Soul - A Work In Progress
Articles By Andrew Schneider
Life can be very confusing at times because we live in a multi-dimensional world. Even we ourselves have many dimensions to our own individuality.
Life in the manifested world is one of Spirit clothed in matter, existence in form. There is nothing much for us as human beings to do with this except to experience it, get involved with it and become conscious of it, which means to intentionally identify with it. This full involvement will expand our consciousness whenever we do it. And whenever we do this we are creating soul, we are soul-making. It is a psychological process for it takes place within our identity. Everyone experiences the form. But often the underlying, motivating energy of Spirit is not known. Without awareness of Spirit presence within the form, we cannot know ourselves or anything as soul.
As an entity, soul is who we are as incarnated Spirit; we give it a name as an independent state of being. In fact, this entity (soul) is who we are as consciousness. This is as difficult to understand as to say we are Spirit, which is who we are as life. Our personality is who we are as matter or form. So if we are to experience all of who we are we need to relate to ourselves and the world in these three ways: as consciousness, as life and as form.
The first step is to know ourselves as form, which means to know our personalities. We are making a lot of progress along this line. Our next step is to know ourselves as consciousness, which is the same as knowing ourselves as soul. That is the evolutionary step now facing humanity and ourselves as individuals.
It is very helpful to view soul from the perspective of a work in progress that we are creating. Rather than seeing soul as some given that is in control, we can see ourselves as the spiritual participants in the grand design of creation, able to create soul through our intentional consciousness - through awareness and through the choices we make.
In this way, soul isn't either some pre-existent given, nor is it something that is created accidentally or comes into being accidentally, but a reality which we determine, dictate, create or destroy. Soul, then, is the quality of life (spirit in form life). This is a tremendously empowering perspective, and one that increases our responsibility.
The major challenges in the world today are pressing us all toward understanding, tolerance, unanimity, sharing and connection.
It is soul which creates unanimity instead of uniformity. Soul creates inclusiveness within the expansiveness or breadth of spirit. Soul creates connections within the diversity of life. Soul creates a horizontal dimension of equality within a vertical dimension of power. Soul creates balance. Soul demonstrates understanding and compassion.
How To Connect With Soul
It is possible to connect with soul anywhere anytime. The personal state necessary to experience soul is to stop and pay attention, to stand in its presence and allow natural affinities to merge. When identified with soul within ourselves, we seek this soul presence in all relationships. Any inner state of acceptance, tolerance, compassion, understanding and empowerment is a soul state of consciousness. This qualitative psychological- spiritual state of being opens us to soul experience in all that we meet.
The opposite of this approach, the ways we do not allow ourselves to experience soul, includes the following:
1. Resistance - to resist another's ways, ideas, etc.
2. Superficiality - to focus exclusively on a phenomenal or form level rather than on an inner level - i.e., to be superficial
3. Control - to try to control the relationship
4. Selfishness - to be preoccupied with oneself
5. Indifference - not caring
Releasing Potential
Soul-making is all about releasing potential, the potential that is created when Spirit and matter merge, such as occurs when putting an idea into action. The potential of any such reality is virtually limitless. Activating potential takes us into the power of life. This process is also called creativity. Creativity is not possible without soul because creativity is consciousness of life, which may or may not then express in form. Any movement of consciousness within us affects our physical body in which it takes place, and also the emotional and mental body of the individual and of humanity. True creativity always manifests with understanding and compassion in response to need, and therefore it is transformative.
In soul consciousness there has to be an awareness of spiritual values in material things so that we see Spirit bringing life to matter, fertilizing matter, animating it, so that soul emerges from the union. It is because of this that soul consciousness is so universal, inclusive and caring.
As we embrace our threefold nature as Spirit, soul and personality we are able to function effectively in our multi- dimensional world. As we come to know ourselves as form, we develop intelligence and understanding. As we increasingly know ourselves as life, or know the life within, we are empowered and empower others. As we develop our consciousness we able to stand in love and express compassion to all.
About the Author
Andrew Schneider is one of the world's eminent authorities on the nature of the spiritual soul within each person. He has taken a lifetime of learning, practice and teaching around the world and created The Soul Journey to assist people to develop soul consciousness. The Soul Journey is an effective program of growth from sound personal psychology to spiritual enlightenment. One of Andrew's greatest gifts is his ability to take complex universal concepts and make them easily understood.
Keywords:Soul - A Work In Progress, higher self, presence, Andrew Schneider, understanding, tolerance, Intuition, Articles, UK, Cape Town, South Africa,
