Chapter Three
Soul Work, Reflecting Spirit
Abundance is seeking the beggars and the poor,
just as beauty seeks a mirror.
Beggars, then, are the mirrors of God's abundance,
and they that are with God are
united with Absolute Abundance.
Rumi, Mathnawi I: 2745,2750
Education as it is currently understood, particularly in the West, ignores the human soul, or essential Self. This essential Self is not some vague entity whose existence is a matter of speculation, but our fundamental "I," which has been covered over by social conditioning, and by the superficiality of our rational mind. In
The education of the soul, or essential Self, is different from the education of the personality or the intellect. Conventional education is all about acquiring external knowledge and becoming something in the outer world. The education of the soul involves not only knowledge, but the realization of a presence that is our deeper nature, and that includes attention, will, and self-transcendence.
What is most characteristically human is not guaranteed to us by our species or by our culture but given only in potential. A spiritual master once expressed it this way: A person must work in order to become human.
What is most distinctly human in us is something more than the role we play in society and more than the conditioning, whether for good or bad, of our culture. It is our essential Self, which is our point of contact with infinite Spirit. This Spirit is not to be understood as a metaphysical assertion or belief, but as something we can experience for ourselves.
You, as a human being, are the end product of a process in which this Spirit has evolved better and better reflectors of Itself. If the human being is the most evolved carrier of the Creative Spirit--possessing conscious love, will, and creativity--then our humanity is the degree to which this physical/spiritual vehicle, and particularly our nervous system, can reflect or manifest Spirit. That which is most sacred in us, that which is deeper than our individual personality, is our connection to this Spirit, Cosmic Life, Creative Power, or whatever name we may use.
Whereas conventional religious belief has the tendency to anthropomorphize God/Spirit, this process consists in the human being becoming qualified by the attributes of God. It could be called the "sanctification" of the human being. Our human nature is realized through the understanding and awareness that the essential human Self is a reflection of Spirit. To become truly human is to attain a tangible awareness of Spirit, to realize oneself as a reflection of Spirit, or God.
The Work I hope to describe is a process of awakening a transcending awareness, a presence that can initiate and sustain the activation of our latent human faculties. A certain knowledge, help, and practice is called for in order for us to become a human being, to know what we are. A person must have this Work, because many of our human attributes have atrophied. Through disuse they have become latent faculties rather than functioning ones. The human being has not only the faculties of sense, emotion, and intelligence that we already know, but other faculties or senses--volitional, psychic, intuitive, magnetic, and ecological. A purified and energized nervous system with all these faculties functioning harmoniously would lead a person to experience the unity of Being--unity with the Cosmic Life and with the Creative Power.
For this a balanced program for the realization of our latent, essential Self is necessary. This essential Self is not an absolute term but a relative one signifying that purified subjectivity or awareness that we come to know as we become relatively free of the identifications with our social programming and conditioning. This essential Self will be found to have the attributes of Spirit, including unconditional love and fundamental creativity.
Realization, in its fullest meaning, is not merely to know something, but making it real in oneself. We come to this essential Self through a process of deconditioning, reconditioning, and unconditioning. The West offers few traditional models for this kind of intentional human development. Neither in our universities nor in our churches has this work gone on in a systematic way. These institutions have yielded little beyond the development of intellectuality and conventional religious behavior. Occult and initiatic societies in the West, with few exceptions, have offered little more than ceremonialism, intellectualism, and psychic distraction. A culture that ignores this work of awakening our latent humanity will be starved of the food of the soul.
It would be useful to distinguish between the Work, on the one hand, and religion or philosophy, on the other. The Work is an approach to Spirit involving a total commitment and way of life. A religion is a system of beliefs and rituals that may or may not be a form of the Work for any particular person. A philosophy is a system of ideas, an investigation into the principles that underlie knowledge and reality; it is primarily a mental system.
The religiously inclined person may ask "What should I believe?"; the philosophical person might ask "What is truth?"; but the one who asks, "How shall I find God, how shall I experience Spirit, how shall I become the Truth?" is asking the questions of the Work. What is sought is sought through experience, through a process of maturing, through using more and more of our faculties, through a gradual change of perception.
Some important spiritual issues of our time are whether or not the Work needs the support of a tradition and to what extent such traditions are viable in the pluralist, postmodern world. Today there is a resistance to religious and traditional language by a great number of intelligent people. This is not necessarily a resistance to the truths religious language formerly expressed, but to the cheapening and conventionalizing of Reality. For Reality, after all, is what we mean by God. When the wonder of this Reality is traded for slogans and self-righteousness, it is not surprising that many turn from religion.
How shall those truths now be understood, expressed, and realized? As various individuals and groups attempt to apply traditional forms of spiritual training, they have to deal with the aspects of those forms that were suited to another time and place. Discriminating between what is essential and what is inappropriate is not a task for amateurs, and it is not a task that many traditionalists will agree is necessary.
