Section Alpha Lesson Two: The Spiritual Nature Of Humankind Humanity As Spirituality As Divinity  From the moment of the creation, or what has become known as the "Big Bang", the Universal Consciousness of All That Is fragmented Itself into a wide variety of physical, material forms, so that It could gain self-experience and self-expansion. As apportionments of this Divine Universal Spirit, human beings are essentially spiritual beings.  While the "Big Bang" was a physical happening, it was first and foremost a Spiritual Happening. As the physical portions of this expansion were mere reflections of Spiritual intent, so we are the physical/mental segments of a Greater Whole expressing its Dynamic Nature.  It has been a time honored tradition for philosophers, religious leaders, poets, artists, scientists and politicians to ponder the nature of man. Indeed, it is a motive of Divine Spiritual Intention that humans understand their nature. The divinity whispers within every human being, stirring self-curiosity and the need to seek purpose and meaning. In answer to this inner urging, throughout the ages the question has been asked: Is man good? Is man evil? Perhaps a bit of both?  But the question that need not be asked is: "Is man?" For if man were not, he/she would be incapable of expressing that doubt.  There is plenty of evidence leading directly and completely to one conclusion: that human beings are indeed good. There are many beliefs and judgments placed upon that evidence that lead to quite another conclusion: that humans are wretched and wicked. Thus, the answer has been quite difficult to find. Instead, there now exist many conflicting thought systems, generally within the religious realm, that describe the human being as both good and evil. With each system comes an elaborate set of understandings and rules. These rules are quite specific in ordering the human being to make certain choices which will ensure that he or she always stays on the "good" path---the straight and narrow---ever vigilant against the evil impulse rearing its ugly head.  Such has become the justification for most religions. Each religion puts itself ahead of the other and so each member of such religion regards himself/herself better than the members of a different religion. In the name of that presumption, a great deal of harm has been perpetrated.  The logical flaw within such thought systems is the premise that human nature can be altered by human ideology. Humans will be humans and will act human regardless of any dictates to the contrary. Societies have no hope of ever successfully controlling human nature if they insist upon working against it. The very concept that human declarations can alter the motivational essence of humanity is absurd. All humans respond according to their nature. No matter what race or culture, no matter what religious affiliation, no matter what social or economic "station", no matter what physical, sexual or intellectual orientation, no matter what errors or aberrant behaviors have been chosen, no matter what level of success at attainment of universal intention--- all human beings are one and the same at their natural core. Each are apportionments of the universal divine. All human beings are divine.  It may well be time that the human race make the necessary quantum leap to get ahead of the current curve, beyond harsh judgment of itself and on to a state of self-realization not yet imagined.  Although there are widespread beliefs to the contrary, the fact is that humanity is spirituality and divinity in chemical clothing. Humans are as divine as each and every deity. As divine beings, the trust, faith and grace was placed in humanity by All That Is, with the endowment of Free Will to manifest and control individual destiny. This divine freedom evidences the "creator's" trust and assurance of human goodness. Just as each wave contains the salty essence of the whole ocean, so each human is endowed with the essence of All That Is. How could the "Whole" not trust the nature of its parts? This fact goes unnoticed, even minimized, with every passing thought that human beings are any less than embodied divinity. But such thoughts have been accepted time and again and have become firmly imbedded attitudes and beliefs---even justifications for misguided thought and action.  Divided by the concept of "good" and "evil", a constant struggle is encouraged as a group which judges itself to be the "good" seeks to destroy the other, which it judges to be the "evil". With very little manipulation, this state of misconception can be kept ongoing.  The belief in evil is not completely unjustified, given the historical evidence of vicious and heinous actions and violations that humans have perpetrated upon one another. Given these actions, it is understandable why there would be so much confusion and suspicion cast upon human nature.  But evil is a perception more than an actual state of being. Those who appear to be committing their "evil" justify it as being for the greater "good".  But without exception, each and every "evil" act is the direct result of miscommunication between spirit and mind. Humans will act in predictable ways when the inner divine communication breaks down. It is only when man-made ideas overrule the innate guidance of spiritual wisdom that this communication breaks down.When this happens, humans are in trouble. For all individual and social chaos springs from this miscommunication. At present, humans are indeed, in very much trouble. For their very freedom has wrought imprisonment.  When we surrender our "inner guidance" to the control of those from without who convince us that doing so is for our own good, we risk all that is good about ourselves. In the truest sense, we know better.  The inner divine guide remains hidden within the many layers of misconceptions, self imposed limitations, attitudes and reactionary choices,--- but it remains. For the Universal Spirit not only provides unlimited freedom and communicative guidance, it also provides insurance that humans can never completely stifle the spirit.  