Psyche and Spirit

by Paul Werner

1. Mental and Spiritual Health

Suffering
Spiritual Senses
Spiritual Sensitivity
Spiritual Influence
Our Responsibility toward Mental Health
The Law of Attraction
The Influence of the Spirit

Do you consider yourself healthy? Your definition and mine might be quite different, even opposite. Health -- whether physical or emotional -- has very much to do with one's "state of mind." When our body is diseased or we feel pain, we are affected. If our mind is unsettled, we feel out of sorts. But brooding over something which troubles us can sometimes also induce pain that could feel very real. When our body aches or our mind feels distressed, we generally react by doing something about it. We might take medicine. We might elect to get away from it all and go on a trip. As a way to free ourselves of worries, we could turn to chemicals, or lose ourselves in a hobby. When we focus on doing a particular thing to one part of ourselves, the rest of us is "forced" to comply. But why, in our effort to cope with a given situation, do we so often turn to physical stimuli? How can we be so sure that they will do a proper job?

We each deal with failing health in various ways. We may pamper or disregard ourselves. We may happily take rest, or scoff at the prospect. But our psyche-our mind, our personality, our soul-this being we refer to as our "self'-needs to be understood and cared for. Dealing with this might be considered a psychological approach or labeled as treatment, but in fact we need help to become truly and totally "healthy."

To live the fullest and happiest life, man attempts to be as physically healthy as possible. Mental health is just as important to living a fulfilled and satisfied life. But what is sorely neglected by far too many people is the need to nurture a healthy spirit. Religious communities may stress that individuals make a strong vertical connection to God by observing certain daily and weekly rituals, but a great many spiritual leaders do not urge enough that the members of their congregations develop and maintain an active faith-something which is crucial in promoting spiritual health.

In terms of emotional or spiritual health problems, people are not encouraged enough to fight back against the influences that cause the diseases which ravage the soul. We might be able to pop a few pills in an attempt to heal our physical ailments, but how do we constructively fight mental and spiritual sickness? It will take something more than simply covering up the wounds which exist within our mind and heart, and those which encase our spirit. We must be ready to do something in terms of taking a religious posture and defending our faith.

Health of the heart is also imperative. But how does that elusive quality we refer to as "heart" get and stay healthy? The self-help books abounding today share a great many pointers, but the vast majority place far too little emphasis on developing a personal connection with God, and therefore do not stress the need for individuals to assume spiritual authority. Although there is much written today about the necessity to create and nurture friendships and relationships, virtually absent from the topic is the bond one makes with his Creator.

While some religions and cultures dictate the need to pay respect to one's ancestors, this practice does not extend very far in the life of modern-day man. Although people in some parts of the world still erect shrines and pay homage, there is generally not a universal consciousness that their ancestors and/or other spirit persons indeed influence their lives-be that persuasion good or bad. It is a factor, though, which has a definite impact on both mental and spiritual health.

Physical and mental health are crucial to spiritual health, and vice versa, as there is a definite interrelationship between spirit and body. As the Principle elucidates, our physical self must provide certain elements of vitality for our spirit self to grow. If those elements are not provided, the spirit will stagnate.

Our psyche and spirit together comprise the incarnation of our understandings and beliefs. It is hard to fight against subconscious feelings which we may be unable to discern. Yet the more we listen to our conscience -- our "original mind" -- the more we call upon those spirits who do understand the importance of spiritual growth. The more we allow them to help us, the faster we will grow, and the more healthy we will become.

Suffering

A great many people suffer. Much of that suffering is due not to hunger or poverty, but rather stems from ignorance of the spirit world and its influence on both our psyche and spirit. If more people would focus on their spiritual development-from strengthening their connection with God, to attuning their spiritual senses, to working on separating themselves from evil and growing toward goodness, spiritual health would naturally be more widespread. A greater sense of brotherhood then could and would develop even between peoples who may currently consider one another as enemies.

It is painful to see the suffering of those who are constantly tormented by evil spirits. We are often unable to detect the origin of their suffering because we are ignorant and unaware of the effect spiritual influence has upon human behavior. Voodoo, for example, is a viable means which can be and indeed is used for destructive purposes. The person who places a curse upon a particular individual or sticks pins in a doll meant to represent him attracts evil spiritual beings, who could inflict real harm. But the victim is definitely affected -- in mental, physical, and spiritual ways. On the other hand, prayers of intercession -- whether for an individual or a group -- can do a great deal to attract the assistance of good spiritual forces and ward off evil spirits.

How do we effectively stop the behavior of people involved in terrorism, or such groups as the Ku Klux Klan? How do we stop the condemnation of others, and even that which we place upon ourselves? Inferiority and superiority complexes can begird the human psyche and spirit. Yet if man is not taught to recognize them or cannot understand what causes them, he will be unable to stop them.

Someone overwhelmed by negativity obviously suffers. When we see someone in the throes of depression, the best thing we can do is to adopt a parental viewpoint and educate him through love. If such a standard of personal ethics would be more commonly used, a great many more people would be truly healthy. Because many people are unsure of the parameters of a spiritually healthy parent-child relationship, though, they find it hard to be a good example. In order to heal the suffering of another --either physically, mentally, or spiritually -- we must first discern what he needs. We should consider that by giving him nourishment which is inappropriate we may hurt him further, and thus should mercifully do our best to guard against that.

When love is withheld between partners and within families, mental anguish and spiritual suffering might result. A child who is the victim of divorce is often denied the love and security that should normally be provided by his parents. But one direct consequence of the Fall is that we suffer from lack of love in many of our relationships. And we ourselves often deprive people of love. Thus, we need to become more perceptive, discerning what effect our words and actions have on another person, and use that as the measure by which to terminate their suffering rather than extend it.

The psychology of suffering -- mental, physical, and even spiritual -- can and should be analyzed. Furthermore, we must connect our findings to the nature of sin. Unless we overcome our tendency to sin, and instead restore our relationship to God through perfecting our heart and love, any analysis will remain purely hypothetical projection. Using a purely humanistic viewpoint, fallen man cannot understand all he should in terms of the nature of suffering.

Our Position as Victim

All of us are capable of feeling compassion when we see someone who is deformed or crippled. In theory, we know all too well the incredible atrocities of forced labor camps or the horror of terrorist activities such as kidnapping or hijacking, and we may well feel a twinge of remorse for those who are victims of those "systems." But what do we do about it? Sicknesses affecting the psyche and the spirit are reviewed, but it seems this is done at arm's length. Most people have little desire to be involved in helping to bridge the gap, either to soothe a suffering world, or to comfort a suffering God.

