Section Alpha Lesson Four: The Physical Nature Of Humankind  Spirit As Self In Physical Form  With Lessons Alpha One and Two, a conceptual boundary between mind and spirit has been established. It is now possible to discuss certain aspects of man's physical existence that have gone unnoticed, for it is the physical response of the body that ensures the preservation of the integrity of the spirit. It is essential to understand these physical processes, for they underlie most of human motivation and behavior---including, of course, those actions which wreak havoc upon civilization.  It is when we fail to experience physical/mental pain feedback that we are truly cut off from Spirit. In a world where acts of violence are paraded before us on a daily basis, there is likely to be a certain propensity to become callous. With this comes the deterioration of the body/mind link with spirit.  The body is spirit in the flesh, and the body's prime directive is to ensure the continuance of the physical form so that Spirit can be developed and expressed.The body has a built-in knowledge of what it is andwhat it is not. It operates upon a self/not-self distinction, with a primary goal of self-preservation.  Some have termed this the instinct of survival, but this is usually interrupted to apply to the limitations of the physical, not considering the ultimate point of 'surviving' being the preservation of the environment necessary for the spirit to function in physical reality. This "instinct" enables us to acquire necessary survival information through and beyond our normal five senses. For example, we can get warnings in dreams or hunches. Spirit makes every effort to assist us.  The body has a tremendous amount of mechanisms that operate toward the goal of self-preservation. Science has acknowledged this fact as a basic foundation of evolutionary theories and explanations. But lacking an overall framework with which to interpret their findings, many highly important systems remain misunderstood, resulting in confusion within the Mind of Man. The spiritual nature of humankind, as well as the interference effect of mind remain mysteries, and therefore obstacles to human progress. Humans remain cut off from the very biological process that can lead to their salvation.  Because humankind's attention is almost entirely outwardly directed, the accelerated progress we have made in technology is not matched by the necessary awareness of our inner nature. While psychology and psychiatry have been important areas of study in the the 20th century, basic presumptions of our spiritual nature have frequently been ignored or rejected. I suspect that this is about to change.  Nevertheless, this spiritual safety-net is still quite successful at keeping humans from complete befuddlement within their own camouflage, for when the messages of the spirit fall upon deaf ears, the body takes over. Unfortunately, when it operates outside conscious understanding, the physical reactions can compound problems until the spiritual message is finally heeded. It is now of central importance to understand the spiritual defenses and how they operate in the body. When this process is understood, humans can begin the evolutionary journey that has thus far been postponed.  The writings of Louise Hayes, in their own way, bring across the suggestion that our physical bodies are clearly tied to our emotional and spiritual state of being and serve as reflectors of the divergence from our spiritual path. When applied to the above paragraph, we begin to see that physical (and even mental) suffering is not conditionally imposed upon us from an arbitrary and capricious universe, but are rather the channel markers in place to keep us moving along the course toward our individual destinies. We are all destined for greatness, in our own good time.  Human Emotion: An Undiscovered Sixth Sense  The one process that crosses the spiritual, the mental and physical realms is that of emotion---human feelings of pleasure and pain. This is the singular, most powerful---yet equally misunderstood---human system.Vast benefits lie dormant, and unnecessary suffering results when this power is not harnessed. Indeed, human emotion exists as an undiscovered sense, and perhaps the most powerful of them all. Like physical pain, emotional pain grabs the attention of the individual and cries out for solution. But feelings remain profoundly misunderstood.  If you have ever heard the admonition: "Don't lose your temper, use it!", you are hearing the suggestion that anger is a legitimate form of energy and when directed in a positive way, can accomplish a positive result. Likewise, when anger is turned inward (stifled, if you will) it can do serious damage to our mental and physical natures. Love, also an emotional energy, can drive the saintly among us to inspirational achievements that make for a better world.  In describing this sense, it is helpful to contrast thoughts and feelings, for the two are often confused. l)Thoughts identify, organize and categorize information, always leading to other thoughts. Thoughts exist within the bounds of mind. 2) Feelings only arise when "the self" is involved. The self is the spirit as it is experienced in the body. So unlike thoughts, feelings involve the body as well as the mind, and they lead to actions. Although they are related, feelings and thoughts are completely different experiences. For example, it is one experience to conceptualize the features of a bear with such mental thoughts as: the bear is a member of the mammal family, it's skin can be used to make warm rugs (when it's dead---while alive, it tends to object), it lives in caves and eats honey. There is quite again another experience when looking such a beast in the eye, and thoughts turn to the fact that the bear is likely to be dangerous to self-survival. Fearful feelings and active responses, perhaps flight, will result.Thought is a process, while emotion is a communicative and active sense.  