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Our Spiritual Origins: Creation of the Soul
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting, and cometh from afar…
Trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home.
—William Wordsworth,from Intimations of Immortality
THROUGHOUT history, humankind has pondered the secrets of its origin, the truth of its nature, and its relationship to the universe. Questions such as “Who am I?” “Where do I come from?” “Why am I here?” and “Where am I going?” have echoed across the generations, regardless of nationality, culture, or tradition. We have taken this ability to analyze ourselves as evidence of self-awareness, meaning that we are capable of seeing ourselves as individuals, separate from one another and from our environment.
For many years, this faculty of self-identity was accepted as a purely human characteristic, an ability which distinguished “man”1 from the “lower” animals. It was generally assumed that this aspect of our intelligence somehow made us superior to other life forms with which we share this planet. Man could think and reason, while animals could not.
In the last thirty years, however, scientific studies have slowly chipped away at the idea that humans are unique, thinking beings. The definition of man as the only toolmaker was shattered by Jane Goodall’s studies of chimpanzee behavior which revealed that chimps not only use but fashion tools. Shortly after that revelation, anthropologists began the task of teaching sign language to chimpanzees, and these studies would soon call man’s “uniqueness” into question to an even greater degree.
The first chimp to master sign language was a young female named Washo. Within months, Washo had mastered a vocabulary of over 400 words and could converse freely on a number of subjects. One day, her teacher showed Washo her own reflection in a mirror and asked, “Who is that?” Without hesitation, Washo signed, “Me, Washo.” With that simple gesture, the young chimp demonstrated the faculty of self-identity and challenged the idea that self-awareness was a uniquely human characteristic. Since Washo, other species such as gorillas and orangutans have also demonstrated this faculty and have further demonstrated the capability to understand such abstract concepts as death, as evidenced by the gorilla Koko, who mourned the passing of her pet kitten, “All Ball.”
Yet, a close look at humankind’s analysis of itself will reveal that there is more to the issue of “humanness” than the concept of self-awareness. The questions we humans ask raise not only the issue of who we are, but why we are here, and where we are going. They often take on a spiritual aspect, hinting at the idea that there may be something outside of humanity, a power greater than ourselves, which we have forgotten or do not comprehend.
From time to time, enlightened thinkers have appeared who have tried to answer these questions. For the most part, however, humanity has ignored or misunderstood their teachings, often encasing them in symbolic ritual. At best, these teachings were interpreted to mean that we were physical beings seeking a spiritual experience. Yet no idea could have been more incorrect. A review of the great religious works of the world’s cultures such as the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the biblical account of Genesis, the Bhagavad-Gita, the Sermon on the Mount, the Tao Teh Ching, and Zen philosophy, to name only a few, each teach one simple truth: we are spiritual beings having a physical experience.2
The fact is that we are spiritual beings, created by God to be companions and co-creators with Him. The soul came into existence as God extended a portion of Himself in the spirit of love. Our true origin is not this earth, for we are not physical beings. While we sojourn on this planet, however, the soul, which is our real self, inhabits a human body, a vehicle created for the purpose of housing the soul during its experiences on earth. The soul’s origin is divine, the result of a spiritual creation, while the body’s origin is earthly, the result of a physical creation. While the body can be destroyed, the soul is eternal.
It is this duality of nature which has baffled humankind throughout the centuries, for we too often see only our physical selves and do not understand our true spiritual being. It is also the reason humanity continues to question its origins, its purpose, and its destiny. In order to address the questions which humanity has long pondered, we must therefore consider both our spiritual origins and our physical heritage. For we cannot understand who we are, why we are here, or where we are going until we first understand how and why we came to be. We will therefore begin by taking a look at our spiritual creation, so that we might better understand the nature of our true selves. “… in man’s analysis and understanding of himself, it is as well to know from whence he came as to know whither he is going.” (5753-1)
The Creation of the Soul
The biblical account of creation with which most people are familiar comes from the Gospel of Saint John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) This eloquent passage has long been the subject of speculation and debate. It garnered the interest of early Christian scholars who were quick to identify the “Logos” (word), interpreted from the Greek, as the Christ. Some excerpts from the Edgar Cayce readings support this idea: “We have first the Son, then the other sons or celestial beings that are given their force and power.” (262-52)
Another interpretation, however, proposes that the Logos is actually a pattern of consciousness, which was imprinted upon each soul at the moment of its creation. The following excerpt from the readings seems to support this view: “For, as is given in the beginning: God moved and said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light, not the light of the sun, but rather that of which, through which, in which every soul had, has, and ever has its being.” (5246-1)
It is not so much which interpretation is correct, as it is that this pattern existed at the time the soul was created, imprinted upon the spirit or life force of the soul at the moment of its birth. This pattern, sometimes called Christ Consciousness, refers to the state of consciousness wherein the soul abides in perfect harmony with the Creative Force.