Part of the problem is that we generally do not consider spiritual sickness to be a direct result of sin. But ignorance has prevailed far too long. Man must come to discover a true perspective of the problem and find the solution. A person who gets drunk and then drives his car may hurt or kill someone. It happens day after day, and the statistics keep mounting. Those whose loved ones are involved in such tragedy could also be considered "victims." They may become angry enough to form or join support groups in hopes of overcoming their grief, or to jump on a passing bandwagon to help pass legislation in hopes of enforcing stricter methods to deal with this crime. Though they keep bemoaning why it happened, they do not find a reasonable answer. Even psychologists who study the nature of such behavior leave out one very plausible prospect: that driving drunk is partially due to the influence of evil spirits.

People suffer because of ignorance. For example, little is known about death, but even mere mention of the word breeds anxiety or even fear. Findings about the spirit world are inconclusive, and thus neither too widespread nor universally accepted. Many people lose the desire to go on living after a loved one dies. They become apathetic about the direction and purpose of their own lives, feeling afraid and unable to cope. Yet this kind of spiritual suffering is unnecessary. If people were clearly educated about the purpose of this life and its relationship to eternal life, much more would be known about physical and spiritual death. If man was informed about the spiritual reality, he could tackle his fear of death, and perhaps even his fear of life. Such a conviction could cast a positive reflection upon one's state of mind as well as the state of his health. And it could also surely end some of man's deepest suffering.

Spiritual Senses

When we judge others or even form opinions about them, we should detect our motivation. By saying the things we do, are we ultimately trying to help others fulfill their aspirations, or do we secretly wish to undermine, even destroy them? We possess the potential and the power to be happy, but the potential to make our life miserable is also within our reach. The relationships we form are the major factor contributing to the final outcome. The more we nurture our interpersonal relationships, the more our spiritual senses will open and function. Yet one important prerequisite is that we open our heart. If we are unwilling to do this or to sacrifice for another, we will probably remain blocked and suffer as a result. But in doing so, we will close ourselves off from allowing anyone to enter our private sphere. Consequently, we will find it difficult to communicate with others, to be caring, or to administer the much needed quality of forgiveness.

Developing our Spiritual Senses

Our spiritual senses are, unfortunately, so underdeveloped. While a great many people may not be clairvoyant or clairaudient, the sense of intuition (often referred to as the "sixth" sense) is quite attuned in some people. Many people who "receive" through intuition are dubious of the small inner voice they hear, and then tend to ignore what is said. That is why it is hard for man to perceive the heart of God. When God tries to communicate with us, we may doubt our ability to receive His transmission, and then we simply tune out.

We are most often more superficial, preferring to deal more exclusively with things of the physical world. They are more well known to us, and hence we feel more comfortable with them. But when we tend to exclude the spirit world, our life becomes more artificial; we may not perceive how devoid it is of the spiritual richness it could have, primarily because we are separated from God. We become more engrossed in the mundane activities of life, which tend to pull us further away from Him. It then becomes more challenging to build a deeper relationship with Him. We may have material wealth and have a great many acquaintances, but there is a limit to the nourishment these afford both our psyche and spirit.

On the pages of religious history are recorded stories of the many saints who tried to subjugate their physical bodies in an effort to draw closer to God and attain a higher spiritual level. They desired a greater truth and a more substantial relationship with God. We, too, should be as goal-oriented-to develop both our senses and our heart, and then work at perceiving what God is desperate to tell us.

Sharpening Our Spiritual Senses

We do not recognize how many of our spiritual senses are active at any given time. Because we are unaware of how they function, we might come to rationalize that our spiritual senses do not work. But even intuition and common sense could be considered "spiritual" senses, and sometimes they work overtime. We may not be able to understand how they work, but should just accept that with a bit of sharpening, they can function. To accurately discern a person's level of maturity, we must sharpen our spiritual senses; yet to make such an evaluation, we have to be healthy ourselves -- physically, mentally, and spiritually. Some days we may feel a bit down, but this could influence any evaluation we might make of people or situations, making true judgment next to impossible. Yet if we could be unchanging, constant, and stable in character, we would better be able to discern spiritually, and thus see things and others from God's viewpoint.

There are multitudes of spiritual influences -- from lying, sleeping, cheating, to sexual obsession, material greed, and the like. Spirits are always around us, influencing us in one way or another. To perceive what influence they have upon us and then deal with the situation responsibly is, in part, a question of developing our spiritual senses.

For no "apparent" reason we might start lying and then become entangled in a web of lies. We might try to hide something or deceive others, but in the process, be shocked at what we find ourselves doing. It seems totally out of character and not at all "like us" to lie. At the outset we felt absolutely no intention to fib about the particular thing we did or did not do, yet we became "trapped." Such an experience could certainly be due to the influence of spiritual beings. Likewise, when we desire to stay awake, but drooping eyelids and an overwhelming desire to sleep get the best of us, it could be that we are influenced by spiritual beings who have their own motivation for not wanting us to hear or understand what is said.

Falling asleep at inappropriate moments may be a mild case of spiritual influence -- or could be due to downright exhaustion. But there are certain other behavioral "traits" which psychology recognizes, yet is unable to explain fully. If the problem was investigated along a spiritual vein, an answer would certainly surface. Although problems with masturbation or sexual promiscuity -- even prostitution -- could be a result of the environment and heredity, they might also be due to the influence of spirits. Spirit persons, for example, might still want to satisfy some need and they "use" people to do so.

Some human behavior seems like such a mystery. Pulling out psychological threads as a means to overcome them is more of a Band-Aid approach -- tedious, and not long-lasting. Band-Aids will never sufficiently cover gaping wounds; before we will understand how to permanently root out the problem, we must search deeper to find the cause. If psychologists and medical professionals alike accepted and worked with the premise of spiritual influence, they could together with their patients investigate the "how-to" of confronting and combating it -- something which would produce a greater working knowledge with which to fight against this domination.

We all experience tensions in life. These can affect us to such an extent that our viewpoint becomes distorted. Each of us should discover from where our tensions stem, and how we can rid ourselves of them. We should first distinguish if there is a physical cause such as being overtired or hungry. Once we discover the problem, we might have at our fingertips the means with which to deal with it: by getting more sleep, eating, or relaxing. Yet if we discover that the tensions are more spiritual than physical, we will need to employ a whole different set of solutions. And we will have to dig into the spiritual realm to discover them.

As the Principle explains, the presence of God is the best stabilizer for one's spirit. The more energies we receive from God and good spirits, the more calm our spirit will become, and the better our body will function. We must allow only those spirits who desire to assist God, control of our id, ego, and super ego. This will afford us the greatest possible success to reach our highest ideals. What is more, we would probably find we are much healthier-spiritually, mentally, and physically.

