind and spirit must meet in reciprocal exposure for the attainment of the highest goal, the development of the reflexively self-conscious being, the resec being whose awareness is so immediate in response that nothing whatever in any world, in heaven or on earth or beneath it, can find him unready. Such a being of immediate adequate response has the absolute security which is immortality, the power to subsist and function perfectly in all possible worlds. | 198 |
| 78. In marriage a man and woman expose their beings one to the other on every plane. Not only is the heart involved in the relation, but every element of the organism, every function, spiritual, mental, psychic and physical. Here body, soul, mind and spirit must meet in reciprocal exposure for the attainment of the highest goal, the development of the reflexively self-conscious being, the resec being whose awareness is so immediate in response that nothing whatever in any world, in heaven or on earth or beneath it, can find him unready. Such a being of immediate adequate response has the absolute security which is immortality, the power to subsist and function perfectly in all possible worlds. | 198 |
| 80. The Absolute Sentient Power, infinite and eternal source of our being, for which the great religions and philosophies have coined many names, aims at no lower level than itself. It purposes to go down into manifestation through the great mother, universal matter, and to return through its highest evolved creatures to itseIf. Man, as one of its highest evolutes, has in himself the potential of this return. It is a divine imperative in him that he develops this potential into actuality. | 204 |
| 83. When all that we call formal manifestation, the finited order of the universe and all its limited forms and functions, is considered as washed away, there remains only the originating causal power of all these things. We then say that the Absolute Sentient Power of the Infinite Eternal remains in itself as a pure infinite actuality without any finiting or limiting process. Creation itself is a finiting process, that is, a process in which finite or limited things come into existence, It is because creation is a finiting process that we say that creation is the way down, that is, the way to a fall of potential. The deeper the entrance into material existence, the less power manifests as free power and the more it takes on the aspect of mass-inertia or substantiality or body-determination and mechanicality. | 212 |
| 83. When all that we call formal manifestation, the finited order of the universe and all its limited forms and functions, is considered as washed away, there remains only the originating causal power of all these things. We then say that the Absolute Sentient Power of the Infinite Eternal remains in itself as a pure infinite actuality without any finiting or limiting process. Creation itself is a finiting process, that is, a process in which finite or limited things come into existence, It is because creation is a finiting process that we say that creation is the way down, that is, the way to a fall of potential. The deeper the entrance into material existence, the less power manifests as free power and the more it takes on the aspect of mass-inertia or substantiality or body-determination and mechanicality. | 212 |
| 83. When all that we call formal manifestation, the finited order of the universe and all its limited forms and functions, is considered as washed away, there remains only the originating causal power of all these things. We then say that the Absolute Sentient Power of the Infinite Eternal remains in itself as a pure infinite actuality without any finiting or limiting process. Creation itself is a finiting process, that is, a process in which finite or limited things come into existence, It is because creation is a finiting process that we say that creation is the way down, that is, the way to a fall of potential. The deeper the entrance into material existence, the less power manifests as free power and the more it takes on the aspect of mass-inertia or substantiality or body-determination and mechanicality. | 212 |
| 83. When all that we call formal manifestation, the finited order of the universe and all its limited forms and functions, is considered as washed away, there remains only the originating causal power of all these things. We then say that the Absolute Sentient Power of the Infinite Eternal remains in itself as a pure infinite actuality without any finiting or limiting process. Creation itself is a finiting process, that is, a process in which finite or limited things come into existence, It is because creation is a finiting process that we say that creation is the way down, that is, the way to a fall of potential. The deeper the entrance into material existence, the less power manifests as free power and the more it takes on the aspect of mass-inertia or substantiality or body-determination and mechanicality. | 212 |
