Chapter XII
1907 original work, Global Grey full HTML transcription
Chapter XII
Poise is peace and power combined. Therefore, if we wish to increase the degree of Poise we must increase the depth of the peace and the greatness of the power. Every method through which this can be accomplished should be employed.
Though our Poise may be perfect now, and though all the energies we now possess may be preserved and constructively employed, that does not mean that we have come to the end of Poise and its possibilities. There are degrees of Poise —any number of degrees; and after we have become conscious of Poise, the higher degrees should be sought with untiring perseverance. The greater the Poise, the greater the capacity of mind and body; and the greater the reserve force of the entire system.
To attain higher degrees of Poise, the realization of peace should be deepened, and the consciousness of power should be enlarged.
To bring these things about, the subconscious mind should be employed extensively, because it is always the wise way to go direct to the source when we know the source; and the subconscious is the source of everything.
When we daily impress the idea of peace upon the subconscious, we will daily receive a deeper and deeper realization of peace. When we daily impress the idea of power upon the subconscious, we will daily receive a larger and larger consciousness of power.
What we sow, we reap; and the subconscious is the field wherein everything may grow and flourish.
To impress the subconscious, turn attention to the depth of life, thought and feeling, and think about what you desire to bring forth from the great within. The deeper the feeling of this thought, the deeper will be the impression made, and the sooner will results appear.
To think deeply of peace while concentrating attention upon the depth of mind is to impress the idea of peace upon the subconscious; it is to sow the seed of peace, and the harvest will invariably be peace—thirty, sixty or a hundred fold. All ideas or impressions that enter the subconscious multiply, just as a single seed placed in rich soil, produces a multitude of seeds.
To think deeply of power while concentrating attention upon the inner mind is to impress the idea of power upon the subconscious; and by daily impressing the desire for more power upon the subconscious, we arouse and awaken more power in the subconscious, and thus increase the capacity of power to a very great degree.
This practice if continued can not fail to produce most remarkable results; in fact, it is something so extremely valuable that it has but few equals.
To those who do not understand the nature of the subconscious and who do not know where to turn attention while trying to concentrate upon the subconscious, we will state that every desire which is deeply felt will impress itself upon the subconscious. This impression will become deep and well established if that desire continues to be deeply felt for days and weeks.
When the desire is directly concentrated upon the subconscious mind itself, the results will naturally be greater and will appear in less time. To exactly locate the subconscious mind is not necessary, neither is it possible because the subconscious is practically unbounded. We can, however, form in mind some idea as to the sphere of subconscious action, and it is upon this sphere we must concentrate.
The mind does not simply occupy the brain, but the entire personality; and as the subconscious permeates the essence of the mind as water permeates a sponge, we understand that the subconscious thoroughly fills the entire being of man, though acting upon a finer plane of life. Therefore, to concentrate upon the subconscious, direct attention upon the finer plane of life, not at one particular part of the system, but through the entire system.
To gain a larger and a better consciousness of the subconscious so that we can constantly feel this immense state of life and thought within us, is of the highest importance; because when this is gained, every thought that we deeply feel enters subconscious life and will produce results accordingly.
All psychologists agree that the subconscious is immense beyond comprehension, and that the possibilities which are latent in the subconscious of every mind are marvellous, to say the least. To unfold these possibilities is therefore to take a direct path to genius and extraordinary ability.
That genius does exist in the subconscious of every mind is no theory, but the conclusion of the most careful research in this great mental field. Therefore, we are not making extravagant statements when we declare that genius and extraordinary ability can be developed in any one. But it is not possible to take any decided steps forward in this respect unless we have Poise. So long as we lack Poise the greater talents from within will simply scatter whenever we try to bring them out into fuller expression.
In the beginning, therefore, the subconscious should be called upon to deepen the realization of peace and enlarge the consciousness of power so that a more perfect Poise may be attained. Nor should this effort be discontinued at any time. The attainment of higher and higher degrees of Poise must be inseparably connected with every other attainment, because higher attainments in special lines are impossible without a corresponding degree of Poise.
'Consequently, the desires for more peace and more power should be daily impressed upon the subconscious. If this is done, each day will bring a greater supply of these two indispensable qualities. You will find yourself becoming more and more serene and will daily grow into the perfect calm—the calm that is not only very still, but exceedingly strong.
The consciousness of power will steadily enlarge until you feel that the power within you is unbounded; when this feeling comes your future is your own. Henceforth nothing can hold you down; nothing can stand in your way; nothing can prevent you from reaching the heights.
When you feel that unbounded power is within you, you will press on and on, regardless of obstacles or environments, and your destiny is to do great and wonderful things in life. You have touched the real source of greatness; therefore, greatness is assuredly in store for you.
When this deeper peace is realized, and the greater power is felt; and when these two are united into the one perfect state—Poise—the consciousness of real life begins. It is then that we realize that the greatest thing that man can do is to live; not to merely exist, but to live; and Life is the greatest thing because all great attainments and all great achievements come from Life—abundance of Life.
He who has found Life—the strong, calm, invincible Life, has found the peace which passeth understanding. He has placed himself in the sphere of that power which knows no bounds; and he has entered into that state of being that is greatness itself.
He strives no more to become; he is. All that he has longed for; all that he has aspired to reach and attain, he finds in Life.
All about him is Life—the calm, beautiful Life; within him is Life—the same strong, serene Life; and before him is Life—eternal Life, unbounded Life, a Life so rich, so marvellous, that eternity will be required to reveal it all.
Everything seems new; everything seems possible. To simply live is supreme joy; and to think of the future is to have beautiful visions of the greater riches still in store. But will these visions come true? Yes, they will; and he who has found Life knows that they will.
He who has found Life has discovered the limitless possibilities within; he knows that whatever man may undertake to do, the same shall be done, providing he lives, thinks and works in Life.
The mind that has learned to Be Still and Live has found the secret of all secrets. He has found that from which everything comes; that which can supply sufficient wisdom and sufficient power to do anything that man may desire to have done.
To any mind that thinks. these things are true; that man can attain anything and accomplish anything is positively true. But how? The first step is that wonderful something we call Poise; the peace of the soul and the power of the soul united into the one perfect state of Life—calm strong invincible Life.
THE END