Spiritual Sensitivity

To learn about this universe, we need to use our physical senses. It stands to reason, then, that we learn about the spiritual universe by using our spiritual senses. Unfortunately the barrier between God and man created through the Fall has kept us from knowing how to attune them. If we want to know about our invisible God, we have to journey into the invisible realm, too. We can meet God by using our spiritual senses. We have to deal with God not just intellectually through conversation, but also spiritually-through a heart to heart give-and-take. Yet if we can perceive how compassionately God deals with us, we could better understand what tender mercies we should use in relating to Him and others.

Being sensitive, discerning and perceiving spiritually will afford a person greater spiritual power. But if we are to win the war against spiritual influence and domination, we must clearly know our goal, our enemy, and ourselves.

As we build our relationship with God, our intuition will develop quite naturally. We generally view things in such a horizontal way. What do we see when we look at a person? The clothes he wears? His facial expression? While such things do reflect something about a person's spiritual demeanor, we often do not perceive the things he does not say. In other words, we do not listen "between the lines." Words are only symbols. Inside there is another dynamic at work, but the real emotions are often buried deeper. Rather than granting him our full attention and attempting to perceive something more, we are often much more focused on the way he reacts to us, and what he thinks of us. The more sensitively we "read" or perceive something about a person, the more we could discern what he is dealing with, and how we might assist him.

The ability to sense something about certain objects or even people will not produce sensitivity within us, although we can "sense" something about someone based on vibrations coming from him. Likewise, we can be stimulated when interacting with another person or the environment. In this way, we can detect something about the spiritual atmosphere from the "vibrations" we feel. When we look into a person's eyes, for example, we are able to detect something about him. Even his facial expression gives some clues. Although the physical appearance does tell something, we should not be content to stop our exploration there. We should find out what goes on within that individual, probing to discover his hopes and dreams, what he thinks, and even why. To do so, we have to use our inner senses -- our spiritual senses. And to learn about God, we have to do the very same thing.

How can we control and attune these senses of ours? It will take great concentration, and a thorough investigation of the spiritual environment. Doing this will expand our knowledge of the unseen world. It is possible to be a genuinely loving person; people "prove" this by the way they live, as many strive to be close to God. Yet far too many simply live according to socio-economic "values;" something which will not get them very far, spiritually. Those people who can "see" something greater, then train themselves to advance in different ways. They desire to use their spiritual senses and discern more than traffic jams or stock market reports, and to concern themselves with something more tangible than the high cost of living, or paying the rent. Morals and ethics certainly play an important part in this discovery.

Sensitivity Toward Others

Sensitivity can also be interpreted as being self-centeredly sensitive -- or hypersensitive to things people say and do to us. The reason we might react in an overly sensitive way is that we are often still too focused on fulfilling our own need for love and protection. The way we restore those feelings is to become sensitive to our fellow man-in the "sense" of looking out for him: being concerned with loving, not being loved. Jesus' own prescription for living is that he came to serve, not to be served.

If we look at people exclusively from the horizontal viewpoint repugnant about what they do or do not do -- how can we be truly sensitive to them? The more we move away from viewing them with the eyes of love, the more our sensitivity decreases. Mankind must come to recognize that it is the failure to perceive God's unconditional love and Satan's abusive love which continues to confuse us. This all began with the Fall of man, the effects of which are very much with us today. Whether or not we understand it, each human being must still contend with the fallen nature on a daffy basis, an element of behavior which greatly complicates the human dilemma.

If we would consider that every individual is a special personality -- a unique part of God -- we would also more easily overcome our difficulties to be sensitive to him. We have to consider that each person has a heart, an intellect, and feelings. That each of us can be moved or offended by things, and each of us feels loved or unloved. At the same time we experience things, everyone else experiences something, too. The point is, most of the time we do not consider that all those people around us are also plagued with many of the same inner conflicts we ourselves experience. The sensitivity that we might harbor for our individual needs and goals is not unlike what others feel about their own situation.

We are still far too influenced by satanic hypersensitivity thinking we are super and unique, and indeed the center of the cosmos. But we don't realize that everyone else thinks in much the same way. We view the world as revolving around us. It is partially true: the whole world does vibrate around us, in us. But we must also remember to look at all the other "worlds." There are many with which we both compete and collide every day. The first point is to admit that such worlds are like our own -- that each person has needs and problems. But just as important is to consider that everyone else has as great a value as we ourselves do. The next step is to discover the viewpoint of God, which is that each of those "worlds" cannot live without the others.

If we feel that we are made of "glass" and could shatter if a heavy insult were hurled forth, then we must be sensitive enough to consider that others are also made of glass. That everyone has antennae and spiritual senses, and in fact, everybody is sending and receiving some sort of "transmission" at the same time. We should make sure we respect everyone as a child of God, for if we recognize that the glory of God is all around us-indeed, hidden within the hearts of others-we would naturally treat them with consideration. Once we understand that they also have feelings, that they are also suffering and trying to overcome the effects of sin, we will avoid doing or saying anything that would damage their self-confidence.

Unfortunately, this world is still fallen and still Satan-centered; that is why most people still commit the crime Satan did of using and manipulating people, squeezing as much as possible from them. Those who desire to be godly and spiritually mature should ask how they can give more to their fellow human beings. That is an entirely different melody from what most of the world hears, one played using the "instrument" of sensitivity. If we could recognize that no matter what our position each of us must overcome what was lost as a result of the Fall, we would develop much more compassion and sensitivity for those who know and accept that, and especially for those who haven't a clue.

A certain word or idea might instantly bring back memories that could even evoke icy shivers to literally run up and down the spine. How do we explain such a phenomenon? Goosebumps is definitely a physical manifestation. Feeling stone cold in the heart because of anger, or starting to sweat out of fear, are reactions of the nervous system. Spiritual energies from within could begin the process, for there is definite cooperation between the physical and spiritual elements within us. We often do not consider that we may be persuaded to act as we do based on the "feelings" of spirit persons who express them through us, which manifest spiritually and physically.

Becoming spiritually sensitive will allow us to discern whether a spirit being is good or evil. Yet perception must extend further. In order to help a person who has spiritual problems, we must come to understand something about his character, otherwise, we may not recognize if his actions are totally "him," or if he is overpowered by spirits who might be trying to wreak havoc in his life. To assist a person in overcoming his problems, we must gain the ability to analyze what he needs. This is something we should do with our physical and spiritual senses simultaneously. If all ten of our senses reach the same conclusion about what is troubling the person, we stand in a position to help him. But if we cannot empathize -- based on what our logical mind or our spiritual intuition "tells" us -- how can we properly help that person? We stay insensitive, and the person may remain in spiritual tatters.