It is also necessary for new forms of training to be developed that are appropriate to the ever-changing condition of human beings. Only when the higher levels of realization are grasped is it possible to innovate and adapt the teaching to the new milieu. Tradition, if it is sacred and authentic, is always adapting and innovating. But today's culture faces greater discontinuities than any other in known history, as witnessed by the fact that the total amount of information with which humans must deal is doubling in a matter of years rather than centuries.
Everywhere we see a spiritual hunger that goes unsatisfied, and we also see some rather exotic and bizarre ways of trying to satisfy this hunger. What form might the inner development of human beings take in the world at this time? The West has had some history of spiritual experiments that aimed toward intentional human development. But for the most part even these attempts have been both isolated and experimental, without an adequate traditional knowledge--such as has been more available in the East and
Many traditional cultures have developed forms of the Work. My own search for understanding began with the systems of the Far East and eventually brought me to the Sufi tradition, particularly as it has been practiced in Asia Minor and
There is a knowledge and a practice of connecting ourselves with cosmic Life. It has nothing to do with belief; it is learned. It is increased by our consciousness of it, by our increasing awareness of the abundance of cosmic energy. Life is infinite, and this infinity can be tapped. The only limitation is one of awareness.
Life is not just this bioenergetic vitality, but a spiritual vitality that is eternal, and we are that. This lifespan that we know on earth is said to be one chapter in the story of Life. This Eternal Life reflects through us.
A seed has no energy of its own, but it can come alive in the right environment. Every form of life has a capacity for response but none so much as the human being. In an infertile environment this capacity for response may be dormant. The cultivation we need to provide is through conscious awareness. This makes the difference between nominally being alive and being alive abundantly. With awareness we can develop all our faculties. The body, mind, spirit, and ecology form an interconnected whole. When a harmonious relationship exists among all of these, we have abundant life.
Once a teacher of mine was asked, while having a coffee in a diner, what the Work is aiming toward. He wrote these words on the back of a napkin: "As human beings we can work together in order to 1. develop our nervous system through inner work; 2. develop our physical bodies through conscious exercise, right breathing and eating; 3. develop our sense of interdependence and altruism; 4. develop the priority of common cause; 5. develop in social relations; 6. develop in family and conjugal relations; 7. develop an abundant livelihood through the quality of our work; 8. work for the ecology; 9. develop a grasp of Truth; and attain It in this world."
The first steps in this process may be intellectual. Our description of spiritual realities and spiritual work is not meant to be absolute, final, or complete. We must never forget that Reality or Truth is beyond anything we can say, and yet as human beings we will realize ourselves more completely if our ideas are in harmony with our possibilities. It may not be possible or necessary to say what Absolute Truth is, but for the human being the Truth is that we are integral to It, not separate, and can experientially realize this.
It is necessary to attain some intellectual clarity, but once the conscious mind has become familiar with certain transformative ideas, these ideas may penetrate to the level of subconscious mind, which is traditionally called "the heart." Having been received and grasped as far as this level, these ideas help to create a new receptivity of mind to all the levels of Being.
The Work, the practical aspect, is primary; the intellectual expression of this process is necessary, but secondary. The purpose of this formulation is not only to be read by the mind, but to be acted on in a coherent way. Ideas must become values, not mere steps in a logical process. The idea of presence, for instance, is a practical one. It is not a belief or opinion, but a practice. When a person has learned it and has practiced it, it becomes grasped and valued.
The four terms diagrammed below represent, in a necessarily simplified way, the fundamental terms and polarities of the Self as presented in this book. All of the terms employed are unfortunately subject to various definitions in the English language, and so it is important to clarify at the outset what is meant by them here.
CONSCIOUS MIND
Ego, "I"
Intellect
Personality
THE SELF(NAFS) CONTINUUM
False Self Essential Self
Constructed Compassionate
Fearful Expansive
Compulsive Free
Subconscious Mind
Heart
Emotion
Subtle Perceptions
We begin with a sense of self, an "I." Before we say whether this "I" really exists or not, we can say that it is something we all experience. What this experience is like varies enormously from person to person, from a contracted, separate self to an expanded, spiritualized Self. Commonly, however, this "I" is a very small part of ourselves. It is as much of ourselves as we are conscious.
Beyond this "I" or conscious mind is a vast realm which can be called the Subconscious. Commonly, it is viewed as a kind of warehouse of buried memories, conditioning, complexes, drives, and obsessions. From a more spiritual perspective this Subconscious is also the Heart, the source of wisdom and subtle perceptions. It is infinite, at least compared to the conscious mind, and is spontaneously in communication with other minds and Mind-at-large.
