Isolated Unity is that stage of consciousness which sees the whole as one and regards itself, not theoretically but as a realized fact, as identified with that whole. It is a whole which is "isolated" in the consciousness of the man, and not the man himself who regards himself as isolated. The word [392] "isolated" refers to that complete organized organism of which the man can feel and know himself to be a part. The word "unity" expresses his relationship to the whole. It will be apparent therefore that this whole is something progressively realized. For the bringing about of this progressed realization the great expansions of consciousness, called initiations, have been temporarily arranged as a hastening or forcing process. This progression of realized "isolations in unity" may begin with the disciple's group, environment or nation and, through right use of the understanding, will end by enabling him to isolate the whole divine scheme or living structure, and to identify himself with it in an active capable manner.

The result of meditation upon this theme will be:

1. A definite illumination of the mind, for it will then be at-one with the Universal Mind and all the ways of God and the plans of God will stand revealed to him.
2. The creative imagination will be powerfully evoked in response to this revelation, and modes and methods of cooperation will be sentiently developed and the disciple will become a creative cooperator and not just an obedient servant of the Plan.
3. His life will be then inspired by the desire to serve humanity and to cooperate with the Custodians of the Plan. This will bring in the full tide of soul life, producing temporarily a violent conflict between the personality ray and the soul ray, but also producing a steady subordination of the lower to the higher, of the minor to the major.

I cannot too strongly call to your attention that I am not here dealing with the normal service and the self-enforced cooperation of the aspirant - a cooperation based upon theory and a determination to prove theory and plan and service to [393] be evolutionary facts - but with that spontaneous illumination, creativity and inspiration which is the result of the use of the Technique of Fusion by the soul - by the soul, and not by the aspiring struggling disciple. Here lies the clue to meaning. We are dealing consequently with that stage of development wherein, in deep contemplation, the man is consciously merged with the soul and that soul, in meditation, decides, plans and works. He functions as the soul and has achieved a definite measure of success in living as a soul, consciously upon the physical plane.

This particular technique of meditation involves the use of the head center, demands the ability to focus the consciousness in the soul form, the spiritual body, and, at the same time, to preserve soul consciousness, mind consciousness and brain consciousness - no easy task for the neophyte and something which lies far ahead for the majority of students who read these words. This condition has been described as "the intensest reflection of the man, isolated in God Who is the negation of isolation and is nevertheless the Whole which is set apart from other Wholes." When this state of awareness has been achieved (and Patanjali hints at it in the last book of the Sutras) the disciple becomes invincible upon the physical plane, for he is completely unified and linked up with all aspects of himself in the greater Whole of which he is a part, is fusing all attributes and is at-one with the Whole, not simply subjectively and unconsciously (as are all human beings) but in full, waking, understanding awareness.