Many people live and work alongside each other for years, yet refrain from and even consciously avoid dealing with their souls, they decline from digging into the hearts of their co-workers or neighbors, because doing so takes great effort and inevitably brings confrontation. When we love and actively work on bettering our relationships we are forced to grow. If we make this a focus in life, we are bound to become more spiritually sensitive! It takes effort and practice to be a good heart-opener, but it is the most beautiful and fulfilling work a person can do. This is definitely one job that good spirits desire to assist us with, for as we grow, they also benefit.

How do we feel about the people in our life? Our spouse? Our children? Our parents? Our neighbors? Our friends? What do we feel about the state of the world today? Because we are more physically oriented, in our mind's eye we tend to picture a person or situation. Yet if we were more spiritually oriented, we would do something quite different. We would no doubt remember the vibrations that emanated from the particular person or which surrounded the situation. Although we might still envision the person's physical appearance, once a certain string within our heart is fingered, we could also recall something about the spiritual vibration surrounding the person and incident -- the tone of the conversation, and the like. This would make a great difference to our way of relating with one another.

Insensitivity

To live a life of faith, one needs to develop and use his spiritual senses. Doing that will allow him to discern things about the spiritual climate, even in the midst of his physical environment. Human beings often collide with each other because of insensitivity. And insensitivity can cause a deprivation of love. If we are insensitive, we will not easily perceive that our neighbor needs love, and thus we might deprive him of love we should give him. We often refuse to love and instead continue playing psychological games with people as a way to manipulate them for our own personal gain. But becoming good at mind games and tactical warfare and then engaging in an emotional scrimmage, will not help us overcome this very basic of sins.

We may sense a spiritual spear when it is thrown in our direction, but because we are hypersensitive, often have just as easy a time to detect a spiritual needle. Developing our sensitivity is a noble thing, but there is one problem: often we do not "feel" just what effect it will have on another person if we are the one jabbing with that spear or needle. We do not take note that the same feelings of hate, love, betrayal or resentment which rise up within us time and again, surely surface in others depending upon how we relate to them. All of us have the power to spiritually and emotionally abuse one another, although we rarely see it as such. We do not perceive that unless we mend our relationships with threads of sensitivity, we will not advance spiritually as we should.

People become complacent about restoring broken relationships; it is far easier not to care. For restoration to occur, solutions to psychological problems must be carried out, and to do so, we need to uncover how to deal with ourselves and one another sensitively. It is a question of training, discipline, and self-control-of applying the knowledge we acquire and then practicing it. The spiritual sensitivity of those people who place more emphasis on personal spiritual exercise such as prayer or study of God's word is more developed. Through exercising our spiritual senses, then, we become more keenly perceptive, able to judge a situation with much more acuteness.

Spiritual Sensitivity and Resurrection

The Principle teaches that no one can reach perfection without a physical body. Since a spirit no longer has his own body, he must find one to use. That is why billions of spirits envy us. They have the chance to restore themselves and be "resurrected" to perfection only by cooperating and working with man. Given the tumultuous problems now existing on earth, coupled with man's resistance to what he might consider a totally outlandish possibility, we have to realize how encompassing this task is!

How often have we said of someone, "When will he get it through his thick head...?" Can't we envision that spirit persons might say the very same thing about us? In a sense, they are at a loss to move ahead because of our ignorance, and our lack of cooperation. When spirits want to warn us of danger and either grant us a premonition, encourage through a dream, or guide us in a certain direction by "speaking" to us, yet we turn away in defiance or refuse to heed their warnings, how might they respond? What would we do? They must feel so desperate. They can see and sense so much more than we can. Those who are particularly knowledgeable about the principles of resurrection (as described in the Principle) could do much to assist us. We must develop our spiritual sensitivity and be able to discern what type of spiritual beings influence and work through us. We must then invite only those spirits who are actively working toward their own perfection of heart and love to participate in our life in order that both can grow. If we allow just any spirit to gain control, we are courting trouble.

To relate with another person we need to perceive something of his character. In the same way, we should become knowledgeable about the nature of spirit persons. For example, we should realize there are many demonic spirits who torment and ultimately aim to destroy people. We must recognize that they work with Satan, helping him retain control of the world. They may know the law of resurrection, but like Satan, thrive on a feeling of power and fight to the death to keep hold of it. Influence from the spirit world can be strong, even overpowering, and if such interference bears heavily upon a person, he may find it hard to withstand, and then simply submit to it. If a person is ignorant about the whole matter, though, he most likely would be unaware of what is happening to him.

In some cases, evil spirits do understand the principles of resurrection and desire to grow spiritually in order to leave the lower realms of the spirit world. As a result, they might have to do something rather drastic-even taunting their descendants as a way for those people to overcome certain character weaknesses, and mature spiritually as a result. It could be considered that those spirits perform a type of service, for if the person overcomes his fallen nature, both will grow spiritually.

Many spirit persons understand the necessity of spiritual growth, thus they have no choice but to depend upon us. Their frustration is that we are often unaware of our need to grow spiritually, and thus we tend to live without regard for our eternal life. As well, we fail to consider that they cannot spiritually resurrect on their own, but must do it by working through us.

Spiritual Sensitivity and Human Behavior

If we create a base for Satan through bad thoughts and feelings, negative thinking, swearing, cursing others or situations, we advance Satan's cause. Such behavior is learned, and often taught to us by spirit persons. It can feel so comfortable that it becomes habit, but when we allow ourselves to get into that rut, we essentially cut ourselves off from help which God and good spirits want to offer us. Then we are on our own. What is worse, the further we think ourselves into that direction, the more intensely evil spirits are drawn to us. They have the power to enforce great spiritual pressure upon us, something which can make us feel so uncomfortable, we unwittingly yield to them. When this happens, they succeed in dominating us, and getting us under their control. We then become subject to their directives.

Murder by whim -- whether in village square or fast food restaurant -- has become more common. What explanation is given? Psychologists and sociologists probe a killer's background to discover a possible motive, although even professionals might unearth some clues, what their interpretation lacks is the possibility that spiritual interference is at least part of the cause, specifically, that the killer acted on urging from a spirit who desires to satisfy a personal vendetta, or revenge a feeling of being "wronged" during his life on earth.

