Onemoreexpressionofthisbelief，toincreasethereader’sfamiliaritywiththenotionofit：——
“Ifthisroomisfullofdarknessforthousandsofyears，andyoucomeinandbegintoweepandwail，’Oh，thedarkness，’willthedarknessvanish？Bringthelightin，strikeamatch，andlightcomesinamoment。Sowhatgoodwillitdoyoutothinkallyourlives，’Oh，Ihavedoneevil，Ihavemademanymistakes’？Itrequiresnoghosttotellusthat。Bringinthelight，andtheevilgoesinamoment。Strengthentherealnature，buildupyourselves，theeffulgent，theresplendent，theeverpure，callthatupineveryonewhomyousee。IwishthateveryoneofushadcometosuchastatethatevenwhenweseethevilestofhumanbeingswecanseetheGodwithin，andinsteadofcondemning，say，’Rise，thoueffulgentOne，risethouwhoartalwayspure，risethoubirthlessanddeathless，risealmighty，andmanifestyournature。’……ThisisthehighestprayerthattheAdvaitateaches。Thisistheoneprayer：rememberingournature“WhydoesmangoouttolookforaGod？……Itisyourownheartbeating，andyoudidnotknow，youweremistakingitforsomethingexternal。He，nearestofthenear，myownself，therealityofmyownlife，mybodyandmysoul——IamTheeandThouartMe。Thatisyourownnature。Assertit，manifestit。
Nottobecomepure，youarepurealready。Youarenottobeperfect，youarethatalready。Everygoodthoughtwhichyouthinkoractuponissimplytearingtheveil，asitwere，andthepurity，theInfinity，theGodbehind，manifestsitself——theeternalSubjectofeverything，theeternalWitnessinthisuniverse，yourownSelf。Knowledgeis，asitwere，alowerstep，adegradation。WeareItalready；howtoknowIt？”SwamiViverananda：Addresses，No。PracticalVedanta，partiv。pp。
andLectures，TheRealandtheApparentMan，abridged。
Thoseofuswhoarenotpersonallyfavoredwithsuchspecificrevelationsmuststandoutsideofthemaltogetherand，forthepresentatleast，decidethat，sincetheycorroborateincompatibletheologicaldoctrines，theyneutralizeoneanotherandleavenofixedresults。Ifwefollowanyoneofthem，orifwefollowphilosophicaltheoryandembracemonisticpantheismonnon-mysticalgrounds，wedosointheexerciseofourindividualfreedom，andbuildoutourreligioninthewaymostcongruouswithourpersonalsusceptibilities。Amongthesesusceptibilitiesintellectualonesplayadecisivepart。Althoughthereligiousquestionisprimarilyaquestionoflife，oflivingornotlivinginthehigherunionwhichopensitselftousasagift，yetthespiritualexcitementinwhichthegiftappearsarealonewilloftenfailtobearousedinanindividualuntilcertainparticularintellectualbeliefsorideaswhich，aswesay，comehometohim，aretouched。[358]Theseideaswillthusbeessentialtothatindividual’sreligion；——whichisasmuchastosaythatover-beliefsinvariousdirectionsareabsolutelyindispensable，andthatweshouldtreatthemwithtendernessandtolerancesolongastheyarenotintolerantthemselves。AsIhaveelsewherewritten，themostinterestingandvaluablethingsaboutamanareusuallyhisover-beliefs。