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Esoteric Psychology II - Chapter II - The Ray of Personality - Some Problems of Psychology
As a rule, however, the average man today is a closely knit and functioning unit. (This is true whether one is considering the unevolved masses or the materialistically minded citizens of the world.) He is firmly integrated physically, etherically and emotionally. His physical body, his vital body and his desire nature (for emotion is but expressed desire of some kind or another) are close by knit. At the same time there can be a weakness in the etheric integration, of such a nature that there is a low vitality, a lack of desire impulses, a failure to register adequate dynamic incentives, immaturity and [419] sometimes obsession or possession. Frequently what is called a lack of will and the labeling of a person as "weak-willed" or "weak-minded" has in reality nothing to do with the will, but is apt to be the result of this feeble integration and loose connection between the consciousness and the brain which renders the man negative to the desire impulses which should normally stream through into his brain, galvanizing his physical vehicle into some form of activity. The will, which usually demonstrates itself through a program or ordered plan, originates in the mind and not on the desire levels of awareness, and this program is based on a sense of direction and a definite orientation of the will to a recognized objective, and it is not, in these cases, the cause of the difficulty. The trouble is simpler and lies nearer home. The handling of these difficulties and their right solution is of a definitely material nature, and the trouble is frequently overcome by increasing the vitality of the body, building up the etheric body, through sunshine, vitaminous foods and exercise, plus correct treatment and balancing of the endocrine system. Along these lines much work is being done today and the less serious forms of etheric cleavage are rapidly yielding to treatment. Lack of vitality, immaturity, depression based upon a weak vital connection and lack of interest in life (so prevalent at this time) will become less frequent. I cannot here deal at length with the problems of obsession, due to the withdrawal of the self-conscious aspect of the dweller in the body. This process of abstraction leaves only a living shell, an empty house. Too much would have to be considered for a treatise such as this. It is not easy for the scientific psychological investigator to accept the premise of the substitution of the consciousness of another entity in [420] the place of the consciousness of the one who has been unable to hold the link within the brain with adequate positiveness. But, speaking as one who knows, such cases frequently occur, leading to many of the problems of so-called "split personality" which is in reality the ownership of a particular physical body by the two persons - one providing the life stream (anchored in the heart) and the other providing the stream of consciousness (anchored in the brain) and thus controlling the body, directing its activities and expressing itself through the organs of speech. Sometimes this possession alternates between the two individuals concerned. Sometimes more than two are concerned, and several persons upon the inner side of life use the same physical body. Then you have multiple personalities. This is however due to a definite weakness in the etheric connection of the original dweller; or again it may be due to that dweller's great dislike for physical incarnation; again it may be caused by some shock or disaster which suddenly severs the link of consciousness, and in this latter case there is no hope of restoration. Each case has to be diagnosed and dealt with on its individual merits and preferably by dealing directly with the real dweller when he is "at home in his own dwelling". Furthermore, the consciousness of this dweller is sometimes so strongly orientated in directions other than those of physical existence that a process of abstraction has taken place, with the focus of the conscious interest elsewhere. This is the undesirable side or expression of the same power of abstraction which enables the mystic to see his visions and to participate in heavenly happenings, and which enables the advanced adept to enter into the state of Samadhi. In the one case, the vehicle is left unguarded and the prey of any passing visitor; and in the other it is left duly guarded and positively attentive to the call and the note of its owner. [421] It is not possible for me to do more than hint at these various explanations and so start investigators with open minds and the willingness to accept unusual hypotheses, along a trail which may lead them into the valley of understanding. The clue to success in eliminating these types of difficulty lies in prenatal care and study of hereditary taints; syphilis and the other venereal diseases are potent predisposing causes. The right culture of the body nature after birth and the development in the child of a positive sense of himself, thus making him positive in thought and training his sense of self-identity - all these are sound helps towards the elimination of this type of trouble. The tendency today to emphasize the vitamins in food and to give a balanced diet is all to the good.
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