BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

Twinkle, little soul — claim your sky

He who is a true believer liveth both in this world 

and in the world to come.

 

~ Baha'u'llah ~

Dear Ones,

In this third part of Unfolding Our Wings, we enter the intermediate realm — the soul’s true abode between earth and heaven — where its powers naturally unfold.

In PART I of this exploration about the soul,  "What is Consciousness," we considered some of its inherent powers. We also saw in PART II of this series,  that the soul is not bound by place, its freedom already whispering to us in the world of dreams through our ethereal form that corresponds to our material body. We now turn our gaze toward the realm where such powers find their natural home.

As surprising as it may be, between this dense world of material bodies and the purely spiritual realms there exists an intermediate reality — a world finer than the physical, yet not wholly immaterial. It is not a mere vague “elsewhere”: it is an ontological level situated between the material world (Nasut), that of the clay where humans live, and the purely spiritual or angelic world (Malakut), that of light, therefore the title of this article: Between Heaven and Earth. 

Earlier traditions that prepared the way for the Baha'i Revelation sometimes called this realm Hurqalya. In the Baha'i Writings it is closely associated with Malakut, the Kingdom of Angels, also named the world of the souls. 

The Qur’an itself alludes to such an intermediate reality when it speaks of a barzakh — a barrier or isthmus — lying between this world and the next (23:100), while the Bayan of the Bab repeatedly speaks of "all that is in the heavens and on the earth and what lies between them." 

As Baha'i scholar Jean-Marc Lepain has shown through his careful study of the Writings (particularly the Tablet to Varqá), Baha'u'llah presents the Malakut as the true destiny of the human soul — the spiritual world par excellence where, beyond the dissolution of the body, the soul continues its infinite journey toward God in a heavenly form composed of the elements of that realm. Yet this life of the soul can begin here and now in the barzakh through the subtle body, according to the measure of its purity and awareness. 

Indeed this ethereal form is not another soul, but the same soul expressing itself in a finer way. Just as the soul animates the dense body of earth without being confined within it, so does it manifest through this subtle form in the realm between heaven and earth. Two expressions, one soul; two densities, one reality.

In the notes to the Chronicle of Nabil, we find a precious echo: Shaykh Ahmad taught that the physical body is composed of parts drawn from the four elements and the nine heavens. At death, those material parts return to their sources. Only one reality remains — the subtle body he named Jism-i-Huriqliya. 

Whatever the case, we already carry this body in potentiality, like crystal hidden within rock. It alone escapes destruction. Is it the body that made the Prophet’s Night Ascension possible? Is it the same form that appeared to the apostles after the crucifixion, the one Thomas was invited to touch? It may well be.

Some souls, purified by the fire of the love of God and detachment from all save Him, appear already to move with greater freedom in these subtler realms sanctified from the constraints of time and space. Their inner fire — clear, luminous, and without the smoke of earthly attachment — enables their spirit to soar more readily beyond the dense world of matter, while still clothed in this earthly form.

The world of dreams is the portal to that intermediate realm, our present world being but a metaphorical image of that higher realm according to Abdu'l-Baha. Baha'u'llah Himself points to this mystery when He writes: 

Consider thy state when asleep. … thy spirit, having transcended the limitations of sleep… hath… been made to traverse a realm which lieth hidden in the innermost reality of this world. Verily I say, the creation of God embraceth worlds besides this world…

It is also hierarchical, ordered according to the degree of spiritual development of the souls. Thus, this intermediate realm is not uniform. It contains multiple strata of varying density — some heavier and less luminous, others increasingly subtle and ethereal. The differing quality of our dreams, some dense and confused, others light and radiant, already hints at these gradations. For even there, the soul may encounter resistances, some born of its own still unpurified nature, others arising from the denser strata of that realm. Yet the promise remains: the heart that is steadfast in the love of God shall not waver, even if all the heavens and the earth arise against it. 

Why was this intermediate realm conceived by God? As a necessary bridge, so that our existence may unfold gradually from the densest matter to the most subtle spirit without any abrupt gap or sudden leap. 

In this age the Revelation of BAHA'U'LLAH — the universal Promised One of all previous Revelations — reaches not only this world but the entire universe, including these intermediate realms where the majority of souls are gathered and are called to respond to the new Revelation. The light and grace of the Manifestation permeate these realms. Souls who did not know of Baha'u'llah during their lifetime may, through intercession, prayer, and divine influence, come to know Him and respond to Him while flying in these realms. It is their response to that appeal that shapes the ultimate condition of their soul and its place within the strata of that realm, be it before death or thereafter. Recognition of God’s Manifestation for this age becomes the cornerstone of the soul’s evolution in all worlds.

In this wise hath the divine favour been fully vouchsafe unto you and onto them that are in heaven and on earth. All praise to God, the Lord of all Worlds.

Thus is the soul already carrying within it a form suited to the heavens, its true abode not being that far away. Isn't Baha'u'llah describing this state with luminous words in the Valley of Wonderment? 

At every moment, he beholdeth a wondrous world and a new creation, and goeth from astonishment to astonishment, and is lost in awe before the new handiwork of Him Who is the sovereign Lord of all.

It is in this state of continual wonder that the soul may begin to grasp the full depth of these words:

Dost thou reckon thyself only a puny form when within thee the universe is folded?

This “universe” folded within is none other than the subtle world of many strata — the intermediate realm of Malakut — which the wondering soul may already visit through dreams, contemplation, and the soaring of the spirit. These considerations, however, bring a necessary word of caution. 

The powers and perceptions associated with the spiritual realms must never be sought through esoteric techniques, psychic practices, or forced openings. The Guardian warned the friends with great seriousness against such paths which can injure the soul, both in this world and in the next. To this effect, please see BEWARE OF ESOTERICISM and NEW AGE PITFALLS. True progress comes only through the means revealed by God: prayer, meditation upon the divine Word, purity of heart, and steadfastness in the Covenant. 