If a person could keep a constant connection to God at all times, he would have a certain defense against such power. Negative and demonic spirits would then have no cause to influence him. So many people are disappointed; not fully alive, they simply exist in depression. Their emotions might simmer for years, only to one day erupt into a full boil. Such a person may speak to no one about how they feel, rationalizing that many people feel similarly, and question what anyone can do about it anyway. A person in such a predicament may become terribly insecure, afraid of anyone who ventures to knock on the door to his house or the one guarding his heart. People who live in small villages in the middle of nowhere seem fresh -- full of life and love. Not afraid to feel. Not afraid to be themselves. But too many others have been jaded by big city life -- its temptations and its very environment. They might easily succumb to the stresses which they face. Such a person might keep his door chained, and if he opens it at all, could stick the barrel of a gun out the door as a warning to the individual who knocked. What kind of world is this? Is such an action simply "us?" Isn't it more sensible that at times something-someone else prompts us to act this way?

We must come to understand the "psychology" behind peoples' actions. Because we are ignorant of the way to, and even the need for, assuming dominion over spirit persons, all of us are quite literally "pushed around"; we have no freedom from the influence of the spirit world, a fact we neither realize nor remember through the nitty-gritty routine of day to day living. We cannot help but notice the person who nearly runs into our car, or the prankster who destroys our garden, seemingly for the fun of it. Sometimes we might feel the whole world is out to get us! We might be the type of person who becomes angry and seeks revenge. Possibly we have enough spiritual fortitude to shrug off such incidents. But whatever our reaction, we might view this kind of situation as a fact of life, something which must be contended with, but nothing we can control or prohibit. In some ways that may be true, but what we do not realize is that often such situations are set up or caused by the influence of spirits. The work of Satan, through evil spirits, might be what influences people to say or do certain things. On the other hand our reaction and behavior can also be motivated by good spirits. Our attitude and the way we respond sets a condition for either a good or evil spirit to work with and through us. Our reaction to such challenge, then, can either cause us to grow or regress, surge to triumph or yield to tragedy.

Spiritual Sensitivity and Success

The fact that God also sends spiritual forces to bestow certain blessings and grace upon us cannot be dismissed. Such spirits definitely assist our growth, and can help us succeed even by providing ways that test us. Neither God nor Satan can be totally accurate in predicting our response. Then again, neither can we. Through such challenges, though, we might be propelled into ecstasy or agony, but if we could view a given situation for what it could teach us, we would better use it to our advantage, and at the same time, we would most certainly grow spiritually.

We all believe certain things about ourselves. These points can be true or false, perceived or "received." A belief we have in ourselves-for example, that we are clumsy -- could attract spiritual beings with that same demeanor to work with us. Have we ever noticed that when someone proclaims us as a "klutz," we act just that way? Spirit persons might have set out to "prove" us right.

If we respect ourselves as a child of God and refuse to allow anyone to deter us from that belief, spirit persons will also come to respect our position. If we allow them to hold us back from achieving the goal of perfection, we prolong our own suffering, but even more significantly, we add to the anguish of God. If our ancestors or other spiritual beings working through us are unwilling to cooperate with helping us grow and mature, He grants us the power to command them to leave; it is up to us to have the self-confidence to do that. Too many people are led around by spirits year after year, unaware that to mature spiritually, they can and should fight against these forces. But even in this task we are not alone, for we can absolutely draw upon the power and spirit of God to help us fend off their influence and attack.

Spiritual Influence

The interference of spirit world in human affairs is something to consider. Though most people know little about it, nevertheless it must not be discounted.

Those who work in mental institutions might not consider that what leads to a great number of the patients being "put away" is actually due to spiritual causes. They may recognize, even believe in, the existence of parapsychology, but do not even consider it relates to the way the spirit world influences man's daily life. Many who are institutionalized simply do not belong "locked up." They might have had one or more spiritual experiences which they did not understand, and as a result, could not handle. They misunderstood what was happening to them, and consequently, were misjudged by well-meaning relatives and friends who helped get them committed to the institution. Their experiences, though, does not necessarily constitute mental illness; they simply needed guidance on how to exert control over the spirit world rather than allow themselves to be dominated.

The Bible records many instances of phenomena between men and either angels or spirit persons. It is written that the disciples of Jesus had visions, and even saw Jesus himself after his death. Today a person having such experiences is often scoffed at, or worse, regarded as mentally ill. The existence of the spiritual world is something very real, but unfortunately is doubted by many people. Those who do, misunderstand that the spirit world is absolutely a part of this world.

People who lived in bygone eras no doubt experienced and built up tremendous resentment about certain things that occurred during their physical lifetime. That powerful emotion is within the hearts of people today. By the same token, it permeates the spirit world, and causes major problems. Spirits from all different nationalities still fight each other -- emotionally, if not physically through their descendants on earth. We sometimes must contend with unexplained and intense feelings of hostility and resentment. We do not understand what comes over us in such a moment, and we feel that our emotions are totally from us. Without realizing what is happening, we are "fed" negative thoughts about another person or family that our ancestors possibly hated during their lifetime. Emotions rage within us and up go our defenses.

Cain killed Abel. But "civil war" did not stop there; that murder started a pattern, and resentment toward our fellow man still flourishes within the human heart today. The millions of people who died in wars naturally have resentment against the particular people who killed them, as do their descendants who are presently alive. The Principle explains that this historic resentment has to be overcome on earth. We must discover ways to do this. Interracial marriage, for example, is one way that those in spirit world can reconcile their differences, as it has the power to bring together families who were former enemies. A German and a Frenchman who now live in the spirit world may have hated each other while they were alive, but if their descendants marry, those same spiritual beings are almost forced to unite. Such unions will not only bring peace on earth, but also generate peace in the spirit world. Ultimately there must be an amalgamation of peoples, and nations must come to serve rather than fight one another. True brotherhood has to result. Without an understanding of our purpose in life and our position in both the physical and spiritual worlds, we will stagnate unless we actively progress toward that goal.

Negativity alienates us from others and from the true purpose of life itself, therefore, we should endeavor to create no bases for negative spiritual influence. Through exercising our will, we can uplift ourselves and others at the same time. We also cannot underestimate the power of a bright, positive spiritual demeanor, for it has the strength to diffuse evil forces. And the more healthy our psyche and spirit become, the more we can positively influence this world, still so darkened by evil forces.

Satan's Influence

We often allow Satan room in our lives; even if it is done unconsciously, we make small bases through which Satan and evil spirits can invade. It could be through remembering some points of our past, or pulling into the present certain outdated standards of value we previously held. Unless we cut off from them, elements from our past can influence us and block our growth. Every day we decide whose bidding we will do -- God's or Satan's. The problem is that we just don't "see" it. Too often we choose the "default" -- continuing to behave according to the way Satan has taught us. We should recognize that our past way of relating to others was in accordance with Satan's set of laws, and that we have adopted and continue to use Satan's viewpoint. To throw off the shackles which bind us to him, we must consciously decide to live with God, adopt His viewpoint, and live according to His set of principles.

