252 The SpiritualLife.
Bycontinualpractice,thedisciple mustlearn
toassimilatethe consciousnessofothers,andto
centrehisownconsciousnessinlife,notinform,
so that he may pass beyond the"heresy of
separateness,"which makes him regard others
as different fromhimself. He has to expand
his consciousness by daily practice, until its
normal stateis that which he temporarilyex-
periencedathisfirstInitiation. Tothisendhe
will endeavourin his everydaylife to identify
hisconsciousnesswiththeconsciousnessofthose
withwhomhecomes intocontactdaybyday;
he will strive to feel as theyfeel, tothink as
they think, to rejoiceas theyrejoice,to suffer
as theysuffer. Gradually he must develop a
perfectsympathy,asympathywhichcanvibrate
inharmonywitheverystringofthehumanlyre.
Graduallyhemustlearntoanswer,asifitwere
hisown,toeverysensationofanother, however
high he maybe or however low. Gradually
by constant practice he must identify himself
with others in all the varied circumstances of
theirdifferentlives. He must learnthelesson
ofjoyandthe lesson oftears,andthis is only
possiblewhenhehastranscendedtheseparated
self,whenhe nolongerasks aughtforhimself,
butunderstandsthathe must henceforthlivein
lifealone.