Higher and lower natures: the direction of a human life

How lofty is the station which man, if he but choose to fulfill his high destiny, can attain! To what depths of degradation he can sink, depths which the meanest of creatures have never reached!

In man there are two natures; his spiritual or higher nature and his material or lower nature. In one he approaches God, in the other he lives for the world alone. Signs of both these natures are to be found in men. In his material aspect he expresses untruth, cruelty and injustice; all these are the outcome of his lower nature. The attributes of his Divine nature are shown forth in love, mercy, kindness, truth and justice, one and all being expressions of his higher nature.

For man two wings are necessary. One wing is physical power and material civilization; the other is spiritual power and divine civilization. With one wing only, flight is impossible.

Man has two powers; and his development, two aspects. One power is connected with the material world, and by it he is capable of material advancement. The other power is spiritual, and through its development his inner, potential nature is awakened. These powers are like two wings. Both must be developed, for flight is impossible with one wing.

These blessings were created for humans, and bodily health and strength were made the means for the manifestation of spiritual power. If the human soul is sound despite having physical strength, and just in a state of power, this is perfection - otherwise the self is a dragon: how can it be dead? It has only grown listless from lack of means.

The purport of our subject is that, just as man is in need of outward education, he is likewise in need of ideal refinement; just as the outer sense of sight is necessary to him, he should also possess insight and conscious perception; as he needs hearing, at the same time memory is essential; as a body is indispensable to him, likewise a mind is requisite; one is a material virtue, the other is ideal.

Man is in the ultimate degree of materiality and the beginning of spirituality, that is, he is at the end of imperfection and the beginning of perfection. He is at the furthermost degree of darkness and the beginning of the light. That is why the station of man is said to be the end of night and the beginning of day, meaning that he encompasses all the degrees of imperfection and that he potentially possesses all the degrees of perfection. He has both an animal side and an angelic side; and the role of the educator is to so train human souls that the angelic side may overcome the animal.

In short, man is endowed with two natures: one tendeth towards moral sublimity and intellectual perfection, while the other turneth to bestial degradation and carnal imperfections.

Man, however, hath a twofold station: one luminous, the other dark; one pertaining to the realm of the Divine, the other to the world of nature; one inclined towards heavenly virtues, the other towards satanic qualities. For man standeth on the demarcation line between light and darkness. In the circle of existence, he is situated at the lowest point, which marketh at once the end of the arc of descent and the beginning of the arc of ascent.

From one vantage point it possesses spiritual refinement while from the other it exhibits the crassness of carnality, animalistic traits and worldly characteristics. It is neither an absolute abstraction nor is it completely of the world but is the confluence of two seas (majma' al-bahrayn) and a barzakh ("barrier", "isthmus") between two realities (amrayn). If the spiritual aspect dominates it becometh lofty, luminous, merciful, tranquil (mutma'inna), contented (radiya) and approved (mardiyya). And if it is contaminated with contingent, worldly concerns, it becometh immersed in the ocean of darknessess, reproachful (lawwama), commanding to evil (ammara) and residing in the nethermost regions of the world of existence.

The spirit is the power of life, the mind is the power which apprehendeth the reality of things, and the soul is an intermediary between the Supreme Concourse (or Spiritual World) and the lower concourse (or material world). It, i.e., the soul, hath two phases: The higher aspireth to the Kingdom of El-Baha, and the light of the mind shine forth from the horizon (or kingdom) unto its higher sphere; the other phase inclineth to the lower concourse of the material world and its lowest sphere is enveloped in the darkness of ignorance.

His body is heavy, but he flies through the air by means of vehicles of his own devising. His movement is slow, but he journeys rapidly through East and West by the aid of the devices which he has fashioned. In short, this power encompasses all things.

But this human spirit has two aspects: one divine and one satanic--that is, it is capable of both the greatest perfection and the greatest deficiency. Should it acquire virtues it is the noblest of all things and should it acquire vices it becomes the most vile.

On the other hand, we find in him justice, sincerity, faithfulness, knowledge, wisdom, illumination, mercy and pity, coupled with intellect, comprehension, the power to grasp the realities of things and the ability to penetrate the truths of existence. All these great perfections are to be found in man. Therefore, we say that man is a reality which stands between light and darkness. From this standpoint his nature is threefold: animal, human and divine. The animal nature is darkness; the heavenly is light in light.

There are two sides to man. One is divine, the other worldly; one is luminous, the other dark; one is angelic, the other diabolic. In all sensuous conditions man is equal to the animals, for all animal characteristics exist in him. Likewise, divine and satanic qualities are contained in man; knowledge and ignorance; guidance and error; truth and falsehood; generosity and avarice; valor and timidity; inclination towards God and tendency towards Satan.

