IN any attempt to correlate the various faculties and functions of the human consciousness, there is need for a word to express the entire field of activity. Psychology is content to use the word 'mind' as the basis of sensation, instinct, emotion and will, as well as the purely mental function of reason; and there is much to be said for this nomenclature from the metaphysical standpoint. In the first place, it recognizes that all phenomena of consciousness display a certain measure of intelligence or coherence, however limited. In the second place it is about the only word that can be used alike for energy and substance, positive and negative: and therefore it suggests the common origin of both. Finally it has the merit of simplicity and universality.

It may be objected that emotion, for instance, is something altogether apart from the mind, even when the word mind is used in this wider sense; but, if one is prepared to accept the axiom that behind every form of consciousness there is a unity, surely this tendency to hard and fast divisions can be carried too far. By all means use the word 'heart' instead of mind, if it suggests as extensive a field of experience, and processes that can truly be called creative; if not, let us assume for the sake of synthesis that emotion may be regarded as a state of mind-a conception already familiar to everyone, and 'will' as the making up of one's mind, to use another familiar phrase.

It may be urged that the word consciousness is preferable, as being still more inclusive and fundamental. But is not even consciousness itself one of a pair of opposites of which the other one is unconsciousness? For consciousness implies at least a duality, the sense of something other than oneself. On the other hand it seems equally erroneous to suppose that the state of unity is merely the opposite extreme of the same phenomenon, namely unconsciousness. Apparently it is at present inconceivable to the western mind that there can be such a state as that referred to by eastern writers as being neither consciousness nor unconsciousness; but at least there should be no difficulty in assuming the possibility of existence in which personal consciousness is in abeyance, for, as far as the physical plane is concerned, we are all familiar with the withdrawal of personal consciousness hat occurs in dreamless sleep.

It is the recognition of the existence of latent elements in the total field of consciousness that has given such a stimulus to recent investigation of the mysterious regions covered by the term 'subconscious mind'. This very term implies that mind can function without recognition by the personal consciousness on the physical plane, but one can easily carry the conception to its logical conclusion and ask whether mind would cease to be mind if all the activities of consciousness were to cease. One might just as well ask whether a lake ceases to be a lake when its surface is motionless as glass. May not a state of perfect rest be the one condition, or rather freedom from all conditions, in which the mind attains to pure self-consciousness?

Incidentally we find in mental experience a reflection of the trinity; namely (1) the mental unit at rest, a state which might be called 'essence of mind' or the 'master-mind', (2) the element of consciousness, the basis of reflex action between the two mental poles of subject and object, the eternal link between the noumenal and the phenomenal, (3) the action and reaction between these two poles which results in the creation of forms, appearing as evolution when viewed from the phenomenal pole and self-realization when viewed from the noumenal pole.

We can trace these three fundamental elements in the phenomenon of auto-suggestion. A child enjoys pretending to be someone or something else, for instance, let us say a lion. He promptly goes about on all fours and roars, explaining to his audience: 'I am a lion.' Now the vividness of his impersonation depends on his believing to a certain extent that he is actually a lion. But if this belief were carried too far, there would be a danger of its gaining too strong a hold, and producing more or less permanent leonine manifestations. Fortunately there is a preponderance of original mental suggestion in favour of his personality that enables him to control the subsidiary suggestion in favour of the lion and withdraw from it at will. But probably the result will be that the child will have reached a closer understanding of the actual lion- consciousness than if he had merely looked at a picture of a lion. This power of conjuring up the illusion (or mâyâ) of a lion, that we call suggestion, might be likened to the third aspect of the mind; the power of identification with the illusion, or the influence of suggestion, to the second; and the power of remaining outside the illusion and unaffected by it, to the first.

In endeavouring to analyse the threefold process of form-building, ensouling, and mastering, that constitutes the third or creative aspect, we not only find reflections of the other two aspects as above, but a septenary of functions, on which Subba Row's famous article on 'The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac' (Five Years of Theosophy) throws much light. There he enumerates and describes six primary forces in Nature synthesized by the seventh, which is referred to as ªakti or Mahâ-mâyâ, and is symbolized by the sixth sign of the Zodiac-Kanyâ or Virgo. In commenting on her quotation from this article, to be found in The Secret Doctrine, vol. I, p. 312, HPB writes:

In volume III, p.508, she writes: 'The seven ªakti-s respectively called Parâºakti, Jñânaºakti, and so on, are synonymous with the "Sons of Fohat", for they are their female aspects.'

The descriptions of some of the 'Forces' bear so closely on problems of modern psychology and yet, like all other occult writings, leave so much untold, that the writer hopes to be excused for this necessarily inconclusive attempt to probe their meaning.

These 'Forces' are given as follows:

'(1)Parâºakti-Literally the great or supreme force or power. It means and includes the powers of light and heat.'

We cannot gather much from this first category beyond a general conception of an outgoing undifferentiated energy, possibly the vague 'desire to create' that manifests on lower levels as kâma, and is associated in The Secret Doctrine (vol. III) with Mars.

