The Illusion of Co-Creating and the Reality of aligned Co-Creating

From traditional and fundamentalist dogma to metaphysical speculations, the basic belief has been that the Power of God can intervene in human affairs to somehow provide people with what they believe they need. A very large percentage of any organized or even non-organized religion has had such a belief as the foundation of its existence. In the most basic of terms, most human beings are attracted to some form of religion based on what they believe the religion can do for them in their present physical lives and as some assurance of a good experience in any afterlife. In effect, the religion—at least in a follower’s mind—acts as an intermediary between the follower and God. Reduced to its simplest description, people become part of a religion with the thought that through the religion of their choice, God will grant them their desires or prayers in this life and the afterlife.

When humans are very young, they look up to their physical parents to supply their needs. When they become adults—at least numbered in physical years—they turn to God to take over for their physical parents to supply their needs during their physical lifetime and in the life beyond the physical. In traditional religion God is prayed to—that is, asked, pleaded with, or begged—for something to be granted.

In more metaphysical spirituality, nothing is asked, but affirmed that in the mind of God, it is already theirs. In some of the more unaware attempts at metaphysical spirituality, people are taught that God or Universal Mind is like a magic genie that will do for them whatever the individual egos wish or command it to do. Then there is still another concept, which suggests that a person joins with God to co-create whatever the individual ego is seeking.

Now, there is the Reality that has not yet been mentioned—the mystical Reality that is aware that the personal ego does not know what is best for the soul. Only God or Universal Consciousness knows, and living life with the concept that the personal ego can petition Universal Mind or God to join in a process of co-creating is an illusion. God-Mind or Universal Mind will not enter into a co-creative process to provide anything just because the will of the personal ego so desires. Only when the Will of God or the Universe is served will any form of a co-creative process with a human being ever be entered into.

This Reality is that God-Mind places into human conscious awareness what it should do, want, or desire. In essence, human consciousness can agree to co-create with the Will of God—to align itself with the Universal Will, such that the Will of God or Spirit be done through the soul and its outward, physical form expression. Thus, what can be called Aligned Co-Creating refers to the soul in human form expression in alignment with Universal Will. In this way, the soul and its human form expression are working in harmony with the Universal Life process ad infinitum.

So–what to do?

Mystics who have achieved true Enlightenment or Union with God are fully aware that they live to do the Will of God. The needs of the personal ego are set aside, while the Will of God Consciousness and the role of the soul in God Consciousness take priority. The words from the Bible echo this truth: “Not my will (i.e., the will of the personal ego), but Thy will be done.”

Until one has experienced Enlightenment or mystical Oneness with God, every day maintain an awareness that “Thy Will, not mine be done.” When you pray, ask that God’s Will for your soul be made known to your conscious awareness. Pray for Divine God Guidance for your mind to be aligned with the Will of God for your soul. Every day seek to diminish the illusion of a personal ego identity and its will.

After Enlightenment, one should do the very same, for it will still take time for Universal Identity to be fully in charge while the personal ego struggles to retain its illusionary control.

And for those seeking an upgraded afterlife experience, the words from the Christ Mind that was in Jesus provide counsel: “Unless a man doeth the Will of the Father, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” The kingdom of heaven is both a higher, heavenly, aware consciousness while still in physical life embodiment, as well as an afterlife heavenly environment.

Be in Aligned Co-Creating with Universal God-Mind and Spirit, and be one with the words, “on earth as it is in heaven.”

DUALITY AND POLARITY

   For the sake of simplicity let's examine the most basic of natural laws, one that applies to all things, both locally on our 'home planet ' and almost certainly applies to all parts of our universe as well. I am referring to the Law of Duality. All of creation manifests through the duality of life, and the interaction of these two polarities is responsible for the interaction that occurs between all of creation and its environment. There is a pulling and pushing of the polarities as they strive towards a balance of power. If a balance is struck, then there is a state of equilibrium.

