THE ART OF REJUVENATION PART II RELATION OF WILL POWER TO ENERGY
by Paramhansa Yogananda
Praecepta » Volume 1 » Praeceptum #6
PRAYER TO PRECEDE THE PRAECEPTUM STUDY
“Bless me, that I may behold nothing but that which is good. Teach me, that I may touch nothing but purity. Train me, that I may listen only to Thy voice in all good speech and in the beauty of songs. Direct me to inhale only the breath of purity-exuding perfumes from the flowers of Spirit. Invite me to indulge in wholesome tastes of soul-nourishing food. Teach me to touch that which reminds me of Thy touch.”
THE ART OF REJUVENATION PART II RELATION OF WILL POWER TO ENERGY
Self-realization is the KNOWING, in all parts of the body, mind, and soul, that we are now in possession of the Omnipresence of God; that we do not have to pray that it may come to us; that we are not merely near it at all times, but that God’s Omnipresence is our Omnipresence; that He is just as much a part of us now as He ever will be, and that all we have to do is to improve our KNOWING.
To those who can consciously realize this every moment, no instruction can be given, for all knowledge is theirs; this is all there is to religion. For those who are not immediately able to comprehend this and consciously yield their existence to the recognition of this Truth, the simplicity of which forms the greatest bar to its acceptance and understanding, certain suggestions and methods are available by which complete understanding may be realized, and these methods comprise the work of the Original Praecepta Lessons.
The material human consciousness cannot grasp the Universal Christ Consciousness within itself, no matter how desirous it is to do so, but when the student, by the methods of the Original Praecepta Lessons, through concentration and meditation, enlarges the caliber of his consciousness and raises its quality, he can perceive the Universal Consciousness in all atoms. This is what is meant by “Received Him.” Thus, according to Jesus, all souls can actually find their souls one with Christ Consciousness, by intuitive self realization. They will know that they are “Sons of God”.
THE PHYSICAL BODY
The physical body is a combination of cells which are made of moving molecules. These cellular molecules are made of whirling atoms, protons, and electrons. These cellular and molecular atoms and electrons in turn are made of semi-intelligent sparks of God’s thoughts. Therefore, we see that the physical body is a bundle of motions. On the surface of this body are found the chemical motions and dance of cells. Below the surface of the waves of chemical and cellular motions are found the dancing waves of molecular motion. Below the molecular motion move the waves of atomic motion. Below the atomic motion is found the electro-protonic motion. Below the electro-protonic motion are found the dancing waving sparks of vital forces. Below the surface of the vital sparks lie the waves of sensation. Below the waves of sensation lie the waves of thought, feeling, and will-force. Below all the above layers of waves the Ego is found to remain hidden.
On the surface, the body appears to be a solid mass, occupying a small portion of space, but we see that these cellular waves are manifestations of a vaster area of dancing molecular waves. Likewise, the molecular waves are manifestations of a vaster area of atomic waves. The atomic waves are manifestations of vaster electro-protonic waves. The electronic waves are manifestations of vaster waves of vital force. The vital force is a manifestation of the vast forces of all forms of subconsciousness, superconsciousness, Christ Consciousness, and Cosmic Consciousness.
On the surface, the body as chemical motion is small and dependent upon chemicals drawn from the earth, and upon food, water, and sunshine, but on the internal side the body and its chemical cellular motions are nothing but condensed waves of Cosmic Consciousness. Therefore, the body as a solid substance occupies a very small space, but since the body on the internal side is condensed Cosmic Consciousness, it is very vast and ever omnipresent.
Tissue is the general name for all the different forms of materials of which the body is composed. Then again, the same invisible force biologically so arranges the cells that some form into hard bones wonderfully worked into a skeleton frame, around which the flesh can cling.
This superstructure of flesh and bones has, on the external side, been made dependent upon the ultra-violet rays in the sunshine, and upon oxygen, good food, and pure liquids, such as water, fruit juices, and so forth. On the internal side, these living cells, which constitute the flesh, bones, and all tissues, are kept rejuvenated by thoughts and by biological forces.
It is very strange that the chemical motions of the body have to be kept alive and dancing by the forces of food, chemicals, and sunshine, while it would be entirely possible to keep them alive and flooded with vitality from the inner source of Cosmic Consciousness, but the body, being motion, cannot live without motion: hence, it has to be kept stirred with life externally by food forces, and internally it has to be kept dancing with vitality derived from Cosmic Consciousness .