'(2)Jñânaºakti-Literally the power of intellect, of real wisdom or knowledge. It has two aspects:

'i.The following are some of its manifestations when placed under the influence or control of material conditions: (a) The power of the mind in interpreting our sensations; (b) its power in recalling past ideas (memory) and raising future expectation; (c) its power as exhibited in what are called by modern psychologists "the laws of association", which enable it to form persisting connections between various groups of sensations and possibilities of sensations, and thus generate the notion or idea of an external object; (d) its power in connecting our ideas together by the mysterious link of memory, and thus generating the notion of self or individuality.

'ii.The following are some of its manifestations, when liberated from the bonds of matter: (a) Clairvoyance; (b) Psychometry.'

Here we have what appears at first sight to be a complete summary of all the characteristics of purely mental activity, stretching from the power of interpreting sensations to the 'notion' of self or individuality.

This ªakti seems to be essentially one of concretion and order. Saturn, or Kronos (time), which HPB associates with the concrete mind, is naturally suggested by the above description. It is instructive to note that 'clairvoyance' is given as a manifestation of the power of intellect 'when liberated from the bonds of matter', a definition that many might do well to remember in dealing with psychic phenomena.

'(3)Icchâºakti-Literally the power of the Will. Its most ordinary manifestation is the generation of certain nerve currents, which set in motion such muscles as are required for the accomplishment of the desired object.'
This ªakti seems to correspond to the source of physical vitality, the Sun. We are told elsewhere that the physical body is the reflection of Âtman, the will in man; and the movement of a muscle certainly demands a minimum of mental activity. But it is none the less produced through the mind in its direct and extreme relation of spirit and matter.

'(4)Kriyâºakti-The mysterious power of thought which enables it to produce external, perceptible, phenomenal results by its own inherent energy. The ancients held that any idea will manifest itself externally if one's attention is deeply concentrated upon it. Similarly an intense volition will be followed by the desired result. A yogi generally performs his wonders by means of Icchâºakti and Kriyâºakti.'

Probably most readers of theosophical literature have already come across references to this power in connection with the future possibility of creating physical bodies by the direct action of thought, but it is still more familiar to everyone in the simple act of visualization. Imagination is literally the power to create images in mental matter, and on the correspondence between such images and the realities they are intended to represent, depends the capacity and value of the imagination. This is apparently the most direct manifestation of the third or creative aspect, and presents the least difficulty in recognition. We read that the higher mind is under Venus, and here we see how the beauty of form expressed by the creative mind of the artist has become associated in popular mythology with the emotional reaction to the form in the consciousness of the beholder. Evidently the passive capacity of appreciation is necessary as a stimulus to the active function of creation. Not only must the artist have the power of visualization strongly developed, but also of the true engineer, who can see his mechanism working in his mind's eye and judge its results before he puts pencil to paper.

'(5)Kundaliniºakti-The power or force which moves in a serpentine or curved path. It is the universal life- principle [manifesting everywhere] in Nature. This force includes...the two great forces of attraction and repulsion. Electricity and magnetism are but manifestations of it. This is the power...which brings about that "continuous adjustment of internal relations to external relations" which is the essence of life according to Herbert Spencer, and that "continuous adjustment of external relations to internal relations" which is the basis of the transmigration of souls or punarjanma (rebirth) in the doctrines of the ancient Hindu philosophers'.

A yogi must thoroughly subjugate this power or force before he can attain Moksha. This force is probably the most mysterious of all at our present stage of knowledge, as the only examples which we have any means of examining are the twin forces of electricity and magnetism. The fact of their relative directions being at right angles to one another bears out the statement as to the spiral form of its motion, for the passage of an electric current through a coil produces a magnetic flux parallel to the axis of the coil. The electromagnetic theory of light suggests inquiry as to the correlation of (5) with (1) which is stated to include the power of light. It is interesting to note that the form of the oxygen atom as given in Occult Chemistry is also a coil or spiral. The symbol of the caduceus naturally leads us to infer the influence of Mercury, which is given as being related to the principle of Buddhi.

The phrase 'continuous adjustment of internal relations to external relations' is in agreement with the capacity for adaptability ascribed by astrologers to this influence, while the converse manifestation justifies the ancient title of 'Messenger of the Gods'. The expression 'universal life-principle' is also used in reference to the second aspect of the Logos, of which Buddhi is the manifestation. In a footnote on page 23 of The Voice of the Silence it is said of Kundalini (also called the 'World-Mother'): 'It is Buddhi considered as an active instead of a passive principle (which it is generally, when regarded only as the vehicle, casket, of the supreme spirit, Âtmâ). It is an electro-spiritual force, a creative power which when aroused into action can as easily kill as it can create.' Is not this force the producer of what is commonly known as polarity, the source of all attraction and repulsion, and the basis of sensation, instinct, feeling, apperception, and intuition? The subjugation of this force may well confer on a yogi the power to project his consciousness into any form at will, and obtain experience of its content. Thus may the tree of knowledge of good and evil become the tree of life. Truly a magic wand par excellence in its subtlety and elusiveness!