A polarity also exist within each created things or being, and humanity is deliberately learning to work with these same forces. We are at the point in our evolution where we have freedom of will to learn how to manipulate and wield these energies. Through cause and effect, action and reaction, we are testing powers that are relatively new to us and trying to bring about effects that are harmonious to both us and those we care about the most. When we bring the many opposing forces within our being into balance, we will have learned how to keep our small planet spinning smoothly as a small universe should.

However, the most amazing thing about opposite is that they are really the same thing, just two sides of the same coin. For instance, take hot and cold. I am speaking of only one thing here, namely, temperature manifesting in different degrees. There is a sliding scale of degrees of temperature, with 'hot' at one end and 'cold' at the other. Somewhere in the centre we find lukewarm, and from there, whether we move  little in the other direction towards hot, we are still referring to the same thing. There is no line of demarcation where what we  are measuring turns into something else. And no matter at what point on this sliding scale we look, we find the polarity sliding along with it. Temperature that is negative polarity in one instance could be a positive one further down the scale in relation to something a little cooler than itself, This example also applies to all pairs of opposites. For instance, what is the difference between large and small? is it not relative to what is next to it on a sliding scale of size, that we are speaking of ? What is the difference between hard and soft, black and white, sharp and dull, noise and quiet,high and low, positive and negative? Of course these are only degrees of separation between extremes on scale of sorts.

If we could balance a pair of opposite or bring the correct amount of counterbalance to bear in any given situation, we would become masters of that particular energy. We would also develop an awareness of each of the polarities or opposite involved, and which polarity is needed, and  to what degree in a particular situation. Each situation would have to be weighed and judged on its own merits, for no two situation are alike. That would require evaluation, dexterity and readjustment.

So how do we learn this ? By action and reaction, cause and effect, and practice. practice, practice. In other words, by really living life to the full and paying attention to all its details. what about love and hate? Where can we find a balance here ? This again we find a closet examination of opposites, leading to a more thorough understanding and balanced view of these  opposite poles. Wishy-washy sentimentality reflects weakness and lack the backbone that true love possess. How can we possibly give good, strong, true love unless we have the capacity within ourselves for justice, firmness and courage?

On the other hand, these three qualities, so necessary in a loving relationship, when carried to an extreme, could manifest in cruelty , which is an aspect of hate. A balance view of these qualities  and a knowledge of how they are a part of love is necessary to bring about harmony in love. Beside, when we cling hard to love, we automatically bring in an element of enslavement, and then it becomes somethings else. Listen to the words of Kahil Gibran of love , from his book The Prophet : Love one another, but make not a bond of love. Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. And stand together, yet not too near together, for the pillars of the temple must stand apart.

What about good and evil? on the sliding scale of opposite we have black and white at either end , with various shade of grey in between . What was 'good' for us at one point in life may have been 'bad' some other time, and vice versa. All is relative to where we are on the sliding scale. Judgment and conscience must be our guides, for the rules vary depending upon the circumstance .What can be 'good' at the right time and place can be 'evil' at the wrong time and place. For instance, silence can be commendable when we refuse to gossip , but evil if we do not speak up to save someone from false accusations when we known the truth. Receptivity and resistance to influence are opposites, but we need both, and also the awareness of what we are 'digesting' mentally when we are open. yet we do not want ti be so resistant or close minded that nothing can penetrate for us to weigh and judge. Each set of circumstance we encounter requires new adjustments. So what is the quickest way to find a point of balance ? Simply, the balance point of most things lie at their centre. So, we become balanced to the same degree as we  become centred, and we find our centre by interacting with our surrounding and achieving harmony with it.

Life is like a school which provides the necessary curriculum for us to lean by. But if we become hypnotised by our immediate environment and identify too closed with it, we get carried away from our centre. We are then automatically left with a sense of instability and vulnerability. We cannot stop the motion of life, nor would we want to,but we can learn how to stop reacting to every push and pull of life, and consequently adding our own emotional and mental power to it. When we react automatically, we are not being master of anything, and we experience the feedback of pain and feelings of helplessness. This type of reaction usually guide us back to our centre. And there is always another experience around the corner.

