An essay on the fundamental principles of operative occultism prepared by Manly P. Hall to accompany three oil paintings by Mihran K. Serailian

ward through the chakras spinning wheels of spiritual energy. As she referring to the Goddess Kundalini or the serpent fire contacts these in turn they result in an extension of consciousness. Each of the five lower centers distribute one of the five forms of Prana vital life force, or the broken-up energy of the sun. Each of the seven chakras also has a corresponding tattva essential element or vibration, or breath, a motion or condition of spiritual air. Beginning at the bottom of the spine and working upward, the centers are as follows:

First, Muladhara the root support center. This has four petals and an inverted triangle in the center. The tattvic power of smell is associated with this chakra. It is probably correlated with the Church of Ephesus mentioned in the Book of Revelation The first of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the New Testament, and corresponds to the sacral ganglion of modern science A nerve center located at the base of the spine.

Second, Svadhisthana one's own abode. This is the second from the bottom and contains six petals, with a crescent in the center. Its tattvic correspondent governs the sense of taste. It probably corresponds to the Church of Pergamum and is the prostatic plexus of modern science A network of nerves in the pelvic region.

Third, Manipura the city of jewels. This is the third chakra from the bottom, containing the red triangle. It has ten petals and is associated with the epigastric plexus Commonly known as the solar plexus and the navel. Of the seven churches it is probably Smyrna and is associated with the tattva of sight.

Fourth, Anahata the unstruck sound. This is the fourth from the bottom and its symbol is two interlaced triangles. This chakra has twelve petals and is associated with what is commonly called today the cardiac plexus The nerve network surrounding the heart. It is probably the Church of Thyatira and its tattvic power is the sense of touch.

Fifth, Vishuddha the center of purity. This the fifth chakra from the bottom and consists of a white circle surrounded by sixteen petals. It is known to modern science as the pharyngeal plexus The nerve network located in the throat. Its tattvic correspondent gives the sense of hearing and it is probably related to the Church of Sardis.

Sixth, Ajna the center of command. This is the cavernous plexus A nerve center located behind the eyes within the skull of the brain and is the sixth from the bottom. The lotus consists of two petals caused by the fanning out of spiritual rays, one to either side. It is probably related to the Church at Philadelphia and its tattvic power is to give the quality of thought.

Seventh, Sahasrara the thousand-petaled lotus. This is the thousand-petaled lotus, the highest of the sacred seven. Its tattvic power is purely spiritual. It is probably related to the Church at Laodicea and corresponds either with the pineal gland A small endocrine gland in the brain often associated with spiritual vision or an unknown center directly above it. When Kundalini the coiled serpent power reaches this point, divine consciousness is attained.

The passage of Kundalini upward towards Sahasrara is marked by a gentle warmth. As it rises the lower part of the body becomes cold, until only the head remains warm. The condition is also accompanied by other phenomena. Woe to the unhappy mortal who raises Kundalini prematurely to the brain! The sting of the fiery serpent is most deadly, as those well know who have seen the results of her premature raising. She will burn her way to the brain and destroy the reasoning qualities of the mind.

Such, in brief, is the story of the chakras and that science called Yoga the science of union, the art of developing and controlling them. The story of these centers is clearly set forth in the Book of Revelation, where the seven seals, the seven trumpets, the seven vials, and the seven voices all refer to the spinal centers and the various mysteries concerning them. The warning can not be too strongly emphasized that, while the study of the theory of Yoga will be found valuable to understand many of the mysteries of Nature and of your own constitution, the practice of it should be limited to such as have united themselves with those schools of Eastern philosophy, of which it is the esoteric work. It is well that all should know the theory, but woe to the foolish mortal who attempts the practice without proper instruction and guidance!

The system of training through which disciples must pass in order to prepare themselves for the highest honors of occultism is rigorous. Take, for example, the eight steps which the Yogi a practitioner of Yoga is expected to climb to union with his Divine Self. While these processes differ in each of the Schools, they are equally severe and exacting in all; for it is only after the neophyte has shown his ability to master and directionalize every force in his organism that he is given the secret keys by means of which he can control the destiny of creation. The eight steps of the Yogi School are: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. What does each stage imply? What qualities must the disciple unfold in order to reach the final stage of perfect spiritual union with the Supreme Self? These are questions which we shall try to answer.