'(6)Mantrikâºakti-Literally the force or power of letters, speech or music.' The whole of the ancient Mantra ºâstra has this force or power in all its manifestations for its subject matter. 'The influence of melody is one of its ordinary manifestations. The power of the mirific ineffable name is the crown of this ªakti.'

We are here plainly given the place of music or rhythm in the mind, as the potency of sound in numerical sequence. We know that sound-waves travel in concentric spheres. Has this property any connection with the 'auric egg', which is given as the province of Jupiter? We are further told that 'Modern Science has but partly investigated the first, second, and fifth of the forces or powers above named, but is altogether in the dark as regards the remaining powers.'

(7)Finally we find the synthesis described as follows: 'The six forces are in their unity represented by the Astral Light (Daiviprak·ti, the Seventh, the Light of the Logos).'

It is difficult to arrive at any other conclusion than that suggested by the name Virgo, namely the capacity of fecundity inherent in primordial sub- stance, whereby it provides the medium for the activities of the six primary forces. Such a passive or negative function appears to be symbolized by the moon, and is illustrated by the complementary nature of the violet rays of the spectrum.

Here then we have a complete analysis from the occult standpoint of our mental equipment; for it is evident that all of these seven ºakti-s contribute in regular order and varying proportion to every mental cycle, however simple, just as they include every variety of mental activity, however complex. Any attempt to speculate on their origin is obviously futile at our present stage of development, but we can accept them as the tools provided for our work; for, just as a workman cannot learn to use his tools to the best advantage without a certain acquaintance with their nature and purpose, so it seems idle for us to expect to produce the best results from the raw material of the mind without some idea of what is going on and what forces we are handling.

The complete cycle would appear to be somewhat as follows: (1) An impulse of outgoing energy in (7) mind-stuff, awakening; (2) the memory of past intellection into definite concrete association; (3) concentration on the particular idea selected, by the action of the will; (4) the projection of the idea into objective form; (5) the ensouling of the thought-form, enabling it to be used as a vehicle of expression and experience; (6) the building in of the idea into the character by its assimilation with the prevailing tone or keynote of the auric envelope.

What then, it may be asked, is the practical value of such theorizing? In the first place, I believe that a conscious and correct direction of the mind on its own primal functions in the creation and redemption of mâyâ produces an intensification of, and a control over, those functions. In the second place it reveals those in which we are individually proficient and deficient. In the third place it provides a scale for the computation of faculty in others. For apparently each individual has learnt to use one of these faculties in preference to the rest, so that it constitutes his own line of least resistance and direct method of appeal. It is of course necessary that he should eventually learn to use all and gain a true balance between them; but even then the prevailing method will colour the rest, and a teacher should be able to take on the colour of his pupil.

We can already recognize the first type of mind: impulsive, brimming over with energy, and restrained with difficulty. Mistakes do not seem to count for one of this type; his superabundance of energy carries him through all difficulties, and his errors are forgotten in the popular tribute paid to forcefulness. Apparently he culminates in the pioneer. The second type is equally recognizable: cautious, accurate, and reliable, but apt to seem hard and cold. From the practical man of the world, he becomes the scientific thinker, the ascetic, and finally, perhaps, an agent in the distribution of the world's karma. The third type is less clearly marked, being more synthetic. Skill in action, success without apparent effort, and unflinching tenacity of purpose seem to be the outward signs of his inborn self-control. I should imagine that his power as a ruler or healer would be that of inspiring confidence in others.

The fourth type is unmistakable, and has already been referred to as the designer, whether artistic or mechanical. He is the precipitator of ideas on to the denser planes in all their spiritual clarity, and Nature makes obeisance to him as one of her creators-which is more than our sordid civilization does. The fifth type is most difficult to trace either by character or profession, as its genius seems to be in versatility and the power to sense and stimulate all other types. The son of Hermes may often appear weak and vacillating, but the source of his strength lies in true independence; at one time the court jester was the only man who dared to tell the truth in high places. He is the enfant prodige of Nature, the showman ever present behind the scenes of life. The sixth type might be called the 'solid man'. Harmonious and expansive, he is generally popular and successful by his innate tact and savoir-faire. He seems to fill the place of the chairman of our board, summing up with well-rounded eulogies, and sending us home in a good humour. The seventh type is perhaps the rarest of all, for the man who can serve God 'for naught' is not made in a day. All the more indispensable is he when found, especially if free from the earlier emotional 'anaemia' which seems to drive mystics of this type to glory in renunciation, and even suffering, for its own sake.

In conclusion the writer ventures to hope that the third object of the TS is neither under a ban nor a psychic monopoly, and that a sufficient number of fairly reasonable knockings on the door of the temple of knowledge may finally induce its guardians to open it a little wider.

Venerable Ajahn Sumedho