The Earth
THE SPIRITUAL EARTH
- Chapter 38 -
The governing spirits of the lower region of the air
Wherever a large corporation must be kept functioning, there must be executive directors employed to keep everything in proper order. This applies to the lower spiritual region of the air as well, even though only occasionally do a few dispersed astral intelligences instinctively gather around a spiritual center because they recognize it as their own. These gatherings would be pointless, however, if they were not in accordance with a certain order. It would be the same if someone were to throw all the building materials for one house in a heap. What would the difference be between such a pile of building materials and a properly erected structure, where each material has taken its proper architectural place? Soul specifica and spiritual centers are abundantly present in our lower spiritual sphere of construction.
Each particle is inhabited by its own living intelligence, yet the material cannot build itself into a complete human being, because each intelligence recognizes within itself only one thing out of the multitude. Not until the numerous intelligences necessary for a being are connected by a spiritual master builder into one form and one being may such a being gradually learn how to gain the general understanding that oversees all order.
What is meant by "learning"? Nothing more than to awaken the single intelligences of the soul, and then connect them with one another for the purpose of one or more common activities. The more of these intelligences that are awakened and connected with one another within oneself by diligence and zeal, the more learned and knowledgeable one becomes. But this erudition is by no means wisdom. Wisdom is obtained by the full awakening of the spirit, when all the intelligences of the soul are penetrated in a trice by the spirit. Through this they are awakened and united into a complete godlike intelligence in the human flesh. It would be the same as if someone were to be led into an unlit museum in the dark of the night. And even if he were allowed to touch the objects of art, and were further given a detailed description of every object he touched, he would, in spite of it all, still have but a faint perception which would apply only to very few things in the museum; he would, of course, have no idea of the majority of the objects. Such a person would say with certainty: "If there were only lights, I could easily see many things in one glance, though I now attempt to recognize them with great effort and uncertainty, using my sense of touch in the dark." And the spirit of a human being judges exactly like that. That is why a scholar is someone who has been instructed in the darkness of a museum.
When, however, the sun rises and illumines all the rooms, everything in the museum may be seen in one glance, and that not merely piecemeal. And, provided the objects be displayed in an orderly manner, the main purpose of the objects displayed, as well as the specific purpose of each one of them, becomes easily recognizable.
Behold, this is the first level of education resembling mechanical learning, and, by means of learning, one possible understanding of single facts. And this is usually the erudition of the men of the world. Wisdom, however, is the second and true education. It views the infinite multiplicity in the clearest light all at once, which erudition can only partially identify, as if groping about on a dark night.
Therefore, it is understandable that the soul intelligence particles do not fall in the proper order by themselves. Helpers have to be present, which, watching over the order. of the structure of a being, must guide this as well. Who, however, are these master builders? In the lowest region of the air they are the many angels. I Myself am the Master of them all. And where I am, many tarry who like to be in My presence. Wherever Heaven develops its greatest activity, there Hell is no less active. It must I)e so also in this region, as otherwise there would be no equilibrium and therefore no possibility of a free decision between the two poles.