how to study the nature of the soul

8/10/2019 How to Study the Nature of the Soul

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How to Study

The Nature of the Soul

Teaching the Material

Study Groups

Individual Study

Wisdom

Impressions

Publishers

Wisdom Impressions is a group ofpractitioners of The Wisdom. Ourpurpose is to create the appearance,support the teaching, and facilitatethe distribution of The Wisdom.

O. Box 130003, Roseville, MN 55113

The Meditations


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H ow To St udy The Na t ur e of The S oul

THE METHOD OF STUDY

The Natu r e of T he Soul has a threefold approach to

study:

the text

the meditat ion w ork

the discussion

Together they balance the overshadowing wisdom of the

course, the inner experience of that wisdom, and its ex-

pression in the w orld of affa irs.

Many students are now studying the course on their

own or in study groups, and there is a growing need for

informa tion a bout th ese methods. The follow ing sug ges-

tions and examples focus on Ind iv idua l Study, Study

Groups, and Th e M edi tati ons.


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The Na tur e of The S oul

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INDIVIDUAL STUDY

The N atu r e of T he Soul is a course in self-initiated spir-

itual growth and development. It is designed to facili-

ta te st ep-by-step unfoldment from individua lity to g roup

awareness and conscious service to the One Life. Each

lesson in this course is a step in a transformative proc-

ess. This process in cludes:

STUDYING THE MATERIAL

The informa t ion included in t he course is present ed in a

rhythmic sequence. Each lesson builds a foundation for

understa nding a nd prepares the w a y for th e next lesson.

This progression from one lesson to the next creates a

harmonic rhythm which aids the transformation proc-

ess.

In order to esta blish a nd ma inta in t his rhythm, w e sug-

gest t ha t a ll stu dents of the course do t he follow ing:

Begin with the Introductory Lesson and study each

lesson in turn. Skipping around or starting in the

middle w ill brea k th e rhyt hm a nd cause confusion.

Spend at least one week (seven days) studying each

lesson. Begin every new lesson on the same day of

the week. You may devote more than one week to

each lesson, but if you do, consider spending the

sa me num ber of w eeks w ith every lesson.

While studying the course, concentrate your atten-


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Appendix A

503

tion on the course. Avoid practicing internal exercis-

es from other disciplines, as they may not combine

w ell w ith th e exercises in The N atu r e of T he Soul.

We do not mea n t o imply tha t th is course is in a ny w a y

superior to any other course or discipline, yet, in order

to maintain the internal rhythm of this course, you

must stay in the course. Once you have completed N.S.

(Th e N atu r e of T he Soul ), we encourage you to include

other schools and disciplines in your study and practice.

Complete the assignments. The structure of thecourse is similar to that of a textbook and includes

frequent assignments. These assignments can be di-

vided int o thr ee types:

Subjective: These include internal activities such

a s the medita tions.

Objective: These include external activities sucha s wri t ing a pa per .

S ubject ive a nd Ob ject ive: These combine int erna l

and external activities in a single assignment

(such a s keeping a medit a t ion log).

In each case, the assignment is there for the specific

purpose of assisting you to expand your awareness or

embody a new concept. Completing the assignments is

par t of the rhy t hm of the course.

Practicing the Meditation Techniques: The in-

t erna l disciplines included in The N atu r e of T he Soul


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are presented in a natural progression from basic to

advanced. The meditations are the heart of the

course; the information in the lessons is designed toaid your practice and comprehension of the medita-

tions.

1. P ra ct ice each of the medita t ion techniques ex-

a ct ly a s described.

2. Keep a medita t ion log . A dai ly w rit t en record

helps you move the abstract realizations gained

in meditation into your outer life and affairs.Each entry should include the day and date, the

medita tion technique, a nd a ny noticeable results.

Include all realizations and internal experiences

which occur during the meditation, and any re-

lated insights and experiences which occur dur-

ing the da y or in your drea ms.

3. Lea rn the medita t ion forms. B e pa t ient w ith the

process. Over time the results will become ap-

parent. We encourage you to practice these tech-

niques as an on-going process for your inner

growth.

Embodying What You Learn: The N atur e of T he

Soul course is designed to help you find your place,

and take up your work, in the One Life. It does this

through:

1. The Course of Inst ruction: This instruction con-

sists of 41 lessons a nd la sts a t lea st ten m ont hs.