Since the Fall of man, God and Satan have been involved in continuous struggle for the life of every human being in a type of spiritual tug-of-war. We may feel the effects of this within our mind and heart, but unless we can recognize this especially in confronting our most intense struggles, we will find living in the "midway" lane most difficult, and more tension-producing than tension-relieving.

We attempt to perceive what is true and false by using our intellect, basing our decisions primarily on reason and logic. When we do this, we fail to realize that so many of our hidden problems could be overcome were we to develop and use our spiritual senses. The vast majority of our personal battles are not of a physical nature, but rather involve those invisible elements connected to the psyche and spirit. They must be won, but to rely mostly upon our mental capacity and to reason them through is merely a substitute for overcoming in a spiritual sense. Yet sometimes our problems definitely require that we call upon God and the forces of the good spirit world. This is especially crucial to help us deal with the problems we experience due to unresolved sin. We can definitely ask the spirit world to assist us with such difficulties as surmounting that very "human" nature. One problem is that we usually fail to remember this option when faced with a monumental and larger-than-life spiritual impasse.

Our Responsibility toward Mental Health

Many people are more self-centered than public-minded. They want to make the best of life, but might do so without offering much assistance to their neighbors. All of us use defense mechanisms to protect ourselves. Many even become quite good at it. What we may not realize is that too many of us unknowingly allow ourselves to be victimized by spiritual beings who are out to achieve a certain goal. But the problem is that often we erect those defenses against the innocent people around us, when we should instead protect ourselves from spiritual interference.

When we encounter a person who for no apparent reason is harsh and unfriendly, we should think about why. Seen in the light of spiritual influence, his behavior could partially be due to invisible tensions from pressures exerted by spirits. We are perhaps negatively affected by his behavior and wonder what we did wrong, when instead he should have done something about resisting their attention. His behavior definitely affects our own, and ours in turn affects our neighbor, in fact a chain reaction is set off. Spirit persons may relish in his display of emotions. But people on earth find it hard to "turn the other cheek," and could instead do something cruel and calculating to hurt another. We do not recognize that he is bothered by spiritual influence, and what goes on under the surface is something quite different. Even though he may speak in gruff tones, that person may secretly long to offer his love. His heart may feel constricted, knowing what he should do, yet unaware of how to shut off the spiritual interference which "instructs" him to do something different.

We must take responsibility to make sure that spirits do not adversely affect our spiritual health, or that through negative thinking and action we allow our own spirit become dwarfed or gnarled because it receives inadequate spiritual nourishment. Although we all are influenced by the spirit world, we must keep one principle in mind: we alone decide whether we will grow or regress and whether we will allow spiritual beings to assist us, or dominate us. Based on our reaction, we decide whether we will successfully work toward and finally reach perfection, or stagnate-spiritually come alive, or die.

If we consistently center our thoughts and actions upon the laws of God, in other words, focus on following God's purpose for our life, we will be more emotionally stable and less likely to bend under the pressure from any negative spiritual influence. If we are spiritually unstable and just react to a situation out of anger, we lose our defense against evil spirits.

If we are more influenced by evil spirits than by good spirits on a constant basis, we should analyze why, and then aim to change. We must use our ability to reason out the situation and then discipline ourselves, thereby activating the good spiritual world. Our best defense against manipulation by spirits is to become spiritually stable. The way to do that is to make a commitment or promise to God, something which calls for inner strength and a strong sense of responsibility.

We have to keep in mind that spirits are persons like us. Can we adequately communicate with another person if we are skeptical that he hears what we say? We should ask ourselves the same question in terms of the way we view spirit persons.

Although it may be a new and unique concept, it stands to reason that spirits also need to be given praise. If we would express our gratitude for their assistance or compliment them for a job well done, they would no doubt feel uplifted and be that much more willing to assist us further. They are no different from you and me; they long to be recognized and appreciated. If we do more of it -- to both physical and spiritual beings alike -- we would surely notice a great change in their attitude and behavior, for we would also react and behave in a much different way. The more positive and forward looking we become, the better our spiritual and physical health.

When we withdraw from serving and loving God and live apathetically, we create ideal conditions through which Satan and evil spirits will work. Some people try to solve their emotional problems and negativity through self-indulgence. Yet the Unification Teaching1 urges that the most effective way to solve our problems is to go away from ourselves and turn toward others, for that is the way we work toward accomplishing the will of God.

If people are taken out of a pressured environment and put into a less stressful situation, they will feel more relaxed and their productivity will naturally increase. They will no longer attract the spirits that cannot cope with stress and pressure, instead those with a more calm nature will be able to surround them. Authority figures such as parents, teachers, and employers should be sensitive to their children or subordinates and help them deal with their environment. When possible, they should remove some pressure from a person when they notice it is too great. It is a responsible action to encourage growth by noting when someone makes strides, and then compliment their advances and successes. Praise is essential to mental and spiritual health. It is a human need and a responsibility.

The Law of Attraction

It is surprising how many people do experience spiritual phenomena -- seeing spiritual visions, hearing spiritual voices, and the like. Yet many in today's secularized world reject such a possibility, therefore, people feel compelled to hide their experiences with, and even deny their belief that the unseen world actually does exist. Those who are constantly bothered by evil spirits lose their ability to discern spiritual influence, and cannot tell how much of their behavior is their own, and how much results from the intervention of spirit persons surrounding them. We forget all too often that we have an eternal bond with God, our Parent, thus we can call upon His power. It is not necessary to passively succumb to feelings induced by spiritual beings. Again, that is a decision we ourselves make. We must be aware that our spiritual health may decline unless we move to separate ourselves from negative spiritual beings and as a consequence, remove ourselves from their sphere of influence.

If we create a small base for Satan to invade, God will no longer be able to claim us, and good spirits unable to draw close to us. We may think or feel they are still with us, but it is not the case. It is hard for Satan to penetrate a strong girdle of prayer. Yet if we do not erect this type of "spiritual" defense mechanism and we create even a tiny opening, he may intervene.

Spirits may not believe us if we do not act according to what we say. If we are not careful, they can lead us around as they desire. We may command the good spirit world to do something, yet if we do not believe they can do anything, their power decreases. Again, they are no different from us. They cannot help anyone who doesn't want to be helped, and neither can we. But if we push them away and they no longer assist us, we must realize that we are vulnerable to the influence of evil spirits. On the other hand, when we pray that God's will be done, those spirits who desire to help God will rush to assist us. If we demonstrate to God our conviction to accomplish His will, we draw His cooperation and that of the good spirit world.

