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PART 3
SPIRITUAL PROGRESSION
CHAPTER SIX
STYLE OF LIFE AND HUMAN RELATIONS IN THE NEW ERA.
ANALYSIS OF THE NEW SPIRITUALITY
Style of life and human relations in the new era of mankind are
determined in general by the common goals of all creation and its
intentions. The intentions behind any activities or relationships are
directed toward that common goal which is spiritual progression of
entire mankind and all its individual members. Spiritual progression
of mankind is specific and unique, and flows where it can be the most
useful from the standpoint of overall and general spiritual progression
of all creation.
In order to fulfill and accomplish this goal, the best possible style
of life and human relations are sought out and established by the
principle and rule that spiritual progression requires continuous
flexibility, mobility and change in any style of life or human relations.
The stagnation, perpetuation and preservation of one condition or one
style of life leads toward fixation, rigidity and ultimate recession from
spiritual progression. No traditions, conventions or specific stagnant
cultures are allowed to be built around any style of life or human
relations. Once any particular style of life or any relation fulfills its
purpose, function and use, it is terminated with gratitude,
appreciation and recognition of its service for that particular step and
its need in spiritual progression.
Therefore, any rules, regulations and establishments which
formulate or construct any style of life or human relations have
built-in safeguards which prevent them from falling into a stagnant
condition. All of them are changeable and removable in order to yield
to the new needs and requirements coming into existence with the
beginning of each successive step of spiritual progression.
In this respect the major general principle of any adopted style of
life or human relations is flexibility, mobility and preparation and
readiness for change. This determines the principle of their
continuous re-evaluation for the purpose of checking the usefulness of
their continuation. As soon as their usefulness is no longer functional
and they show signs of stagnation or reversion toward becoming
reactionary, they are either replaced or modified as soon as possible to
make accommodations for the new needs.
For that reason, one has to look upon any description of style of life
and human relations in view of the abovementioned facts, and realize
their transitory and temporary value.
However, they have some general features which can be considered
having, to some limited extent, a universal applicability. These can be
formulated by the following points:
1. Style of life and human relations of the new era incorporate the
most important universal rule that determines its entire meaning,
sense, being and existence and the need for continuous spiritual
progression - the direct presence of, and direct communication with
the Most High and the spiritual world. Everything is checked,
double-checked, confirmed and verified from this relationship.
Everyone is guided, instructed and taught freely as regards one's
choices, determinations, uses, relations and the most suitable style of
life for that particular state and position in spiritual progression and
in the hierarchy of the spiritual organization to which one belongs at
any given point. When progress has been made and one is ready to go
further, one is prepared for it and introduced into a new style of life
with new human relations more relevant to one's current spiritual
state. The general style of life of all mankind is determined by each
one's individual style of life and, therefore, is very versatile and
variable. It is always under the direct auspices and guidance of the
Most High.
2. The new human era is characterized by complete lack of
hostility, destructive aggressions, violence and crime. This is the
result of closure of all hells, which are no longer allowed to infuse and
feed people by such poisonous emotions. Therefore, the style of life
and human relations in the new era are epitomized by a peaceful,
serene, tranquil, well-balanced, well-composed, level-headed and
well-organized environment and existence. Everyone contributes to
everyone's and one's own happiness, delight, pleasure and joy.
3. All members of the new society have their certain place, position
and assignment. The usefulness of their activities to all within such
place, position and assignment determines the quality of relations and
the content and the structure of the style of life of each individual. All
members are equal in the performance of their use, but the extent,
impact and degree of their use to all determines the specific needs and
provisions. No one is lacking in opportunities to improve and to grow
within one's chosen destiny and assignment on Earth.
4. Everyone's style of life and relations are determined by
motivational and intentional factors of the spiritual trend and the
purpose of the society. Because the ultimate goal of all is spiritual
progression, everyone, at one's chosen point, in one's chosen direction
and at one's chosen position, is motivated by this factor to do one's
best and to contribute one's most in all respects of one's abilities. Such
spiritual considerations and intentions motivate entirely all one's
activities and relations.
5. In the new era everyone is aware of the free choice to be and to
do whatever one desires and wants. This is accompanied by the
awareness of taking full responsibility for the consequences and
outcomes of such choices without placing blame or responsibility on
anyone else. One assumes a certain role and position, with its
accompanying and relevant style of life and relations, with full
understanding and perception of all necessities, responsibilities,
duties and rights attached to such a role and position. Because one
chooses it in accordance with one's abilities, preferences, talents and
gifts which are specific to that one, one performs them with great
fulfillment and satisfaction without feeling forced or coerced into
doing anything contrary to one's nature, style of abilities or choices.
6. One of the major aspects of style of life and human relations in
the new era is the principle of balancing. Since the human mind
consists of three distinct, different areas - spirit, soul and body - all
their aspects are balanced and utilized in proper proportions and
proper hierarchy so nothing is neglected and nothing is exaggerated.
