William Atkinson - The Essential Works of William Walker Atkinson - 50+ Books in One Edition

This Something that you are asked to think of is that Something regarding which the mystics have dreamed; the philosophers have speculated; the scientists have sneered and smiled—that Something that Men have thought of as The Universal Mind or the Cosmic Mind.

You are asked to think of this Something as a great Ocean of Pure Mind, permeating all Space—between Solar Systems—between Worlds—between Masses of Substance—between the Molecules, Atoms, and Corpuscles. In and about and around everything—yes, even in Everything—in the very essence of the Corpuscle it is—in truth it is that Essence itself .

Bound up in the bosom of that Mighty Ocean of Mind must reside all Knowledge of the Universe—of all "this side of God." For that All-Knowledge is but a knowing of its own region. Latent within itself must be locked up all Energy, or capacity for Force or Motion, for all Force or Energy is Mental. In its very presence it exemplifies the capacity of filling All Space. Omnipresent; Omnipotent; Omniscient—all the attributes of The Infinite are manifested in it— and yet it is but the outward expression of That-Behind-the-Veil, which is the Causeless Cause of All .

In that Great Ocean of Universal or Cosmic Mind, bodies of Substance are but as floating specks of dust— or even bubbles formed of the substance of that Ocean itself —on the surface of that Ocean, there may arise waves, currents, ripples, eddies, whirlpools,—storms, hurricanes, tempests,—from its bosom may rise vapor, that after stages of clouds, rain-drops, flowing in streams, rivers, bays, at last again reach the source of its origin. These disturbances and changes we call Energy, Force, Motion—but they are but surface manifestations, and the Great Ocean is serene in its depths, and, in reality, is unchanged and undisturbed.

This, friends, is that which the writer asks you to accept in the place of Aristotle's Ether. Is it a worthy exchange?

We have seen that the Attraction of Gravitation was different from any other so-called form of Force and Energy—both in its operations and laws, as well as in its constancy and self-support. And that it was different from the other forms of Attraction such as Cohesion, Chemical Affinity, etc. And, so we must consider it as more than a mere "Emotional Excitement" in the Mind of the Particle—that bubble on the surface of the Ocean. And it must be different from the special forms of Attraction manifested by the Atom and Molecule. It must be a simpler, more basic, and yet a more constant and permanent thing. It must exist before and after "Excitement; Vibration; Cohesion; and Chemical Affinity." It must be the Mother of the Forces.

Let us imagine the Cosmic Mind as a great body of Something filling Space, instead of as the surface of the Ocean, which figure we used just now—either figure is equally correct. This great Cosmic Mind is to be thought of as filling Space, and containing within its volume (Oh, for a better word!) countless worlds, and suns, as well as smaller bodies of Substance. These suns and world, and bodies are apparently free and unconnected, floating in this great volume of Mind. But they are not free and unconnected—they are linked together by a web of lines of Gravitation. Each body of Substance has a line reaching out in a continuous direction, and connecting it with another body. Each body has one of such lines connecting it with each particular "other body." Consequently, each body has countless lines reaching out from it; some slender, and some thick,—the thickness depending upon the ratio of distances maintained by, and relative sizes of, the particular bodies that it connects. This system of "lines" form a great net-work of connections in the volume of Mind, crossing each other at countless points (but not interfering with each other.) And although the number may be said to be "countless," still these lines do not begin to cover the entire dimensions of Space, or of the Mind that fills it. There are great areas of Space entirely untouched by these lines. If one could see the system of lines, it probably would appear as a sheared off section of a great spider's web, with lines in all directions, but with "plenty of room" between the lines. Perhaps these lines converge to a common centre, and that centre may be——! But this is transcendental dreaming—let us proceed with our consideration of the use of these lines.

It is to be understood, of course, that these "lines" are not material lines—not made of Substance—but rather, "conditions" in the Cosmic Mind. Not Thought-waves arising from the Excitement of Particles, but Something more basic, simpler, and more permanent. Let us look closer and we will see that the great lines of Gravitation radiating from, and connecting world with world—sun with planet—are really cables composed of much smaller lines, the finest strands of which are seen to emanate from each Corpuscle or Particle of Substance—the "line" of Gravitation reaching from the Earth to the Sun being composed of a mass of tiny strands which connect each Particle of one body with each Particle of the other. The last analysis shows us that each Particle is connected with every other Particle in the Universe by a line of Attraction .

These "Lines of Attraction" are what we call Gravitation —purely Mental in nature—Lines of Mind-Principle in the great volume of mind.

These lines of Gravitation must have existed from the creation of the Particle, and the connection between Particle and Particles must have existed from the beginning, if beginning there was. The Particles may have changed their positions and relations in the Universe, but the lines have never been broken. Whether the Particle existed as a free Corpuscle—whether combined as Atom or Molecule—whether part of this world or sun or planet, or that one countless millions of miles removed—it mattered not. The Line of Gravitation always was there, between that Particle and every other Particle. Distance extended and thinned the line, or the reverse, as the case might be—but it was there, always. Obstacles proved no hindrance to passage, for the lines passed through the obstacle. Can it not be seen that here is the secret of the fact that no "time" is required for the passage of Gravitation—it apparently traveling instantaneously, whereas, in fact, it does not "travel" at all. And does not seem that this theory also explains why no medium is required for the "travel" of Gravitation? And does it not explain why Gravitation is not affected in its "passage" by intervening bodies? Gravitation does not "travel" or "pass"—it remains constant, and ever present between the articles, varying in degree as the distance between the Particles is increased, and vice-versa ; and increasing and decreasing in effect, according to the number of Particles combining their lines of Attraction, as in the case of Atom, Molecule, Mass, World. Gravitation is a Mental Connection or Bond uniting the Mind in the several Particles, rather than their Substance or Material.

Along these lines of Gravitation pass the "Thought-waves," resulting from the Excitement of the Particles—these fleeting, changing, inconstant waves of Emotion—how different they are from the changeless, constant exhibition of Gravitation. And along these same lines—when shortened by close contact, travel the impulses of Cohesion and Chemical Affinity. Gravitation not only performs its own work, but also acts as a "common-carrier" for the waves of Desire-Force, and the Thought-waves of Excitement of the Particles, manifesting as Attractive Energy, and Radiant Energy, respectively.

The writer asks you to remember, particularly, that while the Desire-waves of the Particles,—and their Thought-waves of Excitement—are changeable, disconnected, and inconstant; the Line of Gravitation is never broken, and could not be unless the Particle of Substance was swept out of existence, in which case the balance of the Universe would be overturned, and chaos would result. The Divine Plan is perfect to the finest detail—every Particle is needed—is known—is counted—and used in the Plan. And Gravitation is the plainest evidence of the REALITY of The Infinite that is afforded us. In it we see the actual machinery of The Infinite. No wonder that great thinkers have bowed their heads reverently before its Power and Awfulness, when their minds have finally grasped its import. Verily the sparrow's fall is noted, and known, as the Biblical writer has recorded, for the fall is in obedience to that great Law that holds the Particles in their places—that makes possible the whirl of worlds, and the existence of Solar Systems—that, indeed, makes possible the Forms of Life as we know them—that Something that forever and ever has, and will, silently, ceaselessly, untiringly, and without emotion, fulfilled its work and destiny—GRAVITATION.