On Some Difficulties ofthe Inner Life. 39
is it possible to make that whichwe knowto
bethe higher tobe the habitual self-conscious
*'I"?
Letnoonebediscouraged if hereit besaid
that this change is a matter of growth, and
cannot be accomplished in a moment. The
human Selfcannot, bya singleeffort, rise to
manhoodfromchildhood,anymorethanabody
canchangefrom infancytomaturityinanight.
If thestatementof the lawof growth bring a
senseofchillwhenwe regardit asanobstacle
inthe wayof our wish forsudden perfection,
letusrememberthattheothersideofthestate-
mentisthatthegrowthiscertain,thatitcannot
beultimatelyprevented,and thatif lawrefuses
a miracleit on the other hand gives security.
Moreover,wecanquickengrowth,wecanafford
thebestpossibleconditionsforit,andthenrely
onthelawforourresult. Letusthenconsider
the means we can employ for hastening the
growthweseetobeneeded,fortransferringthe
activityof consciousness from the lowertothe
higher.
The first thing torealise isthat the desire-
natureisnotourSelf,butaninstrumentfashioned
bytheSelf foritsown using; and nextthat it
isamostvaluableinstrument,andismerelybeing
badly used. Desire, emotion, is the motive