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854
THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
cerned, at his sweet will and pleasure, overrules that very law, and walks, runs, dances and jumps about in defiance of it. Is it not because his will lifts up his body and suspends, as it were, the operation of one of the greatest of all the laws of nature, which is said to be keeping all the suns and planets, and even entire solar systems, in their proper positions, maintaining their equilibrium ? And, what enables his will to defy this great force of nature ? Just the slightest inclination in that direction! Is this not an equally great miracle? If we were to ascertain the cause of the exertion of will, we should learn that it is none other than self-knowledge, in different language, self-consciousness. Hence, knowledge is power, as the proverb says. When the consciousness of the little appropriating ego has such a wonderful effect on one of the greatest of all the forces of nature, can we possibly measure the extent of power which a consciousness of one's true Self puts within the reach of the wondering soul? What chance, then, does a poor beast of the forest stand against a Selfillumined soul? Not only the beasts of prey pass quite harmlessly by in the presence of such a Self-conscious soul, but also the forces and powers of nature work only for his welfare--at his bidding, as it were. Accidents such as arise by the collision of ships and railway trains, the falling of roofs, and the like, also do not affect him, for the opening out of his consciousness enables him to discern the causes which bring them about, and he can then not onlý save himself but many others besides.
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