There are two sides to man. One is divine, the other worldly: one is luminous, the other dark; one is angelic, the other diabolic. Man is equal to the animals in all sensuous conditions, for all animal characteristics exist in him. Likewise, divine and satanic qualities are contained in man: knowledge and ignorance; guidance and error; truth and falsehood; generosity and avarice; inclination towards God and tendency towards Satan; chastity and purity, corruption and vileness; valor and timidity; economy and avidity; good and evil; all are contained in man.

At the evening meal on this day, Abdul-Baha spoke as follows:

In the world of creation there is one nature common to all things. When we study their nature, we perceive that they are either essentially as light or darkness, either fruitful or unfruitful, useful or useless, perfect or imperfect, until we come to man, when we find that the human essence is endowed with two natures, the earthly and the heavenly, being respectively the animal and the human, the satanic and the angelic, the manifestation of perfection and of imperfection, the weakness of the body and the strength of the spirit.

Man is not a pre-existent being, but a newly produced and created being, and consists of two parts, the spiritual and material, which may be likened to hell and paradise, and he does not know whether he will be in hell or paradise; for instance, man is composed of evil as well as good, of darkness as well as light, of guidance as well as misleading the most evil character is to be found in man, while the greatest and most excellent character is also to be found in him.

In its ultimate reality the nature of man has two conditions. One condition is spiritual, the other, material. It has a divine condition and a satanic condition, an angelic condition and a demoniac condition, a condition of radiance ruled by mind and a condition of darkness ruled by desire. If either of these conditions predominate, its opposite will disappear. If the divine condition predominate, the satanic will disappear. If the angelic condition predominate, the demoniac will disappear. If the illumined condition predominate, that which is dark will disappear.

There exist in man two powers. One power uplifts him. This is divine attraction, which causes man's elevation. In all grades of existence he will develop through this power. This belongs to the spirit. The other power causes man to descend. This is the animal nature. The first attracts man to the Kingdom. The second brings him down to the contingent world. Now we must consider which of these will gain more power. If the heavenly power overcome, man will become heavenly, enlightened, merciful; but if the worldly power overcome, he will be dark, satanic, and like the animal.

Man has two aspects: the physical, which is subject to nature, and the merciful or divine, which is connected with God. If the physical or natural disposition in him should overcome the heavenly and merciful, he is, then, the most degraded of animal beings; and if the divine and spiritual should triumph over the human and natural, he is, verily, an angel.

But on the other hand, when man does not open his mind and heart to the blessing of the spirit, but turns his soul towards the material side, towards the bodily part of his nature, then is he fallen from his high place and he becomes inferior to the inhabitants of the lower animal kingdom.

His spirit is pure, sanctified and heavenly. His body is satanic. If his spiritual qualities overcome his animal qualities he becomes illumined, full of activities and good qualities. But if the animal qualities overcome the spiritual, the spiritual will be entirely extinguished. All the qualities will be animalistic.

The meaning is this: Man has two natures-a higher nature, which is Divine, and a lower nature, which is human. The higher nature is the inspiration of God within us; the lower nature is the slave of sensuous pleasure, desire, attachment, and ignorance.

How often it happens that the spirit seeks sanctification and the soul of souls yearns, but the commanding self gains control and afflicts man with a movement that causes the spirit to become troubled.

It is evident that the dominion of the self over man is like the rule of an overwhelming sovereignty, and we are captive in its grip and under its chains, shackles and fetters.

Indeed it is as you wrote - the insistent self intoxicates and deludes a person more than a tavern or wine-shop could, and worst of all, the person never realizes how this evil self affects them.

Asked, "What is Satan?" He replied: "The insistent self."

The evil self belongs to the animal world while the intellect is from the divine realm. The self is the power of the natural world while the intellect is the luminosity of the world of reality. If the reins of the self fall into the hands of the intellect, beneficial results will follow, but if the intellect becomes captive to the self, it becomes entirely deprived of human virtues.

This passionate personal ego takes the reins from his hands, crowds out the qualities of the divine ego and changes him into an animal, a creature unable to judge good from evil, or to distinguish light from darkness. He becomes blind to divine attributes, for this acquired individuality, the result of an evil routine of thought becomes the dominant note of his life.

When the self gains mastery over man, it brings every affliction upon him. For a time it casts him into thoughts of leadership, for a time into thoughts of vice and immorality, for a time into thoughts of falsehood and hypocrisy, for a time into deception, for a time into thoughts of worldliness and wealth - every hour brings a different affliction.

