IS FREE WILL A BURDEN OR A GIFT?

 

At first glance, the earthman’s path appears disproportionately difficult. Each day he awakens to the challenge of navigating his free will amid confusion, suffering, and the weight of earthly circumstances. Higher spiritual beings, by contrast, seem to have an easier journey: they exist in radiance, already attuned to the Will of the Light, free from the persistent inner struggle that characterises human experience. It is natural, then, to wonder: why should the developing human spirit bear a heavier burden than those who are already fully formed?

The answer lies in recognising the profound purpose of the earthman’s unique position within creation. What feels burdensome is, in truth, the very means by which the human spirit acquires full consciousness and maturity.

In the higher realms, Primordial beings do not wrestle with free will as earthmen do. Harmony with the Holy Will is inherent to their nature. Earthmen, however, stand at a decisive crossroads: not yet perfected, but endowed with the extraordinary privilege of becoming so through their own willing and striving.

Here, in these lower planes far  from the Direct Radiations of the Most High, free will becomes possible and with it the capacity to learn, to recognise truth, and to choose. Through this very struggle, the earthman gradually develops the inner strength required to become a consciously aware spirit fit for eternal life in the Light. What higher beings possess by nature, the earthman must acquire through experience and it is precisely this earned maturity that gives depth, firmness, and permanence to his being.

Yet the earthman is not left unaided in this demanding journey. Creation surrounds him with countless supports, gently guiding him toward ascent. Life’s experiences, joyful or painful, subtle or profound awaken recognition. The generative power animating creation stirs longing and fuels transformation. The ever-present power of love strengthens the earnest seeker and helps him shed entrenched weaknesses. The intuition offers quiet but unmistakable guidance, while the conscience warns him when he strays. These are not mere abstractions, but gifts deliberately placed along the path so that no earthman walks alone.

Ultimately, the earthman is not disadvantaged but divinely favoured. His freedom to choose grants him the rare opportunity to become a mature, self-conscious spirit through his own conviction and awakening. Within this freedom lies both the weight of responsibility and the splendour of grace; the chance to rise, through one’s own decisions, into eternal life in the Light.

WHY DO INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS ARISE, WHO DO THEY TROUBLE MOST, AND HOW CAN WE BREAK FREE?

 

Intrusive thoughts are among the most unsettling experiences a person can have. They are unpleasant, unwanted ideas or images that push into the mind even when the thinker desires the very opposite. The harder one tries to resist them, the more insistently they seem to return, sometimes to the point of “drumming in one’s ears” and disturbing one’s peace. For many, this can become a source of real suffering, raising troubling questions: Why is this happening to me? Does this mean something is wrong with me inwardly? Am I, perhaps, secretly evil?

Let us be clear and reassuring: intrusive thoughts do not reveal the true nature of a person. In fact, the very distress they cause is evidence that the inner being is better, far better than the momentary thoughts passing through. A person who is troubled by such thoughts is simply thinking contrary to what they inwardly will. One’s genuine volition, what the spirit truly desires, always expresses itself in conduct, not in the fleeting images that brush across the surface of the mind. Most people, if they are honest, experience similar disturbances. And if all this sounds familiar, then, dear reader, you are by no means alone, and you need not be alarmed.

Why, then, do some people suffer more deeply from intrusive thoughts than others? Often it is because sensitive or conscientious individuals take their thoughts too seriously. They examine and re-examine them, brooding over their meaning. In doing so, they unintentionally give these thoughts strength and durability. Yet thoughts of this kind have very little power. When not fed by fear, worry, or constant attention, the forms produced by them quickly dissolve and scatter without causing harm.

Freedom begins not with fighting these thoughts, but with redirecting the attention. Instead of wrestling with the unwanted, turn deliberately toward what is pure, noble, and uplifting. You may wish to focus your mind on virtues such as truthfulness, dignity, diligence, chastity, loyalty, productivity, modesty, and grace; or on the sublime concepts of love, purity, and the immutable laws of the Almighty. A mind consciously directed upward cannot simultaneously sink into the mire of intrusive imaginings.

Above all, do not brood. Do not circle endlessly around what troubles you. Intrusive thoughts thrive on attention but starve when ignored. As you consistently withdraw your energy and turn your inner gaze toward higher things, these disturbances naturally lose their grip and fade away.