It is up to us which realm of the spirit world works with us. Through the law of attraction we are able to draw spirits who even have similar talents and abilities to our own. Our creativity and accomplishments can be fine-tuned and most definitely enhanced through their help. People have claimed that the spirit of Beethoven or Michelangelo was with them. Given the principle of resurrection, great artists and musicians who lived in the past may well try to find a base on earth, and even today work through a person to continue creating great masterpieces.

How do we inspire spirit world to assist us? Again, we must realize that we create bases for the spirit world in whatever we do. For example, if we are hesitant, we have to expect that little help will come to us, for spiritual beings will be reluctant to help us. We must come to know ourselves intimately, especially recognizing our weak points, for they are specifically what we have to change as they hold both us and spirit persons back from growing. The more aware we are of the spirit world, the less likely we are to create bases for evil spirits to work through us. We must take the initiative to work out our personal fears and weaknesses; no one can do it for us. It is when we make an extraordinary effort that the spirit world starts to work with us intensively. If we willingly invest ourselves in working to become the best we can be, we will achieve our goal. It is this type of determination which good spirit persons respect, for it is our attitude which either inspires them to work with us, or repels them.

Spiritual Possession

Spiritual -- ordemonic -- possession also works according to the law of attraction. For instance, a person who is depressed pulls spirits who are also depressed toward himself. They find in him a comfortable habitat in which to reside. Those spirits can be so forceful that they might even begin to control his actions and thoughts; if this happens, the person could find himself living in a veritable "cloud" of depression. Their mood absolutely matches and ultimately dictates his. But it is very hard for the person to discern whether "he" alone feels all the emotions he experiences, or whether something-someone-else contributes to them.

Suicide

Overwhelming influence from spirits might provoke a person to attempt suicide. A person who takes his own life does not realize how wrong it is; he does not comprehend that while he may succeed in killing his physical body, his consciousness -- or spirit -- will not be destroyed in the process. He does not know that he will end up in spirit world just as -- if not more -- depressed. If a person goes to the spirit world before reaching perfection, according to the principles of resurrection, he can grow spiritually by working through people living in like situations on the earth. The spirit who influences the person then might further depress him, or even drive him to attempt suicide.

Spiritual beings who also committed suicide might torment a person, urging him to do the same. Yet spirits who reside in a higher dimension and can clearly see the fate of those who commit suicide might encourage the person not to do it, or at least attempt to forestall such a fate by encouraging him to reach out for help.

One rather strange phenomenon is that most people -- especially young people -- who think about committing suicide usually try to save their life by making a last minute phone call or giving a sign to someone, perhaps out of their subconscious desire or built-in instinct for survival. They want to be saved. Although the person might proceed toward taking his own life, he subconsciously hopes that someone will come to his rescue.

One significant factor contributing to the rise in teenage suicide is that many young people neither have goals, nor find much purpose in life. They compare what they might gain and what they could lose, say life just does not pay and that they cannot handle it, so they choose the alternative of suicide. Such people usually do not believe in eternal life, and cannot understand that taking their own life is not the ultimate answer. They do not realize that by going to the spirit world in such a depressed mental state, they will continue to be plagued by the same concepts, and experience feelings of depression or loneliness. They do not understand that working to alleviate their burdens and pressures in the spirit world is not only much harder, but might take thousands of years. Furthermore, they do not comprehend that in the spirit world they cannot grow by themselves, but must work through a physical being. And thus they definitely do not understand that growth toward perfection is much easier here on earth.

Recently, Western society has witnessed something of the opposite behavior from older people. Often elderly people who are terminally ill want to die, and even ask their relatives and friends to "pull the plug" on their life support system. The person makes up his mind, and sometimes succeeds. Such is the case of an Alzheimer's sufferer who begged her husband to kill her. Her husband complied and was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to a prison term, despite his elderly age. Young people, though, generally don't want to die. Intellectually they know that years of life are before them, but sometimes life just seems too painful, so they consider suicide as a way out.

From the viewpoint of God, however, suicide is murder and a capital sin. Therefore, far greater emphasis should be placed on how to become healthy in mind, body and spirit. Were man educated about spiritual influence, he would certainly know much more about how to gain their assistance rather than permitting them to assume dominion over him.

The Influence of the Spirit

It is difficult to segregate the "spirit" from the "psyche" as the two are so interrelated. In many instances it might be determined that people who have mental problems could also be considered as having spiritual problems. However, if people would train their psyche in accordance with certain spiritual laws, they could gain control and ultimately rid themselves of both types of problems.

It is often difficult to ascertain whether a particular problem is purely spiritual or mental, for our spiritual stance and mental attitude are also intertwined. If a person becomes spiritually stable, his psyche will be influenced. Yet a damaged psyche could potentially inhibit spiritual growth; as the Principle indicates, a spirit can grow best on the foundation of a healthy body and mind. It is likely, though, that a spiritual problem could manifest in a person who has a mental deficiency. There are many ways to treat such inadequacies. Sometimes the only way is quite drastic-through medicine and/or hospitalization. Self-discipline or a change in behavioral patterns, however, can contribute to strengthening the physical self, something which in turn would result in a healthier mental attitude. But one major factor that would result in much better health is a working knowledge of the spiritual forces-how to attract the good and dissuade the evil.

Disease

There are certain types of modern-day diseases which have baffled physicians and those involved in medical sciences. Although the symptoms can be recognized, the causes are not necessarily so easy to pinpoint. More and more people suffer from anorexia nervosa (an eating disorder in which the sufferer literally starves herself) and bulimia (an eating disorder in which the sufferer indulges in food binges). Yet when reviewing these particular disorders, a strong correlation to spiritual causes can certainly be noted. Those afflicted feel helpless; the sufferer feels a need to gain control over at least one aspect of life, and thus chooses to govern this quite intimate area. Those working to find a cure often describe these diseases as obsessions, because they so totally consume the sufferer's thoughts and actions.

It is not too difficult to imagine that those hindered with either of these two diseases do suffer from a loss of self-control. No matter how thin the anorexic might become by virtually starving herself (the great majority of sufferers are women), when she looks into the mirror, she still perceives herself as fat. This is an unrealistic perspective, but it is difficult to convince the person of it. The bulimic appears to be calm and controlled on the outside, but is constantly thinking and planning when and where she will eat, as she must often do this in secret. A spiritual being who was fat and unhappy while she lived on earth may influence the anorexic to starve herself now; as a spiritual being, she can exercise that "self" control she found hard to do while on earth. Yet a spirit who still yearns to enjoy the taste of food may sway the bulimic to keep stuffing herself. But either the spirit or the bulimic could feel guilty about the food binge, and from this comes the desire and even the obsession to vomit-again the need to control, but clearly being out of control.

