Chapter XVI: THE SPIRIT.

What is the driving force behind everything that exists? This is a fundamental question that has puzzled thinkers for centuries. Let's start with one undeniable fact: this force is creative. Without it, nothing would ever come into being. So, its inherent purpose must be to bring individual lives into existence and to create a world that supports them.

Now, imagine a force with this purpose. Could it be anything but kind? This life-giving force, which seeks expression through individual lives, can only have the intention of helping them thrive. To think otherwise would be a contradiction. It would be like expecting the sun to extinguish light instead of radiating it. So, it's impossible to conceive of this force acting in any way other than to promote growth and well-being.

This might not be fully apparent to us right now, as we haven't fully grasped our connection to this universal force. As our understanding deepens, we will become more aware of its life-giving nature. But even now, we can see that the principle of this creative force is inherently one of affirmation and growth.

What word describes this inherent desire to help individual lives become stronger, brighter, and happier? If it's not love, then what else could it be? So, we arrive at the conclusion that love is the driving force behind this creative force.

But love can't express itself without form. So, what form would love give to its expression? It couldn't find expression in forms that are repulsive or hateful, right? The only logical complement to love is beauty. We haven't fully embraced this principle yet, which is why beauty isn't universally manifested, just like life itself. But the principle of beauty is evident in all the beautiful things we experience in the world around us.

These ideas reveal that the very essence of this creative force is the constant interplay of love and beauty. Love is the active force, and beauty is its counterpart, its receptive aspect. This is the force that our minds are designed to work with.

When we understand this purpose, we begin to grasp how to use our intuition, imagination, and will. By training our thoughts to focus on this dual-unity of love and beauty, our intuition becomes more sensitive to ideas emanating from this universal source. Our imaginations become more adept at creating images that align with those ideas. On a physical level, the structure of our brains and bodies become better equipped to generate the energetic currents that manifest these ideas in the external world. This is how we bring ourselves into harmony with our true selves and with the universal source of life. We are being renewed day by day, becoming more like our true selves.

As you cultivate this awareness of the love and beauty that flows through you, you will experience inner peace, improved health, better decision-making, and increased power to achieve your goals. As you expand your understanding of the workings of this universal force, your intuition will open up to wider possibilities. Your field of activity will grow, and you will discover that your individuality is expanding, and you are becoming more truly yourself than you ever were before.

The question of how to best cultivate this awareness of your true connection with the universal force is a vast one. Exploring this question fully would require an entire book. For now, let's simply consider the principles underlying the interconnectedness of your body, mind, and spirit.

We are at the beginning of a journey towards understanding this unity and fully developing all our potential. Many have walked this path before us, and we can learn from their experiences. One such individual was the founder of the Rosicrucians. This brilliant mind, who set out to travel to Jerusalem, chose a different path. He spent three years in the symbolic city of Damcar, a mystical land often associated with the Arabian peninsula. He then spent a year in Egypt, another mystical land, and two years in Fez, a city rich in ancient knowledge. During these six years, he immersed himself in the wisdom of these places, absorbing all that they had to offer.

When he returned to his native Germany, he founded the Rosicrucian order, drawing upon the knowledge he had acquired. He wrote many mystical books to guide his followers. When he realized that his work was complete, he chose to leave his physical body, not through illness or decay, but by an act of conscious choice, guided by the spirit of life. His final words summed up his life's work: "Jesus mihi omnia." His followers await the arrival of "the Artist Elias," who will bring this work to its ultimate fulfillment.

“Let him that readeth understand.”

Exercise: Love and Beauty in Your World

This chapter explored how love and beauty are the driving forces behind all creation. It suggested that by understanding this principle, we can tap into a powerful source of energy that can guide our lives and help us achieve our greatest potential.

Take a moment to reflect on your own experiences.

1. Think of a time when you felt deeply loved. What were the circumstances? How did that experience make you feel? What did you learn from it?

2. Think of something in the world that you find truly beautiful. What makes it beautiful to you? How does it make you feel? What does this experience teach you about the nature of beauty?

Continue reflecting on your experiences with love and beauty. As you do, you may find yourself becoming more attuned to the power of these forces in your life.