MONTHLY

LETTER^
BY MANLY P. HALL^

Eleventh Letter

DISCIPLINES OF MEDITATION AND REALIZATION

Dear Student: nor as an introduction into some arcane storehouse

of secret lore. There are no fantastic pageantries,
ILLUMINATION no robed figures, no priests or altars, no soul flights
or similar absurdities so often suspected by the un­
To the mystic the word illumination means in­ informed. Illumination is simply a process of
ward enlightenment. As the sun lights the physical awakening, of opening one’s eyes, lifting another
world and sustains all life with its energies, so veil, opening another door, and looking toward the
the Self, the spiritual sun, lights the inner world face of Truth. The consciousness has penetrated a
of spirit and preserves with its power the spiritual
little further into the wonders of living.
aspirations and ideals of mankind. There are many
popular misconceptions about the metaphysical sig­ There is no cause for pride in illumination—if
nificance attached to the word illumination. To anything, the illumined student becomes more gen­
qualify and correct this confusion will go far to-- tle and more humble. But there is no groveling
rationalize the mystical viewpoint. humility. The disciple approaches Truth because
it is his birthright. He neither demands nor sup­
Illumination is not to be interpreted as some
plicates. He obeys the Law, fits himself to re­
kind of an external experience, but as an entirely
natural consequence of living an enlightened life. ceive light, and the light comes.
Illumination does not confer perfection, nor does Illumination is not a single experience marked
it bestow a sudden extension of spiritual powers. by an abrupt transition from a state of ignorance to
Rather it is a kind of dawning within the Self, the a state of wisdom. It is a series of related expe­
beginning of a greater light, the Aurora of Jacob riences, a series of spiritual discoveries. There will
Boehme. be moments that seem more radiant than others,
Illumination never should be interpreted as an but the whole experience will extend over a period
acceptance into some elite body of initiated adepts, of many lives. Growth is a sequence of unfold-

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ment, an orderly procedure marked by the gradual REALIZATION AS ILLUMINATION
increase of internal light.
We have learned that realization is a gradual
The child in school struggles heroically with extension of universal energy through the person­
the mystery of the multiplication table. To him it ality of the human being. Also, we have learned
is a mystery, and his mind is seeking to grasp the that in order to become enlightened we must iden­
elements and principles which underlie the theory tify the personal consciousness with this universal
of multiplication. It may require several weeks be­ force so that we may participate consciously in it
fore the processes are mastered, and then, suddenly, and be moved by it as it moves through us. Wher­
the child realizes that it understands the workings ever there is a point of contact between personal
of the multiplication table. There no longer is a consciousness and universal consciousness, there is
mystery; the problem has been mastered. There an extension of the personal consciousness. This
is a secret inward flush of victory; there is a feeling extension is properly illumination. As two elec­
that now the whole world is conquered; there is tric wires brought together will produce a spark
a sense of strength and a new determination to at­ at them point of junction, so the meeting of the...
tack other problems and to solve them. The flash lesser and the greater selves always is accompanied
by a temporary expansion of the lesser self. This
of understanding which solved the mystery of the
flash of energy is interpreted through the person­
multiplication table in the young student’s mind
ality of the human being in terms of the sudden
was a sort of illumination. It was consciousness be­
extension of awareness. Something sought for sud­
coming aware; some light flowing into the fum­
denly is found; something desired suddenly is felt.
bling mind revealed the mystery.
Illumination always takes the form of solution,
There is something spiritual and mystical about solving the problem most imminent to the Self.
the schoolboy’s flash of understanding. If that The composer with his unfinished symphony, the
inner light had not come, he would have studied artist with his unfinished canvas, the poet with his
in vain. Without understanding, learning is use­ unfinished verses, and the scientist with his un­
less. Yet never by the wildest stretch of imagina­ finished experiments—each of these is confronted
tion would the schoolboy feel that he belongs to with a problem; each has gone as far as he can
some secret order of superphysical beings merely proceed unaided. Having exhausted the resources
because he has mastered the principle of multipli­ of conscious personal knowledge, each is groping
cation. Nor would he expect his new understand­ for a solution. It may require days or months,
ing to become a universal panacea for ignorance. even years, to complete the unfinished task. With­
He soon finds that after mastering the principles out realizing it, each of these men is waiting for
of multiplication, he must learn the rules of divi­ a miracle. Only a revelation, only some mystical
sion. Here he is confronted with new principles extension of consciousness can make possible the
completion of the work.
and new procedures. Again he must grope for the
laws, and again he must find them within himself. Then the light comes. How, no man knows;
when, no man knows; why, no man knows. We
A little enlightenment does not bestow immun­ do know, however, that effort is rewarded with
ity from future effort, nor promise peace and se­ accomplishment. That which we desire earnestly
curity in some psychic summerland. There is noth­ and honestly strive after will come. We may see
ing impractical about mysticism. The difficulty is the answer as in a dream; it may flash into our
that so many impractical persons seek refuge in minds; it may leap out at us in the motion of the
mysticism without making any effort to correct the millstream, in the ripples of a pool, or in the flight
shortcomings in themselves. of a bird. The clue may come from the thoughtless

