World of the Soul
Author's Introduction
Chapter 1: The Search for Truth
Chapter 2: The Soul
Chapter 3: Life and Form
Chapter 4: The Constitution of a Human Being
Chapter 5: Awakening to the Soul
Chapter 6: Masters of the Wisdom
Chapter 7: Spiritual Hierarchy
Chapter 8: Hierarchies of Life
Chapter 9: History of the Soul
Chapter 10: The Path of Initiation
Chapter 11: First Initiation
Chapter 12: Second Initiation
Chapter 13: Third Initiation
Chapter 14: The Continuity of Revelation
Chapter Four
The Constitution of a Human Being
The nature of the human being has been debated throughout the ages. In the west, religion has taught mankind that the human being is a body that has a soul which may one day go to heaven. The religions and philosophies of the East speak of the existence of many aspects or attributes of a human being. Western science has undertaken a close study of the physical body, and may even eventually admit the existence of a subjective consciousness aspect.
We affirm the truth of what is said by religion in both East and West, and in the findings of science, but at the same time seek to find that synthesis that unifies and transcends them all. We seek to present a picture of the human being that is applicable in all fields of religion, science, and philosophy, crossing the boundaries that apparently separate each discipline and teaching.
The various teachings of the world each have their own interpretation of the nature of the human being, but some broad and fundamental principles are common to all systems, though they may be hidden within widely differing terminologies. Therefore each of us must carefully understand that what is presented here may seem different than what we are used to merely due to differences in terminology and not in differences in fact. Each of us, as has been said before, must develop our own structure of truth, our own terminology, and our own system. It is through building this system, and coming to our own understanding about the nature of the human being and the universe that the real spiritual work is accomplished.
Each teaching is based (or rather, should be based) upon the way the human being is actually put together. We look around at all the people of the earth and we see certain definite similarities. The human structure, or skeleton, is common to all; all have eyes, ears, noses, and mouths. All people have similar organs such as the heart and lungs, within their bodies. People, under normal circumstances, have arms and legs and hands and feet. In other words, aside from occasional differences, the outer form nature of all people is basically the same. From this, we may infer that the inner organizational structure of all human beings is also the same. There is an inner arrangement, an esoteric anatomy, and a structure of consciousness and spirit which is the heritage of all. Each teaching of the world's religions and philosophies is an attempt to accurately describe this inner esoteric anatomy and show how we can become aware of each aspect within it. Each system has its strengths and weaknesses, and it is up to each of us to come to our own understanding of our own inner constitution.
Therefore let us examine the following structure of the human being, and see how it fits into our own experience. If the ideas presented fit in and make sense, then let them be accepted, but if they do not fit, or you have found a better way to express your own understanding of the human constitution, then by all means use that which works, is right, and is true for you.
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In seeking to understand the nature of the universe and ourselves we will eventually discover that all things and all beings consist of a threefold nature. There are, so to speak, three major "aspects" to everything in the universe. These three aspects may admittedly not be immediately apparent to the casual onlooker. We have to take into account the subjective soul aspect of all things, and also their spiritual nature. To give some examples, we have the following threefold divisions. These examples do not necessarily correlate with each other, but nevertheless show the influence of the threefold division when explaining the nature of the universe.
- Spirit, consciousness, and form
- Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
- The Tibetan "Lords of the Three Families"
- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- Positive energy, neutral energy, and negative energy
- Proton, neutron, and electron
- Significance, meaning, and appearance
- Will, Love, and Light
- The two human eyes and the "third eye"
- Experiment, experience, and expression
- Sun, planet, and moon
- The alchemical salt, sulphur, and mercury
- The three primary colors
- Life, quality, and appearance.
In the human being, we shall describe this triplicity as:
- Monad, soul, and personality.
These constitute the three major aspects of the human being, and this threefold nature is inherently related to the triple aspect of all other things and beings in the universe.
