Chapter Six: The Divine and Animal Souls

[00:00:00] Speaker A: You know that feeling, right? The one where you feel pulled in different directions, sometimes towards something, something noble, something higher, something that feels inherently good, and other times pulled towards something while less noble, something that feels base, perhaps even selfish. Something that pulls you down. [00:00:17] Speaker B: Yeah, like there are competing forces inside you. [00:00:19] Speaker A: Exactly. Vying for control. What if there's an ancient framework laid out in, you know, intricate detail that maps these internal forces, A centuries old guide to understanding the push and pull of our inner lives? [00:00:35] Speaker B: Well, that internal dynamic isn't just some modern psychological concept, you know, it's been explored in depth for millennia, seen as absolutely fundamental to the human condition. And understanding it, really breaking down these internal forces offers profound insights into why we do what we do and how we relate to the world and how we might navigate that inner tension. It's far from just theoretical, it's actually deeply practical. [00:00:59] Speaker A: Absolutely. Welcome to the Deep Dive. You, our listener, brought us to a truly fascinating and, well, deeply complex concept found in chapter six of a significant text in a particular spiritual tradition, A text known for its profound exploration of human spiritual anatomy. You asked for a deep dive into what this Source describes as the animal soul. [00:01:22] Speaker B: That's right. And we're really plunging into the heart of this chapter today, which shifts focus pretty dramatically from the divine aspect of the soul to its counterpart, it's opposite, almost kind of. Yeah. The text lays out the very nature of this animal soul, how it's structured, what it uses for expression, its garments, as the text calls them, and how it connects not just to our actions, but even to the physical world around us and these forces the text describes as concealing forces. [00:01:49] Speaker A: So our mission in this Deep Dive is to take your source material, this chapter six, and really unpack everything the author reveals about this animal soul. We'll break down its key components, try to understand these concealing forces it's rooted in. [00:02:01] Speaker B: Explore the surprising breadth of what the text considers its garments. [00:02:05] Speaker A: Right. And grasp why these ideas are considered so vital for understanding our own internal landscape and, well, the very reality we inhabit according to this Source. [00:02:14] Speaker B: And by the end, we hope you'll see how these ancient teachings offer a unique and honestly, quite powerful lens through which to view your everyday motivations, the objects and events of the physical world, and perhaps even the struggles and challenges inherent in existence. [00:02:30] Speaker A: It's about gaining a deeper understanding of the forces at play, both within you and around you. As described by the Source. [00:02:38] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:02:39] Speaker A: Okay, let's unpack this then. Maybe we should start by doing a quick recap of where the text began in the earlier chapters with its description of the divine soul. I think it's important to understand the context. You know, contrast the animal soul with its holy counterpart. [00:02:52] Speaker B: Yeah, that's a great starting point. Because the initial chapters of the text spent considerable time establishing the concept of the divine soul. First, it's described as like a spark of the divine itself, having 10 distinct faculties. [00:03:05] Speaker A: Ten faculties, right. [00:03:06] Speaker B: And these aren't just abstract concepts. The text presents them as the core capacities of this higher soul within a person. [00:03:14] Speaker A: And the text broke down those 10 faculties into two main types, didn't it? [00:03:18] Speaker B: Precisely. There were three faculties described as intellectual. These relate to the soul's cognitive power, things like deep understanding, comprehensive grasp, and the ability to connect concepts and ideas, especially divine ones. [00:03:33] Speaker A: The thinking part, sort of. [00:03:35] Speaker B: Yeah. The soul's capacity for conscious, apprehension, for knowing. [00:03:38] Speaker A: And then the remaining seven were emotional faculties. [00:03:41] Speaker B: Exactly. These are the seven emotional drives or traits that flow from the divine soul's nature when it contemplates or connects with divine truth. The text goes through them, concepts like divine love, awe, compassion, things like that, seeing them as holy emotions that are responses to the divine. [00:03:58] Speaker A: Now, the text also described how this divine soul expresses itself in the physical world, referring to these expressions as its garments. [00:04:05] Speaker B: Yes. The three garments were specified as thought, speech, and action. But like you said, not just any thought, speech, or action. Right. [00:04:12] Speaker A: That's key. [00:04:12] Speaker B: They were specifically thought, speech, and action. [00:04:15] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:04:16] Speaker B: Directed towards engaging with divine wisdom, what the source often calls divine study and performing actions commanded by the divine, those good deeds. [00:04:25] Speaker A: Okay, here's where it gets really interesting. And it's a point the text highlights that feels kind of counterintuitive at first glance. It explains that these garments of the divine soul are actually on a higher spiritual level than the divine soul itself. [00:04:38] Speaker B: It seems paradoxical, doesn't it? You think the source, the soul, would be higher than its expression, its clothing? [00:04:44] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:04:44] Speaker B: But the explanation given in the text is pretty profound. Through engaging in these holy actions and divine study, the soul doesn't just express itself, it becomes united with the divine source. [00:04:57] Speaker A: Okay. [00:04:58] Speaker B: The text emphasizes that divine wisdom and the divine itself are intrinsically one. Therefore, the study of divine wisdom is particularly powerful because it unites the soul with and even within the very presence of the divine, as it is found, you know, in that wisdom. [00:05:12] Speaker A: So the acts of engaging with holiness, studying divine concepts, doing good deeds, aren't merely outputs of the divine soul. They are pathways that actually elevate it, binding it to its source. [00:05:24] Speaker B: Yes. They act as a higher realm of reality that the soul, ascends into when it's engaged in them. [00:05:30] Speaker A: Wow. [00:05:30] Speaker B: That's the idea. The garments of the divine soul aren't just passive clothing. They are active vehicles of spiritual ascent and union, drawing the soul closer to its origin. [00:05:40] Speaker A: Okay, so that sets the stage for the divine soul reaching upwards and connecting through acts of holiness. But then, as chapter six begins, the text introduces a completely different kind of soul, the animal soul. This is where the focus dramatically pivots. [00:05:54] Speaker B: It really does. And the way it's presented is quite striking. The animal soul isn't described as like a lesser version of the divine soul, but as a distinct entity with its own nature and structure. And the text emphasizes right from the start of this chapter that it's presented as a direct, parallel structure to the divine soul. [00:06:11] Speaker A: Parallel, but fundamentally opposite. That's the feeling I got. [00:06:14] Speaker B: Exactly. It also has 10 faculties and three garments. So in terms of its basic architecture, the number of