The Candidate must meditate upon the “I,” and recognize it—­feel it—­to be a Centre.  This is his first task.  Impress upon your mind the word “I,” in this sense and understanding, and let it sink deep down into your consciousness, so that it will become a part of you.  And when you say “I,” you must accompany the word with the picture of your Ego as a Centre of Consciousness, and Thought, and Power, and Influence.  See yourself thus, surrounded by your world.  Wherever you go, there goes the Centre of your world.  YOU are the Centre, and all outside of you revolves around that Centre.  This is the first great lesson on the road to Initiation.  Learn it!

The Yogi Masters teach the Candidates that their realization of the “I” as a Centre may be hastened by going into the Silence, or State of Meditation, and repeating their first name over slowly, deliberately and solemnly a number of times.  This exercise tends to cause the mind to centre upon the “I,” and many cases of dawning Initiation have resulted from this practice.  Many original thinkers have stumbled upon this method, without having been taught it.  A noted example is that of Lord Tennyson, who has written that he attained a degree of Initiation in this way.  He would repeat his own name, over and over, and the same time meditating upon his identity, and he reports that he would become conscious and “aware” of his reality and immortality—­in short would recognize himself as a real center of consciousness.

We think we have given you the key to the first stage of meditation and concentration.  Before passing on, let us quote from one of the old Hindu Masters.  He says, regarding this matter:  “When the soul sees itself as a Centre surrounded by its circumference—­when the Sun knows that it is a Sun, and is surrounded by its whirling planets—­then is it ready for the Wisdom and Power of the Masters.”

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE “I” FROM THE BODY.  Many of the Candidates find themselves prevented from a full realization of the “I” (even after they have begun to grasp it) by the confusing of the reality of the “I” with the sense of the physical body.  This is a stumbling block that is easily overcome by meditation and concentration, the independence of the “I” often becoming manifest to the Candidate in a flash, upon the proper thought being used as the subject of meditation.

The exercise is given as follows:  Place yourself in the State of Meditation, and think of YOURSELF—­the Real “I”—­as being independent of the body, but using the body as a covering and an instrument.  Think of the body as you might of a suit of clothes.  Realize that you are able to leave the body, and still be the same “I.”  Picture yourself as doing this, and looking down upon your body.  Think of the body as a shell from which you may emerge without affecting your identity.  Think of yourself as mastering and controlling the body that you occupy, and using it to the best advantage, making it healthy, strong and vigorous, but still being merely a shell or covering for the real “You.”  Think of the body as composed of atoms and cells which are constantly changing, but which are held together by the force of your Ego, and which you can improve at Will.  Realize that you are merely inhabiting the body, and using it for your convenience, just as you might use a house.