| 83. When all that we call formal manifestation, the finited order of the universe and all its limited forms and functions, is considered as washed away, there remains only the originating causal power of all these things. We then say that the Absolute Sentient Power of the Infinite Eternal remains in itself as a pure infinite actuality without any finiting or limiting process. Creation itself is a finiting process, that is, a process in which finite or limited things come into existence, It is because creation is a finiting process that we say that creation is the way down, that is, the way to a fall of potential. The deeper the entrance into material existence, the less power manifests as free power and the more it takes on the aspect of mass-inertia or substantiality or body-determination and mechanicality. | 212 |
| 84. The word "create" indicates something of this. It is derived from a root "kra" which, read boustrophedon, gives also "ark" or "arc". Not to be deceived with a flat earth image the completed arc gives a circle, which is an easy-to-represent symbol on a plane surface of a sphere, the sphere being the ultimate or original type of all created things. | 214 |
| 84. The word "create" indicates something of this. It is derived from a root "kra" which, read boustrophedon, gives also "ark" or "arc". Not to be deceived with a flat earth image the completed arc gives a circle, which is an easy-to-represent symbol on a plane surface of a sphere, the sphere being the ultimate or original type of all created things. | 214 |
| 84. The word "create" indicates something of this. It is derived from a root "kra" which, read boustrophedon, gives also "ark" or "arc". Not to be deceived with a flat earth image the completed arc gives a circle, which is an easy-to-represent symbol on a plane surface of a sphere, the sphere being the ultimate or original type of all created things. | 214 |
| 84. The word "create" indicates something of this. It is derived from a root "kra" which, read boustrophedon, gives also "ark" or "arc". Not to be deceived with a flat earth image the completed arc gives a circle, which is an easy-to-represent symbol on a plane surface of a sphere, the sphere being the ultimate or original type of all created things. | 214 |
| 84. The word "create" indicates something of this. It is derived from a root "kra" which, read boustrophedon, gives also "ark" or "arc". Not to be deceived with a flat earth image the completed arc gives a circle, which is an easy-to-represent symbol on a plane surface of a sphere, the sphere being the ultimate or original type of all created things. | 214 |
| 85. Although for economy's sake we refer to the Infinite and Eternal Absolute Sentient Power simply as the Absolute, we must not fail to remember that by the Absolute we do not mean a merely abstract concept of the source of all reality but the very fullness of the Infinite Eternal Absolute Sentient Power itself as the pre-analytic origin of all created things whatever, which nevertheless transcends creation absolutely. | 216 |
| 89. The Love of the Absolute is the will of the infinite eternal sentient power to develop its infinite potentialities of being. But this love can fulfil itself only in infinite creative activity, and creative activity implies the production of finite beings. A finite created being is in fact simply the finiting process of the absolute in the place of that being. The implications of this for individual created beings are of the greatest significance. | 226 |
| 90. Every created thing or being is, by the fact of its being created, brought into limitation or circumscription. A line of force is drawn round every created thing to separate it from every other created thing. This circumscription is the origin of the symbolic circumcision of the chosen for out of the infinity of possible forms of existence only certain of these are worthy of perpetuation to eternity. | 228 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 92. The Absolute is not a thing, not a finite or limited substance. Because it is not a thing and yet is the source of all things, we have to say that things are created out of nothing. A thing is merely a finited zone of activity within the infinite no-thing, which is the Absolute. The word "nothing" is simply the negation of the word "thing". As a thing is a limited function of the unlimited, a negative zone of restricted activity, it is correct for us to refer to a thing as negative. If then we negate the negative, that is, eliminate a limited being, what results is the re-affirmation of the unlimited Absolute as it is before creation. Two negatives here make a positive, as they do grammatically. | 236 |
