The One Being appears to be many things, and many beings, or entities. Each is imbued with a spark of Soul, which is cultivated until the individual consciousness of each identity is able to comprehend its lofty state. Every manifestation of form partakes of the same noble qualities as Soul, the very attributes of Spirit Itself, and each must possess them in order to exist. The Soul Plane is where all of these qualities manifest as perfected form, in a sense of Unity with Being and Harmony with all form, and as perfected beings. Who you are derives from this place, for your nature is the nature of Soul Itself, your Self is the Spirit as an individual consciousness.

Sentient Beings have the power to manifest and realize the nature of the Higher Self on whatever level or in any place they reside, but this ability must be awakened by cultivating the awareness that it is possible, and choosing actions which affirm that nature. For Soul, there is no desire, in the form of craving or hating, but there is no inactivity either. Soul is always manifesting conditions, or realities, of Its own creation. Every being encountered on the Soul Plane is involved in the Great Work, in some way, working for God, Spirit, and the Enlightenment of All Beings. As Soul, you are already a part of this work, but choosing to identify with, and thus to embody, the nature of the Higher Self is a powerful choice indeed.

The alchemy of individual natures provides a range of choices for every being in manifested form, according to its type. These natures arise from the attributes of Soul as archetypal qualities of being, and the combination of these natures, in specific measure on each level of Self, determines the nature of each embodied being. In each stage, the nature of Soul is unfolded, to give rise to an individual. From ideal to idea, from idea to pattern, from pattern to form, from form to substance, and from substance to a living being, each step of the process is sacred and spiritual, and each involves combining the same five natures, or elements. On each level, from the physical and emotional, through the mental realms, and to the level of the individual as Soul, the same five elements shape the character of being.

The first nature, or element (counting from the top down), manifests on the Soul Plane as equality of identity. Everyone you meet here is a true manifestation of the One Being, and is thus the greatest One there is, the Most High. There is no higher or lower status on the Soul Plane, as nobody here is in servitude to another being. Everyone is even, or equal, because everyone is the same as you. Everyone is Soul manifesting Spirit as an individual conscious identity, expressing love and experiencing great bliss. All is One, and all is the expression of Love. The unity of the Spirit manifests in all beings everywhere, and on the Soul Plane everyone is aware of this connection, participating in the experience consciously.

On the Earth, and for most humans, unity is coupled with separation, equality with inequality, love with hatred, and bliss with suffering. This makes the reality of the Soul qualities far more difficult to perceive, or to manifest in their pure form, but it doesn't change their original nature. What is more, this duality does not prevent us from practicing the qualities of the Higher Self, as personal values. It is possible for each individual to favor unity over separation, equality over inequality, love over hatred, and bliss over suffering, but life often requires more. For us to fully embody the qualities of Soul on the Earth, we must be willing to uphold our own values in the face of opposites. That is, we must grant equality to those who would deny ours, love those who would hate us, and see God even in those who see no value to Spirit.

The second nature, or element, is sufficiency. On the Earth, many souls struggle with this issue, either by not having enough to fill their needs, or by not being enough to do what they desire to accomplish. Inadequacy does not exist on the Soul Plane, as there is nothing for Soul to need, and Soul can create whatever it wants. The abundance of Spirit provides for every being in the exact measure that is required. On the Soul Plane, the manifestation of individual desires is instantaneous, as every desire which can arise is perfectly aligned with Spirit, being an expression of God's Love. On the Earth, there can be a confusion of motives or a conflict of interests, and this can prevent some desires from ever becoming real, while slowing the manifestation of others. Being self-sufficient can become essential to survival, and having a clear connection to the Spirit can be the only relief from the struggle. The law of Spirit for Soul is abundance, and this can be manifested on Earth as well.

