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 Five
Awakening to the Soul
We can develop our awareness of the world of the soul by freeing ourselves of attachment to the lower, personality nature through a process of: discrimination, dispassion, discipline, and decentralization. All these eventually lead to detachment from the mental nature, emotional nature, physical body, and the entire personality.
The first lesson of discrimination is for each of us to learn to think for ourselves and come to our own conclusions. We learn to discriminate such that we see the validity of two differing viewpoints: that each has its own source of truth, and that it is pointless to force people to choose one over the other because both are good.
In addition we need to learn how to choose well and act wisely. The whole path to the soul is a series of choices, and consequently decisions have to be made. We need to be consciously aware not only of what we think, but why we think it, and thus learn how to remain detached from a world filled with biased information, propaganda, and inflammatory speech. This is all accomplished through the development of our powers of discrimination.
Discrimination, in this instance, is not the process of separating out things or people, but rather of identifying both differences as well as that essence that is common to all. Discrimination is the power of the clear, perceptive mind that can see unity behind differences, synthesis behind all concepts, and the One that lies hidden within all form.
Discrimination is the power to choose wisely, in every aspect of life. It is that faculty of mind that allows us to see our way out of the mire of illusion to that which we call truth. It is the key that unlocks the meaning of all our daily experiences; it shows us how these experiences are expressions of our personality nature and symbols of the soul's purpose. We also perceive through mental discrimination how to free ourselves from these limiting experiences. Through right discrimination we can see, in every instance, the best path to take when making choices, and thus tread the path unerringly toward the light and love of our inner soul.
Discrimination leads us to the path of service to humanity and to the larger whole. It leads us to our outer group associates with whom we need to work, and also to that inner group of which the soul is an essential part. Discrimination allows us to find our purpose in life and identify the particular aspect of the planetary Plan that we recognize we are responsible for carrying out. Discrimination allows us to wisely identify our area of service, and to apply that which we know for the assistance of mankind.
Discrimination allows us to choose the impersonal over the personal, the inner over the outer, and the spiritual over the material in all aspects of life. Discrimination allows us to see the soul shining brightly in the heart of every human being, and gives us the power to nurture and stimulate that Light. Discrimination shows us the difference between an illusion and the reality, between a deceptive emotional glamor and soul energy, and between outer appearance and the inner life. Discrimination shows us the distinction between body, emotions, and mind, between personality and soul, between soul and Spirit, and between every grade of objective and subjective substance in the universe.
Discrimination is acquired by the full development of the mind, and by the lifting up of its vibration such that everything may be seen in its light. Through countless incarnations each individual has made choices and has experienced the inevitable consequences of both good and bad decisions. Through pain and suffering we come to realize what choices lead to the good, the true, and the beautiful, and which do not. Gradually our whole mental nature is lifted up and strengthened until right choices are repeatedly made.
We learn to discriminate between our own individual tasks and work, the tasks that are to be performed by our group as a whole, and the tasks which we are not responsible for at all. We identify those tasks that we are called to perform by the soul, and put our own personality tasks in their proper place. In short, discrimination allows us to choose between that which is essential and that which is nonessential. This leads to the right use of time and energy in every area of our lives.
Discrimination is developed by learning to think clearly. This means that we have learned how to study all topics, not just those that evoke our interest, and have learned how to create thoughtforms that are of service to others. Discrimination is also developed by learning to still the concrete, deductive mind, and allowing the impressions from the Abstract Mind and the Spiritual Intuition to reach us. The stilling of the mind is not the forming of a negative, receptive attitude. It is a positive action that watches and waits, holding always the view of the Onlooker. By holding the mind steady in the light, and observing its activity, a magnetic aura is generated that is receptive to the Spiritual Intuition and the Spiritual Will. When the intuitional impressions are consciously registered in the mind, then "right thinking" becomes a normal part of our lives.
When discrimination has been developed, its light shines upon the world of the emotions, and they are seen clearly for the deceptive forces that they are. This brings us to the realization of the need for dispassion — an absolute indifference to all things of the emotional plane.
This dispassion is not the result of a cold heart, the suppression of emotion, or simply rising above the feeling nature, ignoring its needs. Dispassion is not heartlessness or a cutting off of an awareness of the need of other people. Dispassion is holding an objective view of the emotions, remaining unattached to them. Dispassion is remaining free from identification with form. Dispassion is the stilling of the emotional vehicle — an action that is just as important as stilling the mind. Dispassion is holding the emotional nature steady in the light of the mind, and seeing thereby the action of the emotional vehicle without attachment to it. Dispassion is the process of balancing the pairs of opposites — right and wrong, light and darkness, good and evil, true and false — and finding that which is neither of them. Dispassion is holding that inward state in which neither pleasure nor pain exist, and the result is that they are both superseded by the joy and harmony of the soul.
We might say that passion is "addiction to people, places, and things," and that dispassion is the state of being free from these addictions.
When dispassion is practiced, the emotions no longer hold their ancient lure over us. We are set free from the magnetic influence of desire. The desire for material things, desire for personal love, desire for personal accomplishment and achievement, and desire for power and authority are all dissipated. We are then free to focus upon the higher realities.
The process of practicing dispassion is a long and slow one. The emotions are ancient in origin and are the primary controlling factor within us. Even when we practice dispassion, our emotions may remain strong and potent on their own level, even while we stand inwardly free of their influence. That is, we may still wish to satisfy our desires even as we view them objectively. This, too, must be transcended.
