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Toward the Light
Questions & Answers
An Addendum to Toward the Light
Part I
22
Toward the Light states: “In the Darkness was Light, in the Light were Thought and Will. But the Thought and the Will were not in the Darkness.” How should we understand this? If the Light is in the Darkness and Thought and Will are in the Light, must they not also be in the Darkness?
No! At that point Thought and Will were only in the Light but not in the Darkness.
It is clearly stated: “This description of the state of inactivity and the struggle of Light, Darkness, Thought and Will must be understood in the abstract—not subject to interpretation in terms of earthly concepts of space, measure, time, and so forth.” Since it appears difficult for many to understand that primal Thought and primal Will were only in the Light and not in the Darkness, a further explanation will be given, based on conditions known on Earth, though such should be unnecessary. Anyone familiar with abstractions should be able to understand the original description.
Thus Darkness, Light, Thought and Will should be understood as the then existing primal cosmos, the basis for the present cosmos. To illustrate primal cosmos, imagine an apple, say, conforming approximately in shape and inner structure to that of primal cosmos:
The apple represents primal cosmos.
The skin and pulp of the apple represents Darkness.
The core represents Light.
The seeds represent Thought and Will.
We know the apple seeds are in the core. No one would say they are in the pulp or the skin. And so it was with Thought and Will (the seeds). They were in the Light (the core) but not in the Darkness (the pulp and skin).
One can rightfully say, then, that Thought and Will were in the primal cosmos. This cannot be disputed. Similarly, one can rightfully say the fruit seeds are in the apple. Neither can this be disputed. The error made by many in their perception of the description in Toward the Light was in not seeing that Darkness, Light, Thought and Will together were—primal cosmos.
23
How could the hot vapors of the Earth (Toward the Light, page 10) in any way affect the immaterial bodies of the Eldest?
The Darkness that had possessed the realm of the Eldest and the Earth also flowed31 through the “immaterial” bodies of the Eldest. They thus felt the emanations of Darkness that had produced the hot vapors as Earth cooled.
But had the Youngest visited Earth then, their “immaterial” bodies would not have felt the vapors because no Darkness flowed through them. The vapors could have affected them only in the same way as all Darkness affects beings of Light—as though they were in an atmosphere low in oxygen (Toward the Light, page 187).
24
According to Toward the Light (page 182), the means of transportation in the spheres resemble those on Earth, but then it also states the human spirits can move about within their own sphere by thought and will. How can these two statements be reconciled?
It is quite correct that human spirits can by thought and will move about in the sphere where they dwell. But this is not claimed to be an absolute rule. If it were, all other “means of transportation” would of course be unnecessary. Each human spirit is, however, free to use the various means of transportation available in the spheres or to employ the faculties of thought and will to move about. Since it always requires a certain effort for humans to move from place to place by thought and will, it is easier for them to use such means of transportation as was most familiar to them in life on Earth. This is especially true for those accustomed to comfort from their most previous incarnation. Most humans resort, therefore, to whatever transportation is available in each sphere.
As the human spirits gradually mature, their ability to concentrate also grows and they become more proficient in moving about by their thought and will. But other methods of transportation will not cease, as it cannot be expected that everyone, at all times, will employ only thought and will.
25
Toward the Light states (page 190: 1): “Once bound to the fetus, the spirit remains in close proximity to the pregnant woman.” Is the spirit fully conscious? Can it resist and disrupt the bond, for instance? Does the spirit later recollect this period?
The moment the spirit is brought to its future “mother”, it is lulled into a semi-sleep and as a powerless appendage follows unresistingly the pregnant woman wherever she goes. As the fetus develops and the shape of the spirit-body fades, the spirit’s sleep deepens. The spirit is quite oblivious of what takes place while bound to the fetus and later can recall nothing of this period.
26
Toward the Light states (page 215: 3) that the cord binding spirit and body severs at the moment of death. Does this happen as the heart ceases to beat? If not, when?
Cessation of the heartbeat is one phase in the body’s “death-process”. Actual, final death occurs the moment all connection between the body’s molecular and the counterpart’s astral particles has slackened completely and separation of body and counterpart sets in.
A weakening, a slackening of the interweave of the molecular and astral particles, therefore occurs after the heart stops but before final death. When this process advances enough to make it impossible by stimulants or other means to strengthen the weakened interweave and thereby revive the heartbeat, the binding cord between spirit and body severs—at the moment of physical death, that is. With the cord’s severance and true death, the astral interconnections with the soft body tissues loosen (the molecular and astral particles drift apart, that is) and the counterpart is released and separated (Toward the Light, page 189: 1).
No norm can be given for the time it takes for the weakening process to run its course. It varies considerably, in part32 depending on the condition of the body when the heartbeat stops. If “death” is from accident, narcosis, stroke, shock or the like and the body is otherwise healthy, the process can be slow. Or it can be rapid, because of lengthy, wasting illness that causes a decided loss of elasticity of both the molecular and astral particles, weakening their interweave.
Separation and release of the counterpart from the earthly body also takes longer if the body is otherwise healthy at the time of death (Toward the Light, page 189: 2).
27
How can the two descriptions of the formation of the mother suns (Toward the Light, page 167 and 260) be in agreement? The first describes the core as one of Darkness, the other says each sun’s core was formed by the lower vibrations of the Light.
Both do agree, as this comparison will show:
1) The first description states: “Since the frequency of vibrations of the precipitated Darkness in the ether is lower than that of Light, the rotation around the force centers caused it to collect as a core—a core of Darkness.”