The same could be true of the overeater, the alcoholic, the obsessive gambler, the drug addict, and so many who are victims of other compulsive behavioral disorders. A plausible explanation is that spiritual intervention is a contributing factor to these and other addictions.

Excessive worry may stimulate the development of ulcers, living in a state of distress is extremely unhealthy. Yet spirit persons who were worriers when they lived on earth may still feel panic and anxiety, and thus cause the person they work through to experience many of the same feelings. Ulcers, heart attacks, and the like are often induced by spiritual influence.

While the medical community studies the effects of disease on the psyche, for the most part it disregards potential hazards to the spirit. The concept and practice of preventive medicine, for example, does not consider what one could do to avert sickness through attaining spiritual health and well being. Psychology makes a plea for individuals to adopt a positive attitude as a means to deflect such problems. Yet great advances in the field of preventive medicine could be achieved by researching spiritual influence.

Psychosomatic Problems

Some people who suffer from physical problems actually have mental or spiritual problems that manifest as psychosomatic illnesses. If a person's psyche was full-functioning, he would not need to seek medical treatment for what otherwise would be diagnosed as a psychological problem. A person's mental health has a great effect upon his physical health. And a person's behavior certainly plays a large role in creating and sustaining such illnesses. Some people become hypochondriacs, possibly as an excuse to receive more attention, but spiritual influence should not be overlooked as part of the cause.

Many people suppress their feelings for years, glossing over their inner turmoils with smiles of complacency, or a seeming "I don't care" attitude. They become good at burying their emotions, and are unable to open up. But at some point, something will surface. People in such situations tend to feel over pressured and too caught up in the "rat race." They may be able to handle the situation for awhile, but not everyone can cope with living in a stressful and tense situation year after year. People become like pressure cookers inside. If life proves too much, a certain valve will open, and the person might release some "steam," often to the chagrin of those whose lives he touches. But just as often, a valve might close. The person then erects self-defense mechanisms as a way to escape, and a means to deal with his reality. This, too, inhibits his health and directly affects the behavior of those around him.

Psychosomatic illnesses can manifest as real ones. A person can feel actual pain by "thinking" he is in pain. Although the person may suffer a stomachache, the real problem -- the root of the problem might be imagined. Of course, it could be that he feels fatigued simply due to overwork or stress. But if he is honest with himself, he would realize that more basic to his illness is a feeling of guilt, anger, frustration, or loneliness. Further, he would know that it results from some experience or is due to unresolved problems. These develop into tensions, and the pain feels extremely real. What lies deeper? The Principle explains that spirits may share that person's feeling of resentment, anger, or frustration, and then use him to vent their own emotions. Yet without knowledge of this or the willpower to deal responsibly with it, he may be unable to stop the avalanche of his thoughts and emotions, which could incapacitate him emotionally as well as physically. Although it is possible to talk one's self into toothaches and belly aches, it is just as possible to talk one's self out of them! It is a matter of knowing how and what -- and sometimes even "who" one is dealing with.

In the past, the relationship between spirit, mind, and body was not clearly understood, and thus man has been unable to harness the spiritual and physical energies necessary to nurture good health and/or find personal fulfillment. No doubt in the future people will learn to heal themselves, not only through medicine, but even through positive thinking and action. They will see how important it is to build up their self-confidence, which will make a definite impact on the way they relate to both the physical and the spirit world, and vice versa.

Faith-Healing

If we pray for someone, we intercede on his behalf. We "pay" with our time, and by investing our spirit. By standing in for him, we give part of ourselves, offering the energy of love.

It is similar in faith healing. Payment is required to "redeem" a person -- to take away the evil forces from around him, or to free him from spiritual or physical trouble. Prayer, fasting, and other good deeds could be deemed as necessary forms of payment. The laying on of hands is one method which provides a channel for God's healing energy. A faith healer should be willing to pay for whatever miracles God might work through him, even if it means becoming sick himself. Few know much about the principles behind how it works. Some faith healers have been proved "wrong" and fraudulent, and thus the credibility of this healing ministry has diminished.

Medical science is a blessing from God and should be appreciated as such. Yet there will surely come a time when God will be able to effect much more healing. If we could see ourselves as a "physician" and recognize that God can work through us, then we would truly put into practice Jesus' words, "Physician, heal yourself' (Luke 4:23).

Healing Through Overcoming

All of us erect protective mechanisms as a way to deal with this hurtful world. Some of our earliest memories may be of ourselves as children, suffering under cruel ridicule by peers or family members, even our parents. In this modern age we must consider that although taunting can be devastating, there is far greater spiritual and psychological damage caused by such practices as child abuse or incest, both of which are growing at alarming rates. Is it any wonder that many people go through life incapable of developing real trust, or of loving others? Those evils -- and those scars -- are invisible, and it usually takes a great deal of coaxing for a person to admit that such things happened to him as a child. People question if a loving God would "allow" such tragedy to exist in the world. Actually, our loving Parent does not "allow" such things, but is powerless to intervene directly, for Satan still controls the physical world.

We will never find a solution to our depression by blaming our environment or other people, and then simply refusing to do something about it. Yet this is what often happens. At some point we turn inward, and almost exclusively revolve around our own problems. We may see our predicament through logic, and be able to repeat by rote the psychological ills and resultant behavioral characteristics they or others exhibit. But all of us must gain the spiritual strength to overcome our paralysis, something which will take toughening our resolve. Our ignorance of the spiritual world and its laws is reflected in both our lack of ability and the know-how to deal with our spiritual or psychological difficulties. It is a recurring theme in our lives, and it is tragic. Yet if we would be able to discern spiritually we could see others from God's viewpoint.

Compassion

Even though we may not be able to bring forth healing energies with ease, we can have compassion for someone. Compassion is a type of "magnetic" force which also has the potential to heal, and is a "pole" through which spiritual power passes. Compassion is the result of love; it is the phenomenon of feeling along with the person through empathy or sympathy. When we feel with compassion and pray with compassion, we silently express our willingness to take away the pain or burdens from that person, and put ourselves in his place, in much the same way Jesus did for humanity.


1 Unification teaching refers to the teaching of the Unification Movement, as presented in Unification Theology, published by HSA-UWC, first edition in 1980 and second edition, in 1987, and the Unification Thought, published by the Unification Thought Institute in 1973, and Explaining Unification Thought, published by the Unification Thought Institute, 1981.

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