I AM

<p>The word "is," on the contrary, is derived from the word, "<i>esti</i>," which in turn was derived from the Sanscrit word <i>"asti</i>," both of which denote "existence," in its <i>absolute </i>sense, without reference to birth, bringing forth, or production. &nbsp;In its true and Arcane significance the word "is" is analogous to "am," which had its origin in the Sanscrit "<i>asmi,</i>" signifying <i>absolute existence</i>, which significance was also imparted to analogous words in the Hebrew, Egyptian and other Oriental languages. &nbsp;The Word "Is" has the significance of the word "Am" in the following quotation from Exodus, iii. 14, in the Hebrew Sacred Books: "And God said unto Moses, 'I am That I am'; and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel: I am hath sent me unto you." This then is the sense in which the Arcane Aphorism employs the term "is"--in the sense of Absolute Existence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>

The dawn of the Cosmic Knowing is upon us. The light is rising over the hills, bidding us awake to the tasks of the day. Let neither Time nor Space terrify us. Let nations vanish, and worlds disappear—

what is that to us? The Cosmos is our Home—all parts of Space our own—all Time ours to live in and employ. All the Time there is—all the Space there is—all the Knowledge there is—is ours to have and to hold. All this is the heritage of him who can say, and feel, “I Am!”</p>

<p>

There is a great difference between the Will‑to‑Live of the strong‑willed Ego, and the Desire to live again in the same Personality which is the only desire possible to these people who have not developed Egohood or Individuality. When one

realizes the “I Am,” over and above Personality, then the things of Personality are left behind, and the desire and will is simply to BE. The entity in the bonds of Personality, however, simply

desires to be and remain what he was—his Personality of “John Doe, grocer, aged 48,” being his idea of his Self. This Personality having perished, such an entity cannot find anything in itself to arouse the desire or will to persist as an “I” independent of the old Personality. There is no “I” in such a person—it is all “Me,” and the “Me” is the old Personality. Try to grasp this distinction,

before proceeding further—it gives the key to the situation.</p>