nts and
relations; that the "I" is a Centre of Consciousness in that great One
Reality or Spirit, which is behind and back of all Life and Existence,
the Centre of which Reality or Existence, is the Absolute or God; that
the sense of Reality that is inherent in the "I," is really the
reflection of the sense of Reality inherent in the Whole--the Great "I"
of the Universe.

The underlying principle of these three lessons is the Reality of the
"I," in itself, over and above all Matter, Force, or Mind--positive to
all of them, just as they are positive or negative to each other--and
negative only to the Centre of the One--the Absolute itself. And this is
the position for the Candidate or Initiate to take: "I am positive to
Mind, Energy, and Matter, and control them all--I am negative only to the
Absolute, which is the Centre of Being, of which Being I Am. And, as I
assert my mastery over Mind, Energy, and Matter, and exercise my Will
over them, so do I acknowledge my subordination to the Absolute, and
gladly open my soul to the inflow of the Divine Will, and partake of its
Power, Strength, and Wisdom."

In the present lesson, and those immediately following it, we shall
endeavor to assist the Candidate or Initiate in acquiring a mastery of
the subordinate manifestations, Matter, Energy, and Mind. In order to
acquire and assert this mastery, one must acquaint himself with the
nature of the thing to be controlled.

In our "Advanced Course" we have endeavored to explain to you the nature
of the Three Great Manifestations, known as _Chitta_, or Mind-Substance;
_Prana_, or Energy; and _Akasa_, or the Principle of Matter. We also
explained to you that the "I" of man is superior to these three, being
what is known as _Atman_ or Spirit. Matter, Energy, and Mind, as we have
explained, are manifestations of the Absolute, and are relative things.
The Yogi philosophy teaches that Matter is the grossest form of
manifested substance, being below Energy and Mind, and consequently
negative to, and subordinate to both. One stage higher than Matter, is
Energy or Force, which is positive to, and has authority over, Matter
(Matter being a still grosser form of substance), but which is negative
to and subordinate to Mind, which is a still higher form of substance.
Next in order comes the highest of the three--Mind--the finest form of
substance, and which dominates both Energy and Matter, being positive to
both. Mind, however is negative and