And when the pressure feels heavy, or the mind refuses to quiet itself, a short, sincere, fervent prayer can bring immediate relief. It reconnects you with your true inner core, where peace and clarity quietly abide.

Intrusive thoughts are not a verdict on your character; they are merely shadows passing across the mind. And at any moment, you can lift yourself toward the Heights, renew your course, and open yourself to the pure Power of God streaming through you, an ever-present strength that dissolves all shadows and restores the radiance of your spirit.

Footnote:

For some individuals, especially those living with conditions such as Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD), intrusive thoughts may present with far greater intensity and persistence. These can include dark, disturbing, or even “command-like” thoughts that feel utterly foreign to one’s true nature. It is important to emphasise that such thoughts still do not reflect the person’s inner essence; rather, they stem from a heightened sensitivity of the mind and a tendency toward repetitive thought-loops.

Alongside the spiritual steps outlined in this essay, professional support can be immensely helpful, particularly therapies that teach how to disengage from these cycles and reduce their emotional force. Both paths, spiritual strengthening and appropriate therapeutic guidance can work together to restore clarity, peace, and the upward striving of the spirit.

WHERE IS THE MIND LOCATED?

One might ask: is the mind located in the brain, in the heart, scattered throughout the body, or somewhere beyond the physical altogether? Quiet reflection, however, reveals that the mind cannot be confined to any single organ or even solely to the visible body. Instead, it encompasses the totality of conscious experience: a dynamic synthesis of intuition, intellect, bodily instincts, feelings, and imagination, spanning both the material and the spiritual. The mind cannot be pinned to one place; it moves where intuition meets intellect, and spirit meets flesh.

On one side lies intuition, the pure spiritual core of the mind, the very essence of man. It transcends space and time, perceiving truth without measurement, understanding without reasoning, and knowing without argument. Intuition is inviolate and cannot err; it is the first impression, the inner voice that immediately recognises reality. Its reach extends beyond intellect, feeling, and bodily instincts, connecting us to a dimension of knowing that is eternal and unbound by the limits of matter.

On the other side lies the corporeal dimension: the body, its instincts, intellect, feelings, and imagination. Intellect, emerging from the brain, thinks, analyses, plans, and organises. It is bound to space and time, capable of remarkable feats, yet limited to what can be seen, measured, and remembered. Feeling does not arise from some mysterious spiritual source; it emanates from the physical body. The body generates instincts, which, when shaped and interpreted by the intellect, give rise to feeling. Only through the cooperation of feeling and intellect does imagination emerge, a picture-world created by these lower faculties, not from the heights of intuition. Imagination, though ethereal, lacks spiritual power. It influences only its creator and does not radiate outward. Intuition is different: it carries spiritual power within itself, creative, vital, and alive, sending forth energy that can inspire, influence, and move others.

From this perspective, the mind can be said to be woven throughout the body and reaching into the unseen realms, embedded in every organ, system, and sensory pathway. The body serves as a vessel through which spiritual intuition engages the material world. Perhaps the mind is not located at a single point at all, but exists as an integrated network, uniting the physical and the eternal.

Ultimately, the mind is found where spirit meets matter. It resides in the brain, the heart, the hands, and in the subtle currents of instinct and feeling. True clarity of mind emerges when intuition leads and intellect follows, when the spiritual spark within flows through the bodily vessel via the tools available to it. Perhaps, if we pause and reflect, we may begin to sense this interplay for ourselves. The mind can be seen as a bridge between mortal and eternal, the meeting place of knowing and doing, and the instrument through which life may be more fully understood. I invite each of us to explore its depths with patience and openness.

HOW DEEP IS THE MIND?

The mind is the most mysterious part of our existence; unseen, untouchable, yet  shaping every step we take. Though we often speak of the mind as one single entity, it expresses itself through two distinct channels: the intellect and the intuition. These two do not merely sit side by side; they represent the partnership between our earthly body and our eternal spirit. And until we understand the difference, we will continue to live far below our true potential.

Intellect is the voice of the frontal brain, the part of the body designed to think logically, analyse, plan, compare, and evaluate. It is deliberate, structured, and slow. It belongs to the physical body, the brain matter that functions like a powerful computer, able to process data and make sense of the material world. This intellect helps us build careers, solve problems, and organise life in a predictable way. But as powerful as it is, it is limited, because it can only work with what it can see, measure, and remember.