We are about to discover the "truth" of the above statement. We need only open ourselves to a greater flow of information and a trust that lies within.  Frustrated Human Purpose and Evil  The ultimate purpose of human existence is for a given spirit to develop and express its unique potential in physical form. This translates within the body as needs which facilitate self development and expression. As each individual achieves personal fulfillment of this purpose, a corresponding experiential expansion and fulfillment occurs within All That Is.  If we begin with the statement that we are made in the image and likeness of "God" or the All That Is, we can see that just as our experiences result in our "expansion", so the same applies exponentially and ubiquitously.  The astronomical genetic uniqueness of each embodied spirit seeks release as an equally unique and necessary contribution to human civilization. Each successful contribution joins the totality in the manifestation of Divine Intention. Self expression is the goal of the Creator. Regardless of what form this expression takes, no matter how seemingly insignificant or how substantial, no matter how public or private, no matter how acceptable by human judgmental standards, each unique contribution is an equal, valuable and necessary portion of the whole. The spiritual impetus is so important that humans are embodied with physical insurance that the needs of the spirit will be expressed.  So we stand mid-point between the microcosm and the macrocosm, time space being relative, each state of existence being a point of dynamic evolution.  The opposite of expression is frustration. Spiritual frustration is the antithesis of the Creator's intended purpose. It also signals its own presence through the feeling system. Frustration is acknowledged by unpleasant emotions. The spiritual insurance against continuous frustration comes in the form of self-preservationary reactions to unpleasant feelings which are hard-wired into the body. Such reactions virtually override the mind where the human limitations reside. The emotions contain creative arousal energy which moves the individual to corrective action. Such a force is the natural spiritual aggression, yet missing the intentional focus. Such corrections preserve the species, but since they lack intention, they do not facilitate human purpose. At best, they buy time.  While "buying time" does not necessarily mean we own it forever, it does enable us to expand our consciousness and continue to open our "spiritual" eyes until we can eventually recognize the pattern and purpose of life's meaning.  Evil springs from the impediment of Divine Intention. Evil acts are self-preservationary acts, not those of self-development and expression. One cannot both preserve and develop the self simultaneously, can one? Self-preservationary reactions were hardwired into the body as a last ditch safety net through which humans can protect, even rescue themselves from their own creations. The self preservation impulse ensures the continuance of the species, but relegates humans to a minimal existence.  Like the emergency brake in an automobile, it exists as a final preventative to keep us from rolling backwards as we travel upward and onward. To become too attached to "it" will get us nowhere.  The evil acts of humankind are nothing more than innate self-preservationary reactions of the spirit crying out for understanding. The symptomatic pain and anguish, fear and violence shouts the frustration of spirit, but still it goes unheeded. Humans have become so mired within their own man-made ideas that they have severely altered the life experience by grossly limiting their receptivity to innate guidance. They are operating on half power at best and short circuiting themselves at worst.  "Evil" then is little more than the decision to relinquish a willingness to listen to the inner voice of our innate spiritual nature, a guidance system which is so close and, yet, which we elect to place outside of ourselves.  Humans operating on such a base level of existence reflect the sorry state of mass consciousness. And there is a predominance of unnecessary suffering. The emotional symptoms will eventually lead humans to wisdom for they will not go away until the spirit is understood. But this is a harsh and unnecessary course, tantamount to hitting rock bottom in order to gain enlightenment. There already exist such severe conditions both within individuals and societies that understanding must now be facilitated. For human beings cannot hope to begin to utilize their nature for the intended purpose, if they cannot even grasp an understanding of it.  Hitting oneself on the head with a hammer is the more difficult way to learn a lesson in physics. There are many more gentle and intelligent ways to gain an education. The potential for discovering such is always there.  But regardless of this present state of sub-humanity, the divine tie remains. When it is accessed and utilized, the evil acts that have sullied the reputation of human nature will become less and less frequent. The primary step toward this goal is the reestablishing of the inner line of communication between spirit, mind and body. When the feeling signals of the spirit are interpreted accurately and acted upon optimally, the spirit achieves the self expression it desires. When humans act correctly upon these natural impulses, they cannot help but be moral.  They cannot also but help to become smarter!  Natural Morality  The intended state is that humans operate from self-developmental and self-expressive impulses. This state is that of uninterrupted flow of spiritual Divine Love energy. When in this state, humans access their innate,natural morality. Yes, humans are innately moral---how can they not be as apportionments of the Divine Spirit? Each and every destructive act that has been cited as evidence of man's innately evil nature is the floundering of a frustrated, disconnected soul in self-preservationary mode. Evil is the absence of the life force, as pain is the absence of the love force.  