One of the keys to growing and evolving is understanding the appropriateness of individuals, groups, material goods, and experiences within one’s life. What may be beneficial in one phase of growth, may be detrimental in another. Holding on too tightly to something that has outlived its purpose has the potential to seriously limit growth.
I was reminded of this fact while discovering the following passage within The Unfinished Autobiography by Alice Bailey. Within this passage the fires of spirit and matter are described in the context of creation and evolution:
“A Treatise on Cosmic Fire was given out to the public. This book concerns the fire of pure spirit or life; the fire of the mind that vitalises every atom of the solar system and creates the medium through which the Sons of God develop. It also concerns the fire of matter producing that attraction and repulsion which is the basic law of evolution, and holding forms together so as to provide vehicles for the evolving life and later, when they have served their purpose, repulsing those forms so that the evolving lives can move on their way to higher evolution.”
Although the preceding passage describes creation and evolution at the atomic level, the same holds true at higher levels of abstraction. The energy that is essential to holding the form together at one level, becomes a hinderance to the next level of growth. There is a continual attraction and repulsion that occurs as an organism grows.
External limitations on evolution become apparent through intuition. There is an innate sense of knowing that occurs when outside influences limit growth. For example, interacting regularly with others with strong opposing views may cause friction during your new growth phase. These relationships likely allowed you to strive during the preceding or earlier phase, but may cause friction during the present phase.
Another example relates to involvement in formal groups. Once fascinating group meetings or events may now feel uninteresting and uninspiring. In addition, it may be worthwhile to re-evaluate the material goods that you regularly interact and that are present within your immediate environment. Useful books, consumer products, or other material possessions may now be stifling and slowing progress.
A key to maximizing evolutionary growth is environment, which of course all the preceding areas may fall within. Outside the limitation of the previously discussed aspects, the general environment in which one interacts has a profound effect on one’s rate of growth. Everything is in a state of becoming and naturally grows towards the Light. Those that grow in sunlight grow at a much faster rate than those who remain in the shadows.
Each example provided within this article is linked to individual feelings. By knowing yourself through the careful monitoring of your feelings it will become apparent which aspects of your life contribute to growth and which do not. The individuals, groups, material goods, and experiences should have an energizing effect which will serve to fuel growth.
This is not to say that there will not be difficulties or pain points within these areas. Quite the contrary, growth or becoming, is by definition struggle. However, appropriate challenges lead to bursts of energy as they are overcome, which in turn fuel progress towards future impediments.
The Unfinished Autobiography by Alice Bailey may be purchased at the Celestial Source Bookstore.