Spiritual Perception – Intuition and the Soul’s Signature
The Soul Perceives the Soul of Everything Else
In order to understand this model, we have to clarify the difference between the physical body as the outer appearance of a thing, and the essence or inner qualities that are animating the material body with a kind of personality imbued with distinct characteristics. We have what we call planes of perception, such as the physical, etheric, astral, and spiritual, which are all inter-dimensional aspects of any living entity, and exist at different levels of density requiring different senses in order to be able to perceive with any amount of distinction or accuracy. These bodies as levels, correspond to the 4 states of matter, which are charged (electrified) plasma, gas, liquid, and solid. Accuracy, in this case, of course is referring to being able to actually sense them through a personal experience, rather than through reading a book on it or have someone tell you what the experience is like, and then somewhat making it up or trying to see what you believe you should be seeing instead of letting it come in whatever way it naturally does. I’m not going to go into each level, because it’s not necessary or important in order to understand the process, but simply want to distinguish between the inner and the outer, and the visible and invisible aspects of any living being. Each plane or level of existence, which has its own unique qualities and properties, is necessary to be in in order to perceive the reality within that level of existence. You can’t perceive one level using the senses of a different level.
The body and the material senses perceive the outer appearance of things in terms of sensory qualities (seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and tasting), whereas the soul doesn’t perceive the external physical construction of things, but intuitively conceives of their innate powers and virtues, and what we could call their signature or unique, individual way of being. Through spiritual perception we can come to recognize the inner nature of things. While we live in a basic illusion of mind and matter being separate, and the individual mind being separate from the universal mind, as well as from each other, in fact, all secret powers of Nature may be discovered through our own inner perception. Intuitive perception comes by sensing everything around us by what’s being awakened within us in relationship with it. We can sense the true nature of things as its being reflected (stimulated) in us. We sense it as a feeling quality that can be felt inwardly by our being, that can’t be seen. It comes to us as a feeling that forms a translucent mental impression of the internal nature or essence of a living entity.
Our soul (sidereal) body is directly connected to the soul of everything around us. All qualities, powers, and characteristics of a thing, is it’s spirit (ethereal substance), essence, or principle (active force), and is strongly perceivable by our own sidereal body. All living forms have a soul or sidereal body as an etheric double to the physical body, which is what gives it the properties, characteristics and behaviors it naturally possesses. In animals and humans this is sensed as the nature and behaviors that form its personality. In plants it’s seen as the active properties that not only give a plant its outer characteristics, but determines whether it produces a healing and nutritive effects or poisonous and toxic effects. The essence of all things is the active spiritual component that animates the material aspect, giving it life as qualities, characteristics, and behaviors or ways of being.
Our inner sense, the center of all senses, is the faculty whereby we’re able to feel the impressions produced by the exterior senses. These various impressions are received into the imagination (mind’s eye) of a person as bodily sensations that give rise to spontaneous mental images as representations or metaphors for the qualities it possesses. The imagination is an energy transformer that turns feelings and bodily sensations as vibrations into physical forms that are analogous to it as correspondences. And though the impressions can seem fleeting and pass quickly, the impression they make as a feeling lingers and is lasting. All senses that we possess are in fact one sense operating through multiple aspects that all interact on multiple planes of existence simultaneously, and produce the process of how energy as an invisible force is turned into a physical form or shape, through the mind which acts as a transductor for converting energy from one form to another. In this case, is assigns physical properties to what exists a pure feeling sensations.
The signature of a living entity is like its fingerprint, it’s a particular and specialized vital activity possessed by each natural object. The internal signature as inner qualities also effect the exterior appearance of the form, and by simply examining the exterior form with an intuitive mind, you can learn a lot about the interior form. The inner and the outer correspond to one another in the basic sense and are analogous, and the inner nature of a person can be recognized by a trained observer without using spiritual sight. The internal character of a person can be seen in their appearance, behavioral style, manner of walking and how they hold themselves, sound of their voice and how they speak, their emotional state, style of dress, personal grooming, and so on. The more connected we stay to nature, the more we can sense the inner nature of things, but when we become consumed with unnatural things, and begin living in an illusion, we lose this power, and instead buy into the exterior appearance of things and the false image they project, and can fail almost completely to perceive their true character.
