Ladies and gentlemen, Bapak will continue his explanations of this spiritual way, which you are already able to follow.
As Bapak explained the other night, the content within the human self- or that which sits in the driver's seat - is the soul. And this content cannot be known by using the human brain, heart, desires, or feelings.
This is as it should be, and as it has to be. For how could the human brain, heart, desires, or feelings know the soul, when the soul itself is in the driver's seat and in charge, meaning that every part of the human self is nothing more than that soul's instrument? So, without God's help, without God's gift of a current flowing within us from a very great and very mighty power, there would be no possibility of our freeing ourselves from our soul if, say, a low soul had taken charge within our selves.
To make it possible to understand a little about the souls that influence the human self, Bapak can describe them. For example, there's the material soul. If the material soul is in charge within a human self, the person will have a character.., by 'have a character' Bapak means an instantaneous impulse that cannot be curbed or understood by the human heart and mind.., which displays itself as a fondness for humiliating others and harming them; for completely ignoring the good things done by others; and for regarding only one's own position, one's own desires, as right. This is like the nature of a material object: caring nothing about the friends around you, just pursuing your own life by any means possible.
Another one is the vegetable soul, which in the hierarchy of life is higher than the material soul. If the vegetable soul influences the human self, then that person will be greedy, always pursuing personal gain, and feeling no discomfort or compassion when they see friends in great poverty, misery or suffering. Such people will also only be concerned with their own interest, and will very much want to win and get everything for themselves.
The third is the animal soul. It is a bit higher than the vegetable soul and the material soul. If the animal soul influences a person, that individual will have the character - and this is also unconscious because this influence is really very strong- of very much wanting to pursue the pleasure and delight of their inner feeling, especially involving the union of man and woman. This kind of man will enjoy and frequently engage in sexual union with women without caring or thinking about the consequences.
The fourth is the jasmani force. It is called the human force. If the jasmani force, the human force, influences an individual - that is to say influences his or her inner feelings - then that person will place great emphasis on, and be very proud of, their own heart and mind, with the consequence that they do not believe - one could almost say not at all - in God's greatness, in God, in the creator of their life or self in this world.
The fifth is called the rohani life force. It is the force of a creature higher than human. To give it a simple name, it could be called a perfect creature. If that force influences a human being, then in their life they will always remember God's greatness, and constantly remember God who created them. These people will find plenty of time for receiving such of God's gifts as they may be able to receive.
There are still more above that one; they are the sixth and seventh. But there is no need for Bapak to explain them, because they're too far away. Except that Bapak can tell you that the sixth and the seventh forces, which are higher than the fifth, are called the rahmani force and the rabani force. Bapak will only say that the force called rahmani is higher than the fifth, the rohani; whilst the rohani itself already has complete power over the jasmani life force - the human force. Of course the seventh is higher than the sixth and the fifth. This is why there's no need for Bapak to explain them; all it would do would be to give you a lot to think about.
If you were already under the influence of the fifth force, the rohani force, and were taken by it to the rohani world, which is greater, higher, and more powerful than this world, then you would spontaneously ascend to a still higher place.
Outside the seven forces that make up the great life, there is still another life force, a giver of light, a guide, a maker of connections that enable the other forces to be aware of and understand one another - to know one another. It is the life force called ilofi. And there is yet another one, the companion of the eighth, the iloff. This one is called the qudus force, or ruh qudus.
It is these sublime life forces, the ilofi and qudus, that constantly open the way for those seven life forces - including the human. Through their guidance human beings can avoid or sort out the influences of the forces within them. It is the force called ilofi or Holy Spirit that you receive and you feel in your latihan. It is this presence that causes your inner feeling to come to life. What is clear is that you cannot possibly think about the nature of these sublime forces within your being, nor can you understand them. All you can do is to follow where they lead as they work within you.
And why is it that these sublime forces, which are greater than all the other seven - and remember that the fifth, sixth, and seventh forces are already very far beyond us - why is it that these forces are present within our selves? It is because that is truly the will of God. God is helping human beings, especially at this time when people's minds and hearts are increasingly confused, due to the progress of their minds and their distance from their feelings.
All seven of the forces that Bapak has been telling you about should have some influence within people's inner feeling. But because people - especially nowadays - pay more attention to this world than to the life after death, or to God and God's greatness, the outcome is that the forces having the greatest influence within the human self are the material, vegetable and animal forces, whilst even the human force has very, very little influence indeed. Proof that this is so is the large number of people in the world who hate to give in and who always try to get their own way, not only in the field of ideas and debate, but also in the pursuit of profit.
It is different now from how the prophets lived long ago. They were willing to give way. They were patient, they were trusting, and they weren't the constant slaves of their passions. So the prophets long ago were still mainly influenced by the life forces above the level of the human force.