THE NATURE OF PSYCHIC CONSCIOUSNESS

Cosmic Consciousness related to evolution and culture? In other words, is the manifestation of Cosmic Consciousness only a problem of the distant future and other generations, or can it appear now in contemporary society through the unfolding in us of certain dormant force and potential capabilities?

First of all, let us briefly describe what is meant by the phrase Cosmic Consciousness and then how it might be considered to relate to individual members of society in the past, present, and future.

First, the term Cosmic should represent to mystics a state of Being radiant in nature and pervading all space and,hence all things; having vitality, mind, constructive power, and supreme intelligence. This state of Being has been referred to by many different names such as, the Absolute, Ultimate Reality, and Divine Mind, as well as the Cosmic, and total consciousness of this Divine state is known as  Consciousness of the Cosmic, or Cosmic Consciousness.

It has always been regarded perhaps as the ultimate goal of mysticism to be able to attune individually to this eternal state of Being, thereby realising our own source as well as the source of all life, of everything in existence. It is through attunement with the Cosmic that the mystic receives illumination, and frankly, the mystic path is nothing more than a direct path leading to this state of being.

The state of conscious attunement with the Godhead that is attained varies for all living things. There appears to be a hierarchical order in this awareness. The great mystics of the past, which include truly inspired religious personalities as well as ancient and modern philosopher, have perpetuated for us the existence of these states of awareness. Because of their efforts, we must always be grateful. Surely this mystical heritage would not be intact today if it were not for the cultural advancements and refinements of society in general. However, it is of  the utmost importance to understand that is every generation there are those present who have had degree of illumination, who have attuned to the Cosmic and have received varying degrees of understanding about its existence. These people do not receive recognition, nor do they usually shut themselves off from worldly contact. They are, however, readily recognised by fellow human beings as being exceptionally inspired; but they also practice the true humility that always seems to accompany attunement with the Cosmic.

As was state earlier, it is a tenet, if not a doctrine of mysticism that we an achieve a direct and immediate awareness of the Cosmic or Divine Truth , and this is accomplished through the faculty of intuition which does not directly use reason or any of the ordinary sense. Some of the traditional mystical channels of approach or methods of attunement through which this greater reality may be apprehended are meditation and initiation.

Due to the nature of the question, i have attempted to avoid the use of the term "God" in relation to Cosmic Consciousness. However,at this time , for further understanding and clarity of though, I think it is necessary to do so. For most of my readers, the term will be satisfactory. However, i use it here in the most abstract sense. Many readers will find greater understanding through this age-old term than with Cosmic Consciousness, Cosmic Mind, Ultimate Reality, and so forth. The fact of God is fundamental to most Mystics. In one of our old mystic Manual it states : " To mystics there is but one God, ever-living, ever present. without  limiting attributes or definite form of manifestation. It is the God of our heart. Mystical orders is composed of individuals of many creeds and many religious faiths from all parts of the world, but there is absolute unity in this one idea of God, the Supreme Intelligence, the Divine Mind." We often say in our rituals and meditation. "God of our Hearts, God  of our Realisation ," meaning whatever degree of Cosmic or Absolute we personally can comprehend.

Ultimately, our relationship with God is not one of political, social or cultural achievement. True, we are indebted to our past;but everyone, everywhere has the opportunity of gaining a better understanding of the nature of life and of creation itself. Life is an expression of the fundamental force or energy which started the whole universe and maintains it. it is a part of what we call God, the Universal Intelligence, or the Absolute. Through it we are always linked to that higher force and everything else in existence.

Cosmic Consciousness is not a condition of yesterday or tomorrow, but a condition of any moment. To make this condition manifest, we must remove the barriers which prevent us from receiving the correct answer to our questions. The removal of these barriers is the part of existence that must be earned by each individual. Contemporary people certainly have all the necessary intuitive potentialities. These can manifest as capabilities only if we have the inclination to make them so.

