'Free will' description similar to staying in subtle system balance....

[Guest guest]

A noted Swedish scientist, philosopher and theologian, Emanuel Swedenborg

(1688-1772), is best known for his later writings where he presented ideas both

Christian and ecumenical. He describes " free will " in a way that reminds me of

the balancing capacity of the inbuilt human subtle system.

 

This balancing mechanism which is inside all human beings, consists of the Left,

Right, and Central Subtle System Channels which actually contain a subtler

energy that 'autonomically' empowers the nervous system within human beings.

Shri Mataji has been known to ask doctors " Who is this " Auto " of the

" auto-nomic " nervous system that works automatically? Indeed, the doctors do not

know. However, Shri Mataji says that it is the " Spirit " .

 

The subtle and intelligent energy of the Spirit empowers the nervous system and

all other systems within the human body. The Left and Right Sympathetic Nervous

System are empowered via the Left & Right Subtle Energy Channels, also known as

Ida and Pingala Nadis by Hindus. The Parasympathetic Nervous System is empowered

via the Central Subtle Energy Channel known as the Sushumna Nadi by Hindus. It

is the Spirit of God that gives this life or empowerment to human beings.

 

Through the left and right sympathetic nervous systems flow the energies of

relaxation (left s.n.s.) and energy of action (right s.n.s.) and the

parasympathetic nervous system (in the central channel) has the job to try and

keep everything within the acceptable levels of balance or 'homeostasis' within

the body. For example, if a person jogs very fast, their body may overheat and

so the parasympathetic nervous system will respond by causing the body to

perspire, thereby losing the excess heat and maintaining the body's homeostatic

balance.

 

Alternatively, if a person is in a very cold room where the body would lose its

heat, the parasympathetic nervous system would make the person's body shiver and

the pores of the skin would close, thereby preventing the loss of too much heat

from the body and again maintaining the body's homeostatic balance.

 

The inbuilt subtle system also represents our 'present' which is the central

channel of collective consciousness, our 'past' which is the left channel of

collective subconsciousness and the 'future' which is the right channel of

collective supraconsciousness. In order to stay in spiritual balance, we need to

live in the 'present', which is represented by the central channel of collective

consciousness.

 

To be 'lost' in the collective 'subconscious' or collective 'supraconscious'

means no spiritual growth or evolution is possible. However, to be in the

collective conscious 'present' is to be balanced in body, mind and spirit and

this is the balanced state wherein we can grow and evolve spiritually.

 

It is very interesting that Swedenborg who is from a Christian background,

describes how God has placed within us the ability to have what is called " free

will " by means of a mechanism that sounds very similar to the human subtle

system mechanism that is known in the Hindu traditions.

 

 

Violet

 

 

" This spiritual equilibrium, which is free will, can be illustrated by instances

of natural equilibrium. It is like the equilibrium of someone who is tied around

the body or by the arms between two men of equal strength, one of whom pulls the

person in the middle to the right, and the other to the left. Then the person in

the middle can freely turn in one direction or the other, as if there were no

force acting on him; and if he moves to the right, he pulls the man on the left

violently towards himself, even to the point of making the man on the left fall

to the ground. It would be the same if even a weak man were tied between three

men on the right and the same number of and just as strong men on the left; and

likewise if he were tied between camels or horses.

 

[2] Spiritual equilibrium, which is free will, can be compared with a balance,

in either scale of which are placed equal weights; if then a little is added to

the scale on one side, the balancing beam above rocks. It is the same too with a

lever, or with a large beam balanced on its fulcrum. Every single part inside

the human body, such as the heart, the lungs, the stomach, the liver, the

pancreas, the spleen, the intestines, and so on, is in such a state of

equilibrium; and this is what allows each of them to perform its functions in

the greatest tranquillity. It is the same with all muscles; if there were no

such equilibrium in them, all action and reaction would cease, and the person

would no longer be able to act as a person. Since then everything in the body is

in such a state of equilibrium, and also everything in the brain is in like

equilibrium, it follows that everything in the mind is too; and these things

relate to the will and the understanding.

 

[3] Animals, birds, fish and insects also have freedom; but these are impelled

by their bodily senses at the promptings of appetite and pleasure. A person

would not be very different from them, if he were as free to act as he is free

to think; he too would be impelled only by his bodily senses at the promptings

of lust and pleasure. The case is different if he drinks in the spiritual

teachings of the church and uses them to control his free will. The Lord leads

him away from lusts and wicked pleasures and the innate longings he has for

these; he strives after good, and turns his back on evil. He is then moved by

the Lord nearer to the east and at the same time to the south in the spiritual

world, and brought into heavenly freedom, which is true freedom " .

 

(http://theheavenlydoctrines.org/)