THE POWER OF WILL
Mechanical exercises generally teach one to concentrate upon the muscles and to consider oneself a muscular Being only. They help to stimulate the animal consciousness in man and not his subtle nature. The Original Praecepta Lessons teach the science ignored by most exercises. It teaches its students how to concentrate upon their life energy and will power, awakening the consciousness of their subtle spiritual nature. It teaches its students that strength comes from within and not from the muscles, and that life does not depend solely upon food or exercise, but is sustained from the powers within. For example, a dead man artificially made to exercise with dumbbells does not become strong, nor does he live if his stomach is stuffed with food, since his Life Energy is absent.
The Original Praecepta Lessons teach one to spiritualize the body, which is the reflection of the Spirit. They teach one to consider himself as the Life Energy and not a body consisting of bones and muscles with a certain weight. They show how by TENSION, energy can be put forth in the body, and by RELAXATION it can be withdrawn from the body.
Since expenditure of Life Energy is involved in all processes of thought, feeling, and physical activity, Original Praecepta Lessons show one how to replenish the reckless expenditure of energy by tapping at its source. They teach that the seat of Life Energy is the medulla oblongata They show that this Life Energy can be continually supplied to the body by stimulating it by the power of Conscious Will. The Will serves to bridge the gulf existing between the Life Energy in the body and the Cosmic Energy surrounding it, They teach one how to work without fatigue by keeping in touch with Cosmic Life Energy
All your limbs and muscles are moved by the exercise of Will and Life Energy. The flow of Life Energy into the sensory nerves is caused by Divine Will and your own Will; into the motor nerves by your own Will. The greater the Will, the greater the flow of Life Energy into a particular body part. Angry men and angry animals manifest abnormal strength. This abnormal strength is not due to their muscles growing stronger within the short period of their anger. Their Will is stimulated by anger and causes an extra flow of Life Energy or strength into their muscles and bodies.
Most mechanical physical culture systems ignore the above facts, and because they use only unconscious mechanical Will, their exercises consist of muscle-bumping. Such exercises do not cause a sufficient flow of Life Energy into the muscles and tissues used. If you follow the teachings of Original Praecepta Lessons, you will learn how to vitalize every body cell.
RELAXATION AND TENSION
The activity of life consists principally in expressing motion and consciousness in the muscles, limbs, and bodily organs.
Relaxation means the release of the energy and consciousness which have been employed by the entire body, or any of its parts, during mental or physical activity.
Man receives sensations coming from outside stimulation through his eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin surface by means of the impulses which travel through the sensory nerves, and he responds to sensations by sending energy back through the strings of motor nerves which causes tension or contraction of the muscles.
Tension results when you Will to send energy to any muscle. Lift your right arm. Now ask yourself what powers are used in the lifting of the arm. You will say: “Will Power”. But think, if your arm became paralyzed, your Will to lift it would still be present, but still you would not be able to raise it. Why? Because the energy could not flow freely through the nerves into the muscles of the arm. But if the arm were healed, you would again, be able to lift it by will power.
Look at your right arm resting at your side, throbbing with energy. Can you lift it without using will power? No, you cannot. Therefore, remember that you use both ENERGY and WILL POWER in the lifting and moving of the limbs or any part of the body .
ENERGY AND WILL POWER
Experiment: Lift your right arm forward, shoulder high, parallel to the ground with palm up. Close your left hand and place it on your upturned right palm, pressing downward as if your left hand weighed about five pounds. Resist this pressure by tensing the right arm. Increase the pressure of the left hand to ten pounds. Will to hold it and increase the tension by willing to send more energy to the right arm. Now increase the pressure with the left hand to fifteen pounds and will to hold it by increasing the tension in the right arm to hold the greater weight. You can do this weightlifting exercise mentally, without pressure or use of weights, as explained below:
Relax and drop your arms to your sides. Again lift your right arm parallel to the ground with upturned palm. Hold it there. Now realize that a certain amount of will and energy holds your arm in this position. If you take the will power away from the uplifted right arm, the arm will fall, drawn by gravity, and will hang by your side, or it will fall if the nerves are suddenly cut, or paralyzed, or if the energy is withdrawn.
Now raise your right arm and tense it as much as is required to hold an imaginary weight of five pounds. Then tense it stronger, to hold an imaginary increased weight of ten pounds. Then tense stronger still to hold an imaginary increased weight of fifteen pounds. Now relax and drop your arm.
