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of the Originating Spirit as that which it is in itself； and what it is in itself
is emphatically Life。 What is seeking for expression； then； is the perfect
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Livingness of the Spirit； and this expression is to be found； through
ourselves； by means of our renewed mode of thought。 Let us see； then；
how our new order of thought； with regard to the Principle of Life； is
likely to operate In our old order of thought we have always associated
Life with the physical bodylife has been for us the supreme physical fact。
Now； however； we know that Life is much more than this； but； as the
greater includes the less； it includes physical life as one mode of its
manifestation。 The true order does not require us to deny the reality of
physical life or to call it an illusion； on the contrary it sees in physical life
the completion of a great creative series； but it assigns it the proper place
in that series； which is what the old mode of thought did not。
When we realize the truth about the Creative Process； we see that the
originating life is not physical： its livingness consists in thought and
feeling。 By this inner movement it throws out vehicles through which to
function； and these become living forms because of the inner…principle
which is sustaining them； so that the Life with which we are primarily
concerned in the new order is the life of thought and feeling in ourselves
as the vehicle； or distributing medium； of the Life of the Spirit。
Then； if we have grasped the idea of the Spirit as the great FORMING
Power； as stated in the last lecture； we shall seek in it the fountain…head of
Form as well as of Power： and as a logical deduction from this we shall
look to it to give form to our thoughts and feelings。 If the principle is once
recognised the sequence is obvious。 The form taken by our outward
conditions； whether of body or circumstance； depends on the form taken
by our thoughts and feelings； and our thoughts and feelings will take form
from that source from which we allow them to receive suggestion。
Accordingly if we allow them to accept their fundamental suggestions
from the relative and limited； they will assume a corresponding form and
transmit them to our external environment； thus repeating the old order of
limitation in a ceaselessly recurring round。 Now our object is to get out of
this circle of limitation； and the only way to do so is to get our thoughts
and feelings moulded into new forms continually advancing to greater and
greater perfection。 To meet this requirement； therefore； there must be a
forming power greater than that of our own unaided conceptions； and this
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is to be found in our realization of the Spirit as the Supreme Beauty； or
Wisdom； moulding our thoughts and feelings into shapes harmoniously
adjusted to the fullest expression； in and through us； of the Livingness
which Spirit is in itself。
Now this is nothing more than transferring to the innermost plane of
origination； a principle with which all readers who are 〃in the thought〃
may be presumed to be quite familiarthe principle of Receptiveness。 We
all know what is meant by a receptive mental attitude when applied to
healing or telepathy； and does it not logically follow that the same
principle may be applied to the receiving of life itself from the Supreme
Source？ What is wanted； therefore； is to place ourselves in a receptive
mental attitude towards the Universal Spirit with the intention of receiving
its forming influence into our mental substance。 It is always the presence
of a definite intention that distinguishes the intelligent receptive attitude of
mind from a merely sponge…like absorbency； which sucks in any and every
influence that may happen to be floating round： for we must not shut our
eyes to the fact that there are various influences in the mental atmosphere
by which we are surrounded； and some of them of the most undesirable
kind。 Clear and definite intention is therefore as necessary in our receptive
attitude as in our active and creative one； and if our intention is to have
our own thoughts and feelings moulded into such forms as to express
those of the Spirit； then we establish that relation to the Spirit which； by
the conditions of the case； must necessarily lead us to the conception of
new ideals vitalised by a power which will enable us to bring them into
concrete manifestation。 It is in this way that we become differentiating
centres of the Divine Thought giving it expression in form in the world of
space and time； and thus is solved the great problem of enabling the
Universal to act upon the plane of the particular without being hampered
by those limitations which the merely generic law of manifestation
imposes upon it。 It is just here that subconscious mind performs the
function of a 〃bridge〃 between the finite and the infinite as noted in my
〃Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science〃 （page 31）； and it is for this
reason that a recognition of its susceptibility to impression is so important。
By establishing； then； a personal relation to the life of the Spirit； the
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sphere of the individual becomes enlarged。 The reason is that he allows a
greater intelligence than his own to take the initiative； and since he knows
that this Intelligence is also the very Principle of Life itself； he cannot
have any fear that it will act in any way to the diminution of his individual
life； for that would be to stultify its own operationit would be self…
destructive action which is a contradiction in terms to the conception of
Creative Spirit。 Knowing； then； that by its inherent nature this Intelligence
can only work to the expansion of the individual life； we can rest upon it
with the utmost confidence and trust it to take an initiative which will lead
to far greater results than any we could forecast from the stand…point of
our own knowledge。 So long as we insist on dictating the particular form
which the action of the Spirit is to take； we limit it； and so close against
ourselves avenues of expansion which might otherwise have been open to
us； and if we ask ourselves why we do this we shall find that in the last
resort it is because we do not believe in the Spirit as a FORMING power。
We have； indeed； advanced to the conception of it as executive power；
which will work to a prescribed pattern； but we have yet to grasp the
conception of it as versed in the art of design； and capable of elaborating
schemes of construction； which will not only be complete in themselves；
but also in perfect harmony with one another。 When we advance to the
conception of the Spirit as containing in itself the ideal of Form as well as
of Power； we shall cease from the effort of trying to force things into a
particular shape； whether on the inner or the outer plane； and shall be
content to trust the inherent harmoniousness or Beauty of the Spirit to
produce combinations far in advance of anything that we could have
conceived ourselves。 This does not mean that we shall reduce ourselves to
a condition of apathy； in which all desire； expectation and enthusiasm have
been quenched； for these are the mainspring of our mental machinery； but
on the contrary their action will be quickened by the knowledge that there
is working at the back of them a Formative Principle so infallible that it
cannot miss its mark； so that however good and beautiful the existing
forms may be； we may always rest in the happy expectation of something
still better to come。 And it will come by a natural law of growth； because
the Spirit is in itself the Principle of Increase。 They will grow out of