The feeling of spiritual regression

Tony · **Joined:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:47 am +0000 **Posts:** 124

At my last study group meeting a woman commented that occasionally in her life she would get the feeling that despite all her studying, prayer and meditation she just really didn't know anything about God or that she was actually regressing spiritually instead of growing. Others, including myself, indicated that they had had similar experiences. This led me to an epiphany regarding the concept of spiritual capacity. It occurred to me that the occasional regression a spiritual person feels is not necessarily an actual step backward but may simply be an emotional reaction to an enlargement of spiritual capacity. If you take a 1 cup container that is full and enlarge the container to 2 cups, the same amount of liquid as before now seems like only half as much. Likewise, as we grow spiritually, our spiritual capacity also grows and a capacity increase may feel like a regression in spiritual growth when in actuality we are right where we were, only with more room to grow.

Do you think this is an accurate interpretation of what the UB teaches? I don't have any specific quotes at hand to support this so please feel free to toss some out if you have any either in support or in refutation.

jak · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:19 pm +0000 **Posts:** 544

Hi Tony
Your post caught my attention b/c I'm also familiar with being in that position, maybe most sincere students are. Your description brought to mind flour...sifted flour, all nice and fluffy (the new info in our minds) and then it settles down as it is incorporated into our hearts/lives and becomes compacted, taking up less space....needing to be sifted again (ready for more info).
Don't know where that came from b/c I definitely do not bake.

When I feel like I'm regressing and am still just floundering in the dark, that is not necessarily a negative (even though it "feels" negative). It is a moment of grace when I am reminded and right-sized, when I know in my heart of hearts that no matter how much I study, pray, analyze, meditate...I am really still so very tiny compared to God. And I am really so very cherished. And I really do have eternity to learn b/c I am so cherished. And I need to stop comparing myself to others b/c I really don't know how they are on the "inside". We are all so tiny and cherished...and held.

Sometimes those moments come along seemingly at random. Sometimes they come along when I get too full of myself. Usually it's time for me to be quiet and listen. I just have to do the next indicated right thing, trust that my soul knows what's going on and believe that my Light continues to guide this little tadpole.

I'm not any good with remembering or googling quotes, although I can usually absorb and incorporate the meanings....so I don't have any UB quotes for you. Thankfully there are some brains out there that operate differently than mine so I'm sure some will come along soon.

Peace
Jo

JAB · **Joined:** Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:45 am +0000 **Posts:** 23

In art school, they used to tell us that we will plateau from time to time. That means that we will improve, but then at some point it will feels as though we've gone backwards. This is normal. Basically, it means that you are now at a new level of learning and you are absorbing all this new knowledge. This has the capacity to make you reflect as to where you are now and cause you to judge yourself too harshly. You never really do regress, that would be somewhat impossible knowing what you already know. What may happen is that your knowledge of everything might just expand and you are discovering who you truly are. I think that perceiving yourself as regressing is a good thing because you are at least conscience about the process. I would worry more with those people who sub-conscientiously regress, for they have no knowledge that they've done this and are more likely to stay there. At least you knowing, gives you an opportunity to change things.

Iris · **Joined:** Tue Dec 26, 2006 9:44 am +0000 **Posts:** 1391

In my experience, if the capacity is there, God fills it, unless we get in the way.

Quote:

1:4.5 The divine mystery consists in the inherent difference which exists between the finite and the infinite, the temporal and the eternal, the time-space creature and the Universal Creator, the material and the spiritual, the imperfection of man and the perfection of Paradise Deity. The God of universal love unfailingly manifests himself to every one of his creatures up to the fullness of that creature's capacity to spiritually grasp the qualities of divine truth, beauty, and goodness.

1:4.6 To every spirit being and to every mortal creature in every sphere and on every world of the universe of universes, the Universal Father reveals all of his gracious and divine self that can be discerned or comprehended by such spirit beings and by such mortal creatures. God is no respecter of persons, either spiritual or material. The divine presence which any child of the universe enjoys at any given moment is limited only by the capacity of such a creature to receive and to discern the spirit actualities of the supermaterial world.