While the Gospel of John briefly mentions the “beginning,” the most complete biblical account of creation is found in the Book of Genesis. A comparison of Genesis and the material in the Cayce readings reveals many parallels. Both versions make it clear that the true nature of man is spiritual, that we were first created in spirit. The spiritual creation is recalled in Genesis 1:26, “And God said, let us make man in our image, and after our likeness.” Since God is Spirit or energy (force), and not a physical being, this passage refers to the fact that humankind was created in the spiritual image or likeness of God. It does not refer to physical attributes.
The readings further elaborate that God, in a desire for companionship and expression, extended Himself, through love, and thus souls came into being. “… when there was the creating, or the calling of individual entities into being, we were made to be the companions with the Father-God.” (1567-2) “Hence, as He moved, souls—portions of Himself—came into being.” (263-13) This indicates that all souls were created in spirit at the same moment. (From this point forward, I use several names as given in the Cayce readings to denote “God,” including Father-God, Creative Spirit, Creative Force, Spirit, Creator, God-Force, and Universal Mind. Each refers to the divine, omniscient, omnipotent, and sometimes personal, creative force that brought the universe into existence.)
Our Spiritual Purpose
We were created to be more than just companions with God, however, for our Creator also gave a purpose to our existence. This purpose was for us to be His heirs, co-creators with Him. “For, we are joint heirs with that universal force we call God …” (5755-2) “The soul of each individual is a portion then of the Whole, with the birthright of Creative Forces to become a co-creator with the Father …” (1549-1) The soul, as a portion of the Creative Force, is everlasting and possesses creative power. Through our expression of that power, we may come to know that we are one with the Father-God. The attainment of oneness with our Creator is thus our destiny. “For in the beginning, God said, ‘Let there be light.’ Ye … are one of those sparks of light with all the ability of creation, with all the knowledge of God.” (5367-1)
Our birthright, the purpose for which we were created, is called the First Cause. This original purpose is the underlying principle which motivates all that we do. When we are in spirit form, free of bodily limitations, we possess full knowledge of the First Cause. When we enter physical form, however, the density of the physical body causes us to lose sight of that principle. We see only our physical form and we come to identify with it, rather than with our spiritual nature. It was Jesus of Nazareth, as the first documented soul to achieve Christ Consciousness, who, in His parables and teachings, would call that birthright to our remembrance.
The Gift of Free Will
In addition to bringing us into existence and giving us purpose, the Creative Spirit bestowed a gift upon the soul. This gift—free will—would prove to be our greatest blessing as well as our greatest burden. Once given to the soul, this attribute became an irrevocable part of our being. When used correctly, in accordance with Universal Law, it allows us to express our co-creative abilities and experience companionship with the Creative Force. When used incorrectly, however, in a manner contrary to Universal Law, it has the ability to create great chaos.
The attribute of free will was necessary to allow the soul to choose to experience companionship with God. God was well aware that the gift of free will could be used for purposes contrary to His own. Yet a necessary condition of this gift was the fact that once given, He would not interfere with our choices. For God knew that we could not be true heirs and co-creators unless we possessed the same attributes as He.
As a corollary to the attribute of free will, God also imbued the soul with the faculty of development. This is the quality or ability given to the soul which enables it to learn from experience and to change and grow as it experiences new conditions.
So the universal stage was set. Born of a desire for companionship and expression, the Creative Spirit, through an act of love, extended His own spiritual pattern to create companions, who were at once individual and yet part of the whole. We are part of the whole of the Creative Spirit, for the spirit of God which extended itself is our life force. The spirit is that part of us which is immutable and never changing. The soul is our individual nature, able to choose, learn, and grow. Each soul can therefore be thought of as an individualized expression of the Creative Spirit, one with the whole and yet the individualized sum of its unique experiences.