Based on simple reasoning, how could one not conclude that the source and the result would be the same. There are those who might argue with it, but does the wave have a different nature than the ocean? The only difference is that that "wave" is not equipped with the gift of free will, which gives it the right to alter its course and learn from its errors. That "gift" is but a greater expression of the love of All That Is. It is said that "to err is human, but to err, to learn from that error and to be able to make a course correction in the process of evolving, is truly a Divine Gift.  All actions which spring from self-developmental and self-expressive impulses, spring from spirit. Regardless of what the numerous ideologies of mankind have asserted, divine human impulse operates upon the pleasure and pain continuum of human feeling. Pain signals the frustration of spirit and pleasure signals its expression. Humans are spiritual hedonists. This is in the divine and "good" way. Pleasure is the experience of the Divine Love force unimpeded.  Keeping in mind that we're talking about the concept of feeling, the pain referred to is more emotional than physical. The concept of feeling "good" or "bad" about our actions really expands the concept of conscience from something that just bothers us when we do wrong, to that which links us to a more expanded source of conduct and guides in a feeling way toward or away from appropriate or inappropriate actions as a whole.  The word "Hedonism" itself has been sullied, just as has been the reputation of human nature. But the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain is a pure, simple and beautiful principle that allows humans to know whether or not their spiritual energy flow has completed its circuit. There are many activities, pursuits and inclinations that have been deemed "bad", selfish, immoral, unacceptable, even illegal within every society. When in the spiritual sense, if they are what the spirit requires for expression, they are, by divine dictate, necessary and naturally moral. Many man-made judgmental dictates impede rather than facilitate morality.  One example of this might be the "love-making" act between two people of the same sex. One group might label it as a form of sodomy. Another might regard it as nature's way of birth control. The point is that different groups have different mores and guidelines that end up conflicting with each other, because they are dependent upon cultural guidelines rather than Divine Spirit.  This is not to say that humans should haphazardly cast all caution to the wind and pursue self pleasure with gusto at the expense of other humans. In fact, any act which violates another is one of self preservation. The essence of natural morality can be distilled to this golden advice: "Hurt not others with that which pains thyself." This credo can be adopted immediately. But before spiritual hedonism can fully operate as intended, there are some additional, crucial understandings necessary.  Natural and true relationships require that we consider the consequences our actions might have upon another. We are, after all, a portion of a collective whole.  The Civilized Planet  Although modern humans consider themselves quite savvy, sophisticated and culturally astute, civilization does not in fact occur until natural morality is understood and accommodated within all social structures. Following misguided notions about evil capacity, human social, religious, political, educational, judicial and economic systems have attempted to control human nature. As rigid rules and restrictions deny the spirit, self-preservationary systems take over. The fear-based, win-lose proposition of competition overtakes the joy-based, win-win underpinnings of cooperation. As self-preservation becomes the dominant motivator, individual and social chaos, fear and aggression then become the norm. This is the present condition upon the Earth. If this current course continues, the violence resulting from fear and anger of frustrated spirits will continue to erode civilization.  When a clear varnish of more enlightened guidelines is applied over a society governed by the more unenlightened restrictions, as are referred to above, the latter tends to show through and make the more spiritual guidelines difficult to retain in predominance.  A primary goal of these "Lessons" is to impart the wisdom which can reverse this course. Once the intricacies of human hedonistic nature and how it has become effected by mass consciousness are understood, the spiritual advisory connection can be restored. Humans will have far more freedom than has ever occurred and they will use it toward moral purposes. The dominant motivators will be self-development and expression, not the base, self-preservation impulses that now exist.  The community will have a vested interest in the success of each of its members, for it will be realized that every success benefits the whole. It is for this critical reason that these "Lessons" must not only be read and reviewed, but must become the central essence of all who are exposed to them. They may just be humanity's last, best hope.  Such spiritually directed actions are indeed hedonistic, as well as moral in the highest sense. There is no need for external codes, rules, mores or even laws, when humans are operating up to their intended capacity. As individuals heed these "Lessons" and act upon them, society will slowly begin to restructure. There will be the removal of unnecessary restrictions and the development of avenues of equal human opportunity that do not yet exist.  