The Two Aspects Of Spirit

The  Two  Aspects  Of  Spirit

Martin Cecil   November 11, 1979

We all have some sensing of the limitless nature, the infinite nature, of dimensionless God, and also the immensity of dimensional God. When there is a true spiritual sensing in this regard it does not bring with it any feeling of isolation. If the view is merely from the mental standpoint and there is a recognition of this vastness of God, the self that is known seems to be very small and isolated; there is apparently little connection. There is a distinction here which indicates the nature of the recognition that is being experienced. Mentally we feel small and isolated: God is vast and over there. Spiritual perception causes us to feel enfolded with the reality of God right here.

There is this spiritual awareness because the infinite nature of dimensionless God is brought to focus in the reality of dimensional God in our immediate experience. We may see this facility of focus as standing at the crossover point between the undimensional and the dimensional, and we may see this point relative to the whole world and to all mankind to the extent that we ourselves are in position at the crossover point between the heavenly essences and the earthly essences in the representation of that One who provides the supreme focus at the higher crossover point.

This whole reality of God is brought to focus in one's own experience. We may share this collectively if it is true individually. The essences of heaven are present with us; the essences of earth are present with us. We are aware of the One of whom it was said that He had been given all power in heaven and earth. We are called to represent Him and to handle that power in the earth. It comes to us, through the heavenly essences as we stand in place, and in radiance it extends forth through the earthly essences of our own beings into the earthly creative field for which we are responsible both individually and together.

There is the radiant outpouring of spirit through the heavenly substance—the heavenly essences and the earthly essences—and we know this as one aspect of the fulfilment of the Law in the creative cycle. We have spoken of radiation and response. Perhaps there has been a view that the radiation is of the spirit of God and that response comes from somewhere else, but these are two aspects of the spirit of God. Perhaps in other terms they might be spoken of as positive and negative—male and female. Man was created in the image and likeness of God, male and female; therefore the male and female are in God. These two aspects of spirit, the radiant aspect and the responsive aspect, are both in God.

We need have no sense of separation then between radiation and response. They are the two aspects of the spirit of God. Radiation outpours and response rises up. Man is placed at the point of union through which these two aspects work. These two aspects work within the experience of each individual, whether male or female. These two aspects work through all of us collectively. They work in rather a specific way between male and female in the individual sense. There are many levels at which these two aspects of spirit operate when man is in place at the point of union. It may be seen that we all have dual responsibilities—a radiant aspect of responsibility and a response aspect of responsibility. There is one spirit—it might be said to flow. It pours out and rises up in return, but these are not two separate operations. They work concurrently, not sequentially. In fact you cannot have one aspect of the operation without the other.

We have seen these things before in the sense of divine radiation and human response. This is the way it has appeared to be, but it isn't the way it actually is. Both the radiation and the response may be said to be divine. They are two aspects of one spirit. As we ourselves come into position at the point of union between heaven and earth these two aspects of spirit are creatively active through the essences which are present. We share responsibility for an outpouring. We also share responsibility for an incoming—here is the spirit of God in the responsive aspect rising up through the available earthly essences to be brought to us as we stand in the crossover point, or the point of union. Of course what rises up in this way doesn't stop with us but moves on through in the ascending cycle.

Because there is a pressure of outpouring there is a compulsion of resurrection. The essences rise up by reason of the action of spirit. There is a compulsion in the world in this regard. It is of particular significance now because of the increasingly focalized nature of the outpouring, so that the spirit rises up through the essences, the earthly essences, bringing them along with it. We may have some awareness of the working of this compulsion in the world simply on the basis of observation. We see many people in many places somehow being compelled to do what they do, and part of the doing of what they do relates to the proliferation of what humanly are thought of as spiritual activities. There are what might be defined as cults on every hand and there is something moving through the people concerned in a process of rising up. It's interpreted by the human mind in a variety of sometimes rather peculiar ways, but nevertheless it's the same compulsion. As long as the human mind is present in its self-willed state the interpretations will be of many sorts. We need to see beyond the interpretations that are being made to what is happening—people are being compelled.

Sometimes that compulsion may be seen as a rising up; sometimes it may be seen as a going down. There are people in the world who are being compelled into increasingly destructive ways. This is all consequent upon the same movement of the spirit through the earthly essences. We've used the analogy of soap on a previous occasion: when you grasp a bar of soap and squeeze it, it'll pop up or it'll pop down. There is a squeezing going on. We ourselves share some responsibility for this squeezing, and we also experience some of the squeezing. If earthly essences within the scope of our experience have been clarified in adequate measure, so that we have an actual experience of spiritual expression rather than merely ideas about it, then we find ourselves being squeezed up. If, on the other hand, we merely know about it and have an inadequate experience, we are likely to find ourselves being squeezed down. Our experience is fundamentally no different to the experience of everybody else on the face of the earth.