Many a world conqueror has come into this world who was captive to the tyrannical self and bound in chains to the treacherous devil. Though outwardly they were like fierce and mighty lions, in reality they were in utmost degradation and abasement, for they were tormented by passion and subjugated by the conditions of transgression and rebellion.

Man has a dual nature - spiritual and material - the inclination toward good, referred to as the mind (Adam), and the inclination toward bad, referred to as the soul (Eve). These two powers are in equilibrium but usually like a balance, either up or down. The soul or material quality is ever in ambush to drag the mind or spiritual quality down and when one conquers, the other is obviously weakened; for example, mayor of city about to do some good, knowing what is best, but is bribed into doing the contrary.

Man like unto the animal is the captive of the world of nature and the laws of nature exercise full control over his nature. He cannot even be compared to the beasts of prey. … If an animal tears another animal, it is only for its daily food but man destroys one hundred thousand souls in one day.

… What is written concerning the "ego which is always inclined to do evil" is no other than the fermentation of the passionate desires in the breast of man and the complete, unchecked sway of the carnal and natural forces over him.

God created humans to be human, yet they have become more ferocious than predatory beasts. Wild animals do not tear apart their own kind - a wolf, however fierce, may at most kill ten sheep in one night, but one human causes a hundred thousand people to be killed in a day.

If a man becomes stationary at that point he is the lowest of the low. As, for instance, if the animal does that which is not commendable it is not to be blamed as much as a man under similar conditions. A man can hate more terribly than an animal. Man can be more cruel than an animal, and all the baser qualities or passions are intensified if present in the human family.

In short, the display of this barbaric passion is no other than the passion of nature. These men, like unto animals, are the prisoners of nature, subdued and overcome by nature. According to the requirement of nature, the animals are pugnacious and strive in the destruction of each other.

What are passion, desire and the commanding self? These are the exigencies of the natural world. This is not something imaginary - nature itself is the commanding self. If you leave a child in its natural state without education, it remains animal-like. The requirements of nature lead to the commission of every blameworthy act.

… Among nature's demands is the struggle for survival. Among nature's demands is self-love. Among nature's demands is anger. Among nature's demands are cunning and deception. Among nature's demands is domination.

Now the world of nature has no will power. Man acts according to the requirements of nature. In the world of nature there is treachery and deceit. Consider what the cat does with the mouse, and the fox does with its prey. In the world of nature there is separation, there is the struggle for existence. These are the natural tendencies. This is irresistible.

"That which saves man from the world of nature is the Power of God. It is faith. It is the Fear of God and it will make man an angel; it transforms him.

When we look at nature we see pride and arrogance, tyranny and evil, imperfection and deficiency, inequity and transgression, ferocity and bloodthirstiness, causing shame and embarrassment. But the divine law abrogates the law of nature and nullifies the vices of base natures, and legislates true virtues so that through divine education the human world may be illumined, satanic whisperings may be transformed into merciful breathings, the utmost abasement will become the essence of glory, and supreme chastisement will be changed into endless mercy.

The state of manis nature is injustice, butchery, tyranny, treachery, lechery, achievement of selfish motives, neglect of God and fulfillment of carnal desires. The sanctified Manifestations of God rescue humanity from this black pit and guide them to the highest stations of spirituality. Thereupon, man gains faith, attraction to the divine fragrance, the ability to discover mysteries, divine recognition, knowledge of hidden secrets, trustworthiness, fidelity, charity, nobility and spirituality.

Should his spiritual powers prevail over his physical nature, he becometh celestial and divine, becometh a mine of love, a manifestation of grace, a dawning-place of bounty, a source of human virtues, a wellspring of divine qualities, and the embodiment of chastity, steadfastness, trustworthiness, knowledge, mercy, valor and servitude. But should his carnal desires and animal characteristics prevail, he becometh a mine of darkness, a source of treachery, a manifestation of ignorance and wickedness.

Savagery, ferocity and bloodthirstiness are attributes of wolves and characteristics of beasts. What befits humans is love, kindness, mercy, guidance, affection and divine inspirations.

If the soul remains in this station and moves along these paths it will be the recipient of this darkness; but if it becomes the recipient of the graces of the world of mind, its darkness will be transformed into light, its tyranny into justice, its ignorance into wisdom, its aggression into loving kindness; until it reach the apex.

Those who live thinking good thoughts, doing good deeds, and with love in their hearts -the minds of these become ever clearer, reflecting more and more perfectly the love of God, while the minds of those who live in ignorance and desire are clouded and obscured and give forth His light but meagrely.

