Onemoreexpressionofthisbelief，toincreasethereader’sfamiliaritywiththenotionofit：——
“Ifthisroomisfullofdarknessforthousandsofyears，andyoucomeinandbegintoweepandwail，’Oh，thedarkness，’willthedarknessvanish？Bringthelightin，strikeamatch，andlightcomesinamoment。Sowhatgoodwillitdoyoutothinkallyourlives，’Oh，Ihavedoneevil，Ihavemademanymistakes’？Itrequiresnoghosttotellusthat。Bringinthelight，andtheevilgoesinamoment。Strengthentherealnature，buildupyourselves，theeffulgent，theresplendent，theeverpure，callthatupineveryonewhomyousee。IwishthateveryoneofushadcometosuchastatethatevenwhenweseethevilestofhumanbeingswecanseetheGodwithin，andinsteadofcondemning，say，’Rise，thoueffulgentOne，risethouwhoartalwayspure，risethoubirthlessanddeathless，risealmighty，andmanifestyournature。’……ThisisthehighestprayerthattheAdvaitateaches。Thisistheoneprayer：rememberingournature“WhydoesmangoouttolookforaGod？……Itisyourownheartbeating，andyoudidnotknow，youweremistakingitforsomethingexternal。He，nearestofthenear，myownself，therealityofmyownlife，mybodyandmysoul——IamTheeandThouartMe。Thatisyourownnature。Assertit，manifestit。
Nottobecomepure，youarepurealready。Youarenottobeperfect，youarethatalready。Everygoodthoughtwhichyouthinkoractuponissimplytearingtheveil，asitwere，andthepurity，theInfinity，theGodbehind，manifestsitself——theeternalSubjectofeverything，theeternalWitnessinthisuniverse，yourownSelf。Knowledgeis，asitwere，alowerstep，adegradation。WeareItalready；howtoknowIt？”SwamiViverananda：Addresses，No。PracticalVedanta，partiv。pp。
andLectures，TheRealandtheApparentMan，abridged。
Thoseofuswhoarenotpersonallyfavoredwithsuchspecificrevelationsmuststandoutsideofthemaltogetherand，forthepresentatleast，decidethat，sincetheycorroborateincompatibletheologicaldoctrines，theyneutralizeoneanotherandleavenofixedresults。Ifwefollowanyoneofthem，orifwefollowphilosophicaltheoryandembracemonisticpantheismonnon-mysticalgrounds，wedosointheexerciseofourindividualfreedom，andbuildoutourreligioninthewaymostcongruouswithourpersonalsusceptibilities。Amongthesesusceptibilitiesintellectualonesplayadecisivepart。Althoughthereligiousquestionisprimarilyaquestionoflife，oflivingornotlivinginthehigherunionwhichopensitselftousasagift，yetthespiritualexcitementinwhichthegiftappearsarealonewilloftenfailtobearousedinanindividualuntilcertainparticularintellectualbeliefsorideaswhich，aswesay，comehometohim，aretouched。[358]Theseideaswillthusbeessentialtothatindividual’sreligion；——whichisasmuchastosaythatover-beliefsinvariousdirectionsareabsolutelyindispensable，andthatweshouldtreatthemwithtendernessandtolerancesolongastheyarenotintolerantthemselves。AsIhaveelsewherewritten，themostinterestingandvaluablethingsaboutamanareusuallyhisover-beliefs。
Forinstance，hereisacasewhereapersonexposedfromherbirthtoChristianideashadtowaittilltheycametohercladinspiritisticformulasbeforethesavingexperiencesetin：——
“FormyselfIcansaythatspiritualismhassavedme。Itwasrevealedtomeatacriticalmomentofmylife，andwithoutitI