its core capacities, and the way it expresses itself, it mirrors the divine soul. [00:06:26] Speaker A: But the fundamental difference, the core distinction is the root right, the source from which it draws its existence and vitality. [00:06:34] Speaker B: The text is extremely clear on this. While the divine soul is described as a spark of holiness, the substance of the animal soul is rooted in what the text calls concealing forces. [00:06:44] Speaker A: Concealing forces. [00:06:46] Speaker B: Oi. This places it at the completely opposite end of the spiritual spectrum from the divine soul's holy source. [00:06:52] Speaker A: And unlike the divine soul's holy garments that elevate it, the animal soul's faculties and garments are described using terms like impurity or being unclean. [00:07:01] Speaker B: Yes. And the text states explicitly that by clothing itself in these garments, its expressions, which we'll get into the animal souls, doesn't rise. It actually descends to an even lower state of spiritual impurity. [00:07:12] Speaker A: So it pulls it down. [00:07:13] Speaker B: It's a descent. [00:07:13] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:07:14] Speaker B: Not an ascent. [00:07:15] Speaker A: This immediately establishes that inner tension you mentioned right at the start, doesn't it? Within a single person, according to this text, there are two souls. They have parallel structures, faculties and garments, but they are fundamentally opposite in their nature, their source, and the effect their expressions have on them. [00:07:32] Speaker B: Exactly. One aims for elevation and union with. [00:07:35] Speaker A: The divine, and the other is rooted in concealment and seems to lead towards degradation, towards impurity. [00:07:42] Speaker B: It paints a picture not just of an internal battle, but of two distinct systems operating within us, drawing from different spiritual realms and leading in opposite directions. That's quite a framework. [00:07:53] Speaker A: The concept of concealing forces is obviously central here to understanding the nature of this animal soul and how it operates. What exactly are these forces? The text keeps Mentioning. [00:08:03] Speaker B: Right. This is a core concept within this tradition, and the text explains it in a way that relates to all of creation. Really? The text explains that although everything that exists receives its life and being from the Divine, you know, the divine light and energy are the ultimate source of all existence. [00:08:18] Speaker A: Okay, everything comes from the divine. [00:08:20] Speaker B: Yes. But the divine also created forces that are described as forces of impurity or concealment. [00:08:28] Speaker A: That raises a huge question though. Why would the divine, which is understood as inherently good, create forces of impurity or something that seems like evil? [00:08:38] Speaker B: That's a really profound question. And the reason given in the text is significant. It's tied directly to the purpose of creation and the human role within it. These forces were created, the text explains, to allow humans the ability to exercise free will to choose between good and evil. [00:08:55] Speaker A: Ah, okay. So without a real alternative. [00:08:57] Speaker B: Exactly. Without a genuine, tangible alternative to holiness, without forces that draw in the opposite direction, choice wouldn't be truly free or meaningful. The struggle itself is necessary. [00:09:08] Speaker A: So the existence of these forces is necessary for us to earn our reward through effort and free will. [00:09:12] Speaker B: Precisely. This ability to choose to serve the Creator through our own conscious effort and free will is necessary so that a person can earn their spiritual reward. The effort involved in choosing good despite the pull of the other side, is what makes the service valuable. [00:09:26] Speaker A: And they are called concealing forces because their main function is to hide the divine presence in all of creation. Is that right? [00:09:33] Speaker B: Yes, that's their defining characteristic and their effect on the world. The text uses a very helpful analogy for this. [00:09:40] Speaker A: Okay. [00:09:41] Speaker B: Just like a shell or a peel covers and hides the fruit inside the calipa, the shell. These forces act as a covering or a layer that hides the divine light and presence that actually gives life to every created being. They create the appearance of things existing independently, separate from their source. [00:10:00] Speaker A: So the shell isn't the fruit, but it contains and conceals it. The concealing force isn't the divine life force, but it contains it within creation while making it seem hidden. Making it seem separate. [00:10:11] Speaker B: Exactly. It's like a screen or a veil that obscures the underlying life giving reality makes things seem like they exist on their own. [00:10:18] Speaker A: It's not just one big unified force of concealment, though. The source text breaks them down into two main categories. Right. And you said this is crucial for understanding the world around us and where our actions fit. [00:10:28] Speaker B: Yes. This distinction is really fundamental to the entire framework that the text presents regarding creation and our interaction with it. Two main categories of these concealing forces. [00:10:39] Speaker A: Okay, what's the first one? [00:10:40] Speaker B: The first category is called the concealing force of light. [00:10:43] Speaker A: Concealing force of light. That name itself sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it? How can concealment also be light? [00:10:51] Speaker B: It does sound that way, but the explanation clarifies it. This category isn't purely negative. It contains some measure of good or holiness within it, albeit concealed and mixed in with the concealment. [00:11:02] Speaker A: So it's not the realm of pure holiness, and it's not the realm of pure evil. It's somewhere in between, a gray area. [00:11:09] Speaker B: Maybe you could think of it that way. [00:11:10] Speaker A: Right. [00:11:11] Speaker B: The text describes it as an intermediary level occupying a space between the realms of pure good and the realms of pure evil. It's a mixed state. [00:11:19] Speaker A: And the key characteristic here, based on the text, seems to be that anything receiving its vitality through this particular force has a dual potential. It may be utilized for either good or evil. Its outcome depends entirely on how it's used. [00:11:33] Speaker B: That's the defining trait of this category. It's a source of vitality that can be channeled in either direction, either elevating it towards holiness or degrading it further into impurity. [00:11:44] Speaker A: The text provides examples from the physical world, doesn't it? Things that seem pretty ordinary, like permitted physical objects. [00:11:50] Speaker B: Yes. Things like food we're allowed to eat according to the tradition, or everyday items we use in our lives. Tools, clothes, money, you name it. They get their existence and life from this concealing force of light. Their spiritual root is in this mixed realm. [00:12:07] Speaker A: And their outcome, their spiritual fate, depends entirely on how we use them. [00:12:12] Speaker B: Exactly. If an object from this category is used for a good deed or a divinely commanded act, like eating permitted food with the intention of gaining strength for divine service or using a tool to help someone. These objects and the divine spark within them ascend and become united with the realm of holiness. [00:12:28] Speaker A: They get elevated. [00:12:29] Speaker B: Their underlying divine vitality is revealed and elevated. But if these same objects are used sinfully, like using permitted food for