Question: I have seen people perform feats of psychic ability,
such as bending spoons by thought control. Are psychic and spiritual
development the same thing?
Answer: Psychic and positive spiritual development, although in
a way related, designate two different processes which lead the
individuals concerned essentially in two different directions.
Psychism involves a sensitivity to the inner planes that is not
necessarily one of understanding. Neither is it necessarily under
the control of the will of the psychic individual. Positive spiritual
development also indicates sensitivity, but of an affirmative
sort. It represents an active, knowing, willful endeavor by the
person to increase his abilities to function in and comprehend
the higher worlds-as well as the physical world.
Spiritual development requires strengthening of the individual's
soul power, which manifests as love, kindness, and an exacting
moral sense in which ideals such as goodness and honesty are refined
far beyond the average person's conception. It requires inner
purity, a continuing endeavor to live strictly within the bounds
of natural Law, and an intense, earnest devotion to God and to
the principles of selfless service that shows itself in every
facet of the person's being, thought, and activity. Only on the
basis of such an affirmative-indeed, noble-code of conduct and
life style can anyone expect eventually to penetrate fully the
mysteries of the inner Worlds and become a creative participant
in them.
Spiritual development, in other words, demands hard and unrelenting
work on one's character. Psychism, on the other hand, is largely
a negative state in which the individual, although perhaps able
to perform feats that excite the wonder and admiration of his
fellow men, rarely operates entirely under his own volition. Psychics
can come under the control of earthbound spirits who constitute
themselves as "spirit guides" and are, in many cases,
unscrupulous entities seeking to coerce human victims for their
own nefarious purposes. Rarely, too, does psychism promote concern
with one's overall inner development.
A psychic who, for instance, can bend spoons by thought control,
does of course attract attention to himself and perhaps does perform
a useful function by demonstrating to a still skeptical public
the power of thought. Unless at the same time, however, he endeavors
in a positive way to develop himself spiritually, along pure,
selfless lines and with selfless service as his object, he is
to some degree "missing the boat" as far as his own
evolution is concerned.
Eventually the entire human race is destined to attain a spiritual
development by which they will be conformed to the image of Christ.
Those who now perform feats of psychic legerdemain solely for
the worldly glory in which, consequently, they bask, probably
will find it much more difficult in future lives to engage their
interest and enlist their will power along positive lines of progress-which,
eventually, they will have to do.
Pre-Birth Panoramas
Question: We are told that, before an Ego comes to re-birth on
Earth, he is shown panoramas of several possible forthcoming lives
and allowed to make his choice. This sounds much like a replay-as
though we have been through these experiences before, played our
parts incorrectly, and now will have to play the scene again.
Is this a correct appraisal?
Answer: In a limited sense, it is. Certainly each of the prospective
lives, from among which the Ego is allowed to choose one, has
its portion of debts of destiny and lessons to learn left over
from former lives. In this sense, the panorama could be viewed
in the nature of a replay. That is, because the Ego made specific
mistakes or omissions in the past, he may expect to find himself
in certain situations in a future life that will require either
a repetition of former circumstances (although probably in different
guise or on a different level) or, at least, renewed involvement
with other Egos with whom he has maintained contact in the past.
We must bear in mind, however, that the pre-birth panoramas can
appear in outline form only. General, overall situations are indicated
to the Ego, but not the details. It will be the Ego's task to
furnish these details in the life he chooses to live; that is,
the attitude, conduct, practical measures, and degree of understanding,
compassion, etc., that he will elect to manifest as he (hopefully)
learns the lessons of his new life. There is no way in which a
pre-birth panorama could show this, since the Ego determines the
details for himself only after he encounters the "hard material
realities" of earthly life.
While still in the heaven worlds, spiritually astute and unfettered
by physical clogs, the Ego is much wiser than when on Earth. He
readily understands the need to satisfy the Law of Cause and Effect
as well and as quickly as possible in order to get on with his
evolution, and he is likely to be quite willing to accept a "hard"
life if it is pictured to him. Once born, however, enmeshed in
material surroundings and somewhat removed from the cushioning
of the spiritual worlds, he will find the going difficult. The
degree of determination, persistence, and spiritual understanding
which he then commands will determine how well he fills in the
details of his new Earth life.
Perfection of God;
Imperfection of Man
Question: Since we are not perfect, but are a part of God, does
it not follow that God Himself is not perfect, and that He is
still in the making of Himself?
Answer: At first glance, it indeed may seem that God is imperfect
since we, as components of His Being, are imperfect. Closer examination
of the facts, however, will show that this is not so.
The primary reason for human imperfection is selfishness, which
causes most of the difficulties we experience. The personality
is selfish, however, not because God Himself is imperfect, therefore
being unable to stop us, but because He allows us to be so. He
gives us the choice of being selfish or unselfish, that we may
learn from our own actions. When, in consequence, we do choose
to think only of ourselves, God is able to turn this to good,
both because other people learn from what we do and because we
ourselves eventually will have to face and transmute the deeds
done.
To be able to turn evil into good while at the same time allowing
the development of free will, which encompasses both good and
evil, shows, we believe, a great deal of perfection. God knows
that even our wrongs eventually will lead us back to Him, because
He is the Source of all in our solar system. We see, then, that
Perfection is able to allow imperfection to manifest without compromising
its own integrity. Blessed is he who is such a friend to humanity
that he sees the good in every man, for his own Spirit shall be
constantly enriched by the Christ Spirit.
— Rays from the Rose Cross Magazine, January/February, 1996
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