Then is the all mere Energy or Force?  Not Energy or Force as the materialists use the terms, for their energy and force are blind, mechanical things, devoid of Life or Mind.  Life and Mind can never evolve from blind Energy or Force, for the reason given a moment ago:  “Nothing can rise higher than its source—­nothing is evolved unless it is involved—­nothing manifests in the effect, unless it is in the cause. " And so the all cannot be mere Energy or Force, for, if it were, then there would be no such things as Life and Mind in existence, and we know better than that, for we are Alive and using Mind to consider this very question, and so are those who claim that Energy or Force is Everything.

What is there then higher than Matter or Energy that we know to be existent in the Universe?  Life and mind!  Life and Mind in all their varying degrees of unfoldment!  “Then,” you ask, “do you mean to tell us that the all is life and mind?” Yes! and No! is our answer.  If you mean Life and Mind as we poor petty mortals know them, we say No!  The all is not that!  “But what kind of Life and Mind do you mean?” you ask.

The answer is “Living mind,” as far above that which mortals know by those words, as Life and Mind are higher than mechanical forces, or matter—­infinite living mind as compared to finite “Life and Mind.”  We mean that which the illumined souls mean when they reverently pronounce the word:  “Spirit!”

“The all” is Infinite Living Mind—­the Illumined call it spirit!

CHAPTER V

THE MENTAL UNIVERSE

    “The Universe is Mental—­held in the Mind of the
    all.”—­The Kybalion.

The all is spirit!  But what is Spirit?  This question cannot be answered, for the reason that its definition is practically that of the all, which cannot be explained or defined.  Spirit is simply a name that men give to the highest conception of Infinite Living Mind—­it means “the Real Essence”—­it means Living Mind, as much superior to Life and Mind as we know them, as the latter are superior to mechanical Energy and Matter.  Spirit transcends our understanding, and we use the term merely that we may think or speak of the all.  For the purposes of thought and understanding, we are justified in thinking of Spirit as Infinite Living Mind, at the same time acknowledging that we cannot fully understand it.  We must either do this or stop thinking of the matter at all.