COMPATIBILITY

    Compatibility with others begins with ourselves. Harmonious relationships grow out of inner harmonies which are created from our willingness to approach challenges in this area of our lives as opportunities for personal growth.We are almost always required to change both our perception of self and our perception of the other in order to resolve difficulties in our relationship. This is a gradual process involving fundamental attitudes and life patterns, our most cherished realities. As we learn to attune with the Inner Self, we learn to see more clearly and to stabilize our emotions. The task is not easy, but is well worth the effort. let us begin with a period of meditation on a particular relationship you are currently involved in that is inharmonious in some way. First, it is important to search your own motives in the situation. Do you  truly want to create a more peaceful, harmonious relationship, or are you looking for a way to get even, to gain control, to manipulate? Are you avoiding the other person, resentful. combative, angry? Or, are you feeling powerless, defensive, inferior, helpless? The relationship will remain at an impasse until you let go of your old way of seeing and feeling. You must be willing to listen to the still, small voice within and accept the truth of what you know in your heart. This requires both honest self-examination, and then, the ability to forgive yourself and the other. Forgiveness allows us to learn from our mistakes, so the we can act with a renewed sense of responsibility and moral integrity to do what we can to help resolve the situation.

Second, it is important to assess the relationship on the basis of needs and expectations.We all have certain needs which are met within harmonious relationships,such as the need for companionship, for love given and received, for compassion, for recognition  and acceptance. we all know that when we live and work in harmony with others, we release creative energies to achieve greater goals than we are capable of alone. Relationships are jeopardized when we translate needs into unrealistic expectations. As adults, the two most common distortions are the result of expecting to be taken care of and/ or expecting one other person to be everything to us. Mutual trust, respect, and acceptance are best nurtured when we are willing to be responsible for our own needs; when we are willing  to be sensitive to the other person's needs; and when we are willing to risk vulnerability.

Often, we shut out all possibility for true, loving relationship because we allow fear to dominate our thoughts. feelings, and behavior. For example, imagine the other person in your mind's eye, and begin to talk to them. How are you assuming their response? Are either of you hurt, angry, defensive, fearful? Is there some way you can speak to them so that  they will respond in a more positive way?Or,so that you can face then more  compassionately ?Do either of you have unrealistic expectations of the other?  what would your life be without them ? How would their life be different without  you ? In what ways are your lives connected? What is the context of your relationship? Is there a particular issue that causes tensions between you? Can you visualize a solution that will ease the tension? Are you willing to negotiate resolution?

Explore the relationship in your mind's eyes from as many different perspective as possible. Be aware that your relationship grow and change as you do. The more objective you become (the more you free yourself from fear), the more insightful and creative your thoughts will become. Gradually, you will be able to replace fear with feelings of self-worth, love, and compassion. Finally, it is important to face your own loneliness. Only when we are willing to be alone, to commit ourselves to a relationship with  the master within, do we discover the capacity to love with a whole heart. Our sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves brings true emotional stability. Until we bring all our relationships into the context of our highest ideals, and dedicate our lives to the service of those ideals, we will not be effective in creating loving, harmonious relationships with others. Peace begins within each one of us and extends beyond us in an ever-expanding network of connections, dependent only on the strength of our commitment to spiritual realities.

SECRET SIGNS OF THE MYSTICS

There are sixteen signs by which mystical student and practitioners may be recognized. Those who have only a few of these signs are not student of a very high degree because true mystics have all of them.

1. Mystics are Patient.

The first and most important victory of Mystical student is the conquest of self. It is a victory over the "lion who has wounded bitterly a few of the best mystical student. The Lion cannot be overcome by a wild and thoughtless attack, but must be overcome by patient and strength. True mystic try to overcome enemies through kindness. They heap no curses but the fiery coals of love upon the head of others. They do not pursue their enemies with a sword or with rods, but let the flower grow with the corn, until both are ripe and are separated by Nature.