Intuition, however, comes from a deeper place. It is the whisper of the spirit within us, expressing itself through the small brain, the cerebellum which silently coordinates more than our movements. It processes impressions, patterns, signals, and guidance that do not come from the five senses. Intuition knows before intellect understands. It sees the whole picture at once rather than assembling the pieces. It is swifter, cleaner, and wiser. It is the voice that nudges, warns, inspires, or comforts, often without explanation.

Where intellect obeys logic, intuition obeys truth.

Where intellect argues, intuition unveils.

Where intellect looks outward, intuition looks inward.

Because our true core is spirit, intuition is the natural leader. When intuition leads and intellect follows, life flows with clarity and direction. But when intellect tries to take over, insisting on evidence for everything, drowning intuition with noise, our inner compass becomes confused. We overthink situations that intuition had already resolved. We analyse relationships intuition had already exposed. We cling to plans intuition had already warned us against. We become mentally busy but spiritually blind.

The two brains were never designed to compete. They were made to harmonise. Intuition gives the direction; intellect executes the plan. Intuition points to the path; intellect builds the steps. Intuition receives inspiration; intellect organises it into action. When this partnership is balanced, we do not merely think, we know. We do not merely work, we flow. We make decisions that feel right, not just appear right. We move through life with an inner confidence that does not come from facts but from alignment.

To access this harmony, we must learn to quiet the intellect long enough for intuition to speak. The spirit speaks softly; the brain speaks loudly. The spirit knows; the brain tries to figure out. When we slow down, breathe, listen, and honour the first gentle nudge that rises from within, we allow the deeper wisdom of our spirit to take its rightful place as guide. The intellect should serve intuition, not silence it.

In the end, the mind becomes whole only when the spiritual and the physical work as one. The intellect is the brilliant tool of the body, but intuition is the voice of the eternal. When we let the spiritual lead, our decisions carry a purity that intellect alone cannot produce. Our paths unfold with less struggle and more certainty. And life reveals itself not as a puzzle to be solved but as a journey to be understood.

The profound truth is this: the mind rises to its highest power when the spirit speaks first!

IF GOD DOES NOT INTERVENE, WHY PRAY AND SEEK HIS GUIDANCE?

 

We live in times when tragedy and violence shake the foundations of our sense of security. The recent reports of the attack in Kwara, a state in Nigeria, where worshippers were harmed even as they came to serve the Almighty in a place of worship, prompt questions many of us quietly wrestle with: If the Almighty is all-powerful, why does He not intervene? If He does not interfere directly in the daily affairs of men, then why do we need Him at all? And finally, is there still a reason to pray?

These questions are not new. Humanity has long wrestled with the seeming silence of the Divine in the face of suffering. Wars, disasters, injustices, and personal misfortunes often lead us to cry out, “Where is justice? Where is God’s love?” It is easy to interpret God’s seeming silence as absence or indifference, yet this perspective reflects more on our limited view than on the reality of Divine Activity.

God’s Love and Justice extend far beyond what our eyes can see or our minds can grasp. Unlike human love, which is often conditional and bound by circumstance, Divine Love and Justice are inseparable, rigorous, yet compassionate. They concern themselves with the human spirit, not with the fleeting concerns of our earthly life. The suffering, pain, and misfortune we witness are often the visible ripples of vast, intricate laws that govern existence, laws we perceive only in part.

To truly understand, we must free ourselves from the habit of measuring by earthly standards. God’s Justice and Love are aimed at the spirit, not material things. The world around us, its wealth, its possessions, its apparent successes and failures holds no power apart from the spirit that shapes it. In this light, our earthly troubles are not evidence of neglect from above, but part of a far greater, perfectly balanced order, in which every spirit is nurtured, tested, and guided toward growth.

One of these fundamental principles is the Law of Reciprocal Action, the universal law of cause and effect. Simply put: what a man sows, he shall reap. Every action, thought, and intention sets threads into motion that ripple throughout the universe. These threads bind us to the consequences of our choices, not arbitrarily, not by chance, but as a natural unfolding of the Laws embedded in Creation. This perspective explains why bad things sometimes happen to ostensibly good people: life on earth is but a temporary stage. The true, real life takes place in the spiritual realm, which knows neither time nor space, and therefore no separation. The effects of past actions, reciprocal consequences, return to their origin according to the Eternal Law. Nothing is lost; everything is bound to come.