gluttony, or using a tool to harm someone or money for forbidden purposes, they become further degraded, strengthening the negative aspect of this force from which they stem. They fall deeper into the impurity. [00:12:48] Speaker A: So this category represents the potential for transformation and elevation within the material world. It's the realm of things that can be redeemed and sanctified by human action and intention. [00:12:59] Speaker B: It is. It's kind of the spiritual battleground where mundane physical reality can be lifted into holiness or dragged down. [00:13:06] Speaker A: Now, the second category of concealing forces is quite different from this mixed, transformable realm. [00:13:12] Speaker B: Very different. This Category consists of what the text calls the three holy, impure, concealing forces. And unlike the first category, this one is described as wholly evil. It contains no good or holiness whatsoever. None at all. [00:13:25] Speaker A: Zero potential for positive transformation. It can't be elevated ever. [00:13:29] Speaker B: Zero. According to the text, anything that receives its vitality from this level of concealment cannot be transformed into holiness through human action. It's fundamentally and permanently opposed to holiness. [00:13:43] Speaker A: Can it be used in service of holiness at all? [00:13:47] Speaker B: Well, in some cases, not even that, or only very indirectly. The text makes a distinction. Within this category, there are forbidden physical objects, like certain forbidden foods in the tradition. These cannot be transformed by being consumed for a holy purpose. Eating them is inherently problematic. However, they might potentially be used for a holy purpose in some indirect way that doesn't involve consumption or direct benefit. But then there are things forbidden for any benefit whatsoever. These, the text says, can't serve any holy purpose at all. Even indirectly, they're completely cut off. [00:14:19] Speaker A: And the Source gives specific examples of physical things flowing from this wholly impure category. [00:14:25] Speaker B: Yes, it mentions things like fruit from the first three years of a tree's growth, which is forbidden for consumption in the tradition, or a mixture of certain grain seeds in a vineyard, another forbidden mixture, as examples of forbidden vegetation, whose spiritual root flows from this holy, impure category. [00:14:43] Speaker A: And this category isn't just about forbidden physical objects, is it? It sounds like it extends to actions, words, and even thoughts. [00:14:49] Speaker B: Oh, far beyond physical objects. The Source states that any act, utterance, or thought that violates the fundamental pro outlined in the tradition, the don'ts and their related offshoots also gets its existence and life force from these three completely impure forces. [00:15:06] Speaker A: So sinful thoughts, sinful words, or sinful actions draw their spiritual vitality directly from this holy, evil, untransformable source. [00:15:15] Speaker B: That's the idea. They are expressions of, and draw their power from this realm of absolute impurity. [00:15:21] Speaker A: The text also links these three holy impure forces to symbolic descriptions found in ancient prophetic vision, right? [00:15:28] Speaker B: Yes. They are symbolically referred to using terms from a specific prophetic vision, like a storm, wind, a great cloud, and a flaring fire. These are presented as symbolic representations of these three levels of complete and utter impurity. Dark, consuming forces. [00:15:44] Speaker A: And this category isn't just about objects, actions, words, and thoughts. It seems to encompass certain types of beings as well, according to the text. [00:15:52] Speaker B: It does. The text states that the souls of the nations of the world, which the text distinguishes from the soul of the people of the author's tradition, described elsewhere as being from a higher divine source. And the souls and sustenance of unclean or forbidden animals are derived from these three unclean forces. This places them squarely in the realm of complete evil, according to this source, incapable of being elevated or transformed into holiness through their own nature or ordinary actions. [00:16:20] Speaker A: So according to this source, we have this stark spiritual spectrum governing existence from pure holiness at one end, through the middle ground of the concealing force of light that contains a mixture of good and bad and has the potential to go either way. Depending on how it's used, it can be elevated or degraded down to the three holy, impure concealing forces, which are just pure, untransformable evil at the other end. [00:16:46] Speaker B: Precisely. And this framework of concealing forces, these shells that hide the divine life, while drawing existence from a non holy source is absolutely essential for understanding where the animal soul fits in within a person and how it operates within us, it is rooted in this system, specifically that middle ground. [00:17:05] Speaker A: The text explicitly states, the Almighty has created one thing opposite the other. This is a fundamental principle presented in various sources. How does this principle apply specifically to our souls, these two distinct entities within us? [00:17:18] Speaker B: Well, it means that for everything in the realm of holiness, in the spiritual worlds of divine presence, there is a corresponding entity or force in the realm of the other side. The other side? Yes. And that term, the other side, in the text simply means the side that is not holiness. It is the side that is separate from and opposed to holiness. Everything that isn't holy falls under this category. [00:17:40] Speaker A: So it's like a mirrored opposition across the entire spiritual landscape. For every force of good, there's a counterforce. [00:17:46] Speaker B: Exactly. And in our context, within the human being, the animal Soul, with its 10 faculties and three garments, is presented as the direct counterpart existing in the realm of concealing forces and the other side to the divine soul with its 10 faculties and three garments in the realm of holiness. [00:18:05] Speaker A: They mirror each other structurally. [00:18:07] Speaker B: Right. Structurally, they're parallels. Both have 10 faculties, both have three. [00:18:11] Speaker A: Garments, but they are fundamentally opposed in their nature, their source, and the direction in which they pull the person. [00:18:16] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:18:17] Speaker A: So the animal soul is, according to this text, the. The other side's version of a soul within a person, built using the same blueprint as the divine soul, but constructed from and rooted in these forces of concealment and separation. [00:18:29] Speaker B: That's the picture the text paints. It is a counterforce, a mirrored structure designed to provide that necessary opposition within the individual, enabling the possibility of genuine choice and spiritual effort, which, as you. [00:18:43] Speaker A: Said, is the purpose behind the creation of These forces in the first place to allow for that choice. [00:18:48] Speaker B: Right. To make the choice meaningful and earned. [00:18:51] Speaker A: Okay, let's delve into the ten faculties of this animal soul then. The text says it's rooted specifically in the concealing force of light. That intermediary category that contains some good. [00:19:01] Speaker B: Yes, and that's significant. It means the animal soul itself isn't pure evil in its essence. It's rooted in the realm that can be transformed, that middle ground. And it's described as being clothed in man's blood, indicating its connection to the physical body and its animating life force. But these 10 faculties, despite