This lesson is not intended as a discourse upon Ethics or morals.  We do not intend going into a discussion of the details of “Right and Wrong,” for we have touched upon that phase of the subject in other works.  But we feel justified in calling your attention to the fact that the human mind intuitively recognizes the “Rightness” of the living up to that which comes to us from the highest parts of the mind—­the highest product of our unfoldment.  And it likewise intuitively recognizes the “Wrongness” of the falling back into that which belongs to the lower stages of our mentality—­to the animal part of us, that is our heritage from the past and that which has gone before.

While we may be puzzled about many details of morals and ethics and may not be able to “explain” why we consider certain things right or wrong, we still intuitively feel that the highest “Right” of which we are capable is the acting out of that which is coming to us from the highest pole of our mental being, and that the lowest “Wrong” consists in doing that which carries us back to the life of the lower animals, in so far as mentality is concerned.  Not because there is anything absolutely “Wrong” in the mental processes and consequent of the animals in themselves—­they are all right and perfectly natural in the animals—­but we intuitively recognize that for us to fall back to the animal stage is a “going backward” in the scale of evolution.  We intuitively shrink at an exhibition of brutality and animality on the part of a man or woman.  We may not know just why, but a little reflection will show us that it is a sinking in the evolutionary scale, against which the spiritual part of us revolts and protests.

But this must not be construed to mean that the advanced soul looks upon the animal world with disgust or horror.  On the contrary, there is nowhere to be found a higher respect for animal life and being than among the Yogi and other advanced souls.  They delight in watching the animals filling their places in life—­playing out their parts in the divine scheme of life.  Their animal passions and desires are actions viewed sympathetically and lovingly by the advanced soul, and nothing “Wrong” or disgusting is seen there.  And even the coarseness and brutality of the savage races are so regarded by these advanced souls.  They see everything as natural according to the grade and degree of development of these people.

It is only when these advanced souls view the degeneracies of “civilized” life that they feel sorrow and pain.  For here they see instances of devolution instead of evolution—­degeneration instead of regeneration and advancement.  And not only do they know this to be the fact, but the degenerate specimens of mankind themselves feel and know it.  Compare the expression of the animal or savage going through their natural life actions and performances.  See how free and natural are their expressions, how utterly apart are evidences of wrong doing.  They