| 94. The Absolute creative activity is a process within itself, whereby it produces finite or limited forms simply as functions of itself. Wherever the Absolute Power sets up inside itself a rotation zone or impulse centre, there by that fact a being comes into existence. The word "existence" in its origin implies the creation of a zone of rotation, a wheel of force, or a point of affirmation of power. | 242 |
| 94. The Absolute creative activity is a process within itself, whereby it produces finite or limited forms simply as functions of itself. Wherever the Absolute Power sets up inside itself a rotation zone or impulse centre, there by that fact a being comes into existence. The word "existence" in its origin implies the creation of a zone of rotation, a wheel of force, or a point of affirmation of power. | 242 |
| 94. The Absolute creative activity is a process within itself, whereby it produces finite or limited forms simply as functions of itself. Wherever the Absolute Power sets up inside itself a rotation zone or impulse centre, there by that fact a being comes into existence. The word "existence" in its origin implies the creation of a zone of rotation, a wheel of force, or a point of affirmation of power. | 242 |
| 94. The Absolute creative activity is a process within itself, whereby it produces finite or limited forms simply as functions of itself. Wherever the Absolute Power sets up inside itself a rotation zone or impulse centre, there by that fact a being comes into existence. The word "existence" in its origin implies the creation of a zone of rotation, a wheel of force, or a point of affirmation of power. | 242 |
| 94. The Absolute creative activity is a process within itself, whereby it produces finite or limited forms simply as functions of itself. Wherever the Absolute Power sets up inside itself a rotation zone or impulse centre, there by that fact a being comes into existence. The word "existence" in its origin implies the creation of a zone of rotation, a wheel of force, or a point of affirmation of power. | 242 |
| 94. The Absolute creative activity is a process within itself, whereby it produces finite or limited forms simply as functions of itself. Wherever the Absolute Power sets up inside itself a rotation zone or impulse centre, there by that fact a being comes into existence. The word "existence" in its origin implies the creation of a zone of rotation, a wheel of force, or a point of affirmation of power. | 242 |
| 95. We must here note a very important point. Wherever a portion of the Absolute Power, a quantity of energy, is totally involved in the production of a finite being, this being cannot observe itself from outside. Its energy is wholly involved in its being and thus leaves none over with which to look at itself from outside and to initiate changes in itself. This means that of itself it cannot evolve to a higher level of being. | 246 |
| 95. We must here note a very important point. Wherever a portion of the Absolute Power, a quantity of energy, is totally involved in the production of a finite being, this being cannot observe itself from outside. Its energy is wholly involved in its being and thus leaves none over with which to look at itself from outside and to initiate changes in itself. This means that of itself it cannot evolve to a higher level of being. | 246 |
| 95. We must here note a very important point. Wherever a portion of the Absolute Power, a quantity of energy, is totally involved in the production of a finite being, this being cannot observe itself from outside. Its energy is wholly involved in its being and thus leaves none over with which to look at itself from outside and to initiate changes in itself. This means that of itself it cannot evolve to a higher level of being. | 246 |
| 95. We must here note a very important point. Wherever a portion of the Absolute Power, a quantity of energy, is totally involved in the production of a finite being, this being cannot observe itself from outside. Its energy is wholly involved in its being and thus leaves none over with which to look at itself from outside and to initiate changes in itself. This means that of itself it cannot evolve to a higher level of being. | 246 |
| 95. We must here note a very important point. Wherever a portion of the Absolute Power, a quantity of energy, is totally involved in the production of a finite being, this being cannot observe itself from outside. Its energy is wholly involved in its being and thus leaves none over with which to look at itself from outside and to initiate changes in itself. This means that of itself it cannot evolve to a higher level of being. | 246 |
| 96. A being whose energy is totally involved in its self, in actualising its being, cannot see itself or evolve to new levels, or create new character-emergents. It tends always to repeat the same cycle of functions in the same way. Its being is its actuality; its actuality is its being. Because of this, if significant change is to be introduced into such a being, there must be some force available from outside itself, which will act upon it to produce the change. | 248 |