We, however, have had a great blessing, bringing us a certain understanding of what is occurring and therefore making it easy for us to make the right choice to accept into our living the greater experience of the outpouring of the spirit—that, in the returning cycle, will bring the lifting up. If we don't share in the living experience of the reality of spiritual expression—the outpouring in other words—we cannot share in the returning cycle of lifting up—the two go together. And when I use the words returning cycle, let's not look at it as being sequential either. It's happening at the same time.

Those who have experience are those who have oil in their lamps, so to speak. Those who do not as yet have adequate experience have little or no oil in their lamps, and according to the parable they had to go out and trade for some oil; in other words they had to go out and gain the experience. In that particular story, by the time they had gained the experience it was too late: the door was shut. So perhaps there is something here we could take to heart! But in any case we are presumably concerned with having oil in our lamps, so that we may be restored to the place where we belong, the place of union—to enter in with the bridegroom, as it was put. So we may see this operation occurring in the world and we are quite willing that it should happen, if we are in place.

Our interest, primarily, is with respect to the essences that are being lifted up by the spirit, consequently bringing people home. Now we begin to see that it isn't really the brilliance of the human mind or any effort that human beings may make that brings them home. It is the substance coming home, the essences coming home, by reason of the movement of the spirit in the creative cycle. The spirit of God is associated with these essences, and if they are clarified sufficiently they come along with the spirit of God—and the person in whom these essences have been so clarified comes along too. So much for all our human efforts! But we have responsibility, if we are in place, relative to the movement of this creative cycle; and we see it as relating to what is happening in the larger sphere around us, what is ultimately happening in the whole body of mankind. There are essences rising up and people tagging along, so to speak. Those who have some awareness and experience in true spiritual expression have a certain sensing of these things, even if they haven't been defined yet in consciousness.

With respect to the collective point of union between heaven and earth for which we are responsible, we are aware that there is a design present within the range of our own experience. We are aware of the principle of focalization. For many this is all that it has been, an awareness of the principle, because there's been so much reluctance to accept the experience of it. Too much time was being given to rebelling against the idea of it. There has at least been some recognition of the focus point which I provide in a personal sense, in an individual sense, relative to the collective focus point for which we are all responsible. Now here ideas occur to the human mind with respect to what is thought of mentally as a hierarchy. This is a mental concept. It is not the fact of the matter; it is not the truth. The concept of hierarchy in the human mind is false, even though it looks as though it's true to the human mind. But the human mind looking at it has not had the experience of the reality; otherwise it wouldn't be looking at it, it would be experiencing it.

There have been some rather well-developed concepts of the human mind, relative to the idea of a hierarchy in this ministry. I noticed a comment where someone said something about an order being handed down from exalted levels in this ministry. That may be the way it is interpreted by some human minds, but the fact of the matter is, it never happens. It never happens! because we are concerned with an outpouring, not with concepts of the mind which are based in human terms.

If there is something coming forth through a point of focalization it is also coming forth through everybody else, so that it is not being handed down from above in that sense. It may be seen possibly as being handed down in the sense of coming down from God out of heaven, but it's coming down through everybody at the same time. And if we just cotton on to some interpretation we make of something that is coming through someone who is supposed to be high in the hierarchy and follow out that, we have absolutely no idea of what's really happening—we've invented something—because what is happening is emerging through everybody at the same time. It emerges in particular ways according to the particular field of responsibility of the individual, that's all, but it's the same thing coming forth.

As long as there is a view of some sort of a hierarchy then the concept of trying to do what someone else says you should do prevails, and nothing can get out. One is always either laying this on other people or insisting that it is being laid upon oneself. Well as long as anyone has that sort of attitude nothing is happening. There is that which comes forth through each individual in the design according to the particular responsibility which that individual holds, and it will be different for each one—but it will all be an emergence, an outpouring, of the same spirit. In that sense there is no hierarchy. There are simply different positions in which people are functioning to give expression to the same spirit which is working through everybody. And we have something whole and cohesive, the experience of oneness, of union, in this fashion. Even the human mind learns to enjoy that, not trying to figure it out anymore. It's just providing a facility for the expression of it. And that right spiritual expression occurs in coordination with everybody else, and who could figure that one out mentally speaking? It's impossible—why try? Just let it happen spiritually speaking. It won't happen on the basis of mental effort. Mental effort is the thing that blocks it.

So there is within this collective focus of union between heaven and earth a certain design; and that design necessarily has ultimately one point of focus, just as the design between the undimensional realms and the dimensional realms has ultimately one point of focus. This is not to say that there is not a collective design at that level—there is. The LORD of Lords is the ultimate point of focus, but there are the Lords. And all carry responsibility, and the spirit is given expression through all according to those responsibilities. So also is it where we are, as a reflection of all that at this level, the point of union between heaven and earth. If at this present time I provide that point of focus, then there comes a sense of closeness, relatedness, oneness even, with me to the extent that there is the actual experience of spiritual expression. There will be those who more particularly begin to sense this closeness. Why? Well let's not try to find out. All we know is that these earthly essences are moving and individuals are moving with those earthly essences, rising up, and consequently breaking out, so to speak, into a conscious experience of being included in this state of oneness. As that happens, as there is this rising up, it always comes to a point somewhere through someone who provides the specific connection—in this instance with me.