Feelings sometimes transcend "thoughts" in the form of instinct or intuition, suggesting a course of action that supersedes the rational process. Feelings, being closer to our spiritual nature, would seem to tap into a broader (and fortunately quicker) sense of awareness than is usual with the rational thinking process. When we hear the crackle of a tree falling behind us, we would not likely bother to make a mental review of the geometry of it's angle of descent. We'd instinctively seek to be where the tree is not going to be, and do so with great expediency.  As a sense, emotion not only offers sensory input, it has three essential interacting functions: Human emotion is the  l) language of the body, as well as the 2) language of the spirit, and is 3) intimately connected with the contents of the mind. For the spirit, feelings communicate intent and how well it is being carried out. For the mind, feelings give feedback regarding the suitability of mental tools at carrying out spiritual intention. For the body, feelings motivate the person to actions which carry out spiritual intention, and if frustrated, those that accomplish self-preservation. Together, these three functions of emotion drive human behavior.  Could it be that when we fail to carry out our "Spiritual" intention in a timely manner, our bodies and minds experience physical and mental discomforts? I think this material strongly suggests that to be the case. This would explain and assure us that the reason we experience existence in this physical realm, subject to the laws of time and space, is so that we have a greater degree of motivation to make progress toward a refinement of physical, mental and spiritual development, particularly the latter.  Without the intended flow of feeling communication, mind and body can often work against each other. When this happens, the spiritual self-preservation of body can override the goals and intentions of mind. This is a last ditch effort to preserve the needs of the spirit, but can serve to bring about results quite unbecoming to the divine human.  I think we see this best reflected in those who suffer from severe mental impairments while, at the same time, experiencing effective physical processes. In the case of a mind with it's surroundings seen through a perspective which lacks the spiritual qualities factored in, the body exercises its own consciousness in a way that preserves its state of balance while the mind goes out of balance. In other words, we mentally suffer from the consequences of failing to integrate our full nature.  Such behaviors are intended to communicate that a level below which the spirit cannot dip, has been reached. Instead, such defensive maneuvers tend to become habitual and accepted as inevitable, albeit undesirable, human behaviors. Not to mention that death can, and often does, result if mind and body continue to oppose each other---the spirit simply chooses to vacate, acknowledging a lost cause.  There is a line from Richard Bach's book, "Illusions", that goes something like this: "There is a test to determine whether or not you have completed your purpose in life---If you're still alive---you haven't". It might be appropriate to add an addendum to that quote: "If it becomes clear that your state of mind is preventing you from achieving that 'purpose' and you're pretty intent on not changing, you might as well exit stage left and audition for a new play.  This misunderstanding and miscommunication can no longer be tolerated within the species of man. The events of the past century show that self-preservationary acts can actually destroy the planet. Humans intuit the spiritual way, and although it is far afield from what they have created, they still desire to attain it. This last five decades in history have been a wake-up call that humans for the most part, have begun to answer. The key to a turnabout course is the reestablishment of this inner communication between spirit, mind and body.  During that period between the l950s and l998, the standard response to international differences has been military conflict or preparation for same. The in-depth reasons for this knee-jerk solution are just beginning to be explored. It would seem that these 'Lessons' are a part of that exploration. It may even be a part of an overall shift in perspective which will lead to a much more peaceful and prosperous world culture. I am not speaking of some New World Order of security at the price of freedom, but rather an environment where freedom is the guarantor of security.  The secret to restoring the inner communication lies in understanding the physical feeling system, listening to its wisdom and learning to operate within its parameters. Only then can humans return to their intended evolutionary course from which they have strayed. This begins with the understanding that the emotional system is part of the physical immune defenses.  The importance of the physical "immune system" has grown dramatically in the past half century, to the point that the strengthening of the "system" is regarded as our best deterrent to illness, or more positively, the preservation of good health. There is also some convincing evidence around that how we "feel" about ourselves does affect the state of our immunity. Is this another link in the chain of evidence pointing toward the premise that we indeed do create our own reality? It might seem so.  Feelings And the Human Immune System  Self-preservation is the goal of the human immune system. It operates upon a highly sophisticated range of abilities and features that distinguish self from that which is not-self. The immune system is best known for its role in fighting disease processes. It is poised to identify and eliminate any foreign invaders which threaten the health and vitality of the self---the body.  If the physical was the total extent of our nature, this "system" would suffice. But since we know we are also mental and spiritual beings, it would stand to reason that this same "system" would be naturally extended to the other two.  