Chapter
14 -Mental Gender
Students
of psychology who have followed the modern trend of thought along
the lines ofmental phenomena are struck by the persistence of the
dual-mind idea which has manifested itself so strongly during the
past ten or fifteen years, and which has given rise to a number of
plausible theories regarding the nature and constitution of these
"two minds."
The late Thomson J. Hudson attained great popularity in 1893 by
advancing his well-known theory of the "objective and subjective
minds" which he held existed in every individual. Other writers
have attracted almost equal attention by the theories regarding the
"conscious and sub-conscious minds"; the "voluntary and involuntary
minds"; "the active and passive minds," etc., etc. The theories of
the various writers differ from each other, but there remains the
underlying principle of "the duality of mind."
The student of the Hermetic Philosophy is tempted to smile when he
reads and hears of these many "new theories" regarding the duality
of mind, each school adhering tenaciously to its own pet theories,
and each claiming to have "discovered the truth." The student turns
back the pages of occult history, and away back in the dim
beginnings of occult teachings he finds references to the ancient
Hermetic doctrine of the Principle of Gender on the MentalPlane-the
manifestation of Mental Gender. And examining further he finds that
the ancient philosophy took cognizance of the phenomenon of the
"dual mind," and accounted for it by the theory of Mental
Gender.
This
idea of Mental Gender may be explained in a few words to students
who are familiar with the modern theories just alluded to.
The Masculine Principle of Mind corresponds to the so-called
Objective Mind; Conscious Mind; Voluntary Mind;
Active
Mind, etc. And the Feminine Principle of Mind corresponds to the
so-called Subjective Mind; Subconscious Mind; Involuntary Mind;
Passive Mind, etc.
Of course the Hermetic Teachings do not agree with the many modern
theories regarding the nature of the two phases of mind, nor does
it admit many of the facts claimed for the two respective aspects-
some of the said theories and claims being very far-fetched and
incapable of standing the test of experiment and demonstration. We
point to the phases of agreement merely for the purpose of helping
the student to assimilate his previously acquired knowledge with
the teachings of the Hermetic Philosophy.
Students of Hudson will notice the statement at the beginning of
his second chapter of "The Law of Psychic Phenomena," that: "The
mystic jargon of the Hermetic philosophers discloses the same
general idea"-i. e., the duality of mind. If Dr. Hudson had taken
the time and trouble to decipher a little of "the mystic jargon of
tile Hermetic Philosophy," he might have received much light upon
the subject of "the dual mind"-but then, perhaps, his most
interesting work might not have been written. Let us now consider
the Hermetic Teachings regarding Mental Gender.
The Hermetic Teachers impart their instruction regarding this
subject by bidding their students examine the report of their
consciousness regarding their Self. The students are bidden to turn
their attention inward upon the Self dwelling within each. Each
student is led to see that his consciousness gives him first a
report of the existence of his Self-the report is "I Am."
This at first seems to be the final words from the consciousness,
but a little further examination discloses the fact that this "I
Am" may be separated or split into two distinct parts, or aspects,
which while working in unison and in conjunction, yet,
nevertheless, may be separated in consciousness. While at first
there seems to be only an "I" existing, a more careful and closer
examination reveals the fact that there exists an "I" and a
"Me."
These mental twins differ in their characteristics and nature, and
an examination of their nature and the phenomena arising from the
same will throw much light upon many of the problems of mental
influence. Let us begin with a consideration of the "Me," which is
usually mistaken for the "I" by the student, until he presses the
inquiry a little further back into the recesses of
consciousness.
A man thinks of his Self (in its aspect of "Me") as being composed
of certain feelings, tastes,likes, dislikes, habits, peculiar ties,
characteristics, etc., all of which go to make up his personality,
or the "Self" known to himself and others. He knows that these
emotions and feelings change; are born and die away; are subject to
the Principle of Rhythm, and the Principle of Polarity, which take
him from one extreme of feeling to another. He also thinks of the
"Me" as being certain knowledge gathered together in his mind, and
thus forming a part of himself. This is the "Me" of a man.
But we have proceeded too hastily. The "Me" of many men may be said
to consist largely of their consciousness of the body and their
physical appetites, etc. Their consciousness being largely bound up
with their bodily nature, they practically "live there." Some men
even go so far as to regard their personal apparel as a part of
their "Me," and actually seem to consider it a part of themselves.
A writer has humorously said that "men consist of three parts-soul,
body and clothes." These "clothes conscious" people would lose
their personality if divested of their clothing by savages upon the
occasion of a ship-wreck.
