The Earth Mother is our great provider. The earth is our life, our being from which we come and out of which we grow. Our bodies come from the earth. Our vitality comes from the earth. In fact, all the qualities of our essential being come from the earth. The earth is comprised of three basic kingdoms: the mineral-rock kingdom, the vegetable-tree kingdom, and the animal kingdom. The human kingdom is a synthesis of these three earth kingdoms, as well as a potential synthesis of three higher cosmic kingdoms of Spirit.
The three higher cosmic kingdoms can only be partially intuitively understood, and yet they permeate our existence.
These can be understood and experienced as Divine Power, Divine Love, and Divine Intelligence. Divine Power is the energy or Will-to-Be and the Will-to-Create. Divine Love is the Quality of Conscious Inclusiveness and the Realization of Whole Being. It is the Heavenly Kingdom of Unitive Being.
The third kingdom of Divine Intelligence is the Creative Activity Itself which knows what-is, how-to-do and how-to-relate. These are the three great Energies or Qualities of Divine Being, in which the human may potentially participate consciously. These higher cosmic Energies are, of course, reflected in the earth kingdoms, for they cosmically pervade the whole of existence. This can be seen in how the sun energies and star energies reach the earth and are stored in the various body forms of the three earth kingdoms.
The three earth kingdoms form the basis of the Earth's exoteric life, with the human kingdom as the synthesis of these base kingdoms. The human being stands between the three earth kingdoms and the three cosmic kingdoms, as the forth in between, to blend and synthesis all of these into one living, conscious, creative pattern. Correspondingly, the human being is the Heart Centre, between the three higher and three lower centres. As human beings we have the potential of enjoying and manifesting the three higher kingdoms, our divine inheritance as Jesus might have said.
Yet, we must not forget to enjoy and manifest, as well, the lower kingdoms, which is our earth inheritance. Whereas the higher kingdoms are the great potentials, the lower kingdoms are where we have come from and the reality in which we stand upon at present.
We are mineral, plant and animal beings. These are the earth seeds from which we came and from which we grow. They too are potentials of which we may manifest. Our bodies are made of the minerals of earth, and each mineral has a special, unique importance. Each mineral has a special quality of which we may radiate. Our living cells and vital mechanisms grow and reflect a similar process to the plant kingdom intelligence. Each kind of plant species has a special quality, particular to unique emotional states, of which we may experience in our lives, and certain ones may be especially important at certain times for the healing and maintenance of our physical and emotional lives. From the animal kingdom we can gain a recognition of various types of personality behavior and special talents. Each animal species exemplifies certain qualities and abilities which we too may express. Each is beautiful and useful in its own unique way, and we, as human beings, have the possibility of choosing which animal abilities we wish to develop, rather than be limited by any one in particular. Thus, the three earth kingdoms, with all their various qualities, are potentially within us for expression, and they form a living mirror of the potential of earth self expression. We look around us and can see the very basis of earth life, which is the basis of our own potential self-expression.
But unlike the various species of the three earth kingdoms, we are not limited and so can express any or all of these qualities and abilities. This greater ability, and the freedom implied, is due to our cosmic potential and the cosmic wholeness inherent within us. Within us is the spiritual power to be whatever we will-to-be and to create whatever we will-to-create. Within us is the spiritual intelligence to understand the organic complexity of the interconnected web and to learn how to create and relate in life in order to grow in greater harmony. And within us is the spiritual love and inherent unity with all life, which leads us toward evergreater inclusiveness and out of which we realize our unity and non-separativeness.
We must realize that the three cosmic kingdoms and the three earth kingdoms are not exclusive or opposing to each other. The cosmic reality permeates the earth reality, and the whole earth kingdom reflects in various ways the greater cosmic kingdom. The earth reality embodies and expresses the spiritual reality, in various degrees and qualities, and this will continue to evolve and unfold, especially through the human kingdom of conscious synthesis.
The three kingdoms of earth nature provide all that we need. The three higher cosmic kingdoms provide an infinitely greater potential for being and an evolutionary impulse in relation to humanity and the earth. The lower kingdoms provide our essential health and growth, physically, emotionally and mentally. The three higher kingdoms provide a new octave of potential spiritual growth and realization.