For example, if a virus should enter and reproduce within the body, the immune system springs to action. It elevates the local temperature, organizes helper, killer and memory T-cells, enlists macrophages to consume or "eat up" the invader. It then produces antibodies so that future invaders of the same type will quickly be recognized and eliminated. It accomplishes all this by recognizing the chemical difference between cells that are part of the body and belong there and those that do not. Antibodies mark invaders with the "non-self" red flag so that they cannot reinfect the body. It is overall a very elegant bodily system of self-preservation. Again, the efficiency of the physical system is illustrated and serves to reinforce the veracity of our total physical/mental/spiritual nature. As mentioned earlier in these "Lessons", that part of us which keeps us on course whenever, wherever possible in our path to growth, sees the dangers of our misdirections and, using physical/mental experiences of pain and discomfort, corrects us and erects the barriers to repeating our errors.  Scientists are finally awakening to the interrelations between mind and body, and specifically how emotions affect physical health. They know that inadequate emotional expression is correlated with a heightened stress response, impaired immune functioning, cardiovascular disease, psychosomatic illness and a predisposition to develop cancer. But they have not yet made the obvious conclusion that emotion is a part of the immune defense system.  It seems that while they (scientists) are 2/3rds of the way to the total picture, the inability to recognize the spiritual nature of human beings is their glass-darkened barrier. Once this final aspect is factored into the picture, it is likely that physical health will cease to be a significant factor in the course of our lives.  As part and parcel of the human immune system, the emotional system plays an immensely important role in human self-preservation. It functions as the physical aspects of defense, but it operates also within the realm of mind. Just as the cells of the immune system signal invaders of the body, so do emotional feelings signal "invaders" of the mind. Likewise, as the active responses of the immune cells remove the invaders, the hardwired reactive behavioral responses to human feeling are intended to make corrective adjustments that include removing invaders.  Our minds are being 'invaded' on a daily basis, the invasion coming from parents, friends, media, educational and religious institutions and, attitudes that reinforce limiting beliefs. This storm of emotionally supported misinformation can't help but take its toll on our physical/mental/spiritual stability. But, fortunately, our safety net remains in place.  This is the spiritual safety net in action. In the case of emotion, the invaders are beliefs that are chosen and retained which do not contribute to, but limit, self development and expression. This is an ultimate reality-checking device that can ensure that the portrait each human paints of reality includes the very essential qualities necessary for the expression of spirit. Any limiting beliefs are, in fact, invaders.  Planted in our earlier years, along with more spiritual beliefs, like carrots, these "invaders" must be rooted up for the more positive beliefs to flourish. Limiting beliefs, no matter what they are, have the consistent effect of limiting our growth along spiritual/mental/physical lines. Certain diseases are forewarned to most likely lead to death. Mental tests that allegedly measure our intelligence, encourage us to limit our mental activities. Spiritual experiences are conditional upon satisfying someone else's criteria for truth. All such "arrows" point inward as the barrier to our expansion.  The feeling system is the long sought interactionary device between mind and body, theorized by philosophers uncomfortable with scientist's reductionism and mechanistic view of human nature. (Humans are not merely machines without free will, self-direction and intention. And the mind is far more than simply "a brain"). Such a mind-body communication device is the only escape from the mental isolation (and imminent fear) of a mind set adrift from external "reality", let alone spiritual intention. Mr. Descartes himself, (our enlightened philosopher), suggested that human emotion was the interactionary device between mind and body, yet he was met with disdain due to the many limiting ideas within mass consciousness.  Even today, there are still plenty of limiting ideas around. I have to wonder, though, how the other so-called enlightened minds of his time could conclude so easily that an inter-reactionary device could be absent between mind and body or that whatever did link them could be so certainly devoid of feeling. Had the masculine mentality of the time become so dominant that anything other than rational thinking was out of the question? Considering the "reasoning madness" the first half of the 20th century held for mankind (to the point of near annihilation), the philosophical bent of the l9th century was clearly off the mark. As a key defense then, emotion operates as a feedback device which exchanges information between mind and body. The goal is to keep the mind aligned to the needs of spirit which are biologically encoded within the body. This system virtually takes over when most spiritual communication with mind has been interrupted due to limited beliefs. The spirit sneaks in the back door, so to speak, through the feelings and reactions of the body, to bring about the intended need fulfillment of the spirit.  The phrase "biologically encoded within the body" suggests more to the role of the DNA/RNA characteristics than we may yet appreciate. With further understanding of this connection, we may be able to reprogram our physical nature through acts of meditation and visualization to potentials yet unforeseen.  This is not the easiest way to communicate, mind you. But it at least makes some communication possible, when humans are so completely enmeshed within their own mass creations that they no longer have direct, conscious, mental communication with their own spirit. This is the physically encoded information that spirit will not let humans go without. It will haunt them with individual and social pain until they finally "get it".  