being a parallel structure to the divine soul's holy faculties, are called crowns of impurity in the text. [00:19:25] Speaker A: Crowns of impurity. That's a powerful and, well, somewhat disturbing image. Yeah. It implies they are the highest, most fundamental aspects of this impure soul within us. [00:19:34] Speaker B: It does. They are the core principles of its operation. Now, like the divine soul, these 10 faculties of the animal soul are broken down. There are seven emotional traits, and the. [00:19:45] Speaker A: Text lists examples of these, often presenting them as counterparts or maybe distortions of the divine soul's emotions. [00:19:52] Speaker B: Yes, it gives examples illustrating these seven evil emotional traits. Concepts like lust, which is presented as the opposite or counterpart to divine kindness, or giving anger, which expresses the counterpart to divine severity or strict justice, and boastfulness or pride, the counterpart to divine beauty or humility. [00:20:11] Speaker A: So the negative versions? [00:20:13] Speaker B: Kind of. And the text says these seven emotional traits stem from four underlying evil elements, described as spiritual elements, not physical ones, from which this animal's soul is constituted. Basically its spiritual raw material, its inherent nature. [00:20:26] Speaker A: So these are the core internal drives, the inclinations that make up the fundamental emotional nature of the animal soul. Desiring things for self gratification, feeling anger, experiencing negative pride, seeking dominance, things like that. They are the internal engine of this soul's operation. [00:20:41] Speaker B: Precisely. They are the source of its internal urges and inclinations towards material and self centered pursuits. That's its default setting, if you will. [00:20:50] Speaker A: And what about the other three faculties of the animal soul? The intellectual ones. [00:20:55] Speaker B: Right. The text describes the intellect as the source of these seven emotional traits. And like the divine soul's intellect, it's subdivided into three, using terms that relate to understanding, comprehensive grasp and connection. [00:21:10] Speaker A: Okay, so the intellect of the animal soul is seen as the source from which its emotions flow. That's the link between the three intellectual faculties and the seven emotional ones within the animal soul's structure. [00:21:22] Speaker B: Well, the text explains this link by stating that the animal soul's emotional traits are commensurate with the quality of one's intellect. It's a bit nuanced. [00:21:30] Speaker A: Commensurate with the quality. What does that mean practically? Can you give an example? [00:21:33] Speaker B: The text uses the example of a child. A young child desires and gets angry about relatively trivial things. A broken toy, not getting a sweep. Because their intellect is immature, it hasn't developed the capacity to appreciate things of greater value or complexity. [00:21:48] Speaker A: Okay. [00:21:48] Speaker B: So their emotional responses, while stemming from the animal soul's basic nature, are limited and shaped by the scope of their understanding. As intellect matures, desires and angers might become more complex, aimed at different, perhaps more adult, though still material or self centered, goals like wealth, honor or power. [00:22:09] Speaker A: Ah, so the intellect here doesn't necessarily create the desire itself, like the desire for pleasure or the tendency to anger. [00:22:17] Speaker B: That seems to be the key distinction highlighted, particularly in notes accompanying the text. [00:22:21] Speaker A: Okay. [00:22:21] Speaker B: While the divine soul's intellect gives birth to its emotions like love or awe of the Divine, stemming from contemplating divine greatness, the animal soul, the Source note suggests, is more essentially passionate. It's instinctively inclined towards physical and self serving pleasures from its very nature. [00:22:38] Speaker A: It just wants things pretty much. [00:22:40] Speaker B: It doesn't need intellect to want physical pleasure or feel instinctive anger. Its intellect primarily serves to steer, channel and strategize for those pre existing desires. It figures out how to acquire the desired object, how to express anger effectively for its own purposes. [00:22:55] Speaker A: Got it. And the intensity or scope of those cravings is limited by the intellect's capacity to identify and pursue goals, even if those goals are rooted in the animal soul's nature. [00:23:05] Speaker B: Precisely a key difference in how intellect functions in the two souls. The animal soul's intellect is more of a tool or strategist for its inherent passions rather than the generating force behind them. [00:23:16] Speaker A: Okay, that makes sense. Just like the divine soul has garments of thought, speech and action through which it expresses itself and connects, so too does the animal soul have garments. But what are its garments? What does this soul, rooted in the concealing force of light and possessing these crowns of impurity, wear? [00:23:34] Speaker B: This is another really interesting and honestly potentially expansive point in this chapter. The Source explains that the garments of the animal soul are precisely the thoughts, words and actions that stem from, are animated by, or express those 10 faculties or unclean categories of the animal soul we just discussed. [00:23:51] Speaker A: So if your animal soul is experiencing a surge of a negative emotion like anger, and you think about a cutting remark, that thought is a garment, if you then say it, that speech is a garment, if that anger leads you to act, confrontationally that action is a garment. [00:24:05] Speaker B: Yes. The text says that when a person entertains thoughts originating from these categories, like planning how to obtain something they lust after, or dwelling on how someone wronged them in anger, or speaks words driven by these emotions or calculations, like gossip, flattery for selfish reasons or insults, or. [00:24:24] Speaker A: Does an act that serves or expresses. [00:24:26] Speaker B: Them right, like pursuing a forbidden pleasure, engaging in harmful behavior, or even simply acting out of laziness or pure self interest, then they're thought in their brain, the words coming from their mouth and the power of action in their hands become impure garments. [00:24:41] Speaker A: And the faculties of the animal soul actively clothe themselves in these expressions during the act, speech, or thought itself. It's like they're wearing the action. [00:24:49] Speaker B: That's the mechanism described. The faculties aren't passive. They utilize these expressions as their means of engagement and manifestation in the world, thereby becoming clothed in them, getting wrapped up in them. [00:24:59] Speaker A: But here's where it gets really interesting and maybe quite challenging to integrate into our everyday perspective. Unlike the divine soul, whose garments are specifically thought, speech and action, dedicated to divine study and performing divinely commanded acts. [00:25:14] Speaker B: Right. Very specific. [00:25:15] Speaker A: The text states that the animal soul's garments are any thought, thought, word or act that is not directed toward the divine or divine service. [00:25:24] Speaker B: This is a critical expansion of the concept. It means that the category isn't limited to sinful or explicitly forbidden actions, words or thoughts, things we might consider mundane, ordinary, or even spiritually neutral activities. They are considered garments of the animal soul according to this text, if they lack that specific direction towards holiness. [00:25:44] Speaker A: Wait, hold on. So talking about the weather, eating a meal purely