part of our present work, and we will therefore leave it, for a brief
consideration of the successive steps in attainment of consciousness,
leading through devious paths, and through millions of relative time called
years, into the present state of man's consciousness which in so many
instances presages the oncoming of that state, called liberation, or
illumination--mukti.

Through mental self-consciousness the way has been long and arduous. There
are many, many degrees of this phase of consciousness, and to this phase we
owe what is called our present civilization.

The true occultist, whether viewing manifestation from the standpoint of
Oriental or of Occidental ideals, realizes that everything is right which
makes for human betterment, and that _dharma_ (right-action) consists in
acting in accordance with the highest motive of which one's consciousness
is capable.

That our present civilization is most _uncivilized_ in many respects, will
be admitted by all whose range of consciousness has touched in any degree,
the infinite areas of wisdom expressed in altruistic action.

But, though the path be long, and thorny, the cycle is closing, and many
have reached the goal through its zigzag course.

But, underlying, as it were, and upholding and uplifting the expression of
sense consciousness in which so many persons seem lost to-day, there are
evidences of a consciousness which _observes the effects_, of this
tremendous mental activity, and knows itself as something apart from, and
superior to this manifestation.

This, we define as soul--individualized expression of the spiritual
consciousness--the central light, which as we previously quoted, "lighteth
every man that cometh into the world."

Many there are who merely _perceive_ this. To them there is a vague and
indefinable _something_ which seems to realize that the operations of the
mind are something phenomenal and apart from the _real_ Self. Psychology,
even so empirical a psychology as is possible of demonstration in western
schools and colleges, evidences the fact that there is a far greater field
of mental operation than is covered by the outer, or _mental_
consciousness.

The outer, or objective action of the mind, considers but one subject, one
question, one problem at a time. Many varied _phases_ of this problem may
present themselves, but the mental forces are focalized upon one subject at
a time. And yet to state that but one idea, thought-concept,