bluestar
02-02-2008, 01:18 AM
The Divine Spark
Probably everyone has had, at one time or another, the sense that there is something higher and deeper than their ordinary consciousness. They have sensed that there is a place within that is connected up with the Divine. This spiritual aspect within us is called the divine spark. In various teachings it has been called: God within, the Christ consciousness, pure mind, the monad, the will aspect, the primordial atom, the jewel in the lotus, and the true being.
This divine spark is the Real within us; it is the transcendent, spiritual, and holy aspect within the human microcosm. It is our true nature rather than the false — or rather to put it more correctly, it is the true nature of the human being that in turn has the egoic self as its false, outer appearance. In truth, God is not "within" us, but rather we are within God. Nevertheless it is our experience that the divine spark is found within.
The divine spark is a focal point of divine substance. It is, so to speak, made up of the material of the "Kingdom of God" and is inherently Nirvanic in consciousness. Being of God, it cannot synchronize with matter, but it is nevertheless surrounded and enfolded by the fallen, illusory world.
This divine spark is located in the heart, at the top of the right heart ventricle. This is the very center of the human auric field and the point around which all the human vehicles revolve. It is the sun within the human microcosm.
The divine spark is the only eternally pure element within the human nature. It is not affected by the birth or death of the body, nor by aging or disease, nor by our human thoughts or feelings.
In the vast majority of human beings, this divine spark is "asleep." That is, it is not responsive to the world, nor is it directing the human being. In these cases the consciousness or soul of the human being is fully preoccupied with the world, with appearances, and with the form aspect. The human being is looking outwards rather than inwards, and downwards to matter rather than upwards to God. These people are living what we would call a normal human existence.
At some point or another there may come a crisis in life. There may be a death of a loved one, an accident, a struggle to escape from a difficult and harmful religious, family, or cultural situation. And in each case, the inner soul arises and asks sincerely, "Who am I"? "What is God?" "What is Truth?" "What is our purpose for being here?" "How am I ever going to arise and escape from my experiencing pain and separation?" Like the prodigal son, the soul arises, becomes aware of its situation of being preoccupied with form, and seeks freedom, release, and liberation.
In these events the divine spark may awaken. The divine spark is ignited by the inner focus on God — a focus upon the divine Reality, the "Kingdom of God", upon Truth — and most especially the divine spark ignites when love for ones fellow men arises and brotherhood becomes a real experience in ones life.
Usually people begin to seek for answers to the above questions by searching through all the various teaching of the world - through religion, science, and philosophy. The seeker looks outwardly for truth, and tries to find a book, a teacher, a master, a guru, or a saint who will be able to answer all the great questions of life. Sometimes he thinks that he has found the Truth and rests satisfied, but the divine Spark within continues its quiet radiation — the desire for Truth and God urges the seeker onward — and eventually one of two things happen: the individuals thoughts crystallize and become dead and lifeless, or else the soul shatters the boundaries of dogma and thought that have held it back.
No one can really rest satisfied until the whole Truth has been revealed to their mind, and they no longer have any reason to doubt, for they KNOW and do not imagine; they SEE and do not rely on knowledge. The inner, divine spark always urges the soul onwards to God, Truth, and Reality. No image or likeness of that Reality is ever enough. No substitute is ever good enough. For the radiance of the divine spark draws the inner consciousness ever upward and onward until Truth is no theory, but rather a living experience.
The seeker then realizes that all outward seeking is in vain, and looks within to find God. The seeker then begins to hold a vertical focus that looks ever upward to God rather than outward to the world. The seeker rejects the words, the teachers, and all the world's institutions and organizations and looks instead to the wisdom of the Heart.
The divine spark may also be awakened by coming into contact with other people who already have an awakened spirit. This may occur by a seemingly chance encounter with a realized individual, by being drawn into a true School of the Mysteries, or by an encounter with a group that has been energized and activated for world service. In the last analysis it is ultimately "God that gives God"; the divine spark is ignited by a similar spark, just as one candle may be used to light a multitude of others. It is the Christ that gives us Life.