The Error of Separation
At the time of creation, the soul’s will was one with God’s will. Through the exercise of will, we were to learn from experience and express our co-creative abilities throughout the universe. The soul began to experiment with its creative powers. What a glorious time that must have been, as the individualized expressions of God’s love moved in harmony and oneness throughout the various spheres of existence. Each soul expressed the Divine Will and power of the Creative Force it carried within itself and, by acting in unity with Universal Law, extended divine love ever further into the developing universe.
At some point, however, the soul began to see itself as an entity separate from God, a separate self, rather than an individualized expression of God. It came to see God as being outside of itself, rather than the motivating force or cause within. This was the first error of perception. The soul also came to see itself as the source of creative power, rather than as a channel for the expression of the creative power of Spirit. Belief in a false image of itself was the second error in perception. Both errors of perception led to a “separation consciousness” whereby the soul lost sight of its true origin and purpose.
As the soul applied its will for selfish purposes, it did so without regard for the well-being of others. Dissension among groups and between individuals arose, and the perception of separation grew even greater. In addition to the perceived separation from God, souls soon came to perceive themselves as being separate from one another. The soul had turned away from the Creative Force, hereafter symbolized by the light, and had stepped onto the path of error, symbolized by shadow, embarking upon a path which would lead to complete loss of spiritual knowledge, symbolized by darkness.
These errors in perception and the separation consciousness they induced have been called original sin by some, the fall of man by others. It is represented in the Bible as the time when Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden.
Yet God did not separate Himself from us. We separated ourselves from Him. A Course in Miracles teaches that we thought ourselves to be separate, creating an error in our perception, which we then continued to believe. The Cayce readings also support this view: “Hence the separation, and light and darkness. Darkness, that it had separated—that a soul had separated itself [author’s italics] from the light.” (262-56) We, through free will, made the choice to believe in separation and deny our oneness with God. We chose self over oneness, and through this choice brought sin into existence, for all sin stems from self.
Yet, while we believed ourselves to be separate from God, God, being love, could either condemn us for our error nor desire that any soul should be lost. So great was His love that, in the moment that we created the separation, God designed a plan to help us remember our true nature and purpose and find our way back to God Consciousness. According to the readings, that plan included the creation of time, space, and patience, to be expressed as three-dimensional materiality, as well as the creation of the Holy Spirit whose purpose would be to awaken us from the “dream” of separation we had created.3
The Material Dimension
It was evident by now that the gift of free will proved to be too great a responsibility, or perhaps too much of a temptation, for many souls. This is not to say that all souls had rebelled and used this gift incorrectly. There were still many who had not fallen into the path of error and honored their unity with God. Yet God loves all equally and shows the same concern for the loss of one as for the loss of many. In an attempt to help those souls who had chosen the path of error, God created a means or experience by which they might remember their original purpose. Since God had imbued the soul with the faculty of development, it was possible that the errant souls could learn the error they had made and choose to return to their original state of unity.
In order to understand the error it had made, however, the soul would need to understand the state of separation consciousness in which it now existed, as opposed to the state of unity consciousness at the time of its creation. The vibrational rate of the soul is one of the highest frequencies in creation. This high rate of vibration made it difficult for the soul to retain the understanding necessary to comprehend the error it had made. Have you ever run through a forest or wooded area so quickly that you never saw the trees alongside the path? It was as if the soul were moving through the universe so fast that it couldn’t take time to “stop and smell the roses” and understand what it was actually doing.
God, therefore, provided a means to slow down that vibration so the soul might comprehend the error it had made and regain its understanding. To accomplish this, He brought the concepts of time, space, and patience into existence. Since time and space do not exist in spirit, which is energy, these had to be expressed in the physical plane. The dimensions are all expressions of the Creative Force,4 created as teaching devices so that, through them, the soul would have the opportunity to recognize its error of separation, understand the nature of itself and God, and remember its original state of unity with God.
The concept of time provides the opportunity to understand that each experience has a beginning and an end. The dawn of each new day shows that we always have the opportunity to move into a new experience or state of consciousness, if we make the choice to do so. Every moment provides an opportunity to make that new choice. It is never too late to start again. The popular saying, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life,” holds more truth than people realize. The concept of time was designed to help the soul learn that at any moment it could make the choice to see past the erroneous thought of separation and reclaim its oneness with the Creative Spirit.