When holding an actual or imaginary pressure or weight of five pounds, you have to Will to hold it, and accordingly you use the amount of energy necessary to hold it. Likewise, when you Will to hold an increased weight of ten or fifteen pounds, you increase your will power and the amount of energy sent to the arm in order to hold the greater weight.
It may now be seen that we experience weight according to the degree of will power and amount of energy spent in lifting it. This experiment of lifting imaginary weights proves than an act of pure consciousness or Will produces actual energy in a body part. Will power is the invisible switch of consciousness which sends energy to any body part and produces tension in that part.
If you touch the two poles of an electric battery, your hands will be energized and tensed. If you drink milk or eat food when tired, you will feel added energy in your body. You produce this energy in the body through electricity or food, or through some outward material agency introduced in the body But in tensing or energizing your right arm, or any body part, with Will, you produce energy in the arm or the body part purely by the power of consciousness or Will By imagining that you are sending energy to the right arm, you may succeed in sending a faint current there, but it is only by will power that you can perceptibly send energy. By energizing through tension, the great link between consciousness (Will) and the body is found. By Willing to energize the right arm, (1) you arouse energy felt as power and then (2) you create tension in the muscles. This shows that consciousness (Will) is the prime factor in creating changes in the flow of energy to muscles or to any body parts.
Also, in lifting weights by will power, the great relation between Will and Energy is found. “The greater the Will, the greater the amount of energy and Tension in any body part.”
HEALTH CULTURE
HEALING LAWS
All that is necessary in rejuvenating the body is to supply it with the sixteen elements of food chemicals which it needs, plus sunshine from regular sunbaths and good oxygen, and from regular, proper breathing. While walking every day, inhale, counting one to twelve. Hold the breath twelve counts, then exhale, counting one to twelve. Do that twenty-four times every time you walk. Everyone must have at least a half hour sunbath twice a week, or preferably every day. The mind must never have suggested to it the human limitations of sickness, old age, and death, but it should be constantly, inwardly told: “I am the Infinite, which has become the body. The body as a manifestation of Spirit is the ever-youthful Spirit.”
DIETARY LAWS
Lunch for People with Sedentary Habits. Eat a raw ground vegetable salad, a different one every day. Grind the vegetables. Use one handful of any ground nuts with the vegetable salad. Six prunes, dates, or figs, (unsulphured). Very small portion of cooked vegetables. Eat a little fresh cottage cheese.
Lunch for People with Normal Health. A big raw vegetable salad every day with orange and cream or nut dressing. Use a new vegetable every day. Grind the vegetables. A piece of whole wheat bread or one bran muffin and bread. One cooked vegetable. Six unsulphured prunes or such dates or such figs. Occasionally you may eat a piece of fish or chicken or lamb broiled, or eat five tablespoons of ground pecans with lunch. Eat your biggest meal at lunchtime. One tablespoonful of honey. Juice of one lemon. Do not drink water with meals.
MAPLE WALNUT CRUSTLESS PIE
Make in a large Pyrex or enameled pie dish. Dissolve on slow fire one cupful raw sugar, one tablespoonful water, one tablespoonful butter, and one-eighth teaspoonful salt. Add this to a bowl containing two cupfuls of walnut meats ground after measuring and three-fourths of a cupful of pure maple syrup. Butter the pie dish and pat the mixture in with a large spoon. On top pat in one cupful of walnut meats ground fine, two-thirds cupful of raw sugar, two tablespoons maple syrup, and on top of all one tablespoonful of butter cut into thin slices. Then slowly brown very delicately under a toaster. In a cream pitcher put two tablespoons of maple syrup and one-half pint of cream, or half cream and milk. Serve as sauce individually. It is better made the previous day, as it blends perfectly and hardens overnight. Serves eight persons .
WEEKLY INSPIRATION
If the poor win victories by satisfying the demands of real necessities, they receive contentment and may live and die rich. That is real prosperity. But to live in poor contentment and die spiritually poor in spite of material riches, is real poverty. Be prosperous by smiling, no matter what happens. Do not be afraid to sell the bonds of smiles when the market of happiness is low. Keep smiling while planning and acting for success, and your smiles will fetch priceless treasures in the end. Wise, persevering activity, with unfading smiles, brings sure success.
