From the Unconscious to the Conscious 



is the dominant cause of ignorance in the individual 

 of his real position in the evolutionary scale. 



The cerebral organ is, of course, indispensable for 

 psychological function in relation to the external world. 

 But this organ is capable only of a restricted activity 

 and has but a limited amount of that storage power 

 which we call memory. As the passing impressions 

 which it has received are effaced, the memory of these 

 impressions tends to disappear from normal consciousness. 



This is very obvious in the normal course of life, 

 and, a fortiori, the brain when newly acquired cannot 

 vibrate in harmony with impressions long past, which, 

 even in normal life, only occasionally reach the threshold 

 of consciousness. 



This forgetfulness, however, is only apparent, since 

 the remembrance remains in the essential memory of the 

 Self; and in the lower phases of evolution it is salutary, 

 for it necessitates a multiplicity of experiences under 

 continually changing conditions. This forgetfulness, 

 moreover, allows the Self to pursue its line of develop- 

 ment without being embarrassed or turned aside from 

 its aim. Like death itself, it is a factor favouring 

 evolution. 1 



And further, the usual inaccessibility of the faculties 

 of instinct, intuition, and the supernormal powers 

 generally (which pertain to the unconscious), compels 

 constant considered effort, and thus it also favours 

 evolution. 



3. THE REAL SELF AND ITS MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS 



We have now considered the body and the vital 

 dynamism which constitute the lower self of the indi- 

 vidual. We shall now study the higher group the 

 mental dynamo-psychism and the Self. 



* See Part III. 

 234 



