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

Likewise, the transformation of energy and force is simply the effect of motion upon matter. None of the so-called manifestations of energy and force are really such; they are merely material objects energized by force. They have simply experienced change of condition . In all the so-called changes of energy there is found but a changed condition of matter. The energy has not changed at all. Take away the matter and we would perceive no changes or transformations of energy. The theory of matter being created by "knots" or "rings" in the Universal Ether does not meet the requirements of science. The Universal Ether is not something that can be twisted or knotted, even if there were anything in existence to so twist or knot it.

Our examination shows that this class of "creations" are not creations at all. Moreover, Spirit cannot create in this way, i. e. , by changes in its particles, for it has no particles; nor by separation of its constituent parts, for it has no constituent parts; nor by change of its form, for it has no form; nor by arrangement of its molecules, for it has no molecules; nor by playing its energy upon matter, for there is no matter originally for it to play upon; nor by raising its rate of vibrations, for it has nothing to vibrate, no particles to be subject to motion, no material to be vibrated; neither has it anything to be knotted or ringed, it not being material. And, above all, we have seen that it is Unchangeable, Invariable, Constant, and Immutable. It cannot be thought of as subject to any of the above changes in itself, which are but characteristics of matter, from which immaterial Reality must be free. Spirit, which is Ultimate REALITY, cannot be thought of or considered in terms of matter. Of every quality of matter Spirit must be freed in thought. Naming each quality, property, attribute, and characteristic of matter, we must ever say " neti, neti "—"not this, not that"—in our consideration of SPIRIT.

"THE CHANGING ABSOLUTE."

But this fallacy of "the changing Absolute" is not confined to the school of Materialism. Some forms of Pantheism, and what may be called "conditional Monism," hold that The One Ultimate REALITY—the Absolute—"manifests as" and "assumes" many shapes and forms in phenomenal appearance by "becoming" the relative things of phenomenal life. They hold that The One becomes the Many in this way. An analysis, however, shows that this "becoming" would really mean either (1) a division, partition, or separation of the One Absolute into parts, personalities, and separated activities; or else (2) a series of distinct changes in the Absolute. Either or both of these suppositions are unthinkable regarding the Absolute. The Axioms of "REALITY" serve to utterly confute these fallacies. Ultimate REALITY—the Absolute—can never be divided, separated, or partitioned into parts or personalities. Neither can it change in shape, form, activity, or in any other way in any degree whatsoever and still remain the Absolute. Absolute Being must always remain Absolute. "Becoming" is an incident of phenomenal appearance and has not existence in fact or truth in Absolute Being.

"EMANATION" AND "REFLECTION."

Another apparently plausible theory is advanced regarding creation, in which the phenomenal universe, with its varied forms, shapes, and personalities, is explained as being an "emanation" or a "reflection" of the One Ultimate REALITY, being "of" it and yet not in it nor yet itself. This idea of "emanation" is likened to the fragrance of a rose, which, while not the rose itself, nor in it, is nevertheless "of" the rose. This figure is as faulty as the concept which it seeks to illustrate. The fragrance of the rose is not a subtle, immaterial something flowing from it without partaking of its substance. It is really composed of minute particles of the substance of the rose from which it is cast off. An "emanation" from Spirit would have to be composed of particles of the substance of Spirit. But Spirit can have no particles to cast off, neither can it be divided or separated in any way whatsoever. This idea of emanation is but a cleverly disguised and subtle form of the idea of creation by division and separation.

The idea of "reflection" is likened to the One Sun reflecting its image in millions of falling raindrops or in millions of jars of water. The idea sought to be illustrated in this figure is that, although there be but the One Sun, the reflections result in the appearance of the Many. This figure, like the theory, also is faulty. One naturally asks for information regarding the nature and cause of the raindrops and the jars. Spirit has no raindrops of its own substance nor jars of its own being to catch the "reflection" of itself. Neither is there room or material outside of Spirit for the creation of them. There can be no "reflections" of Spirit unless there is something to catch the rays. If we assert that Spirit creates the cosmic-reflecting material, then we are back again to the question of the how of creation. Instead of answering the question we have simply removed it one more step. This conception, also, is but another cleverly-disguised version of the theory of separation and division and must be discarded.

Table of Content

STATEMENT: SPIRIT creates the Universe, and the parts thereof, by its own Ideation and Volition, with its own Life and under its own Law.

MENTAL CREATION.

In addition to the forms of creation mentioned in the preceding lesson, there is a third form or method of creation known to man in the phenomenal world which serves as a finite illustration of a universal fact. Man creates mentally . In his mind he creates mental images, ideas, mental forms, conceptions, combinations, associations, pictures, figures, shapes, and forms, many of which are afterward reproduced in material form by the work of his hands. The forms in his mind are as real as are their reproductions in the most solid matter. And, wonderful fact, these mental creations are in his mind and yet not of it in the sense of division, separation, or partition. Neither do they necessitate change in the essence, nature, substance, or very being of his mind. These ideas and mental images are merely "appearances" in the mind, requiring no change, division, or partition of the substance of the mind, and allowing it ever to retain its original unity of being; This is true even of the finite mind of man. Substitute for this the Absolute and Infinite Mind of Spirit and we may begin to get a glimpse of the nature and process of the creation of the phenomenal universe.

EVERYTHING BUILT AROUND AN IDEA.

To those who would object that mental creation would lack Reality we would say that the body of every living creature has been built by mind around a mind picture . In the mind of the original cell there is a mental picture which is built around with material form. All creation is around a mental form . The mental form exists first, and then the material form is created around it. Every bridge, every house, every work of the hand of man has been preceded by the form in his mind. Nature always builds living forms around the mental form—even the crystals are built around an invariable form existing in the immaterial mental part of the mother liquor. Moreover, science shows us that mental states powerfully influence physical forms. Our faces, our walk, our carriage are the reflex of our mental states. Health and disease reflect mental states. Even in the phenomenal universe the physical form is seen to be but the veil for the mental image. With this power and Reality raised to infinity , who may dare to say that a mental image or idea is "unreal"?

IDEALISM.