My hope is that day by day thou wilt become more successful and, as thou should and must, serve the world of humanity, cherish mankind, kindle the lamp of guidance in every heart, and serve the world of morality so that human realities may be freed from the darkness of the world of nature, which is pure animality, and become illumined by the light of the divine realm.

Every being has one reality, except for man who has both a natural reality and a spiritual reality. From the elaboration of the blessed themes in this position and the unveiling of the mysteries deposited in the spiritual reality and the encouragement toward the improvement of virtuous character and the promotion of the unity of the human world and universal brotherhood, souls became infinitely attracted.

But if these supreme precautions are not taken in the earliest stages of the child's growth, it will be most difficult to curb later on his growing manifold appetites. For then he will live according to the requirements of the world of nature and uncontrolled self. Once the lower and sensual habits of nature take hold of him, it will be very hard to reform him by any human agencies.

He replied, "This lower self of mine is very rebellious. However much I try to overcome it, I found no other solution. Finally, I saw this was the best way, and it is always subdued."

Cruelty is inherent in human nature - if one refrains from it, it is either due to the fear of God or fear of punishment. Otherwise cruelty, oppression, and transgression are inherent in human nature, and the first sign of faith is trustworthiness.

Nature inclines toward evil, unless divine teachings prevent and intervene.

Instinctively the hearts of men are inclined to do evil, because they live in the material world; save those souls who through the Fragrances of the Merciful are freed from the circle of the bestial nature.

Otherwise, restraint is impossible and unattainable, and this is from the requirements of nature, which is the same as the soul commanding to evil, like the fierce lion and wolf.

However man is endowed by the Creator with a second nature which is supernatural, spiritual, ideal and celestial. With this power he is enabled to overcome his lower, physical nature.

It is evident, therefore, that man is dual in aspect: as an animal he is subject to nature, but in his spiritual or conscious being he transcends the world of material existence. His spiritual powers, being nobler and higher, possess virtues of which nature intrinsically has no evidence; therefore, they triumph over natural conditions.

Such evidences prove conclusively that man is possessed of two realities, as it were: a reality connected with the senses which is shared in common with the animal, and another reality which is conscious and ideal in character. This latter is the collective reality and the discoverer of mysteries.

Man thinks too much of perfecting the body, but of what use is it to him without the perfecting of the spirit? … But man is distinguished from the beast by his spiritual gifts and these he should develop with the other, both together.

If the susceptibilities of the spirit control him, there is no created being more heroic, more undaunted than man; but if physical forces dominate, you cannot find a more cowardly or fearful object because the body is so weak and incapable.

Every creature is endowed with one aspect or reality - man however possesses two aspects or realities - consider how these sentient beings whether they live upon the earth or in the air have only one aspect. For example: the earth, the mountain, the meadow and the desert have only one mineral aspect. The flowers and the trees enjoy the vegetable reality- the one vegetable aspect. These animals and the quadrupeds possess only the animal aspect. This physical reality is captive but man has a material aspect and a spiritual aspect - for man is different.

If in the past, however, the creation had lacked such completeness and adornment, if it had been in an inferior state, then existence would have necessarily been wanting and imperfect and, as such, incomplete. This matter requires the utmost attention and thought. Imagine, for example, the entire contingent world--the realm of existence--as resembling the body of man. If the composition, the arrangement, the completeness, the beauty, and the perfection which now exist in the human body were in any way different, the result would be imperfection itself.

Now, life is of two kinds: that of the body and that of the spirit. The life of the body consists in material life, but the life of the spirit is a heavenly existence which consists in receiving the grace of the Divine Spirit and being quickened through the breath of the Holy Spirit.

O maid-servant of God! The human spirit hath an impression and effect in the world, but the divine Spirit giveth life to the souls and confereth eternal life upon those who are attracted to the fragrances of God. This is the Great Cause from the Kingdom of thy Lord. Be attached to this New Spirit which hath effective power in the realities of things and creates new creatures.

Answer: Know that there are two natures in man: the material and the spiritual. The material nature is inherited from Adam, while the spiritual nature is inherited from the reality of the Word of God, which is the spirituality of Christ. The material nature is born of Adam, but the spiritual nature is born of the grace of the Holy Spirit. The material nature is the source of every imperfection and the spiritual nature is the source of all perfection.

His Holiness St. Paul says, "You have died in Adam, you have become alive in the Christ. This statement is most significant. The purpose is this that in man there are two natures. One is material or physical. That is the heritage of Adam to man, for it is elemental; it is material; it belongs to earth. He is possessed of another nature, which is spiritual. That is Christ-like. That is born of the Word of God. That is from the Breaths of the Holy Spirit. That nature is radiant. That nature is heavenly, and that nature is divine.