| 96. A being whose energy is totally involved in its self, in actualising its being, cannot see itself or evolve to new levels, or create new character-emergents. It tends always to repeat the same cycle of functions in the same way. Its being is its actuality; its actuality is its being. Because of this, if significant change is to be introduced into such a being, there must be some force available from outside itself, which will act upon it to produce the change. | 248 |
| 97. Thus, if the Absolute totally involves a definite amount of its power in the production of universal matter, this matter cannot from itself produce any further changes in itself. It must therefore stand as the principle of mass-inertia or universal substance, the first product of the Absolute. This universal mass-inertic substance, its energies totally absorbed in merely existing, having no power for development of itself into new forms, depends for any new emergents of its being on the power of the Absolute which generated it, and in which it has its being as a fish within the infinite ocean of power. | 252 |
| 97. Thus, if the Absolute totally involves a definite amount of its power in the production of universal matter, this matter cannot from itself produce any further changes in itself. It must therefore stand as the principle of mass-inertia or universal substance, the first product of the Absolute. This universal mass-inertic substance, its energies totally absorbed in merely existing, having no power for development of itself into new forms, depends for any new emergents of its being on the power of the Absolute which generated it, and in which it has its being as a fish within the infinite ocean of power. | 252 |
| 98. This first production of the Absolute, universal matter, is the prima materia of certain philosophical schools. It is not to be confused with the Absolute itself. It is merely a first product of it, as a ground of further productions, all of which require the prior production of this primal matter as the clay in which their different forms are to be modelled by further activity of the power of the Absolute. | 254 |
| 98. This first production of the Absolute, universal matter, is the prima materia of certain philosophical schools. It is not to be confused with the Absolute itself. It is merely a first product of it, as a ground of further productions, all of which require the prior production of this primal matter as the clay in which their different forms are to be modelled by further activity of the power of the Absolute. | 254 |
| 99. The universal prime matter's essential characteristic is inertia, the tendency to continue in its state of being unless acted upon by further force from the Absolute. This characteristic is the basis of the power of prime matter to act as a conserver of forms. The Absolute itself, on the other hand, has for its essential characteristic that it is absolutely free from inertia. It is pure initiative, the very cause of all change, the introducer of all new values into existence. | 256 |
| 102. The universal prime matter may be thought of in various ways. We may think of it as a first step necessary to the creation of further productions of higher and higher complexity. We may view it as the foundation or basis on which is to be erected the whole structure of the universe. | 262 |
| 103. We may also view the prima materia as the universal mother-substance, or Hyle, which is to bring forth from inside itself, like a mother, whatever the Absolute Power has put into it. | 266 |
| 109. Because ultimately there is nothing other than the Absolute Sentient Power, it follows that wherever this power produces any being, that being must have a two-fold aspect of sentience and power. And because sentience is always concerned with the feeling states of substance, and power is pre-occupied with initiative formulating processes, every created being must have the four-fold quality we have outlined. | 280 |
| [ a being feels only the modifications of its own substance ] | 284 |
| 110. Sentience and substance are intimately related, as what is experienced as feeling is the state of being of a substance; a being feels only the modifications of its own substance; it feels a stimulus only insofar as it modifies its substance. | 286 |
| 110. Sentience and substance are intimately related, as what is experienced as feeling is the state of being of a substance; a being feels only the modifications of its own substance; it feels a stimulus only insofar as it modifies its substance. | 286 |
| 110. Sentience and substance are intimately related, as what is experienced as feeling is the state of being of a substance; a being feels only the modifications of its own substance; it feels a stimulus only insofar as it modifies its substance. | 286 |
