Chapter Three - Philosophical Matters

These days in our everyday living most of us are so busy coping with the material things of life, that we seldom pause and take time, to reflect on philosophical matters.

Putting some deep thought into the meaning of life, spirituality, civilization, the wonders of nature, an afterlife or other such things, is something we may intend doing another time, but somehow ‘another time’ doesn’t seem to happen and so much then just passes us by.

Our spirit speaker friends frequently impress upon us the importance of taking time – to observe nature, to reflect, to become more aware, to expand our knowledge and our thinking.

To help us do this, some suitable talks have been gathered together in this chapter.

 Spirit (Ling): Greetings.

A subject that causes a considerable amount of dissention in your world is the ‘rights’ of man. People say, “I will have my rights”. They wave flags and they shout and perform. So this subject we will discuss from our point of view, this morning.

Man has the right… to have a roof over his head, put more basically, shelter from the elements, sustenance in his stomach, and warmth if necessary for his body. That is the right of all animal life. It is as much the right of a little cat, as it is of a king.

Now if you wish to go further and say, “But my rights are... I have a house, I have a banquet, and I have rich garments”… from our point of view we would say, “Yes, you have the right to have those providing you have worked for them, providing you have earned them, providing you have got them without harming any person, district, country, or other animal life”. If you can achieve those wants within those criteria, then yes, you have the right, and may you enjoy them.

But, in achieving them, this wonderful home, this banquet and wonderful food… have you overlooked the development of self?

You have not hurt anyone, any country or any animal in achieving these things; but you could, and more than likely have, hurt yourself. Because in achieving these things, in your wanting to be the best you possibly have become the worst, because you have been satisfying the greed in yourself.

By all means have these, shall I suggest extravagant things, if at the same time you can look after self in the development of your soul.

To be so busy making money, (because in your world it is money that achieves these things), you may have forgotten that they will only last you for the period of your time on earth, whether it is twenty or ninety years…  and you can’t take one single article with you. But you can take the love that you have built up of mankind, the achievements when you have served mankind, the love of animals, the appreciation of their beauty and their place in your world, and possibly the realisation that without them the world would be a much poorer place.

And also, have you had time to think of, “Why, am I here?  Where am I going?  What is the future?”... It is a poor man, who at the end of his life has not had time to think on these things.

Material possessions can add to physical comfort but a chair made of old logs, then stuffed and covered in some woven fabric that you yourself have possibly woven, can be as comfortable as the softest, chrome plated, leather covered, horse-hair stuffed, article of furniture that you can find. Certainly it may be more pleasing to your eye to have a chair beautifully covered. So why not develop your ability in weaving, in your putting together of timbers, in your combination of colours - but achieve these things through your own ability. You do not have to be a rich man in money to have beauty around you!

Remember that at the end of your life, in material possessions as you leave your body, you are a poor man.  You only carry with you what is in your soul - on into eternity. And it is here that any riches you deserve will be waiting, but remember that they are riches that you have earned, that you have the right to have. 
Think, “Do I have the right to have what I want?”  If you have, by all means enjoy it!

God bless you and yours.

Good morning.