But before the higher synthesis can proceed, the lower synthesis must first be established and growing, and it must be continually sustained. We must first be well grounded in our earth bodies and earth nature. We must be well connected with the earth and be growing from this earth nature. The true teachings tell us that the earth provides all that we need for health, happiness, interest, and beauty.
The cosmic dimension provides a greater extension or higher octave of spiritual growth, but it can only build upon the earth ground which has already been established. It is like a possible second story, which gives us a greater view of existence, but which first requires the building of the first story and its foundation. The tantra says that we must first build a strong foundation and build ourselves up from the energies of the earth and the energies of our bodies. We must first be well grounded in the earth before we leap for the stars, before we can come into a higher world.
In the tantra we do not lose touch of the earth, or if we temporarily fly into the ecstatic space we realize and accept that at some point the cosmic wheel will bring us back down. If we try too hard to maintain the flight into space, or try to suppress the falling back to earth, or if we do not accept this cosmic law, then when we do fall, and we will, we will feel resentful or depressed. The tantra tells us to accept the falling and enjoy the earth nature.
The flights into space will come in their own time. The energies will naturally rise, once the grounding has been well established. For as we relax into and enjoy our earth nature, that nature will gradually unfold a fire of higher aspiration, and we will rise upwards in this fire. But remember, every fire needs its ground and its fuel. The fire needs the earth nature of wood, which comes from well rooted, growing trees. We must root ourselves well into the earth, and the stronger the roots the higher can the tree grow.
In truth, we are of the earth, and no one here can completely disassociate from their earth bodies. But in this westernized, artificial culture, there is the tendency to be very disassociated from the body and from the earth, and then rationalize our lost earth connection with some kind of earth-transcending spiritual philosophy. Our tendency is to lose touch with the earth and body, and float in the clouds of our mind and dreamy images. We are a thinking culture, and this thinking is often very disassociated from body feelings and from our basic needs. Then we rationalize this as being the true spiritual goal. So many people, now and throughout recent history, are and were neurotically disassociated from the earth and their bodies, but they convinced themselves and others that such neurosis is really spiritual and in the right. This is probably the greatest delusion on this planet. The body has been suppressed and finally devoid of feeling, the earth has been ignored and consequently abused, and we call this spiritual. If the definition of spiritual is that which is combats and transcends what is natural or of the earth body, then yes, this kind of suppression and disassociation is quite spiritual.
It is, I suppose, a matter of what you believe. And what you believe may be dependent on how you believe, because your belief will either be based on natural experience and feeling, on what naturally arises from the ground of earthly life, or it will be based on some kind of thinking or reasoning or dreaming. These are two opposite ways that beliefs are formed. I won't attempt to logically prove one better than the other, but it does appear that the latter way is more easily manipulated by others and by our own hopes and fears, while the former way is naturally grounded in actual sensations and feelings of the body and thus belief is patterned on naturally occurring conditions.
Philosophical reasons have their use, and we find some of this in the tantra teachings, but the tantra mostly points us to experience. It suggests that we experience the body and its energies, and that we accept these, for there is no infallible logical reason that we should not accept these energies and feelings of the body. This body is the ground of our existence. This earth is the ground of our lives. The tantra suggests that we intimately know this ground of life, that we know from experience these various energies, and that we accept and respect this, and learn how they evolve.
We all have an animal nature, which includes our natural physical
needs. Now of course there many differences between human-beings and
mammal animals such as ape, horses, dolphins, etc. But there are also
many similarities. Yet for some reason, perhaps because of special
pride, we tend to avoid giving these similarities any recognition.
However, all human beings have very physical needs - due to the obvious
fact that we have physical bodies (bodies that are not much different,
really, than our animal cousins). Thus, we need to respect our animal
nature. or if one prefers a different term, call it our physical
nature.
Now as well as having physical needs, similar to many other mammals, we also have instinctual
practical intelligence and abilities, which is most definitely a very
positive thing. Each animal kind has its distinct set of specialized
and perfected intelligence-abilities. Our own instinctual intelligences
and abilities
may not be as specialized and perfected as is with certain animals, yet
we have many of these animal instincts and possibilities latent deep
within our deep unconscious memory, and we can tap into many of these more ancient instinctual intelligences and abilities.
