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From Intellect to Intuition
In this era of a rapid increase in human intelligence and capacity to use the mind we run the risk of over-emphasis on intellectualism. The mind is the slayer of the real" is a well-known reflection of an inherent danger. In this book From Intellect to Intuition development of the intellect, while necessary, is shown as a means to an end and one step on the way to a fully awakened and active mental body. The intellect is the rationalising, analytical aspect of the mind, concerned with knowledge. It can be used as a stepping-stone to penetrate into new realms and dimensions of thought, and to touch and awaken the intuitive faculty of pure reason. Between the intellect and the intuition, however, a gap exists until it has been consciously bridged through meditation. Meditation is sometimes defined as thinking in the heart; correct meditation proceeds only when the heart and mind function together in unison. To touch the intuition, therefore, this blending of heart and mind is a necessity, since the intuitive sense is a faculty of the heart aroused by the activity of the integrated, three-fold mind. Meditation is also the deliberate application of discipline to the mind to render it controlled, concentrated and one-pointed at will. Right use of the mind in meditation opens the consciousness to the beauty, truth and goodness of the soul, through the five stages of concentration-meditation-contemplation-illumination-inspiration. These five stages lead to union with the soul - the son of mind - and direct knowledge of divinity, creating an instrument of intelligence for the soul to use in daily life. The experienced voice of the eastern wisdom comes to us with one word: Meditation. The question naturally arises: 'Is that all?' and the answer is: Yes. If meditation is rightly followed, and if perseverance is the keynote of the life, then increasingly soul contact is established. The results of that contact work out in self-discipline, in purification, and in the life of aspiration and of service. Meditation in the eastern sense is ...a strictly mental process, leading to soul knowledge and illumination. It is a fact in nature that ,as a man thinketh (in his heart) so is he.
275 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1932
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353 people want to read
About the author
Alice A. Bailey
467 books223 followersPease note: this is a different author from Alice Bailey.
Alice A. Bailey (1880-1949) was an English esoteric practitioner and writer.
At the age of 35, she entered the Theosophical Society center in Los Angeles (USA), at the Pacific Grove Theosophical Lodge. In 1919, Bailey (39 years old) severed her ties to the Theosophical Society and began to write texts that he claimed were dictated telepathically by a certain "Tibetan," or "D. K. ». She published those texts under the title Human and Solar Initiation. There she made known the existence of the spiritual hierarchy, which Madame Blavatsky had already spread, although not in an orderly way.
She later revealed that the Tibetan D.K. was the master Djwal Khul. She wrote using the teacher's name for 30 years, from 1919 until her death in 1949.
Alice A. Bailey (1880-1949) was an English esoteric practitioner and writer.
At the age of 35, she entered the Theosophical Society center in Los Angeles (USA), at the Pacific Grove Theosophical Lodge. In 1919, Bailey (39 years old) severed her ties to the Theosophical Society and began to write texts that he claimed were dictated telepathically by a certain "Tibetan," or "D. K. ». She published those texts under the title Human and Solar Initiation. There she made known the existence of the spiritual hierarchy, which Madame Blavatsky had already spread, although not in an orderly way.
