« ...that every man may thereby win his way to the summit of realities,
until none shall contemplate anything whatsoever
but that he shall see God therein. »
- Baha'u'llah -
Dear Angels,
Reading the previous inquiry on THE ASCENDING SOUL, the following question easily comes to mind: How many divine worlds are there, and can they be reached easily in this material world or only after death?
The answer to the first question is given by Baha'u'llah in His Seven Valleys, Who states:
Although the divine worlds be never ending, yet some refer to them as four: the world of time (zaman)... the world of duration (dahr)... the world of perpetuity (sarmad), the world of eternity (azal)...Others have called these the worlds of the Heavenly Court (Lahut), of the Empyrean Heaven (Jabarut), of the Kingdom of Angels (Malakut), and of the mortal world (Nasut).
In my view, the whole concept could be compiled as follows, if the specific information given by Abdu'l-Baha on THE STAGES OF THE SOUL is included, while the other "endless worlds" are not:
The negative World of ZAQQUM comprises the Commanding soul and the Blaming soul.
The World of NASUT (Zaman) comprises the Earthly human soul, the Inspired soul (Valley of Search, Valley of Knowledge), the Assured soul (Valley of Love, Valley of Unity), the Accepting soul (Valley of Contentment), the Accepted soul (Valley of Wonderment), the Perfect soul (Valley of True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness).
The World of MALAKUT (Dahr) comprises the Angelic soul (First and Second Valleys).
The World of JABARUT (Sarmad) comprises the Soul of the Realm of Command (Third and Fourth Valley).
The World of LAHUT (Azal).
The answer to the second question is twofold. That these degrees and stations be attainable in this world actually depends on the divine will. As the saying goes, some fruits ripen only after being picked from the tree, while some privileged souls can fly away and attain their goal in the blink of an eye:
The World of NASUT (Zaman) comprises the Earthly human soul, the Inspired soul (Valley of Search, Valley of Knowledge), the Assured soul (Valley of Love, Valley of Unity), the Accepting soul (Valley of Contentment), the Accepted soul (Valley of Wonderment), the Perfect soul (Valley of True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness).
The World of MALAKUT (Dahr) comprises the Angelic soul (First and Second Valleys).
The World of JABARUT (Sarmad) comprises the Soul of the Realm of Command (Third and Fourth Valley).
The World of LAHUT (Azal).
The answer to the second question is twofold. That these degrees and stations be attainable in this world actually depends on the divine will. As the saying goes, some fruits ripen only after being picked from the tree, while some privileged souls can fly away and attain their goal in the blink of an eye:
These journeys have no visible ending in the world of time, but the severed wayfarer - if invisible confirmation descend upon him and the Guardian of the Cause assist him - may cross these seven stages in seven steps, nay rather in seven breaths, nay rather in a single breath, if God will and desire it. And this is of "His grace on such of His servants as He pleaseth."
It is interesting to note that all of these Valleys seem to be traversed at different speeds and in different ways, depending on what God, in His infinite wisdom, has in store for each of us, and which He keeps secret.
The tongue faileth in describing these three Valleys, and speech falleth short... but this mystery of inner meaning may be whispered only from heart to heart, confided only from breast to breast.
What the Master confirmed, reported below, is comforting and enlightening to a believer, don't you think? The Sun will shine on all, but according to their personal merit.
...that the believers will go directly to God, but that all will not be in the same condition, each one will have his degree in accordance with his spiritual progress.It is therefore crucial to realize that although attainable when still embodied, these realms are attainable only by "the wayfarer", the one "who walks in the Straight Path!" This means, according to Baha'u'llah that:
In all these journeys the traveller must stray not the breadth of a hair from the "Law," for this is indeed the secret of the "Path" and the fruit of the Tree of "Truth."
Is it not an irreversible implication that these divine laws be well known to us, as expressed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book?
The last part
of our investigation concerns a secret that Baha'u'llah shares
intimately with His correspondent about the completion
of this fabulous journey of the soul in the Four Valleys:
...this station is the first gate of the heart's citadel, that is, man's first entrance to the city of the heart; and the heart is endowed with four stages, which would be recounted should a kindred soul be found.
Speaking of the supernatural powers conferred in the Fourth Valley, a station "sanctified above the jewels of explanation," this statement leaves us in awe:
"O My Servant! Obey Me and I shall make thee like unto Myself. I Say 'Be' and it is, and thou shalt say 'Be,' and it shall be."
Finally, it is necessary to know that these Valleys are repeated from World to World, although the soul in total conformity with the divine will is drawn to the summits with rapid steps by the force of attraction that is its infinite LOVE for God.
Blessed are they who, on the wings of certitude, have flown in the heavens which the Pen of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, hath spread.
Such is the long and arduous path that God has in store for the ardent soul. May we then wish each other good luck in climbing every Mountain until we find our Dream.
Be wonderfully blessed !
Loesha
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Loesha
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