Tony · **Joined:** Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:47 am +0000 **Posts:** 124

Thanks for the quotes, Iris. That's one part of the equation but there is also reference to capacity increase that I'm sure I've read before. Aw, heck, I guess I'll just stop being lazy and look for myself.

Found one!

Quote:

54:6.10 As you ascend in the survival experience, you will broaden your universe concepts and extend your horizon of meanings and values; and thus will you be able the better to understand why such beings as Lucifer and Satan are permitted to continue in rebellion. You will also better comprehend how ultimate (if not immediate) good can be derived from time-limited evil. After you attain Paradise, you will really be enlightened and comforted when you listen to the superaphic philosophers discuss and explain these profound problems of universe adjustment. But even then, I doubt that you will be fully satisfied in your own minds. At least I was not even when I had thus attained the acme of universe philosophy. I did not achieve a full comprehension of these complexities until after I had been assigned to administrative duties in the superuniverse, where by actual experience I have acquired conceptual capacity adequate for the comprehension of such many-sided problems in cosmic equity and spiritual philosophy. As you ascend Paradiseward, you will increasingly learn that many problematic features of universe administration can only be comprehended subsequent to the acquirement of increased experiential capacity and to the achievement of enhanced spiritual insight. Cosmic wisdom is essential to the understanding of cosmic situations.

I'm sure there are more but this confirms that our conceptual capacity does indeed increase through the mechanism of experience.

J. Barry · **Posted:** Mon Sep 28, 2009 4:19 pm +0000

Often time i have seen person as well as my self feel this way because the actions in our lives are stalled and we my need to look at what is happening in our life that could be bringing on these feeling...it can also be that the person has never been pro-active in developing a personal life of spiritual action, which the experience of fills us with that knowing that we are a part of this co-creative relationship.

Many don't even know how to begin a life of action...a life that may need to start out with action before the understanding of the pay offs.

Sort of bring the Body and the mind will follow ..kind-of-thing.

Any how..i think we need to know more about what the person is really saying when she says she does not feel like she is living a spiritual life.

This can be a complex discussion depending on the person.

We all have many dynamics that make up our life situations and experiences.

My 2 1/2 cents

Stay True To The Journey

Gerdean · **Posted:** Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:57 pm +0000

Hi Tony,

I don't have any quotes either, to back it up, but the lady's lament and your epiphany rang my Spirit of Truth bells loud and clear. A great analogy, that, about the enlarging cup. I can use that, and apply it to myself when I get to feeling like I should be further ahead in my spiritual program than I feel at the moment, to remind myself that my soul is growing!

Thanks.

Iris · **Joined:** Tue Dec 26, 2006 9:44 am +0000 **Posts:** 1391

Prayer is the only way I know of increasing capacity. Once one has the capacity for receptivity, it is filled; we will receive unless we willfully won't allow it. It is when the channel of communion is broken by us, that God's love is unable to flow. Tell your friend to pray more, with greater sincerity and unyielding faith.

Quote:

144:4.2 The earnest and longing repetition of any petition, when such a prayer is the sincere expression of a child of God and is uttered in faith, no matter how ill-advised or impossible of direct answer, never fails to expand the soul's capacity for spiritual receptivity.

144:4.4 Prayer led Jesus up to the supercommunion of his soul with the Supreme Rulers of the universe of universes. Prayer will lead the mortals of earth up to the communion of true worship. The soul's spiritual capacity for receptivity determines the quantity of heavenly blessings which can be personally appropriated and consciously realized as an answer to prayer.

146.2.14 Jesus never taught that human knowledge and special skill could be gained by prayer. But he did teach that prayer is a factor in the enlargement of one’s capacity to receive the presence of the divine spirit. When Jesus taught his associates to pray in the spirit and in truth, he explained that he referred to praying sincerely and in accordance with one’s enlightenment, to praying wholeheartedly and intelligently, earnestly and steadfastly.