When that spiritual life awakens within us, when the divine spark is set afire, then we will never be the same again. We can never look at the world in the same way, or see our lives purely from the materialistic point of view. We have come to realize that there is more to life than being in this world, and our aspiration moves from this world to the next. We re-focus our lives around the Divine and around God, rather than focussing upon our own desires and needs. We begin to see the world as a place of service and sacrifice rather than the arena for the fulfillment of our own desires. We have, therefore, been initiated into a new consciousness and a new Life. The Way of God stretches before us.
Decorative section divider.
When the divine spark awakens it begins an alchemical transformation of the human nature — body, emotions, and mind.
In physical alchemy, the desire was to take a base metal, such as lead, and turn it into gold. But here, instead of physical alchemy in a quest for wealth, we have spiritual alchemy in a quest for God. Instead of lead, we have the human body. Instead of gold we have a human being illumined by God's perfect Will, Wisdom, and Love. Instead of the "philosophers stone," which was said to be able to produce the transformation of lead into gold, we have the divine spark, which by its spiritual radiance will produce the transfiguration of man.
The radiance of the divine spark, located in the heart, is transfered to the blood via the thymus gland. The radiance changes the nature or quality of the blood that flows through the heart. It re-polarizes the blood cells so that they are synchronous with the divine Reality and with Truth rather than the world of appearances and illusion. These blood cells are then circulated throughout the body, and they subsequently feed and re-polarize all the other cells of the body. This is the basis of the saying, "The blood is the Life."
As long as we are looking toward God, as long as we retain a vertical alignment with the Divine, then the divine spark is awakened to further life. As that life becomes stronger, the radiation of the blood becomes more pronounced, and the more cells of the body are transformed and re-polarized.
As long as we look to the world and not to God, as long as we remain focused on the material, the form aspect, and with matter, the less the divine Spark can radiate. As long as we cling to the things of this world rather than the "Kingdom of God" we are in opposition to this transformative process and the cells of the body will remain polarized toward the material world. As long as we live only for our ego and for selfish desire, the radiance of the divine spark is hindered in its effects.
There is thus a constant inner transformation of the vital essence of the cells in the body. As the blood cells pass to the heart near the divine spark, they are re-polarized and re-oriented toward God. But as they continue to pass through the body and through the liver-spleen system, the cells may lose this new polarization, and re-orient themselves toward matter and illusion, due to the presence of inherent ego and selfishness.
It is, therefore, not sufficient to simply turn to God, but rather the need is to surrender ones whole life to God, so that the divine spark may fully radiate, the alchemical transformation may be complete, and the body "lifted up" to the divine. This is all dependent upon our choices — to follow our egos or to follow God, in every moment of our lives. It is our free will decision.
This is the path by which the human is transformed into the divine. This is the "rebirth" that is promised to those who surrender to God. The old, dualistic, and materialistic man decreases, and the New, divine, and transcendent man increases until liberation is achieved. The old, materialistic man is let go and dissolves, and the new, divine man arises. The divine spark now works through a body, emotions and mind that are pure receptacles for God's Purpose.
Decorative section divider.
The divine spark is, therefore, the love and intelligence of Christ — that Principle existing throughout the Cosmos that draws all upward to the Divine. There is not really "your" divine spark and "my" divine spark — there is only God immanent in each human being. There is only Christ waiting for that time and that moment when the soul hears the Call and the spark may be flamed to Life. There is only One Loving Being that is present in all the multitudes of earth, and the appearance of separation is a lie.