Man has two planes: the physical and the intellectual. The divine revelators have three: their physical condition, which is shared by all mankind - they eat, they sleep, they are sometimes ill, they become well again, they become fatigued, they undergo all that man can undergo; their intellectual degree and their holy reality which surrounds all beings and comprehends secrets. Their horizons enfold the universe, for they are the suns of real truth illuminating all the regions of thought, dispersing the darkness, uplifting the world of mankind and making the material world heavenly.

Verily I am God, there is no God but Me, the Most Great, the Most Great. I have created thee and ordained for thee two stations. This is My station wherein none shall be seen save Me, and from this thou dost speak on My behalf, that verily I am God, there is no God but Me, the Lord of all worlds. And through this thou dost seek My shelter, praise Me, proclaim My unity, worship Me, and art numbered among those who bow down before Me.

Say: Were God to raise it to the highest horizon above the distance of two bow-lengths or closer, verily it would still be the Most Great Proof, and were God to lower it and mention through it whatsoever is in the lowest earths, that would still be the Most Great Proof. Say: Even as God hath brought forth these verses from My soul, likewise hath He brought forth the spirits of these verses by the issuing forth of the letters, and they have testified that there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved.

From the time of the creation of Adam to this day there have been two pathways in the world of humanity: one the natural or materialistic, the other the religious or spiritual.

There are two pathways which have been pointed out by the Heavenly Educators. The first is Divine Guidance and reliance upon the Manifestations of God. The other is the road of Materialism and reliance upon the senses. These roads lead in opposite directions. The first leads to the world of the Kingdom; the other ends in the world of human vices, and is contrary to the cause of Divine Guidance.

With the appearance of truth the point of Opposition raises its head. The former gains signal victory, the other goes into crushing defeat; the first upraises the standard of guidance, the other unfurls the banner of error; One is divine revelation, another is satanic suggestion; the first leads us into the paradise of Peace, the second hurls us headlong into the hell of war.

O thou who seekest eternal life! Know thou that human beings are of two kinds. Some are of a material inclination, enslaved to the world of nature.

The other kind of human beings are those who seek the sublime world, who crave to become heavenly creatures like the prophets and the holy saints, and merciful souls attracted to the kingdom of God.

O soul that yearneth for the Beloved! The worldly soul is closely bound to the world of dust and is far removed from the beauty of the celestial world. The divine soul is an intimate of the self-subsistent Lord and is privy to the world of mystery. The earthly soul returneth to the earth, whilst the divine soul returneth unto the Lord of lords.

Everything save man has one condition, but man has two. The animal has one condition or nature, but man has the animal nature (human) and the Divine nature (spiritual). If the Divine nature predominates he will be good, but if the human nature predominates he will be evil. … Man has the power of knowledge which will exalt him to Heaven, and the power of ignorance which will debase him to the lowest condition. The more the person advances in Divine things, the more will he receive the Attributes of Light; and the more he retrogrades, the more will he receive the attributes of darkness.

The human spirit is superior to the body and struggles with it for control of the soul: when it succeeds, the soul becomes heavenly, when the body obtains the control, the soul becomes degraded."

Material love is divided into two kinds - the animal and the human love. The animal loves its kind, the bird loves its mate and the gentle dove its offspring. Thus the human being has this quality and a greater power besides. Animal love has no permanent foundation and will soon pass away, but the human being sometimes loves for the sake of God and this another kind of love.

Man has two aspects; a spiritual and an animal aspect. His animal side is sustained through food and drink like unto other beasts but his spiritual life is fed by the ideal perfections, faith, assurance, the Knowledge of God, and the Love of God.

Man is possessed of two stations: One is that of sleep and one of wakefulness. One is that of infancy, and one of maturity. One is that of utter helplessness and one is that of great assistance. One is that of utter poverty and one is absolute wealth. These are the two stations of man.

You know which path to follow: you cannot be mistaken, for there's a great distinction between God and evil, between Light and darkness, Truth and falsehood, Love and hatred, Generosity and meanness, Education and ignorance, Faith in God and superstition, good Laws and unjust laws.

This is the human spirit. This human spirit has two sides; it will incline either towards the Divine or Material. It has the capacity/potentiality of complete perfection, and the potentiality of the lowest abasement.

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...self has really two meanings, or is used in two senses, in the Baha'i writings; one is self, the identity of the individual created by God. This is the self mentioned in such passages as 'he hath known God who hath known himself etc.' The other self is the ego, the dark, animalistic heritage each one of us has....

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But humanity, in reality, is poised midway between gods and beasts, and inclines now to the one order, now to the other; some men grow like to the divine, others to the brute, the greater number stand neutral.

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