| 111. Universal matter is inertic, that is, the power involved in it and constituting it, presents resistance to any force acting upon it from outside. Because every being derives from the Absolute Sentient Power, each being experiences its own substance at the feeling level as a sensation of mass-inertia. Mass-inertia is what we usually mean by "body". We can see this meaning of the word "body" in such expressions as "body-colour" for opaque colours, or when we say there is "body" in certain fabrics, etc. | 288 |
| 112. Universal Matter, the universal mater or mother principle of all things, has two chief stresses: mass inertia, or "body" and sentience, or feeling awareness. It knows itself as a mass-inertic feeling substance. At the level of humanity an individual woman experiences this same kind of feeling when there is no external force to act upon her and modify her substance. She, of course, experiences this because she is stressed in the same way as the universal substance from which she derives her being. | 290 |
| 117. If man ceases to act upon woman, the power in woman will tend to return to its absoluteness, that is, will tend to exhibit qualities of initiative and formalising power which were before held in a state of latency. This is the origin of the so-called "masculine-protest" exhibited by women in certain circumstances. The cure for masculine protest in women is the honouring by men of their part in the Tacit Conspiracy. | 302 |
| 118. If the Absolute did not create the Universal Matter upon which to exert its formalising power, no further creation could result. The Absolute is here what is meant by the Heavenly Father. Universal Matter is the Magna Mater, the Great Mother, into which the Father inserts his fructifying power. The Father must have a Mother to receive the forms his power creates, to bring them to substantiality. Without this substantialisation the Father's forms would have the reality only of ideas and not of existential material beings. | 304 |
| 119. The Universal Matter or Mother must have the Father to introduce into her the new forms and functions without which she would remain merely a dark, formless, inert mass. | 306 |
| 120. But Prime Matter, the Mother of all things, is ultimately only a function of the Absolute, the Father Principle of the Infinite Eternal Initiative and formulating power. The Father and Mother are ultimately not two. The Mother is a function of the Father, necessary for the substantialisation of the forms of his creative activity. | 310 |
| 120. But Prime Matter, the Mother of all things, is ultimately only a function of the Absolute, the Father Principle of the Infinite Eternal Initiative and formulating power. The Father and Mother are ultimately not two. The Mother is a function of the Father, necessary for the substantialisation of the forms of his creative activity. | 310 |
| 122. In the Indian myth earlier commented on, we saw that when God created a consort for himself in order to have someone with whom to relate, and through whom to generate further forms, she ran away from him, saying "I am you". In saying "I am you", she said by implication that she and God were not two. But if this were so relations would be impossible, for relation implies more than one. | 314 |
| 123. It becomes apparent then, that if relational activity is to become a possibility, and yet absolute dualism is untrue, there must be brought into being some mode of action which will generate the appearance of a duality where ultimate duality is unreal. | 318 |
| 123. It becomes apparent then, that if relational activity is to become a possibility, and yet absolute dualism is untrue, there must be brought into being some mode of action which will generate the appearance of a duality where ultimate duality is unreal. | 318 |
| 124. This apparent duality is produced by the Absolute circumscribing a zone within itself in which to create the functional activity we know as universal mass-inertia or prime matter. This first circumscribing activity of the Absolute is hinted at in the book of Genesis under the symbol of a fiery sword turning to stop the re-entry into Eden of the expelled Adam and Eve. | 320 |
| 124. This apparent duality is produced by the Absolute circumscribing a zone within itself in which to create the functional activity we know as universal mass-inertia or prime matter. This first circumscribing activity of the Absolute is hinted at in the book of Genesis under the symbol of a fiery sword turning to stop the re-entry into Eden of the expelled Adam and Eve. | 320 |
| 125. This polarisation within the Absolute by the creation of universal matter as a function of the Absolute is the first phase of the Tacit Conspiracy, the first appearance of the relational tension necessary for the evolution of higher life forms and the movement towards resec beings. | 322 |
