194 The Law of the Rhythmic Breath 



identified him, which betrays the truth that the peo- 

 ple had degenerated and become more material. 

 They chose to degrade " Hermes * * * 

 Archangel, who bears the rod of knowledge by 

 which all things in heaven and earth are measured " 

 (The Perfect Way^ p. 367), to a crafty, commer- 

 cial god. 



The farther back we go the more elemental, 

 more spiritual are all the gods. Zeus is believed 

 to have meant originally " the glistening ether." 

 Hindu genius spiritualizes its sense-conceptions 

 with wonderful readiness. The more remotely 

 their myths are traced the more " atmospheric " 

 do they become. The more the god merges with 

 the planet and its ensouling Force. 



A concluding word as to practice: When our 

 wills hold our minds in check and thus restrain the 

 scattering of forces through wasteful and, oftener 

 than not, discordant activities, the Prdnic currents 

 flow rhythmically and gather force and strength 

 as all the molecules of the body yield to the har- 

 mony and tend to move in the same direction, 

 which means a tremendous gain in electric power: 

 Only by the uplift of this conscious direction can 

 we connect with the great Central Dynamo, the 

 Divine Spirit. 



Thus the soul-directed thought is electrical, it- 

 self a ray of spiritual powers, the effectual energy 

 of which is gauged by the steadfastness of purpose, 



