We begin our spiritual evolution by training our mental being to rise above itself--to refine and raise itself--to a metaphysical realm. Agreeing with Plato that physical objects are continually changing, we contemplate their forms as the constant, eternal elements. All things are made up of metaphysical, nonphysical, nonspatial, nontemporal, universal, eternal Forms (ideai, eide) manifesting in the physical universe as individual objects.

While the world of physical objects in space and time is known through sense perception and ordinary thought, the metaphysical world of Forms is known only through philosophic reflection, dialectical interchange, and contemplation--beyond ordinary experience and requiring special capabilities of apprehension.

After attaining the discernment of the metaphysical world of Forms, the ascent of the mind from ordinary consciousness, we strive to expand our consciousness into our spiritual body, with its own dynamic and sovereign mastery free from the mind's limitations.

We begin the development of a higher center of awareness in the spiritual realm. This involves "dying" to our old terrestrial consciousness and being born into a new spiritual body with its own faculties of awareness. We awaken--as an infant in a new realm--to the powers of discernment of this new body.

We learn to focus our consciousness on subtle, almost indiscernible elements, apprehended through impressions which are completely different from those of the physical, sensory world. We develop a new spiritual awareness with a new focus of consciousness within the soul, apart from our ordinary bodily awareness. As we harmonize the various powers of this new awareness center, we realize that there has occurred a transmutational descent of the Supramental Consciousness into our new being. We begin to understand Rilke's passage in his poem: "God wants to know Himself in you." and Mansur Al-Hallaj's statement: "I have seen my Lord with the eye of my heart, and I said: 'Who are You?' He said: 'You.'"

Notes:

1 See the author's recently published book The Perennial Tradition

Read the original here:
Spiritual Evolution - Hermes Press