Thomas Troward - The Creative Process in the Individual

such a sequence of cause and effect as the one we are in search of,

somebody else may find out the same creative secret also; and then, by the

hypothesis of the case, we should both be armed with an infallible power,

and if we wanted to employ this power against each other we should be

landed in the "impasse" of a conflict between two powers each of which was

irresistible. Consequently it follows that the first principle of this

power must be Harmony. It cannot be antagonizing itself from different

centers--in other words its operation in a simultaneous order at every

point is the first necessity of its being. What we are in search of, then,

is a sequence of cause and effect so universal in its nature as to include

harmoniously all possible variations of individual expression. This primary

necessity of the Law for which we are seeking should be carefully borne in

mind, for it is obvious that any sequence which transgresses this primary

essential must be contrary to the very nature of the Law itself, and

consequently cannot be conducting us to the exercise of true creative

power.

What we are seeking, therefore, is to discover how to arrange things in

such an order as to set in motion a train of causation that will harmonize

our own conditions without antagonizing the exercise of a like power by

others. This therefore means that all individual exercise of this power is

the particular application of a universal power which itself operates

creatively on its own account independently of these individual

applications; and the harmony between the various individual applications

is brought about by all the individuals bringing their own particular

action into line with this independent creative action of the original

power. It is in fact another application of Euclid's axiom that things

which are equal to the same thing are equal to one another; so that though

I may not know for what purpose some one may be using this creative power

in Pekin, I do know that if he and I both realize its true nature, we

cannot by any possibility be working in opposition to one another. For

these reasons, having now some general idea of what it is we are in search

of, we may commence our investigation by considering this common factor

which must be at the back of all individual exercise of creative power,

that is to say, the Generic working of the Universal Creative Principle.

That such a Universal Creative Principle is at work we at once realize from

the existence of the world around us with all its inhabitants, and the

inter-relation of all parts of the cosmic system shows its underlying

Unity--thus the animal kingdom depends on the vegetable, the vegetable

kingdom on the mineral, the mineral or globe of the earth on its relation

to the rest of the solar system, and possibly our solar system is related

by a similar law to the distribution of other suns with their attendant

planets throughout space. Our first glance therefore shows us that the

All-originating Power must be in essence Unity and in manifestation

Multiplicity, and that it manifests as Life and Beauty through the unerring

adaptation of means to ends--that is so far as its cosmic manifestation of

ends goes: what we want to do is to carry this manifestation still further

by operation from an individual standpoint. To do this is precisely our

place in the Order of Creation, but we must defer the question why we hold

this place till later on.

One of the earliest discoveries we all make is the existence of Matter. The

bruised shins of our childhood convince us of its solidity, so now comes

the question, Why does Matter exist? The answer is that if the form were

not expressed in solid substance, things would be perpetually flowing into

each other so that no identity could be maintained for a single moment. To

this it might be replied that a condition of matter is conceivable in

which, though in itself a plastic substance, in a fluent state, it might

yet by the operation of will be held in any particular forms desired. The

idea of such a condition of matter is no doubt conceivable, and when the

fluent matter was thus held in particular forms you would have concrete

matter just as we know it now, only with this difference, that it would

return to its fluent state as soon as the supporting will was withdrawn.

Now, as we shall see later on, this is precisely what matter really is,

only the will which holds it together in concrete form is not individual

but cosmic.

In itself the Essence of Matter is precisely the fluent substance we have

imagined, and as we shall see later on the knowledge of this fact, when

realized in its proper order, is the basis of the legitimate control of

mind over matter. But a world in which every individual possessed the power

of concreting or fluxing matter at his own sweet will irrespective of any

universal coordinating principle is altogether inconceivable--the conflict

of wills would prevent such a world remaining in existence. On the other

hand, if we conceive of a number of individuals each possessing this power

and all employing it on the lines of a common cosmic unity, then the result

would be precisely the same stable condition of matter with which we are

familiar--this would be a necessity of fact for the masses who did not

possess this power, and a necessity of principle for the few who did. So

under these circumstances the same stable conditions of Nature would

prevail as at present, varied only when the initiated ones perceived that

the order of evolution would be furthered, and not hindered, by calling

into action the higher laws. Such occasions would be of rare occurrence,

and then the departure from the ordinary law would be regarded by the

multitude as a miracle. Also we may be quite sure that no one who had

attained this knowledge in the legitimate order would ever perform a

"miracle" for his own personal aggrandizement or for the purpose of merely

astonishing the beholders--to do so would be contrary to the first

principle of the higher teaching which is that of profound reverence for

the Unity of the All-originating Principle. The conception, therefore, of

such a power over matter being possessed by certain individuals is in no

way opposed to our ordinary recognition of concrete matter, and so we need

not at present trouble ourselves to consider these exceptions.

Another theory is that matter has no existence at all but is merely an

illusion projected by our own minds. If so, then how is it that we all

project identically similar images? On the supposition that each mind is

independently projecting its own conception of matter a lady who goes to be

fitted might be seen by her dressmaker as a cow. Generations of people have

seen the Great Pyramid on the same spot; but on the supposition that each

individual is projecting his own material world in entire independence of

all other individuals there is no reason why any two persons should ever

see the same thing in the same place. On the supposition of such an

independent action by each separate mind, without any common factor binding

them all to one particular mode of recognition, no intercourse between

individuals would be possible--then, without the consciousness of relation

to other individuals the consciousness of our own individuality would be

lost, and so we should cease to have any conscious existence at all. If on