During this period concentrate on learning the

idea s, pra ct icing th e techn iques, a nd m a king The


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Appendix A

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Wisdom part of your daily life and affairs.

Studying the lessons and practicing the tech-

niq ues begin th e process of self-t ra nsforma t ion.

2. The Embodiment C ycle: The month s of instruction

are followed by a matching period of application.

The Natu r e of T he Soul course is completed by

moving wh a t y ou lea rn from th e instr uction int o

and beyond your immediate environment. This

a pplica t ion or embodiment of The Wisdom includes:

Subjective activity: Most of your service willbe subjective, and may include many of the

techniques you learned in The N atur e of T he

Soula nd it s sister courses. As you contin ue t o

practice The Wisdom after completing the in-

struction, you will create an opportunity to

help tr a nsform your environment .

Objective service: Your subjective practice

may result in opportunities for providing ob-

jective service to family, friends, co-workers

or the environment .

Approaching the Material

B eca use students often a pproa ch a new course with pre-

conceptions based on previous experiences, keeping anopen mind and an open heart will allow your intuition

to integrate those experiences with the new material

present ed in t he course.

There are a variety of methods of studying The Nature


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of T he Soul. A positive approach is one which helps the

student initia te his or her own grow th a nd development .

A method which is very supportive of self-initiation isIn dividua l S elf-direct ed S t udy.

Initiating your own spiritual growth and development

means choosing a path of study, practice, and applica-

t ion w hich is right for you.

The primary value of individual, self-directed study lies

in :

A stronger focus of will: E very t ime you decide tostudy a lesson, practice a technique, or do an as-

signment, you are exercising your will. As with any

other kind of exercise, in order to receive the benefit

you must do t he w ork. No one can do it for y ou. Tha t

process is described in this recommendation from

T he Path of I ni t i ati on, by Lucil le Ceder cr ans, Vol . II ,

l esson 4:

Many students reading this lesson will wonder

how to do this work of lifting the polarization

without direct contact with a teacher. I shall an-

sw er tha t q uestion in severa l wa ys. Firstly, let us

understand that al l aspiring to the Soul are in

direct contact with a teacher, namely their own

Soul; and by continued aspiration, they will soon

come to recognize th e conta ct .

Secondly, aspirants are enabled, through their

right aspiration, to contact higher levels of

awareness, and from these levels draw down

those concepts of Truth which provide a sure


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Appendix A

507

founda tion for their la ter understa nding.

Thirdly, aspirants learn to recognize experienceas a great teacher, and through their efforts to

live the Truth which they have grasped, they de-

velop in the school of experience a consciousness

rich in understanding. They do this deliberately,

in full a w a reness of th e a ctivity , a nd t heir every-

day life becomes a thing of beauty, regardless of

appearances.

Self-initiated service:As you respond to the innerneeds of your environment your awareness of your

place and function in the One Life expands. This in

turn leads to conscious service to that Life as you

ta ke your place in It .

Teaching the Material

If you are considering teaching The N atu r e of T he Soul,

we earnestly suggest that you first experience the

course. Experiencing the course will help you become

aware of the difficulties attached to teaching. These in-

clude:

The sage on a stage:The idea of being a spiritual

teacher can be so attractive that seekers attempt to

create the outer form without first achieving the in-ner cont ent . This difficult y ca n be a voided by:

St udying th e course ma terials: You cann ot tea ch

what you do not know. First experience it for

yourself, then fa cilita te t he course.


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Practicing what you learn: You cannot teach

what you cannot perform. Practice and performthe meditation techniques yourself, then teach

others.

Being a successful teacher: The teachers at-

tention must be on the Wisdom. A teacher does not

need a lot of students, nor does teaching have to oc-

cur in a convent iona l cla ssroom.


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STUDY GROUPS

We encourage each study group to consider the follow-ing suggestions. Some suggestions may seem appropri-

a t e for your group, wh ile ot hers ma y n ot. As your group

gains experience and develops its intuition, it will refine

its group process. Adapt these suggestions to your own

circumst a nces as your a lignm ent indica t es.

THE LENGTH AND FREQUENCY

OF EACH MEETING

Most groups meet once a week, while some meet more

often and some less. The average length of a group

meeting varies from group to group. Some meet for as

lit t le a s 1 hours (a nd t a ke several meetings t o cover a

single lesson). Others meet for over 3 hours (and may

try to cover each lesson in a single meeting). The length

of the meetings, and how many meetings i t takes tocover ea ch lesson, a re ent irely up t o ea ch group.