The other polarity that needs clarification involves the false self and the essential Self. The basic premise of this book is that the conscious mind is largely identified with the false self (an nafs al ammara), which is the product of fear and selfishness. We can dis-identify with this false self and through presence realize our identity with the essential Self (an nafs al mutamina). Both the terms false self and essential Self are relative. From the perspective of the essential Self we feel our unity with everything through love and through the finer faculties of mind.
Where we identify on the false self and essential Self spectrum influences our experience of "I," as well as the condition of our subconscious mind. Clearly, people whose lives are ruled by vanity and all the delusions it brings will have a different sense of self than those who can be aware of their dependence on Spirit and their interdependence with the whole of life, those who are humble and remember the fact of their own death. The former will be enslaved to the tyranny of their own ego; the latter will experience an abundant and creative life, living from the essential Self.
Spiritual attainment is a process of becoming complete by allowing the mind and heart to respond to the highest levels of Spirit. Spiritual maturity is not a process of personal development, because the "person" on whom such development is based is a superficial identity. This is one of the most difficult things to learn. For many years I thought I was "in the Work" to make "me" a conscious person, as if it were an achievement similar to other achievements. Only slowly and painfully did I begin to learn that the real Work is to serve, to pay attention to how other human beings can be helped toward freedom and love by being an example of those qualities without expectation of any recognition or reward.
We are reflectors of this greater Spirit. All intelligence, all beauty, all strength, all compassion, all forgiveness, all patience, and all trust are gifts and attributes of this Spirit. As the awareness of our connection with Spirit increases, these attributes are reflected more perfectly through us. To the extent that we polish the mirror of the heart, we become reflective and bright. We become lovers of this pure Spirit.
How is this "Spirit" to be found? If it is everywhere, it should not be too difficult to find. But where is it most concentrated?
Firstly, the Spirit is most concentrated in the human heart, when the human turns toward it and realizes it within. By turning toward our own experience, by cultivating a vigilance regarding our own states, we can come to know ourselves, and therefore know the Spirit we reflect.
Secondly, wherever two or more are gathered in remembrance, maturity of spirit is communicated from one heart to another. It is rarely achieved alone. For a number of reasons friendship and brotherhood are the outcome of our understanding the Truth.
The group or sister/brotherhood exists to assist in the attraction, concentration, and transmission of subtle energies leading to new perceptions and personal transformation. Many ways have been developed to engender a resonance among human beings. Through conscious worship with a concentration on movement, sound, and breath, certain states are facilitated that open us to the relatively infinite capacities of mind.
Spiritual work has traditionally been founded upon a group model, taking advantage of group dynamics to practice such values as remembrance, service, selflessness, humility, generosity, and community. To approach the work alone is not only a great limitation, but it runs the risk of cultivating self-importance and self-righteousness. Spiritual attainment apart from other human beings is illusory and incomplete. The awakening of latent human qualities while still based on the ego and without the support of love is possible only to a limited extent. The purpose of the Work is not only to awaken our own latent human qualities; it should proceed under the protective grace of humility and affection. The real Work is completed under the protection and guidance of Love.
Our tendency is toward personal independence, but in order to know our real Self we need to abandon the ego-protective behaviors that keep us in separation. We need to open ourselves to other beings in this milieu of Love. We need to gather with the followers of Reality to receive the gift of maturity and to offer ourselves generously. Only as we begin to open to others in love, can the isolated ego be transformed. An awareness of our interdependence with our fellow human beings and with all of life provides the environment in which the seed of the soul can flourish.
Workbook on "Soul Work, Reflecting Spirit"
This first general chapter, following the introduction and opening parable, is full of important content. This chapter sets out some of the fundamental premises for the work that we will be doing throughout the text, defining some key areas. It is important, therefore, to think about these terms and their usage as clearly as possible. Soul, essential self, Spirit, heart and work are all key terms, along with conscious and unconscious mind.
These terms are introduced as part of a renewed traditional education that is contrasted with what we call "modern education." The education that he wants us to undergo is what he calls "the Work," involving the interior parts of ourselves in such a way that we become "fully human." Kabir, therefore, is expressing these ideas in a specialized way, and not necessarily in the way we think of them in common English. The word "soul," for example, typically means that part of ourselves which we identify with our psyche or personalities. Here, however, he uses it as a synonym for what he calls "the Essential Self." This phrase is very important because it points to the fact that we are more than our egos. There is something in us greater than what we normally know ourselves to be. It is the growth of this part of ourselves (and the knowledge that we gain from it), which is the central focus of the education of the heart.
Throughout this chapter Kabir contrasts this Work not only with modern education but also with conventional religion and philosophy. His pointed critique of both identifies the contemporary deficiencies we typically experience in each area. On the other hand Kabir honors the sacred traditions from the various cultures which have developed an educational process to assist spiritual maturity. What this book is doing, then, is helping us recover this central focus in our faith and directing us toward what is essential in religious experience.