All of the
animal powers and intelligences are within everyone as deep latent potentials. Some animal
characteristics are stronger in some people than others, and such
differences make for different personalities. There is nothing wrong
with any forms of the animal nature, nor with various forms of
personality expression. Variety makes life interesting and beautiful.
Variety is also said to be ecological, because with more variety
there is less reliance on just a few means of adaption. In other
words, if there is more variety of potential expression and ways to
respond to various circumstances, then a person will not be so
limited in their ability to adapt and express life. Therefore we have
the choice to remain as limited, predictable, uniform personalities,
possessing just one or a few animal characteristics, or we can expand
our psychic ecology and develop more variety of expression and
responsiveness, being a more interesting, complex, varietal
personality.
This is all about personal expression and what comes through. No matter what you think, your vital expression, at any time and in any way, will be colored by some animal characteristic or quality. These qualities are the basic building blocks of personality. They are the basic essences or strengths from which personality is built, and everyone who expresses expresses as a personality. Personality is just the way in which you, as a divine soul, express yourself in the world.
So, in the way of tantra, the animal nature is not
suppressed or denied. It is fully accepted as an inevitable and
beautiful aspect of this whole divine life. It is found on the outer
world of earth and within the inner world of the psyche. Its
spiritual value and value in the realm of personal expression is
recognized and respected. Its qualities and powers are allowed to
emerge from within. The animal nature, and especially specific animal
powers, are allowed to come forth and live through us, without being
immediately killed or suppressed. We allow them in our life, as we
allow them to live freely on the earth. But we do not allow any of
the animal powers to fully possess us, to take over our earth life.
No animal should be allowed to take complete possession of the earth.
We must not allow any complete take-over, including a take-over by
the over-dominating, controlling ego. No one animal, nor just a few,
should be allowed to maintain complete dominance of the psyche
ecology. Though if we looked objectively we would discover that this
is probably the case. Most people are possessed by one or just a few
animal powers, and they know it not, especially including those most
ruthless animals who think they are successfully suppressing the
animal nature.The self-controlling ego, often self-mistaken as the
spiritual self, is the most ruthless animal of all.
So the only real path back to sanity is the path of recognition and respect. For we must recognize the animal characteristics which we express in life, but rather than repress these or hate them, we must accept them as ourself and acknowledge their special value and strengths. We can allow the animal nature expression, but consciously, respectively, and responsively.
This, then, leads to integration and ecological harmony of the animal world, as we allow the animals to emerge but not to completely dominate or possess the whole psyche landscape. And we allow other, less developed, or younger, animals to emerge from within our potential animal nature, and we give these new comers love and respect and the freedom to express their own particular abilities and qualities. These less developed personality characteristics can be more easily suppressed or ignored. They are not as strong in their expressive power or in their possessive power, and we are not very identified with them or attached to them, and they have not become subconscious habit patterns like some of the other animal characteristics. So these need a greater love and respect and a greater nuturance. It might be a gentle and graceful deer quality or it might be an aggressive and demanding lion quality. But it will seem to be a less developed part of one's self expressive potential. And for this reason it needs an allowing respect and loving recognition, and it needs to be given the space and freedom to express. As we allow expression of these qualities of our animal nature, we become more integrated and complete as a whole earth being, as a whole human being. Because these qualities and strengths are the various ways which the spiritual being expresses itself on earth. Remembering that the spiritual being is essentially the Will-to-be and create, the Love of inclusiveness, and the Intelligence of self-expression and adaptability, the animal nature is understood to be various powers and creative ways of personally expressing this spiritual being. The whole animal kingdom of diverse species manifests and represents to us a huge field of potential abilities and ways of being, which are potentials of our own expressive nature because we have the whole animal nature within us. These are powers which have already evolved in the collective world of the psyche. They are potentials within everyone, and each of us manifests certain ones more than others. It would be silly to deny this and silly to not apply these expressive essences of our earth nature. And yet, we need not be limited by these, and we need not allow these to become subconscious reactions or behavioral habit patterns. We need to respect the positive value of the animal nature and animal qualities, and acknowledge their inevitable reality in our lives, but we need also be cautious of the pattern-forming, reactionary nature of these animal powers, as well as the limitation inherent in each kind of power or expressive quality. Our special human quality must also emerge amidst the animal nature. This special human quality, or human nature, is the power to not be limited by limitation, the power to go beyond the patterns that be, to be self-conscious and self-choosing, rather than remain reactionary and half-conscious. This is the human power of transcendence, the power to go beyond where no one else has gone before. It is a breaking free of the limitations and unconscious expressions of the animal nature. It is the power of the human creative imagination and the genius of new insight.