In order to develop this ability, which exists within you as a latent potential, when you’re around someone or something, start off with someone you don’t know and where there’s no emotional charge taking place, turn your central attention away from the outer appearance by letting your eyes go out of focus where you’re not seeing any details that may be distracting, and simultaneously tune into how you’re feeling inside because of them. Create a neutral state of mind that’s not judging, viewing through a belief or opinion, or setting an expectation for what you’re going to find, and with as objective a mind as you can muster up, concentrate all your attention on what sensations your feeling by how you’re being stimulated on the inside of your body. Notice that these sensations have feelings in them that are emotional in nature. This emotional feeling being awakened within you in response to them is what you would call their state. Out of our state of mind comes our perceptual lens and natural thought processes as well as our behaviors. As you concentrate on how you’re feeling, allow natural impressions to form in your mind out of the feelings. Don’t try to make it happen if its not naturally, and at no point in the whole process try to control the thoughts and impressions. Keep your mind blank, and mentally form an open space or arena within your mind, and allow an idea to spontaneously arise, take on a form of its own with attributes and qualities, and allow it to entertain you, while you simply watch and observe it with a passive mind. Don’t try to interpret it in terms of what it means about the person, because once we begin interpreting, we’re now blending with their energy and directing it by forming it into our mental model. As we interpret we reshape them to be like us. Stay neutral, and simply allow everything to happen of its own volition without needing to direct it in any manner.
What I call the mental impressions that arise out of feelings, aren’t necessarily actual images that have a visual property, but rather an invisible picture that forms more as the qualities and motion it takes on as a character or as expressing qualities of some sort. It can be fowl, grotesque, and evil feeling, or it can be graceful, flowing, and inspire a feeling of adoration, it can contrast you drastically, or resonate completely with you, and of course, everything in between. Notice that you may also be able to sense it as a color(s), sound, having a texture, as a flowing pattern or dynamic design, as being heavy or light, sweet or bitter, or any number of corresponding sensory attributes. What we refer to as the senses exist on multiple planes at once, are interchangeable and able to perform the functional of any of the other senses, and though it requires a physical body in order to perceive through physical sense, the fact is, we also have higher sense, which come more as feelings and inspiration, that correlate to the physical senses, and bring the same idea inherent in the feeling (vibration) into a physical form with sensory qualities within the mind’s eye.
Sometimes what we sense doesn’t produce an image with sensory qualities, but stays in the form of a feeling or mood. The stronger the emotional state, the more vivid and active the physical sensations it activates within you, and the more sensory the imagined experience becomes. Some feelings bring ideas and images that are up close, in full color, and very immediate and specific in nature, others have a distance, longing feeling to them and may seem somewhat monotone, or more like a reflection on glass that has a melancholy reality to it. But regardless of what forms in your mind as a way of reading the inner state of the person, always keep in mind, these are metaphors and symbolic ideas that represent the nature of the energy, and are not to be taken literally, but rather as representing a certain quality of consciousness. Practice first on things that you have not real attachment to or strong judgments around, and as you start getting the hang of it, and it starts coming easily and faithfully, then progress to more challenging ones, where more intense emotions are involved, or who are overly dramatic and intense in how they express themselves and have a stronger triggering ability. Again, always staying objective and unattached, in a neutral mindset that’s not directing or controlling the process, and that has no motives involved. If at any point you become involved or begin taking on the emotions of the person, quick practicing and resume only when you’re back in a situation that you can remain unattached to with no problem. Then, continue practicing. With daily and consistent practice, this will become a natural mind-set and ability.
Transpersonal Psychologist, Personal Transformation Coach, and Spiritual Teacher