One interesting example of conventional religious belief is the anthropomorphization of God or Spirit as contrasted to what he calls the "Santification" of the human being (7). We are placed in this world to learn how to grow into the image and likeness of God, which is the fundamental principle of "Soul Work, Reflecting Spirit."
Questions for Reflection
1. Although the author says nothing about it, the poem by Rumi at the beginning of the chapter establishes one of the essential features of someone who is ready for a deep and powerful inner education. What is the paradox between poverty and abundance, and how do they relate to one another inside of us?
2. The key idea of this chapter is the soul Work that awakens the essential Self. In order to understand what this means, it is important that we first have an understanding of the difference between our normal, everyday selves and this other part of us, the essential Self. Throughout this chapter Kabir gives many descriptions to help us distinguish between the two. Read through the chapter and make a list of the ways he defines each and their differences.
3. The Work to awaken us to our true humanity involves us in a process of realization. Once awake, he says, we will be "in possession" of certain faculties which before were only potential within us. In your reading of the chapter, describe what your understanding of the Work actually is. What does he mean when he says that the Work is a process of realization? What faculties are awakened by it?
4. Kabir identifies the essential Self with Spirit in a very broad, even cosmic way. How do you understand the relationship between them and how can we know when we possess or are possessed by Spirit?
Daily Exercises
1. It is so easy, as Kabir points out, for the kind of knowledge we are seeking to simply stay in our heads as "ideas" and not become the central values that ground our lives. The Work, therefore, must be taken into the midst of life and "done" there. Before we can do anything, however, we must observe ourselves to see what is really true and what is not. In this first exercise, spend a week or more simply watching yourself as a casual observer. When you act, live and speak, try to see what comes from the self inside of you that has been conditioned to certain reactions, and what might come from another source, the Spirit or the essential Self. Simply observe, not trying to criticize what you see. Make a written inventory of what you see.
2. When you know or feel that your own life is somehow connected to "Cosmic Life," what do you experience inwardly and what are the results? Watch to see both sides. Become a good diagnostician of your own inner states of being.
3. Kabir makes the point that "A seed has no energy of its own, but it can come alive in the right environment (11)." This statement illustrates the need for having the "right environment" in our own lives. Our daily life-style is one of the key elements of our environment. Either our life-style supports our spiritual growth (and becoming) or it stunts it. We may think about what we do and how we live as a neutral environment, but typically it is not. Modern life, far from being neutral, is often very toxic. Examine your life and your general life-style. What do you see that supports the Work you are setting out to do, and what do you realize stunts and thwarts it? Can you change any of these? How?
Contemplative Prayer
1. In a quiet place, apart, after settling yourself into a relaxed physical position, and opening yourself to the Presence of God, begin a process of breathing. Allow the normal flow of inhaling and exhaling to be a kind of "breath prayer" which allows your whole being to pray; taking in the Presence of God, and giving back that Presence as a gift to the creation around you. Practice this form of prayer daily, or as often as you can.
2. After becoming familiar with "breath prayer" and allowing it to still and quiet your inner self, sit for a while in silence and be a "watcher" of what goes on within you. Do not judge or criticize the process, simply observe it. Offer whatever you observe in your thoughts, states of emotion, reactions and responses to God. In that watching and self-offering you are becoming inwardly aware.
3. Kabir makes the crucial point that spiritual practice can be strengthened in community. Try to awaken and sustain this awareness when you are worshipping with others, whenever you have the opportunity. If you have no such community you might ask someone of like mind and heart to join you.
Definitions
1. ESSENTIAL SELF: The Higher Self; that in ourselves which is in contact with the Creative Power, or Cosmic Mind. The persona and personality by which each individual is known are not the essential Self, but the appearance. From the perspective of sacred Tradition the essential Self may not even be known to the human knower, since its essence is hidden in God who knows us and makes us known.
2. HEART: The heart stands as the inner faculty of spiritual knowing and feeling. The heart is both a place and a capacity from which we both receive and give spiritual life. The heart exists on the border between the soul and the spirit, mediating both realities, helping them to connect.
3. SOUL: Individualized Spirit, your real, eternal self.
4. SPIRIT: The first and primary manifestation of the Essence we call God.
5. SELF: The unique construction made up over time through the accumulation of both inner and outer experiences gathered into a single whole or unit, an ego-identity which I call "myself" and which is known to some greater or lesser degree by those who also know me.
6. ABUNDANT LIFE: The result of consciously becoming whole with mind, body, soul, and ecology.
7. APPROPRIATENESS: The child of love and humility.
8. GRASP: Understanding attained through mobilizing our conscious and subconscious minds, as well as our five senses.
9. INTERDEPENDENCE: The recognized need of human beings for one another in order to attain the fullness of life on all levels, from material to cosmic.