because you're hungry, with no higher thought, scrolling through social media, unrelated to anything holy. Random thoughts that aren't bad, just random. These are considered garments of the animal. [00:25:57] Speaker B: Soul according to this framework? Yes, if they are not directed towards the divine or divine service in some conscious way. Wow. [00:26:04] Speaker A: Why is that? Why would seemingly neutral or ordinary things fall into the category of clothing, the animal soul? That seems intense. [00:26:12] Speaker B: The text links this back to the fundamental definition of the other side that we talked about earlier. It states clearly that the other side simply means the side that is not holiness. Therefore, whatever does not explicitly belong to or is not directed towards the realm of holiness automatically falls into the category of the other side by default. By default. And it serves as a garment for the animal soul, which, as we discussed, is rooted in that realm of concealment, that other side. [00:26:39] Speaker A: So holiness and the other side are presented as two mutually exclusive and exhaustive categories. If something isn't explicitly for holiness. Even if it's not actively against it, it's implicitly on the other side. [00:26:51] Speaker B: That's the logic presented in this chapter. The text quotes a verse from a wise ancient source, interpreted as saying, all deeds done under the sun, which is understood as encompassing all mundane actions, those activities that occupy our time in this. [00:27:05] Speaker A: Physical world, like just living life. [00:27:07] Speaker B: Right. Are described as vanity and an affliction of the Spirit. Or, as interpreted in a traditional commentary mentioned, a ruination of the Spirit of holiness. [00:27:17] Speaker A: Wow. [00:27:18] Speaker B: Similarly, it states that all words and thoughts that are not directed towards the divine will or service or connected to holiness fall into this category of being garments for the animal soul. [00:27:28] Speaker A: This dramatically expands the scope of this inner dynamic beyond simply avoiding bad things, doesn't it? It implies that every moment, every thought, word and deed, however small or seemingly insignificant, is either an opportunity to clothe the divine soul by directing it towards holiness, or it automatically serves as a garment for the animal soul. [00:27:48] Speaker B: That's precisely the implication. Mundane activities aren't spiritually neutral in this view. They either serve one side or the other. It presents a demanding spiritual perspective where the default state of undirected activity falls into the realm of the animal soul and the other side. [00:28:03] Speaker A: Okay, so if the other side is anything that is not holiness, what then is holiness according to the text? How is that defined or achieved? Where does the Divine actually dwell? [00:28:12] Speaker B: Good question. The side of holiness according to the Source is defined very specifically. It is nothing other than the indwelling and extension of the Divine Presence itself. Holiness is where the Divine is revealed or rests. [00:28:25] Speaker A: And what is the prerequisite or condition for that divine indwelling and extension? What allows the Divine to rest there? [00:28:32] Speaker B: The text states clearly the Divine dwells only on that which is surrendered to the Divine. This concept of self surrender, or setting aside one's independent will in favor of the divine will, is presented as the fundamental characteristic of holiness and the prerequisite for divine presence resting upon something or someone. [00:28:51] Speaker A: Surrender. Okay. The Source gives examples of what this surrender looks like at different levels of existence, doesn't it? [00:28:57] Speaker B: Yes, it presents different levels or forms of surrender. One is actual surrender, which is completely visible and apparent even externally. The example given is supernal spiritual beings like angels, whose entire being is described as constantly and openly surrendered to the Divine, having no sense of independent self or will, they just are surrendered. [00:29:15] Speaker A: But it also speaks about a form of potential surrender that is very relevant to our human experience in this world. Right. Something inside us. [00:29:24] Speaker B: Right. It describes a potential surrender that exists inherently within every Individual in this physical world. Every person, the text says, has the inherent capacity for complete self surrender to the Divine, even to the ultimate degree of self sacrifice for the sanctification of the Divine Name. [00:29:40] Speaker A: Wow. Okay. [00:29:41] Speaker B: The text notes that this potential exists internally within the soul as a deep intrinsic truth, regardless of one's external state or current actions. It's a capacity that can be revealed in moments of supreme spiritual test. [00:29:53] Speaker A: And because this potential for a complete, even self sacrificial surrender exists inherently within the individual soul, the Divine Presence is able to rest upon that individual, even if it's not obvious. [00:30:05] Speaker B: Yes. The inherent, though perhaps unrevealed potential for surrender creates the connection point, the vessel for the Divine Presence to rest. It's like the foundation is there even if the building isn't fully expressed yet. [00:30:17] Speaker A: There's also a form of surrender that is actively revealed and externalized through specific actions. Isn't there not just potential? [00:30:25] Speaker B: Absolutely. This is where human effort comes in. When one engages in divine study, immersing oneself in the study of Divine wisdom as found in the tradition, their inherent surrender becomes revealed and externalized. By setting aside their own notions, their own understanding, their own ego, really, and their own will to absorb and accept divine wisdom as expressed in the tradition, they are performing an act of revealed surrender. And this revealed surrender, this act of self nullification before the divine truth, causes the Divine Presence to rest upon them. [00:30:59] Speaker A: That makes sense. [00:30:59] Speaker B: The text quotes a traditional if even one individual sits and engages in divine study, the Divine Presence rests upon him. [00:31:07] Speaker A: So the act of studying Divine wisdom is not just about acquiring knowledge. It's a spiritual act of self nullification before the Divine, revealing the soul's deeper inherent surrender and creating a space for Divine presence. [00:31:19] Speaker B: Exactly. It's a powerful, active expression of that internal potential for surrender. You're actively choosing to align with the Divine will expressed in that wisdom. [00:31:30] Speaker A: And there's also a communal aspect mentioned regarding surrender and Divine Presence gathering together. [00:31:35] Speaker B: Yes. The text also mentions the power of community in creating a space for holiness. It states that on each gathering of 10 individuals for prayer or study, the Divine Presence rests, always forming a congregation or collective that is a fit abode for the Divine Presence. The collective surrender and focus of a group creates a stronger, more revealed vessel for holiness. [00:31:58] Speaker A: Strength in numbers, spiritually speaking. [00:32:00] Speaker B: Sort of. Yes. The text explicitly contrasts this realm of holiness defined by surrender and divine indwelling with anything that is not surrendered. [00:32:08] Speaker A: What does it say about those things? [00:32:10] Speaker B: It says anything that does not surrender itself, but considers itself an independent entity, a thing separate Unto itself existing of his own accord. And will does not receive its life from the holiness of the divine in its inner