_ the Substance of the
Divine, which infills all Life--and how it solves the Riddle of the
Sphinx, concerning the One in All; and All in One. We hope to show you
that the Riddle is capable of solution, and that the old Yogi teachers
have long ago grasped that for which the human mind has ever sought.
This phase of the Teachings is the highest, and it is usually hinted
at, rather than expressed, in the writings on the subject--owing to
danger of confusion and misconception. But in these Lessons we shall
speak the Truth plainly, and without fear--for such is the Message
which has been given us to deliver to our students--and we will perform
the Right action, leaving the Result, or Fruits of the Action, where it
belongs, according to the higher teachings found in the "_Bhagavad
Gita_," and in the Higher Teachings of the Yogi Philosophy.

The fundamental Truth embedded in the Wisdom-Philosophies of the
East--the Higher Yogi Teachings--is the impregnable doctrine of the One
Self in the many selves--the many selves in the One Self. This
fundamental Truth underlies all the Oriental Philosophies which are
esoteric in their nature.

Notwithstanding the crude and often repulsive conceptions and practices
of the masses of the people who represent the exoteric, or popular,
phase of the teachings (and these two phases are to be found in _all_
regions) still there is always this Inner Doctrine of the One Self, to
be found to those who look for it.

Not only is this true among the Hindus; but even among the Mahommedans,
of all countries, there is an Inner Circle of Mystics, known as the
_Sufis_, holding to this Truth. And the inner teachings of the
philosophies of all ages and races, have held likewise. And the highest
thought of the philosophers of the Western races, has found refuge in
this idea of the Over-soul, or Universal Self. But, it is only among
the Yogis that we find an attempt made to explain the real nature of
the manifestation of the One in Many--the holding of the Many forms in
the One Self.

Before proceeding to the consideration of _how_ the One becomes as
Many, as expounded by the Higher Yogi Teachings, it becomes necessary
to speak of a matter upon which there has been much confusion and
misunderstanding, not only on the part of the students of various
Oriental Philosophies, but also upon the part of some of the teachers
themselves. We allude to the connection between THE ONE--THE
ABSOLUTE--in Its ESSENCE--and