A long process of standing as the observer is necessary in order for us to be free; in other words, we need to hold our emotions steady in the light of the mind and refuse to be caught up in the emotional world. By this constant process of inward observation we learn to stand above our emotional life. When we see our emotions clearly, and realize their origin and source, we are set free from their control. We then live a life of constant love, joy, and happiness.
The third characteristic to be developed is discipline. No real progress is possible without the ability to enforce a certain pattern of activity and awareness upon the lower personality. Discipline is the setting up of a regular routine of action and meditation that results in control of the lower personality nature and the bringing in of the powers of the soul. Discipline is the action of the will of the soul upon the personality.
This discipline must, of necessity, be self-discipline. No one else can do the work for us; no one can lift up some magic wand, offer us a pill, or open the doors to the mysteries and free us from the limitations that we ourselves have nurtured throughout the ages of our lives. We must discipline ourselves by our own free will. The work we do for ourselves and for the salvation of humanity must all be self-initiated.
It takes discipline to establish a regularity of life and impose order on our daily circumstances. It takes discipline to discriminate between that which the soul wants and that which the personality desires, and to follow only what the soul seeks to accomplish. It takes discipline to hold our minds constantly in the light of the soul, and see all things in that light regardless of any outer condition or personality desire. It takes discipline to obey those impulses that emerge from our own souls and carry them out fearlessly in daily living. It takes discipline to truly live the life of spiritual living, and not just imagine, wish, or desire to live the life. Is this too hard? Is this impossible? It is not, for we have the example of all those who have gone before us, who have walked the Path, disciplined themselves in every respect, controlled their lower personalities, and entered the realm of the soul, the Kingdom of Souls, and the Spiritual Hierarchy. The Buddha, the Christ, and all other great teachers have given us the example of their accomplishment. They once struggled and strived as we do with personality desires and mental illusions, and They triumphed over them and attained illumination, transformation, and initiation. Where They have gone, we too can follow. For the factor of time enters in, and while the path of liberation is long and difficult, and the ascent steep, victory is assured and, in truth, inevitable. Each lifetime of effort builds upon the previous one; even a tiny effort on our part is not wasted in the grand scheme of things. We shall all, with absolute certainty, eventually reach the heights of liberation and freedom.
The fourth characteristic we must develop is decentralization. Each of us has a place where our consciousness is usually centered. Most people are centered in their personality nature, and are focussed upon their desires, feelings, bodily sensations, and thoughts. Decentralization is the process by which this focus of consciousness is moved out of the personality aspect into the soul. The personality "I" at the center of the stage gives way to a spirit of unity and soul life.
This decentralization does not mean that the needs and problems of the personality are ignored. It means that these problems and cares are put into their proper perspective. When we learn to live the decentralized life of the soul the personality automatically responds, and responds positively. The greater the soul life, the easier it is to take care of those personal problems that were previously overwhelming. The more the soul Light and soul Love pours through us, the greater the measure of true success — success upon the path to illumination and in service to humanity.
Decentralization is the achievement of a measure of impersonality — a detachment from the personal nature and its desires and an entrance into identification with the soul. Discrimination, dispassion, and discipline have done their work, and now the whole personality nature may be reoriented and aligned with the soul. Decentralization is achieved through a focussing upon the life of the soul, by holding the mind steadily in the light and living in that light. Decentralization is also achieved through the development of a loving, understanding heart that immediately responds to others and to the need of humanity. Finally, decentralization is achieved through meditation, by drawing the mind upward toward soul life and group identification.
Decentralization is the product of self-forgetfulness. This is the ability to detach oneself from the drama of daily life and live in the Light and Love of the soul. It is easy to be preoccupied with daily life and the cares and troubles of the day. It is easy to be swept up in the delusion of our apparently terrific and all-consuming personality difficulties. Yet from the angle of the soul these difficulties are nothing to be concerned about; they do not reflect the true spiritual values or the knowledge that we are in essence eternal and invincible. As long as we continue to believe that our personal life is all-important and of interest to everyone, as long as we believe that our life is hard and difficult, we have not set foot on the path of decentralization. Has not our life been set before us by the will of the soul? Is not everything that happens to us the result of the working out of Cosmic Law? Then what purpose does complaining do, except to focus ourselves in our own little tiny world of painful misery? On the other hand, when we lift our eyes to the needs of humanity and enter the group consciousness, the cares and troubles of the little self cannot touch us, and we enter into our heritage of joy and bliss. We come into contact and identification with the universal One.
Decentralization, then, is the result of following the tendencies, urges, and purpose of the soul. When we sacrifice our time, money, and energy for the sake of others, when we learn to identify with the group work and the group purpose, when we forget ourselves in service, when we act in obedience to the soul, and when our little personal life is dedicated to the One Life, then we have decentralized our life — the personality no longer looms large in our awareness and the living power of the soul flows forth.
This whole process leads to a complete liberation and freedom from the lower nature:
- Discrimination frees us from our thoughts and ideas.
- Dispassion frees us from the emotional nature.
- Discipline frees us from the control of the physical body and its appetites.
- Decentralization frees us from the whole personality nature.
The result is entrance into the freedom of the soul life of total love, joy, and bliss.
Previous — End of Chapter Five — 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