, 1903-07-09
PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES.
&c
Kargna.

es from the infinite to the Infinite,
and has no end and no commence
ment, neither is it capable of being
broken. This rope is formed of in
Vulnerable fine threads. which, lying
closely together, form its Thickness.
These threads are colorless, are per
feet III their qualities of straightness,
strength and levelness. This rope,
passing as it does through all places,
suffers strange accidents. Very of
ten a thread is caught and becomes
attached, or, perhaps, is only violent
ly pulled away from its even way.
Then for a great time it is disorder
ed, and it disorders the whole.
Sometimes one is stained with dirt or
with color; and not only does the
stain run on further than the spot of
contact, but it discolors other of tn,
threads. Aud remember that the
threads are living,-are like electric
wires, more, are like quivering nerves.
IIDN IdI, lltE, uIhSl ihe Stdlu, lht
drag awry, be communicated, But
eventually the strong strands, the
living threads which in their unbrok-
EN- continuity from the individual,
pass out of the shadow into the
shine Then the threads are no more
colorless, but golden; once more
they lie together, level. Once more
harmony is established between
them; and, from that harmony with
in, the great harmony is perceived.
This illustration presents but II
small portion, a single side of the
truth: ii is less than ii fragment.
Yet dwell on it by its aid, you may
be led to perceive more. What il is
necessary first to understand is, not
that the future is arbitrarily formed
by any separate acts of the present.
but that the whole of the future is in
unbroken continuity with the present,
as the present is with the past. On
one plane. from one point of view,
the illustration of the rope is cor
rect.
II is said that a little attention to
occultism produces great Karmic re-
suits. That is because it is impossible
togiye any attention to occultism with.
out making a definite choice between
what are Familiarity called good and
evil. The first step in occultism
brings the student to the tree of
knowledge. He must pluck and eat:
he must choose. No longer is he ca
pable of the INDIGESTION Of ignorance.
He goes on, either on the good or the
evil path. And to step definitely
and knowingly even but one step ON
either path, produces great karmic
results, The mass OF men walk uu-
waveringly, uncertain as to the goal
they aim aim at: their standard of
life is indefinite; consequently
the karmIc results increase
enormously, because all are acting in
the same direction on all the differ
ent planes for the ~occulist cannot he
half hearted, nor can he return when
he has passed the threshold. These
things are as impossible as that
the man should become the child
again. The individuality has APP
preached the state of responsibility
by reaso of growth; it cannot re
cede from 1t.
He who would escape the bondage
Of karma must raise his individual
ity out Of the shadow into the shine;
must 50 elevate his exlstance that
these threads do not come in conact
with soiling substances, do not be-
Come st attached as to be pulled aw
ny. He simply lifts himself out of
the region in which Karmu operates.
lie does not leave the eNistance
which he is experiencing, because of
that. The ground may he rough
and dirty, or full of rich flowers
whose pollen stains, and of sweet
substances that cling aud become
attachments but, overhead, there is
always the free sky, He who desires
to be karmaless must look to the air
for a home, aud after that to the
ether He who desires to form good
karma will meet with many confus-
ions, and in the effort to SOW rich
seed for his own harvesting, may
plant a thousand weeds, aud among
them the giant DESIRE to SOW no
seed for your W harvesting; de
sire only to SOW that seed the fruit
of which shall feed the world: in
giving 1t food, you feed yourself.
Yet even in this thought there turks
a great danger which starts forward