2. Mystics are Kind.

Mystics never appear dismal or melancholy or with a surly or sarcastic face. They treat everyone kindly and courteously and are always ready to help others. Although they are different from the majority of the other humans, they try to adapt themselves to the habit, forms, and needs of others as far as their dignity permits. They are,therefore, sociable and pleasant, and know how to converse with rich or pool alike. They carry themselves in a manner so as to win esteem among all classes of society.

3.Mystics Know No Envy.

True mystics are always satisfied with their lot and know that it is as they deserve. The advantages and riches which others enjoy trouble them not, because they always wish for the best. They know that they shall receive everything which they deserve, and it bothers them not if other humans have more than they. They do not expect any favors, but spend their benevolence and good will without any partiality. 

 4.Mystics Brag Not.

They know that the human is nothing but a tool in God's hand and that they cannot accomplish anything useful through their own will.To God they give all honor, They have no unbridled haste to accomplish a thing, but they wait until the Master who resides in them gives the order. They consider well the things they speak about and omit unholy words.

5.Mystics are not Idle.

By this they prove that there is something true in them that they are not as a bag blown up up with wind. Applause and censure leave them untouched and little do they feel sad if they are being contradicted and scorned.They live in their inner self and rejoice in the Beauty of their inner world, but they do not long to show their possessions or to brag about any spiritual gifts which they might have acquired. The greater their gifts, the greater their modesty, and the greater is their desire to obey the Masters Within. 

6. Mystics are not excessive.

They try at all times to fulfil their duty and to act according to the orders of the law.They are not swept away by external things  nor by ceremonies. The law is written in their hearts; consequently they master all thoughts and acts. Their dignity lies not in their outer appearance, but in their real self, which in comparison is like a root out of which spring all action. The inner Beauty of their inner self reflects upon their outer self and stamps all their deeds with its seal. The light of their inner self can be detected in their eyes by one who is experienced; it is the mirror of the "God Vision ' within.

7.Mystics are not ambitious.

Nothing retards the development and extension of the soul more than a narrow vision and selfish character. True Mystics always concern themselves more about the well-being of others than of their own. They have no secret or obstinate interest concerning protection or doing good. They seek to do good at all time and never miss an opportunity when it presents itself toward that cause.

8.Mystics are not excitable.

Mystics very often receive resistance from narrow-minded and short-sighted people;by slanderers they are sometimes insulted. Their motives are distorted. The ignorant judge them falsely. All such occurrences cannot excite the mind of true mystics, and as little can such disturb the Godly Harmony of their Soul because their Faith rests in the recognition and the Wisdom of Truth in them. The opposition of thousands of unknowing people will not deter them from actions of goodness and nobleness even if such action should result in the loss of their own fortune and life. Accustomed and capable to put their vision upon the Godly, they hang on to eternal Truth. Surrounded by sickly influences whose voices they hear, they are not  disturbed or influenced by the noise and alarm. They live in the company of noble beings who at one time were also human, but were transfigured and are out of the reach low and common minds.

9. Mystics do not think evil of others, 

Those who always think evil of others see only their apparent evil reflected in others. Mystics are always ready to accept all that which is recognized to be good. Suffering is the virtue through which mystics are exceptionally distinguished and recognized. If a matter appear ambiguous, they will withhold their judgement of it until they have examined its nature; but until their judgment is cut off, they are inclined to have a favorable opinion rather than unfavorable. 

10.Mystic love Righteousness. 

They never seek to judge the mistakes of others or appear wise by the  censure of others' infirmities. They love not follies and gossip of humans and pay them no more attention than they would to the buzz of a fly or the leaps of a monkey. They find no pleasure in reproaching.The seek not the cunningness of the fox nor the hypocrisy of the crocodile nor the robber-like greed of the wolf; they are not happy by the stirring up of dirt. Their nobility of character lifts them to a sphere high above such vanities and absurdities. The love the company of those who love the truth and are surround by the Peace and Harmony of the spirit.

