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THERE IS NO 'CREED' OR
'DOCTRINE', JUST THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF SPIRITUALISM WHICH ARE ...
- FATHERHOOD OF GOD
- BROTHERHOOD
OF MAN
- COMMUNION OF
SPIRITS AND THE MINISTRY OF
ANGELS
- PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY
- CONTINUOUS
EXISTENCE OF THE HUMAN SOUL
- COMPENSATION
AND RETRIBUTION HEREAFTER FOR ALL
THE GOOD AND EVIL DEEDS DONE ON EARTH
- ETERNAL
PROGRESS OPEN TO EVERY HUMAN SOUL
These
principles were given to us by Robert Owen through the mediumship of
Emma Hardinge
Britten in 1871. They were originally given as five principles but were
later
changed to seven for a better understanding of them.
1. THE ‘PARENTAGE’ OF GOD.
The universe is extremely complex, both in physical and spiritual terms. Not only is there the known universe that scientists can prove, but there are the astral planes and all other worlds. This could not have come about by chance. A supreme plan is in existence of which we know so little, a plan must have been orchestrated by some supreme being - not an old man with white hair sitting on a throne, but a vibrant intelligence and energy which we cannot possibly comprehend.
Each of us has his or her own idea of God. To some, he is an austere personality instilling fear in his believers and meting out wrathful judgment to wrong doers, seated on a throne in heaven. To others he is a benign Father, caring for his vast family of every colour and creed and personified in everything that is beautiful around us. The latter is the broad Spiritualist viewpoint as envisaging the one supreme power.
We regard him as the author of a divine plan, the natural law through which the universe which he created is governed and based on love, not fear. He is the controlling force of all and "the Greatest Central source of all life and love " as Andrew Jackson Davis, another of our pioneers proclaimed. When we transgress these laws we are betraying a trust for which we shall have to pay, either here, or in the hereafter. Our relationship with God is therefore determined by our obedience to these laws.
2. THE ‘SIBLINGHOOD’ OF MANKIND.
We are all equal because we are all children of the one supreme God and therefore brothers and sisters (sibling). But though equal we are also unequal. There is a great inequality of wealth and prosperity, a great inequality of physical abilities and strengths and also a great inequality of spiritual awareness and advancement. However, it is the soul that is equal to every other soul - albeit at different stages of development. In the ultimate stage all will be level because perfection is a definitive thing, and perfection is God Supreme.
If we accept the fatherhood of God then it naturally follows that we are his children, brothers and sisters in one family of all race and colour. This confers upon us a dual responsibility - to our father and to each other, which we can sum up in one word - SERVICE. The inequalities of modern society, the rich and the poor, the weak and the strong, the wise and the ignorant, provide an incentive for love and service. In our daily lives we meet those who need material help, to whom a kind word or small act may work wonders.
If we would extend this call to service beyond the confines of our family, our town, our country, out in the wide world, pain and suffering, tumult and wars would cease and would bring into being “that peace which passes all understanding.‿
It goes farther than that. The real meaning of our existence is not only our obligation to our fellow men. Man being himself a spirit here on earth, is immortal and the brotherhood of man is extended into the spirit spheres. Spiritualism therefore gives a new and higher meaning to our mutual interdependence and to brotherhood.
3. THE COMMUNICATION OF SPIRITS AND THE MINISTRATION OF ANGELS.
The ‘communication of spirits’ with humans occurs not only in the public performance of a medium on the platform, but also happens in everyday life by the intuition we receive, the presence we feels, the thoughts inter- linked between the two worlds and also by astral travelling in both the physical and the spirit world during dream or trance states. The ‘ministry of angels’ consist of helpers from the spirit world who we might regard as guardian angels, guides and helpers. They provide mediums with the powers of healing, inspirational writing, trance, etc, but also work with everyone else by the communion of spirits’.
This is the key around which our whole philosophy turns. Orthodoxy denies the reality of communion with departed spirits, whereas for the past one hundred and fifty years we have proved conclusively that man not only survives physical death but is able, through mediums, to commune with those left behind. Not only that, they spend quite a lot of their time giving us help and guidance in various ways with our earthly problems.
