Space
and time do not begin and end with the mental
consciousness: even the Overmind has them. They
are the forms of all cosmic existence: only, they
vary on each level. Each world has its own space
and time.
Thus
the mental space and time do not tally with what
we observe here in the material universe. In the
mind-world we can move forward and backward at
our own will and pleasure. The moment you think
of a person you are with him; and no matter how
near you may be to somebody, you can still be
far away if your thoughts are occupied with someone
else. The movement is immediate, so very free
are the spatio-temporal conditions there. In the
vital world, however, you have to use your will:
there, too, distance is less rigid, but the movement
is not immediate: the will has to be exercised.
The
knowledge of different space-times can be of great
practical value in Yoga. For, so many blunders
are due to the inability to act in the right way
when you are in your vital and mental bodies.
In dreams, for instance, you must remember that
you are in the space and time of the vital world
and not try to act as if you were still in your
physical body. If you have the necessary knowledge
of the state of things there, you can deal much
more effectively with those vital beings who terrify
you and give you such unpleasant nightmares. One
of the characteristics of activity in the vital
space and time is that these beings are able to
assume huge shapes at will and create the vibration
of fear in you which is their most powerful means
of invading and possessing you. You must bear
in mind their power of terrifying illusion, and
cast out all fear. Once you face them boldly,
unflinchingly, and look them straight in the eyes,
they lose three-quarters of their power. And if
you call upon us for help, then even the last
quarter is gone and they either take to their
heels or dissolve. A friend of mine who used to
go out in his vital body once complained that
he was always being confronted with a gigantic
tiger which made the night very wretched for him.
I told him to banish all fear and walk straight
up to the beast and stare it in the face, calling
of course for assistance if necessary. He did
so and lo! the tiger suddenly dwindled into an
insignificant cat!
You
have no idea of the almost magical effect of staring
fearlessly into the eyes of a vital being. Even
on earth, if you deal in this way with all those
incarnations of the vital powers which we ordinarily
call animals, you are assured of easy mastery.
A physical tiger will also flee from you, if without
the least tremor you look him straight in the
eyes. A snake will never be able to bite you if
you manage to rivet its gaze to yours without
feeling the slightest dread. Merely staring at
it with shaking knees will not help. There must
be no disturbance in you: you must be calm and
collected when you catch its gaze as it keeps
swaying its head in order to fascinate you into
abject fear. Animals are aware of a light in the
human eyes which they are unable to bear if it
is properly directed towards them. Man's look
carries a power which nullifies them, provided
it is steady and unafraid.
So,
to sum up, remember two things: never, never be
afraid, and in all circumstances call for the
right help to make your strength a hundredfold
stronger.