194.3.20 Prayer did not bring the spirit on the day of Pentecost, but it did have much to do with determining the capacity of receptivity which characterized the individual believers. Prayer does not move the divine heart to liberality of bestowal, but it does so often dig out larger and deeper channels wherein the divine bestowals may flow to the hearts and souls of those who thus remember to maintain unbroken communion with their Maker through sincere prayer and true worship.

Although there's one instance when prayer may not necessarily satisfy:

Quote:

168.4.6 3. The prayers of time, when indited by the spirit and expressed in faith, are often so vast and all-encompassing that they can be answered only in eternity; the finite petition is sometimes so fraught with the grasp of the Infinite that the answer must long be postponed to await the creation of adequate capacity for receptivity; the prayer of faith may be so all-embracing that the answer can be received only on Paradise.

coop · **Joined:** Sun Jun 20, 2004 12:40 pm +0000 **Posts:** 988

''It is when the channel of communion is broken by us, that God's love is unable to flow. Tell your friend to pray more, with greater sincerity and unyielding faith.''

AMEN ~ GOD IS Allways there for us , only WE can break the
Flow .

PRAYER Allways helps , in many ways .

Bro Tony
'' ...she was actually regressing spiritually instead of growing.''
Could she be reaching out and talking about what some
Christians Call ... Backslideing ... where we can fall back into
old bad habits and errors ?

Just a thot .

Faith son
Coop

slyde · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:17 am +0000

All part of the symphony of life

babuk · **Joined:** Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:47 pm +0000 **Posts:** 74

For me, The Great Mother Thersa and Mahatma Ghandi were very good examples; thesame goes to so many holy men today...they look poor and material poverty or even sad and troubled but their spiritual level is way diferent. Likewise, a wealthy man looks happy and contented will be read as having a high spiritual level or growth, is this so?

Material man are fettered and framed by material mindset of time and space.; but soul growth is hastened via trial and temptations / life problems. What is the significant of all these so call 'life problems' in the world of timelss spirit existence; they are just tools to learn and grow. Without trials and tempation, there will be slow growth, therefore, having the experience of all these problems does not mean the spirit leve is low or regressing. This drama of life are all necessary for the growth of spirit.
Spiritual growth will only hampered or stagnated when going against and not doing the father's will.

Material mind inherently will associate spiritual growth only with the better and good part of this life; in other word s, the outwardly manifestation, but is it so?
I prefer to see the bigger picture.

Uncle Bill · **Joined:** Fri Sep 01, 2006 6:39 pm +0000 **Posts:** 334

Hi Sibs, I've come to know this "feeling" every time new knowledge or revelation shuffles the deck of assumption. Even science ain't safe.

It's like a pre-cognative assumption laid naked and exposed. It's fearful. And it's of the mind.

I remember Sophie. She is a five year old young lady who enjoys dance, singing, animals and exploration. We draw together, share stories and engage in fun, fun, fun. In the last few weeks she has had a concussion from banging herself on the head with a screen door, been bitten by a playful horse and learned the ABC song well enough to perform live at the Waffle House.
Every time I am tempted to act adult or show her less than warranted attention...I hear in my spirit, "Endure the children" and I regress into my spirit and chose to relate to her. The WH staff, Sophies Mom and Uncle Mike are well attuned to our play and know to keep us apart if either of us is being bad. Sophie can be demanding and I can be grumpy...unless she smiles.

So, let the feeling guide you. No names are adequit to define the processes employed to reach the mental levels of human thought and emotion by a friendly universe. No chart or database can force a conclusion of faith. No regression of perspective is safe from revelation.

Of course I view spiritual regression as a call to unity rather than a sign of suffering. Survive and be stronger.

Bill

babuk · **Joined:** Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:47 pm +0000 **Posts:** 74

Hi uncle Bill,

I like the 'bigger cup' analogy as given by a fellow forumer.
Refinement of the spirit is done thru all ways; both while in good or bad times of our life.
The sense of ups and downs is just a natural phase in an attempt to fit in its place and level.
As prediacted by the law of free agency,it is wholly ours to choose wether to nurture the poistive growth or otherwise.
Feelings and emotions, thus our perception are greatly influence by our values and surroundings.
Thats the big challenge for all people.

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The feeling of spiritual regression

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