Is it possible that common courtesy could replace traffic controls at intersections? Yes, but many would argue that is not likely. But the difference between  possible and likely is only a degree of intent. For survival purposes, the "possible" might be our only and final alternative. A movement away from courtesy is a movement toward rage.  As freedom and opportunity are restored, the spiritual connection strengthens, the spirit is allowed development and expression. Creative mode will replace survival mode. Energy directed into destructive acts and undesirable events will be redirected into those that are productive and desirable. Humans will get back the tremendous amount of power that now lies dormant. Future generations will enjoy a less and less constricted level of mass consciousness. And ultimately, mass consciousness will evolve to accurately reflect Universal Consciousness as it did In The Beginning.  Freedom of expression and action is a responsible quality that needs to be nurtured and appreciated. Because most societies now operate from a fear base, control is considered a necessity to avoid chaos. In fact, order is a natural state that exists in the simplest life forms. Surely we can learn to emulate that, for then we shall have paradise restored.  This is the direction. Now is the time to take the first steps. The understandings are of critical importance, but will most definitely conflict with many existing beliefs and tenets. It is suggested for this reason, to open a new mental space to receive this information totemporarily set aside---not discard---but temporarily set aside existing beliefs, and to actively, openly consider alternate ways of thinking and being. Your spirit will tell you of the validity of any and all information---once you understand how to listen to it. There is no need to abandon existing beliefs completely, as this would be far too painful. (As soon to be explained). Simply place this new information in a special compartment, and keep it together, without placing judgments upon it. You will begin noticing how it manifests in your life.  It is not necessary to create a vacuum in order to experience fresh air. Evolution is a process that creates less resistance than revolution and far less anger. Education is simply the examination of new information and the comparison of "it" to what we already believe.  Now, in order to understand the genesis of the misunderstandings regarding the nature of humankind, as well as to reverse them, it is necessary to begin back at square one, discussing the nature and parameters of "spirit".  Human Spirit: Consciousness and Intention &  Consciousness (Itself)  Individual Spirit can be defined as that essence which manifests Divine Consciousness and Divine Intention. The individual spirit of a human being has also been termed "soul", "entity" or "higher self" and these words can be used synonymously with spirit. Consciousness, also known as Awareness, is generally the definitive quality assigned to spirit under common conceptions of the term.  When human consciousness can reach that point where contact with "Divine Consciousness" has become clear and an automatic consequence of intent, the Spirit State will be perpetual and totally satisfying. We are not that far from experiencing this state right now. These "Lessons" help us to proceed in increments. It is generally understood that when a spirit is embodied within human form, that form is alive, it is conscious of itself, it is aware of its experience. The condition of death is marked by the complete disconnection of the spirit from the body. Although there are altered states of consciousness (such as temporary unconsciousness due to physical trauma, or the so-called "subconscious" dream states), the spirit is still engaged within the body. At times, our connection with our Spirit State is made when our normal conscious state is dormant or more accurately, set aside. But it is when we have reached that point when we can come to trust in our higher nature when in a state of full consciousness, that real spiritual progress can be made.  There is much to be learned through and about altered states of consciousness, but humans are not yet able to achieve much progress due to their entanglement within belief systems of their own creation. Humans will learn far more about their own consciousness and its abilities as they become more attuned to their innate abilities. The first step to mining the riches of spiritual consciousness is to learn the language of spirit and begin its active liberation.  It is the point and purpose of these Lessons to lead us on this journey of discovering our inner selves and, in turn, supply us with those tools of information which will liberate us from the confines of limiting beliefs. Consciousness For our immediate purposes, many of the existing concepts regarding consciousness are in need of some clarification. First, there is a wide-spread belief that there is some vast, hidden, dark, inaccessible pool of information and impulses within the human mind known as "the subconscious". The belief in such a thing severely limits understanding, for it provides a handy place for humans to divert any unexplainable event or behavior. It provides an acceptable, even fashionable, outlet of blame for outcomes of what are actually willful choices.  It is a part of a pattern of belief and behavior which seeks to place responsibility for the consequences of our actions in some hidden place or upon some arbitrary source beyond our control. It is sort of a "The devil made me do it" mentality which, when examined closely, can not be taken seriously by rational minds. Even though Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, introduced the term "subconscious" to the field of psychology, it was never meant to be regarded as the instigator of all mental misdirection.  