Nature of the Soul
By Lucille Cedercrans
Lesson 8
Once again I shall refer you back to the first two paragraphs of Lesson 6.
We have enumerated and defined the three inherent characteristics of the Soul
found manifesting in and through the perfected form as Divine Will, Divine Love
Wisdom and Intelligent Activity. We considered at some length these attributes
as the main factors of influence in the aspirant's treading of the path. We
realize now that the aspirant is impulsed by the Divine Will of the Soul,
infused and illumined by the Divine Love Wisdom of the Soul and swept into
activity by the Divine Intelligence of the Soul.
We shall now consider these three attributes as being three types of vibratory
energy which reach and influence the aspirant according to his aspiration,
meditation and application. We shall consider at some length this threefold
method of contacting, accepting and embodying the Divine energies of the Soul.
This will give the student a further understanding of the Law and make it
possible for his eventual contact in awareness with his Soul.
APPLICATION: After a careful study of Lesson 6 and 7, we know that the Will
aspect of the Soul is contacted by the student's persistent aspiration, and that
the Love Wisdom aspect is contacted by the aspirant's ability to meditate. The
third aspect, that of Intelligent Activity, we now learn is contacted by the
applied effort of the aspirant to live Truth.
This application put forth by the aspirant, not only brings his life and affairs
into Intelligent Activity, but it also makes it possible for him to manifest in
activity the other two aspects of the Soul which he has contacted.
In order to arrive at an understanding of how this is done, and what is actually
meant by us in our use of the word "application", we shall consider the
disciple's ability to establish and control his vibratory activity.
We have, in earlier lessons, defined a disciple as one who has entered into
conscious awareness of himself as a Soul and who works in the world as such.
This "work" of the disciple can best be described as his establishment of a
certain type and quality of vibratory impact upon his environment and his
control at all times of that impact.
The new student immediately wants to know what is meant by vibratory impact. You
- your thoughts, words, emotions and deeds carry a certain vibratory frequency
and as this frequency comes in contact with another individual or group of
individuals, the effect is called vibratory impact. The impact of your vibration
upon others can be either harmonious or discordant. When the effect is
harmonious, the individuals are in right relationship.
The aspirant is taught first of all to become harmless in thought, word and
deed. He then learns that only as his vibratory impact upon others results in
complete harmony, is he harmless. This realization, of course, indicates the
need for greater self discipline. Let us consider separately the four-fold
vibratory activity of the aspirant in order to arrive at a clearer
understanding.
1. THOUGHT: We know that all things which can be defined as "something" in the
world of form maintain a life of their own, manifest in time and space according
to the Law of Cycles and have a definite effect upon all other lives. This we
call vibratory activity. We know, then, that all things carry a vibratory
frequency which determines the length of the span of life in form, the
manifestations in time and space and the effect upon all other lives.
This is as true of a thought as it is of an animal, a human, a Soul, a Planetary
life or a Solar life. For this reason we speak of thoughts as thoughtforms. They
are actually ensouled ideas given concrete form.
While it is true that the individual human entity cannot originate thought, he
can receive the original thought or idea from the world of mind and give it
concrete form with a portion of his own quota of mental matter, within his own
mental aspect. This is called theorizing and the great minds of the race are
constantly engaged in this process.
The rest of the race, composing the greater part of humanity, have not as yet
reached this stage of development. They are controlled almost entirely by the
"great minds". They receive, accept and embody the thoughts set down for them by
the few. From this embodiment emerges a culture or a science, an educational
system, etc. These results will be good and untrampled by distortion if the
"great minds" are capable of clarity, and when the race is receptive. Motive
plays a large part insofar as the "great minds" are concerned. The unscrupulous
and the unenlightened enslave the masses. The true world server makes for
humanity a better place in which to work and grow to better understanding. Thus
we see the world of thought as the body of cause for all existing conditions
within the body of humanity.
The aspirant looks at his own thoughtlife in this light. He observes the results
of his thoughts upon himself, as well as upon others within his sphere of
influence. Does the vibratory impact of his thoughtlife result in Love, Peace,
Harmony? If not there is a need for much self-imposed discipline. Is he in the
process of becoming a liberator or an enslaver of the masses? Herein lies the
answer to his degree of harmlessness and the key to the type and quality of
energy he uses.