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words of a friend, the notion of some mere ac­ existence can be found only through communion
quaintance. But strangely, there is a little burst of with the Self. Only the Self knows its own pur­
awareness within the reason. The whole body and poses. As personal beings, we are merely shadows
mind thrill with the acute knowledge that the an­ cast by the Self. As mortal creatures, we are the
swer is known, the solution is found. The expe­ instruments by which the Self accomplishes its pur­
rience of genius bears ample testimony that with­ poses. Illumination comes when the instrument
out consecration and perseverance, there can be no begins to discover the reason for which it was
illumination. It is a reward for effort, not a sub­ fashioned.
stitute for effort. Modern psychology has invented the term mys­
The philosophic life is in itself the noblest of tical experience to explain the mystery of illumina­
all the arts. To live well is the supreme test of tion. Havelock Ellis, in summarizing the effect

A STONE RELIEF CARVING FROM THE HAN DYNASTY DEPICT­

ING- THE MEETING OF CONFUCIUS AND-LAO-TZE. This fine old- _ -
stone nibbing shows the two immortals of Ching exchanging the formalities
of greeting at the entrance to the library of the Chou. The artistic treatment
though apparently crude is regarded as one of the finest periods in Chinese
primitive design.
wisdom. It is impossible to perfect living without upon his life which was produced by a mystical
illumination. It is only in those moments of con­ experience occurring to him, wrote in substance:
tact during which the Self is in part revealed that After this experience nothing seemed to matter any
the purpose of life can be more adequately real­ more. Everything was so supremely right, so en­
ized. There can be no enlightened living without tirely as it ought to be, that no longer was there
a realization of the reason for living. This reason any space for doubt, concern, or dissatisfaction.
can not be supplied by the intellect, nor can it be Havelock Ellis had glimpsed the Law. For one
discovered by the senses. The true reason for our brief second he had looked out through the win-

