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6Virtue and Understanding

“Let us open ourselves as channels, and have complete faith in God, for the battle is the Lord’s. It remains to be seen what we can do when we give ourselves unreservedly into the hands of the Father.”

The search for God is not a one-way process. God is also searching for man, searching for ways to express His love for man which will be understood and received. As seekers we can easily become frustrated if we imagine that the spiritual path is toward a static, inactive goal. Yet an analogy which is probably more accurate is that for every step we take toward God, He takes many toward us.

Throughout the Search for God material, we have found the principle that man’s purpose in the earth is to be a channel to others of the spirit of love. The readings say that God, as well, has a specific purpose in the earth: to glorify each individual.

… as God’s purpose is to glorify the individual man (or soul) in the earth, so the highest purpose of an individual soul or entity is to glorify the Creative Energy or God in the earth.

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The problem comes when man tries to glorify himself: A deeper understanding of the laws of the universe will reveal to us that our individuality has meaning to the Creative Forces. Spiritual evolution is moving towards the infinite, expressing through and glorifying each individual. Profound changes can take place in our lives when we trust that there is a power and intelligence beyond our conscious selves that desires our good. With that kind of trust we are more and more able to let go of worrying about our own needs and focus on serving others.

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matt. 6:30-33)

Experiment: Select an area of your life in which you have recently been worried or especially concerned about making things turn out right (e.g., a financial worry, concern over a specific relationship). For at least a week turn this particular area of your life over to God. Affirm each day that God seeks to express His truth through this part of your life. Listen for and be aware of His presence active in shaping your life. Record any meaningful experiences that occur as you work on this experiment.

“To establish a common ground, let us say that to be true to that which is pure in our purposes is virtue … Virtue is pureness of heart, pureness of soul, and pureness of mind that come through His Spirit bearing witness with our spirit.”

Purity is the key word in the definition of virtue from the readings. This is a very different usage of the word purity than one that implies a “do-gooder” or moralist. There has been a strong reaction in our culture to the concept of virtue because for so long a kind of false virtue that amounted to repression was taught. However, our society has learned that, while allowing the expression of everything which was formerly repressed may be helpful for some people, it does not result in enlightenment.

The time has come to redefine virtue and purity. A part of this new understanding is that these two qualities of the soul exist in and of themselves. Purity is not the absence of that which is unclean or bad. Purity always exists within us, no matter what we are experiencing. As we were created in His image as spiritual beings, here is a state of wholeness and purity within that already exists. Moralists have caused trouble for mankind when they have insisted that each individual must create purity out of his condition of sin. In taking this kind of position, the moralist denies that this pure image of our divine nature already exists and simply must be allowed to express itself.

So important is this new understanding of purity that the readings prophesy that only those who can contact the essence of purity within themselves will be able to appreciate and fully participate in the New Age.

Q-13. Is the Aquarian Age described as the “Age of the Lily” and why?

A-13. The purity. Only the purity as it represents will be able to comprehend or understand that awareness that is before those who seek the way.

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Experiment: Look for purity in your life and in the lives of others. Consider purity in the way it has been defined above. Watch for expressions of the purposefulness of the soul rather than for situations where inharmonious or confusing tendencies have been minimized. Record your observations.

“Knowledge assists when it is in harmony and in accord with the Ideal; otherwise, it may become a barrier, a curse, and a dark pit from which it is hard to escape.”

Consider the following analogy as a tool for understanding this passage from the Search for God material. In a darkened room a flashlight illumines a beautiful statue, casting a silhouette on the wall nearby.

This analogy is suggested in “The Cave” by Plato and in the following passage from the readings:

… that we see manifested in the material plane is but a shadow of that in the spiritual plane.

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The light is symbolic of the one force—the energy of the spirit that gives life. The shadow represents the projection of spiritual reality into (a) materiality, and (b) the realm of rational thought. The statue—representing a pattern within the soul—is of a greater dimension and of a richer meaning than its projection. A person might look at the shadow and have intimations of the nature of the actual statue, yet never experience the statue itself. In the same way, we can have knowledge of a subject (even of a spiritual law) yet never experience any more than the shadow of its real meaning. When we settle for just knowing about something (the verbal or rational expression of a deeper truth), we repeat the process by which we as souls got caught in materiality. We were trapped in a physical conception of life by focusing our attention upon the shadows and forgetting their source or failing to experience that which was behind them.

However, the shadows can be helpful to our spiritual search. We must function in a world of material expression and rational thought. It is when these are coupled with an ideal that we grow in awareness. To extend the analogy we have:

The ideal points the way back to the source from which our physical world springs. The ideal reminds us to take the knowledge we have, experience its reality and not settle for just words or ideas. Knowledge not lived and experienced (just shadows)—knowledge not joined to an ideal—is sin, in the sense that we find ourselves separated from the source from which life comes.