| 132. The Tacit Conspiracy is a conspiracy not of ignorance but of silence. Both parties to the conspiracy must be aware of the real nature of the relation, otherwise it is no conspiracy, no breathing together. If only one in the relation is aware of its meaning it is not yet a true conspiracy and cannot give forth its highest results. | 346 |
| 132. The Tacit Conspiracy is a conspiracy not of ignorance but of silence. Both parties to the conspiracy must be aware of the real nature of the relation, otherwise it is no conspiracy, no breathing together. If only one in the relation is aware of its meaning it is not yet a true conspiracy and cannot give forth its highest results. | 346 |
| 133. It is only when the conspiracy is a fully conscious relation that it can reach its highest expression, the highest degree of its full actualisation. | 348 |
| 134. The Tacit Conspiracy between the Absolute and Primal Matter is a necessity of the involutionary process of creation whereby spirit, or free initiative and formulation power, enters into and embodies itself in matter. | 352 |
| 135. The entry into material embodiment is a veiling process in which spirit is progressively covered over by the functional activities it initiates of material body processes. When it reaches its lowest level of descent, or its deepest involvement in matter, the involved spirit or consciousness (not the Absolute as such) is objectively identified with its materialising processes and tends to believe itself necessarily tied to matter. It is at this point that the Tacit Conspiracy tends to lapse from consciousness. Here begins the conflict of polarised beings which, expressing itself in the darkness of ignorance, tends to reverse the direction of evolution and to defeat at the human level the original purpose of the Tacit Conspiracy by becoming, in its attempt to escape the believed intolerable relational tensions, wholly destructive. It is at this point that man, striving to escape these tensions, seeks to discover the meaning of his involvement in existence, and seeks also to find a way out. | 354 |
| 135. The entry into material embodiment is a veiling process in which spirit is progressively covered over by the functional activities it initiates of material body processes. When it reaches its lowest level of descent, or its deepest involvement in matter, the involved spirit or consciousness (not the Absolute as such) is objectively identified with its materialising processes and tends to believe itself necessarily tied to matter. It is at this point that the Tacit Conspiracy tends to lapse from consciousness. Here begins the conflict of polarised beings which, expressing itself in the darkness of ignorance, tends to reverse the direction of evolution and to defeat at the human level the original purpose of the Tacit Conspiracy by becoming, in its attempt to escape the believed intolerable relational tensions, wholly destructive. It is at this point that man, striving to escape these tensions, seeks to discover the meaning of his involvement in existence, and seeks also to find a way out. | 354 |
| 136. From this determination of man to escape the relational tensions to which existence exposes him has arisen all science, for science aims ultimately at power, the power to reduce life's tensions to a tolerable level. | 358 |
| 138. With his experimental procedures he discovers a million secrets of nature previously lost to him. He begins to believe he can solve all problems presented to him by using his external scientific procedures. | 362 |
| 139. One thing, however, remains to him still a mystery – his own being. It is here where his last battle for freedom is going to be fought, as it was here in the first place that he lost it. | 364 |
| 142. Here is inserted the old sugar-on-the-pill trick. If man finds it too hard alone to examine himself objectively and raise himself to higher levels of being, perhaps a little help would be appreciated. And so at Adam's request Eve was given to him as a help-meet. And Eve means "to develop life's potential". Later, Paul was to say, "Two walk better than one". | 372 |
| 142. Here is inserted the old sugar-on-the-pill trick. If man finds it too hard alone to examine himself objectively and raise himself to higher levels of being, perhaps a little help would be appreciated. And so at Adam's request Eve was given to him as a help-meet. And Eve means "to develop life's potential". Later, Paul was to say, "Two walk better than one". | 372 |
| 143. So a man finds himself in the relation which, if he knew its full meaning, he would call the Tacit Conspiracy. He finds himself married. He is now in possession of the one thing that will help him to see himself objectively, a female consort who has some legal rights in his person. (Without the legal rights it is not usual for a help-meet to reach the full heights of power to help man's evolution to higher levels of being. It is so easy for the unmarried man to go home to his own bed, and thus avoid the most fruitful time for evolving awareness of one's stimulus reaction-level, the "still small hours of the night"). | 374 |