The concept of space provides us the opportunity to understand our true relationship with the universe. The vastness of space helps us understand the vastness of God, or the fact that the Creative Force permeates all that exists. Just as the stars are parts of this vastness, so the individual soul is a part of the vastness that is God. The grandeur and immensity of the universe that we see when we gaze at the stars reflect the nature of God, even though it is but a pale reflection of God’s true glory. When we gaze at the heavens, don’t we often marvel at the magnificence of the universe? Don’t we often take that a step further and marvel at the majesty of the God who created it? Somehow, in that humbleness, don’t we, if only for a moment, draw nearer to our Creator?
While time and space are the teaching devices which provide us the opportunity to recall our nature and relationship with God, patience is the spiritual force through which this learning is assimilated. Through the exercise of patience, the soul is given the opportunity to demonstrate “God-like” qualities and come to realize that these qualities are not only of God, but are the natural attributes of the soul.
Time, space, and patience, expressed in materiality, thus became the three teaching devices in the spiritual development of the soul. They, along with the Holy Spirit, the “voice of God within,” enable us to remember of the true state of our being. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance …” (John 14:26) As the Cayce readings explain it: “When we begin to catch a glimpse of the fact that all space exists in time, that all time is one, that all force is one, that all Force is God, we will be getting back to the oneness of which Christ was speaking when He said that He would be in the Father and we would be in Him.”5
So throughout the universe, time, space, and patience were expressed in the material dimension. The soul now had the opportunity to explore the worlds of materiality. Prior to this development, the soul had been in spirit form; it had not yet entered physical matter. The soul now saw before it a whole new realm of experience and quickly ventured into these new worlds.
The Scientific View of Creation
Before we discuss the soul’s entry into matter, let’s take a brief look at the scientific view of creation, also known as cosmology. While it’s true that religious and scientific thought systems operate from different paradigms,6 they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, many scientists express a belief in God, Albert Einstein being among the most famous. Many simply accept the fact that a Supreme Being initially created the universe and established certain laws, such as the laws of physics or evolution, as a means of bringing order to the universe. They seek to understand the universe as it operates under those laws.
When considering scientific explanations, we need to recognize that science deals with material phenomena only. The purpose of any scientific theory is to use the existing observable evidence as a framework to explain how and why a certain phenomenon occurs. It does not mention the existence of a Supreme Being because that is not observable.
Once we accept the fact that science and religion employ different methodologies, we can move on to examine what these different methods reveal about our origins. We may even discover that their perceived differences are nothing more than using different words to convey the same concept.
The Big Bang Theory. The most widely accepted scientific theory of creation is the “Big Bang” theory, a term first coined by George Gamow, in 1946, as a name for the initial cataclysmic creation event.7 It is based on the mathematical equations, called field equations, in the theory of general relativity as set forth by Albert Einstein in 1915 and the solutions to these equations provided by Russian physicist Alexander Friedmann in 1922. Astronomer Edwin Hubble provided supporting evidence for the theory with his discovery that galaxies were steadily moving away from one another.
Simply stated, the Big Bang theory assumes that the universe originated from a singular state of infinite density, which, due to a high-temperature state, expanded in an explosive moment of creation about 13.7 billion years ago. The Big Bang theory was elaborated upon by Alan H. Guth, who in the early 1980s proposed the “Inflationary Theory,” which used particle physics to account for the physical events taking place in the first moments of the creation explosion. It should be noted that this theory also makes predictions as to the ultimate decay of protons, which would indicate that at some point the expansion of the universe would not only halt but also implode upon itself. This brings us to an interesting point concerning scientific models. They disagree as to whether the structure of the universe is open, in which case it will expand forever, or if it is closed, in which case expansion will cease and space will contract in upon itself until all the mass of the universe is once against contained in a singularity, a process called the “Big Crunch.”
