Mysticism tells us, everything in the world is made of an outer shell and an inner energy.
What you see, is only surface, skin deep, and, it isn’t the real deal. What is hidden from the eye after we do some scratching and digging will reveal, the reason why you see what’s perceptible to the eye. That is why in the Bible this world is called “concealed” and a “world of falsehood.” This is so, mainly, because what we see is just the surface, and the inalienable truth needs to be discovered deep inside.
In a person, there is a constant struggle between the outer part, the body, and the inner dimension, the G-dly soul. The body wants to keep on concealing on the inner G-dly soul and its yearnings. The body seeks self fulfillment. Ego, pleasure, anything and everything for the physical self.
The soul yearns for what it naturally craves and longs for. To remain connected to its source, the infinite and the eternal. The soul looks for long term spiritual fulfillment and accomplishing its purpose, for being imprisoned in a corporeal body. The soul is constantly looking to liberate itself from the narrow confines of the short sighted body.
That is why we feel sometimes empty and hollow inside. We feel like there must be more to life. This is the G-dly soul, trying to express itself against the ever powerful force of the body, and all its hedonistic desires.
Both the G-dly soul deep inside of us, and the “animal” soul that vivifies the body are made of ten faculties, which comprise the logic and emotion of each soul. These two souls, with its strengths and weaknesses, they are what they are, and we can’t change them. Some people are born with certain tendencies and propensities to do good and to pursue outstanding and admirable goals. Others, or maybe these same people, are born with a penchant and weakness towards certain behaviors. It is what it is.
There is however a little hope, to control our destinies, and it is in our choices. How, and what, we allow to express itself, in our thoughts, speech, and actions.
A person has one brain, one mouth, and can DO one thing at a time. In mysticism these are called the garments of the soul. Garments, because, just like clothing which are not the person, but are put on and taken off at will. So too with these faculties, each one of them, it is always our choice, we have full control over what we allow ourselves to think, speak and do. And, just like garments make a statement about our personalities and character; the way we think, speak, and act, tell volumes of what is going on inside of us.
Although it is almost impossible to change the nature our souls directly, a person has total free choice over, what he decides to think, speak, and do, at all times.
Let’s say you have a feeling in your heart to think, say, or do, something bad. That may not be entirely your fault. You where born with that tendency. However, what YOU decide to indulge in with your mind, what YOU decide to talk, or do, is always and totally in your control. Unless of course you made yourself intoxicated, and you’ve lost your abilities at that moment, but it was you, who decided to drink, and therefore still remain responsible for your actions.
Harmony in our lives, is when we follow the desires of the G-dly soul. It is deeper and richer. The G-dly soul is who we are, and who we identify with. The body, is a temporary dwelling place. While we are here in this physical world, the body affords us the opportunity to earn merit and become spiritually stronger, by overcoming the superficial and shallow challenges of this materialistic world.
The more a person exercises his choice to think, speak, and do positive things, and gets himself into the habit of allowing his G-dly soul to express itself regularly, and win over the self indulgent desires of the body, the more the person has succeeded and accomplished to infuse the world with “light”, which prevails over the confusion of darkness so many people suffer from.
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