‘The Spiritual Journey’ is the SynoSphere theme for the month of February. This mini-series contains extracts from Izvor Book 213, Man’s Two Natures, Human and Divine. It provides a starting point for our spiritual journey, an understanding of the two natures that exist in human beings and that is our destiny to develop our higher Nature in order that it can express itself. To read the rest of this series, click the ‘next’ arrow at the top and bottom of this post.

‘Every being comes into the world bearing within them the tendencies and appetites they have inherited from the distant past, when animal instincts controlled us. We can never be absolutely free of the past, the difference between people being that some are enlightened and learn how to control and subjugate their animal instincts , whilst others refuse or are deprived of the light and remain as they are, restricted to their lower nature.

It is important to realize that a higher Nature exists in human beings, which expresses itself quite differently from the human nature they inherited from the animal kingdom. Many people think they are obeying Nature when in fact they are doing something exactly opposite to their higher Nature. Others concentrate on their divine Nature and do everything in their power to subjugate and restrict the impulses of their human nature.

The thing that interests animals most is survival, they need food and shelter above all, and then they need to reproduce and defend themselves. Nature herself has given them their instincts of self-preservation, aggression, reproduction, but humans are a different matter. Cosmic Intelligence gave them the power to think and to reason (along with other qualities and virtues). They have their animal nature, but they have another nature as well; it is their destiny to develop that Nature and allow it to express itself. I am not saying it is easy, nor that it can be done in a day. Human nature is too close to animal nature for it to change easily or rapidly.

Yes, for centuries the instinctive nature of humans has had time to grow and become a strong habit, whereas the mind and the ability to reason are comparatively recent acquisitions. Wisdom installed itself quite recently in man, which is why it is so fragile and delicate. It should not surprise you therefore, to learn that you are controlled by your human nature! It is your own instinct, your own prehistoric nature answering to whatever attracts it, without thinking.

The question is how to develop our intelligence and make it strong enough to conquer our ancient instincts and impulses, our animal (or human) nature. It is your problem and my problem and everyone else’s problem. We must all resolve it by learning not to capitulate to the lower nature.

Animals, not being intelligent, must be fearful in order to avoid danger; humans, who have intelligence (the new element proving our progress), should not hold on to fear, it is no longer natural because it keeps us from evolving.

It is a law that Nature approves of certain things at certain times and then rejects them. We must also do that. Wisdom lies in knowing how long to keep things and when to let them go. Now do you see why man must give up fear?

If we refuse to grow out of our old customs and concepts, we will never really live. We must die to the old form and adopt the new, more beautiful form, then we will really be alive!’

To be continued…

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov
Izvor Book 213, Man’s Two Natures, Human and Divine
Chapter 1, Human Nature or Animal Nature?