One result of this is the division of one's day and life in such a manner
as to allow sufficient time for performance of one's duties,
responsibilities and work, and also to allow time for fun, delights,
pleasures and for physical rest. Any lack of balance in this respect is
seen as an obstacle and a hindrance to one's proper spiritual
progression.
7. Because of the dominance of spiritual values in the new era and
the general trend toward becoming more and more spiritual, that is, a
better and better human being, the only criteria taken into
consideration in human relations and appointments of positions of
leadership and similar matters is the degree and quality of love for
the common good and use, and the extent of wisdom for application of
such love. There are no prejudices or concerns whatsoever regarding
any external characteristics such as nationality, race, group, majority,
minority, religion or gender. The only discrimination which exists is
the discrimination of freely chosen destiny and assignment for the
span of earthly life in the physical body which determines the quality
of one's love for use and degree of wisdom for creative realization and
actualization of one's abilities.
8. The same considerations are taken with regard to personal
relationships. They are always determined by the level, degree and
the qualities of one's love and wisdom. Since everyone is different and
in a different degree and level of one's spiritual progression, one does
not form a close relationship with someone who is in an entirely
different position, level, state, or process from one's own spiritual
progression. There would be misunderstanding and counter-
productivity in such a relationship; no use could be derived from it. In
order to avoid the phenomenon of alienation, there are people who
serve as liaisons among various degrees and levels of progression to
coordinate and mediate all such relationships. They are endowed with
special abilities, talent and gifts from the Most High to do this
important work.
9. Because everyone in society has for a purpose and goal the
common good and spiritual progression of everyone, everyone has
complete freedom of expression and unlimited opportunity for one's
creative effort. No restrictions or conditions can be put on anyone. In
such a style of life and condition and human relations, no ulterior
motivations are conceivable or retainable.
10. Mutual respect, acceptance and consideration for human
dignity and rights are always determined by inner spiritual values
and qualities and their service to the common good and use. No
considerations are given to external position, external appearance or
any other external sign related to external nature. The values and
determinators of any relations are derived from what is „within" and
not from what is „without". The quality of „without" is only as
valuable as the quality of „within".
11. In the new era the formation of family ties and establishment
of relatives takes place on the basis of similarities of spiritual
qualities and degree of the sameness of position, level and place in
relationship to one's spiritual progression. There are no ties with
so-called blood relations or to biological and physical characteristics
unless they happen to be of a similar spiritual quality and on a
similar level of spiritual progression.
12. Marital relationships are established by direct appointment of
the Most High. Only the Most High can know the precise quality of
the principles of masculinity represented by one particular male in
relationship to the precisely matched quality of principles of
femininity represented by one particular female, and vice versa,
suitable for the unification of those principles and for continuous
exchange in such a manner as to really be able to produce new
creative ideas for the benefit of all creation by becoming one. This is a
true spiritual marriage. Such a marriage can be instituted exclusively
by the Most High. Since everyone has open access to the spiritual
world and has the right and privilege to communicate directly with
the Most High, this is not a problem. No one else can unite two people
in marriage regardless as to whether it is done in the name of the
Most High or not. In the new era no other marriage is conceivable or
acceptable.
13. In the new era every relationship serves for spiritual purposes
and for the realization of all creative effort. This requires a complete
freedom of exchange of ideas on all levels. For that reason, in sexual
relationships between the opposite characteristics of femininity and
masculinity, there is a continuous free sexual exchange for the
purpose of mutual stimulation of everyone's own creative effort
through contributing in such intercourse by one's own specific and
unique characteristics. Therefore sexual intercourse is used as a most
valuable tool for the sole purpose of sharing, giving, receiving and
reciprocating, and for the pleasure and delight of this exchange which
leads to greater self-awareness and more intense spiritual progression
for the participants. No concept, thought or feeling of possession,
jealousy or exclusive rights are conceivable or acceptable in such an
arrangement.
14. Style of life and human relations of the new era are enhanced
and immensely enriched by space travel and frequent communication
and mutual exchange of experiences and accomplishments with all
other sentient entities of both spiritual and physical universes. This
broadens considerably the perspective of people and makes their life
exciting, variable and more productive and creative. Whatever
contributes to one's creativity and productivity ultimately contributes
to one's spiritual progression.
15. Because everyone in the new era has full awareness,
knowledge and information about one's choices and one's purpose of
life, everyone is free of worries, anxieties, uncertainties and fear of the
unknown. This gives one a sense of gratitude and appreciation which
leads toward the sharing of joy, delight, pleasure and happiness of
life. In leisure time such delight, joy, happiness, pleasure,
thankfulness and gratitude are expressed in various celebrations,
feasts and social events which are an integral part of everyone's life.