essential aspect. It's cut off from that primary desired flow of divine vitality. [00:32:27] Speaker A: Okay, so if things that see themselves as separate, that don't actively surrender, don't get life from the inner, essential, desired aspect of holiness, where do they get it from? The Source says they still exist. They're not annihilated. They must get life from somewhere. [00:32:44] Speaker B: Right. This raises an important question, and the text provides a fascinating and complex answer based on concepts from spiritual tradition. These separate things which aren't surrendered and perceive themselves as independent, still receive their vitality because all existence ultimately depends on the Divine's will. But they receive it not from the inner aspect, which the text associates with giving with desire, pleasure and full presence, like giving a gift with a smile, but from what the text calls the behind part. [00:33:13] Speaker A: The behind part. What does that mean? The text uses an analogy, right? [00:33:16] Speaker B: It does. It uses the analogy of giving a gift to an enemy. You might still be obligated to give the gift or compelled to give it for some greater purpose, but you would likely do so without desire or pleasure in the act itself. [00:33:27] Speaker A: Right. You just hand it over. [00:33:28] Speaker B: You might turn your face away, presenting your back or behind part, because your heart and your inner will aren't genuinely in it. Similarly, the text explains, the divine has no inherent desire or pleasure in the existence of the concealing forces or things rooted in them, which were created specifically only for the sake of allowing free choice and earning reward to, not for their own sake. So their life force comes from a less desired, more external behind part aspect of the divine emanation. [00:33:57] Speaker A: It's a form of life giving, but one that lacks the full presence, pleasure, or inner desire of the giver for the recipient's existence as a separate entity. It's like minimum life support almost. [00:34:08] Speaker B: You can think of it that way. It's an outflow of vitality, but one that is inherently distanced and lacking the intimacy of a connection rooted in surrender and inner will. And this limited life force reaches these concealing forces and the separate things rooted in them through a process of extreme diminution and concealment. [00:34:24] Speaker A: How does that diminution happen? It gets weaker. [00:34:26] Speaker B: The text describes a dual process. First, it descends degree by degree through myriads of levels in a chain like descent of the worlds. This is a process of spiritual cause and effect, where the vitality flows from higher spiritual realms down to lower ones, naturally diminishing as it gets further from the source. Like light getting dimmer the further it travels. [00:34:47] Speaker A: But that descent, even through many levels, isn't enough on its own to explain the extremely concealed and limited state of vitality in this physical world is it seems like something more is needed. [00:34:57] Speaker B: No, the text emphasizes something even more significant and active. This vitality descends through many contractions. This refers to a deliberate process where the infinite light and life force is drastically diminished or contracted step by step. [00:35:11] Speaker A: Contracted? Like squeezed? [00:35:13] Speaker B: Sort of, yeah. It makes the light and life force incomparably lower, more concealed and more limited than its original state. Precisely. So that things that are separate and unsurrendered can receive some level of existence without being overwhelmed or instantly nullified by the intense presence of the divine light. It's like dimming a super bright light so you can actually see the object it illuminates without being blinded. [00:35:37] Speaker A: Okay, so it's deliberately shrunk down, and this greatly diminished and contracted vitality is then clothed and exists in a state the text calls exile within the separate object or entity. [00:35:48] Speaker B: Yes, that's the final state described in this process of descent. In this state of exile, the object or entity that perceives itself as separate essentially masters or holds captive the vitality within it. Rather than being surrendered to it. [00:36:02] Speaker A: It controls the life force rather than the other way around. [00:36:05] Speaker B: It's like a powerful captive being mastered by its captors. The divine life force, drastically shrunk and contracted, is held captive within the thing that considers itself separate and independent. [00:36:15] Speaker A: And this exiled vitality, this shrunken captive divine life force, is what gives the separate object its existence and ability to function. Keeps it going. [00:36:26] Speaker B: Exactly. It provides just enough vitality in existence to prevent it from returning to non existence existence as it was before it was created. It keeps it in being. But in this state of separation and concealment, powered by this behind part contracted exiled energy. [00:36:41] Speaker A: Wow. So, okay, let me try to summarize this. Anything that isn't actively surrendered to the Divine, anything that perceives itself as a separate, independent entity, receives its life from a kind of reluctant divine outflow, dramatically shrunk down through countless spiritual levels and deliberate contractions, and then held captive within that thing's own separate identity. [00:37:00] Speaker B: That's the complex picture the text paints regarding the source of vitality for the realms of concealment and the other side. And this helps clarify why. According to this source, any thought, word or action that is not directed toward divine service, because it represents a lack of surrender to the divine aim and reinforces the perception of independent self, is considered a garment of the Animal soul. [00:37:20] Speaker A: Because it belongs to that realm. [00:37:21] Speaker B: Exactly. It belongs to that realm of the other side that subsists on this limited, exiled vitality derived from the behind part. [00:37:30] Speaker A: Given all this, the nature of the concealing forces, the mechanism of life for separate things, the definition of holiness as surrender. The text makes a very strong statement. This world, our physical world with everything in it, is called the world of concealing forces. And the other side, why is that, if, as you explained, it still receives life from the divine, even if in this diminished and exiled way? [00:37:54] Speaker B: Because, as the text explained, the key characteristic of the creatures and objects in this physical world, as they appear and are commonly perceived, is that they feel themselves to be independent, separate beings. [00:38:05] Speaker A: That perception of separation is the defining feature of this world from a spiritual perspective. That's what makes it the world of concealing forces. [00:38:12] Speaker B: Yes, their inherent potential for surrender to the Divine, which we discussed earlier as existing within every individual is, is not openly apparent in their everyday existence or in the world at large. Creatures and objects don't typically display conscious awareness of their absolute moment to moment dependence on the Divine for their very existence. We think we are doing things and. [00:38:35] Speaker A: The consequence of that felt separation and lack of apparent revealed surrender. [00:38:40] Speaker B: Because of this perceived separation and the concealment of the Divine Presence, the world and its contents automatically fall under the category of concealing forces and belong to the other side. The concealment is effective. The shells successfully hide the fruit from common perception. [00:38:55] Speaker