11. Mystics love the Truth.

Nothing is worse than falsity and slander. Ignorance is something of no existence but falsity is the substance of evil. Slanderers rejoice when they found something on which they can build lies so that such may grow to mountainous proportion. The opposite of this is the Truth. She is a beam of light out of the eternal  Well of Good. Therefore Mystics never seek any other light except the Light of Truth. This Light they enjoy in the company of all the good who have found fulfilment through their Godly Majesty, whether they live upon this earth or in a spirituals state.

12.Mystics know to be silent.

Those who are false love not the Truth. Whoever is foolish loves not Wisdom. Mystics prefer the company of those who know the value of Truth in preference to others who trample it underneath their feet.Mystics keep their wisdom locked in their heart, for in Silence lies power. Their Silence ends only when the king bids  them to speak; for then it is not they who speak but Truth speaks through them.

13. Mystics believe that which they know .

They believe in the immortality of the eternal law and that every cause has its effect. They know that the Truth cannot lie and that the promise made by the king will be fulfilled if they will not interfere. Therefore, they are unapproachable by fear of doubt and set absolute Faith upon the Godly Principle of Truth, which has come to life and realization in their heart.

14. Mystics are strong of Faith.

Spiritual Faith is the knowledge of the heart and wholly different from the intellectual speculation of the brain. Their Faith rests on the rock of immediate perception and cannot be shattered. They know that in everything, no matter of what evil appearance , there is within a good seed and the hope that in the course of development this seed will grow and will be changed into Good. 

15. Mystics cannot be subdued by grief.

They know that no Light is without a shadow, no evil without something good, and that strength grows through resistance only. After they have once recognized the presence of Godly Principle in all things, external changes have no great importance and deserve no great consideration. Their aim is to hold fast to their spiritual possession and not lose the crown which they won in the struggle of life. 

16. Mystics always remain member of a mystical order.

Names play no great role; the principle which projects over mystics is the Truth. And  they who know the Truth and make practical in their lives are members of the Order over whom rules the Truth. If all names were exchanged and all languages altered, the Truth would remain the same.

The Dawn Of Awareness

   Dawn has often been used to symbolize a period of time when everything is new. In the hours immediately before dawn, darkness prevails, and during darkness it is difficult for us to have clear perception, whether we are concerned with visual perception or with clarity of thought. Darkness seems to be the place where fears and superstitions find shelter. Most of our fears and superstitious belief are n some way connected with the dark; that is their origin seems to be related to darkness. However, the person who imagines conditions that cause him or her to fear, or to develop superstitious practices, will find that with the dawn, the basis for such practices and beliefs disappears. The objects that may have caused us concern cease to have such importance. With the dawn light seems to shed a degree of understanding on all that we perceive and cause us to reanalyze our environment and our own mental processes.

      In a certain mystic ritual are the words: "Darkness is the absence of light". This phase, which mystics who attend convocations in lodges and chapters throughout the world hear during the early part of the convocation ritual, has been heard so often by so many that is has probably ceased to have the meaning it really should have for each of us. When we say that darkness is the absence of light, we are literally setting forth a basic principle of mystical doctrine or belief; namely, there are no grounds for people's fears or superstitions because they are, as already pointed out, evolved in darkness, and darkness is a state that exists only by being the absence of something else. Darkness is not an actuality.

      By stating that darkness is the absence of light, we are specifically saying that darkness is a negative  quality. It only exists because something else is missing. This can be illustrated by imagining two windowless rooms that are connected by a door. The rooms are sealed, airtight and light tight. In one room a great bank of fluorescent lights illuminate the room to a level almost equal to that of day light. The other room has no source of illumination whatsoever. When the door is close, that room is in total darkness. Now if i stand at the door separating these two rooms and then open it, i know before i open the door, that one of two things will happen; either the light will enter the darkened room or the dark will enter lit room. We of course know what will happen. The light will enter the darkened room.The room, previously so dark that it was impossible to see, will take on the degree of illumination entering through the open doorway .There will be a small area of bright light near the door and a lower degree of illumination where the direct light does not reach .

