Energy.

Emerson was a seer; Spencer was a scientist, which word, until recently,
was a synonym for materialist.

But what are words?

Mere symbols of consciousness, and subject to change and evolvement, as
man's consciousness evolves. The student of truth will recognize in these
different words, exactly the same meaning. The "eternal energy from which
all things proceed" is a phrase identical with "The Oversoul," or "The
Absolute," from which all manifestation comes.

Man's evolution, then, is an evolution in consciousness, from the
subjective _awareness_ of the monad to a realization of the entire cosmos.

Each phase of life is a specific degree of consciousness and each
successive degree brings the individual nearer to the realization of the
_sum_ of all degrees of consciousness, into godhood--the highest degree
which we can conceive.

Such, briefly, is a statement of that phenomenon which is attracting the
attention of occidental students of psychology, and which has been
fittingly termed "the attainment of cosmic consciousness."

The phrase expresses a degree of consciousness which includes the entire
cosmos--not only this planet called earth, and everything thereon, but also
the spheres of the Constellation.

Not that this degree of consciousness carries with it the power to express
in words, that which it is. In fact, the one who has had this marvelous
awakening, cannot adequately describe, or even _retain_, a full
comprehension of what it signifies.

All-inclusive knowledge would indeed, preclude the possibility of
expression. Therefore, even if it were possible to retain in the finite
mind, the full realization of cosmic consciousness, words could not be
found in which to express it to others.

Thought is the creator of words, but thought is but the material which the
mind employs, and cosmic consciousness transcends the mind, engulfs the
soul, and reaches to the trackless areas of Spirit.

It may be doubted if any one may retain a full realization of cosmic
consciousness, and remain in the physical body.

Great and wonderful as have been the experiences of those who have sought
to relate their sensations, it is probable that these flashes of insight
have been in the nature of cosmic _perception_, and have lacked full
realization.

Of those who have had glimpses of that larger area of consciousness which
includes an awareness of eternal unity with the cosmos, there are, we
believe, many more th