The construction and evolution of the mental body
The method by which consciousness builds its vehicle; It is that of those who must be clearly understood, because each day and time of our life presents us with opportunities to apply it to high ends. Awake and sleeping we are building our mental bodies; because when consciousness vibrates, it affects the mental substance that surrounds it. And every vibration of consciousness; Even if it is only due to fleeting thought, it attracts some mental matter particles to the mental body, while expelling others. The surrounding matter also undulates, thus serving as a means to affect other consciousnesses. However; The delicate or rude matter that is appropriate in this way depends on the quality of the vibrations that consciousness puts into action. Pure and elevated thoughts are composed of rapid vibrations; and they can only affect the subtle degrees of mental matter. Rude grades remain insensitive, because they cannot vibrate as quickly as necessary. When such a thought makes the mental body vibrate; the coarsest particles of matter are expelled from it, which are replaced by particles of more subtle grades. And in this way, better materials are formed in the mental body. Similarly; Low and bad thoughts attract the grossest materials within the mental body, proper to their expression. And these materials repel and cast out, the finest kinds.
In this way, the vibrations of consciousness are expelling one class of matter and attracting another. And this follows; as a necessary consequence, that according to the kind of matter that we have built in our mental bodies in the past, this will be our faculty to respond to the thoughts that now come to us from outside. If our mental bodies are composed of subtle matter; rude and bad thoughts will have no response, and therefore, can not cause us harm. At the same time that if they are formed of rude materials, bad thoughts will be affected by each passenger, remaining insensitive to the good ones from which they receive no benefit. When we get in touch with someone whose thoughts are high; their mental vibrations, acting in us, awaken vibrations in that matter of our mental bodies that is capable of responding. And these vibrations disturb; and even expels some of those matters too rude to vibrate to that high degree of activity. The benefit; Well, what we receive from him depends largely on our own previous thinking, and our "understanding" of him. Our faculty to respond is conditioned by our mental bodies.
We cannot think for each other; he can only think by his own thoughts, thus causing the corresponding vibrations in the surrounding mental matter, which acts in us, awakening in our mental bodies sympathetic vibrations. These affect consciousness. The external thinker can only affect our consciousness by awakening these vibrations in the mental body. But it does not always follow an immediate understanding of the production of such vibrations caused from outside. Sometimes the effect resembles that of the Sun, rain and earth on the seed buried in the ground. In the beginning there is no visible response to the vibrations that act on the seeds; but there is a very small shudder of life that animates it, and this shudder will grow stronger every day, until life in evolution breaks the seed bark and throws small roots and shoots after it develops. So it is with the mind. Consciousness vibrates faintly within itself, before it can give an external response to the shocks it receives; and when we are not yet able to understand a noble thinker, there is, however, within us, an unconscious vibration that is the predecessor of the conscious response. When we move away from a great presence, we are a little closer to the high thinking life that flows from it, than we were before. And in us the development of thought germs will have been rushed, while our minds will have been aided in their evolution. So; well, something can be done from the outside that contributes to the formation and evolution of our minds; but most of it has to come from the activities of our own conscience; and if we want to have strong, well-vitalized, active mental bodies that can understand the highest thoughts that come before us, then we must work firmly to think well, because we are our own builders and we mold our own minds. Many people are great readers . However; reading does not form the mind; Only thought builds. Reading is only valuable in the sense that it provides material for thinking. A human can read a lot, but his mental development will be in proportion to the amount of thought he uses in reading. The value to him of the thought he reads; It depends on your use of it. Unless he does not take the thought and work on it, its value will be insignificant and temporary for him.
"Reading completes the human, " said Lord Bacon, and with the mind what happens with the body. Eating fills the stomach; but just as food is useless for the body if it is not digested and assimilated, in the same way the mind can be filled with reading. But unless there is thought; there is no assimilation of what is read, and the mind does not develop with it. But still, it is possible that it suffers from being overloaded, and that it weakens rather than strengthens under the weight of unassimilated ideas. We must read less; and think more, if we want our minds to grow and our intelligence to develop. If we have a real interest in cultivating our minds, we must spend an hour every day in the study of a serious and transcendental book; and for every five minutes of reading think ten, and so on throughout the hour. The usual way is to read quickly all the time; and then set the book aside, until the reading time comes again. Hence, people develop little the power of thought.
One of the most marked things in the theosophical movement is the mental development that is observed year after year in its individuals. This is due in large part to the fact that they are taught the nature of thought; they begin to understand their functions a little, and they are dedicated to building their mental bodies instead of letting them develop through the natural process not helped. The student eager for growth must be determined; not to miss a single day in which, do not read at least five minutes and spend ten to think with interest in what you have read. At first, you will find heavy and laborious effort, and discover the weakness of your thinking power. This discovery marks its first step, as it is much to discover one's impotence to think consecutively and hard. The people who can't think; but who imagine they can, they don't make great progress. It is better to know your own weakness than to imagine being strong, when you are weak. Gradually the power of thought grows, it becomes mastered and can be directed to definite ends. Without this thinking, the mental body will continue to be formed lazily and without organizing; and as long as concentration is not acquired - the power to set thought at a definite point - the power of thought will not be exercised at all.
By: Annie Besant
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Submitted by Jorge E. Morales H.
The Power of Thought by Annie Besant