     In other words, as stated in mystic rituals, darkness is the absence of light, and light can replace darkness. If light could be replaced by darkness, then darkness would be the dominating force. Since darkness is only an absence of light, it has no power in and of itself. It is not a force; it is an absence of  force. It is not even an existent entity . its function and power exists only to the extent that we permit it to exists if we give free reign to our imagination and permit fears and superstitions to develop in our consciousness when it is in darkness. Let us term for a moment from the actual consideration of light and dark as states of making it possible or not possible to use our visual sense, and think of light and darkness in terms of knowledge and ignorance; or illumination as opposed to complete lack of inspiration, illumination or moral concepts. Knowledge is light. That is why we sometimes refers to knowledge as illumination. Darkness represents ignorance and superstition. Implied in the concept of darkness is slavery, or being bound to ideas or things.

     The mystic philosophy advances the principle that we may gain illumination, literally and figuratively. We may gain it literally by working as a material entity within a material universe illuminated by the light of the sun and the artificial forms of illumination that we have evolved. We also gain illumination by becoming conscious of the knowledge that exists in the world through reading or being told of the experience of others. But this illumination is only secondary to the illumination which we have the potentially of achieving by becoming aware of the cosmic force of which we are part and which can function through our own entity, thereby illuminating us to the realization of ourselves as a segment of the Divine, as a part of the God-force itself.

    Thus, when we speak of throwing light on a problem, or upon any matter, we are literally directing the force of our consciousness toward problems or conditions about which we seek further information or a solution. Every dawn brings a new day, and every new bit of knowledge we perceive bring a new opportunity for further illumination of our own consciousness. The attainment of Cosmic Consciousness is the terminology we use to apply to the illumination that comes to us when we are able to relate our objective consciousness to the impulses coming to us through our intuitive faculties equal in strength to what we perceive through our five sense.

Close your eyes a moment and visualize your consciousness as being a circle. One one side of the circumference of the circle are five holes. One the other side, there is one hole. The five holes on one side represent the five physical sense faculties: seeing, hearing, tasting,smelling and feeling. Though those five channels the physical world enters our consciousness, and within our consciousness the physical world with a relative fair degree of adjustment to that world simply for the reason that we perceive it . In other words, we gain knowledge of it. But for people to adjust themselves to the physical world is not enough. We have a soul, and the soul that motivates or activates our life and consciousness is of the immaterial or cosmic world and so, on the other side of our imaginary circle is one opening. This opening , which we call intuition , represent the means by which we perceive the impressions that into our consciousness from the Cosmic.

People will always live in disharmony and imbalance, trying to cope with serious problems, until the balance their consciousness by perceiving the physical with their physical senses and the psychic world with their intuition. Proper balance is essential to illumination, because only through perceiving through all six of these channels can we have consciousness fully illumined. Therefore, the exercise that help us to develop this faculty of intuition are the exercises that lead us to Cosmic Consciousness. We are giving a number of simple exercise in mystic schools . One that we should use from time to time is visualizing a symbol found in ancient symbolism and which has been used by mystics school for centuries. This is the dot within a circle.When we visualize this symbol, we should direct our attention toward the dot as being representative of ourselves, while the circle represent both the physical and the psychic or divine universe. The circle in its entirety represents the whole cosmic scheme. We might think of the line constituting the circle's circumference as being the physical world and the space between this line and the dot as being the transcendent or Divine. Then we should visualize ourselves as the dot with this area, equidistant from physical impressions, and from the Divine, thus being able to absorb impressions from the physical world and from the Cosmic, thereby gaining illumination. 

Mansions Of The Soul

On of the most perplexing question we've grappled with at times is that of our survival (or not!) after death. We are so used to our privileged status of having life, consciousness and free will when we encounter death at a funeral or as a witness to a fatal accident, its mystery and finality impresses itself upon us with great force and urgency. For some people the experience is traumatic, and they are left emotionally scarred for months or even years to come . For other it is a sobering wake-up realization that we have no guarantee we will see tomorrow. But for others, and probably most of us who are mystics, it spurs us on to deep reflection on what may happen after death and whether or not we are, as religions say, truly immortal.