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dow of his personal self into the greater world disciplines daily for twenty years in order to earn
that lay beyond. Light had come within. The for himself the merit of illumination. At the end
mood could not be sustained. In a fraction of a of this time he still was untouched by the flame of
second it was gone, but the consequences of that the Self. Discouraged at last, he climbed to the top
mood were profound and lasting. No matter what of a tall pagoda, determined to cast himself off.
he might say, no matter what others might say to He had given up all hope. Having come to the
him, no matter what conclusions might be reached final resolution and being utterly resigned, he flung
by the “fifty jarring sects,” Havelock Ellis was sus­ himself from the pagoda. As he fell, realization
tained by a personal experience. Others argued; came—and so great was the enlightenment that
he knew. Others wondered, hoped, and feared; manifested through him that he landed unhurt at
but he had experienced a certainty. He could not the foot of the tower. He immediately rushed to
convey that certainty to any other living creature. the abbot for an explanation of the phenomenon
If others ridiculed or disapproved, he could not that had occurred.
confer his understanding or convince them. The The old man listened gravely tojhe account,
certainty was his own, but he could not share it. and then nodded his approval and understanding.
He could state it, but had no power to force con­ “My son,” he explained, “for these twenty years you
viction. have tried to force the Real. You have dominated
To the earnest student, the desire for illumina­ that which will not obey the orders of any living
tion may become a serious handicap. If we are thing. You have striven desperately to discover
too conscious of the ends we desire, we may be­ that which no man can discover. Truth must dis­
come neglectful of the means by which we hope cover you. At last, having failed in all your efforts
to achieve those ends. To exist from day to day to grasp the formless aspect of light, you became
longing to be illuminated is to fall almost certainly utterly discouraged. You gave up. You relaxed.
into the illusions of wishful thinking. If the long­ You tried no longer. In your very desperation you
ings stimulate the imagination, it will soon bring came to a state of peace. Life was purposeless with­
about pseudo-psychic experiences which to the hope­ out Reality. You no longer desired to live. For
ful and imaginative soul assume the proportions an instant all of your psychic organisms were
of cosmic enlightenment. calm. And in that instant the twenty years of
Illumination never can come until the causes your discipline bore fruit. The light came. You
for it have been definitely established. It is a kind no longer plagued with the intensity of your own
desires that which can come only during desire-
of effect of and a crowning of effort. Do not wait
lessness.”
for it. Do not hope for it. Do not wonder about
it. Do not fear that it will not come. Develop Detachment truly is part of the mystic disci­
plines. Too many beginners in metaphysical mat­
realization; normalize and beautify life. And il­
ters are longing after liberation, and too few are
lumination will be the normal and natural con­
performing the disciplines of liberation. There is
sequence, not as a single episode, one tremendous
no liberation except through realization and illumi­
burst of enlightenment, but as a steady release and
nation. These are the only escapes from the “wheel
increasing flow of understanding into and through
of the Law.” Yet they are not really methods of
the lower faculties of the reason. escape. More correctly they are the outgrowing
It has been pointed out often that tension and of the limitations by which most mortals are af­
effort are detrimental to spiritual progress. This flicted. As birth is the only entrance into the
is especially true in so abstract and sensitive a sub­ physical life, so enlightenment is the only entrance
ject as illumination. The story is told of a Zen into the spiritual life. However, we must not de­
monk studying in Kamakura who practiced the sire too intensely after spiritual release or we shall