When a person gives way to another, it isn't the same as being defeated. In reality, such a person is more intelligent than one who is able to defeat someone or to win. It's the same with people who are patient; it doesn't mean that they just give up. No. It means they are genuinely peaceful in their inner feeling, while waiting for God's gifts in complete sincerity and without any ulterior motives. Similarly, giving way educates and trains our heart and feelings to be honest. Indeed that is God's will for human beings. In order to be able to receive what they need in their lives, they must be willing to give in and be patient, with a very honest heart.
This kind of nature, this kind of character, was possessed by the prophets, who have led and guided the human race up until the present. But human beings nowadays, although they have received this kind of advice, cannot possibly put it into practice because they are so intensely influenced by the progress of the age and their environment. And this progress has been brought about and produced by human beings themselves. That's why it is extremely difficult at present for people to have a character like that of the prophets of long ago. As a result, whether they like it or not, the feelings of human beings at the present time have become the prey of the low forces, which can very easily influence and enter into their inner feelings.
That is why Bapak says it is God's will - perhaps God feels it is very necessary for the present time - to give something that will make it easy for us to worship God in the right way. And this help Bapak is speaking of has been proved in the latihan you all receive whenever your heart, mind and desires stop working. For the stopping of the thinking mind, passions, and the desires of the heart also implies the stopping of the influence of the low forces that normally influence your inner feeling. And then the sublime force, which Bapak called ilofi, can always work within you, within your inner feeling, so that the forces that ought not to be in charge within you return to the place where they belong.
And the way the ilofi spirit works within your being requires no assistance from your thinking mind, heart or will; for their assistance will not make the work of the ilofi spirit in your being easier, but rather will obscure it and slow it down. As Bapak said, spiritual matters aren't intellectual problems to be worked out by the brain, heart and passions. They can only be worked out by a greater soul, which has all the forces in its power.
Bapak will illustrate this with an example. Let's say there's a certain person named A: A has a material soul, the soul of a material object. Since this soul is the content of A'S whole being, it's obvious that all the parts of A'S self will be used and manipulated by that soul. Among them are the brain, heart and feelings. So if A wants to become a good person, this desire that has appeared or arisen within A can only have originated from that low force. Now it's not possible that this low force would be looking for a way to commit suicide, to kill its own self. Of course not. Of course it will turn that desire in a different direction, to ensure that it will continue to be in charge of A's being forever, and will always remain in power. That is why it's not possible for A's soul to be improved without the help of the sublime force that is the guide, the giver of light, the counselor of A and of all human beings.
As for the reality of whether the mind, heart and will are able to get rid of, or push aside such a low soul or not, here is an example. There are many people who make an effort to receive a revelation from God, and to receive and understand their right path in life by means of fasting, going without Sleep, and cutting down on all human pleasures in this world. Yet finally, after years and years of experiencing such things, the outcome is not that they find the true way leading to God, or come closer to God, but find instead a result that is a menace to society - like magic, black magic and things like that. Such are the results of human efforts that depend only on strong will power or a strong desire, without knowing: 'Who is really behind me? Who is really in charge? Who is really using my mind and heart?'
That's how difficult it is. These matters cannot be analyzed, because who can know the truth within the truth? Meaning, who can know the errors within the errors of the heart? None except that which is deeper than all else within our selves; the sublime force that surrounds, envelops, guides and directs all the life forces on all levels.
So it's clear that the low forces manifesting within the human self are agents within our being. It could be compared to a person wearing a mask: the person is the ( particular ) soul, the mask is the human self. So you have been manipulated. You have been taken all over the place, used in this way and that way, without feeling it, without being aware that your feelings and everything within you have been manipulated by forces that are not human.
The reality is - excuse me for saying so - that there are many educated people in this world who are truly intelligent and understand the law, but who still do things that are wrong and violate it. Likewise many people who are good looking, who ought to be worthy of admiration, nevertheless behave badly. This is not the fault of the people themselves, it is caused by their being manipulated by the low forces, which are in control within, their selves. Many of them feel remorse only after they have done something ( wrong ).
That's how it is. That's why in our latihan in Subud, when we are receiving how our inner content works, our hearts, thinking minds and passions are not ignored, but they are truly separated, so they no longer convey the influence of the low forces that are in control within the self. So it's not that Bapak doesn't want you to use your minds and hearts. No. But it is out of place for the mind and heart to be used in what concerns the soul, because spiritual matters are not the work of the human mind, heart and passions, but the work of the power of God, which works within the human self.
So if you ask, 'How can we speed up our receiving in this latihan?' Bapak always replies, 'There are no means for that except to believe in the greatness of God and surrender as completely as possible, because God will work on everything within you in accordance with the measure of your strength.'
An example of this is the way it was with the prophets Bapak spoke of earlier, Jesus among them. Where did ( Jesus ) study? Nowhere. And what was the method by which he tried to find God and his power? None. Because Jesus was willed by God to become a guide for people - for human beings - he was under the influence of the sublime force present within him. As a result he was honest, willing to give way, grateful and obedient to God, and had faith in God's power.
That is Bapak's explanation of spiritual matters for tonight. He will end at this point and will continue later, on Friday night. Bapak hopes that you will really forgive him if he said anything that was out of place. And Bapak says thank you.