Instead, a replacement understanding is recommended.There is no such thing within the realm of mind. All knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, impulses and relevant experiences---even dreams (with practice), are contents of the realm of mind and can be accessed at any time. Of course, there is a limit to how much information a given individual can ponder in the moment. There is an immediate field of vision or spotlight of consciousness known as short-term memory. This is the realm where thought is being entertained in the present moment, where the attention is directed. This spotlight is also known as the "point of power" consciousness. The rest, which is known as long-term memory, is simply a storage area of information awaiting retrieval. There is no unreachable pool of information in the mental realm.  "Short-term memory" in computer terms, could be referred to as RAM (Random Access Memory) which, because it occupies physical reality, has its limitations. What is also involved is a point of concentration or focus. The "long-term memory" is describable as HD (Hard Drive Memory). Computers are little more than limited reflections of our unlimited genius.  Even dream states are intended to be remembered and utilized for the wisdom they contain---with one major qualifier: Dreams exist not only in the mental realm, but in the spiritual realm. When the spiritual realm is involved, there does exist a pool of complete information likened unto the subconscious, but this is a pool of Universal Consciousness. A critical understanding is that the realm of spirit and the realm of mind are distinctly separate "locations".  Dreams could best be described as bridges between our physical/mental state of reality and our spiritual state. They can take us from the limited to the unlimited. However, since Spirit speaks to us through a more sophisticated medium than our native tongue(s), the trick is in learning to build the link.  Altered States of Consciousness  The present point of power consciousness travels to alternate spiritual locations when in altered states. While the body is asleep, for example, the consciousness of spirit is simply attuned to a different vibratory focus, as evidenced by the varying levels of brain wave activity. In fact, humans enjoy a rich and varied existence in these dream realms and a great deal of productive activity actually occurs therein. Since the point of power has such mobility, humans command a great deal of creative energy while they suppose they are unproductive and "unconscious". Humans can---and many do---effect physical bodily changes, promote health, plan and create events, communicate with other entities (earthbound or otherwise), as well as with past, present and future selves all within the dream realm.  Apparently, the most productive part of one's day can be when one is asleep. What "dumbcoffs" we are not to prepare ourselves better to utilize this marvelous, built-in system. Why are we so slow to recognize an obvious spiritual truth? Could it be that we are so programmed to only accept the so called "proven" scientific information we carry around in our minds? Because this so influences us that, consequently, we can't get beyond the intellectual fog?  Dreams have become far less accessible due to the many limiting beliefs surrounding them that exist in the realm of mind. Because they are not understood and therefore are not utilized, they are ignored and they eventually become less and less significant. Dreams are not even acknowledged as useful in most societies. But even with limited understanding, dreams provide messages from the self to the self, from the spirit to the mind. Control of this power can be tremendously advantageous, but even as the mind and body lie sleeping, dreams often spontaneously correct physical and mental imbalances that save the very life of the entity.  Regarding our state of physical health, one has to wonder why many states of physical discomfort, usually minor in nature, come into our lives and hang around a few days or weeks and then leave, only to be replaced by some other annoying discomfort. Could it be that such states of imbalance get corrected when they become boring? More likely is that we are our own best physician, with a master consultant standing by to assist us when called upon.  This is the frustrated spirit at work, freed a bit, when the mind is at rest. This is testimony to the tenacity of spirit in doing what is necessary to circumvent the entangled mind and offer its wisdom through vicarious routes. With conscious understanding within the mental realm, the mind can assist the spirit and body in accomplishing the benefits of the dream process in ways now unimaginable. Dreams are, in fact, highly spiritual, creative, significant and pure. As stated earlier, they exist to bridge the gap between spiritual and mental realms.  Imagine, we can be either our own worst enemy or our own best friend. It is and always has been our choice. The ancient or aboriginal cultures probably had or have a better understanding of this than we modern sophisticates. Could it be that the fulfillment is tied to an exercise of nothing more complicated than a designed request?  But waking consciousness is focused in the mental realm. Daily reality springs from mind. An essential preliminary understanding, however, is that the mental realm is intended to be fluid and not nearly so rigid as it has become. Memory, for example, needs reinforcement and active use or it will fade. If certain learning is not utilized, nor relevant, it will abdicate in lieu of incoming information which is more current and useful. Those who have experienced the study of a foreign language, or higher mathematics, yet having never applied it in an actual setting, can attest to this fact. This mental flexibility is the intended state. Neurological connections in the brain strengthen only if they are utilized. Useful tools are the only ones intended to remain.  