Here is a list of questions (and their answers) that we are often asked. We felt this information would be useful for the new student, so we have attempted to keep the answers concise and to the point. Each question is a complete subject unto itself. If something is not clear or there are other questions you would like answered here, please contact us.
Questions
- What is the Universal Understanding of the God Consciousness?
- Where did you get this information?
- Is there a God?
- Why am I here?
- What is my destiny?
- What is karma?
- Is there an afterlife?
- What is the soul?
- What is the Spark of Divinity?
- What is the mortal consciousness?
- What is reincarnation?
- What is agapé?
- Are you Jewish since you’re a temple?
- Are you Christian?
- What is the difference between believing in God and believing in God Consciousness?
- Why are dreams important? How can I better remember my dreams?
- Is déjà vu real?
- What is an aura?
- What are the chakras?
- Is it possible to heal someone?
- What is the astral?
- Do we have spirit guides?
- What is the difference between a religion and a philosophy?
- Why is meditation important?
- What is prosperity in a material and spiritual sense?
- What are the different types of psychic abilities?
1. What is the Universal Understanding of the God Consciousness?
The Universal Understanding of the God Consciousness is a philosophy of life taught at the Agasha Temple of Wisdom. It is a way of thinking and a way of life — not a religion. There are no dogmas or rituals to practice. The foundation of this philosophy is the belief that God is not an omnipotent being sitting on a throne, but a collective Universal Consciousness: the collective thought of all creation. This understanding makes you responsible for your own life and the events that unfold. Each of us has an individual soul and is a microcosm of God and a master of our own destiny. Collectively, we are the God Consciousness. The laws that govern the universe are known as the 33 Universal Laws. These laws are immutable and as close to absolute as one can get.
2. Where did you get this information?
The Universal Understanding of the God Consciousness is disseminated by Ascended Masters within the higher astral realms. These Master Teachers are no different from you or me, except they have mastered and overcome all aspects of the physical plane. They now seek to bring this philosophy once again to the physical world as this planet enters a new period of enlightenment known as the Peace Period.
3. Is there a God?
See question 1. Yes, there is a God, but God is a Universal Consciousness — not a man sitting on a throne judging or controlling you.
4. Why am I here?
Humans live in a state of duality: the higher consciousness (the soul) and the lower consciousness (the mortal self); the higher being in a perfect state, the lower being in an imperfect state. The soul is of infinite intelligence and knowledge, yet not infinite wisdom. The soul has granted the exterior consciousness free agency, giving it the power to choose between acting within the realm of the soul or the realm of the mortal.
The purpose of our existence is to freely choose to express the knowledge of the soul over the mortal and allow the soul to unfold in our daily lives. Wisdom is being aware enough to see and then using discernment to choose the best course of action. We are here to express wisdom (see also question 1).
5. What is my destiny?
Everyone has one ultimate destiny: to become a Pillar of Light. In our current state of development, our soul is egg shaped. As we grow and expand our consciousness and perspective, the soul keeps unfolding. The egg shaped soul expands and opens up like a lotus flower, and then eventually, the flower becomes a pillar of pure white light. That is the ultimate and spiritual development that any human being can reach.
On the way to becoming a Pillar of Light, there are many paths. Some choose to become healers, some scientists, artists, or others. While the scenery differs, the lessons are the same: kindness, patience, love, acceptance, awareness of how we affect one another, service to others, and expression of the wisdom of the soul. Your destiny is not set in stone, because we possess free agency. Choice is the master of destiny.
6. What is karma?
Karma is often misunderstood as “what goes around comes around.” That is not actually karma, but the law of cause and effect in action. This law states that for every cause we create, every action we take, a cycle is started. This cycle will eventually bring back an effect to us sometime in the future. This effect can come back to us in a matter of days or it can be lifetimes. If you throw a pebble in a pool of water, it causes a rippling effect from the center going out to the edge and then rippling back. Think of yourself as being that pebble in the center of the pool, and the edge is the universe. Your actions, being the cause, create a rippling effect, which will eventually come back to you.
Your reactions to the effect become the seeds of the karma. How you choose to deal with the circumstances of the effect is karma. Think of karma as the opportunity to make a better choice. Think of karma as the opportunity to learn and become a better person.
What karma is not is all and every small thing that happens to you throughout the day. If you tripped and bumped your head, it’s probably not karma but more likely just a lack of awareness. Karma is not an eye for an eye. If someone “did you wrong,” this does not mean you can get even with them. The universe will place them in the circumstances in the future to rectify and correct the situation. Karma is the balancing of consciousness.
7. Is there an afterlife?
Absolutely! Our stay on the physical plane is very temporary. On the average, most people incarnate 800 to 1,200 lifetimes on the physical plane. In between incarnations, the stay in the astral is about 150 to 300 years. This period is normally used to study and prepare for the lessons of the next incarnation. In this period of our development, we are a part of a consciousness known as The Wheel of Life. After we have learned all of the lessons of the physical plane, we leave the Wheel of Life and no longer incarnate on the physical plane. We spend the rest of our time in the astral in a carnate state.
In the astral, we continue to study, go to great temples and halls of higher learning, attend plays and concerts or whatever may interest us. We don’t need to eat or worry about paying our bills. There is no need for money. Your time will be spent improving yourself and becoming a better human being.