They all serve the spiritual purpose as a reminder of one's freedom
and independency and free participation in the great creative effort
and spiritual progression of all creation.
16. As mentioned previously, everything in the style of life and
human relations of the new era is balanced and harmonized. Because
everything derives and strives from and to spirituality, manifested by
the positive state and process of love and wisdom of the Most High, no
illnesses plague anyone. The concept of death as a painful separation
from life is unknown. Instead, everyone is prepared to leave one's
physical body as soon as one fulfills one's mission and purpose of life
during one's span on Earth. In the moment of readiness, one falls into
peaceful sleep, during which time one separates oneself from one's
body and transits to the intermediate world. Because the access to
that world is open to anyone, anyone who needs or desires to continue
in relationships or communication with a departed one can do so
without any problem, if both agree and if some spiritual use can be
derived from continuation of their relationship. Therefore, no sense of
painful loss, or of missing the departed one, is feasible in the new era.
17. Mutual friendship among people is established only on a
spiritual basis. Its purpose is to share, to help, to support and to
exchange everything available for one another's spiritual progression.
Such friendship is characterized by respect of one's freedom, by
loyalty, devotion and by deep love and appreciation of one's being and
existence. No other motives enter into any such relationship. It lasts
as long as is necessary and needed and as long as it is of mutual
benefit and use. Once it has served its purpose and no further use can
be derived from the friendship, both participants terminate it with
great appreciation, thankfulness and gratitude for the experience they
shared in the process.
18. Style of life and human relations of the new era incorporate a
regard and respect for one's natural or physical environment.
Everyone is aware that, for sometime, one is going to live in the
natural environment which is an integral part of one's life on Earth.
Earth, as all else, is the creation of the Most High for the purpose of
accommodating special and unique sentient entities - human beings.
Therefore, there are ingrained certain laws and rules which serve the
function of harmonizing all its aspects. Because of this deep spiritual
connotation, people of the new era respect nature, the ecological
balance, and live in full harmony with their natural environment. It is
looked upon as an exquisite means for one's spiritual progression.
The new era of mankind also requires a new understanding and
practice of spirituality. There are several principles which establish
the content and form of this spirituality for the beginning step in
human spiritual progression. The emphasis here is on the beginning
since the quality and the content of such spirituality is dynamic and
changeable as one transcends one's preceding step and goes into each
successive higher spiritual step.
1. In the new era all concepts of spirituality are derived from the
idea of the nature of the Most High. As mentioned previously, this is
the most important and crucial issue of spirituality in general and
human spirituality in particular. It reflects a true spiritual quality of
any society of mankind or individual. The central theme of the new
spirituality can be expressed in the statement that for everyone's
spiritual awareness there is and will be only one Most High who is the
Absolute Oneness and Unity of all principles and who is manifested in
creation in infinite varieties and infinite numbers of aspects and
expressions. Any implications, even remote ones, of the possibility of
the existence of three or more Gods in any form or understanding is a
horrid thought which signifies only one thing: there is something
terribly wrong with human spirituality. Therefore, one of the most
important implications, verifications and checkpoints for the
soundness of spirituality can be found in the concept of the Most High
one acquires. As long as it is derived from the concept of oneness and
unity, with clear understanding that there can be only one God or one
Most High and not three or several, then the spirituality is sound.
Any doubts, deviations, thoughts, feelings or considerations that are
contrary to such a concept signify that there is something terribly
wrong with one's spirituality.
This is the most crucial issue of the entire spirituality on which
mankind stands or falls. The whole history of pseudo-mankind is a
vivid and living example of such an occurrence.
Various names which are used in approaching the one Most High
are considered only one of the infinite aspects that describe one or
more specific traits by which the nature of the Most High can be
grasped by one who prefers that particular name in accordance with
one's specific spiritual needs. But that one clearly understands that it
is only a name of one trait or aspect of the one Most High and not of
the Most High in His/Her entire Absolute Nature.
2. The concept of the one Most High with many names determines
also the type, procedure and ways of worshipping Him/Her. It was
already pointed out previously that in the new era there are no
external ritualistic ceremonial type of worships. The true worship of
the one Most High is done exclusively by performance of use, actions
and deeds, by practical life, by doing one's best and by fulfillment of
one's mission and purpose of life. Now, this is not to say that people
will not get together for special types of gatherings devoted solely to
the sharing of personal and subjective spiritual experiences and
results of communication with the spiritual world. They do take place
and they are coordinated specifically for such purpose. Also, periodical
direct revelations from the Most High, as they are necessary for each
new step in the spiritual progression of mankind, are given through
persons specially appointed by the Most High for that particular
purpose, and are revealed, shared, interpreted and explained both
during such gatherings and by other available means of
communication. Also, during such gatherings there is a sharing
taking place of everyone's personal revelation from the Most High and
through one's spiritual advisors about one's preparation for
transcending the preceding step and starting a new, successive and
higher spiritual step. This is the form true worship takes place in the
new era.