We tend to remember what we need to and as we get older we come to realize that much of the information our memory is plagued with, is not worth keeping, so we do the practical thing and forget it. Of course, "active use" is a key to retaining what is worth keeping and we do usually find that the quality of memory when used, is retained. Consciousness and all mental abilities are mechanisms through which the individual spirit can create his or her own reality. Reality is intended to be highly flexible and individualized. In fact, memory itself has very flexible qualities not generally acknowledged. Created visions can easily become part of one's experiential memory, whether or not the event actually occurred. Imagined creative visions are accepted within the mind and body as actual.  One of the advantages of this capability is that we can take an unhappy experience and relive it as a happy one, with such feeling and focus that the latter replaces the former and our lives can go on in a more pleasant state of mind. Whole cultures have done this to the benefit of the collective consciousness.  This ability is related to the mental and physical receptivity to spiritual intuitive wisdom and guidance which often comes in the form of creative imagination, inspiration, visions and dreams. Taking this one step further, this mental flexibility allows individuals to create intentionally desired events in the physical realm. With these abilities of consciousness, we can begin to see how consciousness and intention interact within spirit.  Intentionally revising our history brings both a better state of mind in many cases and also aids us in exercising our creative qualities. In turn, this capability can be applied to our current needs and desires.  A summary of the consciousness component of human spirit would be that consciousness makes possible the mental and physical experience of being. It plays a role in the development of the mental realm, in the reception of divine direction, in the power to imaginatively create desired life events, and in the transmutation of energy for physical manifestation of those events.  All these qualities stand ready to be recognized, appreciated and improved upon. We need only exercise our free will through intention. However, in order to move in that direction it shall require some supplemental self-programming. But even this can be accomplished in our "sleep state".  The Illusory Fragmentation of Spirit and Will  Still, the general idea of spirit having something to do with consciousness is fairly well understood. But there have been some distortions and misconceptions regarding the intentional aspect of the spirit.   distortions we can learn to live without.  For spirit not only has consciousness with which to know itself, it also has intention through which it can experience, feel, manifest and direct itself. This intention has become disassociated from spirit in the realm of human understanding to the degree that it now needs its own name. It has been termed Divine Will. It is through this disconnection that so many no longer experience the guidance of "Godly" intention. It is through this disconnection that self preservation has become the motivational norm. It is through this disconnection that events seem to come out of nowhere, rather than to be creatively designed and attracted by the individual through willful choice.  Probably the most distorted and misused phrase in today's lexicon is the utterance that it is "God's Will". Dragged to the fore at every unpleasant experience in life, it is used to placate those who have adopted and accepted the victimization mentality so nourished by the full spectrum of our religious, political, economic and social institutions. Nothing could stretch us further away from the obvious truth. Not only does it stamp out the spiritualization of humanity, it reduces humans to some type of warped cogs of an erratic wheel of destiny.  It is time to reclaim this aspect of spirit for a more complete understanding of and participation within the human condition. Although the term "Will" is utilized, it should be clear that it is still part and parcel of every human spirit.  So many of the terms we use in daily life are tossed about with little appreciation of their meaning and influence, but we can correct that. It requires little more than quiet reflection and a willingness to connect our words with those beliefs which bring about the consequences in our lives. The purpose of human existence is for a given spirit to develop and express its potential in physical form. This is also the intention of Divine Spirit as carried out by Divine Will within each individual. Both are manifested in body, with the spirit experienced as consciousness and the will, experienced as "feeling". Will power is raw emotional energy. Both aspects of spirit are to remain in balance with each other as two halves of a whole.  Consciousness and Will: Complimentary qualities in the process of human life. We can only hope that this new millenium will bring a true understanding of their value and utilization. When this comes about, we will be more than we have been and more than we have ever hoped to become. In a manner of speaking, spirit relates to light and will relates to darkness. Consciousness is the fastest vibratory aspect of spirit, and will is the slower more physical magnetic vibration which exists as a porthole of sorts into physical existence. Consciousness is the point of power and will is the focus of that power. The will vibrates the darkness to receive the light of spirit in the physical form. It is through this process that imagined thought forms become physical objects and probable events become actual physical events. Together, consciousness and will create the desired intended reality.  Imagine a "porthole" below the waterline on an ocean liner. We can open that porthole and the ocean will flow into our environment. We need only to trust in our ability to control that "flow" in such a way that it can serve to give us say, a comfortable shower. While this might be most difficult to imagine, just think of all the technical miracles the human race has already brought into its reality and how many more are in the process stage right now. We have harnessed vast rivers to bring light into our nights, for example. Now, a greater enlightenment awaits us.  