Our physical bodies play no part in this spiritual reckoning; they are instruments, chosen or provided according to Cosmic Laws. The current earth-life is brief in the context of our eternal existence. The suffering of the “good” is often a consequence of prior actions, yet even here, hope exist. Through the power of good volition, the conscious striving for goodness and integrity we form a protective circle around ourselves, capable of mitigating or even neutralising the evil effects that may descend upon us. This protective power is strengthened by silence, reflection, and prayer.

From this view, God does not need to intervene in every earthly event, because the system He has established functions with perfect precision. Wars, misfortunes, and tragedies are not signs of Divine neglect; they are the inevitable outcomes of free will, past actions, and universal laws. Humanity’s task is not to demand that God act according to our limited expectations, but to align ourselves with the principles of Creation through conscious, virtuous action.

Prayer, then, is not an appeal for divine interference in our narrow desires. It is a tool for tuning our spirit to the higher laws, for harmonising our inner being with the order of the universe. Through focused intention, reflection, and a steadfast volition for good, prayer strengthens our spiritual covering, enhancing our capacity to radiate positive influence into the world. Even when destructive forces seem to threaten us, they interact only with our spiritual state. A refined, conscious spirit nurtured by prayer and good action cannot be wholly harmed by these currents.

The call is clear: we are invited not to passively wait for intervention, but to participate actively in life’s unfolding, with awareness, responsibility, and faith. God’s justice and love operate continuously and unwaveringly. Our duty is to harmonise our actions with these eternal principles, to sow wisely, and to seek alignment with the Divine through prayer and conscious intention.

Every moment presents a choice: to despair, or to act consciously, sow wisely, and pray with intent to be empowered to do good. The Creator has set the laws of life in motion; it is for us to cooperate with them with courage, clarity, and devotion. Prayer is the instrument that refines our spirit, guides our actions, and draws us closer to the eternal harmony underpinning all existence.

WHERE DOES PARENTAL DUTY END AND A CHILD’S RESPONSIBILITY BEGIN?

This question may appear simple at first, yet the moment we look closely, it opens a deeper, richer, and far more empowering understanding for both parents and children. Many people grow up believing, “My parents brought me here, so they owe me everything.” We often hear statements such as, “It’s not my fault I’m here” or “They must take care of me because they gave birth to me.” On the other hand, many parents are saying, “I brought you into the world, so your life is my responsibility forever.” Both views, although common, can quietly imprison rather than liberate.

A clearer and more liberating truth emerges when we reflect with calmness: no soul arrives on earth by accident or force. Every human being comes into this world either through their own longing or as part of their own journey of learning. Parents simply provide the physical doorway, the body through which an already-existing soul may enter earthly life. In this sense, every child is a guest, a full and independent personality who comes with their own history, strengths, challenges, and destiny. Parents offer the home, the shelter, the love, and the early protection needed for that soul to grow in its earthly form until the child can provide its earthy necessities independently. Everything beyond that is a generous gift. There is no question of  lifelong debt.

This understanding does not weaken the healthy bond between parent and child; it deepens it. It removes the heavy weight of ownership and replaces it with gratitude, respect, and purpose. A child, when they recognise this truth, begin to see life not as something that was imposed upon them, but as a rare and precious opportunity. Instead of saying, “My parents owe me,” a higher thought arises: “I have been given an opportunity to live: what will I make of it?” Such a realisation awakens responsibility, courage, and independence.

At the same time, parents still carry sacred duties. By choosing to bring forth a body, they assume the responsibility of caring for that body, guiding it, nurturing it, and supporting it until the child matures and can stand on their own feet. This duty is profound. Yet once that stage has been reached, it becomes unhealthy for parents to cling to control or to feel eternally responsible for every choice their adult children make. In the same way, it becomes limiting for children to continue leaning on their parents or holding entitlement in their hearts. Growth requires independence, and love flourishes best when it is voluntary, not demanded.

