The mind is the primary tool of the disciple, aspirant, or even neophyte upon the path.. It is used to explain the outer world of phenomena and to explore the inner world of meaning as well. Development in either discipline enables greater achievement in the other. As we study and train our concrete mind we have higher level thoughts to contemplate. This makes our mental bodies more resonant with and capable of higher thoughts. As we look into our own hearts we will become more sensitive to the similar efforts of others as well.
As with all spiritual disciplines the student is essentially self directed and self taught. Free will (on this level) is not impeded. He searches for his answers wherever he may find them. The introspective approach will lead him to a greater understanding of his nature and is possible to accomplish without any external aid whatsoever. The exploration of the world of phenomena will provide insight and training to enable him to pursue further endeavors in the future. Both are important and the student will search in whatever direction his developing intuition moves him.
The mind is both the prison and liberator of the human consciousness. As he learns to use it with greater facility the disciple will transcend the pull of his emotional nature as well as the physical body. It is the mediating principal between our highest and lowest nature. This is where the bridge is built between what we are and what we think we are.
Personality is that state of awareness which has its conditioning factor in the mind.
The physical man is essentially the physical manifestation of a thought form created by the Ego (Soul). This mental, emotional and physical manifestation is the result of the conscious creation on those respective planes of the aspect of mind.
The mind is the highest expression of the lower quaternary or personality. All forms of energy are said to precipitate downward and all forms of control are to be established from the higher to the lower. The personality focus starts at its lowest point for humanity at the point of individualization. The physical needs are the only concern and this can be seen in the development of a child or in a personality that is under such threat to its existence that it must take whatever measures it deems necessary to survive. A good man will steal food if there is no other way to eat. Later the focus moves up into his emotional nature and then the mental. Thus is determined the path of return from the lowest to the highest. The personality will eventually be transcended when the development of the mind is sufficient.
The mind is the meeting ground between the higher and lower expressions of self. It cannot condition the soul as it is a tool of the soul, but it does condition the aspects of self which occupy the lower three worlds. These aspects together are termed the personality, and are the transient, limited and temporal expressions of the soul, conditioned by the mediating principal of mind.
The disciple has, through his disciplined approach to his life and his meditation, to become sensitive to impression by the Solar Angel, his higher self or Ego. The meeting place for this is in the mind. Through development of the concrete mind the student opens the door to the world of abstract thought. Through visualization and concentrated effort he begins to create his world with intent rather than creating a world of chaos and emotional turmoil he creates harmony within and without. Either way we are all creating our lives day by day. The good news is all we have to do is recognize what is happening and we will get better at it. The bad news is that it takes the shattering of some comforting illusions to bring about that recognition.