She later revealed that the Tibetan D.K. was the master Djwal Khul. She wrote using the teacher's name for 30 years, from 1919 until her death in 1949.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 21, 2023
SHE PROPOSES EDUCATION OF BOTH SPIRIT/MIND, AND INTUITION/INTELLECT
Author Alice A. Bailey wrote in the first chapter of this 1932 book, “The present interest in the subject of Meditation is an evidence of a world need which requires clear understanding…. But it can be demonstrated that in the right understanding of the meditation process and in its right adaptation to the needs of our modern civilization will be found the solution of the present educational impasse and the method whereby the fact of the soul may be ascertained---that living something which we call the ‘Soul’ for lack of a better term. The purpose of this book is to deal with the nature and true significance of meditation, and with its use on a large scale in the West. It is suggested that it may eventually supplant the present methods of memory training, and prove a potent factor in modern educational procedure.” (Pg. 3)
She continues, “Herein lies the glory and hope of the race and the outstanding triumph of science. We are now one people. The heritage of any race lies open to another; the best thought of the centuries is available for all; and ancient techniques and modern methods must meet and interchange, Each will have to modify its mode of presentation and each will have to modify its mode of presentation and each will have to make an effort to understand the underlying spirit which has produced a peculiar phraseology and imagery, but when these concessions are made, a structure of truth will be found to emerge which will embody the spirit of the New Age.” (Pg. 4)
She goes on, “Though the mind of the eastern thinker may run to creative imagery and that of the western worker to creative scientific achievement, yet the world into which they enter is curiously the same; the instrument of thought which they employ is called the ‘mind’ in the West and ‘mind-stuff’ in the East; both use the language of symbology to express their conclusions and both reach the point where words prove futile to embody the intuited possibilities.” (Pg. 5)
She adds, “it is the thought apparatus which is involved in Meditation and which must be trained to add to this first function of the mind an ability to turn in another direction, and to register with equal facility the inner or intangible world. This ability to re-orient itself will enable the mind to register the world of subjective realities, of intuitive perception and of abstract ideas. This is the high heritage of the mystic, but seems as yet not to be within the grasp of the average man. The problem facing the human family today in the realms both of science and of religion results from the fact that the follower of both schools finds he is standing at the portal of a metaphysical world. A cycle of development has come to an end. Man, as a thinking, feeling entity, seems now to have arrived at a fair measure of understanding the instrument with which he has to work. He is asking himself: What use is he to make of it? Where is the mind, which he is slowly learning to master, going to lead him? What does the future hold for man? Something, we feel of greater beauty and certainty than anything we have hitherto known. Perhaps it will be a universal arrival at that knowledge which the individual mystic had had.” (Pg 8-9)
She summarizes, “The ultimate solution of our world problem lies in our arrival at this knowledge---a knowledge that is neither eastern nor western, but which is known to both. When we have joined hands with the Orient and when we have united the best thoughts of the East and those of the West, we shall have a synthetic and balanced teaching which will liberate the coming generations. It must begin in the educational field and with the young.” (Pg. 17)
She states, “From being something imposed from without, the new educational process wells up from within, and becomes that self-imposed mental discipline, which we cover by those much misunderstood words---concentration, meditation, and contemplation. Form being a process of memory training, and the development of a quick handling of the response apparatus which puts us in touch with the external world, the educational technique becomes a system of mind=-control, leading eventually to an inner awareness of a new state of being.” (Pg. 30)
She explains, “Meditation differs from prayer in that it is primarily an orientation of the mind, which orientation brings about realizations and recognitions which become formulated knowledge…. The masses of the people… ask for what they need; they wrestle in prayer for the acquiring of longed-for virtues; they beg a listening Deity to assuage their troubles… But it is asking, demanding and expecting which are the main characteristics of prayer, with desire dominant, and the heart involved. (Pg. 66-67)
She states, “We have suggested … that when the eastern technique of meditation … has been applied by the western intellectual, the mind processes can be trained to reach their highest point of development and can then be superseded by a still higher faculty, that of the intuition… Education in the Occident fails to carry its exponents on into the realm of the intuition, or of illumination… But it can be proved, I believe, that the developed spiritual perception and an illumined intellect can be part of the equipment of the sane and balanced business man or scientist, and need not necessarily indicate a lack of psychic balance, or motional instability. The light of illumination and of inspiration is quite compatible with the pursuit of one’s daily occupations…” (Pg. 147-148)