It is the power to create new intelligent ways of being and the power to become more than has yet to be. This is the particular power and beauty of the human being. It is a power of breaking free and away from the animal nature, to evolve new forms of being and expression on earth. And yet, there is this illusion that we could completely break free of the animal nature, or that we could completely be rid of the animals within. The fact is, the animals are here and within, and their qualities express through us. I'm leading you up the road of perplexity. We have the human potential to break free of the animal limitations, the animal patterns, and to evolve beyond these, but this evolvement must use the energies and patterns already available. We must first master the animal powers, that is, become well able to express these qualities consciously, to become masters of animal expression, before it is possible to creatively evolve new forms of expression. We only have the materials that be, the forms inherent on earth and inherent in the collective psyche. Only from these can we build anew.
Only from these can we evolve. To leave all this behind, to deny this world of being as it is, would be a great loss. We must grow from the strengths of our present potential. Or in other words, first nurture the strengths you have already, and then gradually develop new strengths which may transcend the previous strengths but nonetheless will be built upon the previous strengths.
We must grow from the animal world, out of the animal world, but not completely separating from the animal world. Because the animal world is the ground of our basic strengths and expressive qualities. The animal ways are the basic building blocks, in terms of the psyche, for further creative ways of expression. Thus the animal Qualities are to be strengthened and not denied nor suppressed. Our particular human ability is the power to consciously integrate various qualities or forms into a harmonious wholeness. The key words may be temperance and blending, because the human psyche is potentially able to blend together different qualities of being to create a new synthesis of expression. For example, the aggressive power of the lion can be blended with the gentle quality of the deer, all in one conscious expressive being. This new synthesis is possible in the human being, whereas it is not possible for the lion or the deer to be other than their particular fixed pattern. It is the human being who can be integrative and thus evolve new forms of synthesis. This is a power of transcendence and a power of freedom from the limitations of the animal world. This power comes from our higher cosmic spiritual being. It is the power of the gods, or the power of the One Free Being, the Creative Spirit Itself. For the three earth kingdoms are the fixed embodiments or expressions of the Creative Spirit.
They are the particular manifestations which Spirit has so-far evolved on earth. They are the fixed qualities. But we, as human beings, are the evolvement of new potential expressions of Spirit. We are both the fixed qualities of the past and the potential qualities of the future. We are both the qualities of the earth and the Creative Spirit Itself, and thus we are the middle kingdom, the kingdom between pure freedom and fixed expression. On the one side of our nature is the potential of freedom and transcendence, and the other side of our nature is a limitation and inertia of pattern. This is the nature of rajas and tamas, of freedom and inertia. Our existence is in both these natures.
We have the potential power to be free and go beyond the patterns that be, and evolve new patterns of expression, and yet we cannot be completely free of pattern and inertia, for this is part of the nature of our earthly existence. We can evolve new ways of being, but these ways will have their own inertia and will tend to become fixed patterns. That is the innevitable law of nature. Yet we also have, as our spiritual potential, the power of freedom, the power to creatively imagine and express new forms of being out of the patterns and qualities already embodied. That power is our spiritual inheritance, our spiritual gift, but it does does not manifest automatically. Instead, it requires consciousness and intention. It depends on our realization of spiritual freedom and spiritual power to be whatever we wish to be. This power is always in the present moment, and it must use the strengths and abilites already at hand to build a new life and new way of being. It is the power to blend and integrate the energies of earth, the energies and patterns presently in expression. So the way of the tantra is not to merely leave behind and transcend all that is, as though we could, but to use, refine, and reintegrate what is already here, in order to make a more harmonious and integrative expression of life which is evermore free of limitation and dividedness. The spiritual work is not to leave the earth, but to freely create from the earth, to be free on the earth and free in the earth nature. It is the realization of freedom on earth, and freedom within our earthly nature. It is the realization of Spirit on and in earth, a realization of Spirit within life, which is true spiritual realization. This realization can become more permanent in life, rather than being an occasional and fleeting realization. It can acquire a stability.