It was the original intention that humans would live the physical experience under the complete direction of spirit carried out by magnetic will energy. Spiritual direction was to be received and converted by will to the slower vibratory level necessary to be actualized in the physical realm. When this occurred, spirit and will remained in balance, and the human could act spontaneously upon every feeling and the most beneficial outcome would be attained. Each moment contained a fresh challenge and new opportunity with which the spirit could develop and express itself. The desires of the spirit were manifested as desires of the body. If completely accepted and allowed expression, such feelings would always lead to the most fulfilling self experience.  Spirit and Will were not designed to be our enemies. They serve as our life blood and the tools of our being. Used wisely, they can take us wherever to do whatever. What pain we experience in their use serves only as the guideposts of our personal evolution. The acceptance and manifestation of all spiritual intention was the task of the will. The will had freedom of active choice of any method within the imaginative mind to give life to the intention of the spirit. The choices would lead to physical events and outcomes in which the needs of spirit were accommodated. Once the complete expression of the feeling had subsided, there would be certain understandings available to the individual. This was to be a cycle of learning through experience so that an array of mental strategies could accumulate that which would provide choices for spontaneous actions. Flexibility and spontaneity facilitated this cycle. The cycle would be repeated with new, often surprising and inventive situations created through magnetic will energy. Each facilitating spiritual intention, and a contribution to the expansion of All That Is.  This system remains in place, like a poorly operating vehicle in need of a tune up. The purpose of these "Lessons" is to aid us in doing that "tune up". As we learn by our experience, those experiences become a part of the data base of the Divine Spirit/All That Is. In turn, because we are a part of this All That Is, we also expand our own data base. Just as the database of our personal computer can become a part of the Internet - so the Internet can expand our personal database.  Together, spirit and will made Divine Intention or predestination compatible with Free Will. With a balanced, uninterrupted flow between spirit and will within body, events were created from the inside out.This was the optimal condition in which earthly events sprang from spiritual intention. All such events were pleasing to the spirit if they allowed for its development and expression in physical form. The human experience of pleasure was reassurance from the Divine Spirit that Its flow of Universal Love Energy had not been disrupted. When the Divine Love flows unabated there is a successful completion of the energy circuit between the individual and the totality of All That Is. This was to be "The Way". This was to be as the path of least resistance .  There is nothing standing in the way of what is described above becoming ordained reality, other than our personal intent to make it otherwise. Time is our illusion and, too often, our excuse. The next "time" the reader turns on a garden hose and watches the sprinkler begin to spread water on the other end, think about what can be when there is no disruption in between. If in the course of traveling from the faucet to the sprinkler, the water had to travel through a series of filters, blockages and just plain grime, by the time it reached the sprinkler, it would not only be much reduced from the initial pressure it began with, but it would probably have lost a great deal of its purity. If we could cleanse the hose of its obstructions, what we would end up spreading around would do our personal "Garden of Eden" a great deal more good.  Human limitation frustrating the will creates obstruction and resistance to The Way. Disconnection from intention allows will energy to follow self-preservationary pathways. Reactions that simply buy time, do not eliminate the obstruction nor achieve the corrective balance. The limitation continues to signal its presence with negative emotion. Will energy, either positive or negative, still creates experience.  To put it another way: "Argue for your limitations, and they're yours." We will ourselves to remain in a stagnant state and reaffirm that state with our belief system. It is our limited beliefs (or contrived excuses we give ourselves) which stifle our creative capacities. We even create negative consequences in the false belief that doing so will bring us greater benefits at a later point in our existence. For example: The more you suffer in this world, the greater your reward in the next. This little gem of a rationalization keeps the powerful and wealthy in a falsely elevated state of comfort.  Negative, painful experiences are attracted through the negative emotion. The events are intended to draw attention to the belief which frustrates spirit. But instead of understanding this message, it simply appears to the human that "bad stuff" is happening for no apparent reason. Events seem to come from nowhere, from the outside in. This facilitates further limiting beliefs and superstitions, which are designed to protect against imagined evil, external controlling forces at work. To say the least, disconnection from will is disempowering.  While we are told that we have the gift of Free Will, we are also led to believe that we can only exercise this gift in a limited fashion and that we are tethered to a controlling Being who is perpetually testing, rewarding and punishing us in some arbitrary fashion. We are led to believe that this is a "state" we can only hope to pray ourselves out of. Meanwhile, as the bumper sticker states: Shit happens.  