If a suggestion may offered here, it would be to take some time to explore the profound spiritual significance of the Names of the Badi calendar before you depart, for this could be an invaluable way to integrate its wisdom into one's daily life, fostering exponential growth and development, the Guardian of the Baha'i faith affirming that:

The Báb, the Primal Point of a new creation, brought humanity into a new division of time in a calendar of nineteen months. All through our past heritage the months of the years and the days of the week have borne the names of pagan feasts and Roman holidays. The Báb swept these ancient landmarks away, and replaced them by the Qualities of: Splendour, Glory, Beauty, Grandeur, Light, Mercy, Words, Perfection, Names, Might, Will, Knowledge, Power, Speech, Questions, Honour, Sovereignty, Dominion, and Loftiness. Meditating upon these sublime attributes, man is enabled to gaze beyond the curve of time, wherein the swing and change of planetary movements exists, to the eternal qualities that stabilize the soul.

~ Shoghi Effendi

Therefore, it is essential for every dedicated spirit to recognize that through a profound contemplation of the Names of the Badi calendar, our placeless and timeless entity can access the pinnacle of the five divine realms, gaining such holy attributes in the process. Here is a full PRESENTATION of this prodigious opportunity.

Having contemplated this bridging realm, you are now invited to explore the seven conditions that prepare the soul for its further ascent with: THE ASCENDING SOUL.

 

 

…twinkling ever closer to our celestial home.

Be wonderfully blessed !


Loesha

SHARE THIS PAGE...

POWERS OF THE SOUL

Twinkle, little soul — claim your sky

Within it (the soul) lieth concealed that which
the world is now utterly incapable of apprehending.

~ Baha'u'llah ~

Dear Ones,

Continuing our exploration in the series Unfolding Our Wings,  we now look towards the innate capabilities of the soul and the celestial shape that corresponds to our corporeal body.

As we have seen with PART I of this series, even if in its essence the soul remains a profound mystery, the Baha'i Writings allow us to catch luminous glimpses of its immense potential. This is the subject of the present article. 

Baha'u'llah revealed this potential in a few words:

… every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soul from manifesting its inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence, as no force on earth can equal. Every pure, every refined and sanctified soul will be endowed with tremendous power, and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness.

The limitations we experience here are largely those of the body. The soul itself possesses a tremendous, but specific measure of this potential that can only be fully manifested through our own efforts and volition, the Bab stating that “No created thing shall ever attain its paradise unless it appeareth in its highest prescribed degree of perfection.” The question that arises from this is: how do we recognize this unique measure? Obviously not through a sudden revelation, but gradually, through the observance of the divine laws as expressed by the latest Manifestation of God, including sincere prayer, meditation on the Divine Word, and selfless service. In walking this path, the potential that is truly ours slowly unveils itself.  

Through the Teachings of this Day Star of Truth every man will advance and develop until he attaineth the station at which he can manifest all the potential forces with which his inmost true self hath been endowed.

Our task in this life is thus to develop that unique measure as fully as possible. 

With this point cleared, let's hear the Master further reveal another profound, but very neglected truth: We not only possess a corporeal body, but an ethereal form which is not a second physical body, but a finer, more subtle counterpart — conscious, real, and enduring with which we can soar in the worlds of God while still in this primary life of ours. Listen to Abdu'l-Baha:

It is manifest that beyond this material body, man is endowed with another reality which is the world of exemplars constituting the heavenly body of man… This other and inner reality is called the heavenly body, the ethereal form which corresponds to this body.

Isn't that thrilling? Consequently, while our elemental body is subject to illness, decay, and spatial limitation, our ethereal form can be freed from such constraints. It can soar in the worlds beyond by not being confined to weight, space and time, being "placeless". Abdu'l-Baha states it clearly: “to be limited to place is a property of bodies and not of spirits.” So is it that while our body occupies a few spans of earth, our soul may range through the limitless spaces of the heavens and make discoveries in both this world and the worlds beyond through this ethereal body. 

Baha'u'llah Himself describes this station in which our soul can be drawn “from this abode of dust unto thy true and heavenly habitation,” and raised to a condition wherein, said He, “thou wilt soar in the air even as thou treadest upon the earth, and wilt walk upon the water even as thou movest over the land.” Why the surprise?

Don't we already taste something of this freedom every night? In the dream world, time softens, space becomes fluid, and we awaken with the lingering sense that we have been somewhere real. Is it not a gentle, recurring reminder that the soul is not confined to the laws that govern dust? That it is moving, speaking, meeting others, traveling great distances without the weight of the body once freed from the petty affairs of this world? But how? As the mirror of the heart grows clearer through purity of heart, sincere turning toward God, steadfastness in the Covenant, and above all through the LOVE of God — that vital force which awakens and transforms the soul — these capacities become more visible and influential. 

Therefore, would it not be through this ethereal form that certain rare phenomena become more intelligible — among them bilocation, the ability to be truly present in two places at the same time? Across the centuries, sincere witnesses have reported this phenomenon in the lives of advanced spirits of various traditions, among them Padre Pio and Saint Anthony of Padua. The accounts are numerous enough to invite deep reflection, yet the mystery endures with a kind of sacred wonder. Such manifestations need not be seen as violations of nature; they may simply be early, partial expressions of a capacity that differs according to each soul’s destiny and to the degree of development it has attained.

 

Having glimpsed some of the soul’s hidden powers, we invite you to pursue this investigation further with PART III, which leads us into the intermediate realm where these powers find their natural home.

 

…twinkling ever closer to our celestial home.

Be wonderfully blessed !


Loesha

SHARE THIS PAGE...