From the Unconscious to the Conscious 



psychism for all manifestations in its relations with the 

 external world. The expression of thought, and all 

 manifestations of mental activity have to flow along the 

 cerebral channel; and this channel, which is both narrow 

 and fixed in its direction, limits and determines the 

 whole activity of the Self in that same direction. 



The close association of the Self with the lower 

 group implies a restriction of the activity of the Self; 

 whereas all dissociation from the lower group implies 

 its extension. The total psychism therefore differs from 

 the psychism of normal life, which is limited by the 

 cerebral conditions. 



In this concept there is one point to which we must 

 call special attention in order to avoid false and mis- 

 leading interpretations; this concerns the subordination 

 of the cerebral to the higher psychism. This concept 

 must by no means be understood in the sense that there 

 are in the individual two beings, distinct in their essence 

 and destiny. This misapprehension is, unfortunately, 

 nearly universal. It dominates the systems both of 

 Schopenhauer and von Hartmann. 



* We may be consoled/ writes Von Hartmann, 

 for having minds so low and absorbed in material 

 things, so devoid of poetic and religious sense; there 

 is deep within us a marvellous subconsciousness 

 which dreams and prays while we work for our 

 livelihood.' 



Certain mystics fall into the same error when they 

 gravely teach that all acts, both those which are most 

 meritorious or most guilty, have little importance because 

 they do not proceed from the real Self, and have no 

 effect upon it. 



This is radically false. 



The Self is not a duality, it is a unity. But during 

 terrestrial life cerebral conditions only allow of a restricted 



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