Part 11 · Faith Is a Substance · points 7–12 of 36 in this Part

A law discovered by subtraction

The universe answers careful looking. Look carefully at yourself.

6 numbered points · 2 study questions · 2 min read

The one line to keep

The universe answers careful looking. Look carefully at yourself.

Haanel gives the discovery of Neptune as a demonstration: astronomers noticed slight irregularities in Uranus, calculated, and said — there must be a planet there, and here is where. The universe answered a precise question. But he warns that people inside the sphere of their own wants become deaf to the answer. His comparison is pointed: the animal never rises above its wants; the human being can.

Why this matters — Part 11

Hopelessness is the belief that wanting is pointless — so the first casualty is desire itself. Haanel's instruction is strange and kind: don't manufacture the feeling of hope, just take the posture of someone already answered. The worried, grasping posture says “this probably won't happen.” He asks for the relaxed posture of a person whose order is already in the post. Posture first. Feeling follows later, as it always does.

Study questions for this sublevel

Haanel put a review question at the end of every part. Answer out loud first — the recall is what moves it into memory.

103. What is it that which guides and determines action?

It is need, want, and desire which in the largest sense induce, guide, and determine action.

105. What great Teachers advocated it?

Jesus, Plato, Swedenborg.

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Haanel's own words — points 7–12

Quoted exactly from The Master Key System (1912, public domain). The translation above is ours; this is his.

As the eye seeks and receives satisfaction from colors complementary to those which are given, so does need, want and desire, in the largest sense, induce, guide and determine action.

It is our privilege to become conscious of the principle and act in accordance with it. Cuvier sees a tooth belonging to an extinct race of animals. This tooth wants a body for the performance of its function, and it defines the peculiar body it stands in need of with such precision that Cuvier is able to reconstruct the frame of this animal.

Perturbations are observed in the motion of Uranus. Leverrier needs another star at a certain place to keep the solar system in order, and Neptune appears in the place and hour appointed.

The instinctive wants of the animal and the intellectual wants of Cuvier, the wants of nature and of the mind of Leverrier were alike, and thus the results; here the thoughts of an existence, there an existence. A well-defined lawful want, therefore, furnishes the reason for the more complex operations of nature.

Having recorded correctly the answers furnished by nature and stretched our senses with the growing science over her surface, having joined hands with the levers that move the earth, we become conscious of such a close, varied and deep contact with the world without, that our wants and purposes become no less identified with the harmonious operations of this vast organization, than the life, liberty, and happiness of the citizen is identified with the existence of his government.

As the interests of the individual are protected by the arms of the country, added to his own, and his needs may depend upon certain supply in the degree that they are felt more universally and steadily, in the same manner does conscious citizenship in the Republic of nature secure us from the annoyances of subordinate agents by alliance with superior powers. And by appeal to the fundamental laws of resistance or inducement offered to mechanical or chemical agents, distribute the labor to be performed between them and man to the best advantage of the inventor.

Put it to work

This week's exercise

Believing You Have Already Received (Part Eleven)

Usual seat, relaxed and empty of surface noise.

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Sit with it

Guided stillness timer

The sit is the whole foundation of the course: still body, watched breath, no phone. Pick five minutes if fifteen feels like a hill.

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Keep going

1The reasoning that earns its keepInduction is the dividing line between superstition and intelligence.2A law discovered by subtractionThe universe answers careful looking. Look carefully at yourself.3Believe you have already received ⚠Ask as though the answer is already in the post.4Thinking on the plane of the absoluteFaith is the substance of things hoped for, not a feeling.5A new era of faithEvery generation has to be told the truth in its own language.6This week: Whatsoever thingsWhatsoever — the word contains no limits.

Part 11 · Faith Is a Substance

Act as though the outcome is already arranged

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