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cheat ourselves out of some part of physical ex­ the mystical books, and even wrote commentaries
perience. upon some of them. His knowledge was encyclo­
For the philosopher, “all things in good time.” pedic, but it is doubtful if he ever experienced that
Without undue haste and without undue delay, conscious extension into participation with infinites
without regret and without anxiety, the mind es­ which the mystic terms illumination. This does
tablished in wisdom flows toward the Real. Un­ not mean that Confucius was unenlightened, and
der such conditions illumination is as natural as here is a fine distinction. The trained mind pro­
life itself. And only when it is entirely natural perly disciplined may arrive at the same conclusion
is it real. So-called illumination produced in any that the mystic approaches through realization.
other way and by any other means can be but The difference lies in the degree of conscious par­
hallucination. ticipation in the known. The intellectual ap­
proaches Truth as something possessing form and
The disciple can protect himself in one regard.
dimension outside of his own nature. But the
He can ask himself constantly whether the spirit­
mystic approach to Truth is that of consciousness
uality which he believes he has achieved is con­ finding ItseTTas formless and dimensionless Reality.
sistent with what he knows about his own spiritual
Lao-Tze, in his life, his teachings, and his per­
integrity. If he seems to know more than he is,
sonality, was completely the mystic. He moved
to be wiser than his virtues, to be more advanced
through his world untouched by the literalisms of
than the standard of his thinking and living, then
life. His scholarship was entirely within himself.
he certainly is deceiving himself. His progress is
He contacted the literature and art of his time with­
not real, but imaginary, and he should set himself out being in any way caught or entangled in the
immediately to the task of correcting conditions maze of their intellectual or emotional grandeur.
before delusions further confuse him. We are not He was in this world, but never of it, dwelling
worthy of enlightenment merely because we desire always apart in the distant heights of his own
it, but only when we have won it. And there are realization. Somewhat older in years than Con­
so few who are willing to earn. The masses ex­ fucius, he was far older in spiritual understanding.
pect nature to bestow its greatest gifts regardless
The mystical difference in age has been adapted
of worthiness. adroitly by Taoist painters in depicting these two
The contrast between the intellectual and the great men, as is illustrated by a fine old Chinese
mystical viewpoints is exemplified by the meeting painting. It bears the title “Lao-Tze and the In­
of Confucius and Lao-Tze. Confucius was a man fant Confucius.” The great Taoist saint is sitting
possessing the highest mental and reasoning pow­ in the shadow of a great rock from which springs
ers:—Not ordy-was-his mind profound, but he re­ the ragged, twisted form of a storm swept pine.
tained to the end the delightful qualities of humor Lao-Tze, represented as an aging man wrapped
and curiosity that revealed intellectual superiority. in a somber mantle, is gazing down with the be­
His thought was profound, gentle, and dignified. nign serenity of a wise and loving parent at the
He sought to educate China, and to release through babe he is holding in his arms. Confucius, with
the Chinese consciousness the noble traditions the intent, frank, and trusting expression so often
which had descended through centuries of scholar­ seen on the faces of intelligent children, nestles se­
ship and culture. curely in the old man’s arms. The whole concep­
But Confucius was not a mystic. His spiritual tion is noble and meaningful. It is unlikely that
nature never escaped the conventions of thought. there is any historical foundation for the picture.
He never denied mysticism, but admitted simply It is a symbolical representation of the parenthood
and honestly that he was unqualified to indulge in of realization when compared to intellectual ac­
its abstractions. He honored the mystic, studied complishment.

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 Much has been made of the traditional meeting sions of Lao-Tze. He was profoundly affected and
of Confucius and Lao-Tze on the steps of the li­ sought earnestly to find some spirit of mysticism
brary of the Chou. It was on this occasion that within himself. He had the greatness to recognize
Confucius described the spiritual accomplishment greatness, but not the realization to share in the
of Lao-Tze as being comparable to a great dragon lofty speculations of the initiated mystic.
twisting and turning in space, flashing through This brings to consideration two important
clouds which obscured the mental lives of nor­ Taoist doctrines concerning illumination. The first
mal human beings. This dragon soared upward is courage, and the second is sufficiency. By cour­
through all the states of being and then streaked age is understood that strength of purpose by
downward into the very depths of matter, a great which the consciousness steadfastly approaches the
immeasurable spirit ascending and descending at Real. Here realization must support the quest. It
will, flying free in space, unlimited by any mortal is not sufficient to desire Truth. It is necessary to
restraint. He could admire this free spirit, but strengthen desire with the courage of conviction.
he could not bring his own personal experience in­ Truth not only brings liberation, it brings also un­
to rapport with so cosmic aTconsciousness. dreamed of responsibilities to the Self. That which
To the Taoist, the dragon represents illumina­ is realized becomes the absolute law of living.
tion. It conveys to his mind the strange powers There can be no departure from inward reality.
of the Real. It is the only creature in the Taoist Once man knows, he must do, or else his knowl­
mythological system that is entirely self-sustained, edge will torture him. Failure to think, to act,
inhabiting the great field of Tao itself. The dragon and to live that which is realized, or any effort
is Space as consciousness. It dwells in the Absolute, on the part of the lower nature to compromise re­
moving back and forth with perfect freedom in alization, produces a desperate conflict within the
the limitless vistas of Reality. Space, or Tao, eter­ life.
nally is moved by the tides of Law. Within it are It is an axiom that that which is realized is
all shapes, all forms, all motions. This mystery is naturally performed. But we must remember that
expressed by representing universal extension as a for the average person, realization is imperfect and
the moments of conscious extension are separated
sea of currents and energies filled with nebulous
from each other by relapses into what may be
whirlings and patterns designed to express immense
termed human interludes. Only the most highly
cosmic processes. Here, self-nourished and unique,
evolved mystic who has devoted many lives to the
one without a second, dwells the dragon, express­
unfoldment of the mystical disciplines within him­
ing in its form the infinite courage of realization
self can maintain his realization continuously. The
which sustains itself in the mystic ocean of the
intermittent flashes of greatness, termed by the
universal Self. Taoists the “blinking of the dragon’s eye,” there­
Lao-Tze perceived instantly with mystical pene­ fore result in a material condition requiring a high
tration that Confucius was incapable of the mystical measure of personal courage.
comprehension. The men met, performed the for­ There must be first the courage and dedication
malities, conversed for a little time, and parted. to depart from the errors of other men and to de­
Lao-Tze returned to the gray walls of his library, vote the life to a reality which is beyond the un­
and Confucius, to the secluded grove where he derstanding of associates and friends. Then there
discoursed with his disciples. must be the courage to face the inevitable failures
There is no record of any opinion that Lao-Tze of good intentions. There must be realization deep
may have expressed as the result of his meeting and true enough to accept these backslidings with­
with the greatest scholar of his time. Confucius, out emotional intemperance. There must be no
however, did describe to his disciples his impres­ self-condemnation, no interludes of remorse, no