There are certain persons among us who are called mediums who are so highly sensitive to ‘spirit vibrations’ and they are able to establish contact with those who have passed over and wish to communicate with us. Each one of us has a spirit guide or helper who uses the medium as an instrument through whom he can talk.
We are thus able to learn how our loved ones are faring in their new environment and in their new way of life. This proof of survival is of great help to those who are bereaved.
4. THE CONTINUOUS EXISTENCE OF ALL SPIRITS/SOULS.
Our existence is eternal. We always have been, we are now, and always will be. in whatever form or plane our spirit or soul is in. Most religions believe this but the Spiritualist religion explains it more simply and more correctly. For example, the soul does not lie with the body until the trumpet call on judgement day, it moves instantly at the moment of physical death into another world, to another plane, to another challenge.
This is a corollary of the previous principle and serves to accentuate how much our spiritualist philosophy is so diametrically opposed to the materialist conception of life.
All the great religions of the world subscribe to some form of life after death in some nebulous heavenly existence. Spiritualism on the other hand does prove this fact in no uncertain manner and in so doing has profoundly revolutionised our lives in that our behaviour is not encompassed within the narrow limits of our earthly lives, but extends into eternity. Our mode of living here will determine our spiritual plane of existence in the life to come.
5. RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
Every action we take, every thought we think, and every word we speak is our responsibility. We can never blame anybody else for our errors or give credit to others for our successes. The mind is responsible for its own actions. To illustrate, two persons could be in exactly the same situation but react differently - one may be highly stressed, the other may calmly handle the situation. Since each responds in a different way to the same situation, then it is their state of mind which is different, and therefore they are personally responsible for their own thoughts and actions.
This is the major difference between Spiritualism and orthodox religions. The basis of the Christian doctrinal religion rests on the belief that the only way to enlightenment is through Jesus, who died on a cross to save us from our sins. We most strongly repudiate this.
Spiritualism asserts that no one can save us from our wrong doing but ourselves. Man, through his conscience, knows the difference between right and wrong and is given free will to choose which road he will take. No one, be he religious or an atheist can escape the consequences of his own actions. God does not sit in judgement over us; we will be our own judges in the spirit world.
What the church calls sin we regard as the violation of the divine natural laws made by God, which Paul interpreted when he wrote that what ever a man sows, that shall s/he reap. Man alone has to atone for his sins and cannot shirk his responsibilities.
6. COMPENSATION AND RETRIBUTION FOR GOOD AND EVIL DEEDS DONE BY US ALL.
In the infinite and unending existence of the soul, the law of karma has to be worked out. Every evil deed, thought and word has to be paid for, but we are our own judges and on our return to the spirit world we shall see for ourselves what recompense must be made.
This follows on from the last principle. Heaven and hell are states of mind of our own creation and not celestial localities. Our code of life on this earth will determine our destination in the world of spirit.
It is equally wrong to think that because one attends church regularly, or performs evangelical or other ‘good works’ one will automatically be given pride of place in the hereafter. It will be our everyday deeds and the motive for them that will count and how well we have carried out the precept in other words …do unto others... Death does not make us particularly spiritually aware. The understanding of Spiritualism actually helps at the transition, so promoting this knowledge is of benefit to all.
7. ETERNAL PROGRESS OPEN TO EVERY SOUL.
To follow on from the previous principle [6] nothing is lost or irredeemable. We can progress to higher and higher planes of development when we have learned our lessons and repaid our dues. We can climb to unbelievable heights.
To understand this progress and what life and spiritual eternity is all about, imagine the whole complex as a giant pyramid of infinite size. The pyramid is God. The pinnacle is the Godhead, the Supreme Being. The pyramid has no base but extends downwards from the Godhead for ever, The stones are not solid, but fluid, each stone of the pyramid is a soul, all part of God and all important to the whole, therefore the lower layers are as important as the top. There are countless positions within the pyramid and each again is as important as the other.
