other to another. Neither the action nor the functions are
split up into separate parts. The action is a whole, and the being that
does it is a whole, and in the healthy organism the reciprocal movements
of the principles are so harmonious as never to suggest any feeling than
that of a perfectly whole and undivided self. If there is any other
feeling we may be sure that there is abnormal action somewhere, and we
should set ourselves to discover and remove the cause of it. The reason
for this is that in any perfect organism there cannot be more than one
centre of control.

A rivalry of controlling principles would be the destruction of the
organic wholeness; for either the elements would separate and group
themselves round one or other of the centres, according to their
respective affinities, and thus form two distinctive individualities,
or else they would be reduced to a condition of merely chaotic
confusion; in either case the original organism would cease to exist.
Seen in this light, therefore, it is a self-evident truth that, if we
are to retain our individuality; in other words, if we are to continue
to exist, it can be only by retaining our hold upon the central
controlling principle in ourselves; and if this be the charter of our
being, it follows that all our future development depends on our
recognising and accepting this central controlling principle. To this
end, therefore, all our endeavours should be directed; for otherwise all
our studies in Mental Science will only lead us into a confused
labyrinth of principles and counter-principles, which will be
considerably worse than the state of ignorant simplicity from which we
started.

This central controlling principle is the Will, and we must never lose
sight of the fact that all the other principles about which we have
learnt in our studies exist only as its instruments. The Will is the
true self, of which they are all functions, and all our progress
consists of our increased recognition of the fact. It is the Will that
says "I AM"; and therefore, however exalted, or even in their higher
developments apparently miraculous, our powers may be, they are all
subject to the central controlling power of the Will. When the
enlightened Will shall have learnt to identify itself perfectly with the
limitless powers of knowledge, judgment, and creative thought which are
at its disposal, then the individual will have attained to perfect
wholeness, and all limitations w