2. SPEECH: The words of the aspirant also have a life of their own; are the
cause of manifestations in time and space and have an effect upon all other
lives.
Sound affects the substance of which all forms are made. It sets into motion
changes, or establishes the motion of such substance. The vibratory impact of
sound can result in motion which is either constructive or destructive. When
sound takes the form of a word, a decree has been made. That word or grouping of
words, will manifest in time and space. My friends, could you but see the effect
produced by your words, you would be shocked. The broken bodies, the sick
emotions, the chaotic conditions which result from the words spoken by humanity
are painful to look upon by those with vision. A word once spoken cannot be
recalled. A chain of effects has been set into motion and will result in
physical plane manifestation.
The aspirant speaks and because he has become a recipient of a certain amount of
Soul energy, his words manifest with greater strength and speed than do those of
his less evolved brothers. His words have a definite influence upon those within
his environment. His words form and shape the conditions to come within his
sphere of influence. Thus do the aspirants and the disciples of the world
manifest the shorter cyclic conditions in which their younger brothers must
live. Many of the obstacles the younger brother must meet and overcome were laid
at their feet by the little knowing aspirant.
My brother, guard your speech. Study its effect upon others and learn
harmlessness. You cannot advance upon the path until this lesson is learned.
3. EMOTIONS: This subject presents quite a problem, for the average beginner has
little or no understanding of the emotions. Emotion is the name given to his
feelings, and what is a feeling? Lack of proper terminology further complicates
the task, hence the lack of clear teaching anent this subject down through the
past ages.
Let us proceed by first defining emotion. Emotion is the effect produced by the
impact of astral energy upon the sensory system of the physical body and its
surrounding environment.
Astral energy is that cohesive energy which, when set into motion, brings
together the energy of the mind and the energy of the physical substance,
thereby producing form. Astral energy is set into motion by thought, sound and
the activities of the physical instrument. A thought which is held in the mind
in sufficient strength produces a like vibration in the astral body. The
vibration within the astral body gives the thought a form in astral substance.
The vibratory impact of that form upon the sensory system produces what we call
an emotion, according to its strength, type and quality.
Herein lies a key for the earnest student; the registration of an emotion, for
the disciple, is an indication of a thought to which he has given form within
his own astral body. It revolves around him, feeding upon his own life energy,
coloring his personality experiences and often controlling his consciousness to
the extent of dictating his every act.
For average humanity, the astral or emotional nature is composed of many such
forms which completely blind him to the world of reality. Any vibratory impact
upon his sensory apparatus (of which his brain is a part) is colored by these
forms, distorting the true vibration according to the astral form or forms in
control.
The astral plane contains the aggregate of human emotion and has been called the
world of illusion, for here in form are all of man's thoughts concretized and
made manifest. All of these thoughts live and have their separate existences on
the astral plane. Little wonder that it has been called the plane of illusion.
Wise must be the consciousness who enters and works therein.
These astral forms manifest in time and space in a cyclic pattern and according
to the revitalization they receive from the human family. Herein lies a key to
one of the world problems. As an individual accepts and entertains a form
originated within the astral consciousness of the race, he gives it the power of
his own emotion and strengthens its attraction to the physical plane.
The astral forms (emotions for the beginner) we now know have a life of their
own, manifest in time and space and have an effect upon all other lives.
The aspirant at this stage of development must first clean out his emotional
nature. He learns which of his emotions produce a harmful effect upon others and
these he eliminates from his vibratory activity by a strict discipline over his
emotional nature.
By taking a positive action through the application of kindliness, friendliness,
love and tolerance his emotional aspect becomes a tower of strength, a healer
and eventually an agent of transmutation for others.
See to this part of yourself, Oh Disciple, for it must become harmless as the
dove before the door is opened.