While this theory may sound very dissimilar to the biblical creation account, a closer look might show otherwise. The scientific view states that the universe originated from a singular state of density. Doesn’t this singular state sound similar to a state of unity, wherein all was one? Isn’t this similar to the state of God prior to His act of creation, when all was one? Might it possibly correlate to the “void” mentioned in Genesis? Then, due to a condition of high-temperature, an explosive moment occurred, resulting in the creation of diverse elements which began to expand outward. Isn’t this similar to the moment of creation wherein God extended Himself and brought free-willed souls into being, thus creating diversity within the Creative Force? Might this correlate with the statement “Let there be light,” for light and heat are both forms of energy? Then, following the big bang, the elements of the universe continued to expand outward, away from the center. Haven’t we, since the moment of our creation, drawn further and further away from our spiritual source? Also, if we consider the concept of a closed structure universe, we must contend that at some point the universe will cease to expand and collapse in upon itself, thus returning to a singular state. Isn’t this similar to the state of unity, or oneness with the Creative Force, to which we are all striving to return?
Supposition perhaps, but isn’t it possible that scientific cosmology and religious creation stories simply use different terminology to explain the same process as to how the universe came to be? Whichever interpretation you prefer, the end result is the same. Somehow, the physical universe and, later, biological life came into existence.
The Descent into Matter
Once materiality had been brought into expression, the soul was free to experience any of the material worlds which had been created. While not all planets were capable of sustaining biological life, the Cayce readings make it clear that there are other planets within other solar systems that represent the third dimension of matter as the earth does within this system. As the souls began to move into material expression, not all came to the earth plane, as some chose to experience material existence on other worlds.
God intended the soul’s entry into matter to be a learning experience, an opportunity for the soul to regain a sense of its relationship as co-creator with God. Through time, space, and patience, the soul was to use its individual will to express its co-creative abilities in harmony with Universal Law.
While God intended that the soul should experience the opportunities materiality offered, it was not intended that the soul permanently assume the characteristics of matter. The soul was to enter the earth plane in spirit form and be “in the world” but not “of the world.” (Refer to Table 1, The Devolution of the Soul, for a comparison of the various expressions of the soul in the earth plane.) As the first soul group, also referred to as the First Root Race, entered the earth plane in spirit form, the souls looked upon the world and were amazed. They found an abundance of existing life forms, plant and animal, evolving according to an established evolutionary plan. More intriguing, perhaps, were the physical sensations which these life forms were capable of experiencing. The souls soon realized that the denser animal bodies, or flesh, were capable of experiencing physical sensations which a spirit form could not. Rather than follow the plan for their own soul development, some souls made the choice to project themselves into these life forms so they might experience these physical sensations. Once again, the choice of self, in defiance of God’s will, was made. The souls that chose this path not only abandoned their own spiritual development, but also interfered with the development of earth’s life forms and altered their evolutionary path as well. This selfish projection into matter without regard for natural law was a misapplication of spiritual powers of the highest order.8 It also marked the souls’ first step in the process of devolution, whereby the soul descended from the highest realm of God Consciousness into the limited consciousness of “earthiness.”
| Table 1. THE DEVOLUTION OF THE SOUL | ||
| The original state of the soul in the spiritual realm: Spirit/Soul, an individualized expression of God’s Love/State of Unity. The soul entered the material dimension as: | ||
| Manifestation | Attributes | State of Consciousness |
| Spirit Form | -Spirit - Non-material manifestation - First Root Race | - God Consciousness |
| Light Body | - Material; not yet flesh - Luminescent light energy - Able to enter and exit at will - Second Root Race | - Diminishing God Consciousness - Soul-memory still alive |
| Thought Form or Thought Body | - Physical manifestation - Imaged in the soul mind - Able to enter and exit at will - Gradually hardened as mind dwelt on carnal thoughts - Third Root Race | - Losing awareness of God Consciousness - Soul-memory still alive - Beginnings of individualized conscious mind |
| Thought Projection | - Projection of an aspect of the soul into physical form - No individual will - Used as servants/laborers - “Automatons” | - No individual consciousness |
| Human Body | - Flesh and blood - Birth and death cycle - Density increased with time - Created as the perfect vehicle for the soul to use on earth - Fourth Root Race | - Division of mind into three levels: - conscious - subconscious - superconscious |
NOTE: This table does not include a reference to the animal forms which the soul experimented with as they are not considered a natural expression of man’s development.