| 143. So a man finds himself in the relation which, if he knew its full meaning, he would call the Tacit Conspiracy. He finds himself married. He is now in possession of the one thing that will help him to see himself objectively, a female consort who has some legal rights in his person. (Without the legal rights it is not usual for a help-meet to reach the full heights of power to help man's evolution to higher levels of being. It is so easy for the unmarried man to go home to his own bed, and thus avoid the most fruitful time for evolving awareness of one's stimulus reaction-level, the "still small hours of the night"). | 374 |
| 143. So a man finds himself in the relation which, if he knew its full meaning, he would call the Tacit Conspiracy. He finds himself married. He is now in possession of the one thing that will help him to see himself objectively, a female consort who has some legal rights in his person. (Without the legal rights it is not usual for a help-meet to reach the full heights of power to help man's evolution to higher levels of being. It is so easy for the unmarried man to go home to his own bed, and thus avoid the most fruitful time for evolving awareness of one's stimulus reaction-level, the "still small hours of the night"). | 374 |
| 144. Because usually a man does not know the high purpose of the Absolute in investing in him the instinct to enter into a polarised relation, a man enters it with some hope of obtaining for himself peace, comfort, good feeding and sympathy for his weaknesses. | 376 |
| 144. Because usually a man does not know the high purpose of the Absolute in investing in him the instinct to enter into a polarised relation, a man enters it with some hope of obtaining for himself peace, comfort, good feeding and sympathy for his weaknesses. | 376 |
| 144. Because usually a man does not know the high purpose of the Absolute in investing in him the instinct to enter into a polarised relation, a man enters it with some hope of obtaining for himself peace, comfort, good feeding and sympathy for his weaknesses. | 376 |
| 148. The Absolute places man and woman in the same relation, which at the absolute level is the Tacit Conspiracy. Man is now required to become aware of the meaning of this involvement and to relate himself to woman accordingly. He is to make himself aware by deep meditation of what the Tacit Conspiracy means to the Absolute and to himself. He is to affirm consciously and reflexively his relation with his consort as a means whereby the human race is to evolve back to the level of absolute awareness, the reflexive self-consciousness which constitutes at once the capacity for immediate adequate response, and therefore of perfect freedom and immortality. Perfect freedom is man's service of the Absolute from which he derives. | 386 |
| 151. He is to remember at all times that woman is obeying the deep will of the Universal Mother, or Prima Materia, from which she derives; that she is compelled by her female nature to present him with the opposition necessary for him to attain the goal set for him by the Absolute. He is to see her as the mirror of all his actions, in which he can see himself as such a being who stands at the evolutionary level from which such actions spring. | 394 |
| 152. Universal Matter has three phases. The first is that in which, having been created, it is considered as left without external stimulation and so is inert, dark and morbid, profoundly melancholy. This we abbreviate to M1, by which we mean Melancholy Mary (Mary has the same meaning as Mare, the Sea), and is used to express the idea of Universal Substance as a great ocean of plastic material which the Absolute, in its character of initiative spirit, blows upon to produce the great waves of creative activity we know as the involution and evolution of the universe. | 398 |
| 156. M1 is woman when she is deprived of all stimulation from outside herself. It is experienced as a state of melancholy or black despair, almost a state of abyssal non-being. | 408 |
| 156. M1 is woman when she is deprived of all stimulation from outside herself. It is experienced as a state of melancholy or black despair, almost a state of abyssal non-being. | 408 |
| 157. M2 is woman when she is presented with a stimulus situation, usually involving a man, in which she feels driven to display every aspect of capacity for fantastic behaviour. This magical display is designed to provoke the chosen man to exhibit his reaction tendencies and so to expose any weakness he may possess. If the man fails to see through her fantastic displays and becomes enamoured of her to the point of losing his self-control, he is counted as no more than an occasion of the self-witness of power in the woman, and of himself not worthy and not to be obeyed. For the deep Universal Mater speaking through woman says that she must obey only he who can conquer her. | 410 |