The goal, at this point, would seem to be to transcend the limiting belief system we are programmed with, recognize that we have within ourselves a biological/spiritual connecting system that not only keeps us whole but can, if understood and stimulated by our emotions, take us to physical, mental and spiritual levels we can not yet even imagine. Feelings Communicate Essential Spiritual Needs  What will haunt humans until they are met, are the essential needs of the spirit. These needs are biologically impressed upon the body to ensure a minimum of spiritual development and expression within the physical realm. When these needs are met, humans can successfully go about the business of self development and expression. When they are not met, humans flounder in frustration, bad feelings and misunderstandings.  No doubt, the material environment we occupy during our physical sojourn is the predominant factor in the success or failure of our efforts to develop and express ourselves. An essential step in creating our reality might begin with creating a favorable environment in which to achieve those "needs".  There has never been any consensus in the Mind of Man regarding essential human needs. Thus, with no official recognition, acceptance or definition of them, it is not likely that they are well accommodated within human civilization. Wherever the spirit is not accommodated, there will exist a predominance of self-preservationary behavior.  The question might be: What are these essential needs? The answer will be supplied in due course. Meanwhile, the "need" for an environment where those can be met is predominant as essential for the new millennium. As the 18th century brought forth the birth of political freedoms to apply to the governing of society, the 21st century will have to bring about birth of spiritual freedoms to move the human race forward to the stars in a metaphorical sense and, possibly, a physical sense.  Now is the time for simple, yet complete, acknowledgement and acceptance of human spiritual needs. There are two main categories of human need. l)The Individual Needs, and 2) The Connection Needs. These needs exist within every human being, they are inborn. Regardless of the widely varying cultures and systems of living, the tacit goal of all social structures is to accomplish need fulfillment. When the individual's needs are met, they can share their effective methods with the world. From these offerings rise social structures.  These "needs" are no more evident then at the time of birth. The newborn child has the obvious need for nourishment and, not so obvious but just as essential, the need for human contact and connection with other human beings. These needs continue throughout life and are an essential compliment to the growth of humans on all levels. It is in the "sharing" that we grow.  Those cultural institutions that have endured must contain some successful need-meeting tenets, but for the most part, mass consensus is choked with conflicting dictates due to the lack of understanding of human needs. These "invaders" must be purged from the individual and mass consciousness for evolution to proceed unimpeded. This, of course, is not possible without first understanding the needs themselves.  While the word "purged" may sound quite strong and arbitrary, it is exactly what will have to be done in order to surmount the barriers that currently confine our spirit. The connotations of this word might suggest some sort of physical violence, but we know that true growth comes from the efforts of mind and spirit, with the physical simply falling into line.  The Individual (Power) Needs  The individual needs take precedence over the group needs. If individual needs go unanswered, the self-preservationary reactions will occur. Such acts often go directly against other individuals, or the mutual goals of group living, but are intended to preserve the individual. For without individuals, there can be no groups.  My first reaction to this paragraph was, "Well so much for the right of Eminent Domain." I think the point here is that when you deprive an "individual" of certain basic rights and freedoms, you create a frustration of spirit that expresses itself in aggressive and negative ways against other individuals. When applied to groups of individuals, wars can ensue. One of the moral justifications for killing in time of war is that it is an act of self-defense (self-preservation), but the flaw lies in failing to examine the circumstances that lead to a person being in such a position. Killing each other for the sake of self-preservation leads to a definite decrease in "groups".  Although the need for group connection is very strong, the need for survival is necessarily stronger. This way the spirit is assured that although groups, even civilizations, will come and go, the individual will always survive to create new ones. Thus, it should be accepted that the individual needs will always take priority over group needs. It should then be no surprise that when societies do not accommodate the needs of its individuals, that they will act out against the obstacles. This is inevitable. This is right. This is just, in the highest sense of the word. This is spiritual intention."  It doesn't necessarily follow that the "act(ing) out against obstacles", has to lead to violent action. Ghandi was able to lead a revolt against the domination of another country by exercising a principle of resistance through non-violence that avoided, for the most part, the physical violence that usually accompanies massive revolution.  What are the individual needs? The human physiological needs for air, food, warmth and procreation are already fairly well understood. It's quite obvious what happens when the needs go unmet. Therefore, most social structures are fairly successful at accommodating them. But there are individual psychological needs which are impressed upon the body by spirit and which speak through the human emotional system. These are the needs that are unrecognized, dishonored, denied and for the most part, remain frustrated. But they are experienced in some form within each and every human being the world over.  