3. The source, the life and the practice of individual spirituality, as
pointed out previously, is established by direct communication with
one's spiritual advisors, the Inner Mind, and specifically with the
highest spiritual advisor. Whatever is needed and necessary for one's
spiritual growth, betterment and progression, is available to anyone
who asks. The principle here is that nothing is being given or revealed
to anyone unless one asks from one's own free will and by one's own
free choice. To impose anything on anyone would be in violation of
one's freedom of choice. Such an imposition is inconceivable and
impossible for any spiritual advisors. The Most High made in this
respect a special provision and safeguard that if an individual does
not ask, no spiritual advisor can utter a word or can be heard, no
matter how hard he or she tries to get through to the advisoree. One
is always responsible for one's life with full consequences of one's
choices. This is one of the major principles of the new spirituality.
This fact is known to everyone. Therefore in communication with the
spiritual advisors everyone always asks for general and specific
answers, inspirations, interpretations, revelations and exchange of
services that are needed for any particular day. One usually ends
one's session with the spiritual advisors by asking the important
question: is there anything else that needs to be asked, considered,
revealed or discussed that for one reason or another skipped one's
mind? How can one be of service and use to one's own spiritual
advisors in the best possible and most needed ways? By such a daily
pre-farewell any oversight of important issues is prevented and the
principle of mutual service, love and reciprocity is preserved.
4. Everyone in the new era is aware and practices a very important
rule of spirituality. As mentioned previously, the concept of
spirituality is described in active, dynamic and progressive terms
because it is truly a continuous flow and onward, forward movement.
There are no ideas of stagnancy or of a stationary connotation in such
understandings and perceptions of true spirituality. Therefore, the
structure of one's perception and participation in spirituality is
determined by one's openness to new spiritual ideas which are
continuously flowing. The degree of openness is determined by
flexibility and mobility used in giving up old concepts which have
outlived their usefulness, and in accepting and incorporating in one's
life new spiritual ideas. The true spiritual rule here is that only in
open-mindedness, open-heartedness, flexibility, mobility and
adjustability, can one find the true blessing of the Most High. One is
truly blessed by such an approach.
5. For the above-stated principle, in the new era all spiritual issues
are based on the universal fact and principle that everything in
regard to spirituality is revealed in successive steps and that spiritual
progression is founded on the progressiveness and creativeness of its
ideas which are continuously changing. Everyone is aware that the
Most High, by virtue of His/Her Absolute Nature and the Absolute
Creative Effort, creates continuously fresh, new and more spiritual
ideas which are supplied to all creation for its spiritual needs,
happiness and bliss. The Most High cannot ever run out of new ideas
or rest His/Her case, proclaiming that there is nothing more to add or
to create. Such a situation would mean the end of all creation. For
this reason, the new spirituality is based on the principles of change
and progression in all levels and degrees and in all respects.
6. The very important spiritual principle, upon which the new
spirituality is based, can be found in recognition, acceptance and
practice of the fact that everything in the life of everyone or in the life
of all creation, without any exception, inclusively and exclusively, in
all imaginable respects, is related to spirituality; and that the life of
spirituality is to desire and to do good, to be wise and to continuously
progress to a higher level of spiritual awareness. This principle is a
modification and rebeautification of the principle that was revealed to
Emanuel Swedenborg: „All life is related to religion, and the life of
religion is to do good".
By this principle everyone's life is motivated, influenced and
guided. All other so-called non-spiritual events and happenings in life
are considered to be the correspondent factors of spirituality, their
concrete or symbolical expression which enables them to occur and to
take place. The life and action of anything at all, without exception, is
given by the spirituality to which it corresponds.
7. From these principles is derived a more general principle of the
new spirituality. There is a continuous awareness, acceptance and
practice by everyone that all human systems and human activities are
representations, correspondences and expressions of the Absolute
Spiritual Principles of the Most High in specificity and uniqueness of
their relative states and processes. Such a conception moves everyone
to develop a deep respect and appreciation of them because in them
one can see, feel and experience a continuous presence of the Most
High who is in all His/Her principles and their infinite relative
manifestations as in His/Her own.
Such approach and understanding of the human systems and
activities prevents them from becoming separated, self-centered,
self-directed and self-perpetuated. They are looked upon only as a
result of the Absolute Creative Effort of the Most High who
continuously reveals, modifies, adds and creates better and better
systems and activities for the spiritual needs and progression of all
creation.
All the above-mentioned spiritual principles of the new spirituality
are modifiable, changeable and flexible and there are in existence
spiritual principles that transcend the described ones. They will
supersede, build on to or retain the presented ones in accordance with
the needs and the structure of the next step in the spiritual
progression of mankind.
Source: FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN SPIRITUALITY
