William Atkinson - The Complete Works of William Walker Atkinson

Many of the wisest of the race have held that the phenomenal universe is but an idea or ideas—a mental image or images— in the mental substance of Supreme Being, God, Spirit, or by whatever name Ultimate reality is called. Absolute Idealism is the highest form of philosophical teaching. It holds that the phenomenal universe has no existence other than in the Universal Mind. But this existence, although pure appearance, is not regarded as fictitious , but on the contrary is held to be second in reality only to Ultimate reality itself. Thought is second only to the mind creating it . If a mental image is regarded as unreal, then the mind creating it must be only a degree less unreal. When it is remembered that all the substance there is is Spiritual substance,—the substance of Spirit,—then it may be seen that creations in that substance are as relatively real as anything could be.

EVERYTHING OF IMMATERIAL ORIGIN.

The person who may object to this statement, and who may hold for the "substantial reality of material things," should remember that the origin of his so-called world of matter is as immaterial as is mind. Science holds that Ultimate Substance is to be found only in the Universal Ether. This Universal Ether, we have seen, is a Something which is practically a No-thing. It is an absolutely immaterial substance. It possesses no more solid materiality than does mind. Even under the most materialistic theory it is held that the Universe is a phenomenal manifestation of a most immaterial reality. Those who find it easier to think of the Universe as a phenomenal manifestation in the Universal Ether, than as a phenomenal appearance in Universal Mind, should not forget that there is really very little difference between a Universal Ether in which Life and Mind are held to abide , and our conception of SPIRIT, which is Pure Substance, Pure Energy, Pure Life, Pure Mind—which is the essence, nature, substance, and principle of All-that-is. At the last, the conception of the Universal Ether is seen to be but little more than an emphasis of the substance and energy of Ultimate reality; while the conception of Spirit is an emphasis of the life and mind of Ultimate reality. There is surely room here for a sane reconciliation between Materialism and Idealism.

THE UNIVERSE AS AN IDEA.

The Phenomenal Universe, as a whole, and in its every part, is perceived to exist only as an ideal appearance in Spirit considered as Universal Mind .

The term "ideal," as here used, means "of the nature of the image of an object apprehended, thought of, or conceived in the mind." The term "appearance," as here used, means "that which is perceived by and is visible to the apprehension of the mind." The combined term "ideal appearance," then, is seen to mean "that which is conceived in, and perceived by, the mind." It is not only perceived as visible to Universal Mind, but has also been actually created and conceived in and by Universal Mind.

The above statement embodies and expresses the fundamental principle of the great philosophical school of Idealism, which contends that matter cannot be conceived to actually exist, as the only real substance is Universal Mind, and that the material and phenomenal universe is nothing but a series of mental appearances and impressions which appear and disappear in accordance with mental laws which are called "The Laws of Nature"; that the only reality of the phenomenal world consists in its being consciously "perceived" by God, Spirit, the Absolute, or whatever Ultimate reality may be termed.

MONISTIC IDEALISM.

Monistic Idealism, or Idealistic Monism, is the flower of philosophic thought and is found wherever philosophy has dared to carry its speculations to their ultimate conclusion. It forms the highest peak of Western Philosophy, and in the Philosophy of the East it occupies an equally high position. In the Western world some of the greatest philosophers have advanced its principles, and it is claimed that they never have been successfully controverted. In the Eastern world, represented by Hindu thought, the Vedanta (in its school of unqualified Monism) has always successfully challenged attack. Of the latter school it has been said that "it is the highest pinnacle of philosophic thought which the human mind can possibly attain." Schlegel says of it: "Even the loftiest philosophy of the Europeans, the idealism of reason, as it is set forth by the Greek philosophers, appears in comparison with the abundant light and vigor of Oriental Idealism like a Promethean spark in the full flood of heavenly glory of the noonday sun, faltering and feeble and ever ready to be extinguished." Max Müller says of it : "No philosopher, not excepting Heraclitus, Plato, Kant, or Hegel, has ventured to erect such a spire, never frightened by storms or lightnings, Stone follows upon stone, in regular succession, after once the first step has been made, after once it has been clearly seen that in the beginning there can have been but One, as there will be but One in the end."

THE HARMONY OF IDEALISM.

Testing the principle of Idealism by the preceding Axioms derived from the report of the reason, we find that it harmonizes with each and contradicts none. The Idealistic conception of creation is compatible with the following facts of SPIRIT (which is Ultimate reality) as stated in the Basic Postulate and Axioms: (1) The fact that SPIRIT is the essence, nature, substance, and principle of All-that-is; (2) the fact that SPIRIT is One, in the sense of Absolute Unity; (3) the fact that SPIRIT is Absolute, Infinite, Ultimate, Original, Causeless, Unchangeable, Indivisible, Total, Formless, Independent; (4) the fact that SPIRIT is Infinite Substance, Infinite Energy, Infinite Mind, Infinite Life, Infinite Law.

It will be noticed especially that under the principle of Idealism creation by Spirit is possible without affecting the unity, oneness, totality, independence, absoluteness, infinity, and particularly without violating the indivisibility and unchangeableness of Spirit. No other theory or explanation of creation of the Many by the One escapes the violation of these essential facts of Ultimate reality. It is seen to be the only possible logical explanation of creation .

In every other explanation of creation it is seen to be necessary for the One to undergo change , or to undergo separation, division, subtraction, or addition in order to manifest the Many. Either the One had to divide into parts, or to change itself into something else by "becoming." In such cases not only does the One have to divide and separate itself into parts, but it also continually changes itself in these parts to the infinite variety of forms, shapes, and activities of the phenomenal universe. It brings itself under the Law of Change. Under the Idealistic conception, on the contrary, the One does not change, nor does it divide itself into parts. In its Mind-Principle the universe of appearances comes and goes. The infinite changes affect not the One. The infinite number of forms and shapes affects not the integrity of the One.

Such is the report of reason regarding the nature of Creation and the creation of Nature.

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THE WISE, while realizing the idealistic nature of the phenomenal Universe, and the fact that it has no existence except as ideal appearance in Spirit considered as Infinite Mind, nevertheless have held that, for the practical purposes of life and living in the world of appearances, the Universe and Nature must be considered as existent. Those who fail to realize that "a little learning is a dangerous thing" run the risk of falling into the sad error of believing that the idealistic nature of the universe renders it "unreal" for practical purposes, and that its laws may be denied and defied. The wise hold that the laws of each plane of existence govern those abiding on that plane— that those living in Nature are bound by Nature's laws. The laws of the physical plane may be transcended only by those who have transcended that plane in life and being—and such are no longer men. This does not mean that Nature's physical laws are the only laws, for there are finer forces and higher laws which are realized by Life as it ascends in the scale of being. Laws spring from Law, and Law is identical with Ultimate reality, or SPIRIT.