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periods of despair. Realization must be true enough inner life or else he will be very much alone. A
to sustain the consciousness in tranquillity for the few will venerate him from afar off, but none will
success and failure which alternate in the life of understand him. Jesus, praying in the garden of
the disciple. To lose tranquillity, in what some Gethsemane, was alone. His disciples could not
feel to be the right aims of self-censure, is again keep one vigil with him. Their realization could
to fall into error. As surely as there must be no not go with him into the presence of the Father.
spiritual ambition, so there must be no spiritual Realization brings with it sufficiency, but unless
remorse. the growth toward it be entirely natural and un­
The quest for the Real must become a contin­ affected by ambition, the disciple will find it dif­
uous, gentle effort. Unmindful of results, realiza­ ficult to maintain sufficiency without leaning on
tion is the end that all things in nature are accom­ some error for support. His realization will not
plishing in the fullness of time. Nothing can has­ be continuous enough in its earlier stages to pre­
ten Law. It is its own speed. Nothing can be de­ vent some conflict between the personal and imper­
layed beyond the limitations imposed by the im­ sonal phases of his life. He must recognize and
maturity which is intrinsic to all mortal creatures. realize the difference between freedom and alone­
The second Taoist doctrine concerning illumi­ ness. The man who is alone has a certain freedom
nation emphasizes the necessity for sufficiency. The which he often fails to appreciate. The man who
doctrine creates itself, sustains itself, abides by it­ is free finds in his freedom an aloneness that often
self, moves impelled by its own nature, and has is difficult to bear. If such conflict arises, it must
no home but Space. This attacks the fundamental be met by realization.
human impulse toward dependency. Even religion When realization is highly developed, time and
subtly inculcates a doctrine of dependency. Man place cease. Time and place are intimately in­
ever is searching for a strength outside of himself volved in the pattern of relationships. When time
upon which he can cast his burdens. and place have been absorbed by realization, then
Many persons studying mysticism are seeking aloneness and distance are gone. As Confucius said
for some source of security to which they can turn of Lao-Tze’s spirit: Realization moves back and
in time of trouble. This insufficiency has no place forth, up and down, in and out. The interlude of
in a doctrine of realization. The dragon-soul a­ aloneness lies in the critical amount of adjustment
bides only in the shadow of eternity itself. The between personal and universal consciousness. Uni­
illuminated consciousness must be completely self­ versal consciousness can not be alone because it is
sustaining, unaffected by any sense of aloneness. part of everything; it is a participation in life
As enlightenment increases, the desire to share which precludes forever any acceptance of isolation.
it increases; but with this desire comes likewise the But this realization is not equally achieved.
realization that it is impossible to share the Real. It is because of certain great problems such as
Realization is an inward experience which can these that we have so carefully emphasized the ne­
come only to those who have won it in their own cessity of developing realization by gentle and nor­
right. It can not be conferred. The impulses mal means. If the development be entirely cor­
which realization bestows upon the personality rect, the motion of the consciousness will be so
will not be understood by others less developed. gradual and so normal that these abrupt interrup­
Lao-Tze dwelt alone in the old libraries, wan­ tions will be passed through almost without in­
dering like a ghost up and down through the cident. Universality will increase to the same de­
passageways, surrounded by thoughts of other men, gree that the personality decreases, with a corre­
yet untouched by those thoughts. In like manner, sponding decrease in stress and strain. If, how­
the mystic, though bound physically to the life of ever, for any reason, the effort at development is
his world, must understand the freedom of his forced and the flow of consciousness is interrupted

