Conation
<p>Science and Philosophy is fast approaching a meeting point, where they will see that behind the activities and phenomena of the universe there is to be found a Cosmic Will manifesting in the multitudinous variety of shape and form; life and action. Science and the Arcane Teaching agree upon this point. As a celebrated philosopher-scientist said: "The material universe is but the outer wrapper behind which is hidden a spiritual creative activity; a striving, feeling, sensing, like that which we experience in ourselves." Conation (the voluntary power impelling to effort) is held by Wundt to be the fundamental essence of this activity. Thus Wundt Postulates the existing of a Cosmic Will, similar to that of the Arcane Teaching. A recent paper by an English scientist says: "There is but one substance, and that is Spirit. Matter, so-called, is nothing but rigid places in spirit." Matter is now known to be but combinations of the ions or electrons, which are held to be little more than "centers of force" in the either. Thought without thinking-substance and motion is held to be unthinkable. Likewise science now holds that there is life and mind in all material substance, from atom to protoplasm. Science like the Arcane Teachers, find the Three Principles, Substance, Motion and Consciousness in everything. And science is beginning to see in "energy and force" the evidences of "something akin to conation." "Conation" is the "voluntary power impelling to effort; the faculty of voluntary agency," etc., or as Mill said: "Conation, in other words, is Desire or Will." So that science is meeting the Arcane Teaching face to face, on level ground. The symbol of the "World-Brain" is sure to come into general use in the science of the future.</p>
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One must indeed be a blind materialist to fail to see ever at work that "Something Within" manifesting as the "Something Without." The building up of the crystal, from liquid to regular and exact geometrical form, should be sufficient to convince anyone that there is a "Something at work" in it. Even the materialist is forced to recognize these facts--and he does recognize it, and call that Something by the name of "Nature." We have no quarrel with names--if the term "Nature" suits you, use it be all means. But if you think clearly, you must recognize that your "Nature" is Conative, and acts and manifests as a Cosmic Will. </p>