The third nature, or element, manifests on the Soul Plane as freedom or non- attachment. The ability to let go, and to enjoy a carefree life even in the midst of struggle, flows from this quality of Soul. True freedom comes from within, and can be established in the world at large by a persistent application of detachment and compassionate regard. The desire to control others, whether through fear or ambition, is an ego-based attempt to preserve or increase individual freedoms, but this limits freedom for others, and inevitably leads to conflict. Non-attachment is perhaps the most difficult of Soul's qualities to manifest through earthly form, because its mastery requires one to conquer the fear of death. When one has let go of this fear, all other fears seem trivial, and giving up other things becomes easier as well. The ability to change and adapt, the willingness to move or travel, and the strength to handle the loss of loved ones, all become heightened as more of this quality of Soul is acquired. The ability to give freedom to another individual, however, is the highest expression of this quality.

The fourth nature of Soul can be called completeness, or wholeness. This is quite different from sufficiency, even though being complete can appear very much like being enough, until the distinction is clearly felt. On the Earth, a mate or companion can make the individual feel as if they have been completed, to a greater degree than they were without the other, and feel somehow incomplete when that person is absent. On the Soul Plane, the nature of Spirit, and the communion with the gathered assemblage of Soul, allows for a satisfaction which far exceeds that which can be obtained by bonding on the level of Earth. For those in human embodiment on the Earth, however, both aspects are required for the fullest expression of Spirit to take place, and neither can be substituted for the other. Love's purest form can only be expressed by feeling love for another greater than ones love for oneself, and this key is essential to manifesting the nature of Soul on Earth.

The fifth nature of Soul, and that which allows the individual expression of Soul's nature to manifest, is called uniqueness. Soul's uniqueness, as it pertains to individual souls, can be likened to the fragments of a hologram. If the Master Image is split, each fragment retains a complete replica of the entire image, but different fragments show that image from a different viewpoint. Each individual fragment, or soul, is a complete replica of God, the Universe, and All That Is. To the unified assemblage of fragments, or Soul, the Master Image is the Universal Expression of Self, but to individual souls who have no awareness of the Soul Plane, the viewpoint of the separate self, and the differences in viewpoint between individuals, become all-important. True uniqueness is an innate quality, and it doesn't need to be proven to anyone else, for it to be real for each soul. Each individual has a unique relationship to God, and to Spirit, which others can only guess at.

The ability to bring these five elements into earthly manifestation is something which can be cultivated endlessly, without any limit to their expression. The more any one quality is embodied, the stronger it will become as an attribute of oneself, and the easier it will be to manifest it again, or in other ways. The best part of this process is that it usually feels good to do it. Although there will be times when applying the standards of Soul to everyday life will require both effort and forbearance, the levels of fulfillment which can be attained make it a worthwhile endeavor in every way. The five elements of Soul become virtues leading to great strength of character. One learns to be free of limitations, free of fear, and free of need, as these qualities of life are supplanted by something greater.

The only way that Soul can keep itself from possessing the higher attributes is by pretending to be something that it is not! The only reason an individual soul can deny itself these qualities is that it has freedom of choice. By choosing to identify with the limitations of the ego-self, rather than the infinite potential of the Higher Self, Soul has the power to imprison itself in illusions of the true nature of form. Being unique does not mean you are separate, since your unique body is a cell in the body of the living universe, which is an organ in the body of the living God. You share in all the attributes of God, and possess all of the attributes of Soul, on every level of your being.

If you did not possess all of the five elements, in some measure, and for each body from the physical to Soul, you could not exist at all. The choice to consciously embody the aspect of each element which pertains to the Higher Self, or Soul, is the the decision of each individual soul, in every moment or instance, for as long as that individual remains within the play of form and substance. This choice must be exercised, however, or the possibility of attaining the freedom of Soul in this lifetime will fade over time. Only by making decisions which affirm Soul's attributes can this possibility be maintained, or strengthened. To bring the qualities of Soul to Earth is a great blessing indeed, but it is a great challenge as well. The path to realizing Soul on Earth may be unending, and sometimes difficult, but it is the most rewarding journey there is.

©'98 Jonathan J. Dickau - all rights reserved