We begin, therefore, with the purest and highest Spirit aspect within the human being, otherwise called the Monad. Essentially, and in the last analysis, each of us is this pure Spirit, this Monad. This Monadic essence is an inseparable part of the whole of creation, a spark in the One Flame, a life within the One Life. It is the aspect that experiences no separateness, no limitations, and no failure. It is one with eternal bliss and joy, absolute love, and Divine Will. The Monad is pure Being for whom past and future have resolved themselves into the eternal Present. The Monad is that which is neither dual nor non-dual, neither form nor consciousness, and neither the creator nor the created. The Monad is one with the universal whole, and like that universe, is eternal and unceasing; it has no discernible beginning and has no definable end. The Monad is a citizen of the cosmos, a traveller among the stars, and journeys from one realm of existence to another, one solar system to another, and one constellation to another over countless, unimaginable ages of time. The Monad is the force of evolution itself, that strives ever onwards toward fuller expression. The Monad is that which is absolutely and eternally perfect within us, and when we connect up with it, that perfection manifests itself in all aspects of our lives.
The Monad is threefold in nature — it has three primary attributes. These are: Will and Power, Love and Wisdom, and Active Intelligence.
In this triplicity we connect again with the threefold aspect all other things and beings in the universe, with universal energy and universal life. In the Monad, the Will of God, the Love of God, and the Mind of God meet in the human nature.
The Monad, or first aspect, finds its reflection in the second aspect, the soul, or consciousness nature. The soul has been named in countless ways: the higher self, the individuality, the observer, the perceiver, the actor, the real man, the Solar Angel, the Son of Mind, the Christ within, Pure Mind, Atman, and the player upon the stage of life. In all this, certain qualities of the soul stand out for us in today's era.
The soul is consciousness, and this definition is simple and complete in itself, but requires each of us to practice identification with consciousness and not with form in order to fully understand it. Consciousness is "that which is aware" and the soul is "that which is aware that it is aware" and which is identified with that observing awareness. The soul does not have consciousness; it is consciousness. It is the specific type of consciousness that is uniquely human. The soul is essentially made up of the substance of consciousness which produces individual awareness.
The soul is pure mind, the mind of awakening. It is pure presence or intrinsic awareness. It is that mind which is able to see all things as in a mirror and all life as in a dream. It is above and beyond the form as is a bird that flies through the sky is above the earth.
The soul is Light, that inner Light that reveals the spiritual path and the way to liberation. In the Light of the soul we look downward and perceive the personality and outer appearance in all its many forms. We look outward and perceive humanity as one inseparable whole. We look inward and perceive consciousness in all its many aspects. Finally we look upward and perceive Monad, Being, and Spirit — which is perceived as absolute emptiness and darkness to the unawakened vision but absolute fullness and Light to the illumined initiate. The soul is the radiance in which we become able to see the subjective Light in all realms and all beings.
The soul is Love, that love which manifests as compassion for all beings, the spirit of brotherhood for all humanity, and the urge to serve others unselfishly and with no thought of self-reward. It is the love that exists eternally in every human heart.
The soul is the intermediary between the highest Spirit and the lower personality — it is the energy that links the two together. The soul is that which implements the Divine Will in the world, and links Spirit with matter.
When the threefold attributes and potentialities of the soul are fully unfolded, the soul manifests as a direct reflection of the Monad and makes the Monadic energies a reality in daily life. These three attributes of the soul are:
Spiritual Will. This is the Will that knows its oneness with the Divine Will, and is identified wholly with that Will. This releases the power of Divinity in daily life.
Spiritual Intuition. This is not merely a human hunch or feeling; this is a pure, spiritual perception that is able to see reality as it is. When the intuition is awakened we are able to perceive the world of the soul for ourselves, and unfold those inner potentialities and powers that are our universal heritage.
Higher or Abstract Mind. This is the mind that thinks in terms of energy and force, and recognizes the subjective aspect of all things. It is the mind that thinks in terms of the larger whole, and the planet, rather than just in terms of the individual. It is the mind that thinks in terms of symbols, in mathematical formulas, and in patterns. It is the mind that recognizes and works with abstractions, or the subjective aspect behind appearances. When we meditate upon a symbol, such as a circle or cross, and attempt to penetrate beyond its outer form, beyond its normal meaning, and attempt to penetrate within such that the symbol tells us much more than could be extracted by simple rational deduction, we have awakened this abstract, non-conceptual mind. This Abstract Mind acts, so to speak, as the gateway to the world of the soul, and allows us to understand its nature.
