The Lost Symbol

Langdon recalled a passage that had always stuck with him from the work of the philosopher Manly P. Hall: If the infinite had not desired man to be wise, he would not have bestowed upon him the faculty of knowing. Langdon gazed up again at the image of The Apotheosis of Washington — the symbolic ascent of man to deity. The created. . becoming the Creator.

«The most amazing part,» Katherine said, «is that as soon as we humans begin to harness our true power, we will have enormous control over our world. We will be able to design reality rather than merely react to it.»

Langdon lowered his gaze. «That sounds. . dangerous.»

Katherine looked startled. . and impressed. «Yes, exactly! If thoughts affect the world, then we must be very careful how we think. Destructive thoughts have influence, too, and we all know it’s far easier to destroy than it is to create.»

Langdon thought of all the lore about needing to protect the ancient wisdom from the unworthy and share it only with the enlightened. He thought of the Invisible College, and the great scientist Isaac Newton’s request to robert boyle to keep «high silence» about their secret research. It cannot be communicated, Newton wrote in 1676, without immense damage to the world.

«There’s an interesting twist here,» Katherine said. «The great irony is that all the religions of the world, for centuries, have been urging their followers to embrace the concepts of faith and belief. Now science, which for centuries has derided religion as superstition, must admit that its next big frontier is quite literally the science of faith and belief. . the power of focused conviction and intention. The same science that eroded our faith in the miraculous is now building a bridge back across the chasm it created.»

Langdon considered her words for a long time. Slowly he raised his eyes again to the Apotheosis. «I have a question,» he said, looking back at Katherine. «Even if I could accept, just for an instant, that I have the power to change physical matter with my mind, and literally manifest all that I desire. . I’m afraid I see nothing in my life to make me believe I have such power.»

She shrugged. «Then you’re not looking hard enough.»

«Come on, I want a real answer. That’s the answer of a priest. I want the answer of a scientist.»

«You want a real answer? Here it is. If I hand you a violin and say you have the capability to use it to make incredible music, I am not lying. You do have the capability, but you’ll need enormous amounts of practice to manifest it. This is no different from learning to use your mind, Robert. Well-directed thought is a learned skill. To manifest an intention requires laserlike focus, full sensory visualization, and a profound belief. We have proven this in a lab. And just like playing a violin, there are people who exhibit greater natural ability than others. Look to history. Look to the stories of those enlightened minds who performed miraculous feats.»

«Katherine, please don’t tell me you actually believe in the miracles. I mean, seriously. . turning water into wine, healing the sick with the touch of a hand?»

Katherine took a long breath and blew it out slowly. «I have witnessed people transform cancer cells into healthy cells simply by thinking about them. I have witnessed human minds affecting the physical world in myriad ways. And once you see that happen, Robert, once this becomes part of your reality, then some of the miracles you read about become simply a matter of degree.»

Langdon was pensive. «It’s an inspiring way to see the world, Katherine, but for me, it just feels like an impossible leap of faith. And as you know, faith has never come easily for me.» «then don’t think of it as faith. Think of it simply as changing your perspective, accepting that the world is not precisely as you imagine. Historically, every major scientific breakthrough began with a simple idea that threatened to overturn all of our beliefs. The simple statement ‘the earth is round’ was mocked as utterly impossible because most people believed the oceans would flow off the planet. Heliocentricity was called heresy. Small minds have always lashed out at what they don’t understand. There are those who create. . and those who tear down. That dynamic has existed for all time. But eventually the creators find believers, and the number of believers reaches a critical mass, and suddenly the world becomes round, or the solar system becomes heliocentric. Perception is transformed, and a new reality is born.»

Langdon nodded, his thoughts drifting now.

«You have a funny look on your face,» she said.