According to the Cayce readings, the first soul group projected into animal, plant, and even mineral forms of life on earth! The creatures which resulted from these projections were not creations of God, but the result of the soul’s misapplication of its own creative abilities. At first, the soul was able to project into and withdraw from these forms at will. With each successive projection into matter, however, the soul began to stay in the body for longer and longer periods of time. The denser vibrations of the earth began to interfere with the soul’s vibration and made it more difficult for the soul to enter and exit at will. Eventually, many souls lost this ability completely and became entrapped in the world, unable to return to their spiritual form.
A Desire to Help
Thousands, if not millions, of souls were now trapped in the earth plane. As they descended into matter and its limited consciousness, they lost sight of their divine nature and were unable to return to the celestial sphere. Even the death of the organism was no guarantee that the soul would be freed from its earthly bounds, for some were so confused as to their true identity that they lingered in the earth plane, unable to “return to the light” from which they came. Disoriented and trapped in the earth plane, they often sought another form into which they could project.
These developments on the earth plane were being watched with great concern by the millions of souls still in unity with the God-Force, some of whom had not yet chosen to manifest in materiality. There were also others who had taken the opportunity to experience materiality in other solar systems and had not become entangled in matter as happened on this planet. From both these groups, many souls unselfishly made the choice to go and help their brethren, even though they knew that they too would run the risk of becoming entrapped. “… there were then—from the other sources (worlds) the continuing entering of those that would make for the keeping of the balance, as of the first purpose of the Creative Forces …” (364-7) The purpose for which the “second soul group”9 incarnated was a noble one, for they entered the earth plane in an attempt to help the lost souls regain their identity, an endeavor born out of unselfish love for their brethren.
Initially, many of these souls remained in spirit form and did not enter the flesh, knowing that to do so meant dimming spiritual awareness. Others manifested in a “light body,” appearing as luminescent beings of tall stature with slightly elongated limbs. Although not a physical body, this light body was of a denser vibration than pure spirit form, light being a material manifestation of the energy of spirit. They could enter and exit the light body at will, and “morph” its form into varied expressions. These souls had a strong affinity with nature and honored and respected the animal species and plant life that existed on earth. Unfortunately, many in this second soul group also succumbed to the temptations of the physical sensations of this world and lost sight of their divine nature as they repeated the mistakes of the first soul group. Although some of these souls had experienced materiality in other systems, there was something different about the earth plane. Perhaps it was its intense gravitational pull or the heavy density of the flesh of earth’s life forms. Perhaps it was a combination of these and other conditions unique to the earth that hindered their attempts to help their brethren, resulting in many of the second soul group becoming trapped in flesh as well.
Memories of this Second Root Race live on in the stories of the mythical land of Lemuria. Lemurians are also the true source for the legends of “shape-shifters” that are found in many cultures, particularly among Native Americans.
With the failure of the second soul group, it was clear that the sensory experiences of this planet were too much for most souls to resist. It seemed that any soul, no matter how noble its intentions, ran a great risk of becoming entrapped in matter upon entry into the earth. Yet even knowing this, there were still those who were willing to try again. One such soul was Amilius, also known as the First Son and Elder Brother.
A Plan for Redemption
Amilius belonged to and in fact led the group of souls who had never rebelled against the Creator, who still existed in unity and harmony with the Creative Force. Amilius had closely observed the activities of the first two soul groups and knew the difficulties the soul faced in trying to resist the physical gratifications of the earth. Concerned for his brethren’s welfare, Amilius felt that some action must be taken to give these souls the direction needed to bring them out of the chaos into which they had fallen. He realized that somehow they must be shown a way to overcome the physical influences which were interfering with the spiritual forces of the soul. So great was Amilius’ love for his brethren, that he proposed he take these very conditions upon himself! He proposed that he become as one of them and experience materiality, for only by experiencing those conditions could he overcome them and show others the way it could be done.
As a soul in perfect harmony with the Creative Spirit, Amilius spoke with the Father and proposed that he enter the earth for the purpose of leading his brethren back to a remembrance of their spiritual selves. God was at first reluctant to permit this, for He knew that once in matter, even Amilius might not be able to resist the physical temptations. Amilius persisted, however, certain that he would not lose sight of his divine nature, certain that he could overcome the entrapment of the flesh. God agreed, however, for He knew Amilius’ plan was the only hope for those that had become lost to His Presence.
