le
world-phenomena with his own being, so must he now acquire the faculty of
making ineffective the second source of illusions mentioned above.

Only after the meeting with his double, can he eliminate what comes from
himself and thus he will be able to remove the second source of delusion
when he has acquired the faculty for judging by the very nature of a fact
seen in the supersensible world, whether it is a reality or an illusion.
Now if the illusions were of precisely the same appearance as the
realities, differentiation would be impossible. But this is not the case.
Illusions of the supersensible world have in themselves qualities which
distinguish them definitely from the realities, and the important thing is
for the occult student to know by what qualities he may be able to
recognize those realities.

Nothing seems more natural than that those ignorant of occult training
should say: "How, then, is it at all possible to guard against delusions,
since their sources are so numerous?" And further: "Can an occult student
ever be safe from the possibility that all his so-called higher
experiences may not turn out to be based on mere deception and
self-deception (suggestion and auto-suggestion)?" Any one advancing these
objections ignores the fact that all true occult training proceeds in such
a manner as to remove those sources of delusion. In the first place, the
occult student during his preparation, will have become possessed of
enough knowledge about all that which may lead to delusion and
self-delusion, that he will be in a position to protect himself against
them. He has, in this respect, an opportunity, like that of no other human
being, to render himself sober and capable of sound judgment for the
journey of life. Everything he learns teaches him not to rely upon vague
presentiments and premonitions. Training makes him as cautious as
possible, and, in addition to this, all true training leads in the first
place to concepts of the great cosmic events, to matters, therefore, which
necessitate the exertion of the judgment, a process by which this faculty
is at the same time rendered keener and more refined. But those who
decline to occupy themselves with these remote subjects, and prefer
keeping the revelations nearer at hand, might miss the strengthening of
that sound power of judgment which gives certainty in distinguishing
between illusion and reality. Yet even this is not the most important
thing, but the exe