Gratefully dedicated to

C A R R P . C O L L I N S , JR.
who suggested and inspired this book,
and without whom it would never have been written
or completed!
 PREFACE

T H I S BOOK WAS F O R M E R L Y
entitled Twelve Steps to Spiritual Enlightment. Insofar as it
was intended to be a m a n u a l delineating a course of practical
study to extend over a p e r i o d of at least twelve m o n t h s , that
title seems rather presumptuous. It h a d been my original i n -
tention to entitle it The One Year Manual. T h e title describes
the nature of the b o o k w i t h o u t any pretensions, assumptions
or exaggerated claims.
Several experiences w r a n k l e d in my m i n d not o n l y about
the title but by the C h r i s t i a n references w h i c h were really quite
foreign to my o u t l o o k . T h e first b l o w came w h e n a psychol-
ogist l i v i n g in F l o r i d a corresponded w i t h me about a couple of
my other b o o k s . T h e n she chanced u p o n the Twelve Steps to
Spiritual Enlightenment. It so annoyed her that she wrote me
most emphatically about her d i s a p p r o v a l . There was n o t h i n g I
c o u l d do honestly but to w r i t e back agreeing w i t h her and ad-
mitting that I had no great l i k i n g for these C h r i s t i a n references
either.
Sometime after that there was an editorial in a small
British magazine Agape w i t h whose editor there h a d been oc-
casional correspondence. T h i s editorial was most critical of
both me and the b o o k . It made me realize the enormity of my
error and h o w far I had strayed f r o m w h a t was really accep-
table to me.
T h e r e were several others that h a m m e r e d home the
point.
56 / T H E O N E YEAR M A N U A L

justified w i t h o u t unnatural denial or negligence, hence the

realization obtained o f G o d must b e f u l l and c o m p l e t e - a
perfect a n d harmonious indentification w i t h divine p o w e r and
life a n d love.
STEP X I
U N I T Y - A L L IS G O D

I who made the Universe am the Universe: and abide its separate Lord.
Song Celestial

NOW THAT, THROUGH THE

pursuit of this series of psycho-spiritual disciplines, some
degree of G o d - r e a l i z a t i o n has been achieved (though never let
it be forgotten for one second that this is but a beginning and a
beginning only) the student is faced by a most i m p o r t a n t deci-
sion. He is obliged to eradicate every vestige of duality f r o m
his t h i n k i n g . Residues w i l l cling to his m i n d , in very subtle
w a y s . There is no G o d and the W o r l d there is not G o d and
himself. There is only G o d . A l l is G o d . E v e r y trivial action is
G o d - d i r e c t e d . E v e r y single object in his environment is G o d -
e n d o w e d . E v e n the e g o t h o u g h that seems to be the major
obstacle to be gotten r i d o f i s G o d - d e t e r m i n e d .
Y e t he is a m a n or w o m a n l i v i n g for the moment in w h a t
appears to be a material w o r l d . He has to accept the w o r l d of
appearances, the phenomenal w o r l d , exactly as it is. T h e r e , in
that phenomenal w o r l d , heat burns, c o l d freezes, water is wet,
concrete is h a r d and his body needs n u t r i t i o n of every k i n d .
A l t h o u g h each and everyone of these phenomena are divine
phenomena and in their constant change are nonetheless
representative of the ceaseless activity of the u n c h a n g i n g , o m -
nipotent b o d y of G o d yet he must learn to keep all these
diverse phenomena in their o w n place. Because he realizes his
essential identity w i t h the Life in all things howsoever diverse,
yet he has to realize as w e l l that these phenomena have their
distinct laws w h i c h must be respected and obeyed.