This trinity of Spiritual Will, Spiritual Intuition, and Abstract Mind is often referred to using their Sanscrit terms of Atma, Buddhi, and Manas. The process of unfolding soul powers and soul capacities is the process of revealing these attributes and making them a part of our daily life.
The third and lowest aspect of the threefold human being is the personality, the lower self, the personal ego, or the lower, animal nature. The personality is, like all else, threefold in nature:
The Concrete Mind. This is the rational, deducing, conceptual, and logical mind that collects data, analyzes it, and comes to conclusions. It is the mind that remembers things, imagines things, and creates new thoughts and ideas which are embodied in speech, writing, and inventions. The mind gives us free will and individual purpose. The mind sets goals, registers achievement, and makes decisions.
The Emotions. This is our feeling or desire nature. It is the essence of the world of duality — the world of attraction and repulsion, love and hate, good and bad, right and wrong, and pain and pleasure. The emotions see all things in terms of duality and react in accordance with one's belief patterns.
The emotions usually dominate the personality nature, directing it by desire to want some things and not want others.
The Etheric Vehicle. This is the subtle energy or pranic body that contains the well-known etheric centers or chakras of force. These etheric centers transmit our thoughts and desires to the physical body. They are the directing and controlling factors of our physical body, through the mechanism of the glandular system.
The Spirit or life aspect is reflected in the circulatory system; as it is said, "The blood is the life." Thus the life aspect is anchored in the heart. The soul or consciousness aspect is reflected in the nervous system and the brain. The soul or consciousness aspect is often registered in the center of the head, in the brain.
The personality, with all its multitudes of thoughts and desires, is reflected in the glandular system, and these control the expression of the human being on the physical plane.
The following is an outline what has been discussed:
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE HUMAN BEING
LIFE
The universal energy and one existence
MONAD — Spirit, God consciousness
Manifests as:
Will
Love
Intelligence
SOUL — awareness, spiritual consciousness
Eventually expresses:
Spiritual Will
Spiritual Intuition
Abstract Mind
PERSONALITY — substance, human consciousness
Composed of:
Mental vehicle — concrete mind
Emotional vehicle — feelings and desires
Etheric vehicle — vitality and body heat
THE PHYSICAL BODY
A reflection and image of the above three aspects
The dense, visible physical body is, therefore, a reflection of the three aspects, and responds to the energies that flow to it from the etheric vehicle.
The purpose, then, of our work is to come into contact with our own soul nature, and later, the Monad. Our work is to identify with the soul and the Monad, and to know for ourselves that we are THAT. Our work is to recognize and express their qualities of pure mind, light, love, beauty, joy, intelligence, and will in our daily life. Our task is to bring these three aspects — Monad, soul, and personality — together into one whole so that they are integrated, unified, and aligned. This process begins with the integration of the personality. This personality integration of body, emotions, and mind is the work of most of humanity today. This process continues with the integration of the soul and personality, so that the soul pours its light and love through the lower self, so that it is redeemed, transformed, and liberated. This process continues still onward with the awakening of the powers of the Monad, which release us from all personality limitations and initiate us into the world of Divine Being.
Previous — End of Chapter Four — Next
Author's Introduction
Chapter 1: The Search for Truth
Chapter 2: The Soul
Chapter 3: Life and Form
Chapter 4: The Constitution of a Human Being
Chapter 5: Awakening to the Soul
Chapter 6: Masters of the Wisdom
Chapter 7: Spiritual Hierarchy
Chapter 8: Hierarchies of Life
Chapter 9: History of the Soul
Chapter 10: The Path of Initiation
Chapter 11: First Initiation
Chapter 12: Second Initiation
Chapter 13: Third Initiation
Chapter 14: The Continuity of Revelation