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Perfection and the process of perfection
Perfection concerns all beings, without exception. Ostad Elahi divides beings into several categories: minerals (in general, all things said to be inanimate), plants, animals, and human-animals. Every being that exists is a creature inasmuch as it results from a series of causes, the first of which is the Creator. The purpose of creation, according to Ostad Elahi, is the return to the origin. “Everything that exists emanates from Him, and everything returns to Him at the end of its process of physical and spiritual maturation called the process of perfection”. Once it has reached its perfection, a being can fully benefit from the potential for happiness for which it was created.
According to Ostad Elahi, up to the human-animal stage, the general movement toward perfection is the law of creation: beings progress toward perfection according to spiritual currents of various kinds, which he characterises as follows:
- collective current: a single spirit animates a group of beings;
- ascending current: proceeds from mineral to vegetal to animal, with increasing complexity within these groups;
- deterministic current: determined by laws, this current could be compared to a form of spiritual gravitation called “transsubstantial movement”.
terrestrial component or human animal spirit—which is the culmination of the overall process of perfection in the earlier stages—with the celestial component that comes directly from the Source.
imperious self and developing virtues, a perfect being “masters his entire nature due to a transcendent power,” and finally attains “the composition of the divine ocean”.
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Very nicely written! This article does a great job of explaining our process of perfection and it is interesting to me how the state of perfection is broken up into two meanings of the state of indescribable happiness and moral perfection. When the process of perfection becomes individualized at the human-animal state and requires the use of free will, this is where it becomes a struggle. This daily struggle to fight against our weaknesses by using our reason and free will is not easy, but to me understanding the process of perfection as a whole helps me appreciate and try to educate myself more and have attention to the Source. Thank you for this article.
Thank you for the article. Two questions:
a) On the point: “on the one hand, it refers to the state of indescribable happiness experienced by a perfect being that has returned to the Source, combining perfect knowledge, unlimited power and freedom…” I am wondering that if I personally desire such a goal, does it contradict Ostad Elahi’s otherpoint about always “only desiring the satisfcation of God”. For example, who would not want “unlimited power and freedom”. That is I am afraid my material attachments to such feelings might be stemming from my imperious self? However, it does definitely motivate the person in doing good.
b) I was wondering if the authors can clarify the point: “collective current: a single spirit animates a group of beings;” I would like to know in what book I can find more information on this mode, as I have not yet come across the term “collective current”. I believe “ascending current” is described in the book “knowing the spirit”, but I did not really understand what is meant by a collective current?
Thanks for this amazing piece. It is as if I listened to a symphony! I have a thought about the link mentioned towards the end which I believe can be translated to the link between emotion and perception but am not sure. From what I understand, emotions are experienced based on one’s perception. We are not able to experience and like/dislike what is not perceived and has not reached our field of perception. If I am not mistaken, once objects enter the field, we are able to sense them in different layers through different faculties including five senses, the powers within, and the spirit/essence. But sensing is one thing and being gravitated to, is another. I am guessing when we reach perfection; the essence understands it all but is not pulled by any other forces, only by the Source because truth in its real form is the only thing that brings the utmost happiness to it. I may add that Heaven exists the way it does, as a result of some people’s perception and their gravitation toward those sceneries and because they like, enjoy, and feel happy that way. Also it explains why we experience the other world just the way we perceive it.
With sincere thanks to the editorial board for this wonderful article. My thoughts in answering Maxfarsh. Perfection is something and somewhere beyond our imagination. I am a true believer and I trust that Perfection does exist. However, according to Ostad Elahi, one should ask God for nothing but His satisfaction; following this advice, throughout my daily life, I try to practice what I have learned (respecting the rights of others, fighting the imperious self…) and the immediate goal in my heart is to satisfy God. I know the two invisible eyes are constantly watching me and that every action, intention and thought is recorded permanently. As a person on earth I can visualize not having a blemish on my records just like wanting a clean job records or wanting to make our boss happy at work. Isn’t it true with good employment records our boss would give us important tasks or we would qualify for a promotion or a raise once they come up? These are more tangible thoughts. Now the result of our efforts is much greater if we continue working on our self without expecting anything in return or getting immediate results. We then become like a professor who has gained material knowledge. Such knowledge does not necessary show in one’s appearance, it is stored within our brain and no one can take it away from us. As a result of putting into practice our spiritual lessons we gain, knowledge and understanding that becomes a part of us. It is the true wealth that always stays with us and helps us in the other world. We would even have a better life on earth while we live. These are more immediate, practical and tangible thoughts than thinking about the place and position of a perfect being.
The highest object of our spiritual destiny in human form is to realize our own selves and then realize God. It is such a honorable task, which can only be accomplished in the human body. When I have control over my senses, which feed the mind which in turn overpowers the soul I get the sense of unlimited freedom. Reading these articles helps me to wake up from my ignorance. Thank you.
This is interesting. I am thinking about the concept of process of perfection vs. traditional religious teachings that we are all born sinners, and the only way to escape this fate is only through Christ (or other prophets) and/or the institutions that claim to represent their message. It seems today this idea has been corrupted for many people, as we are taught that all one has to do is say that she is a believer, wear your religious affiliation on your sleeve, follow required ritual and social connections, and boom – you get to the ultimate goal. The emphasis here in the process of perfection that “human beings determine their own spiritual destiny through their choice to engage their free will and to get to know oneself” adds a necessary element for me. I have often questioned how can it be fair that one can claim to be religious, seem devout, and hurt so many people? How can that be fair that they would reach heaven? It is also good to reiterate, as so much of this philosophy does, that the struggle with the imperious self is part of our learning, and not just “the devil in us” that needs to be prayed away. The imperious self is an undesirable, but mandatory dance partner, without the interaction with her we can’t be what God wants us to be… so we shouldn’t be fixated on our sins. Rather, we should see sins as a chance to get to know who we really are, then struggle to do better.
This is a great article. The 2 definitions of perfection, while linked, were helpful in perceiving a sense of what that ultimate bliss might feel like. If during my daily life, I were to remember my true purpose at every instant, I perhaps would get a bit of that bliss here in this world… since life’s troubles would no longer affect me.
@ Maxfarsh:
1) the ‘bliss’, ‘unlimited power’ and ‘freedom’ that are described here are the consequence of your soul reaching perfection, so there are of the spiritual realm, and have nothing to do with material or earthly power and freedom.
So therefore in order to reach this spiritual bliss you need to do things that contribute to the hapiness of the soul, in other words the application of true (or valid) ethical and divine principles. Yet acting morally in a way that is beneficial for the soul is nothing else than wishing God’s satisfaction (if, of course, you act with such an intention!)
So by desiring the satisfaction of God, and acting accordingly to this wish, you will gradually open yourself up to this bliss the article talks about. Because it is by getting to know yourself that you get to know God, that you realise that you are a soul originally from the divine ocean, and that the way to get back to this ocean is through the development of all the virtues, ie through the process of perfection.
2) the ‘collective current’ is described in the book ‘ the Path of Perfection’ I believe; it simply means that minerals, vegetals and animals do not have one individual soul per plant, per stone or per animal. A group of souls coming from stones, rocks etc(minerals) are grouped together to evolve to a higher level of perfection, ie vegetal for example, and so on.
I hope this was clear.
There is another saying by Ostad Elahi that discusses the bliss that one feels when one modifies one’s own wishes to be that of God’s. In other words, when we align what we want with what God wants for us, that is true happiness. The concept of divine satisfaction, when stated in this way, really moved me.