Abstract
Is any of us completely happy with our physical body or our mental capacity? We sometimes curse our plight when we can’t seem to reach beyond the boundaries set by our birth. There is a reason for this. Learn why we require living with certain limitations.
We Live on an Expiatory Planet
According to the Doctrine of Spiritism, we are on the planet earth to learn to become better spirits. We aren’t here to frolic in constant bliss. Instead, we are granted life in our physical bodies so we may pay for our past wrongs and gain new knowledge. We do both by the trials set for us by the spirit world in concert with our quest for improvement, while we resided in the spiritual plane.
In the book, And Life Goes On, psychographed by Francisco (Chico) C. Xavier, a spirit tells us about the type of people who have passed through the Lower Zones and came to be assisted by spirit helpers to recuperate enough to journey once again to the surface of our world to mold their character in the correct manner.
These are the poor souls who mostly did not ascend straight to a heavenly city after separating from their bodies, but due to failings in their lives had to spend some time in a less pleasant location, where they experienced suffering, until they discovered the need to open their hearts and minds to the necessity of love and forgiveness.
These are the spirits who roam the earth for a period of time until they decide to seek help. When they are ready to change their behavior and ask for Divine assistance, spirit helpers come and allow them to recover in a safe environment.
Whereupon they realize their need to return and truly absorb the lessons they require in order to rise immediately after death to a celestial city and start up the ladder to be a pure spirit. We are told about these souls who strive for improvement:
“When they receive the loan of a new body, they are usually born alongside those who were their accomplices in the follies of the past, or those who are attuned to them through the same kinds of debts and resultant repayments. These candidates for expiatory recapitulation of the past beg for measures against themselves, either in a home environment that does not match their ideals or in the formation of the future body they will use. Many times they want some of its functions to be blocked, thus wisely inhibiting beforehand the inferior tendencies that led to their downfall in the past.”[1]
We are being told that many spirits deliberately chose to block potential avenues to commit offenses and to force a lesson they so sorely need. It’s hard to imagine, for us here on earth, why souls would sabotage their potential happiness on our planet to insure their spiritual growth.
The only answer is that the price is worth it. Learning a valuable lesson must have tangible rewards.
The prize of improvement must be greater than any momentary pain while in a physical body on earth for a short time.
A spirit who wishes to learn more about this process, asks does this mean that spirits who are determined to perform better their next time on earth ask for built-in disadvantages. He is told:
“Yes, indeed. That is why there are great talents, who are frustrated regarding the direction they would like their lives to take; astute minds that are barred from any academic accolades early on, forcing then to work as obscure artisans or to carry out simpler tasks in a lengthy and painful condition of subalternity, where they learn humility, balance, peace and moderation; artists who are frustrated regarding their highest aspirations, dragging around physical defects and other limitation that temporarily prevent the manifestation of their talents, but under which they will reeducate their impulses with necessary respect for the sentiments of others; women with an enormous capacity for love shackled to unsightly bodies, learning through terrible afflictions of the soul the pain of having deserted home and having despised the commitments of motherhood; dynamic and energetic men bearing insidious and hidden frustrations that keep them from organic pleasures in the physical realm so that they can work on the spirit of understanding and charity in the core of their souls.”[2]
This is one of the most powerful and revealing paragraphs I have read. It explains so much about so many people. What was said explains the daily tragedies of genius unrecognized, talent unappreciated and frustrated. Why some of our friends and family are forced to live with a disability that so limits their opportunities.
One example of a disability of a man of artistic genius is the famous painter Toulouse-Lautrec. Born with obvious disabilities, designed to hinder his ability to shine, he nevertheless eventually, in his own manner was able to demonstrate his talents to the world.
That which we used to our advantage to act in a dishonorable manner towards others is removed. Like a child who plays with a dangerous tool has it taken out of his or her hands, because they don’t yet possess the maturity to correctly manipulate it.
As we affected others so shall we be treated. Our capacity to harm will be curtailed and will stay that way until we learn the lessons assigned and take to heart the way to ascend is to love and be kind to all.
Examine your life and look at your limitations to determine what message was sent to your benefit. I think back of my childhood and my goal of one day becoming a fighter pilot. I had the grades and the opportunity to be able to apply to the Air Force, but in my senior year in high school my eyes lost their perfect 20/20 sight. That avenue had been irretrievably blocked. Only decades later had eye correction surgery was developed.
This wasn’t the only hurdle, when I was young roller coasters and other rides were fun, therefore I thought being in a jet would pose no problem. Years later when I visited Disney World with my family and rode on a pretty advanced simulator type ride, I left the ride sweating and disoriented. My wife and children looked at me and laughed, they had never seen me in that condition before. Now I know that even if by some miracle I was able to fly, as soon as I started any type of strenuous training, I would have been washed out immediately. Like a youngster wishing to be a doctor, but can’t stand the sight of blood, I was destined to never be what I so deeply desired.
What had I done in a past to merit the blocking of my military career? What harm did I inflict on others? Dwelling on the past does me no good, but analyzing why I can’t perform to my wishes in the present does allow me to appreciate where I am today and to review my life lessons I have been taught.
That what I couldn’t do, was denied me for a reason, in order for me to concentrate of what I require to accumulate in this life. Looking back I am grateful to be directed by the spirit world to where I need to be and have been.
If you desire to learn more about the spirit world, from where we come from, how we take part in planning our future trials and our bodies, to how we are guided on during our trials on earth, read my book, The Case for Reincarnation – Your Path to Perfection. It will inform you of what the Doctrine of Spiritism has revealed to us through the works of many mediums.
Author:
Brian Foster has a BSCS degree and a MBA. He has worked in R&D for medical device corporations and in IT for large financial institutions. Brian Foster has a blog at www.nwspiritism.com.
Works Cited
Xavier, F. C. (2009). And Life Goes On. Brasilia (DF), Brasil: International Spiritist Council.
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