| 157. M2 is woman when she is presented with a stimulus situation, usually involving a man, in which she feels driven to display every aspect of capacity for fantastic behaviour. This magical display is designed to provoke the chosen man to exhibit his reaction tendencies and so to expose any weakness he may possess. If the man fails to see through her fantastic displays and becomes enamoured of her to the point of losing his self-control, he is counted as no more than an occasion of the self-witness of power in the woman, and of himself not worthy and not to be obeyed. For the deep Universal Mater speaking through woman says that she must obey only he who can conquer her. | 410 |
| 158. M3 is the phase in woman when, having encountered a man and, having tried all the magical practices of the M2 phase on him, she has failed to break his self-control, she decides to obey him as her legitimate lord. | 412 |
| 160. Reflexive self-consciousness (resec) is not attained without continuous effort and dedication. Nor should it be, for it is the supreme value. Its implications are so vast that it would not be possible even to outline them here, but we may say that the man who attains resec becomes immortal, becomes so much himself, so much a unity, that nothing whatever can break his integration. After the death of his material body he remains himself, free from the post-mortem processes which affect the non-resec soul's subtle body, and which are called the "second death". | 418 |
| 161. The resec man knows himself right through to the ultimate source of his being. Therefore he is absolute and acts absolutely. Nothing greater than this is possible in existence, and because this implies the fulfilment of his will absolutely, nothing greater than this is desirable. To this end it becomes a man to meditate upon and to understand the depths and heights of the Tacit Conspiracy. | 420 |
| 164. At the human level these polar differences express themselves as sexual stresses with their corresponding physical qualities. The male receives a stress on initiative and ideo-rationality. The female is stressed on body-orientation and feeling. | 426 |
| 169. Woman knows that it is her part of the Tacit Conspiracy to present man's initiative and ideorational power with a feeling substance in which to impress his form, so that he can see what he is doing and at what evolutionary level he stands. | 436 |
| 170. She is to provide him with the resistance necessary for the growth of his self-awareness so that he can see where in himself he needs to work to perfect his being, and fulfil the Absolute's purpose for him. The Absolute will not permit woman to be fully satisfied with a man less than perfect. | 438 |
| 171. It is man's part to verbalise the meaning of the universe he experiences, and to make clear to himself and to his consort the rationale of the Tacit Conspiracy, so that she can devote herself in love to fulfilling its meaning, and return to him the significance of his words and deeds, and to embody their essence in her substance so that the next generation, which is to spring from her body, will start its existence with a true orientation and the deep inner security that comes from this, and so be enabled to take its next upwards step towards the goal in full confidence of the meaning of its act. | 440 |
| 172. The child born of a man and woman who understand the full implications of the Tacit Conspiracy, and who have committed themselves to the work of regaining the absolute relation possible to reflexive self-conscious beings, is a child born with both feet firmly placed on the path that leads into life. To such children belongs the work of world reclamation, the creation of the new earth which shall reflect the new heaven which shall herald itself in their minds. | 442 |
| 172. The child born of a man and woman who understand the full implications of the Tacit Conspiracy, and who have committed themselves to the work of regaining the absolute relation possible to reflexive self-conscious beings, is a child born with both feet firmly placed on the path that leads into life. To such children belongs the work of world reclamation, the creation of the new earth which shall reflect the new heaven which shall herald itself in their minds. | 442 |
| 174. Socrates had a wife so busy-tongued that, after listening to her contribution to philosophy, he was able to defeat in argument any man in Greece, a Greece so rich in intellect that no nation has surpassed it since. | 446 |
| 174. Socrates had a wife so busy-tongued that, after listening to her contribution to philosophy, he was able to defeat in argument any man in Greece, a Greece so rich in intellect that no nation has surpassed it since. | 446 |
| 176. The rabbis have said, "A man cannot go to heaven without a wife". | 450 |