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then the physical nature acts in accordance with that suggestion. Eating and drinking are done in response to a suggestion from the mentality. How can the spiritual powers be evolved? The laws of spirituality itself must be obeyed. The spirit or soul is connected with the body, and there are so many links existing between the different natures of the compound human being that a man cannot be spiritual unless he is perfect on the physical, mental and moral planes. It is the spiritual nature of the soul itself, however, which should always be kept in sight. No mental thought or physical act should be done without keeping this idea in view. Therefore the choice of food, the idea of taste, of dress, etc., ought to be subservient to the development of the spiritual nature; but when the idea of the body or of show, or any other lower nature, comes in, we degrade ourselves in our spiritual nature and the idea of spirituality is lost. In many communities in India they have obeyed these rules and have evolved wonderful spiritual powers. Take for instance the monks who travel from place to place and teach the people without charge. In the first place there is no idea or thought of selfishness with them. If even for a short time our mentality is engaged in worldiness, in making money, in trying to beautify the body, in thinking about dress, about eating, or any other pleasures of a worldly nature, to that extent we waste away our spiritual forces, and therefore for a person who does this, a longer time will be necessary to arrive at the spiritual plane, than for a
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