The fallen, human consciousness speaks of "my" love, "my" evolution, "my" growth, and "my" liberation, but in truth there is no self that can own such things. There is no separated ego except in the realm of illusion and falsehood. There is in fact only Unity, Oneness, and God.
http://www.surrendertogod.org/articles/the_divine_spark.html
Probably everyone has had, at one time or another, the sense that there is something higher and deeper than their ordinary consciousness. They have sensed that there is a place within that is connected up with the Divine. This spiritual aspect within us is called the divine spark. In various teachings it has been called: God within, the Christ consciousness, pure mind, the monad, the will aspect, the primordial atom, the jewel in the lotus, and the true being.
This divine spark is the Real within us; it is the transcendent, spiritual, and holy aspect within the human microcosm. It is our true nature rather than the false — or rather to put it more correctly, it is the true nature of the human being that in turn has the egoic self as its false, outer appearance. In truth, God is not "within" us, but rather we are within God. Nevertheless it is our experience that the divine spark is found within.
The divine spark is a focal point of divine substance. It is, so to speak, made up of the material of the "Kingdom of God" and is inherently Nirvanic in consciousness. Being of God, it cannot synchronize with matter, but it is nevertheless surrounded and enfolded by the fallen, illusory world.
This divine spark is located in the heart, at the top of the right heart ventricle. This is the very center of the human auric field and the point around which all the human vehicles revolve. It is the sun within the human microcosm.
The divine spark is the only eternally pure element within the human nature. It is not affected by the birth or death of the body, nor by aging or disease, nor by our human thoughts or feelings.
In the vast majority of human beings, this divine spark is "asleep." That is, it is not responsive to the world, nor is it directing the human being. In these cases the consciousness or soul of the human being is fully preoccupied with the world, with appearances, and with the form aspect. The human being is looking outwards rather than inwards, and downwards to matter rather than upwards to God. These people are living what we would call a normal human existence.
At some point or another there may come a crisis in life. There may be a death of a loved one, an accident, a struggle to escape from a difficult and harmful religious, family, or cultural situation. And in each case, the inner soul arises and asks sincerely, "Who am I"? "What is God?" "What is Truth?" "What is our purpose for being here?" "How am I ever going to arise and escape from my experiencing pain and separation?" Like the prodigal son, the soul arises, becomes aware of its situation of being preoccupied with form, and seeks freedom, release, and liberation.
In these events the divine spark may awaken. The divine spark is ignited by the inner focus on God — a focus upon the divine Reality, the "Kingdom of God", upon Truth — and most especially the divine spark ignites when love for ones fellow men arises and brotherhood becomes a real experience in ones life.
Usually people begin to seek for answers to the above questions by searching through all the various teaching of the world - through religion, science, and philosophy. The seeker looks outwardly for truth, and tries to find a book, a teacher, a master, a guru, or a saint who will be able to answer all the great questions of life. Sometimes he thinks that he has found the Truth and rests satisfied, but the divine Spark within continues its quiet radiation — the desire for Truth and God urges the seeker onward — and eventually one of two things happen: the individuals thoughts crystallize and become dead and lifeless, or else the soul shatters the boundaries of dogma and thought that have held it back.
No one can really rest satisfied until the whole Truth has been revealed to their mind, and they no longer have any reason to doubt, for they KNOW and do not imagine; they SEE and do not rely on knowledge. The inner, divine spark always urges the soul onwards to God, Truth, and Reality. No image or likeness of that Reality is ever enough. No substitute is ever good enough. For the radiance of the divine spark draws the inner consciousness ever upward and onward until Truth is no theory, but rather a living experience.
The seeker then realizes that all outward seeking is in vain, and looks within to find God. The seeker then begins to hold a vertical focus that looks ever upward to God rather than outward to the world. The seeker rejects the words, the teachers, and all the world's institutions and organizations and looks instead to the wisdom of the Heart.
The divine spark may also be awakened by coming into contact with other people who already have an awakened spirit. This may occur by a seemingly chance encounter with a realized individual, by being drawn into a true School of the Mysteries, or by an encounter with a group that has been energized and activated for world service. In the last analysis it is ultimately "God that gives God"; the divine spark is ignited by a similar spark, just as one candle may be used to light a multitude of others. It is the Christ that gives us Life.