Suggestion: Find a point of balance between hurrying

th rough th e lessons a nd lingering over t hem.

Ch oose a t ime fra me tha t ena bles you to ta ke full

a dva nt a ge of the lesson ma terial .

Ada pt t he suggestions t o your time fra me.

Meet a t a regula r t ime an d place.

BEFORE EACH MEETING

S uggest ion: S ome ha ve foun d it helpful t o preview /re-


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Appendix A

511

The meeting facilitator could lead the medita-

tion.

The meditation could conclude with The GreatIn voca tion found in t he front of th e book.

Late comers enter quietly or wait outside if the

medita tion is in progress. A noisy ent ry ca n disturb

a group a lrea dy pra cticing th e medita tion.

THE READINGS

The First Reading Suggestion: Begin each lesson

by rea ding th e ent ire lesson a loud, from beginning t o

end, without stopping for questions or comments.

During this first reading, be receptive to the mean-

ing behind the entire lesson. Options for this first

rea ding include:

Example 1: The meeting facilitator could read the

lesson a loud.

Example 2: The group members could take turns,

with each person reading one paragraph aloud,

continuing around the group until the lesson is

complete.

Example 3: The entire group could read the entire

lesson aloud, with everyone speaking the same

words simultaneously.1

This first reading is done at the beginning, and only at

the beginning, of every lesson. As the group gains prac-

tice with the process of alignment, it can consciously

align with and stand receptive (as a group) to the

thought-form of the Wisdom which overshadows the


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Su ggestion: Close ea ch meeting w ith a group medita t ion

led by the facilitator or other member. This meditation

could take the form of a new technique encountered inthe current lesson or (if there is no new technique) one

th e group ha s been pra cticing.

AFTER EACH MEETING

Practice the techniques: The m edita t ion exercisesa re an essential part of the course. You cannot get

the full benefit of the course unless you practice thetechniques! We therefore strongly recommend t h a t

you pra ct ice the exercises w hen a nd a s indica t ed.


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scent.

During the first part of the meditation exercises, theconsciousness:

Ascends through the persona instrument, relax-

ing t he body, calming t he emotions, a nd focusing

the mind. This prepares the persona to act as an

instrument of cont a ct w ith D ivinity .

Aligns with and becomes receptive to an aspect

of Divinity, such as the Spiritual Soul. This pre-

pares the persona to act as an instrument of

transmission of Divine quality, characteristic orenergy.

During the second part of the exercises, the con-

sciousness cont a cts a n a spect of Divinity, a nd either:

Invokes a Divine quality downward into appear-

a nce, a nd /or

Evokes a Divine quality outward into full expres-

sion.

During the third or descent portion of the exercises,

the Divine quality, characteristic or ray is radiated

forth into appearance. The radiatory process in-

cludes the entire persona instrument (mind, emo-

tions, and body), each part of which receives some

port ion of t he D ivine energ y.

Invocative radiation impresses a Divine quality

(on eith er t he sub st a nce or consciousn ess). Evoca tive ra dia tion dra w s a D ivine potent ial out

(of either substance or consciousness) into full

expression.

The descent grounds both the Divine energy (giving

it sha pe a nd form) a nd t he medita tor.


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Appendix A

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All of these alignments, connections, and radiations are

created by the directed focus of the consciousness. Thisdirected focus is developed through the regular practice

of th e techn iques in L esson 3 (on pp. 45 - 48) a nd Lesson

13 (on pp. 168 - 171). These two techniques are the

foundation for all the meditation work in The N atu r e of

th e Soul. They are the heart of the sequential process

which develops the persona skills, and the alignment

betw een th e Soul, mind a nd bra in, which ma ke th e Soul

work possible.

Placement of the Consciousness

The meditation exercises work on the principle that

Energy follows consciousness. The self or identity is

placed between, and relates, Divine potential to mani-

fest condition. This relationship causes the overshad-

owing solution and the manifest condition to become

one. The stronger the relationship, the quicker the

transformation.

In the exercises, the consciousness places itself in a

point midway between a manifest condition and an

oversha dow ing potentia l , th en extends i ts a w a reness up

to t he potent ial solut ion a nd dow n t o the condition. This

creates a relationship, in consciousness, between the

solution and the problem, a relationship which the Di-

vine energy of t he solut ion m ust follow.