Experiment: Choose a spiritual law of which you have rational knowledge, yet have not known through experience. Write down that law in as clear and concise a way as you can (e.g., whatever you are willing to give to others will come back to you). Each day for at least a week pray for a deeper experience of the meaning of that law and be open in your life for such experiences and awarenesses to come. Record any occurrences which give you a greater experiential understanding of this law.

“What we do not possess we cannot give. What we do not live we cannot teach others to live.”

One of the fundamental causes of problems in human relations is one person demanding of another something he should be doing himself. Not only does this cause friction between people, it also sets up a tension within the soul of the demanding person. To require others to live a truth that we haven’t yet lived takes us back to the essential misconception that reality is outside of ourselves.

The following story about the great Indian teacher Mahatma Ghandi illustrates his understanding of the necessity to realize a truth first within oneself before trying to awaken it in another. A woman brought her son, who was sick, to see Ghandi. He talked with the woman but did not give her any specific suggestions. Instead he asked her to return in two weeks. Upon her return, Ghandi outlined procedures which she should follow, one of the most important of which was to eliminate white sugar from the boy’s diet. The mother then asked why he couldn’t have told her these things two weeks ago. His response was that at that time he had not yet given up white sugar himself.

Experiment: Choose one principle that you have been recommending to others that they apply. Write down that teaching or principle (e.g., “we must be patient,” a particular dietary regime). Each day for at least a week make an effort to (1) refrain from telling others to apply this principle and (2) apply it in your own life. Record instances where you are successful in this work.

“We climb to heaven leaning on the arm of a brother whom we have helped.”

We have seen this principle frequently in the Search for God material. The readings indicate that heaven is a state of awareness in which we know the oneness of all life, and that that state of consciousness is especially awakened as we work with a motive of love to help another person. The necessity for the experience of helping others is beautifully illustrated in a vision of Rosiland Heywood, recounted in her autobiographical ESP: A Personal Memoir. This portion of her vision was in response to a desire to understand schizophrenia and how people suffering from it might be healed.

In the vision she saw a desert-like scene. There was no vegetation in sight. The only sign of life was a group of grey-veiled figures who were huddled far apart but unable to communicate. In her mind she knew that these were “the Lost.” Tremendous feelings of compassion filled her as she watched them. She sought desperately for an idea as to how she could help them. And the answer came from within herself—she could do nothing because she was not good enough. Paradoxically, it was only one who was perfectly good who could help. Such a person would be able to put himself in a position beneath even these suffering souls and become the object of their compassion. The Lost could be helped only by being given a chance to help someone else.

Once we have learned this principle we should apply it in two ways: serving others and allowing others the growth experience of serving us. The second method does not mean asking others to do things for us that we should be doing for ourselves. Instead it is a matter of being willing to let another person help us when he offers. Too often we may try to assert a false humility and independence by refusing the genuine offer of another person to be of service. It is easy to accept the mistaken notion that the spiritual seeker must without exception stand on his own two feet and be independent. Such an attitude frequently denies us the opportunity of being loving to another by allowing him the experience of being a channel of blessings.

Experiment: Unless it would result in the violation of a principle or ideal you hold, allow others to do the acts of service and caring that they offer you. Maintain an attitude of openness to being helped (yet don’t take this experiment to mean that you are to go around asking others to do things for you). Record instances in which others are a channel of blessings to you.

“We are moving along the path … when no unkind thought of our brother is allowed to lodge in our hearts …”

With the awakening of understanding within our minds, we see ourselves and others in a new light. Before this we may have attempted to keep from unkind thoughts of others by suppressing or denying our feelings of frustration and unhappiness. Now we see the personalities and behaviors of others from a new perspective. We are tolerant of others and ourselves because we know that there is divine purpose behind all that is happening, and that the good and the pure within each soul will eventually win out over inharmonious or destructive patterns.

Frequently our unkind thoughts of others or ourselves are based on a desire to have things right. We sense the potential in each person to be good and loving, and there is that within us which wishes this to be manifested. If we become impatient for this to express itself, then unkind thoughts may arise.

The law is that within each soul good is stronger than the patterns of confusion. Given time and the proper choices, good shall manifest through each soul, even the one that we find most difficult to love or appreciate. With the understanding of this law we have peace.

“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Psalm 119:165)

Be tolerant, even as thine Master was tolerant—even in His walks in life; but keep thine own mind, thine own soul, in readiness to serve where the Master leads.

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In Jupiter we find the universality, the ability of being tolerant. So few souls or entities have combined love in the material plane with tolerance! For, love in the material becomes egotistical, and this is opposite from tolerance.

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Experiment: Each day allow a sense of peace to fill your life by being tolerant of others or of inharmonious patterns within yourself. Record situations in which you were understanding and tolerant when your old way of reacting might have been to think unkindly.