4. PHYSICAL ACTIONS: Each act performed by the physical instrument carries a
vibratory frequency, the impact of which exerts an influence upon the
environment. Physical motion is the result of an expenditure of energy, and that
energy once set into motion becomes the cause for a series of effects. We find
that all physical action is an effect of higher cause - astral, mental or
spiritual. The effect always becomes the cause for other effects. All
manifestation is the result of energy moving through the various vibratory
planes.
Physical action becomes the cause of the effect known as "re-action". A mental,
emotional or physical reaction will be the result of any physical activity,
unless those who encounter the vibratory impact are capable of transmutation.
When the aspirant ceases the outer activity for a sufficient length of time to
contemplate the inner meaning of and for his instrument and its various parts,
much revelation comes to him.
The first and most obvious fact is that his physical body is an instrument of
contact with the vibratory plane in which his consciousness is focused. Its
constitution includes a sensory apparatus for the registration of incoming
vibrations, as well as outlets for the release of outgoing vibration. It is a
receiving and sending instrument composed of those parts which are tuned to
receive and send vibrations which falls within a certain frequency range. Thus
he sees, hears, touches, tastes and smells; and in turn is seen, heard, touched,
tasted and smelled.
It is interesting to note here that as the vibratory frequency of the instrument
is quickened, other senses are experienced, such as telepathy and all other
so-called extra-sensory perception.
The next obvious fact is that he, as a state of consciousness functioning
through a physical instrument, is intimately related to all others. This
relationship is most easily demonstrated in his ability to communicate. That he
has something to communicate to others and that he can be understood by them is
his first conscious realization of relationship.
The average man's lack of belief or faith in a life after death, or in the
existence of a Soul, is based upon his inability to communicate with those who
have passed over, or with the Soul. As soon as a way is found to perceive and
communicate with these and other states of Being, the human entity will not only
believe, but he will know. An event is coming which will establish once and for
all in the race mind the fact of planes of existence other than the physical.
The "event" will, of course, concern a type of perception and communication.
The next realization the consciousness experiences is the quality of his
relationships. With some the quality is love, others dislike, etc.
If the aspirant will observe that which he communicates to others, he will come
to understand that the quality of his relationships is wholly dependent upon
himself. He it is who determines the quality of his relationship with another;
first in his thoughts, then his words, his emotions and his deeds.
A very good example of this statement is the man who suddenly realizes that the
quality of his relationship is deceit. He is lied to, lied about,
misrepresented, mistrusted and mistrusting. Through observation he discovers
that he is communicating this quality to others, and in turn evoking the same
from them. Often he is thinking one thing and speaking another; or speaking one
thing while feeling and acting something else. Thus his own vibratory activity
is out of harmony and the discord is taking the form of deceit.
The next realization occurs when the aspirant becomes aware of the inner purpose
of his instrument and its various parts. As an example, he looks at his hands
and realizes in part, their reason for being. These God given instruments were
constructed for a Divine Purpose. How well has that purpose been fulfilled?
The hands are first and foremost the channels of Divine energy. Through the
hands flow the energies of Divine Love, which, when rightly directed, heals and
blesses. The aspirant learns to direct that force outward, through receiving and
sharing, rather than taking and holding. This is the first lesson the hands
teach. Many others follow.
The eyes are usually the next part of the instrument to be observed. For what
Divine Purpose were they constructed? The eyes were constructed to receive and
register the beauty of God's Plan on earth. Little more need be said.
Little by little the aspirant observes the various members of his own
instrument, learning the inner meaning underlying them and through self imposed
discipline, making of them fit instruments for the Soul. He learns to wield
spiritual energies for the betterment of mankind.
For the beginner, this is most easily accomplished by dedicating the instrument,
member by member, to the work of the Soul. He gives his hands to the Soul,
relinquishing all right or control of them to his higher consciousness. He then
observes the resulting activity. He then gives his eyes, his ears, his organs of
speech, etc., until he has dedicated his entire instrument to the Soul.
After consideration of this fourfold vibratory activity, the aspirant has a
glimpse of the type and quality of influence he exerts upon his environment. The
obvious disciplinary measures are taken and gradually he learns to control his
vibratory impact upon others. He applies every concept of Truth which he has
grasped to the task of daily living and thus brings his affairs into Intelligent
Activity.