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THE DORE LECTURES ON MENTAL SCIENCE
THE NEW THOUGHT AND THE
NEW ORDER。
In the two preceding lectures I have endeavoured to reach some
conception of what the All…originating Spirit is in itself； and of the relation
of the individual to it。 So far as we can form any conception of these
things at all we see that they are universal principles applicable to all
nature； and； at the human level； applicable to all men： they are general
laws the recognition of which is an essential preliminary to any further
advance； because progress is made； not by setting aside the inherent law of
things； which is impossible； but by specializing it through presenting
conditions which will enable the same principle to act in a less limited
manner。 Having therefore got a general idea of these two ultimates； the
universal and the individual； and of their relation to one another； let us
now consider the process of specialization。 In what does the specialization
of a natural law consist？ It consists in making that law or principle
produce an effect which it could not produce under the simply generic
conditions spontaneously provided by nature。 This selection of suitable
conditions is the work of Intelligence； it is a process of consciously
arranging things in a new order； so as to produce a new result。 The
principle is never new； for principles are eternal and universal； but the
knowledge that the same principle will produce new results when working
under new conditions is the key to the unfoldment of infinite possibilities。
What we have therefore to consider is the working of Intelligence in
providing specific conditions for the operation of universal principles； so
as to bring about new results which will transcend our past experiences。
The process does not consist in the introduction of new elements； but in
making new combinations of elements which are always present； just as
our ancestors had no conception of carriages that could go without horses；
and yet by a suitable combination of elements which were always in
existence； such vehicles are common objects in our streets today。 How；
then； is the power of Intelligence to be brought to bear upon the generic
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THE DORE LECTURES ON MENTAL SCIENCE
law of the relation between the Individual and the Universal so as to
specialize it into the production of greater results than those which we
have hitherto obtained？
All the practical attainments of science； which place the civilized
world of to…day in advance of the times of King Alfred or Charlemagne；
have been gained by a uniform method； and that a very simple one。 It is by
always enquiring what is the affirmative factor in any existing
combination； and asking ourselves why； in that particular combination； it
does not act beyond certain limits。 What makes the thing a success； so far
as it goes； and what prevents it going further？ Then； by carefully
considering the nature of the affirmative factor； we see what sort of
conditions to provide to enable it to express itself more fully。 This is the
scientific method； it has proved itself true in respect of material things；
and there is no reason why it should not be equally reliable in respect of
spiritual things also。
Taking this as our method； we ask； What is the affirmative factor in the
whole creation； and in ourselves as included in the creation； and； as we
found in the first lecture； this factor is Spiritthat invisible power which
concentrates…the primordial ether into forms； and endows those forms with
various modes of motion； from the simply mechanical motion of the planet
up to the volitional motion in man。 And； since this is so； the primary
affirmative factor can only be the Feeling and the Thought of the
Universal Spirit。* Now； by the hypothesis of the case； the Universal Spirit
must be the Pure Essence of Life； and therefore its feeling and thought
can only be towards the continually increasing expression of the livingness
which it is； and accordingly the specialization； of which we are in search；
must be along the line of affording it a centre from which it may more
perfectly realize this feeling and express this thought： in other words the
way to specialize the generic principle of Spirit is by providing new
mental conditions in consonance with its own original nature。
* See my 〃Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science。〃
The scientific method of enquiry therefore brings us to the conclusion
that the required conditions for translating the racial or generic operation
of the Spirit into a specialized individual operation is a new way of
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THE DORE LECTURES ON MENTAL SCIENCE
THINKING mode of thought concurring with； and not in opposition to；
the essential forward movement of the Creative Spirit itself。 This implies
an entire reversal of our old conceptions。 Hitherto we have taken forms
and conditions as the starting point of our thought and inferred that they
are the causes of mental states； now we have learnt that the true order of
the creative process is exactly the reverse； and that thought and feeling are
the causes； and forms and conditions the effects。 When we have learnt this
lesson we have grasped the foundation principle on which individual
specialization of the generic law of the creative process becomes a
practical possibility。
New Thought； then； is not the name of a particular sect； but is the
essential factor by which our own future development is to be carried on；
and its essence consists in seeing the relation of things in a New Order。
Hitherto we have inverted the true order of cause and effect； now； by
carefully considering the real nature of the Principle of Causation in itself…
…causa causans as distinguished from cause causatawe return to the true
order and adopt a new method of thinking in accordance with it。
In themselves this order and this method of thinking are not new。 They
are older than the foundation of the world； for they are those of the
Creative Spirit itself； and all through the ages this teaching has been
handed down under various forms； the true meaning of which has been
perceived only by a few in each generation。 But as the light breaks in upon
any individual it is a new light to him； and so to each one in succession it
becomes the New Thought。 And when anyone reaches it； he finds himself
in a New Order。 He continues indeed to be included in the universal order
of the cosmos； but in a perfectly different way to what he had previously
supposed； for； from his new standpoint； he finds that he is included； not so
much as a part of the general effect； but as a part of the general cause； and
when he perceives this he then sees that the method of his further advance
must be by letting the General Cause flow more and more freely into his
own specific centre； and he therefore seeks to provide thought conditions
which will enable him to do so。
Then； still employing the scientific method of following up the
affirmative factor； he realizes that this universal causative power； by
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whatever name he may call it； manifests as Supreme Intelligence in the
adaptation of means to ends。 It does so in the mechanism of the planet； in
the production of supply for the support of physical life； and in the
maintenance of the race as a whole。 True； the investigator is met at every
turn