When that spiritual life awakens within us, when the divine spark is set afire, then we will never be the same again. We can never look at the world in the same way, or see our lives purely from the materialistic point of view. We have come to realize that there is more to life than being in this world, and our aspiration moves from this world to the next. We re-focus our lives around the Divine and around God, rather than focussing upon our own desires and needs. We begin to see the world as a place of service and sacrifice rather than the arena for the fulfillment of our own desires. We have, therefore, been initiated into a new consciousness and a new Life. The Way of God stretches before us.
Decorative section divider.
When the divine spark awakens it begins an alchemical transformation of the human nature — body, emotions, and mind.
In physical alchemy, the desire was to take a base metal, such as lead, and turn it into gold. But here, instead of physical alchemy in a quest for wealth, we have spiritual alchemy in a quest for God. Instead of lead, we have the human body. Instead of gold we have a human being illumined by God's perfect Will, Wisdom, and Love. Instead of the "philosophers stone," which was said to be able to produce the transformation of lead into gold, we have the divine spark, which by its spiritual radiance will produce the transfiguration of man.
The radiance of the divine spark, located in the heart, is transfered to the blood via the thymus gland. The radiance changes the nature or quality of the blood that flows through the heart. It re-polarizes the blood cells so that they are synchronous with the divine Reality and with Truth rather than the world of appearances and illusion. These blood cells are then circulated throughout the body, and they subsequently feed and re-polarize all the other cells of the body. This is the basis of the saying, "The blood is the Life."
As long as we are looking toward God, as long as we retain a vertical alignment with the Divine, then the divine spark is awakened to further life. As that life becomes stronger, the radiation of the blood becomes more pronounced, and the more cells of the body are transformed and re-polarized.
As long as we look to the world and not to God, as long as we remain focused on the material, the form aspect, and with matter, the less the divine Spark can radiate. As long as we cling to the things of this world rather than the "Kingdom of God" we are in opposition to this transformative process and the cells of the body will remain polarized toward the material world. As long as we live only for our ego and for selfish desire, the radiance of the divine spark is hindered in its effects.
There is thus a constant inner transformation of the vital essence of the cells in the body. As the blood cells pass to the heart near the divine spark, they are re-polarized and re-oriented toward God. But as they continue to pass through the body and through the liver-spleen system, the cells may lose this new polarization, and re-orient themselves toward matter and illusion, due to the presence of inherent ego and selfishness.
It is, therefore, not sufficient to simply turn to God, but rather the need is to surrender ones whole life to God, so that the divine spark may fully radiate, the alchemical transformation may be complete, and the body "lifted up" to the divine. This is all dependent upon our choices — to follow our egos or to follow God, in every moment of our lives. It is our free will decision.
This is the path by which the human is transformed into the divine. This is the "rebirth" that is promised to those who surrender to God. The old, dualistic, and materialistic man decreases, and the New, divine, and transcendent man increases until liberation is achieved. The old, materialistic man is let go and dissolves, and the new, divine man arises. The divine spark now works through a body, emotions and mind that are pure receptacles for God's Purpose.
Decorative section divider.
The divine spark is, therefore, the love and intelligence of Christ — that Principle existing throughout the Cosmos that draws all upward to the Divine. There is not really "your" divine spark and "my" divine spark — there is only God immanent in each human being. There is only Christ waiting for that time and that moment when the soul hears the Call and the spark may be flamed to Life. There is only One Loving Being that is present in all the multitudes of earth, and the appearance of separation is a lie.
The fallen, human consciousness speaks of "my" love, "my" evolution, "my" growth, and "my" liberation, but in truth there is no self that can own such things. There is no separated ego except in the realm of illusion and falsehood. There is in fact only Unity, Oneness, and God.
http://www.surrendertogod.org/articles/the_divine_spark.html