Chapter IV: The Reaction to Sense Living

Chapter IV: The Reaction to Sense Living

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Explain the reaction called "chemicalization." [Editor's note: apparently a reference to chemicalization has been removed from this edition. See that it remains in the index]

THE RESULT of sense living is the resistance that is a part of man's consciousness. The mind of man is constantly at work, and this work results in the production of thought forms. These thought forms assume individual definiteness; they take on personality. They are aggregated into a composite mind, which works out into the body. Whenever a new idea is introduced into the mind, the personality is disturbed. It resists; but the spiritual idea is always more powerful than the personal, and with this resistance comes more or less commotion in the consciousness.

In what mental attitude should one receive the new ideas of Spirit?

Those who have entered into this process of spiritual evolution, or what Jesus called the regeneration, are prepared for the reception of these divine new ideas, and instead of resisting they say with Jesus, "Not my will, but thine, be done." This attitude opens the way for the easy advent into their consciousness of God ideas and leads to an inspiration or steady flow of ideas into it. In this way the sense consciousness is being transformed or lifted up, and the new man appears while the old man is sloughed off. This is crucifixion. The assimilation of the new ideas leads to resurrection and finally to ascension.

There have been many floods upon the earth, and nearly every people has traditions of a time when to

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them "the whole earth" was engulfed in a great deluge. Geologists are agreed that there have been many deluges in the history of the earth. But these do not necessarily refer to the Flood of Genesis, nor do they corroborate it as history.

As history the story of the great rain in Genesis is very uncertain, and from a historical standpoint we should gain but little of value from its study. But as a symbolic description of certain habits of thought both in the individual and in the race and of the result of those habits of thought in consciousness, we can profit much from the story's study.

When we observe cloud formations over the earth we can be sure that rain is indicated. The wind may blow the clouds away from the immediate vicinity, but some other part of the earth will get the rain. "Clouds" formed by ignorant or erroneous thinking also indicate a coming storm. The effect of untrue thoughts may become manifest in any part of the body.

What is the real cause of trials and reverses in the life of the individual? Is there any good to be found in such conditions? If so, what is it?

The trials and reverses in the life of an individual can be traced to a definite cause in his thinking. In it there has been some error of belief or some confusion of thought, which in its natural course under the law has worked itself into outer expression as in apparent loss, an accident, a disappointment, or a disease. We deplore the condition, yet see in it two possibilities of good. First the manifestation has fulfilled the law and provided an avenue of escape for the pent-up error within, and secondly, it has taught a valuable lesson. There is small comfort in the thought that an earthquake has relieved a strained and abnormal condition in the earth's crust. Yet when we look a little deeper we see that a strained and abnormal condition in the race thought that had to become manifest has been relieved and the race consciousness is the better for it.