Upon examining the will as a separate entity to learn its function, it is now necessary to conceptually place it back within spirit where it belongs. Will is not separate from spirit. It shall now be recognized as its feeling aspect. Feelings shall now be respected for the spiritual intention that they communicate. Feelings shall now be respected for the powerful creative will energy that they contain. Feelings both communicate intentions from spirit and magnetically bring them into physical reality.  "Feelings" have a dual and equally valuable purpose. They serve both as a guiding force and as a magnetic force. We have the capacity to bring into our physical reality that which is in our best and higher interest. However, as a result of the gift of free will, this "capacity" can also bring that which is not in our best interest. With understanding and practice, we can acquire the former and avoid the latter.  Thoughts empowered with emotional energy will be more likely to become reality. Whether the thoughts are surrounded with joyous expectation, or dread, worry and fear, they will create events connected to the imagined mental scenario. The mind does not know if an event has been good or bad, but the spirit does. Spiritual intention has been accomplished in physical reality when the feeling pleasure is experienced. If there has been interference from the realm of mind and spiritual intention has not been accomplished, a painful event will result.  The question immediately arises: "How strongly do we feel about what we desire?" Emotion is little more than raw energy waiting to be directed. It has no sense of direction and relies upon the guidance of Spirit through mind to achieve a manifestation of a reality experience.  Pleasure and pain, the spiritual judgmental pronouncement. Make no further mistake: there is no other accurate judgment.  Imagine driving a car down a road with high curbs on each side. The more we gyrate from side to side, the more we are knocked out of alignment. The greater our speed and more reckless our judgment, the greater the damage to our steering mechanism. On the other hand, the more attention we pay to our driving, the safer our journey and the greater our progress.  Spirit is consciousness and intention, and is experienced as thought and feeling. Uninterrupted spirit, aided by images of mind, create desired physical experience.Pleasure is the validation and reward of spiritual fulfillment. Through this path, the Universal Spirit is allowed to sense Itself through many widely varying experiences carried out by all the physical forms. Each form, whether it is vegetable, mineral, animal or human offers its unique portion of the totality of experience by accomplishing its own expression. Indeed, every unit of matter is imbued with conscious spiritual intention following the pleasure/pain, attraction and repulsion principle---including subatomic quanta .  When we envision a goal or destination and infuse it with strong emotion, we will find ourselves progressing toward that destination with a minimum of distraction and interference and as the journey continues, it will also bring greater joy into our lives, for we attract to ourselves all the necessary matter and energy to reach that "vision".  Forms less complex than humans enjoy the clearest channel to spiritual intention with less interference from their own experience. The behavior of animals, often highly organized, intelligent and mathematically precise, exposes the communicative clarity between spirit and will. But this clarity goes largely unrecognized and is dismissed by humans as"instinctive" behavior.  Presuming that they are in an obvious state of superiority, humans fail to recognize and appreciate the more subtle forms of advanced spirituality around them. Nature is the great and patient teacher, for it best represents a state of the balance of Spirit. The higher up the evolutionary chain, the greater the possibilities and responsibilities.  What these lessons seek to impart is that humans are also attuned with such guidance in their own form of predictable, organized and mathematically precise instinct. This is their creative development and expression. This is their natural morality. It should not be so puzzling that a colony of ants can interact together as one conscious entity, with each individual carrying out its part of the whole. This should be no more mysterious than quanta operating in concert to form atoms, than atoms operating in concert to form matter, than cells operating in conjunction to form organs operating together to form systems and systems operating together to form human beings. Human beings interacting together to form civilization should be at least as successful as ants---should they not?  It is humans who add to this picture the very qualities that drive them to try to destroy what should be an ever-evolving cultural paradise. If we look closely at the lowest form of cultural organization and observe its symmetry and ask, "Why do they succeed so splendidly, when we are threatening to destroy ourselves and our environment?" The answer to that question is not so impossible to find.  Every unit of every thing is a unit of Universal Spirit. Every unit has consciousness and intention. Every unit meets success and fulfillment if there is no resistance. Every unit has a unique experience through which the totality of All That Is can find pleasure in experiencing Itself.  Every unit is susceptible to a more evolved state of being. We can be a part of this process and accept our role of leadership or we can succumb to our lesser instincts and suffer the consequences.  The difference with humans is that the path of least resistance operates uniquely, for it now has to navigate through the realm of "Mind".  Q. "Wish to explore this further?" A. " Don't mind if I do!"  Table of Contents