She observes, “In the truly illumined man, we have that rare combination of the mystic and the knower; we have the product of the mystical methods of the East and of the West; we have the union of head and heart; of love and intellect. This produces what, in the Orient, is called the Yogi… and, in the Occident, is termed the practical mystic---which is our rather unsatisfactory way of designating that mystic who has combined the intellect with the feeling nature, and is, therefore, a co-ordinated human being---with brain, mind and soul functioning with the most perfect unity and synthesis.” (Pg. 158-159)
She concludes, “What is to be the result of all our effort?... What is going to save this world from its present agony, economic distress, and chaos? What is going to usher in the New Age of brotherhood and group living? Who, or what, will save the world? May it not be the emergence into active being of a group of practical mystics, who, banded together in the sense of a divine unity, work in practical ways on earth?... they will participate in the normal life of the planet. They will be the business executives … they will carry forward our political programs… they will control our economic, social and national destinies. They will do all this from the center of their being and from the standpoint of the soul; they will know the secret of illumination … they will know the secret of the life that makes all men brothers. They will recognize all those they meet as Sons of God, but they will know also the signs of the illumined may and with him they will seek to work for the good of the whole. Telepathically they will find each other, and work, therefore, in the closest cooperation. This group is already in existence and the members of it are in the closest touch with one another. They are to be found in every country of the world… This integrating group of mystics and knowers is the hope of the world and constitutes the World Savior… Ours is the privilege of joining their ranks by submitting ourselves to the technique of meditation, to the discipline of right daily living and to the influence of the pure motive of SERVICE.” (Pg. 265-267)
This book may appeal to those who enjoy Ms. Bailey’s other books.
Author Alice A. Bailey wrote in the first chapter of this 1932 book, “The present interest in the subject of Meditation is an evidence of a world need which requires clear understanding…. But it can be demonstrated that in the right understanding of the meditation process and in its right adaptation to the needs of our modern civilization will be found the solution of the present educational impasse and the method whereby the fact of the soul may be ascertained---that living something which we call the ‘Soul’ for lack of a better term. The purpose of this book is to deal with the nature and true significance of meditation, and with its use on a large scale in the West. It is suggested that it may eventually supplant the present methods of memory training, and prove a potent factor in modern educational procedure.” (Pg. 3)
She continues, “Herein lies the glory and hope of the race and the outstanding triumph of science. We are now one people. The heritage of any race lies open to another; the best thought of the centuries is available for all; and ancient techniques and modern methods must meet and interchange, Each will have to modify its mode of presentation and each will have to modify its mode of presentation and each will have to make an effort to understand the underlying spirit which has produced a peculiar phraseology and imagery, but when these concessions are made, a structure of truth will be found to emerge which will embody the spirit of the New Age.” (Pg. 4)
She goes on, “Though the mind of the eastern thinker may run to creative imagery and that of the western worker to creative scientific achievement, yet the world into which they enter is curiously the same; the instrument of thought which they employ is called the ‘mind’ in the West and ‘mind-stuff’ in the East; both use the language of symbology to express their conclusions and both reach the point where words prove futile to embody the intuited possibilities.” (Pg. 5)
She adds, “it is the thought apparatus which is involved in Meditation and which must be trained to add to this first function of the mind an ability to turn in another direction, and to register with equal facility the inner or intangible world. This ability to re-orient itself will enable the mind to register the world of subjective realities, of intuitive perception and of abstract ideas. This is the high heritage of the mystic, but seems as yet not to be within the grasp of the average man. The problem facing the human family today in the realms both of science and of religion results from the fact that the follower of both schools finds he is standing at the portal of a metaphysical world. A cycle of development has come to an end. Man, as a thinking, feeling entity, seems now to have arrived at a fair measure of understanding the instrument with which he has to work. He is asking himself: What use is he to make of it? Where is the mind, which he is slowly learning to master, going to lead him? What does the future hold for man? Something, we feel of greater beauty and certainty than anything we have hitherto known. Perhaps it will be a universal arrival at that knowledge which the individual mystic had had.” (Pg 8-9)
