The Astral World—Higher Occult Powers: Clairvoyance, Spiritism, Mediumship, and Spirit-Healing Fully ExplainedTiffany, Joel
Religion
The Astral World—Higher Occult Powers: Clairvoyance, Spiritism, Mediumship, and Spirit-Healing Fully Explained
Tiffany, Joel
Spiritualism
As there is a true impulse belonging to every plane of unfolding,
begetting the proper enjoyment in the conscious plane when its demand
is properly complied with, so also is there every degree of lustful
desire seeking gratification in every plane, differing in grossness
according to the _means_ by which it seeks its gratification.
Reflection will satisfy every truth-seeking mind that desire for
self-gratification, as an impulse to action, has its basis in self;
and, from its nature, makes itself the center of attraction, and
becomes a sort of an absorbent, seeking self-appropriation; and
whenever it makes an expenditure, it is with respect to that which is
to return. And it never gives without the hope of receiving in return a
full equivalent.
This principle of action is from its nature finite and antagonistic,
upon the principle that that which it seeks to appropriate to its own
benefit and make its own, can not at the same time be appropriated by
another; and hence the desire of self-appropriation naturally leads the
individual into antagonism with others.
This finite and selfish impulse is the very opposite of the infinity
and unselfishness of the divine. Its imperfect and antagonistic rule
of action can not harmonize with the perfection and harmonic action of
the divine. As the finite in every respect is the negative and opposite
of the infinite, so this finite impulse in the individual is in every
respect the negative and opposite of the divine impulse. It is for this
cause that there is such an antagonism between the principle of love
and the principle of lust; an antagonism which must continue until the
divine shall bring all into subjection—until the finite shall, in its
principle of action, harmonize in the infinite, or until God shall
become _all_ in _all_.
Having already postulated that all true and legitimate desire in
the individual has strict reference to the needs of the individual,
independent of any promised gratification, and that the gratification
incident to the supply of such needs was the measure of all true
finite happiness, I now proceed to illustrate this truth by an appeal
to the experience of all who hear me.
Happiness, in its general sense, is the fulfillment of desire. And the
more complete is the fulfillment of every desire, the more complete is
the happiness; and happiness can not be perfect until every desire is
fulfilled. If in fulfilling the desire of one department of our being
we neglect the needs and consequent demands of another, we may obtain
temporary gratification, but it does not answer the full demand of our
being so as to confer happiness. On the contrary, while we gratify a
lust, we resist a true demand, and purchase gratification by disease
and suffering.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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