Because they "are impressed upon the body by spirit", they are destined to be expressed at some point in the progression of human expansion. History records these expressions in the past and in the present. Much of the violence going on in the world today is linked directly to individuals (as groups) struggling for expression of these higher needs.  The individual needs are about development and expression of spiritual (or genetic) potential. They translate into the need to explore, create, find meaningand successfully interact with the environment, the need for power and equitable freedom to control one's own destiny; and to ultimately contribute their unique offering to humanity. Although there are many forms through which these essential needs can be met, they are at the core of human motivation and behavior.When an adequate level of individual needs are being met, then the group needs are experienced.  There is, I believe, a misconception being promulgated upon the planet's population in the present era which suggests that an economic system can be put in place that will furnish the material needs of individuals and nations, assuming that peace and prosperity will reign universally in an orderly fashion. Unfortunately, any "system" imposed from without, whether it be an economic or political system, is inculcated with the very flaws that will undermine it.  The Group (Connection) Needs  The group needs are essentially about maintaining an awareness of the spiritual connection with All That Is. They translate into the need to commune, affiliate and interact with other humans and life forms, to be accepted and recognized as unique, to love and be loved, and to experience a spiritual connectedness with the world.  This appears to make the point of the unifying spirit that permeates all forms of life, "like the ocean permeates each wave". We are, in essence, tied together by the universal spirit that makes us what we are. We can not truly ignore It and certainly can't function without It.  These needs interact, of course, and there are no hard and fast rules about priority, other than that an adequate level of individual need must be met or it's frustration will interfere with the relational group needs.These needs and their fulfillment are the biologically ordained translation of spiritual intention. They are the level of spiritual expression below which humans cannot dip without emotional, physical, and social repercussions.  This is how we know if a community is in harmony with Spirit. If its members feel good about their group and themselves, this serves as confirmation that they are in harmony with their spiritual nature. Also, humans may drift, but they can't get totally lost without their spiritual tether pulling them back within workable boundaries.  The feelings constantly report the spiritual need-fulfillment status. This is the human insurance policy that prevents the species from complete severance from spirit and complete disorientation within their own camouflage. Humans should be extremely thankful to their "good fortunes" that they are endowed with such insurance. They should be highly reverent of these needs, and the feelings that communicate them. At bare minimum, they should be aware of them. Humans should ensure that every society accommodates them fully and equitably. For this embodiment of need, of course, is not simply due to lucky stars, need fulfillment is the goal; it is indeed spiritual intention.  If one's concept of the All That Is is highly personified, then the above should make one feel all warm and fuzzy inside. If, on the other hand, one views the All That Is in more abstract and ubiquitous terms, then this concept brings justification for strengthening the emotional/feeling part and understanding of our truly divine connection.  Human need is the principle upon which the information is exchanged between mind and body when spirit is essentially left out of the loop (as is now the case). Emotion is the language. Human feelings signal need fulfillment, or lack thereof, through the experience of pleasure or pain. It is an information exchange system---a feedback system---both mental and physical .  As long as there are humans, this principle will remain in place. But, it will be enhanced exponentially when we are able to factor in the spiritual part of our nature and rely upon it as the ultimate guiding factor in our existence.  Feelings As Feedback Between Mind And Body  But what is feedback you ask? Feedback is an information exchange system, that relates the status of two things and keeps them at some preset level of balance. Feedback systems are elegant and abundant in biological systems, from chemical reactions within single cells, to complex ecological interaction in the biosphere. It is one of nature's favorite systems to keep physical forms in their required state of balance.  An example of such happening in the human body would be a state of imbalance resulting from a virus running rampant in your system. Your temperature increases and holds its higher level until the invader is brought under control. It also sends an uncomfortable message to the brain alerting it to the crisis. "Feedback" alerts the mind which instructs the brain to stimulate the body to take the necessary action to overcome the invading virus.  A feedback system compares two things, signals an imbalance, then effects a corrective change to restore the balance. For example, a home heating thermostat. The desired temperature is compared to the actual temperature and when the balance is upset, the heat clicks on or off to restore the balance.  Another example, in a more metaphysical sense, might be a dowsing rod, but that's a separate area of exploration, in itself. The above is a good, practical example and something most homes have today.  Spirit is experienced as emotion within human mental and physical realms. (This is the disconnected "Will" aspect of spirit). The feeling system is part of the immune defense system. Thus the two things that are compared by this feedback system are internal and external worlds---self and non-self.  I hope this becomes more clear in the next paragraph!  