don’tknowwhatIshouldhavedone。Ithastaughtmetodetachmyselffromworldlythingsandtoplacemyhopeinthingstocome。ThroughitIhavelearnedtoseeinallmen，eveninthosemostcriminal，eveninthosefromwhomIhavemostsuffered，undevelopedbrotherstowhomIowedassistance，love，andforgiveness。IhavelearnedthatImustlosemytemperovernothingdespisenoone，andprayforall。MostofallIhavelearnedtopray！AndalthoughIhavestillmuchtolearninthisdomain，prayereverbringsmemorestrength，consolation，andcomfort。IfeelmorethaneverthatIhaveonlymadeafewstepsonthelongroadofprogress；butIlookatitslengthwithoutdismay，forIhaveconfidencethatthedaywillcomewhenallmyeffortsshallberewarded。SoSpiritualismhasagreatplaceinmylife，indeeditholdsthefirstplacethere。”FlournoyCollection。
Disregardingtheoverbeliefs，andconfiningourselvestowhatiscommonandgeneric，wehaveinthefactthattheconsciouspersoniscontinuouswithawiderselfthroughwhichsavingexperiencescome，[359]apositivecontentofreligiousexperiencewhich，itseemstome，isliterallyandobjectivelytrueasfarasitgoes。
IfInowproceedtostatemyownhypothesisaboutthefartherlimitsofthisextensionofourpersonality，Ishallbeofferingmyownover-belief——thoughIknowitwillappearasorryunder-belieftosomeofyou——forwhichIcanonlybespeakthesameindulgencewhichinaconversecaseIshouldaccordtoyours。
“TheinfluenceoftheHolySpirit，exquisitelycalledtheComforter，isamatterofactualexperience，assolidarealityasthatofelectromagnetism。”W。C。Brownell，Scribner’sMagazine，vol。xxx。p。112。
Thefurtherlimitsofourbeingplunge，itseemstome，intoanaltogetherotherdimensionofexistencefromthesensibleandmerely“understandable“world。Nameitthemysticalregion，orthesupernaturalregion，whicheveryouchoose。Sofarasouridealimpulsesoriginateinthisregionandmostofthemdooriginateinit，forwefindthempossessingusinawayforwhichwecannotarticulatelyaccount，webelongtoitinamoreintimatesensethanthatinwhichwebelongtothevisibleworld，forwebelonginthemostintimatesensewhereverouridealsbelong。Yettheunseenregioninquestionisnotmerelyideal，foritproduceseffectsinthisworld。Whenwecommunewithit，workisactuallydoneuponourfinitepersonality，forweareturnedintonewmen，andconsequencesinthewayofconductfollowinthenaturalworlduponourregenerativechange。
Butthatwhichproduceseffectswithinanotherrealitymustbetermedarealityitself，soIfeelasifwehadnophilosophicexcuseforcallingtheunseenormysticalworldunreal。
Thatthetransactionofopeningourselves，otherwisecalledprayer，isaperfectlydefiniteoneforcertainpersons，appearsabundantlyintheprecedinglectures。Iappendanotherconcreteexampletoreinforcetheimpressiononthereader’smind：——
“Mancanlearntotranscendtheselimitations[offinitethought]
anddrawpowerandwisdomatwill。Thedivinepresenceisknownthroughexperience。Theturningtoahigherplaneisadistinctactofconsciousness。Itisnotavague，twilightorsemi-consciousexperience。Itisnotanecstasy，itisnotatrance。Itisnotsuper-consciousnessintheVedanticsense。Itisnotduetoself-hypnotization。Itisaperfectlycalm，sane，sound，rational，common-senseshiftingofconsciousnessfromthephenomenaofsense-perceptiontothephenomenaofseership，fromthethoughtofselftoadistinctivelyhigherrealm。Forexample，ifthelowerselfbenervous，anxious，tense，onecaninafewmomentscompelittobecalm。Thisisnotdonebyawordsimply。AgainIsay，itisnothypnotism。Itisbytheexerciseofpower。Onefeelsthespiritofpeaceasdefinitelyasheatisperceivedonahotsummerday。Thepowercanbeassurelyusedasthesunsrayscanbefocusedandmadetodowork，tosetfiretowood。”TheHigherLaw，vol。iv。pp。Boston，August，