The idea of eternal progress may seem hard for us to understand in this world where time is counted to allow for the depreciation of the body, but in the world to come, where there are neither clocks nor calendars, time is literally immaterial. Spiritualism points to the certainty of eternal progress, but the rate of our own particular advancement will depend upon ones desire to do so, remembering that we shall have free will as we have here.
We shall by no means be idle in the spirit world, in fact, we shall be extremely busy pursuing those paths which will lead us toward perfection - and we do have eternity in which to do it!
The transition from our earthly world to our new existence in the higher life does not alter our present character. We shall be just the same as we were before the passing, retaining our free will to fashion our new life with the sure knowledge that we shall be given the opportunity to make spiritual progress with no limit to time or the heights we can reach. Once again, we come face to face with our personal responsibility even on the other side.
What does this mean to the individual?
What these principles mean to both you and me as
individuals is of the utmost importance, and I have noticed that
depending on what stage I myself have arrived at, they each come into
their own.
You might think that some of them are just so obvious,
but they aren't, simply because what one person takes for granted,
another might find difficult.
I am not saying that if a person doesn't accept
something in the text they are in some way lacking, no, I am saying that
what is going on here are spiritual statements of a very deep truth,
and we cannot possibly all see everything at once, they need to 'sit
with us' for a while, and go into our spiritual essence for them to have
a lasting meaning, and in some cases maybe they need to wash out some
of the old the dogma that's built up over years.
So as time goes by the occasional re-visiting of these
basic principles leaves a mark. The old familiar principles take on new
depth, and seem to move over to make room for the new and perhaps now
more acceptable. This is a growing of spiritual power that can only come
from within the true spirit of the self, our essence, our soul.
It is a noticeable change that can only
be seen through the distance of time, and when we finally arrive at the
point to appreciate those Old Masters of Philosophy that constructed
them, we hope we are not too near meeting them in person!
The Teachings of Spiritualism
- There is only one God who is eternal, without beginning or
ending. God is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all knowing) and
omnipresent (in all places at all times). God is all.
- Each of us is an immortal soul inhabiting a physical body and
that our souls survive the process known as death.
- Growth never stops and that all souls continually develop their
spiritual wisdom, here and on the other side.
- Everyone has the ability to communicate with those who have
passed on to the other side and that this communication is a natural
part of life.
- Everyone has the ability to heal others and that it is each
individual's obligation to develop his ability to the fullest.
- We may help those in need by working with them, by giving to
charity, by offering advice and/or through prayer.
- We should never cause harm or suffering to family, friends, all
others or ourselves through our actions, our words, or a lack thereof.
- All are equal within God.
- Every action has a moral significance and a natural consequence.
While we affirm that God is the source of everything, including good
and evil, we recognize that the individual is responsible for his or her
choices and the outcomes that result.
- We are in partnership with God and that we are the co-creators
of our lives.
- True religion is living in spiritual harmony with God.
Spiritualism is the science, the philosophy, and the religion of
continuous life. To understand this statement, let us begin by exploring
the meaning of “continuous life.”
Spiritualism is not a religion for the moment. It is a religion for a
lifetime, a soul’s lifetime. Death is not an ending. It is the casting
off of the physical body, but the person continues to love and to laugh.
Death has no power to cause fear once you accept the truth that death
is nothing but one small step in a very long journey of growth and of
life.
Some people mistakenly believe that their identity, their
individuality was formed when their physical bodies were formed. The
truth is that each of us is really a soul that was created a long, long
time ago. We had an individual identity long before our current physical
body was formed. While it is true that the experiences of this life, in
this particular form, have helped to further develop our personalities
into their current shape, what you need to understand is that we came
into this world with a specific personality. All that has happened since
then is that we have continued to grow and evolve.
Through psychic-mediumship, Spiritualism has proven that people who
have “died” are still very much alive and aware of what is happening.
While it is true that going through any significant experience,
including death, will effect a change on a person, each person will
retain his or her personality and level of knowledge and understanding.
