O’ Soul

The relationship between the insight and revelation that the soul once possessed and the cause of its loss may be compared to the eye that sees both light and darkness.

If the eye is surrounded by darkness, it cannot see anything; even if it is placed in front of objects, the eye cannot perceive them; but when the light falls upon these objects, then the eye is illuminated, too, and it can distinguish the things that it could not see before.

Therefore, the light is the link between the eye and the objects; the light gives the faculty of discernment and this causes the things which were only potentially present for the eye before to become a reality. As long as the eye catches the light, it can see and distinguish things, but if the eye loses the light and is again surrounded by darkness, the experience of sight and everything that can be distinguished by the faculty of sight is terminated at once. If the faculty of sight and the faculty of perception are to be lasting, the light must be present permanently and the eye must be free of darkness.

Do you now see clearly, O’ Soul, that the light comes from the Spirit, and the darkness from the body? If you understand this, why do you grieve when you or others must leave the body? For it is on account of the body that you experience the greatest sorrow in darkness. It prevents you from perceiving what should be known to you. You should rather grieve that you are removed from the world of the Spirit and placed into that of matter, for through the activity of the Real, Illumined World within you, you receive the greatest mercy and blessing.

Turn away, then, O’ Soul, from this dark nature; forsake it, stop identifying with it and expecting anything real from it; protect yourself from the suffering to which it will ultimately lead you, by turning to the Real World, which is the root and origin of your existence, and which is the abode of your Prime Creator. Thus you will inherit eternal life and bliss everlasting.

How much longer will you continue exerting yourself, O’ Soul, wandering hither and thither in the world of rising, glimmering and fading? How much longer will you remain hopelessly busy making friends and partners for yourself? Sometimes losing a temporary friend and then again winning another. Of all those with whom you are united in temporary friendship, there is not one who, as a human being, does not possess unfaithfulness and treason, if only in thought; and even if you want to be faithful to him and help him, there is not one who does not pretend, even if you believe him to be honest; neither is there one who does not dishonour you, even if you believe him to be pure; nor is there one who is not continually your opposite as to his nature and being, just as you are his opposite as to your being and nature. And finally, after all of this, the temporal link by which you were joined is necessarily severed, although nothing has happened to justify it.

Through these separations, O’ soul, you ever experience heartache and sorrow. Yet you do not have a true friend or partner at all, because those you believe to be your friends are innately treacherous to you, although you are reasonable and civil; they hurt you, although you treat them well and honestly. Why do you wish to continue having these experiences? Is that which you have experienced thus far not enough? Why do you want to try again? Why do you refuse to accept the repeated warnings and pain that you have received from long experience as being unalterable amidst all your aspirations and clambering within this world? How much longer will you continue to look for true relationships amongst the people of this world? Are you foolish and blind, O’ soul, or is it that you only pretend to be foolish and blind in order to please others who are also lost in the great illusion?

 Therefore, O’ Soul, do what is beneficial and leave behind you what is unreal and painful, so that you may be taken up into the ranks of those who rejoice in God’s Grace, follow the straight and narrow Path, and share in unending Joy.

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