Godisthenaturalappellation，forusChristiansatleast，forthesupremereality，soIwillcallthishigherpartoftheuniversebythenameofGod。WeandGodhavebusinesswitheachother；andinopeningourselvestohisinfluenceourdeepestdestinyisfulfilled。Theuniverse，atthosepartsofitwhichourpersonalbeingconstitutes，takesaturngenuinelyfortheworseorforthebetterinproportionaseachoneofusfulfillsorevadesGod’sdemands。AsfarasthisgoesIprobablyhaveyouwithme，forIonlytranslateintoschematiclanguagewhatImaycalltheinstinctivebeliefofmankind：Godisrealsinceheproducesrealeffects。
[361]Transcendentalistsarefondoftheterm“Over-soul。”butasaruletheyuseitinanintellectualistsense，asmeaningonlyamediumofcommunion。“God“isacausalagentaswellasamediumofcommunion，andthatistheaspectwhichIwishtoemphasize。
Therealeffectsinquestion，sofarasIhaveasyetadmittedthem，areexertedonthepersonalcentresofenergyofthevarioussubjects，butthespontaneousfaithofmostofthesubjectsisthattheyembraceawiderspherethanthis。Mostreligiousmenbelieveor“know。”iftheybemysticalthatnotonlytheythemselves，butthewholeuniverseofbeingstowhomtheGodispresent，aresecureinhisparentalhands。Thereisasense，adimension，theyaresure，inwhichweareALLsaved，inspiteofthegatesofhellandalladverseterrestrialappearances。God’sexistenceistheguaranteeofanidealorderthatshallbepermanentlypreserved。Thisworldmayindeed，asscienceassuresus，somedayburnuporfreeze；butifitispartofhisorder，theoldidealsaresuretobebroughtelsewheretofruition，sothatwhereGodis，tragedyisonlyprovisionalandpartial，andshipwreckanddissolutionarenottheabsolutelyfinalthings。OnlywhenthisfartherstepoffaithconcerningGodistaken，andremoteobjectiveconsequencesarepredicted，doesreligion，asitseemstome，getwhollyfreefromthefirstimmediatesubjectiveexperience，andbringaREALHYPOTHESISintoplay。Agoodhypothesisinsciencemusthaveotherpropertiesthanthoseofthephenomenonitisimmediatelyinvokedtoexplain，otherwiseitisnotprolificenough。God，meaningonlywhatentersintothereligiousman’sexperienceofunion，fallsshortofbeinganhypothesisofthismoreusefulorder。Heneedstoenterintowidercosmicrelationsinordertojustifythesubject’sabsoluteconfidenceandpeace。
ThattheGodwithwhom，startingfromthehithersideofourownextra-marginalself，wecomeatitsremotermarginintocommerceshouldbetheabsoluteworld-ruler，isofcourseaveryconsiderableover-belief。Over-beliefasitis，though，itisanarticleofalmosteveryone’sreligion。Mostofuspretendinsomewaytopropituponourphilosophy，butthephilosophyitselfisreallyproppeduponthisfaith。WhatisthisbuttosaythatReligion，inherfullestexerciseoffunction，isnotamereilluminationoffactsalreadyelsewheregiven，notamerepassion，likelove，whichviewsthingsinarosierlight。Itisindeedthat，aswehaveseenabundantly。Butitissomethingmore，namely，apostulatorofnewFACTSaswell。Theworldinterpretedreligiouslyisnotthematerialisticworldoveragain，withanalteredexpression；itmusthave，overandabovethealteredexpression，anaturalconstitutiondifferentatsomepointfromthatwhichamaterialisticworldwouldhave。Itmustbesuchthatdifferenteventscanbeexpectedinit，differentconductmustberequired。
Thisthoroughly“pragmatic“viewofreligionhasusuallybeentakenasamatterofcoursebycommonmen。Theyhaveinterpolateddivinemiraclesintothefieldofnature，theyhavebuiltaheavenoutbeyondthegrave。Itisonlytranscendentalistmetaphysicianswhothinkthat，withoutaddinganyconcretedetailstoNature，orsubtractingany，butbysimplycallingittheexpressionofabsolutespirit，youmakeitmoredivinejustasitstands。Ibelievethepragmaticwayoftakingreligiontobethedeeperway。Itgivesitbodyaswellassoul，itmakesitclaim，aseverythingrealmustclaim，somecharacteristicrealmoffactasitsveryown。Whatthemorecharacteristicallydivinefactsare，apartfromtheactualinflowofenergyinthefaith-stateandtheprayer-state，Iknownot。
