Like Unto: Conscious Reflections

O My Servant! Obey Me and I shall make thee like unto Myself. I say 'Be,' and it is, and thou shalt say 'Be,' and it shall be.

(Baha'u'llah, The Four Valleys: 62)

The goal and driving power of transformations in human consciousness is to be “like unto” Him.   This is achieved by obedience.  That is, to be like unto Him, which is real spiritual transformation, in any conscious sense is not something that we accomplish unaided, but a possibility that we set up to have Him accomplish through our obedience. 

Obedience may seem a strange word in this context.  So, let’s be clear: obedience cannot mean “good little boyism”, nor is it to passively knuckle under to some authority.  Every passivity prevents transformation.  Rather obedience is an active state, an act of will.  It is a deliberate move toward greater consciousness.  It is willingly sacrificing one condition for another one of greater powers and understanding.

The phrase “like unto” is another way to state the analogical condition of consciousness, where two things are the same yet they are different (e.g. the image and the reality it reflects) which are linked both directly and indirectly.

“Like unto” is a traditional way of stating this structure of consciousness.  Jesus was asked: “Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (King James Bible, Matthew 22: 35-40)

The commandment to love thy neighbor as thyself is “like unto” the greater commandment to love God with all one’s heart, soul and mind.  Here, again, the spiritual eternal law is reflected in the human dimension, and one without the other is incomplete and imperfect.  Only together is it perfect and complete.  But the human reflects the divine.

Obedience to the divine command is the great principle helping to define the relation between God, the Manifestation of God, and the human soul.  In Christianity obedience results in becoming an active “a son of God” through receiving the Son of God.  As recorded in the Gospel of John: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (King James Bible, John 1:12-13)

For the one living in the divine aspect, the spiritual self, whose perception is the unity of all creation, whose chief faculty is the knowing heart, whose knowledge is that the whole universe in enfolded within him, all knowledge is a form of self-knowledge, even self-recognition, a style of thought that poets often employ to connect with Nature—i.e. to see some human quality or trait, reflected in Nature.

But spiritually and in relation to God, the human soul is the lesser reality. It is the reflector, the mirror, of the greater Reality appearing within it.

The Master explains: “The Holy Spirit is the Bounty of God and the luminous rays which emanate from the Manifestations; for the focus of the rays of the Sun of Reality was Christ, and from this glorious focus, which is the Reality of Christ, the Bounty of God reflected upon the other mirrors which were the reality of the Apostles. The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles signifies that the glorious divine bounties reflected and appeared in their reality.” (Some Answered Questions:108)

Similarly, human knowledge is “like unto” divine knowledge.   Knowledge is not something humans generate by themselves.  Rather, it is something we discover within ourselves, and having discovered it there we can see it in creation, for all knowledge already exists. I mean that if, as we have read before, the creation is complete and perfect from the first, then complete and perfect knowledge of creation is part of creation from the first.  The Báb says of God: “Verily, Thy knowledge embraceth all the things Thou hast created or wilt create.” (Bahá’i Prayers:166)

Knowledge is, therefore, a condition we attain through successive levels or transformations.   Knowledge is already there, intelligence attains to it at every stage of development and insight by moving into higher manifestations of intelligence.  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states: “knowledge, which is a state attained to by the intelligence, is an intellectual condition; and entering and coming out of the mind are imaginary conditions; but the mind is connected with the acquisition of knowledge, like images reflected in a mirror.” (Some Answered Questions: 108)

Again, while the connections made by poets between Nature and the human reality are, we can say, “natural”, with nature taking on human form through the means of a kind of infusion of human quality into nature, and while science discovers the laws and principles of the phenomenal world and make it into material knowledge, the knowledge of spiritual realities is won by sacrificing the human condition.  Sacrifice is obedience, is to become like unto Him.

Contrasting these two forms of knowing, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote: “Thus is it clear that the human spirit is an all-encompassing power that exerteth its dominion over the inner essences of all created things, uncovering the well kept mysteries of the phenomenal world.

The divine spirit, however, doth unveil divine realities and universal mysteries that lie within the spiritual world. It is my hope that thou wilt attain unto this divine spirit, so that thou mayest uncover the secrets of the other world, as well as the mysteries of the world below.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 170)

But in order to attain perception of divine realities and universal mysteries unveiled by the divine spirit, He says: “Until a being setteth his foot in the plane of sacrifice, he is bereft of every favour and grace; and this plane of sacrifice is the realm of dying to the self, that the radiance of the living God may then shine forth. The martyr's field is the place of detachment from self, that the anthems of eternity may be upraised. Do all ye can to become wholly weary of self, and bind yourselves to that Countenance of Splendours; and once ye have reached such heights of servitude, ye will find, gathered within your shadow, all created things. This is boundless grace; this is the highest sovereignty; this is the life that dieth not. All else save this is at the last but manifest perdition and great loss.” (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 76-77)

Two States of Soul: Two Kinds of Knowledge

Verily I say, the human soul is exalted above all egress and regress. It is still, and yet it soareth; it moveth, and yet it is still. It is, in itself, a testimony that beareth witness to the existence of a world that is contingent, as well as to the reality of a world that hath neither beginning nor end.

(Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh: 161-162)

Last post discussed the two objective conditions of reality, eternal and phenomenal.  The eternal is unchanging in the sense that it is, was, and always will be perfect and complete in itself, a structure of archetypal powers and principles in universal relationships undergoing “periodic” reconfigurations to reveal more of itself.  There is, also, an evolving, incomplete and imperfect plane of contingency.  The plane of contingency is material manifestation of eternal realities in continual transformation that grow into greater coherence and complexity—i.e. toward greater perfection and completeness, revealing more of its potentialities as the new image of the reconfiguration of the eternal.  The plane of the eternal is infinite, while the plane of manifestation is infinities.  As the Master says: “The appearance in manifestation means that a single thing appears in infinite forms.” (Some Answered Questions: 293)

If these two objective states of creation exist, and given Bahá’u’lláh’s assertion in the lead quote, then there are two main ways for the soul to subjectively experience the creation, in its contingency or in its eternity.  There is a match between the soul and the creation in every particular: Likewise, reflect upon the perfection of man's creation, and that all these planes and states are folded up and hidden away within him.  Dost thou reckon thyself only a puny form, when within thee the universe is folded?” (Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys: 33)

If the universe is folded up within each of us, then both these states, eternal and contingent, are in the soul, each being the foundation for a way to perceptually view the creation, as just discussed.  But these views are not equal, for one, the eternal, is greater than the other, the contingent.  The eternal incorporates the contingent, which is its manifold expressions.  Recall that manifestation is one thing appearing in infinite forms.

Now, while the eternal is the foundation and Source of the phenomenal or contingent, that foundation is not under but above, because above is not a “place” but a higher value.  That is, it is not a spacial relation, but a spiritual one, so that lesser realities, of slower vibration, emanate from it.  In yet another twist, above is metaphorically within, so its light of revelation shines figuratively “upward” upon the mirror of the second.  The first and higher plane is the eternal Kingdom of Revelation, the second and lower is the contingent kingdom of creation.

Progressive Revelation refers to all advances on the plane of creation, or manifestation.  Creation can assimilate more of the energy and reveal more of the pattern of eternity as it progressively achieves greater complexity and coherence—i.e. becomes a more perfect mirror.  The realm of eternity is always as it is.  It is created that way, but its perfections are manifest by degrees in creation.  Messengers come from the eternal plane to this one, the realm of creation or being, to tell humanity more about it as human minds and hearts can handle the good news.

But let us consider: if, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asserts: All beings, whether large or small, were created perfect and complete from the first, (Some Answered Questions: 199) then the whole universe, even the contingent, is also created complete and perfect from the first, since imperfection cannot generate perfection.  Hence, if the universe is folded up within every soul, then all knowing is a form of recognition as things unfold.  But the movement is reciprocal. That is, things unfold to be recognized, a sort of enfolding into consciousness, and recognition brings forth more unfoldment of consciousness.  This is the process of evolution and development, the stages of manifestation that grow and appear in the world of being and our progressive awareness of these relationships and realities.

If eternity and contingency exist for the soul to experience in itself, there must also be two objective knowledge structures.  We name these science and religion. Both are necessary for a complete understanding of reality.  Science deals more with the realm of creation and contingency, while religion informs us of the realm of eternity.   But by science I do not mean investigation of phenomena burdened by the heavy blinkers of materialistic bias, for this ignores religion, and by religion is not meant blind faith, superstitious beliefs and dogmatic moral principles, for this denies science. Religion and science are the dual aspects in the human understanding of the manifestation of eternal divine knowledge—i.e. Revelation.  

Paul Lample writes: "Divine Revelation is the repository of the pure teachings of God. It is the supreme standard for understanding all things, since it is the expression of divine wisdom which encompasses the knowledge of all reality. Human beings cannot judge the descriptive or prescriptive truths of Revelation. (Creating A New Mind: 19)

‘Abdu’l-Bahá further elucidates: “O thou true friend! Read, in the school of God, the lessons of the spirit, and learn from love's Teacher the innermost truths. Seek out the secrets of Heaven, and tell of the overflowing grace and favour of God.

Although to acquire the sciences and arts is the greatest glory of mankind, this is so only on condition that man's river flow into the mighty sea, and draw from God's ancient source His inspiration. When this cometh to pass, then every teacher is as a shoreless ocean, every pupil a prodigal fountain of knowledge. If, then, the pursuit of knowledge lead to the beauty of Him Who is the Object of all Knowledge, how excellent that goal; but if not, a mere drop will perhaps shut a man off from flooding grace, for with learning cometh arrogance and pride, and it bringeth on error and indifference to God.