Yes, the person will learn from the experience of dying, but what they
learn and whether they accept this new knowledge or not will vary
depending on each individual. Some people are greatly changed (and
usually for the better) by this experience. Some people are barely
changed at all. Some people are just the same as they were before.
However, no matter what level of change a person may experience, he or
she will still be the person that you knew before and will still be able
and willing to be a part of your life.
Thus, to truly understand Spiritualism you must start by accepting the
premise that you are an immortal soul, and that your life and growth
are continuous.
What is the purpose of this continuous growth? Put very simply,
Spiritualism teaches that every soul is striving toward wisdom and
enlightenment until we reach a level of harmony in which we live as one
with God.
To a Spiritualist God is all existence. God is the laws of nature that
are being discovered by physicists, chemists, biologists, geneticists,
and all other branches of science. God is all space and all time.
God is all life. A very tiny piece of God was used as the foundation
upon which your soul was formed. As a result, you are a divine part of
the whole that is God, and so is everyone else that lives. Furthermore, a
spark of God was also used as the foundation for the souls of all
animals and plants, too.
God is all knowledge. God began celebrating your good fortunes and
seeking solutions to your problems before you knew they existed. God is
aware of everything that you do and say. God is involved in your life at
all the times. You do not have to do anything to make God a part of
your life. God is, was and always will be in your life.
God is all Love. Spiritualism teaches that God loves all life equally
and impartiality. You have always been a part of God’s life—there is no
possibility for separation since God is everywhere—and God loves you
with a love that is all encompassing. This does not mean that God
condones your every action. Spiritualism teaches that God wants you to
live a good life and to do only moral actions. This idea is based upon
the fact that our every action and word has consequences. Kind, loving,
and moral actions and words bring about good consequences. Mean,
hateful, and immoral actions and words bring about harmful consequences.
God is harmony. Differences in skin color, weight, sex, language, age,
nationality, religion, income, etc. are things that we use to separate
ourselves from other people. The truth is that we are really spirits
inhabiting bodies and that spirits do not have a color, weight, sex,
etc. Once you accept the truth that these things divide us only exist as
long as we allow them to, then you begin to see beyond them and to
discover that people are people. Your place of birth, language,
religion, or the clubs that you belong to do not make you superior or
inferior to anyone else. Moreover, life on the physical plane is not
better or worse than life on the other side. God is all, and where God
is, all are equally sacred.
What makes Spiritualism different from all other religions?
Spiritualism does not have any rituals, ceremonies, or dogma. We do
not have a holy book. We do not have any saints, martyrs, or anyone else
that we worship. We do not use any holy object such as prayer beads,
tarot cards, or religiously significant jewelry. We do not believe in
superstitions. And we do not accept any part of our religion based upon
blind faith. Instead, we approach our religion in a scientific manner.
A Spiritualist would never simply accept a statement such as “Spirit
communication is real” without seeking to discover the truth for him or
herself. We would study and read to learn all that we can about the
subject. We would conduct tests, by attempting to contact the other side
for ourselves. We would compare the results of our tests with what we
know about the people that we think we contacted and/or with how
situations work out when we think we receive advice from the other side.
Only when we have sufficient evidence would we decide if we accept or
reject the hypothesis. But, what do you expect from a religion that was
formed by scientists? The first was Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 - 1772) who
was a teacher, a politician, an ambassador, and in his time was
considered one of the greatest scientific minds of Europe.
Another prominent founder of modern Spiritualism was H. Leon Denizard
Rivail, a French educator and philosopher born in Lyon on October 3,
1804. Rivail spoke several languages; taught courses in comparative
physiology, astronomy, chemistry and physics; and was a highly respected
man of science who adopted the name Allan Kardec when writing about
Spiritualism.
Justine Kerner (1786 -1862) was a noted German poet and physician. In
1845, after he conducted his own series of tests, he published a book
entitled The Seeress of Prevost; or Openings-up into the Inner Life of
Man, and Mergings of a Spirit World into the World of Matter. Although
he is best known in Germany, his book and research helped further the
spread of modern Spiritualism in Europe.
