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What manner of spirit, then, hast thou directing thy life? Look within. See thyself, that which has motivated thee in thy dealings with thy fellow man; or as to what ye have proclaimed is thy concept, thy thought of thy Creator. (262-117)
Ye see in thy daily life SOMETHING motivating individuals, in their conversation as respecting their home, their city, their nation, their neighbors. What prompts same? The spirit of what? (262-122 )
Spirit is movement, spirit is life, spirit is motivation. The movement of spirit can be misdirected by selfishness or a lack of ideals. As part of knowing yourself, it is essential that you recognize what moves and motivates you.
When we are moved by the Spirit of Truth, it manifests in our daily activities with others as the Fruits of the Spirit: Gentleness, kindness, patience, long-suffering, love, hope, and mercy. This is the Spirit of God made manifest.
Application: Look around at the people in your daily life and see what moves them in their actions and conversation regarding home and civic matters. Then take an inventory of yourself by standing aside and watching self pass by in the various circumstances of your life. What moves you? What is the Spirit (spiritual ideal) of your life as you live it? Are you moved by the Spirit of Truth that manifests in the Fruits of the Spirit? Are you moved by the Spirit of God?
Know the difference between contentment and being satisfied; not only in thine own life but in the lives and purposes of those ye meet day by day. (262-121)
Well has the entity learned, be CONTENT in whatever station or position – but not satisfied. This a GLORY in ANYONE'S experience. Contentment does not mean stop. Satisfy means that there has already set in something that is not active – but to the entity, to the body, in THIS experience, there will be the continuation of learning … (2713-5)
(Q) Has any progress been made in the last two or three incarnations?
(A) There is progress whether ye are going forward or backward! The thing is to move! (3027-2)
Sometimes we can reach a plateau or even feel stuck in our tracks on the spiritual path. Or it may take on the quality of feeling smug and satisfied with ourselves where we are in our consciousness.
Spirit is life and activity in this earthly experience. The readings encourage us to keep moving and growing. We can find the contentment of Happiness without being satisfied and inactive.
Application: If you feel stuck on the spiritual path, try something new – a new dimension of your ideal life – or a new ideal altogether. Stretch yourself in some way. Find an area of your life where you are not comfortable – a relationship or activity. Put yourself out a bit by pushing the envelope of your comfort zone in a constructive way. Develop new interests that are consistent with your ideal. In other words, keep moving.
For, indeed the letter killeth, – the spirit maketh alive. (262-124)
In the experience the entity was a zealous individual; yet keeping true to the principles, and yet harsh judgment at times. In the application … not too much the letter of the law but more of the spirit of the law. For the letter killeth, but the spirit maketh alive. (5252-1)
That that is Truth is growth! For what is truth today may be tomorrow only partially so, to a developing soul! (1297-1)
The tendency to be strict and rigid is often a personality trait that is invisible to the individual who practices it. Typically others can more easily see the outer effect – how it deflates enthusiasm and reduces motivation between individuals. The inner effect of psychological constriction is just as real, although not quite as obvious.
Certainly we need rules and laws to guide us through life. It is simply a matter of determining the best approach to working with structure within ourselves and in relationship to others. This is especially important in spiritual matters that are often cast within the framework of legalistic morality and ethics – whether a person or activity is right or wrong, good or bad, etc.
Flexibility of the mind is also important in our search for God. It is so easy to become rigid and dogmatic in our thinking about religious scripture and theological/philosophical concepts. Rather than being too literal and limited in our understanding, it can be so refreshing to drink of the poetry of Spirit in our experience of the Divine.
Remember, spirit is life and movement. Life and movement require space to grow. Constriction inhibits life and development – even of the soul.
Application: Look within yourself and see if you have a tendency to be strict and rigid in your thinking about spiritual matters. If so, consciously try to be more flexible in a loving way that is open to Spirit and then pay attention to the result within yourself and others.
Resource: Letter of the Law vs. Spirit (Reply)
Then what is the Spirit of God? PATIENCE, TIME AND SPACE in the material understanding. This then is our first premise; that God IS – in the material experience of man – TIME, SPACE, PATIENCE! (262-114)
THINK – universe, eternity, time, space! What do these mean to the finite mind? More often than otherwise they are just names. More often we think of spirit as just a name, rather than experiencing it. Yet we use it, we manifest it, we are a part of it. Taking THOUGHT doesn't change anything! It is the application of the thought taken that makes the change within ourselves! (262-119)
(Q) Are time and space concepts that exist outside of physical consciousness?
(A) No. For the physical consciousness is an activity that uses such, as the divisions of space and time. And in patience only may ye become aware of the concept of either. (262-123)
We touched upon the triune of Time, Space and Patience in the lesson on Patience. Like many of the primary themes in these lessons, this triune is echoed at a higher octave in the present lesson as the means by which the soul may find it way back to its Spiritual Source and know the Spirit of God as manifested in a material experience in this physical universe.
Time and Space is the canvas created by God for our conscious application of spiritual principles that make for soul development. Time allows us to make take our lessons in soul development in small increments – one at a time, so to speak. Otherwise we would be overwhelmed by the immensity of the process. Space as a measure of distance provides the illusion of separation – separation from other souls – separation from the Creator – space to be ourselves and yet one with the whole.
Patience is a measure of soul development. Patience provides an assessment of our progress in spiritual awareness and application. Patience reminds us that we have as much space and time as we need. Yet we must keep moving, for movement is the essence of spirit. Keep in mind that the readings strongly endorsed the concept of “active patience.” Active Patience is Spirit in Application. So patience is active yet assured. In soul development, we make haste slowly. In Patience we each possess (become aware of) our soul in relation to the Spirit of God which is reflected in this three-dimensional experience of material existence.
Application: As you go about your daily activities, try to become more aware of the Spirit of God (the One Force that is the Source of material reality) in all that you see and do – even in the experience of time and space itself. This will require Patience as you apply the “fruits of the spirit” (first exercise in this lesson). You might want to review the lesson on Patience if this all seems hazy or confusing. The lessons on God's Manifestation and Glory may also be helpful in recognizing the Spirit of God in nature and human activity.
Resources: Time, Space and Patience (Article); Oneness of Time And Space (Reply); Tertium Organum (Reply); The Two Creations (Reply); Patience (Lesson); God's Manifestation (Lesson); Glory (Lesson)