But even many who are not so closely bound up with the idea of
personal raiment stick closely to the consciousness of their bodies
being their "Me." They cannot conceive of a Self independent of the
body. Their mind seems to them to be practically "a something
belonging to" their body-which in many cases it is indeed. But as
man rises in the scale of consciousness he is able to disentangle
his "Me" from his idea of body, and is able to think of his body as
"belonging to" the mental part of him. But even then he is very apt
to identify the "Me" entirely with the mental states, feelings,
etc., which he feels to exist within him. He is very apt to
consider these internal states as identical with himself, instead
of their being simply "things" produced by some part of his
mentality, and existing within him-of him, and in him, but still
not "himself."
He sees that he may change these internal states of feelings by an
effort of will, and that he may produce a feeling or state of an
exactly opposite nature, in the same way, and yet the same "Me"
exists. And so after a while he is able to set aside these various
mental states, emotions, feelings, habits, qualities,
characteristics, and other personal mental belongings-he is able to
set them aside in the "not-me" collection of curiosities and
encumbrances, as well as valuable possessions.
This requires much mental concentration and power of mental
analysis on the part of the student. But still the task is possible
for the advanced student, and even those not so far advanced are
able to see, in the imagination, how the process may be
performed.
After this laying-aside process has been performed, the student
will find himself in conscious possession of a "Self" which may be
considered in its "I" and "Me" dual aspects. The "Me" will be felt
to be a Something mental in which thoughts, ideas, emotions,
feelings, and other mental states may be produced. It may be
considered as the "mental womb," as the ancients styled it-capable
of generating mental offspring.
It reports to the consciousness as a "Me" with latent powers of
creation and generation of mental progeny of all sorts and kinds.
Its powers of creative energy are felt to be enormous. But still it
seems to be conscious that it must receive some form of energy from
either its "I" companion, or else from some other "I," ere it is
able to bring into being its mental creations. This consciousness
brings with it a realization of an enormous capacity for mental
work and creative ability. But the student soon finds that this is
not all that he finds within his inner consciousness. He finds that
there exists a mental Something which is able to Will that the "Me"
act along certain creative lines, and which is also able to stand
aside and witness the mental creation.
This part of himself he is taught to call his "I." He is able to
rest in its consciousness at will. He finds there not a
consciousness of an ability to generate and actively create, in the
sense of the gradual process attendant upon mental operations, but
rather a sense and consciousness of an ability to project an energy
from the "I" to the "Me"-a process of "willing" that the mental
creation begin and proceed. He also finds that the "I" is able to
stand aside and witness the operations of the "Me's" mental
creation and generation. There is this dual aspect in the mind of
every person.
The "I" represents the Masculine Principle of Mental Gender-the
"Me" represents the Female Principle. The "I" represents the Aspect
of Being; the "Me" the Aspect of Becoming. You will notice that the
Principle of Correspondence operates on this plane just as it does
upon the great plane upon which the creation of Universes is
performed. The two are similar in kind, although vastly different
in degree. "As above, so below; as below, so above."
These aspects of mind-the Masculine and Feminine Principles-the "I"
and the "Me"- considered in connection with the well-known mental
and psychic phenomena, give the master-key to these dimly known
regions of mental operation and manifestation. The principle of
Mental Gender gives the truth underlying the whole field of the
phenomena of mental influence, etc.
The tendency of the Feminine Principle is always in the direction
of receiving impressions, while the tendency of the Masculine
Principle is always in. the direction of giving out, or expressing.
The Feminine Principle has a much more varied field of operation
than has the Masculine Principle. The Feminine Principle conducts
the work of generating new thoughts, concepts, ideas, including the
work of the imagination. The Masculine Principle contents itself
with the work of the "Will," in its varied phases. And yet without
the active aid of the Will of the Masculine Principle, the Feminine
Principle is apt to rest content with generating mental images
which are the result of impressions received from outside, instead
of producing original mental creations.
Persons
who can give continued attention and thought to a subject actively
employ both of the Mental Principles-the Feminine in the work of
active mental generation, and the Masculine Will in stimulating and
energizing the creative portion of the mind. The majority of
persons really employ the Masculine Principle but little and are
content to live according to the thoughts and ideas instilled into
the "Me" from the "I" of other minds. But it is not our purpose to
dwell upon this phase of the subject, which may be studied from any
good textbook upon psychology, with the key that we have given you
regarding Mental Gender.
The student of Psychic Phenomena is aware of the wonderful
phenomena classified under the head of Telepathy; Thought
Transference; Mental Influence; Suggestion; Hypnotism, etc. Many
have sought for an explanation of these varied phases of phenomena
under the theories of the various "dual mind" teachers. And in a
measure they are right, for there is clearly a manifestation of two
distinct phases of mental activity. But if such students will
consider these "dual minds" in the light of the Hermetic Teachings
regarding Vibrations and Mental Gender, they will see that the long
sought for key is at hand.
