The Loneliness of Soul and Personality

All sacred writings stipulate that in a distant past something called ‘the fall’ occurred. A divine spark turned, after a long development, into a living soul which learned, in interaction with the divine spirit, to be creatively active on the seventh cosmic plane. This seventh cosmic plane is the realm of which the vibration energy corresponds to that of current humanity. The other six cosmic planes, with ever higher frequencies, are fields of development for life waves that far surpass humanity. One day, current humanity will, in its new soul vesture, pass through a glorious development there.

 The original legend of Narcissus relates that the human being perceives his divine, primordial image in the eternal waters (the cosmic life forces), devotes himself to it and is totally taken up into it. Another interpretation of this story is that the soul linked itself too strongly with the beautiful physical figure that it had developed in matter. It turned away from the original, primordial image, and this ultimately caused its light figure to totally disappear.

   This article deals with the loneliness of the ‘fallen’ soul and that of the personality. This loneliness can be experienced at any age and under any roof. It already begins when a baby is crying and the mother says: ‘Let it cry for a while; he or she will automatically get tired and then fall asleep.’ Or: ‘A bit of crying is good for the development of the lungs.’ At such moments, the baby will feel deserted and lonely. For some reason, the baby is asking for attention but does not receive it. A baby, carried around in a baby carrier by its mother or father, as we often see, probably feels quite safe and comfortable with its parents. Also a toddler may feel very lonely, particularly when he or she is not understood. Throughout his whole life, an adolescent or adult will feel lonely at certain moments. As the last one still alive, someone may sit behind his window, waiting for someone to visit him.

   When does the loneliness of the soul begin and what does this mean? For aeons, the original soul has experienced great loneliness. Because the link with the spirit was broken, it lost its creative power. The light human being evaporated through lack of proper nourishment and left the unensouled microcosm behind as it were.

   This actually is a very tragic story. How does this story continue? A personality was created that replaced the fallen, original light human being. This personality is one day, at a psychological moment, able to recognise the loneliness of the soul and react to it. In this state, they can, in close cooperation, set out to seek the link with the spirit, which the soul had lost in the distant past. The personality, which ‘takes the place’ of the original light human being, can accomplish an important task in the coming development. Time and again, the divine love calls the soul to return to the spirit. Because it has always been self-centred and linked with its earthly personality, however, this latter link must first be broken. After many experiences and the resulting suffering, the soul will reach the point that a calling impulse emanates from it and, in its distress and loneliness, begs for deliverance.

   Now it can open itself to the original spirit power. Instead of desiring earthly matters, it is now looking forward to impulses stemming from another field of life. It intensely longs for the spirit, for the original light. This causes a process of purification to begin that ultimately leads to becoming whole again. The personality then walks the path of liberation with the soul. The personality gains insight into how to cooperate in this development. Great efforts are asked of it: the sacrifice of itself, a path on which no longer anything is asked for itself.

   Because the soul turns to the spirit, the human being will be able to realise a totally new mode of life. This mode of life has remarkable consequences, because the more subtle human vehicles are irradiated by the powers of the high level of the soul, so that insight continuously increases. Ultimately, the I-centred inclination of the personality will be dissolved. A new consciousness, based on the soul, then becomes the decisive factor in life.

   When spirit and soul have become one, this unification will liberate another creature: the light human being, who has always existed and who is now kindled again. For some time, the old human being will partake of the new consciousness of the soul that is called the spirit-soul consciousness. This part will ultimately be completely taken up into the new man. This might be considered the reward of the sacrifice of the old human being. Hermes calls this the ‘prize for the race’ -- the link with the spirit! The new consciousness continues to live in the new man.

Did the light withdraw?

   The loneliness experienced by the personality who walks the path is of another order. No two people are equal and each walks his individual path. Each experiences his or her path totally differently and may, for this reason, sometimes be very lonely. In the initial stage of this development, a seeker may experience a certain joy that he finally understands the purpose of his life. Fully dedicated he begins this adventure. However, soon he is confronted with all kinds of events of which he cannot yet fathom the consequences. It may be that he resists them, so that he denies himself the blessings of the light and reverts to loneliness.

   It also happens that he, while standing on the path, is tested. Then it is as if nothing appeals to him any longer. He wants to stand in the light again and experience this light inwardly. But it seems as if the light has withdrawn. He feels lonely and deserted. Then he is tested: does he walk this path for his own pleasure and self-elevation or does he want to suffer anything in order to liberate the soul from its earthly prison? If he is aware of this, he will always give priority to the soul and remains loyal to the once-chosen path.

   When he then continues his path, he arrives at a crossroads, where no one can help him. No signpost is available. This stretch he has to walk alone, which he experiences as great loneliness. This is expressed by Jesus’ temptation in the desert. Nor does this temptation pass by the pupil on the path. The path is not pure loneliness; there are also many moments of joy and solidarity. The path is a joyful path, but it has peaks and valleys. Sometimes, loneliness is necessary to stimulate the longing for liberation. This is symbolised by Patmos, the isle of loneliness.

   When John arrives on Patmos, as this is described in the first chapter of the Book of Revelation, his pilgrimage is almost over. Then the original light human being, the child of spirit and soul, appears to him. After an endlessly long period, the new man can express himself in the restored microcosm again.

The mystery of Patmos

There is only one door that can unlock the path to the Divine order for us; there is only one entrance to the Christ mysteries; there is only one possibility to penetrate to the mystery of the Book of Revelation. It is Patmos, the key to the new life. Patmos is a rugged, inhospitable and dismal island, in antiquity used as a place of exile. It is a splendid example of the spiritual and material state of the pupil who is ready for this stage of his development. Patmos expresses the great feeling of desolation, the great crystallisation that may be experienced on the path through the desert of true life. Patmos represents the concept ‘in the world, but not of the world.’ Patmos represents powers and forces of the earthly nature order, which oppose the pilgrim and try to banish him, while the latter only wants to serve the distant Kingdom with all his soul powers.

On Patmos, all pilgrims find each other because of their consistent faithfulness ‘to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus’. There will be a moment in the life of every pilgrim that he becomes a sojourner in this nature; that he is going to consider it hostile and he is, like his Lord, ‘reckoned with the transgressors’. Only Patmos is left to him; the stone nature reveals itself to him.

Then the new life overwhelms him like a flood, because he is not only a participant ‘in the tribulation’, but also ‘in the distant kingdom’. Then his spirit blossoms forth in it like a beautiful rose.

(Free translation after J van Rijckenborgh)

 © Lectorium Rosicrucianum 2007.

Article from Pentagram No 1, 2007