While individuality in that same circumstance would be: I wish to do this or that for Susan or Jim or John, because I would like for Jim or John or Susan to do this if conditions were reversed. One is for the universal consciousness that is part of the soul-entity's activity. The other is the personal, or the desire for recognition, or the desire for the other individual to recognize your personal superiority. These are variations to this individual entity. . . . The entity finds itself – if it will stop to analyze – a body, a mind, with the hope for a soul eternal, that will constantly, eternally have recognition of those relationships to the universal consciousness or God. Then, as the entity in this material plane has found, it is necessary physically to conform to certain moral and penal laws of society, of the state, of the nation, even to be termed a good citizen. Thus, if there is to be preparation for the entity as the soul-entity, as a citizen of the heavenly kingdom, isn't it just as necessary that there be the conforming to the laws pertaining to that spiritual kingdom of which the entity is a part? And there has been an en-sample, a citizen of that kingdom, the Son Himself, has given the example to the entity as well as to others. Isn't it well, then, that the entity study to show self approved unto that kingdom, rightly putting the proper emphasis upon all phases of His admonitions, His judgments, His commandments, and thus become. . . a good citizen of that individual kingdom? These are just reasons within self, if there is the time taken to interpret what ye believe and what ye hope for. Do not do it just mentally. Do it mentally and materially. Set it down in three distinct columns: The physical – what are the attributes of the physical body? Eyes, ears, nose, mouth – these are means or manners through which the awarenesses of the physical body may become known to others, by sight, by hearing, by speaking, by feeling, by smelling. These are consciousness. Then there are the emotions of the body. These come under the mental heading, yes – but there are also those phases where the mental and emotional body is born (of), or under the control of, the physical and sometimes under the control wholly of the mental. What are the mental attributes, then? The ability to think, the ability to act upon thought. From whence do these arise? Do you use the faculties of the physical being for such? You do in many instances, yet you can think by sitting still – you can think yourself wherever your consciousness has made an impression upon the physical being of what exists. For you can sit in your office and see yourself at home, and know exactly what your bed looks like and what you left sit under it when you left this morning! These are physical, not material at all; yet you judge them be paralleling with that knowledge, that understanding. The spiritual self is life, the activity of the mental and of the physical is of the soul – and thus a soul-body. Set down the attributes of each, and as to when and how you use them, and how you change them. What is the ideal of each? Of your mental, your physical and your spiritual or soul body? And as you grow in grace, we will find that the individuality will change – until you become one, as the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are one. This is the manner in which you grow. 90.4www.guardiantext.orgPreviousTable of ContentsNextHome |