The Creation of Man’s Soul – A White Eagle Teaching

A213 Sunday Address 5th February 1950 St Mary Abbots Place, London Sunday service

Yet another miracle will follow in the withdrawal of the life of the plant from physical or material form after its flowering. Both aspects need to be considered and meditated upon. Now we would speak of something even more wondrous than the miracle of the flower, or indeed of any miracle of nature. We would direct your thoughts to the miracle of the spiritual nature, the possibility of spiritual unfoldment in man. Would that we could find words with which to describe the glory which can be attained by a master soul! We can give you perhaps an inkling of that glory by describing his form as like a jewel. So, think of a jewel casket; then open your casket, and lying upon a cushion see a golden jewel flashing like fire, dazzlingly beautiful. See how rays from this jewel go in all directions, high and broad and deep. Conceive in your mind’s eye this most perfect flashing jewel. From this try to get some idea of the glory of a master soul. Afterwards, keep this ideal ever before you, remembering that you, in spite of your limitations and failures, have been created to become the glorious jewel – some day.

For, as the bulb grows in the dark and eventually becomes a flower, so every human soul contains within its being potentialities of becoming a master soul. This truth has been taught from the beginning. Man’s life did not commence with this earth planet – of course not! – but we have to confine ourselves to life upon earth. From the beginning of time teachers came to tell the incarnated souls of men the way to grow to perfection. The ideal of the godhead was thus planted within every human soul. (By the term godhead we mean the divine spark, breathed forth from the heart of God to journey down into the depths of matter to be clothed in flesh – to be given a soil in which to grow.) Such teachers came from other planets, invisible worlds on which dwell advanced beings of spiritual life, or angels. These beings descended to earth in the beginning, and taught the people their method of soul-building. Their School was called the Mystery School, or sometimes the School of Freemasonry – which means that pupils of that School were instructed how to build up the soul which God had implanted within them.

To this end all life’s experiences, every contact with physical life is important, is necessary; because through such contact with its difficulties does the spirit, the divine spark, teach the soul how to build. This is a part of the ancient wisdom, the fundamental teaching – of which there are as many different facets, as with the perfect jewel. The truth is that the interpenetration of spiritual science with physical science waits to be discovered, as do many other mysteries of the spirit. In your youth you are presented with what is called ‘education’ – acquired by going first into the kindergarten, then into the preparatory, then from the preparatory into college and entering the university. When there are degrees to be taken the student must work ever harder to acquire knowledge. When, however, we come to this spiritual development, this development of the soul within man until it becomes like a flashing, radiant jewel everything seems too much trouble, because the end is too nebulous. Not quite as nebulous as you think, however, because that soul which you imagine is invisible is steadily making itself visible by shaping the matter it inhabits. Does it not mould physical form? Does it not change the face? Does it not affect and modify the surroundings in which the soul is living? Yes. So you see the soul is more tangible than it seems. Look around and you will see that this outer world is largely a manifestation of souls which are either undeveloped or else developed. You will see truth, beauty and nobility on the one hand. You will see untruth, ugliness, degradation, sorrow, bitterness, disease and death on the other.

These come about by reason of the manifestation of the soul in matter. Because you are accustomed to thinking of the soul as unreal you push this demonstration on one side and live an ordinary life, trying to be practical, so as to deal with the affairs of life. What teachers from the higher spheres want is to help you to realise that when you develop your soul, when you work to bring through into physical manifestation this light, this power, which is your true self, you are going to create a finer body, more worthy surroundings, and indeed to create heaven on earth. God has given you the material. You are yourselves master builders, did you but know it. Your work is to build this heaven. Although we are always talking about light we doubt if we have succeeded in making clear what we mean.

We have told you that when we speak of light we mean God. God is love. Light is love. Love is an ideal. Understand, then, that through your mind and emotions of every day you can utilise the substance called light. You are already utilising, taking and moulding light into your bodies. How can you become more conscious of what you are doing with the light? We stress again the truth that you are masons, you are builders; and your building material is a soul substance – light. This light can be released within you. All creation is light. Every form of matter is light; and all life is vibration, and according to your vibration the light enters or takes form. How are you to commence working?

Many are already doing it unconsciously – that is the trouble. Consciousness of the truth of what you are doing has to be brought through, else people will think it sufficient to live an ordinary sort of life. In consequence they suffer much. It seems almost as though every soul is heir to disease and death, which indicates that the ordinary, the good, the normal sort of life is not good enough, although it goes a certain way. What must happen is this awakening to the truth that God is light, and that you are light; and that you have been given your working tools. Those working tools are your body, your emotions, your thoughts – physical, mental, astral. You must use these tools if you want to evolve, so that in due course when you have graduated you will appear as perfect as that jewel which we have endeavoured to describe. This is not just some pretty picture. Feel in earnest within your heart that the truth of what we say. In your meditations conceive this ideal of the flashing golden jewel. Within that jewel is to be seen the perfect form of man. This perfect form is the perfect son of God. That son is you. To become that son should be your ideal.