In the phenomena of Telepathy it is seen how the Vibratory Energy
of the Masculine Principle is projected toward the Feminine
Principle of another person, and the latter takes the seed-thought
and allows it to develop into maturity. In the same way Suggestion
and Hypnotism operates. The Masculine Principle of the person
giving the suggestions directs a stream of Vibratory Energy or
Will-Power toward the Feminine Principle of the other person, and
the latter accepting it makes it its own and acts and thinks
accordingly.
An idea thus lodged in the mind of another person grows and
develops, and in time is regarded as the rightful mental offspring
of the individual, whereas it is in reality like the cuckoo egg
placed in the sparrow's nest, where it destroys the rightful
offspring and makes itself at home. The normal method is for the
Masculine and Feminine Principles in a person's mind to coordinate
and act harmoniously in conjunction with each
other.
But,
unfortunately, the Masculine Principle in the average person is too
lazy to act-the display of Will-Power is too slight-and the
consequence is that such persons are ruled almost entirely by the
minds and wills of other persons, whom they allow to do their
thinking and willing for them.
How
few original thoughts or original actions are performed by the
average person? Are not the majority of persons mere shadows and
echoes of others having stronger wills or minds than themselves?
The trouble is that the average person dwells almost altogether in
his "Me" consciousness, and does not realize that he has such a
thing as an "I." He is polarized in his Feminine Principle of Mind,
and the Masculine Principle, in which is lodged the Will, is
allowed to remain inactive and not employed.
The strong men and women of the world invariably manifest the
Masculine Principle of Will, and their strength depends materially
upon this fact. Instead of living upon the impressions made upon
their minds by others, they dominate their own minds by their Will,
obtaining the kind of mental images desired, and moreover dominate
the minds of others likewise, in the same manner. Look at the
strong people, how they manage to implant their seed-thoughts in
the minds of the masses of the people, thus causing the latter to
think thoughts in accordance with the desires and wills of the
strong individuals. This is why the masses of people are such
sheep-like creatures, never originating an idea of their own, nor
using their own powers of mental activity.
The manifestation of Mental Gender may be noticed all around us in
everyday life. The magnetic persons are those who are able to use
the Masculine Principle in the way of impressing their ideas upon
others. The actor who makes people weep or cry as he wills, is
employing this principle. And so is the successful orator,
statesman, preacher, writer or other people who are before the
public attention. The peculiar influence exerted by some people
over others is due to the manifestation of Mental Gender along the
Vibratorial lines above indicated. In this principle lies the
secret of personal magnetism, personal influence, fascination,
etc., as well as the phenomena generally grouped under the name of
Hypnotism.
The
student who has familiarized himself with the phenomena generally
spoken of as "psychic" will have discovered the important part
played in the said phenomena by that force which science has styled
"Suggestion," by which term is meant the process or method whereby
an idea is transferred to, or "impressed upon" the mind of another,
causing then second mind to act in accordance therewith. A correct
understanding of Suggestion is necessary in order to intelligently
comprehend the varied psychical phenomena which Suggestion
underlies. But, still more is a knowledge of Vibration and Mental
Gender necessary for the student of Suggestion. For the whole
principle of Suggestion depends upon the principle of Mental Gender
and Vibration.
It
is customary for the writers and teachers of Suggestion to explain
that it is the "objective or voluntary" mind which make the mental
impression, or suggestion, upon the "subjective or involuntary"
mind. But they do not describe the process or give us any analogy
in nature whereby we may more readily comprehend the idea.
But if you will think of the matter in the light of the Hermetic
Teachings, you will be able to see that the energizing of the
Feminine Principle by the Vibratory Energy of the Masculine
Principle is in accordance to the universal laws of nature, and
that the natural world affords countless analogies whereby the
principle may be understood. In fact, the Hermetic Teachings show
that the very creation of the Universe follows the same law, and
that in all creative manifestations, upon the planes of the
spiritual, the mental, and the physical, there is always in
operation this principle of Gender-this manifestation of the
Masculine and the Feminine Principles.
"As above, so below; as below, so above." And more than this, when
the principle of Mental Gender is once grasped and understood, the
varied phenomena of psychology at once becomes capable of
intelligent classification and study, instead of being very much in
the dark. The principle "works out" in practice, because it is
based upon the immutable universal laws of life.
We feel that in this consideration of the teachings of The
Kybalion, one may find an explanation which will serve to clear
away many perplexing difficulties-a key that will unlock many
doors. What is the use of going into detail regarding all of the
many features of psychic phenomena and mental science, provided we
place in the hands of the student the means whereby he may acquaint
himself fully regarding any phase of the subject which may interest
him.
With the aid of The Kybalion one may go through any occult library
anew, the old Light from Egypt illuminating many dark pages, and
obscure subjects. That is the purpose of this book. We do not come
expounding a new philosophy, but rather furnishing the outlines of
a great world-old teaching which will make clear the teachings of
others-which will serve as a Great Reconciler of differing
theories, and opposing doctrines.