I am just indicating the nature of the design, because there is a great variety to the nature of the spiritual essences that are rising up—it's not all just one thing. There is what is rising up, for instance, through the ladies; there is what is rising up through the men. There's a distinction there. And within the scope of the ladies and within the scope of the men there are other areas where the quality of essence varies, and there is a rising up in all those areas and a representation of them. This permits the reality of a design to emerge. It emerges on the basis of what is actually happening, not on the basis of someone's bright idea about it, a mental concept of what the hierarchy is. It isn't a hierarchy. It's simply the natural experience by reason of the creative working of the spirit of God outpouring and rising up.

Having some awareness of the way it works, it can be seen as being simplicity itself. It happens so very easily when there are those who are willing to let it happen—not to make it happen but to let it happen, the way it will, without judging it, without trying to make it conform to some particularly fancy concept that you may have. Let it alone. Let it be what it is and it will work perfectly; and in that perfect working we understand the working, because the spirit of God is moving through our mental apparatus, for one thing. And believe it or not, we become intelligent! There is a very great deal to this matter of essences but we do not mentally need to try to figure it out. We find out what that great deal is through our own individual and collective experience. It's the only way it can be known anyhow. We can't abstract it with our minds.

This evening we have participated to some extent in the movement of the spirit through the heavenly and earthly essences. That movement is there—not just for this hour but always. We may discover through personal experience these two aspects, outpouring and incoming, of the creative cycle established by spirit. Our concern with others is to provide what is necessary to them for the incoming, so that they may rise up with the movement of spirit, because if they do that relative to the response aspect of the spirit it is inseparably unified with the outpouring, the radiant aspect of the spirit, so they're both experienced. Our concern is to open the door and keep the door open for people to come home. To do that we must be in the place of authority in this regard; and true authority is very gentle, firm sometimes but gentle nevertheless, and always understanding. Human beings are not inclined to be this way when they exercise authority. Authority is usually imposed, isn't it in the human sense: “You do what I say or else!” That's not the sort of authority with which we are concerned, even from the standpoint of our earthly responsibilities.

It seems as though Emissaries sometimes think of spiritual responsibility as being over here but the earthly responsibilities are over there, and you have to use earthly methods to ensure that things get done properly. Using earthly methods, there is immense waste. That immense waste is plaguing mankind now in the form of what is called pollution. All it is is waste. I wonder how much waste there is in your experience. These are forms, aren't they? But you can look at forms because they reflect what is true of essences. You can find out a lot concerning the essences of your own living by observing the forms of waste, and there are forms of waste in all sorts of areas. Isn't the characteristic of the Western industrial world simply waste? How much waste there is with respect to the handling of tools, for instance, whether in construction work or in the kitchen or anywhere else. How sacred are these things seen to be because they are a reflection of essences?

If the essences are being kept sacred in you then that will be reflected in the fact that you are keeping sacred the forms. All these forms are to you vessels in the temple. They are sacred. You can't handle anything in a slipshod manner therefore. Immense care needs to be taken, with great delicacy. Human beings are forms also, you know. So it's not a matter just of so-called inanimate forms but of the living forms too—human beings, animals, what have you. But think of human beings particularly. How is your handling of them? We all have to handle human beings. No one's exempt from that. How do you do it? With delicacy and understanding? Or do you barge in like a bull in a china shop, wreaking havoc in every direction? Or is your concern to find those essences which are rising up and to encourage them to rise up?

We're not interested in putting anything down—people put themselves down fast enough—but in letting something rise up. Human beings are forms; therefore they are sacred to us. Perhaps a lot of the very coarse essences that are present in human beings are not particularly sacred to us—they can go to hell! But there is that which is rising up. Can we discern that? Can we handle that in the right way? Can we handle that delicately and do it in every sphere of our living, do it when we are on the job, as it's called? We need to be on the job anyway, regardless of where we are. Is the business world, for instance, a different world insofar as the businessmen here are concerned? It's the same world! Is your behavior different there than it is in Chapel?

Let us be intelligent. Let us allow the quality of the essences of heaven to permeate the essences of our earth, first of all our own expression, so that we may see how we may rightly handle everything that is in our vicinity; and remember, always, that the forms reflect what is true of essences. If you are concerned with the delicate handling of all which comes within the range of your responsibility, you are concerned with essences. If you are concerned with essences and the earthly essences begin to reveal the heavenly essences, then the forms will follow suit. And you may put a finishing touch to the form here or there, but it all works so easily. We are here to let it work collectively because we stand where we belong, and we never go out. We are pillars in the temple, never going forth anymore. To the extent that this is the fact the restoration is sure. Let us be willing to let it be the fact.

© Emissaries of Divine Light