Yet God did not will that Amilius should undertake this mission alone. He would be accompanied by other souls who also desired to help those who had become lost. Amilius would lead a “third soul group,” numbering some 144,000 souls,10 into the earth plane. This was the time “when the morning stars sang together, and the whispering winds brought the news of the coming of man’s indwelling …” (294-8) This was the Third Root Race, remembered in myth and legend as the people of Atlantis. Together, they would undertake the task of showing their lost brethren the way back to God Consciousness.
The Entry into Materiality
Amilius thus led the third soul group into the earth plane, so that they might experience materiality and overcome it. “… the first begotten of the Father that came as Amilius in the Atlantean land and allowed himself to be led in ways of selfishness.” (364-8) This did not, however, imply entry into the dense, flesh bodies we inhabit today. For Amilius purposed to create a material body from his own soul-self through his creative abilities. These creations were projections from the soul mind, called thought-forms, or thought-bodies, which the soul could inhabit and withdraw from at will. This body was not created through physical means—it was “imaged” in the soul mind and brought into being. “As to their forms in the physical sense, these were much rather of the nature of thought forms, or able to push out of themselves … much in the way and manner as the amoeba would in the waters …” (364-3) The soul could enter the thought body for the purpose of learning certain lessons designed to awaken the memory of its spiritual purpose and oneness with God.
Another aspect to this creation was the division of the sexes. To aid Amilius in the accomplishment of his mission, God moved to divide the soul into its two aspects—the active or yang aspect, and the receptive or yin aspect.11 By working together, the individual strengths of the male and female would complement one another. “… when there was that turning to the within, through the sources of creation, as to make for the helpmeet … then—from out of self—was brought that as was to be the helpmeet, not just the companion …” (364-7)
In their early years on earth, the souls of this group learned to use the attributes of the mind as they developed their mental abilities. At first, they used them in pursuit of spiritual matters, expressing the Divine within. These souls, attuned to the Creative Spirit and expressing its love in their activities on earth, were known as the “Sons of God.”
Gradually, however, some souls began to use more of the carnal mind and chose to live more in the thought of flesh than in the thought of spirit. They began to experience the world through the physical senses, experiencing desire, sex, ingesting first plant food, and later eating animal flesh itself. As they did so, the thought-body began to take on the form of that which they sought and began to harden, taking on the aspects of flesh as its vibrational rate slowed. “As these took form, by the gratifying of their own desire … they became hardened or set—much in the form of the existent human body of the day …” (364-3)
The downward spiral of devolution with its resultant loss of God Consciousness thus continued after the advent of Amilius into the earth. Many in this soul group became versed in the ways of the souls they had come to help. As they did so, these “Sons of Darkness,” as they are referred to in the readings, moved deeper into self-consciousness and away from God Consciousness. Self-consciousness became so great that they began to listen to another voice, a voice not of God, and not of evil, but the voice of self. This voice, the self-will as opposed to the God-will, is symbolized in the biblical account of creation as the serpent.
The souls’ continued desire for self-gratification led some to project a portion or aspect of themselves into a separate being, a type of “thought projection,” which had no will of its own but was subject to the desires and control of the soul which brought it into being. The readings refer to these as automatons “… that were retained by individuals or groups to do the labors of a household, or to cultivate the fields or the like.” (1968-2) The creation of these beings and their use as servants or slaves caused great dissension between those who remained true to their original purpose and those falling ever deeper into the self-gratification of materiality.
As Amilius, the Elder Brother, looked upon the errors that had occurred, he understood that the only way to overcome the physical world was to take on the aspects of materiality itself in order to demonstrate a way of escape from their carnal influences. He accepted that he would have to take on physical form—flesh and blood—and become as one of those lost in the physical world, so that he might experience the flesh in order to overcome it. By making this choice, Amilius determined to set the example for all to follow. He thus became the Way Shower, and took upon himself the burdens of a long journey that would lead humanity out of the darkness of separation consciousness and back to the light of unity consciousness with God.
There is an inmost centre in us all where truth abides in fullness; and around, wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in … and to KNOW, rather consists in opening out a way whence the imprisoned splendor may escape, than in effecting entry for a light supposed to be without.
—Robert Browning