“If we would have virtue, then let us step out on faith—faith in the purity of self, faith in the perfection of our brother, and faith in the promises of God. Virtue is the reward of faith, and understanding is the reward of virtue.”

This passage ties together the concept of faith (presented in the last chapter) with virtue and understanding. We can construct brief definitions for each of these qualities based upon the material we have already studied.

Faith is the experience of the reality of the unseen, spiritual world. But what is the content of that experience? As we move in consciousness into the unseen, spiritual world we may become aware of many different things (e.g., the different types of memories we have built). However, there is one very special content of our experiences through faith. We can become aware that there exists within our souls a purity of purpose—virtue. Our souls are not wandering aimlessly through the universe, but are guided by a profound sense of order and purpose that is true to God’s plan. Once we have experienced within this virtue, we can come back to our normal daily affairs of life and see things differently. We now know that there is meaning and order to what is happening in the physical world. We have true understanding, which comes as a result of knowing virtue.

This is illustrated in the following diagram. It shows a movement through faith from physical consciousness to the awareness of ourselves as souls. From that new perspective we have the perception of the purity of purpose that exists as an aspect of the soul. When we come back to normal waking consciousness, we can look at another person with a new sense of understanding.

Experiment: Choose an example from your own life of an experience of faith in which you feel you touched the purity of the soul (e.g., a specific meditation experience, an especially meaningful dream, an experience of deep love for another person). For at least one or two minutes each day recall that experience and what you learned from it. You might want to have this recall period at the end of your daily meditation. Allow the insights of that experience of faith to guide your understanding of others for a week. Record your experiences of seeing the actions of others with a greater degree of understanding.

Example:

experience through faith:	I once had a deep meditation experience in which I felt how everything I do is really an expression of my wanting greater wholeness.
experiences during the week:	I was able to see the actions of others who usually irritate me as manifestations of their desire to be noticed, be loved and feel whole.

“Virtue is a defense against all temptation to censure, condemn or criticize—for with it we see with eyes that are looking for the pure. We see behind the vice of other souls, made in the image of their Maker.”

As seekers after spiritual awareness, we become able to relate to the essential goodness in all that exists. This principle is at the heart of the philosophy in the readings.

Know the first principles: There is good in all that is alive.

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In fact the capacity to recognize the essence of good behind the personalities or actions of those whom we dislike is an initial step along the path.

Hold rather to those things in which, in thy dealings with thy fellow man, ye may see only the pure, the good! For until ye are able to see within the life and activities of those ye have come to hate the most, something ye would worship in thy Creator, ye haven’t begun to think straight.

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For what purpose do we, as spiritual beings, have experiences in the earth? The readings indicate that it is to magnify the good in life. In doing so, we grow in attunement with the divine.

Thus the purpose of each experience is that the entity may magnify and glorify that which is good. For, good is of the one source, God, and is eternal. Then as an individual entity magnifies that which is good, and minimizes that which is false, it grows in grace, in knowledge, in understanding.

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Experiment: Select one person whom you have had trouble loving or appreciating. Each day for at least a week make a special effort to see the good in that person. Let your thoughts, words and actions express your desire to relate to that which is good in that person. Record your experiences.

“What we once despised now we cherish …”

A book by Merlin Carothers entitled Power in Praise encourages us to praise God for our difficulties. Indeed, it is adversity that challenges us to let go and allow unknown powers and capabilities of the soul to emerge. This principle applied to physiology is found in vaccinations, in which a small dosage of a disease culture is placed in the blood stream to awaken the body’s defenses, which have been dormant.

Many of us face adversity or difficult situations very frequently in our daily lives. However, too often we demand perfection in our outer circumstances. Things of the material world are always imperfect and always seek a complement. Jesus’ teaching, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48) calls upon the spirit of man to experience its perfection. His kingdom is not of this world and we cannot demand our circumstances in materiality to be without trial and imperfection. In fact, it is the situation which we have despised and wanted most to be rid of that contains within it the most precious gift. In the words of Carl Jung:

“There is no light without shadow and no psychic wholeness without imperfection. To round itself out, life calls not for perfection but for completeness; and for this the ‘thorn in the flesh’ is needed, the suffering of defects without which there is no progress and no ascent.”

(Jung, Psychological Reflections, p. 281)

When we catch a vision of the qualities that potentially can be awakened by a difficult situation we can actually come to cherish the experience and praise God for the opportunity to grow in that particular way.

Experiment: Choose one life situation that you find yourself frequently despising and wishing you were free from. Write down (1) the situation and (2) constructive qualities it challenges you to find within yourself to cope with it. Throughout the week, each time you find yourself despising this situation, say a short prayer of praise to God for the opportunity to learn these constructive qualities.

Example:

situation:	a physical impairment that limits my ability to function normally in life
constructive qualities challenged to awaken:	patience trust in others