Contradictions into Complements

However, until material achievements, physical accomplishments and human virtues are reinforced by spiritual perfections, luminous qualities and characteristics of mercy, no fruit or result shall issue therefrom, nor will the happiness of the world of humanity, which is the ultimate aim, be attained.

(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha: 282)

Every individual must learn to bring the antagonistic inclinations of his two natures into one harmonious flow of productive energy to exemplify the general principle: “Progress is the expression of spirit in the world of matter.” (Paris Talks:90)  The proper union of the spiritual and material, far from being a static, inert state, is one of powerful energies in dynamic yet progressive equilibrium.  When accomplished, it creates a win/win situation from seemingly win/lose principles, what Baha’u’llah described as: “converting satanic strength into heavenly power.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah:200)

Collectively, too, the harmonizing of opposing notions of progress creates a dynamic of growth that can become prosperity.  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá  stated: “I want to make you understand that material progress and spiritual progress are two very different things, and that only if material progress goes hand in hand with spirituality can any real progress come about, and the Most Great Peace reign in the world.” (Paris Talks:107  )

Spiritual purpose and material purpose can be harmonized, as the natures can.  But resolving the inner contradiction of humanity cannot be achieved through the material nature whose forms are legion, whose powers are finite, but whose appetites are infinite.  For the ego always sees itself on the good side of a polarity that it set up, or as the victim of some evil toward itself.  To the ego whatever is opposite is the enemy and is to be destroyed, because the ego’s world is a morally reversed one built upon an inversion of spiritual values, so that spiritual light is called dark, the spiritually low is named high.  ‘Abdu’l-Baha said about the trumpet-blowers of modern-day material civilization, whether of east or west: “They have imagined themselves as having attained a glorious pinnacle of achievement and prosperity, when in reality they have touched the innermost depths of heedlessness and deprived themselves wholly of God's bounteous gifts." (Christ and Bahá’u’lláh: 88) 

Because of such distortions in thinking, the misguided person flees from his own best interests, which are identical to those of the common good, and clings to his material self-interest, which is not.  It is about unchaining such a self that Baha’u’llah wrote: “And amongst the realms of unity is the unity of rank and station…Ever since the seeking of preference and distinction came into play, the world hath been laid waste.  It hath become desolate.” (The Universal House of Justice, Messages 1963 to 1986:376)  

But neither can the spiritual self unaided bring material impulses into harmony with spiritual purposes, for, though the divine image is already in harmony, it exists in most people only as potential.  Spiritual potential must be actualized to be harmonized with the material. The harmony and reconciliation of spirit and matter is not the harmony of disparate rhythms, but their harmonization by a master rhythm.  While the lower nature works, at best, toward unity, because by “nature” the ego only separates, divides and isolates, the higher nature works from it.  But the lower nature works toward unity only when it is brought under the direction of higher impulses.  But these higher impulses only get actualized by the power of the Word of God.  “Abdu’l-Baha reminds us: “The spirit of man is not illumined and quickened through material sources. It is not resuscitated by investigating phenomena of the world of matter. The spirit of man is in need of the protection of the Holy Spirit. Just as he advances by progressive stages from the mere physical world of being into the intellectual realm, so must he develop upward in moral attributes and spiritual graces….Therefore, no matter how man may advance upon the physical and intellectual plane, he is ever in need of the boundless virtues of Divinity, the protection of the Holy Spirit and the face of God.” (The Promulgation of Universal Peace:288)

When the spiritual and material are in dynamic balance humanity prospers and develops in a sustainable way-this is the two-wings of the bird metaphor.  But we should be careful.  While both the spiritual and the material are necessary for growth, and while neither by itself is sufficient for prosperity, their harmony never makes spirit and matter equal aspects.  The spiritual must remain the more important.  If the material and the spiritual must walk hand-in-hand, it is the spiritual that is the guiding hand.  As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá aptly said about civilization: "True civilization is where the spiritual is expressed and carried out in the material." (Paris Talks: 22)  Again, reconciling the spiritual and the material is like the painter struggling to embody his vision on canvas.  Vision and execution must be in harmony with possibility before realization can occur.  No epic poem can be crammed into the sonnet form, and a sonnet stretched out to epic length is just wind.  But it is the artist’s inspiration that is primary. 

Achieving harmony out of conflict, making contradictions into complements, whether within the psyche of one individual or collectively among groups of people, or even between nations, is the nut for humanity to crack.  Here is where the character acquired from education exercises its influence upon the two natures.  I mean that the essential character and the acquired or material character exist, but which one dominates is usually based upon what education directs the mind to consider.  Among the most important statements from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá about human nature is this: “The reality of man is his thought.” (Paris Talks:17)  This is both a description of our reality and a statement of how that reality is expressed.  If human reality is thought, then a human being, whether only a thinking animal or a thinking immortal soul, is what he is thinking about for as long as he is thinking about it.

Thought is our reality, but education directs thought to higher or lower planes of awareness, and volition carries out decision.  Thus in support of the need for a spiritual education ‘Abdu’l-Baha declares that: “The root cause of wrongdoing is ignorance, and we must therefore hold fast to the tools of perception and knowledge. Good character must be taught.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha:136)  And Baha’u’llah asserts: “All that which ye potentially possess can, however, be manifested only as a result of your own volition. Your own acts testify to this truth.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah:149)

A direct link to purchase my book, Renewing the Sacred: A New Vision of Education, is: http://tinyurl.com/cndew5a