Right through the later periods of the cycle of incarnation wherein the man is juggling with the pairs of opposites, and through discrimination is becoming aware of reality and unreality, there is growing up in his mind a realization that he himself is an immortal Existence, an eternal God, and a portion of Infinity. Ever the link between the man on the physical plane and this inner Ruler becomes clearer until the great revelation is made. Then comes a moment in his existence when the man stands consciously face to face with his real Self and knows himself to be that Self in reality and not just theoretically; he becomes aware of the God within, not through the sense of hearing, or through attention to the inner voice directing and controlling, and called the "voice of conscience." This time the recognition is through sight and direct vision. He now responds not only to that which is heard, but also to that which he sees.

It is known that the first senses developed in a child are hearing, touch, and sight; the infant becomes aware of sound and turns his head; he feels and touches; finally, he consciously sees, and in these three senses the personality is coordinated. These are the three vital senses. Taste and smell follow later, but life can be lived without them, and should they be absent, the man remains practically unhandicapped in his contacts on the physical plane. On the path of inner, or subjective development, the sequence is the same.

Hearing - response to the voice of conscience, as it guides, directs, and controls. This covers the period of strictly normal evolution.

Touch - response to control or vibration, and the recognition of that which lies outside of the separated human [114] unit on the physical plane. This covers the period of gradual spiritual unfoldment, the Paths of Probation and of Discipleship right up to the door of initiation. The man touches at intervals that which is higher than himself; he becomes aware of the "touch" of the Master, of the egoic vibration and of group vibration, and through this occult sense of touch he accustoms himself to that which is inner and subtle. He reaches out after that which concerns the higher self, and through touching unseen things, habituates himself to them.

Finally, Sight - that inner vision which is produced through the initiation process, yet which is withal but the recognition of faculty, always present yet unknown. just as an infant has eyes which are perfectly good and clear from birth, yet there comes a day wherein the conscious recognition of that which is seen is first to be noted, so with the human unit undergoing spiritual unfoldment. The medium of the inner sight has ever existed, and that which can be seen is always present, but the recognition of the majority as yet exists not.

This "recognition" by the initiate is the first great step in the initiation ceremony, and until it has transpired all the other stages must wait. That which is recognized differs at the different initiations, and might be roughly summarized as follows:

The Ego, the reflection of the Monad, is in itself a triplicity, as is all else in nature, and reflects the three aspects of divinity, just as the Monad reflects on a higher plane the three aspects - will, love-wisdom, and active intelligence - of the Deity. Therefore:

At the first initiation the initiate becomes aware of the third, or lowest, aspect of the Ego, that of active intelligence. He is brought face to face with that manifestation of the great solar angel (Pitri) who is himself, the real self. He [115] knows now past all disturbance that the manifestation of intelligence is that eternal Entity who has for ages past been demonstrating its powers on the physical plane through his successive incarnations.

At the second initiation this great Presence is seen as a duality, and another aspect shines forth before him. He becomes aware that this radiant Life, who is identified with himself, is not only intelligence in action but also is love wisdom in origin. He merges his consciousness with this Life, and becomes one with it so that on the physical plane, through the medium of that personal self, that Life is seen as intelligent love expressing itself.