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space； they are necessarily subject to a law of Growth； so that while the
subsistence of the thing in the thought is perfect ab initio； the expression
of the thought in the thing is a matter of gradual development。 This is a
point which we must never lose sight of in our studies； and we must never
lose sight of the perfection of the thing in the thought because we do not
yet see the perfection of the thought in the thing。 Therefore we must
remember that man； as we know him now； has by no means reached the
ultimate of his evolution。 We are only yet in the making； but we have now
reached a point where we can facilitate the evolutionary process by
conscious co…operation with the Creative Spirit。 Our share in this work
commences with the recognition of the Divine ideal of man； and thus
finding the pattern by which we are to be guided。 For since the person to
be created after this pattern is ourself； it follows that； by whatever
processes the Divine ideal transforms itself into concrete reality； the place
where those processes are to work must be within ourselves； in other
words； the creative action of the Spirit takes place through the laws of our
own mentality。 If it is a true maxim that the thing must take form in the
thought before the thought can take form in the thing； then it is plain that
the Divine Ideal can only be externalized in our objective life in
proportion as it is first formed in our thought； and it takes form in our
thought only to the extent to which we apprehend its existence in the
Divine Mind。 By the nature of the relation between the individual mind
and the Universal Mind it is strictly a case of reflection； and in proportion
as the mirror of our own mind blurs or clearly reflects the image of the
Divine ideal； so will it give rise to a correspondingly feeble or vigorous
reproduction of it in our external life。
This being the rationale of the matter； why should we limit our
conception of the Divine ideal of ourselves？ Why should we say； 〃I am too
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mean a creature ever to reflect so glorious an image〃 or 〃God never
intended such a limitless ideal to be reproduced in human beings。〃 In
saying such things we expose our ignorance of the whole Law of the
Creative Process。 We shut our eyes to the fact that the Omega of
completion already subsists in the Alpha of conception； and that the Alpha
of conception would be nothing but a lying illusion if it was not capable of
expression in the Omega of completion。 The creative process in us is that
we become the individual reflection of what we realize God to be
relatively to ourselves； and therefore if we realize the Divine Spirit as the
INFINITE potential of all that can constitute a perfected human being； this
conception must； by the Law of the Creative Process； gradually build up a
corresponding image in our mind； which in turn will act upon our external
conditions。
This； by the laws of mind； is the nature of the process and it shows us
what St。 Paul means when he speaks of Christ being formed in us （Gal。 iv。
19） and what in another place he calls being renewed in knowledge after
the image of Him that created us （Col。 iii。 10）。 It is a thoroughly logical
sequence of cause and effect； and what we require is to see more clearly
the Law of this sequence and use it intelligentlythat is why St。 Paul says
it is being 〃renewed in knowledge〃： it is a New Knowledge； the
recognition of principles which we had not previously apprehended。 Now
the fact which； in our past experience； we have not grasped is that the
human mind forms a new point of departure for the work of the Creative
Spirit； and in proportion as we see this more and more clearly； the more
we shall find ourselves entering into a new order of life in which we
become less and less subject to the old limitations。 This is not a reward
arbitrarily bestowed upon us for holding dogmatically to certain mere
verbal statements； but it is the natural result of understanding the supreme
law of our own being。 On its own plane it is as purely scientific as the law
of chemical reaction； only here we are not dealing with the interaction of
secondary causes but with the Self…originating action of Spirit。 Hence a
new force has to be taken into account which does not occur in physical
science； the power of Feeling。 Thought creates form； but it is feeling that
gives vitality to thought。 Thought without feeling may be constructive as
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THE DORE LECTURES ON MENTAL SCIENCE
in some great engineering work； but it can never be creative as in the work
of the artist or musician； and that which originates within itself a new
order of causation is； so far as all pre…existing forms are concerned； a
creation ex nihilo； and is therefore Thought expressive of Feeling。 It is this
indissoluble union of Thought and Feeling that distinguishes creative
thought from merely analytical thought and places it in a different
category； and therefore if we are to afford a new starting…point for carrying
on the work of creation it must be by assimilating the feeling of the
Originating Spirit as part and parcel of its thoughtit is that entering into
the Mind of the Spirit of which I spoke in the first address。
Now the images in the Mind of the Spirit must necessarily be
GENERIC。 The reason for this is that by its very nature the Principle of
Life must be prolific； that is； tending to Multiplicity； and therefore the
original Thought…image must be fundamental to whole races； and not
exclusive to particular individuals。 Consequently the images in the Mind
of the Spirit must be absolute types of the true essentials of the perfect
development of the race； just what Plato meant by architypal ideas。 This is
the perfect subsistence of the thing in the thought。 Therefore it is that our
evolution as centres of CREATIVE activity； the exponents of new laws；
and through them of new conditions； depends on