Augustus de Morgan (1806-1871) was one of the first English scientists
to investigate the phenomena of Spiritualism. After performing his own
series of experiments, he became convinced that Spiritualism was real.
In 1863, he published his book Mind and declared that the facts of
Spiritualism were uncontestable.
Sir William Crookes (1832 - 1919) was a noted physicist who began his
investigations into Spiritualism with the intention of exposing it as
nonsense. So, he too conducted a series of tests after which he became
so convinced of the reality of Spiritualism that he reported his
findings to the Royal Society and published them in the quarterly
Journal of Science.
In modern times, people such as Dr. Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D., have
carried on investigating various aspects of Spiritualism. Dr. Schwartz
gathered together a group of mediums and ran a series of experiments
that proofed that contact with the other side was real. (You can read
about his works in his book The Afterlife Experiments.)
Furthermore, recent studies by a wide variety of doctors and
universities have proven that healing works. Patients who receive
healing do better while undergoing medical procedures and recover faster
than people who didn't receive healing.
These are just a few of the people that have formed and spread the
modern phenomenon that has become known as Spiritualism and those that
are continue to advance our understanding of it.
A Spiritualist develops his or her own understanding of the religion.
We all agree about certain facets of our religion, such as the truths
that the soul is immortal, that everyone can develop his or her own
psychic-mediumship abilities and that everyone can be a healer. However,
we can disagree about the details, which can lead to some very
fascinating conversations. Because of the way that we approach our
religion, every Spiritualist must come to his or her own understanding.
We accept that all anyone else can do is to teach his or her
understanding and hope that it will help to guide other people toward
their own understanding. We welcome questions and see it as an
opportunity to help someone else along his or her journey of discovery
and understanding.
A true Spiritualist is always seeking to become a better person. To
facilitate this improvement, a Spiritualist takes time to analyze
himself. How is he handling his relationships with his family, his
friends, and his co-workers? Can she find a way to express herself that
will be clearer, thus reducing misunderstandings? Does he control his
anger, or does his anger control him? By honestly answering these, and
many more questions, a Spiritualist will discover the areas that he
needs to improve.
Furthermore, a true Spiritualist will also spend time re-analyzing his
or her beliefs. Every time that you learn something new, you open
yourself up to a broader understanding of life. From time to time, this
broader understanding will make you aware of the fact that a cherished,
long-standing belief no longer works. When this happens, a true
Spiritualist will happily set aside the cherished belief and, instead,
embrace the greater view. In this way, a Spiritualist’s belief system
constantly evolves toward greater and greater understanding.
Any knowledge that is not used wisely can be very destructive. As a
result, a Spiritualist strives to have moral discipline. Moral
discipline does not mean obeying a limited set of rules that were
written thousands of years ago. Moral discipline means being very
careful with the words you use and the action that you take. A
Spiritualist always seeks to do the right thing in every situation. Just
because you have an ability to do something, that does not mean that
you have the right to do it. Having moral discipline means using all of
your abilities and your knowledge in an appropriate way. A Spiritualist
would never knowingly use his abilities and knowledge to harm someone.
Instead, we work very hard at being a harmonious, helpful and positive
influence in the world.
Our life is a journey of discovery. In this journey, we will gain the
understanding that loving, compassionate, and constructive thoughts,
words and actions will get us what we really want from life. We will
also learn that hateful, merciless, and destructive thoughts, words, and
actions will only bring hurtful consequences into our lives and the
lives of all around us. In Spiritualism, there is growth, not
punishment. Whether you are living here or on the other side, as you
learn to do better more blessings will come into your life.
Spiritualism teaches that everyone, and everything, is a part of God.
How can any part of God be inferior? How can any part of God be
superior? How can any part of God be separate? How can any part of God
not deserve love, happiness, and blessings?
Spiritualism is the science, the philosophy, and the religion of a
life lived in harmony with God and with yourself.
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