Sadly, many cultures including ours have built long-standing habits of dependency, entitlement, and unwritten obligations among both parents and children. These traditions may appear harmless, but in reality they stifle growth, distort relationships, and prevent individuals from becoming truly free. When we pause to examine them honestly, we often find they produce subtle resentment rather than unity. It is only through understanding the deeper spiritual nature of life that we can break these chains and allow genuine love, respect, and responsibility to take root.

When parents recognise that they provided only the physical gateway, and children understand that they came with their own destiny, the relationship between both sides becomes far richer. It becomes a healthy bond of freedom, appreciation, and mutual respect rather than rigid obligation. Parents can guide without interfering, and children can love without demanding. And together, they can help one another grow in strength, wisdom, and joy.

May we all take a moment to reflect on these with openness and sincerity. In doing so, we may discover a healthier, happier way to honour the sacred journey between parent and child, one built not on claims or blame, but on gratitude, clarity, and a deep sense of responsibility for the life each of us has been given.

IF EVERY BIRTH IS A BLESSING, HOW DO WE EXPLAIN LIVES THAT BRING PAIN?

A thoughtful reader recently asked a question that echoes through many hearts: “If every birth is a blessing, was the birth of Adolf Hitler a blessing?”

It is a question born not of cynicism, but of genuine struggle. Because when we look at the immense suffering, destruction, and moral darkness linked to certain individuals in history, we instinctively recoil. How can such a life be counted as a blessing?

But this question arises only when we confuse birth with subsequent behaviour, and or start with outcome.

Birth is a blessing because it represents the Creator’s gift of opportunity, the opportunity to rise, to grow, to correct, to serve and to uplift. It is the divine opening of a door. What a person then chooses to do after stepping through that door is a different matter entirely.

No birth guarantees goodness; it guarantees possibility, it grants immense opportunities.

And each birth, which grants us the opportunity to redeem past errors, to develop, to mature, and to ascend spiritually, is always a blessing.

We must not assume that the most troubling historical figures came into the world as embodiments of evil. They arrived as souls endowed with free will, responsibility, and the capacity to choose their path. The tragedy of Adolf Hitler lies not in his birth, but in what he freely chose to become.

And we may further note that even when a child enters the world with certain negative propensities, birth still offers the opportunity to reflect, to correct, and to strive toward a better path.

Every seed has potential for fruit, but the cultivation, climate, decisions, and ultimate direction determine what emerges. A birth grants only the soil and the opportunity; the life reveals the choices.

We must also remember:

Challenging lives often compel humanity to confront truths we would otherwise avoid.

History’s darkest figures have, paradoxically, forced moral clarity upon the world. Through the devastation they unleashed, nations awakened to the dangers of hatred, arrogance, racial supremacy agendas, and unchecked power. Humanity learned painful lessons about vigilance, conscience, compassion, and the sacredness of human dignity.

This does not excuse the wrong, but it reveals that even great darkness can provoke great awakening.

To label any birth as a curse is to suggest that Creation miscalculates. But Divine Wisdom which rules in Creation does not err. Each soul is placed into conditions that match what it must learn, and what humanity must learn through it. The burden is on the individual to respond to that opportunity with nobility rather than destructiveness.

Birth offers grace; life reveals responsibility.

Hitler’s life shows what happens when ego, resentment, hatred, and ambition seize the wheel. It is a warning etched into history, urging every generation to guard the inner landscape of thought, feeling, and motive. In this way, even such a tragic life becomes a stern teacher for the world.

So, was his birth a blessing?

The birth, yes because every birth is a divine grace, a moment when immense possibilities are entrusted to a soul.

As for the life that unfolded afterward, it is not for us to render a final verdict. What we can say is that the choices he made brought immense suffering, even as humanity was forced through deep pain to confront truths it might otherwise have ignored. In this way, the blessing offered at birth was not expressed in noble deeds but became, through tragic misuse, a stern lesson for the world.

And yet, even from such a difficult life, humanity gained painful but necessary clarity about conscience, power, hatred, and the sacred need to guard the dignity of every human being.

And that is precisely why we must cherish our own lives with deeper seriousness. For each of us holds the same freedom: to build or to break, to uplift or to wound, to sow love or to sow pain.

As long as we are alive, the blessing of birth continues.

And the question placed before each soul remains the same:

What will you do, or what are you presently doing with the gift you have been given?

May our choices turn every gift into a force that matters, leaving the world richer for our having been here.