The human feeling system exists to mediate humans in their physical world. If internal mental thoughts lead to external actions that result in meeting the needs in new and creative ways, the person becomes aware of this through positive, good feelings. Likewise, if thoughts lead to actions which do not meet needs, or external obstacles are encountered, this is known to the person through negative or bad feelings. These are the comparative and signaling aspects of the feedback system.  There is almost always a "pleasure" obtained from doing something creative. But the pleasure some might get from doing something destructive (even in a creative way) can likely lead to a depletion of the spirit, if we sense that it is not in the best interest, or complimentary to the spiritual quality of humans.  The Hardwired Responses  The next step in the feedback cycle is the corrective action. The emotion comes with physical arousal---body energy---that is intended to motivate corrective responses. These corrections can be mental adjustments or they can be physical actions. But they are intended to be corrective in the highest sense of the word. They are the singular process preventing utter human enmeshment within the Earthly camouflage. Emotional reactions are the final vestiges of a vital, unbreakable, spiritual, communicative tie.  Our society tends to discourage "emotional reactions", especially among young males. Be strong, don't cry. Stay cool. What we develop in the young is not just bravery, but ultimately, indifference and non-feeling. We, in effect, handicap ourselves emotionally just a surely as if we took steps to reduce the capacity of one or more of our five physical senses. Because we are such conformists, this physical deterioration follows with age, but such emotional deterioration may begin within youth. If humans had come to earth and become completely enchanted by their own early creations, they still would have had this corrective safety net. If such enchantment had led them to choices which endangered their very lives, they could fall back on automatic responses that could rescue them. These"active responses" follow emotional arousal and are often acted out without much conscious thought or mental involvement. Or, "they" are often acted out with highly creative mental involvement. They base nearly every human action, yet their nature is grossly misunderstood. Each and every evil act of human beings, as well as most every individual and social ill, is traceable to one of these self-preservationary responses or a perversion thereof.  We are tied to our spiritual nature like an unbreakable rubber band. We stretch it but as the "stretch" increases, the tension to bring us back to origin, increases in like proportion. Often that very "tension" clouds our judgment and we act out of fear and anger, in ways that are destructive to ourselves and those around us.  The two general categories of hardwired corrective response are to approach and to avoid. It is the basic spiritual directive to "approach" that which causes pleasure and to "avoid" that which causes pain. The "approach" response accompanies good feelings. It is intended to lead us in those same directions we are going---those that are working, or improved directions that meet needs in new and creative ways.  Again, creative activity brings pleasure to us like gravity pulled our sled down a snow-covered hill, as a child or; as adults, pulls our creative impulses out into physical action to view and experience with our physical senses.  The "approach" can be in the acquisition and implementation of a creative idea, belief or strategy. It can be a repetition of an existing strategy or a refinement following a pleasurable outcome. It can be a simple physical approach to that which is attractive in any sense. This is a "hard-wired" self preservationary response that can also facilitate self-development and expression. This establishes a cyclic relationship wherein the pleasure becomes the goal, the evolving beliefs and actions to attain it are finely honed, thus verified by subsequent pleasurable successes. Although there are some cultural complications, following positive feelings to attain positive ends is quite intuitive. For the most part, it happens very naturally and without too much mental interference. For the positive feelings of joy are the resonance of a satisfied spirit, and humans know this within every fiber of their being.  When we say a "cheering" word to someone who seems depressed or not feeling well, and watch a smile cross their face, we feel that spark of momentary "joy" that joins us with that other person in something above the mundane activities of our lives and, in doing so, we contact that spiritual quality.  The "avoid" responses can be quite a bit more complex.These are the responses that get humans into a great deal of trouble. They are generally known as the responses of fight and flight. They exist so that the human can forcibly remove, or escape from, an obstruction in the external world. The avoidant responses can be productive and positive, or they can be extremely destructive and debilitating.  Here is where our "feelings" play a strong role. Our society honors bravery even when it costs our lives. We may feel guilt from doing nothing more sensible than avoiding our physical destruction. Circumstances that put us in situations that confuse our spiritual priorities are to be avoided, I would think, whenever possible.  We will be discussing these responses at length, for they are the core of self understanding and the place where positive action, rapid growth and change, can occur, once they are understood in their entirety. But first, it is necessary to have the underlying conceptual foundation of the feedback system and how it has been effected by the evolution of human mind.  We are in a constant state of "evolution", even though it may seem, at times, that "regression" is more predominant. If we keep in mind that we are a learning species, then even our mistakes (when we learn from them) are positive experiences.  