Based on my own experience, I consider it absolutely necessary to note here that the difficulty of a clear understanding of all this without a long and deep reflection and, in general, the complication of the process of standing on the right path for the obtaining in one's common presence of factors for engendering even only these first three, from the number of seven, impulses characterizing genuine man, derives, from the very first attempts, from the fact that, on the one hand, these impulses can exist almost exclusively when one has one's own genuine I and, on the other hand, the I can be in man almost exclusively when he has in him these three impulses.

For the conscious developing in oneself of the given impulses inherent only in man, I intend to recommend to you some of those simple exercises which were also previously presented in detail in the program of the Institute founded by me and were to be explained to the pupils who reached the mesoteric group.

I said "simple" because in various serious schools, existing even in present times, for the self-perfecting of man, there are for the same purpose very complicated exercises.

For a real influencing of the common presence of those who do all these special exercises, and for an easier assimilation of what is required and necessary, you must know first of all that the obtained totality of results of various functions proceeding in the psychic life of people, which is called "attention," is itself split automatically by the accidental surrounding conditions, as well as by an intentional force of will, into several definite parts, and each of these parts may be, of course also by itself as well as intentionally, concentrated on something special with a definite intensity.

For the given case, it is indispensable first to learn to divide one's entire attention in three approximately equal parts, and to concentrate each separate part simultaneously for a definite time on three diverse inner or outer "objects."

For the possibility of a practical achieving of this aim, in the same mentioned detailed program were indicated a series of exercises under the name of "soil preparing."

Although the exercises indicated in the circumstantial program were intentionally composed in sequence and it was required to begin from number one, yet for you Americans in general, on account of several misunderstandings in the past, I consider it most useful to start from number four.

This exercise number four, from the series for preparing the soil, is performed in reality thus:

First, all one"s attention must be divided approximately into three equal parts; each of these parts must be concentrated on one of the three fingers of the right or the left hand, for instance the forefinger, the third and the fourth, constating in one finger--the result proceeding in it of the organic process called "sensing," in another--the result of the process called "feeling," and with the third making any rhythmical movement and at the same time automatically conducting with the flowing of mental association a sequential or varied manner of counting.

Here there again arises the question of the poverty of the English language, this time in the sense that the contemporary people belonging to the English race and you Americans also, who have borrowed their language and use it in your ordinary life, totally lack any understanding of the difference between two entirely distinct impulses of an average man, namely, between the impulse of "feeling" and that of "sensing."

Since an understanding of this difference between these two impulses is very important for my subsequent indications concerning all the exercises required for you, as well as concerning the real nature of the psyche of man, I shall be compelled once more to interrupt the logical sequence of the elucidation of the theme I have begun and again waste my time on explaining, if only approximately for the present, this unexpectedly arisen philologically psychic question.

In order to explain to you this very important question, the difference between "sensing" and "feeling," I shall give you a corresponding definition.

A man "feels"--when what are called the "initiative factors" issue from one of the dispersed localizations of his common presence which in contemporary science are called the "sympathetic nerve nodes," the chief agglomeration of which is known by the name of "solar plexus" and the whole totality of which functioning, in the terminology long ago established by me, is called the "feeling center"; and he "senses"--when the basis of his "initiative factors" is the totality of what are called "the motor nerve nodes" of the spinal and partly of the head brain, which is called according to this terminology of mine the "moving center."

Just this difference in the nature of these two unknown-to-you independent sources constitutes the difference in functions which you do not distinguish.

For this fourth preparatory exercise explained by me today, first of all it is necessary to learn with what exists in you now only as a substitute, so to say "fulfilling the obligation" of what should, in real man, be "self-willed attention" and in you is merely a "self-tenseness," simultaneously to observe three heterogeneous results proceeding in you, each coming from different sources of the general functioning of your whole presence: namely, one part of this attention of yours should be occupied with the constatation of the proceeding-in-another-finger process of "sensing," another with the constatation of the proceeding-in-another-finger process of "feeling," and the third part should follow the counting of the automatic movement of the third finger.

Although this fourth exercise is the most difficult of all the number of exercises composing this series, yet, in the given case, as I have said, on account of various misunderstandings, for you, in my opinion, only this exercise may on the one hand correct your errors of the past, and on the other hand prepare all that is required for the future.

And for cognizing its importance and indispensability for you, as well as its real difficulty, it is necessary to do it many, many times. At the beginning you must try all the time only to understand the sense and significance of this exercise, without expecting to obtain any concrete result.

As only an all-round understanding of the sense and significance of this fourth--and for you, first--exercise, as well as the ability to carry it out, will perforce make it easier for you to cognize the sense and significance, as well as the carrying out, of all the subsequent exercises which are required for the acquisition of one"s own individuality, I therefore advise you, so to say, to "mobilize" all your forces and possibilities, in order that you should "BE ABLE" for a definite time not to be lazy and at the same time to be, in relation to yourself, that is to say, to your weaknesses, quite merciless, because upon this first exercise depends your whole subsequent normal life, and all your future possibilities, inherent only in man, according to law.

And so, if you really wish to have in yourself that which alone can distinguish a man from an ordinary animal, that is to say, if you wish to be really such a one to whom Great Nature has given the possibility with the desire, that is, with a desire issuing from all the three separate spiritualized parts and with the conscious striving to transform yourself into a so to say "cultivated soil" for the germination and growth of that upon which lay the hopes and expectations of the CREATOR OF EVERYTHING EXISTING, then you must always and in everything, struggling with the weaknesses that are in you according to law, attain at any cost, first of all, an all-round understanding, and then the practical realization in your presence, of this exercise just elucidated by me, in order to have the chance for a conscious crystallizing in yourself of the data still engendering the three mentioned impulses which must be present obligatorily in the common presence of every man who has the right to call himself a GODLIKE CREATURE.

Variation:

Often described as the exercise, this is Russ at his finest. Basically a variation of the three finger exercise, this powerful and simple exercise can be practiced anytime and anywhere.

Start with counting breaths, one in, two out, etc. Use the full numerical name, ie. two hundred thirty eight, two hundred thirty nine, etc.

Once you have established a "lock" with the counting, when it has become stable enough for you to let some attention be used for something else without losing count (this will take some practice) begin to "sense" your surroundings, perhaps feel the air on your forearm, etc.

Then when you have both the counting and sensing stablized, add "feeling" or emotion. Start with something easy, like gratitude or joy. Do not be discouraged if the exercise breaks down upon adding emotion, just start as before. With repetition you will begin to master it.

When all three are happening at once, a certain "something" will enter your being. For me, this is experience of the "aeon" or eternity. This is a higher level of reality available to us all.

Enjoy.

Note: Personally I find it works better to use footfalls instead of breaths, since my breathing cycle is so long that thoughts may enter in. Although walking is an added distraction, moving about in nature gives me a stronger "feeling."