If we seek power for its own sake, we may expect to be continually disappointed with the fruits of our effort; because the whole of creation is weighted against us. The reason is that success in this endeavour would be a negative factor in our spiritual education and tend to destroy the potential of our real consciousness.
In the same way that we keep dangerous and powerful artifacts out of the range of our childrens' grasp, so God has arranged for the real power of the universe to be kept out of our grasp.
Power exists for us in direct ratio to the extent that we succeed in bringing our absolute nature to a condition of resonant life. This power then works for us quite spontaneously to reproduce in all our surroundings a 'drama' which represents the significance of our true Being.
In this way our own true nature is caused to be portrayed for us externally, in order that we can know it as an objective experience; as well as an experience in our inner sensibility.
Our true Will Power (aligned with divine destiny) causes people and situations to come together in our environment, so that they may live out for one another the whole significance of the quality of their true being.
This purposive arranging of multiple environmental aspects does, of course, take a long time at the physical level. But those aspects which are expressed as higher spiritual levels are not under the same restrictive and sluggish constraints as the physical level; and can be experienced by us in great quantities and at great speed.
Our personal experience of freedom and fulfilment therefore consists in recognising that much of our condition has already been fixed for us, for our own eternal benefit. We find ourselves in a situation where Life will try to force us to pay attention to qualities rather than quantities; and to keep and use our individual true nature; even when we consciously attempt to avoid what we need and shed our true nature in favour of some superficial desire.
(Edited and explicated from pages 212-3 of Chapter 16 The Will, in A Geography of Consciousness by William Arkle - published 1974.)
Note: I find this analysis very satisfying and convincing as a picture of why we each are in the situation in which we find ourselves, and what to do about it.
My impression is that I came to consciousness with a personality and set of motivations that had been corrupted by all sorts of false desires and distorted notions - and I now count myself fortunate (and blessed) that so few of these were allowed to come to pass.
Those desires which - by stubborn will power - I did 'succeed' in forcing-upon myself and the world, invariably led to bad, unsatisfying and tormenting outcomes that pulled me up short and - eventually, after denials and further fruitless efforts - compelled me recognise my stupidity and errors.
It also strikes me that the horrors of Radical, 'progressive', Leftist, secular activism over the past few centuries can be seen in this light; as a direct consequence of the cultural implantation of a multitude of false, superficial and harmful desires for oneself and the world - and the encouragement to force-these-upon the world by the sheer intransigence of our personal and collective will...
...An attitude that invariably lead to disappointing, bad, perverse and even inverted outcomes (outcomes which invite - but seldom lead to - repentance).
I think you touch on where some of the secular right is in error, again. The life proposed sounds very empty and dry, deprived of joy, even if it were to come to fruition. It seems imposed from the outside, as it were. A false belief about how we should live.
ReplyDelete