The first step is Yama moral restraint or discipline. Under the heading of Yama, an exceedingly strict control of the mental nature begins, for the disciple is placing his foot upon the first step which leads to Self. Here he must cease destructive activities forever. He must no longer kill either the body, the hope, or the faith of any living creature. He must become absolutely truthful. His words must be carefully thought out before they are spoken. In

spite of his truthfulness, he must never hurt. Unquestionable honesty must be cultivated. He must not even desire after a thing which is not his own; and he must also give up the sense of possession over that which is his own, realizing that it is only loaned to him that he may use it for the glorification of God. He must cease receiving gifts of any kind. The only thing which he is permitted to receive is sufficient food for his existence and sufficient clothing to cover his body. The author observes that strictly limiting possessions to minimal food and clothing is not entirely practical for those living in Western society. He must gradually cultivate a beauty within his own soul so that he radiates peace, tranquility, harmony, and strong yet merciful sympathy. He must live to do good, serving all things and loving all things. He must have no enmity, but must love his enemies as he loves his friends, and both of these he must love impersonally. Only when he has accomplished this has he actually achieved the first step in his long path toward the liberation of Self. It is only when we have achieved this perfect peace within ourselves that we are ready to go on; yet how many American students are trying to concentrate and develop spiritual powers who have not even begun the conquest of their lower natures or the purification of their bodies! This is one of the great reasons behind the tragedies of modern occultism.

The second step is Niyama internal observance or self-discipline. This stage is even more difficult than the first, for it demands perfect self-control. It also requires the perfect conservation of energy. Nothing shall be wasted; the tongue shall be held in restraint to speak only when speech is necessary; the energies of all parts of the body shall be conserved and used only to accomplish that which is essential. Wasteful expenditures of life energies must cease. Then must come cleanliness of mind, soul, and body, for unless all parts are clean in their structure and expression, spirituality cannot be attained. There must come the development of the sense of peace, the realization that all things are as they should be; that all activity is united to the attainment of good; that the Supreme One is actually controlling His world. In this stage the disciple reads the books of wisdom, familiarizes himself with the secret Scriptures, and ponders and meditates upon the symbols and allegories. To consummate this stage, he surrenders himself and all that he is to God, living only to serve God, existing only to fulfill the dictates of God, offering his hands and his feet, his heart and his mind to God, and claiming nothing for himself. He must withhold nothing. Regardless of his own likes and dislikes, he must offer himself to the Supreme One without reservation or hesitation. Whatever God wills to be done, he will do it; at all times of the day or night he is at the command of the Father. When he has achieved this perfect condition of willingness to be that which God would will him to be, the disciple is then ready to begin the study of body postures, an art which serves many purposes.

The third step is Asana physical posture. The purpose of this step is to gain control over the muscles and members of the physical body. It is one of the secret sciences, and consists of a series of body postures, the assuming of which causes various muscles and nerves to come into play which otherwise are not used. Its consummation is the ability of the mind to control the function of every organ and part of the human body, so that when the mind so wills, the heart will stop beating and the individual still live. This complete bodily control has a considerable influence upon the length of life, and according to the Hindoos, will considerably lengthen the span of human existence. A careful consideration of these stages will reveal the fact that they are all devoted to the problem of mastering the not-self and bringing the tangible nature under the control of the intangible spiritual man. When this stage has been successfully reached, the aspirant passes to the next step, which is the control of the solar force within the body.

The fourth step is called Pranayama breath and energy control. This involves to a certain degree the science of breathing. Prana vital force is the life power from the sun. The flow of this force can be controlled by the mind and, to a certain degree, by the breath. There is a certain individuality in breathing. This individuality can be affected by timing the breath and is somewhat governed by the nostril used in inhaling and exhaling. Pranayama is closely related to the science of the chakras, for it is by means of its exercises that the Goddess Kundalini is caused to rise through the spinal canal. It also has to do with the purifying of the nerves, for the Pranic energy flows through the nerve canals. This is a hazardous procedure, however, for the average occultist, and he is warned to leave it entirely alone unless he has already advanced through many other stages of spiritual growth. It is far better and wiser not to discuss the exact method by means of which this breath force is directed.

The fifth step is Pratyahara withdrawal of the senses. At this point the disciple begins one of the most difficult of all occult processes, the control of the mind. Few people realize how wild and erring their minds are. The mind wanders from one thing to another. Control seems almost impossible, for the very element with which it must be controlled is the element which is wandering.