The Fully Functional Feedback System  The emotional feedback system is part of the physical immune system. But, this safety net offers far more than simple self preservation. When it is allowed smooth, unimpaired functioning, humans operate upon the hedonic principle of approach and avoid. This follows spiritual intention and motivates innately moral responses.  QUESTION: Would this be another way of referring to what we have known as our conscience, a form of inner guidance that self-corrects us when we act in such a way that runs contrary to spiritual nature? However, when manipulated from an outside influence (or institution), it (the conscience) can grow beyond rational proportions, to the point where it can threaten our emotional stability and to where this guidance system is ultimately abandoned.  Humans read the feedback feeling signals to understand the nature of their relationship with the outside world, as well as with the other humans they encounter. They use their feelings to judge how well the contents of the mind are doing toward creating a reality that meets an adequate level of human need. They can continuously adjust the beliefs and other mental tools so that they are afforded maximum self development and expression. They can take external active communicative steps to remove unnecessary cultural obstacles. They experience far more pleasure than pain, they experience balance between mind, body and spirit, and they experience glowing, vital, energized, physical health. Civilizations can evolve based upon the individual contributions without unnecessary restrictions that inevitably reflect in social symptoms of fear, anger, violations and despair.  Just as an automobile has an accelerator, brakes and a steering wheel--so we have intellect and free will (along with a moral compass) to adjust to the happenings around us. When we find ourselves in traffic situations that continue to stifle our progress, we can seek out other paths to follow. If those around us are likely to move in a fashion that proves a danger to our well-being, we can elect to look for other means of transportation or even move to an environment where such circumstances are minimal. Of course, we can also put energy into altering the behavior of those around us through education or legislation, such as "Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD)". There is even statistical evidence that collectively practiced Transcendental Meditation (TM) can have a positive effect on crime and traffic accidents and the reduction thereof.  Thus, the feedback system can, at minimum, accomplish self-preservation. At maximum, it can assure self development and expression---and in doing so restore the inner spiritual guidance that has so long gone unrecognized. When the spiritual messages received through inner communication are acted upon by individuals, humans will automatically begin disassembling the rigid mental constructs which now inhibit other spiritual communicative pathways. There will be an unfolding of inner senses that existing beliefs flatly deny.  QUESTION: Could this suggest a state of mind, body and spirit that transcends where we are today, to the point that awareness of our true nature would be so permeating that institutional governing would become obsolete or, better yet, evolve into a state of universal self-guidance? This would suggest a recognition of the "spiritual" in all of us and "All That Is". This is the path to the raising of human consciousness.This is the first and direct path, for without understanding these core features of human nature, free will is misdirected and the status quo of self-preservationary actions will continue, and continue, and continue, ad infinitum.  Imagine a system of personal guidance and expansion that does not require a person, title or institution to make it work. All that would be necessary would be an awareness of a state of inner knowing. We would exist in a perpetual state, tapping an inner source and accepting that everything in our environment is here to point and assist us in our individual and collective growth.  The Self, The Mind, The Body  History has been limited to this cycle because of the lack of understandings that these Lessons seek to impart. They are reasonably straightforward and elegant in their simplicity. Indeed, many of the core ideas already exist as general knowledge, but certain subtleties have allowed the bigger picture to remain hidden.  What these Lessons seem to be attempting to do is fill in the holes in our metaphysical piece of Swiss cheese. Once complete, the sense of partial emptiness we now experience will fade away.  A major subtlety is the relationship between emotion and the immune system. Another major subtlety is the confusion over such concepts of mind, self, spirit, body, where one leaves off, and where another begins. We have offered the very important distinction between mind and spirit, and now must build upon that understanding and define "the self". For these two subtleties interact to create a major impediment to the fully functionally emotional feedback system.  The above having been promised, what follows should be the fulfillment of that promise. So far, these Lessons have not let us down.  We know that the human immune system is driven by a self versus non-self distinction. So is the emotional system---with some crucial differences. Within the immune system's biological definition of self, everything inside the skin constitutes self and everything outside the skin (in the outside physical world), is defined as non-self. It is due to this rigid biological definition of self that part of the communication system breaks down. For the biological parameter of self makes no distinction between mind and spirit, for both are considered as self, for both exist inside the human body.  It would seem that that which keeps us functional, is also that which has the wisdom to ignore the distinctions that science has incompletely devised about our nature. But even science is beginning to understand that our state of mind directly effects our state of physical well being. It may soon follow that the state of our spirit is also an integrated part of the whole picture.  