The point of placement is usually one of several centers

(organs of energy) located in or near the head. At first,

t he point of pla cement is closer (in fr equen cy) t o th e per-

sona instrument than to the overshadowing Spiritual


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translating the potential solutions of the Soul into prac-

tical activity in the world of affairs. This translation

process must be learned, but it eventually becomes au-toma tic and (like wa lking) requires litt le or no at tent ion.

PERSONAL WORK

The problem solving process can be applied to our per-

sonality, surroundings, community, nation, and planet.

We usually begin learning the process by applying it to

our personality and immediate surroundings. At thispoint, the consciousness is focused on the individual and

the dominant motive is individual growth and de-

velopment. This is natural. As the consciousness ex-

pands, there are corresponding shifts in the motive be-

hind th e inner a nd outer work.

The efforts to improve the personality are also, in the

end, a service to the One Life. The physical body learns

to be relaxed, receptive, and responsive. The emotional

body learns to be calm, aspirational, and forceful. The

mind becomes focused, creating and organizing. The

characteristics of the Soul are built into the persona,

tra nsforming it into a f it dw elling for t he Spiritua l Soul

a nd inst rument of service to th e One Life.

Adjustment and Transmutation

The course uses a va riety of a djustment a nd t ra nsmut a -

tion techniques to improve the personality. The adjust-

ment exercises offer a new frequency, so that change

may take place. In an adjustment one can align with a

ray energy, invoke or evoke the ray, and radiate the


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ray. Thus, each of the ray seed-thoughts may be viewed

as a persona adjustment, a method of developing a

subjective feel for the ray energy, and a means of gain-ing experience in w ielding t he ra y.

The transmutation techniques impress a new frequency,

so tha t change w i l l t a ke pla ce.

The most important of the personality exercises is the

Transmutation technique in Lesson 8 on p. 108. This

exercise trains students to identify as Soul and to be

causative to the persona equipment. Regular, persistentpractice of this technique eventually leads to the re-

demption of the individual persona. As practitioners

evolve, th is technique evolves w ith th em, ena bling t hem

to move their tra nsmut a tion w ork beyond t heir individ-

ual personas to their surrounding environment. This

type of transmutation is the most important work indi-

vidua ls ca n do for t hemselves.

SERVICE WORK

Eventually, the motive of the practitioner moves from

improving the personality to serving the One Life. The

adjustment and transformation techniques are sti l l

used, but the way they are used changes. The purpose

resides over, the point of focus moves above, and the

outer activity moves beyond, the individual persona. Att his point, opport unit ies t o serve th rough t he m edita t ion

w ork a ppear.

The mind, emotions, and body are still used. However,

through the character-building adjustments and trans-


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521

mutations, and the alignment with the Soul, the per-

sonality has become an instrument through which the

practitioner serves. In the end, it is through moving theident ity out of th e persona a nd into the Soul, a nd t ra ns-

forming the persona into an instrument of service, that

th e persona is understood a nd perfect ed.

As the focus moves from the persona to the One Life,

the techniques which had been used to adjust or trans-

mute the persona become tools of service. Thus, all the

t echn iques in t he course ca n be used for service.

The courses invocative adjustment techniques include

the:

2nd Ra y t echniq ue on p. 94

4th Ra y t echn iques on pp. 182 & 183

7th R a y t echn ique on p. 267

The evoca t ive a djust ment techniques include t he:

1st Ra y t echn ique on p. 57

Many of the techniques in the second half of the course

a re specifica lly designed for service. The m ost im port a nt

of these service exercises are the Ceremony of L i fe, a nd

the See-L a-Aumexercise on pp. 433 - 434.

The service techn iques a re a lwa ys done a s S oul for S oul,not to or for the persona. The soul for whom an adjust-

ment is done is given the opportunity to create its own

solution, rather than a pre-determined solution favored

by t he medita tor. Helping a soul to find its ow n w a y is,

in t he end, par t of th e service to th e One Life.


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SUMMARY

As you pra ct ice th e techn iques, you w ill lea rn both how

to perform them and how your equipment responds to

the energies. This requires patience, tolerance, and per-

severa nce, but t he results a re well w ort h t he effort .


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Notes


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Notes


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Notes


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