A: The text also explicitly links this state of the world, its nature as the realm of concealing forces, to the difficulties and negative aspects we see within it. Like the problems in the world it. [00:39:05] Speaker B: Does, the source states that this is also why all affairs of this world are severe and evil and the wicked prevail. In links the struggles, challenges, suffering, and the prevalence of negativity seen in the world directly to its fundamental nature as the realm of these concealing forces, where the Divine Presence is hidden and separation is felt, creating an environment where opposition to holiness can flourish. [00:39:30] Speaker A: But earlier you also seemed to say that Divine Presence is here pervading this world. How does that fit with it being called the world of concealing forces and the source of negativity? That feels like a contradiction. Is it here or isn't it? [00:39:42] Speaker B: Yeah, it does feel like one. But the text addresses this apparent contradiction directly. It states that despite being the world of concealing forces, this world does contain the 10 levels of emanation associated with the world of action, which is the lowest of the primary spiritual realms described in traditional spiritual cosmology. [00:40:01] Speaker A: Okay, so this world is linked to higher spiritual levels. And within that lowest realm, there's a connection upwards. [00:40:06] Speaker B: Yes. The text explains that within these levels of emanation, of the world of action, are contained the levels of emanation, of the world formation, above it, the world of creation above that, and finally the world of emanation, which is described as the highest world within which abides the infinite Divine Light itself, the source of all being. [00:40:24] Speaker A: So the infinite Divine light does permeate this entire lowest world, our physical reality. By being clothed within these successive layers of emanation across these four primary spiritual worlds, it filters down. [00:40:37] Speaker B: That's what the Source explains, referencing traditional texts that discuss how the infinite Divine light fills even this lowest world through this layered step by step clothing process, making its presence possible. Even here, it's like light shining through multiple colored filters. It's still light, but heavily veiled. [00:40:55] Speaker A: So the Divine Presence is absolutely here, giving life to everything, supporting all existence. Yet it's still categorized as the world of concealing forces. And the other side? How does the text ultimately reconcile that? [00:41:07] Speaker B: The text basically reiterates the point we made earlier about separation and surrender. It states that despite the infinite Divine light pervading this world through the chain of spiritual realms, because the creatures of this world are not openly surrendered to. [00:41:21] Speaker A: The Divine because of how we perceive things, right? [00:41:24] Speaker B: Because of that pervasive perceived separation and lack of conscious awareness of their absolute dependence, it remains the world of concealing forces and the other side, from the perspective of how its inhabitants experience and relate to the Divine Presence. The Divine Presence is indeed here. It is the source of all life, but it's concealed by the very nature of creation in this realm where beings feel separate and attribute existence to themselves. [00:41:50] Speaker A: The concealment then is primarily in the perception of created beings and the lack of revealed surrender, not an absence of the Divine itself. The light is here, but it's hidden behind the shell of perceived independence and self sufficient efficiency. [00:42:04] Speaker B: Precisely. The concealment is effective in the experience of the created being. That's the nature of this world. [00:42:09] Speaker A: Let's return to the animal soul's garments, which are such a surprising concept in their breath, covering even mundane stuff. The Source made a specific point earlier, that the animal soul's garments are actually lower in spiritual level than the soul itself. How does that work? Considering the animal soul is rooted in the concealing force of light, which is that intermediary realm containing some good. [00:42:32] Speaker B: Right. This is the final key point the chapter makes. Bringing together the previous concepts about the categories of concealing forces, we Establish that the animal soul itself is rooted in the concealing force of light, that mixed intermediary level which contains some potential good and is capable of transformation. [00:42:50] Speaker A: But its garments can be lower than that. How? [00:42:53] Speaker B: Yes. The thoughts, words and actions that constitute the sinful garments, things like violating the fundamental prohibitions, as mentioned earlier, belong not just to the other side, but specifically to the realm of the three holy impure concealing forces. [00:43:08] Speaker A: Ah, the lowest level. [00:43:09] Speaker B: Exactly. As we discussed, these three forces are described as wholly evil and are on a lower, more impure spiritual level than the concealing force of light, where the animal soul itself resides. [00:43:21] Speaker A: So when the animal soul expresses itself through sinful acts, words or thoughts, it's not just expressing its nature, it's actively connecting to and being dragged down from its inherent level, the potentially transformable concealing force of light, to the even lower, wholly impure level of the three completely impure concealing forces. [00:43:41] Speaker B: That's the degrading effect described. Sinful expressions pull the soul that gives rise to them down to a lower, more impure spiritual reality, a realm with no potential for transformation. It gets entangled in that lower realm through its actions. [00:43:54] Speaker A: And this is the direct opposite effect of the divine soul's garments, isn't it? [00:43:58] Speaker B: Exactly. The divine soul's garments, divine study in performing divinely commanded acts, are described as being higher than the soul itself and elevated, connecting it to its source. The animal soul's sinful garments are lower than the animal soul and degrade it, dragging it down to a lower, more impure realm. [00:44:14] Speaker A: That leaves the question of those seemingly neutral actions we discussed earlier, things like eating purely to satisfy hunger, not for a higher purpose, but also not sinfully just existing. The source includes a note addressing this specifically, right? [00:44:29] Speaker B: Yes. A note accompanying the text raises the question of whether these neutral actions, which aren't explicitly sinful but are also not directed towards holiness, also degrade the animal soul. [00:44:41] Speaker A: And what does it suggest? [00:44:42] Speaker B: It suggests, based on other texts within this tradition, that it appears, yes, they might, or at least they coarsen the person and strengthen the animal's soul's hold, potentially leading towards greater self indulgence and hindering spiritual elevation later on. [00:44:56] Speaker A: So while these neutral actions might not drag the soul down to the absolute, lowest three holy impure levels, since they themselves might stem from the concealing force of light realm like the animal soul. [00:45:07] Speaker B: Right. They're probably on the same level. [00:45:08] Speaker A: They still represent the animal soul gaining strength and being exercised through these activities. It's like working out the animal soul. [00:45:14] Speaker B: Muscle that seems to be the Implication, even if the action isn't inherently evil, if its motivation and direction aren't towards holiness, it reinforces the animal soul's dominance and its orientation towards separation and self interest. The