“Spirit” acts freely. “Matter” is bound to behave as it does when forces act upon it.
“Spirit” has initiative; matter is ruled by inertia.
Spirit can choose; matter cannot choose;
Spirit has the power of self-determination; matter is determined by other than itself.
In so far as we are human we can act freely;
In so far as we cannot act freely, we fall short of our full human potential’s actualisation.
Balance of Forces
To survive in the natural world, we need knowledge of the balance of forces which constitute nature. To retain and enlarge what freedom we have, we need knowledge of the balance of forces which constitute our spiritual being. What are these forces?
A human being comprises forces:-
- of matter (body);
- of feelings (likes and dislikes);
- of mentation (dealing with the things and events of time);
- of conceptual thinking (dealing with eternal principles of logic, mathematics, geometry etc.); and
- of volition (free will).
It is with the balance of forces that comprise the human being that our study of “spiritual ecology” must deal, and especially with those forces that manifest in acts of free decision.