She summarizes, “The ultimate solution of our world problem lies in our arrival at this knowledge---a knowledge that is neither eastern nor western, but which is known to both. When we have joined hands with the Orient and when we have united the best thoughts of the East and those of the West, we shall have a synthetic and balanced teaching which will liberate the coming generations. It must begin in the educational field and with the young.” (Pg. 17)
She states, “From being something imposed from without, the new educational process wells up from within, and becomes that self-imposed mental discipline, which we cover by those much misunderstood words---concentration, meditation, and contemplation. Form being a process of memory training, and the development of a quick handling of the response apparatus which puts us in touch with the external world, the educational technique becomes a system of mind=-control, leading eventually to an inner awareness of a new state of being.” (Pg. 30)
She explains, “Meditation differs from prayer in that it is primarily an orientation of the mind, which orientation brings about realizations and recognitions which become formulated knowledge…. The masses of the people… ask for what they need; they wrestle in prayer for the acquiring of longed-for virtues; they beg a listening Deity to assuage their troubles… But it is asking, demanding and expecting which are the main characteristics of prayer, with desire dominant, and the heart involved. (Pg. 66-67)
She states, “We have suggested … that when the eastern technique of meditation … has been applied by the western intellectual, the mind processes can be trained to reach their highest point of development and can then be superseded by a still higher faculty, that of the intuition… Education in the Occident fails to carry its exponents on into the realm of the intuition, or of illumination… But it can be proved, I believe, that the developed spiritual perception and an illumined intellect can be part of the equipment of the sane and balanced business man or scientist, and need not necessarily indicate a lack of psychic balance, or motional instability. The light of illumination and of inspiration is quite compatible with the pursuit of one’s daily occupations…” (Pg. 147-148)
She observes, “In the truly illumined man, we have that rare combination of the mystic and the knower; we have the product of the mystical methods of the East and of the West; we have the union of head and heart; of love and intellect. This produces what, in the Orient, is called the Yogi… and, in the Occident, is termed the practical mystic---which is our rather unsatisfactory way of designating that mystic who has combined the intellect with the feeling nature, and is, therefore, a co-ordinated human being---with brain, mind and soul functioning with the most perfect unity and synthesis.” (Pg. 158-159)
She concludes, “What is to be the result of all our effort?... What is going to save this world from its present agony, economic distress, and chaos? What is going to usher in the New Age of brotherhood and group living? Who, or what, will save the world? May it not be the emergence into active being of a group of practical mystics, who, banded together in the sense of a divine unity, work in practical ways on earth?... they will participate in the normal life of the planet. They will be the business executives … they will carry forward our political programs… they will control our economic, social and national destinies. They will do all this from the center of their being and from the standpoint of the soul; they will know the secret of illumination … they will know the secret of the life that makes all men brothers. They will recognize all those they meet as Sons of God, but they will know also the signs of the illumined may and with him they will seek to work for the good of the whole. Telepathically they will find each other, and work, therefore, in the closest cooperation. This group is already in existence and the members of it are in the closest touch with one another. They are to be found in every country of the world… This integrating group of mystics and knowers is the hope of the world and constitutes the World Savior… Ours is the privilege of joining their ranks by submitting ourselves to the technique of meditation, to the discipline of right daily living and to the influence of the pure motive of SERVICE.” (Pg. 265-267)
This book may appeal to those who enjoy Ms. Bailey’s other books.
July 1, 2017
Life Changing!
This book brought me a greater degree of clarity on Many things. It also put me in my place and helped me get my mind in order.
This book brought me a greater degree of clarity on Many things. It also put me in my place and helped me get my mind in order.
Read
April 19, 2022Very interesting. Worthwhile to read it.
March 23, 2024
Deep and complex, only for the truly committed to metaphysical studies and work.
September 17, 2024
Alice Grazie
November 12, 2008
Not as esoteric as Baily's typical read. A commentary on education systems east and west. Dated but relevant.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews