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The conception of life held by the spiritual alchemist is quite different from that ordinarily held by the man of affairs. The events that spring into existence as the result of his contact with external environment are viewed from an entirely different angle. Instead of being considered in reference to their value as factors contributing to physical survival and physical gratification, they are scanned from the height of their cosmic relations. Their worth is estimated by the measure in which they further the development of the soul and are of assistance in cosmic welfare.

Through illustration let us draw this line of demarcation clearly: From the material point of view, for instance, a man is considered to be unusually lucky when he inherits a fortune. It is common to speak of a man as highly successful when he has obtained eminence in the political field. And a man who builds up a large and prosperous business is deemed one to be envied.

View of the Spiritual Alchemist

But the spiritual alchemist jumps to no such hasty conclusions. He realizes that if we are ever to appraise anything justly we must delve deep beneath the surface of appearances. Things are often not what they seem at first glance. After all, environment and circumstances are effective only as the individual responds to them. The good and the evil reside not in events and external conditions, but in the effect they have upon the individual. The development of character is more important than physical gratification. Therefore, before saying of any event that it is fortunate or unfortunate the spiritual alchemist first looks to the more important factor, which is its effect upon the character, its contribution to the growth of the soul.

A material fortune may be used as an aid to soul progress, but observation inclines to the belief that more often than not it is a spiritual hindrance, therefore alchemically a misfortune. A high political station sometimes engenders bigotry, pride and arrogance, and is then alchemically a failure. And so prosperous a business as to keep the attention absorbed by worldly affairs to the exclusion of intellectual and spiritual interests, reveals to the alchemist a condition that excites pity rather than envy.

Not, it should be clearly understood, that the spiritual alchemist believes wealth, business, political station, or other worldly affairs evil. To him events, worldly affairs, or other interests are neither good nor evil, fortunate nor unfortunate, in themselves. They become good or evil only through their influence on soul culture. But quite often the things mentioned become unfortunate in individual cases because they are permitted to impair the development of the soul and hamper its progress.

The Cosmic Man

The spiritual alchemist conceives the universe to be an immense organic structure, or cosmic man. He perceives that individual souls are evolving from lower to higher states, and entering into rapport with the whole cosmic scheme. He apprehends that a like process is going on in it, and that the universe also is evolving and eternally unfolding its infinite possibilities of expression.

In tune with the pulsating heart of nature, an inner conviction floods his consciousness that every immortal soul plays a part and has its function in this glorious scheme of creation. It is a living conscious cell within the body of Infinite Man. Expanding its consciousness, as for the moment he has done, it may even partake of the greater consciousness of the all. Thus the ineffable plan unfolds before him. Each immortal soul perpetually expands the domain of its consciousness and continually increases the power of its control over environment. The separate evolving units thread together to give more complex expression to universal consciousness and power. As a man becomes stronger when the separate cells of his body gain in vigor, so the expansion in power and more complete cooperation of souls, lend increase of consciousness and power to the Cosmic Man.

Man on earth needs the separate cells of his body and the separate thoughts of his mind. Each has a real and important function to play in his economy. If any are missing, or if they are present but attempt to do the work of others, or fail to do the work assigned to them, the man, as well as the cells, suffers. Grasping, by his peculiar rapport with the inner planes of life, the relation of parts to the whole in the universal scheme, the spiritual alchemist perceives that likewise every immortal soul has its place and somewhat important function. Universal intelligence depends for expression on the sum of separate intelligences, even as man depends for mental expression on his separate thoughts. Not only does man need God, but stupendous thought though it be, there is need of God for man.

Now within the physical body of man, due to his life processes, there are secretions that to avoid disease must be eliminated. Within the domain of his mentality are thoughts that must be expunged to avoid intellectual decay and moral dissolution. We may be sure, therefore, that like conditions exist in the cosmic man.

But most of the physical subjects and physical entities embraced within man’s empire work for the welfare of their liege and lord and obey his commands. These harmonious, constructive atoms of physical and psychical life within man’s constitution are the bulwark of his strength; and realizing this he cherishes, supports and encourages them, happy to have them make their homes permanently with him. Thus also, the spiritual alchemist believes, the Universal Creator cherishes, supports and encourages those who assist His work, and takes pains that they shall not perish and that no real harms shall come to them.

Other entities within the scope of man’s dominion there are that on almost every occasion stir up dissension and strife. These disobedient, disloyal and disintegrative subjects he finds it necessary to discipline; or if they become too arrogant, and thus threaten the whole estate, they must be deported or completely destroyed. The surgeon’s knife may be the only recourse to save the life. And in the wider realm of cosmic affairs, the spiritual alchemist perceives rebellious souls, which like Lucifer would usurp the supreme authority to themselves and make selfish gratification the highest law. These, he feels sure, are not permitted to endure in their wayward course. Their continued existence depends upon a change of attitude. Only those persist that have some value as constructive workers in carrying out the Divine Plan.

This peculiar, pervading, insistent consciousness attained through spiritual alchemy reveals, in a manner not to be denied by anyone having the experience, that the Universal Mind has formulated a plan for, and commenced the erection of, the Universal Structure. It informs him in terms of deep conviction that to oppose the advancement of this cosmic plan is to throw himself athwart the tides of universal life with the surety that if the course is not altered they will carry the soul into the realms of extinction. Yet it assures him also of a tremendous immortal career if he becomes a constructive part of the eternal plan. Uniting with Deity, he partakes through association with deific work of the perpetually expanding life and consciousness of the infinite.

Thus it is that the spiritual alchemist painstakingly scans the universe in the effort to discern the ineffable plan. He carefully studies himself, and assays all his qualities and opportunities, to the end that he may find just where in the cosmic work he can be of greatest service. To be of the greatest possible service in furthering God’s Evolutionary Plan becomes the absorbing aim of his life.

Thus it is that he walks among men, seeming not different greatly from others, yet taking in regard to most things a diametrically opposite view. For while ordinary men reflect upon every act, motive and event in terms of their being advantageous or inimical to material success, he regards all these things from a cosmic standpoint, as constructive or destructive factors in universal life.

Instead of seeking life eternal from the desire merely to persist in consciousness, he aspires to immortality because he realizes that he may become a valuable workman in the manifestation of the infinite plan. He is a willing laborer under the direction of the Universal Mind and his loss would be keenly felt by the progressive legions. He struggles spiritually to endure, not for himself alone, but to add his energy and strength to those cohorts that favor immortality for mankind and that strive to uphold law and order throughout the universe.

Believing that the progress of Deity depends upon the progress of the various souls and entities embraced in the structure of the Universal Man, he considers his own intellectual and spiritual development the training to become a workman of greater skill and value. It is his duty to advance toward perfection, his duty to God above, to innumerable degrees of life below, and to mankind as a whole. Every act of his life is examined, not for its material effect, but for its influence as furthering his soul development and the cause of human progress. Every spiritual victory redounds not merely to his own credit, but places in his hands new powers that he may use to benefit his fellowman. Thus life itself is reduced to the spiritual first matter and its component parts evaluated by their fitness or unfitness to enter into the composition of transmuted spiritual gold.

C. C. Zain

https://www.light.org/Seven-Spiritual-Metals-SL050.cfm#Silver

Posted for educational/informational purposes only.