Buttheover-beliefonwhichIamreadytomakemypersonalventureisthattheyexist。Thewholedriftofmyeducationgoestopersuademethattheworldofourpresentconsciousnessisonlyoneoutofmanyworldsofconsciousnessthatexist，andthatthoseotherworldsmustcontainexperienceswhichhaveameaningforourlifealso；andthatalthoughinthemaintheirexperiencesandthoseofthisworldkeepdiscrete，yetthetwobecomecontinuousatcertainpoints，andhigherenergiesfilterin。Bybeingfaithfulinmypoormeasuretothisover-belief，I
seemtomyselftokeepmoresaneandtrue。ICAN，ofcourse，putmyselfintothesectarianscientist’sattitude，andimaginevividlythattheworldofsensationsandofscientificlawsandobjectsmaybeall。ButwheneverIdothis，IhearthatinwardmonitorofwhichW。K。Cliffordoncewrote，whisperingtheword“bosh！”Humbugishumbug，eventhoughitbearthescientificname，andthetotalexpressionofhumanexperience，asIviewitobjectively，invinciblyurgesmebeyondthenarrow“scientific“
bounds。Assuredly，therealworldisofadifferenttemperament——moreintricatelybuiltthanphysicalscienceallows。
Somyobjectiveandmysubjectiveconsciencebothholdmetotheover-beliefwhichIexpress。Whoknowswhetherthefaithfulnessofindividualsherebelowtotheirownpoorover-beliefsmaynotactuallyhelpGodinturntobemoreeffectivelyfaithfultohisowngreatertasks？
Ifweweretoaskthequestion：“Whatishumanlife’schiefconcern？”oneoftheanswersweshouldreceivewouldbe：“Itishappiness。”Howtogain，howtokeep，howtorecoverhappiness，isinfactformostmenatalltimesthesecretmotiveofalltheydo，andofalltheyarewillingtoendure。Thehedonisticschoolinethicsdeducesthemorallifewhollyfromtheexperiencesofhappinessandunhappinesswhichdifferentkindsofconductbring；and，evenmoreinthereligiouslifethaninthemorallife，happinessandunhappinessseemtobethepolesroundwhichtheinterestrevolves。WeneednotgosofarastosaywiththeauthorwhomIlatelyquotedthatanypersistententhusiasmis，assuch，religion，norneedwecallmerelaughterareligiousexercise；butwemustadmitthatanypersistentenjoymentmayPRODUCEthesortofreligionwhichconsistsinagratefuladmirationofthegiftofsohappyanexistence；andwemustalsoacknowledgethatthemorecomplexwaysofexperiencingreligionarenewmannersofproducinghappiness，wonderfulinnerpathstoasupernaturalkindofhappiness，whenthefirstgiftofnaturalexistenceisunhappy，asitsooftenprovesitselftobe。
Withsuchrelationsbetweenreligionandhappiness，itisperhapsnotsurprisingthatmencometoregardthehappinesswhichareligiousbeliefaffordsasaproofofitstruth。Ifacreedmakesamanfeelhappy，healmostinevitablyadoptsit。Suchabeliefoughttobetrue；thereforeitistrue——such，rightlyorwrongly，isoneofthe“immediateinferences“ofthereligiouslogicusedbyordinarymen。
“ThenearpresenceofGod’sspirit。”saysaGermanwriter，[31]
“maybeexperiencedinitsreality——indeedONLYexperienced。Andthemarkbywhichthespirit’sexistenceandnearnessaremadeirrefutablycleartothosewhohaveeverhadtheexperienceistheutterlyincomparableFEELINGOFHAPPINESSwhichisconnectedwiththenearness，andwhichisthereforenotonlyapossibleandaltogetherproperfeelingforustohaveherebelow，butisthebestandmostindispensableproofofGod’sreality。Nootherproofisequallyconvincing，andthereforehappinessisthepointfromwhicheveryefficaciousnewtheologyshouldstart。”