2) But to make the formation of mother suns at all possible, God had to draw the ether over the given centers and bring it into a rotating motion. And since the lower vibrations of Light would of necessity be closer to the centers, a core was formed initially of the lower vibrations of Light. Since the Darkness enclosed in these vibrations could not keep pace with the rotating ether and sank more and more to the “bottom”, it formed into a cohesive core around the centers, releasing the lowest Light-vibrations of the ether. Freed from the restraining Darkness, the Light-ether around the centers and cores of Darkness spread outward with increasing frequencies until formation of the mother suns was complete. This is described in the second and more detailed account, merely an expanded version of the first. Taken together, both give the full picture.
Thus, initially, the cores of the mother suns were formed of the lowest vibrations of Light, enclosing the Darkness of still lower vibrations which had to collect at the centers and ultimately form a dense, cohesive core—a core of Darkness.
28
Toward the Light states (page 170) that the mother sun of our galaxy “may some day be seen from the Earth.” How must this be understood? Is the mother sun not visible?
This sun is visible to the naked eye, but only through powerful instruments will it be possible in future to “see”, or ascertain the right star.
The expressions “be ascertained” or “pointed out” from the Earth would have given a more precise idea of the actual situation than the expression “be seen”, since the form of the sentence could give the impression the mother sun is not visible to the naked eye, which it definitely is (See information regarding the synonyms and the vocabulary of intermediaries, or mediums, in the Postscript to Toward the Light, page 342).
29
Is the Central Sun (God’s Kingdom) in motion, or at rest in the same place?
The Central Sun is in motion, but since it is the mid-point for the four mother-sun (galactic) systems it does not orbit another body but remains eternally rotating in place. It is borne by God’s Thought and secured by His Will—the basis for all cosmic laws.
30
Will we in future be able to see the Central Globe—God’s Kingdom through powerful telescopes?
No, because God’s Kingdom has no “core of Darkness”. It is in fact the cores of Darkness of the celestial bodies that are visible to the human eye in space.
31
The enormous numbers astronomers deal with in connection with the size of our galaxy (the Milky Way) and the distances between its globes seem out of proportion with the description of the galaxy in Toward the Light.
These disproportionately large numbers arise because astronomers omit a highly significant factor from their calculations. When this as yet unknown factor is discovered—a discovery humans must make themselves—the present numbers will dwindle decidedly and approach the values given in Toward the Light, pages 168: 3 to-169: 3.
32
What is the reality about the distant nebulae, such as Orion and so on, which astronomers view as independent galaxies?
Human beings must find the answer of their own accord. When the factor cited in Question 31 is discovered, the “riddle” of the stellar nebulae should soon be solved.
33
Is Martin Luther’s “vision” at Wartburg more than myth? Besides being a reformer, was it also Luther’s task to pray for Satan?
Luther’s “vision” of Satan was real. He was one of those Youngest who had pledged to remember the prayer for Ardor while they were incarnated. But he also33 misunderstood the promptings of the guardian spirit and rather than praying for Satan, he cursed him, with the result that Ardor gained yet greater power over him.
34
Was Luther’s physical suffering of his own making? Was it atonement, that is, for transgressions in previous incarnations? (Toward the Light, page 306: 2.)
In Luther’s time, children were brought up far more strictly than today. Most chores demanded of them—partly as punishment for various offenses and partly to occupy them so that Satan would not gain a hold over them—were often far too strenuous for young children.
Luther’s physical weakness stemmed partly from over-exertion in his childhood, but mostly from his ascetic monastic life whose severe self-torments brought him various physical sufferings. They were therefore of his own making,34 not atonement for guilt of sin from previous incarnations. His childhood weaknesses could have been remedied in adolescence, but rather than toughening his body, Luther weakened it still further through the fasts and self-torments of monastic life.
35
Why did Luther endure so much spiritual suffering? As an emissary of God, was he not under God’s leadership while carrying out his mission?
The emissaries who during their earthly lives carried out their work while Ardor was yet the “Prince of Darkness”, were always in some way led astray by Ardor and his helpers—the discarnate “Eldest.” Luther was no exception. Ardor also misled him in many matters, especially concerning the main points of his mission. For example, Luther built upon, rather than repudiated the teaching of Paul, and the result was the dogma of Justification by Faith. Thus, Luther was often in opposition to his spiritual guide (his guardian spirit, or conscience), a circumstance that always creates discord, confusion and uneasiness in mind and thought, and therefore spiritual suffering. The feeling of guilt of sin that weighed so heavily upon Luther sprang from the discord and uneasiness in his mind; but this was mostly due to the influence and inducements of Ardor, who also incited Luther to take his monastic vow against his conscience. When conscience finally prevailed and he broke his vow, Luther found peace of mind on that point. But had he followed his conscience in every way, he would never have become so spiritually disturbed and divided, for a close contact with the guidance and admonitions of the “conscience” will always bring spiritual peace and calm, and clarity of mind and thought.
FOOTNOTES
(Page references apply to the 1979 edition.)
31) Toward the Light, page 0:7-9.
Question 26
32) If death occurs in a warm climate, the temperature will accelerate the weakening of the particles even if the body be otherwise healthy.
Question 33
33) See Jesus’s vision of Satan, Toward the Light, pages 39-40.
Question 34
34) Toward the Light, page 306, footnote 2.
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