A question on growth part 2

[Gene]

1. This last sentence of 100:3.7

Man’s sole contribution to growth is the mobilization of the total powers of his personality — living faith.

is this the answer or a clue as to how to create favorable conditions for growth?

this statement lead me to think about the seven psychic circles and paper 110:6

low and behold another personality statement in the very first sentence:

“The sum total of personality realization on a material world is contained within the successive conquest of the seven psychic circles of mortal potentiality. Entrance upon the seventh circle marks the beginning of true human personality function. Completion of the first circle denotes the relative maturity of the mortal being. Though the traversal of the seven circles of cosmic growth does not equal fusion with the Adjuster, the mastery of these circles marks the attainment of those steps which are preliminary to Adjuster fusion”.

so what do you suppose the sum total of personality realization is? How does this relate to the previous statement about mans sole contribution to growth is the mobilization of the total powers of personality – faith??

can you see where I’m trying to go with this?

maybe part three of the growth question could be: what happens when we enter that first psychic circle? Or seventh to be accurate?

[Bonita]

Gene wrote: . . . so what do you suppose the sum total of personality realization is?

It’s divinity attainment.  That’s divinity with a small “d”.  That is what the Adjuster is constantly striving to help us attain, if we would cooperate.

Gene wrote:How does this relate to the previous statement about mans sole contribution to growth is the mobilization of the total powers of personality – faith??

I sort of answered this in the other thread, but there is a lot more to talk about.  It’s important to know that both grace and faith are gifts from God (143:2.7), gifts that become conscious in the minds of those who seek and recognize them.  Faith, like grace, is not something we cause to happen, it comes because we desire it (.  The more we desire, the more there is.  It’s entirely dependent upon a person’s capacity for receptivity, and that is based upon desire.  Prayer increases capacity and prayer is an expression of desire for God and Godlikeness.

To know how to mobilize the total powers of personality it might be important to know what the powers of personality are.  The main power of the personality is obviously freewill, the ability to decide based upon reflective thought.  Decision-choice is the greatest power the personality has and how it is expressed depends on the level of thought or insight used to guide decision making.  Obviously, spiritualized thinking is the highest, but there is also benefit in mobilizing material levels of thinking as well.  A well balanced personality will utilize the cosmic mind to make available every possible approach to truth, beauty and goodness and then choose.  They do tell us that there are only a few things we can do: discover, recognize, recognize and choose.  But those four things have great power if properly sought after and utilized.

Ehh, I could go on and on.  I have some things to do now so I’ll supply the rest of the quotes later, if you want them.

[Gene]

Yes to quotes:

the well balanced personality brings up the symmetry I think about and somewhere in the book we are told about the balance between reason (the material scientific) and faith( the spiritual) where being heavily overloaded on either one is dangerous and can develop a fanatic.

[Gene]

The sum total of personality realization with small d is intended to be within the limits of what we can accomplish with ascending the circles ? Realizing the Supreme?

[Bonita]

Gene wrote: . . . the well balanced personality brings up the symmetry I think about and somewhere in the book we are told about the balance between reason (the material scientific) and faith( the spiritual) where being heavily overloaded on either one is dangerous and can develop a fanatic.

Here are a few quotes on that subject:

16:6.10    In the local universe mind bestowals, these three insights of the cosmic mind constitute the a priori assumptions which make it possible for man to function as a rational and self-conscious personality in the realms of science, philosophy, and religion. Stated otherwise, the recognition of the reality of these three manifestations of the Infinite is by a cosmic technique of self-revelation. Matter-energy is recognized by the mathematical logic of the senses; mind-reason intuitively knows its moral duty; spirit-faith (worship) is the religion of the reality of spiritual experience. These three basic factors in reflective thinking may be unified and co-ordinated in personality development, or they may become disproportionate and virtually unrelated in their respective functions. But when they become unified, they produce a strong character consisting in the correlation of a factual science, a moral philosophy, and a genuine religious experience. And it is these three cosmic intuitions that give objective validity, reality, to man’s experience in and with things, meanings, and values.

110:6.4 When the development of the intellectual nature proceeds faster than that of the spiritual, such a situation renders communication with the Thought Adjuster both difficult and dangerous. Likewise, overspiritual development tends to produce a fanatical and perverted interpretation of the spirit leadings of the divine indweller. Lack of spiritual capacity makes it very difficult to transmit to such a material intellect the spiritual truths resident in the higher superconsciousness. It is to the mind of perfect poise, housed in a body of clean habits, stabilized neural energies, and balanced chemical function—when the physical, mental, and spiritual powers are in triune harmony of development—that a maximum of light and truth can be imparted with a minimum of temporal danger or risk to the real welfare of such a being. By such a balanced growth does man ascend the circles of planetary progression one by one, from the seventh to the first.

149:4.3  He called attention to the fact that any virtue, if carried to extremes, may become a vice. Jesus always preached temperance and taught consistency – proportionate adjustment of life problems. He pointed out that overmuch sympathy and pity may degenerate into serious emotional instability; that enthusiasm may drive on into fanaticism. He discussed one of their former associates whose imagination had led him off into visionary and impractical undertakings. At the same time he warned them against the dangers of the dullness of overconservative mediocrity.

196:0.6 In a religious genius, strong spiritual faith so many times leads directly to disastrous fanaticism, to exaggeration of the religious ego, but it was not so with Jesus.

 

 

 

 

[Bonita]

Gene wrote:

The sum total of personality realization with small d is intended to be within the limits of what we can accomplish with ascending the circles ? Realizing the Supreme?

Right.  Personality realization, self-realization and divinity attainment are all one and the same thing . . .  the process by which the personality becomes more real.  The process begins in the seventh psychic (cosmic) circle and never ends, even after attaining Paradise.

As for realizing the Supreme, that’s what divinity attainment is all about, which is why Michael/Spirit of Truth is the Way of personality realization and divinity attainment.  He has already accomplished the realization of the Supreme and reveals him to us now and beyond.

I suppose you’re going to want quotes, but earlier this morning I spent 45 minutes looking up the quotes only to have my post vanish completely after hitting the submit button . . .  so no dice.  Can’t go back and do it again . . . too frustrated with that failing of this forum format. (I like alliteration.)

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