Initially, when humans first donned the chemical cloak, there was virtually no mind, merely straight-line communication between spirit and body through inner senses which now lie virtually dormant. This refers mostly to the receptacle aspect of human mind, for ideas could ebb and flow like tides in and out of physical consciousness. The feedback system compared inside and outside worlds, just as it does for immunity. The entire inside world is self-mind, body and spirit. Once the individual mind and The Mind Of Man began to accumulate and retain information, externals became the overpowering controller, and the internal system became skewed. This was "The Fall from Grace".  We now live in an environment where our belief system dictates that the more knowledge we acquire from without, the more evolved we become. QUESTION: Is the above paragraph suggesting that the acquisition of more information from the outside world might be acting as an obstruction to the reestablishment of our original link to our spiritual nature? Is the Garden of Eden story an attempt to suggest that we are better served by remaining closer to the innate lessons of nature around us than the multitude of belief systems that are pumped into us from outside sources? It would seem such.  Mind now exists as an interloper, a monkey wrench of sorts, smack dab in the middle of the feedback system.The problem is that mind not only is part of the internal environment---the self---but it is also part of the external environment---not self. The collection of man-made ideas that are passed down from one generation to the next, come from the Mind of Man---the outside environment, the not-self. They then become absorbed into the self concept as they are accepted and retained within each individual mind. The feedback system necessarily compares self against not-self. Therefore the dual nature of mind confounds it.  This is the true "duality" that confuses us as to our basic nature. It is also the duality that leads us to divide every element of our reality in two and judge one or the other as right or wrong. The difference between judging and discerning is the difference between condemnation and observation, the latter leading to greater understanding and growth.  This is the underlying reason why emotions are no longer understood as motivator of desirable behavior, let alone spiritual intent. They often seem to spur unwanted, even destructive actions. Part of the reason for this is because needs of the spirit are not understood and are often further obscured and contradicted by the cultural dictates within the Mind Of Man. Thus, the emotional signals seem random, chaotic and the bane of human existence. For despite the association between physical illness and lack of emotional expression, virtually every society has rigid rules in place to suppress or control the effects of "understanding" emotional human nature.  These "rules" are rules of conformity, compliance and adherence to guidelines of behavior which psychologists and sociologists would tell us are necessary for a smooth functioning society. Yet, the true progress/genius in our society has usually come from those who press the envelope beyond what is expected and into the realm of the creative. In the fields of art, music, prose, theology and even science, it is those who connected with realms beyond the "normal" who tapped into the more inspiring ideas.  The rest of the reason is that humans do not understand the nature of the corrective signals of the feedback system, nor the most spiritually desirous way of responding to them. The solution to this problem lies in a universal understanding of the divisional boundary between mind and spirit.  Someone once defined the difference between prayer and meditation as the first being the act of talking to God and the second being the act of listening for a response. Most religions put a great deal of emphasis on the former and very little on the latter. That habit carries over into how we relate to the world around us.  This is why it is now crucial to understand and honor boundaries and features of mind as distinct from those of spirit. We know now that mind and spirit have very different attributes, as well as virtually conflicting goals. Spiritual intention is at minimum, self-preservation. It is, at maximum, self-development and expression. (The spirit cannot be expressed if it is not preserved.)  It would seem that staying alive in the physical sense is essential to evolving in a physical world. The physical body being our primary tool, the mind being the creative instrument and the spirit being both instigator and the end result. The picture is that of an evolving feedback loop.  Even without the potential development, some expression is better than none. Thus the self-preservationary goals are hardwired within the body to at least ensure that humans have vehicles for spiritual expression. But once they are there, they have the goal of developing the mind in ways that maximize such expressions. So there are conflicting goals within the body---to both mentally self develop and to spiritually self-preserve.  This is a "conflict" that should resolve itself as we gain a greater understanding of the importance of comprehending and appreciating the valued role of each.  All emotional signals are based upon the self-preservationary directive---without regard for the mind that evolved later. The emotional system does not in and of itself consider mind at all. It simply signals faithfully the message to self-preserve and motivates certain actions which support that goal. The answer to the dilemma now facing humans is to embrace the language of emotion and realize that it requires one interpretation for features of mind---to self develop---and the exact opposite for features of spirit---to self preserve. This will resolve the seemingly conflicting messages of human feelings and reestablish the inner guide.  Hopefully, the Lessons that follow do much more to edify this conflict and guide us toward that resolve.  To this end, we can now turn to a more specific focus upon the emotional nature of humanity.  Table of Contents