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the Advaita teaches。 This is the one prayer： remembering our
nature。〃。 。 。 〃Why does man go out to look for a God？ 。 。 。 It is
your own heart beating； and you did not know； you were mistaking
it for something external。 He； nearest of the near； my own self；
the reality of my own life； my body and my soul。I am Thee and
Thou art Me。 That is your own nature。 Assert it； manifest it。
Not to become pure； you are pure already。 You are not to be
perfect； you are that already。 Every good thought which you
think or act upon is simply tearing the veil； as it were； and the
purity； the Infinity； the God behind； manifests itselfthe
eternal Subject of everything； the eternal Witness in this
universe； your own Self。 Knowledge is； as it were； a lower step；
a degradation。 We are It already； how to know It？〃 Swami
Viverananda： Addresses； No。 XII。； Practical Vedanta； part iv。 pp。
172； 174； London； 1897； and Lectures； The Real and the Apparent
Man； p。 24； abridged。
Those of us who are not personally favored with such specific
revelations must stand outside of them altogether and； for the
present at least； decide that； since they corroborate
incompatible theological doctrines； they neutralize one another
and leave no fixed results。 If we follow any one of them； or if
we follow philosophical theory and embrace monistic pantheism on
non…mystical grounds； we do so in the exercise of our individual
freedom； and build out our religion in the way most congruous
with our personal susceptibilities。 Among these susceptibilities
intellectual ones play a decisive part。 Although the religious
question is primarily a question of life； of living or not living
in the higher union which opens itself to us as a gift； yet the
spiritual excitement in which the gift appears a real one will
often fail to be aroused in an individual until certain
particular intellectual beliefs or ideas which； as we say； come
home to him； are touched。＇358＇ These ideas will thus be essential
to that individual's religion；which is as much as to say that
over…beliefs in various directions are absolutely indispensable；
and that we should treat them with tenderness and tolerance so
long as they are not intolerant themselves。 As I have elsewhere
written； the most interesting and valuable things about a man are
usually his over…beliefs。
＇358＇ For instance； here is a case where a person exposed from
her birth to Christian ideas had to wait till they came to her
clad in spiritistic formulas before the saving experience set
in：
〃For myself I can say that spiritualism has saved me。 It was
revealed to me at a critical moment of my life； and without it I
don't know what I should have done。 It has taught me to detach
myself from worldly things and to place my hope in things to
come。 Through it I have learned to see in all men； even in those
most criminal； even in those from whom I have most suffered；
undeveloped brothers to whom I owed assistance； love； and
forgiveness。 I have learned that I must lose my temper over
nothing despise no one； and pray for all。 Most of all I have
learned to pray！ And although I have still much to learn in this
domain； prayer ever brings me more strength； consolation； and
comfort。 I feel more than ever that I have only made a few steps
on the long road of progress； but I look at its length without
dismay； for I have confidence that the day will come when all my
efforts shall be rewarded。 So Spiritualism has a great place in
my life； indeed it holds the first place there。〃 Flournoy
Collection。
Disregarding the over beliefs； and confining ourselves to what is
common and generic； we have in the fact that the conscious person
is continuous with a wider self through which saving experiences
come；＇359＇ a positive content of religious experience which； it
seems to me； is literally and objectively true as far as it goes。
If I now proceed to state my own hypothesis about the farther
limits of this extension of our personality； I shall be offering
my own over…belief though I know it will appear a sorry
under…belief to some of youfor which I can only bespeak the
same indulgence which in a converse case I should accord to
yours。
＇359＇ 〃The influence of the Holy Spirit； exquisitely called the
Comforter； is a matter of actual experience； as solid a reality
as that of electro magnetism。〃 W。 C。 Brownell； Scribner's
Magazine； vol。 xxx。 p。 112。
The further limits of our being plunge； it seems to me；
into an altogether other dimension of existence from the sensible
and merely 〃understandable〃 world。 Name it the mystical region；
or the supernatural region； whichever you choose。 So far as our
ideal impulses originate in this region （and most of them do
originate in it； for we find them possessing us in a way for
which we cannot articulately account）； we belong to it in a more
intimate sense than that in which we belong to the visible world；
for we belong in the most intimate sense wherever our ideals
belong。 Yet the unseen region in question is not merely ideal；
for it produces effects in this world。 When we commune with it；
work is actually done upon our finite personality； for we are
turned into new men； and consequences in the way of conduct
follow in the natural world upon our regenerative change。＇360＇
But that which produces effects within another reality must be
termed a reality itself； so I feel as if we had no philosophic
excuse for calling the unseen or mystical world unreal。
＇360＇ That the transaction of opening ourselves； otherwise called
prayer； is a perfectly definite one for certain persons； appears
abundantly in the preceding lectures。 I append another concrete
example to rein force the impression on the reader's mind：
〃Man can learn to transcend these limitations ＇of finite thought＇
and draw power and wisdom at will。 。 。 。 The divine presence is
known through experience。 The turning to a higher plane is a
distinct act of consciousness。 It is not a vague； twilight or
semi…conscious experience。 It is not an ecstasy； it is not a
trance。 It is not super…consciousness in the Vedantic sense。 It
is not due to self…hypnotization。 It is a perfectly calm； sane；
sound； rational； common…sense shifting of consciousness from the
phenomena of sense…perception to the phenomena of seership； from
the thought of self to a distinctively higher realm。 。 。 。 For
example； if the lower self be nervous； anxious； tense； on