Source suggests the strengthening of the animal soul potentially hinders the divine soul's ability to assert itself and achieve elevation. It just gives the animal soul more energy, more life. [00:45:40] Speaker A: This highlights the profoundly active nature of our spiritual state in the world we inhabit, doesn't it? Actions, words and thoughts aren't just isolated events. They have a tangible spiritual effect on the soul itself, either elevating it towards holiness and connection, or strengthening the animal soul and potentially dragging it down, sometimes even through seemingly neutral acts, if they aren't directed appropriately towards a higher purpose. [00:46:03] Speaker B: It underscores that there's a constant spiritual dynamic at play in every moment, word and deed influencing our internal landscape and our connection to different spiritual realms. As described by this text. Nothing is truly neutral. [00:46:16] Speaker A: So let's try to bring this all together for you, the listener, summarizing the core ideas from this really dense chapter. According to this text, we have the divine soul, described as a spark of holiness, reaching for connection and union with the divine through holy acts and study. [00:46:31] Speaker B: Right. [00:46:32] Speaker A: And we have the animal soul rooted in the concealing force of light, with its own parallel structure of faculties and expressions aimed at physical, self serving and even negative pursuits. [00:46:44] Speaker B: And these expressions are. Thoughts, words and actions act as garments for the animal soul. They can either keep the animal soul at its potentially transformable level, the concealing force of light, if they are mundane but not sinful, or strengthen it then. Or strengthen it there. Yes. Or if they are sinful, they can drag the soul down to the purely evil realm of the three holy impure concealing forces. [00:47:08] Speaker A: And this physical world is the complex backdrop for this inner struggle, being a place where the infinite divine light is indeed present, giving life to everything, but is concealed by the perception of separation and lack of revealed surrender on the part of created beings. This makes the world the primary realm where these concealing forces operate and where everything stemming from the concealing force of light is potentially dual in nature, capable of being used, are for good or bad, while other things stem from pure evil. [00:47:36] Speaker B: Exactly. It's a realm designed for human choice and effort, where our actions determine which forces are strengthened within us and which realm of reality. Our thoughts, words and deeds belong to the realm of holiness or the realm of concealment. And the other side. [00:47:52] Speaker A: So what does all of this mean for you? Listening right now, navigating your everyday life. How is this detailed framework relevant to your experience. [00:48:00] Speaker B: While understanding this framework, particularly the detailed nature of the animal soul and the incredibly wide ranging definition of its garments, encompassing even seemingly mundane activities not directed towards holiness, gives us profound insight into our own inner conflicts. Those competing urges you mentioned right at the start, it helps us identify where those pulls towards the mundane, the self centered or even the purely negative might be originating from, according to this text, and how they express themselves through our thoughts, words and actions. [00:48:29] Speaker A: It provides a map, maybe a kind of spiritual anatomy of the forces we are constantly navigating within ourselves. [00:48:35] Speaker B: Yes, exactly. And it underscores the immense power and spiritual significance of intention and direction in every aspect of our lives. If any thought, word or action not directed to the divine purpose is considered a garment of the animal soul belonging to the realm of concealment, which is a huge claim. It is, but it highlights the importance of trying to infuse our daily lives, even the seemingly trivial or neutral parts, with purpose and direction towards holiness. It really challenges the idea that most of our lives exist in a spiritually neutral space. [00:49:08] Speaker A: And it offers a profound perspective on the physical world itself, the stage on which this inner drama unfolds. [00:49:14] Speaker B: It does. The world isn't presented as inherently bad, but its default state due to that concealed divine presence and the perceived separation of its creatures places it firmly in the realm of struggle, where things from the concealing force of light can be used for good or bad, and where forces of pure evil also exist and draw vitality. [00:49:34] Speaker A: Which explains why the effort matters so much. [00:49:36] Speaker B: Right? It explains why the effort to transform the mundane into holiness, to use physical objects and actions for a higher purpose, is considered such a significant spiritual act. According to this tradition, it's actively redeeming sparks from that middle ground. [00:49:51] Speaker A: It gives a whole new deeper layer of meaning to why focus intention and consciously directing our energy matter so much, not just in moments of prayer or formal religious observance, but in the very fabric of our inner lives and outer actions every single day. [00:50:06] Speaker B: It shows that everything we do has a spherical consequence, subtly, or sometimes not so subtly, clothing either one soul or the other, and impacting our own spiritual state and our relationship with the spiritual reality described by this text. [00:50:18] Speaker A: This has been a really deep dive into a complex, but I think incredibly insightful teaching from chapter seven of the significant text exploring the nature of the animal soul, its expressions as garments, and the spiritual forces it interacts with in this world. [00:50:32] Speaker B: It definitely challenges our assumptions about what constitutes a spiritual act or state and highlights the constant potential within us and the world for either elevating towards holiness and revealed divine presence, or descending towards concealment and impurity? It's a constant choice. [00:50:51] Speaker A: We hope this deep dive into the source material you provided has given you some new understanding of the inner landscape and the science spiritual dynamics the text describes. [00:50:59] Speaker B: It's a rich and challenging teaching for sure, but the practical implications for self awareness and intentional living are pretty profound if you really take them on board. [00:51:08] Speaker A: Absolutely. So here's a provocative thought to leave you with. Something to maybe mull over based on this deep dive. If even mundane activities simply by not being for the divine purpose are considered garments that give strength and expression to. [00:51:20] Speaker B: The animal's soul, which is the text's assertion. [00:51:23] Speaker A: Right. What would it truly mean in your daily life to consciously strive to direct every aspect of your existence, however small or seemingly insignificant, from how you eat your meals, to how you speak to colleagues, to the thoughts you choose to dwell on, towards a higher purpose, towards holiness? [00:51:41] Speaker B: What would that look like? [00:51:42] Speaker A: Yeah. What kind of transformation could that consistent conscious redirection bring about, not just within your own animal soul, maybe weakening its pull, but in the subtle space spiritual reality of the world around you as described by this source? What happens when we stop feeding the other side, even through neutral things? Something to think about. [00:52:00] Speaker B: Indeed, a lot to think about there. [00:52:02] Speaker A: Thank you for joining us for this deep dive.