The Essentials;

As this article wrote primarily from a western spiritual perspective, i find it convenient to divide my attention between the Jewish and Christain religions, and addresses religious viewpoint in future article. Each religion has its ideas about the qualities of what is generally called the soul. In Judaism the Soul is believed to be dual in nature: on the one hand it is active, for "...breathed into his nostrils the breath of life..." (Genesis 2:7 ); on the other hand, it is the vital spirit with which God inspires His human wards. I believe that this led to the confusion responsible for the emergence of the spiritualist movement in the 19th century. Christians, including Spiritualist and the catholic Encyclopaedia,see the Soul as the "ultimate internal principle by which we think, feel and will, and by which our bodies are animated". They identify with the universal idea of the Soul as not only a ' vitalizing essence " but also as the human seat of consciousness and mind.

     The author compare these ideas to those of mystic students as expressed through mystical revelation. He reminds us that all mater, regardless of how inanimate it may appear to be, is quite fully living. The only, but big, difference is between traits of life as opposed to traits of consciousness that all beings possess in some form.

     Spirit energy permeates everything and maintains the expression of matter;but it is not the same as the Soul. The Soul is the Divine consciousness or infinite mind and it is what connects us with one another on earth and continues to link us till in the spiritual realm. This connectedness of everything through a common source, the divine consciousness, has immense ramifications which everybody reading this article should ponder deeply.

     The Soul consciousness added to the physical consciousness in the body of man  during incarnation here on earth gives man his character or personality'. This is a key point and one that is ultimately bound up with the subject of karma,commonly referred to by mystic students as the Law of Compensation. There are three reason to support reincarnation. First, the soul must  have earthly experiences; second, the human body must have spiritual knowledge and illumination; and third, the human personality must eventually be brought to a state of perfection.

PERSONALITY

What is character and what constitutes personality?  The character, composed of one's ethical and moral principles, is ephemeral and changes easily; the personality is subtly different from one's character. We tend to disguise our true personality by adopting different behavior in our character. Someone, whom we know is by profession a banker, may exhibit the characteristics of a banker by his mannerisms, his style of clothing, even his businesslike conversation. When we think of him, we think the word" banker'. But in the evening we may be surprised to find him engaged in a pastime we wouldn't have though him to be associated with, such as carpentry, music, amateur dramatics and so forth. Our personality is in fact drawn to those things in life with which we have a natural affinity, and is the result or function of our evolving soul personality.

    "'The tendency if the inner self is to build up a personality progressively towards a higher degree of perfection rather than towards a lower one,'This progressive development of the personality is inexorable associated with the divine consciousness. Consciousness is a factor here ; the voice of the inner self or personality challenging the conduct of the outer self. Both seem to put humans at the mercy of fate, thus relieved of all personality for their birth. From a theological point of view, we come up against the doctrine of predestination by which some people would reach everlasting death. This has given rise to the introduction of a character called Satan on whom to shift accountability for all human evils.

Karma and Personal Evolution

The Soul has a continuity if experience through successive incarnations that moulds and perfects the mind and memory of the soul personality, thereby giving it greater comprehension and power. It is free to choose how it wishes to handle the debits and credits it has acquired throughout its cycle of evolution. This brings into play the law of karma or compensation. We discover in reincarnation and karma the only rational and acceptable explanation and cause of for the seeming injustice of the inequalities of life,.

   Succinctly, inequalities in life are karma and are according adjusted. Each person is responsible for his or her own fate. We are an aggregation of our past personalities, drawing upon the lesson and experience of the past to' express them as the fundamental element of our present character, while at the same time learning, through lesson and experiences, new principle and new elements out of which we decorate and modify, shade, blemish or improve the beauty of our character,.

To be continue ....