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Esoteric Psychology II - Chapter II - The Ray of Personality - Some Problems of Psychology
One point I feel the need definitely to re-emphasize and that is the necessity, when considering the human being and his expression and existence, to remember that we are really considering energy, and the relation or non-relation of forces. As long as this is carefully borne in mind, we shall not go astray as we deal with our subject. We are considering related units of energy, functioning in a field of energy; remembering this always, we shall (at least symbolically) be enabled to get a fairly clear idea of our theme. As long as we regard our problem as consisting of the interrelation of [425] many energies, their fusion and their balancing, plus the final synthesis of two major energies, their fusion and their balancing, we shall arrive at some measure of understanding and subsequent solution. The field of energy which we call the soul (the major energy with which man is concerned) absorbs, dominates or utilizes the lesser energy which we call the personality. This it is necessary for us to realize; and to remember, at the same time, that this personality is itself composed of four types of energy. According to our ray type, so will be our use of the words "absorbs, dominates and utilizes". I would here remind you, as I have oft done before, that words fail to express and language handicaps rather than aids the objective that I have in view. Human thought is now entering a field for which there exists, as yet, no true language-form, for we have no adequate terms, and in which word-symbols mean but little. Just as the discovery of the automobile, and the radio have necessitated the formulation of an entirely new set of terms, phrases, nouns and verbs, so in the years that are coming the discovery of the fact of the soul will necessitate a new language approach. It is true, is it not, that a man of the Victorian age, listening to the technical jargon of the present radio laboratory or the ordinary garage, would be completely in the dark? So the psychologist of today is in the dark very often and understands not what we are trying to convey, for the new language is not yet evolved and the old terms are inadequate. I am, therefore, unable to do more than employ the terms which seem to me to be the most suitable, knowing that I am failing to express the true significance of my ideas, and you are consequently gaining only an approximate understanding and conception of the concepts I am endeavoring to expound. We have already somewhat considered the problem of the [426] cleavages to which man is subject, and we saw that the human evolutionary process was, in the last analysis, a series of at-one-ments; each step forward meant the bringing together of certain types of energy in order that their fusion might produce a more complete person. May I state here an interesting point? The problem itself is brought about by the fact that there Is an Observer. This Observer, at certain points in the normal development of the man, comes to the realization that there are cleavages. This Observer suffers because of their existence in his self-awareness. He realizes that he is the victim of the divisions in his nature. Yet - and this is of importance - the man upon the physical plane is unable either to understand them or, apparently, to heal them without aid from the soul, the Observer, the higher aspect of himself. For instance, a man suffering from dissociation between the emotional, sentient part of himself and the mental aspect is aware of need, of frustration and of intense suffering and difficulty, yet needs the understanding help of a trained psychologist or of his own soul before fusion can be made and he, as an individual, can "be made whole". This same truth exists in connection with all the cleavages found in man, but three of these cleavages are of major importance: The cleavage between the mind and the rest of the lower nature - physical, vital, astral or emotional. The cleavage between the man and his environment which - when once healed and bridged - makes him a responsible human being and a good citizen who accepts his environment and gives to it of his best. Thus he grows in character and capacity, as a result of a definite interplay between the two - himself and his environment. [427] The cleavage between the man (the personality) and the soul. This produces sequentially: A dominant selfish personality. A practical mystic, conscious of the need for fusion and for unity. Parallels to these states of consciousness are found in the adolescent. They are found also in the man who is integrating into his life work, and also in the thinking aspirant. This is true, whether his thoughts, purposes and ambitions are selfishly polarized or spiritually inclined. The sense of cleavage, the need for orientation, the bridging process and the ultimate sense of achievement are identical in both cases.
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