The sciences of today are bridges to reality; if then they lead not to reality, naught remains but fruitless illusion. By the one true God! If learning be not a means of access to Him, the Most Manifest, it is nothing but evident loss.

It is incumbent upon thee to acquire the various branches of knowledge, and to turn thy face toward the beauty of the Manifest Beauty, that thou mayest be a sign of saving guidance amongst the peoples of the world, and a focal centre of understanding in this sphere from which the wise and their wisdom are shut out, except for those who set foot in the Kingdom of lights and become informed of the veiled and hidden mystery, the well-guarded secret.” (Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: 109)

Existence, Metaphor, Analogy

The world of existence came into being through the heat generated from the interaction between the active force and that which is its recipient. These two are the same, yet they are different. Thus doth the Great Announcement inform thee about this glorious structure. Such as communicate the generating influence and such as receive its impact are indeed created through the irresistible Word of God which is the Cause of the entire creation, while all else besides His Word are but the creatures and the effects thereof. Verily thy Lord is the Expounder, the All-Wise.

(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 140)

Creation, the world of existence, this unending physical universe, is, I believe, a vast, infinitely rich metaphor and analogy for the spiritual world.  The structure of metaphor is A is B: e.g. He is a lion.  This is the level of radical unity, where the “B” and the “E” are “joined and knit together” into BE.   It is also, if taken literally, logically absurd.  How can he be a lion when he is not a lion?  That is, the man and the lion are identical, except that one is a man and the other an animal—i.e. when they are not identical.  Thus, differentiation is present though it is manifestly absent.  Difference within a structure of unity is brought out by analogy, where “is” is replaced by “is to”.

The metaphor “He is a lion” is a more compressed version of a more extended analogy: the courage he exhibits is analogous to the courage ascribed to a lion. The quality of courage, or strength, is what unites, in this example, two different forms of life, human and animal, which exhibit it. Here unity is present though it is manifestly absent. This relation of one being absent when the other is present may be behind Bahá’u’lláh’s characterization of God as “the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden.” (Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 248)

The full structure of analogy, the one that includes both unity and difference, is, A is to B as C is to D, there being an analogical proportion between the pairs (AB and CD) as well.  These are the levels of differences—all differences are analogs of each other—that manifest the unity holding them all together.  Their unity is structural, of likeness, of reality to its image, their difference is that of their natures.

One will notice in the lead-in quote the two levels of unity and diversity that are intrinsic to metaphor and analogy.  First, “the active force and that which is its recipient” are the same, yet they are different.  Second, “such as communicate the generating influence and such as receive its impact” are both created by the Word of God, the cause of the entire creation, so they, too, as communicators and receivers, are the same (i.e. they are from the same source, the Word of God), yet each is also an unique creation of God.  The two pairs, also, are the same yet they are different.  It seems that the active force and that which is its recipient are the glorious structure, and such as communicate and such as receive is a mirror image and likeness of that structure.  They all resonate together to more completely manifest the Creator of all, while simultaneously hiding Him from view.

This is the divine metaphor, the secret synthesis, of the archetype of creation and analogical knowledge about it, for the modes of knowing are proportional to the modes of being.

A like relationship of unity and difference, metaphor and analogy, binds together God and His Manifestations.  For example, Jesus said in one place: “I and my Father are one.” (King James Bible, John 10:30)  But in another: “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.” (King James Bible, Luke 18:19)

Bahá’u’lláh wrote in this connection: “These sanctified Mirrors, these Day-springs of ancient glory are one and all the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory. They are the Treasuries of divine knowledge, and the Repositories of celestial wisdom. Through them is transmitted a grace that is infinite, and by them is revealed the light that can never fade. Even as He hath said: "There is no distinction whatsoever between Thee and them; except that they are Thy servants, and are created of Thee." This is the significance of the tradition: "I am He, Himself, and He is I, myself."”  (The Kitab-i-Iqan: 99-100)

To see this clearly, though, one must attain a certain level or kind of perception where the unity of creation can be perceived: that is, being and knowledge about being are direct and proportional.  Bahá’u’lláh wrote: “And when this stage of the journey is completed and the wayfarer hath soared beyond this lofty station, he entereth the City of Divine Unity, and the garden of oneness, and the court of detachment. In this plane the seeker casteth away all signs, allusions, veils, and words, and beholdeth all things with an eye illumined by the effulgent lights which God Himself hath shed upon him. In his journey he seeth all differences return to a single word and all allusions culminate in a single point. Unto this beareth witness he who sailed upon the ark of fire and followed the inmost path to the pinnacle of glory in the realm of immortality: "Knowledge is one point, which the foolish have multiplied." This is the station that hath been alluded to in the tradition: "I am He, Himself, and He is I, Myself, except that I am that I am, and He is that He is." (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries: 29)