understands but little of his real nature. He comprises within his
physical, mental and spiritual make-up both the highest and the lowest,
as we have shown in our previous lessons (the "Fourteen Lessons" and the
"Advanced Course"). In his bones he manifests almost in the form of
mineral life, in fact, in his bones, body and blood mineral substances
actually exist. The physical life of the body resembles the life of the
plant. Many of the physical desires and emotions are akin to those of the
lower animals, and in the undeveloped man these desires and emotions
predominate and overpower the higher nature, which latter is scarcely in
evidence. Then Man has a set of mental characteristics that are his own,
and which are not possessed by the lower animals (See "Fourteen
Lessons"). And in addition to the mental faculties common to all men, or
rather, that are in evidence in a greater or lesser degree among all men,
there are still higher faculties latent within Man, which when manifested
and expressed render Man more than ordinary Man. The unfoldment of these
latent faculties is possible to all who have reached the proper stage of
development, and the desire and hunger of the student for this
instruction is caused by the pressure of these unfolding latent
faculties, crying to be born into consciousness. Then there is that
wonderful thing, the Will, which is but faintly understood by those
ignorant of the Yogi Philosophy--the Power of the Ego--its birthright
from the Absolute.

But while these mental and physical things _belong_ to Man, they are
_not_ the Man himself. Before the Man is able to master, control, and
direct the things belonging to him--his tools and instruments--he must
awaken to a realization of Himself. He must be able to distinguish
between the "I" and the "Not I." And this is the first task before the
Candidate.