The New Avatar and The Destiny of the Soul: The Findings of Natural Science Reduced to Practical Studies in Psychology — John Shaqi
The New Avatar and The Destiny of the Soul: The Findings of Natural Science Reduced to Practical Studies in PsychologyBuck, J. D. (Jirah Dewey)
Religion
The New Avatar and The Destiny of the Soul: The Findings of Natural Science Reduced to Practical Studies in Psychology
Buck, J. D. (Jirah Dewey)
Psychology and religion; Soul
Here and there have always appeared individuals superior to their age and
time; men who dug to the foundations of knowledge, built character,
accumulated resources, and left their impress upon all subsequent time.
Nor has this accumulation of real knowledge been derived from books and
schools, though these resources have not been neglected.
Real culture of the Individual has always consisted in the realization of
the latent powers of man, in bringing these to light, in learning by
experience how to use them. Hence arise self-knowledge, self-control, and
a higher evolution.
It is not a mere technical, intellectual acquirement, the ability to
define principles and formulate propositions. It rather consists in
testing them out in actual experience; first by self-analysis to become
familiar with the real self, its capacities and powers, its motives and
aims in life; and having grasped and adjusted all these, then to start
consciously, deliberately, determinedly, and intelligently, on "the road
to the South," on the upward climb toward the Light.
"Possessions," with the great majority of individuals, mean something
outward, in space and time; what we have, and, for the time hold, rather
than what we are. The average idea of enjoyment is something altogether
superficial and transient. It is found, or supposed to be found, in
variety of sensations, emotions and feelings; in ringing the changes on
these, till vitality fails, disillusion or satiety supervenes, and old age
or death closes the play. Often the appetite remains, when vitality fails,
and Faust rejuvenated, would run the same gauntlet again. The pity of it
is that thousands of these victims of either satiety or Tantalus seem
never to dream that there are other values, or anything else, or better,
in life.
And yet there is not one of these faculties, capacities and powers that is
useless, or, in itself, evil or degrading. They are, one and all,
resources of the Individual Intelligence; tools for the day's work;
materials for the building of the Temple; whereas, they most frequently
are made the motive and the aim of life. They are means to a higher end,
and not the end itself.
Without the latent passions, emotions, and feelings, man would be a mere
mechanism. If all were mind, or mere intellect, there could be neither the
creation nor the appreciation of beauty. Every work of art would be
soulless; music might amuse the intellect by intricate chords and
variations, like a colorless kaleidoscope, but it could never touch the
heart nor elevate the soul.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account