To work consistently with the light you need to withdraw your consciousness, your thoughts and emotions from the outer world; to turn steadfastly to the inner world, to the home of spirit; and in this world so still, which is yet the centre and source of all outward form and life, you will strike the one tremendous Note which we will call the Word of God. In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God. Light! That Word was God. First turn within. In the silence the Word is heard, and the Word is the First Cause. This is what the aspirants seek. They withdraw from the world. They climb the snow-clad peaks to meditate and to hear the word. The nearest sound to that Word that man can comprehend is the hum of life, which is interpreted as ‘Aum’. Feel that vibration stirring within you. Feel that the seed-atom of God is within your heart.

Then, as you say that word physically, mentally, emotionally you are realising the life and the light within. You need to make certain preparations before you can proceed as master builders. You must learn to subdue, to purify, to order your thoughts. You must control desires and emotions, and create in your higher nature an ideal, by proceeding from the physical through the astral and mental into the sphere of ideation. There you receive your ideal, your mission, and can descend again through planes back to the earth. Spiritual development through meditation can be likened to a graph rising and falling, rising and falling. You start from the bottom and climb to the heights; you start from the heights and descend to the bottom. All the while you are growing in spirit. To come again to everyday things; one thing we beseech you not to do is to give up hope because you think you are too futile, too unworthy, or some rubbish of that kind. Do not be cowards. Know yourself as you are; recognise your failings and your weakness but have courage enough to believe that every effort you put forth is a spark of light. It does not matter if you fail, because you cannot judge. Failure in your eyes is often achievement from the spiritual standard. Set yourself out to be a good scholar and pupil. If you make mistakes, do not despair. The very fact that you are trying shows you are on the way. If not, you would have given up. The fact that you can create an ideal and follow it shows that you are ready. Remember, the graph goes up and down. The soul is bound to be carried up to the heights and bound to descend again.

At times you will feel full of spiritual ecstasy and ready for anything; and sometimes you feel hopeless. Never, never mind. Hold on with a loving heart both to your idea and to your Father–Mother God, the Parents Who are watching over you, Who understand their child because They have given birth. Keep on persevering with everyday life. Regard this life as your set lessons, thereby bringing the light within into conspicuous operation, so that the very cells of your body become impregnated. This is what is happening in the outer world, as well. Spirit, God is continually moulding, purifying, raising the world-vibrations. Physical matter is the densest substance of all, a raw material which waits to be moulded by the master-builders. All humanity is being thus raised. You are being raised by those above you, and in turn are raising those beneath you. Here we come into the realm of brotherhood, which is the most beautiful gift that God has conceived for His children. Earthly people know nothing of this brotherhood, as yet.

They are striving towards it. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard the glories which God has prepared for His children. So, my children, keep on. Be confident. Be sympathetic to those who appear to live shadowed lives; to neither condescending nor critical but only loving. Think of them as near and dear and love them. The elder Brethren are in our midst, here and now. May your inner eyes behold them. Remember, they have bodies of pure light vibrating at a very high rate. That is why they are beyond the range of physical sight but are close to you in spirit. They promise you their help as you aspire, and as you gain confidence in them so you will receive more help. Never put them away. They are not remote. They are wholly understanding of you and your needs. They are only too happy to help with your labours in the world. Remember, beloved ones, what we have told you of the inner power; of the God within, which, if you call upon and endeavour to stand on one side with your lower mind, will take possession and work through you. Thus you will be building, creating that temple of your soul.

They give to you all their love, their blessing, in this great selfless task. Benediction: And now from our Elder Brethren we rise to the highest, to our Lord and Master Christ and the Father–Mother God, the holy and blessed Trinity, the Source of our being. We worship, we worship, we glorify Thee, and Thy blessing is upon Thy children. We thank Thee for the glory of the spiritual life, for the happiness and the beauty which all Thy gifts bring to Thy children in all the worlds in which they are placed. Thy peace broods over us. Amen. Amen. Amen. The search matches with either words and phrases, which appear in the text, or the following ‘key’ words and phrases, which are similar in meaning to those in the document: conscious union with Mother–Father God, nature’s mysteries, spiritual unfoldment, becoming a Master, godhead, divine breath, soul making itself visible, jewel, creation of your true self, Aum, seed atom, spiritual development through meditation like a graph, be courageous