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by mental or emotional complexes, then such prob­ The intention may be right, but the realization
lems as aloneness inevitably will manifest them­ that is the true spiritual development must be com­
selves. paratively slight.
If such occur, the disciple should slow his for­ How much more appropriate to the ideals of
ward motion and gather up the loose ends which mysticism it is to symbolize growth by a beautiful,
his enthusiasm or spiritual ambitions have caused spontaneous, happy unfoldment like that of the
him to overlook. He should proceed no further opening flower, than by some example of the
in the extension of some one part of his conscious­ cruelty of the will which would accomplish Heav­
ness until his realization is sufficient to assure the en by afflicting its own body with a heartless des­
continuity and normalcy of his living. Not to potism. Therefore, be not deceived by the stand­
make such correction will result in misery and tem­ ards of spirituality which others set up. Do not
porary failure. His aloneness may cause him to try to emulate the lives of others even though they
rush ahead into unwise attachments or falsely to may have a high reputation for sanctity. Search
glorify as a spiritual virtue his sense of isolation. for realization associated with beauty, gentleness,
The latter’ course of action produces the hermit, peace, and simple dignity. Spiritual ^progress is
the recluse, and the fanatic who believe that there not to be achieved by any creed of cruel action, or
is some spiritual virtue in frustration. Such a by the heartless inhibition of normal impulses.
course of action renders consciousness less suitable
for normal realization and usually ends in a stale­ REALIZATION
mate. This month let the realization contemplate the
From the foregoing it will become more evi­ mystery of illumination. Try to experience in­
dent how delicate are the adjustments which are wardly a sense of gentle awakening. Go out into
necessary to a normal spiritual growth. When we the dawn and meditate upon the daily awakening
realize that most students of mysticism are not of the world. See how the darkness gives way to
even aware of the necessity for these adjustments, it a dim light that spreads slowly across the surface
is not difficult to understand why most of them of the earth. Observe how this light brings grad­
turn out to be impractical and intolerant. It is ually into life all the sleeping wonders of nature.
not the failure of mysticism itself, but the failure Then the rising of the sun, its own rays touching
of the disciple to bring to the subject an adequate one by one into the very consciousness of living
background of general knowledge and normal creatures until each stirs and takes up again the
viewpoint. Each must protect himself with his tasks of day.
own understanding against what the unbeliever There is no conflict, no struggle. There is light
has rather appropriately termed “sickly mysticism.” in the world and the acceptance of light—the ac­
It is unfortunate that the world has been trained ceptance of light as natural, as normal, as the sim­
to accept as virtuous, traits of character which are ple reawakening of that which has known light
not necessarily superior. The Hindu holy man sit­ and darkness before.
ting on a bed of spikes gains a certain popular Illumination is a dawn within the Self. The
sanctity because he endures physical discomfort for light of the spirit brings into life the innumerable
his belief. It is perfectly proper to respect his sin­ aspects of realization. An empire of effort awakes
cerity, but not to admire his understanding. The and all life continues its search for peace.
same attitude is appropriate toward the Christian Sincerely yours,
saints and religious leaders. To shorten one’s life
and to multiply one’s sufferings may reflect devo­
tion, but certainly such actions should not be set
up as standards for normal spiritual development.

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