im. The average person, used to
the turbulent life of occidental civilization, will find it a
sufficiently difficult matter to control the mind, and to finally
acquire the power to direct it as he desires, even with all the
conditions in his favor. The serene hours of morning are the most
favorable of the twenty-four for meditation. Regularity has a magic of
its own and the hour should be the same each morning. To be alone in
surroundings as quiet as possible is another essential. The most
desirable time for meditation is soon after awakening in the morning.
Before turning the mind to any of the business affairs of the day let
the aspirant sit calmly down and mediate upon any wholesome thought,
like patience, courage or compassion, keeping the mind steadily upon
the subject for five minutes.

Two very important things are being accomplished by such meditation.
First, we are getting control of the mind and learning to direct it
where and how we choose; and, second, we are attracting and building
into the bodies we possess certain grades of imponderable matter that
will make thinking and acting along these lines easier and easier for
us until they are established habits and we actually become in daily
life patient, courageous and compassionate. Whatever qualities or
virtues we desire to possess may be gained through the art of
meditation and the effort to live up to the ideal dwelt upon daily by
the mind.

While it is absolutely true that any human being can make of himself
that which he desires to be--can literally raise himself to any ideal
he is capable of conceiving--it must not be supposed that it can be
done in a short time and by intermittent effort. We sometimes hear it
said that all we need do is to realize that all power is within us,
when, presto! we are the thing we would be! It is quite true that we
must realize their existence before we can call the latent powers into
expression; but the work of arousing the latent into the active is a
process of growth, of actual evolutionary change. The physical body as
it is now is not sensitive enough to respond to subtle vibrations. Its
brain is not capable of receiving and registering the delicate
vibrations sent outward by the ego, and the task of changing it so
that it can do so is not a trifling or easy one. But every effort
produces its effect and to the persistent and patient devotee of
self-development the final result is certain. But it is not a matter
of mir