8. What is the soul?
The Soul is our higher consciousness. It is an immortal being that never experiences death. The Soul is capable of infinite intelligence and infinite knowledge and it is striving to unfold and express this knowledge through experience, but there is one catch. The Soul must willingly bring along the mortal and exterior consciousness with it on this journey because it granted unto the mortal consciousness free agency: the ability to choose. The Soul is all powerful and it is the master and commander of each individual. It determines when each individual is to be born, their genetic makeup, the major experiences of each lifetime, and when each person is to experience death. It gives the exterior and mortal consciousness a myriad of choices and must let that consciousness make its decision because that is the only way wisdom can be demonstrated: to discern the difference between right and wrong and then to consciously choose the right choice.
Each individual has a soul and within that soul is the Spark of Divinity. The Spark of Divinity is immortal and everlasting. It possesses within it infinite knowledge—not infinite wisdom or infinite experience, but infinite knowledge. Each and every soul contains this infinite wealth of knowledge, no matter how dull or bright the exterior may be. Because of this, no one person is greater or lesser than another person. Each person holds within them the exact same potential for greatness or failure. It all becomes a matter of choice. The soul unfolds its wisdom and can also de-fold based on the choices that the exterior consciousness makes. For additional detail, see question 9.
9. What is the Spark of Divinity?
The Spark of Divinity is our true, original, divine state. It is the Mind of the Soul and resides within the soul. You can almost think of the Soul as the body of the Spark of Divinity. Everything in creation, including the Soul itself, is the creation of the Spark of Divinity. The infinite intelligence that we each possess is from within the Spark of Divinity. The Soul surrendered its will to the Spark of Divinity and thus was granted infinite intelligence. The mortal consciousness is being trained to do the same. For additional information, see question 8.
10. What is the mortal consciousness?
The mortal consciousness is the lower aspect of man. Symbolically, we have the angel sitting on one shoulder: that is the soul. We have the devil sitting on the other shoulder: that is the mortal consciousness. The mortal consciousness is not evil, it is just preoccupied with the individual being and short term pleasures. The mortal consciousness is very closely tied with the ego. Think of the mortal consciousness as a desire and the ego fulfills that desire. On the other hand, our higher Soul consciousness is concerned with the God consciousness: the totality of all things. When the Soul acts, the good of the many is considered. When the mortal consciousness acts, only the good of the self is considered.
Over time, as we learn to make better choices, the pull of the mortal consciousness wanes while the Soul’s influence grows in our daily life. Eventually, the mortal consciousness comes under the Soul’s guidance and control. Even so, as long as we are on the physical plane, we still have a mortal consciousness to contend with.For more detail, see the article, The Dual Nature of the Human Condition.
11. What is reincarnation?
As it was stated in question 6, each action creates a reaction. This is the Universal Law of Cause and Effect. When we act, we are responsible to the universe in dealing with the reaction. This is the Law of Karma. Sometimes the reaction does not come back to us for a long, long time. It may take a couple of thousand years. Some, if not most, karmas created while on the physical plane must be dealt with and corrected on the physical plane. This is why the average person incarnates 800 to 1,200 times as explained in question 7. So, reincarnation is the process of coming back to the physical plane to express the knowledge that we already have through the choices we make. While we are here, we create karma and that often requires coming back in another incarnation.
Now, this raises two questions: why did we incarnate the first time, and what does this world have to offer us? There is a Universal Law that states that each person must express his or her wisdom on every plane of consciousness. The physical plane is no exception, so everyone must incarnate at least once. What the physical plane offers us is strength. It is the greatest proving ground there is. The astral worlds are perfect — we do not need to worry about mundane or material needs. By contrast, the physical worlds are imperfect. Here we face distractions and negativity, not always of our own making. We have to deal with such responsibilities as children, coworkers, automobile repairs, the toilet leaking, paying the bills, etc.
The purpose of reincarnation is to learn to function in this imperfect, material world while still expressing our higher spiritual side, no matter what circumstances we encounter. We must be able to love when we are hated, be kind when everyone around us is being cruel, be strong in the middle of weakness, and be the calm in the middle of a storm. The physical plane offers us the opportunities to demonstrate that we can be all those things.
12. What is agapé?
There are three types of love: the love you feel for your parents, siblings or children; physical love or lust also known as eros; or the highest form of love: agapé. Agapé is unconditional acceptance of another person for exactly who they are and not who or what we would like them to be. When we feel agapé for another individual, we don’t judge them or try to control them. We want the best for that person and will put their needs before our own needs. Unfortunately, agapé is very seldom demonstrated on the physical plane because of the influence of the individual ego.
13. Are you Jewish since you’re a temple?
No, we are not aligned with any specific religion. A temple is a place of study or worship. There are Jewish temples, there are also Hindu and Buddhist temples, just as there is the Agasha Temple of Wisdom.
14. Are you Christian?
No, the Agasha Temple of Wisdom is not aligned with any religion, yet it encompasses all religions because the basis of our philosophy is that truth and wisdom can be found anywhere, whether it’s the Bible, the Koran, the Talmud, the Bhagavad Gita, and so forth. All of these books contain great truths and wisdoms.
15. What is the difference between believing in God and believing in God Consciousness?
The biggest difference is responsibility. If we believe that God is an individual outside of us or a man sitting on a throne, then we can say that things happen to us because it is God’s wish. We can’t understand what God wants nor can we do anything about it. However, if we believe that God is the consciousness of all things and we are a part of that consciousness, then everything in our life is of our own making, the failures and the successes. Our spiritual growth comes when we become aware enough to consciously create fewer and fewer mistakes and more and more successes.
16. Why are dreams important? How can I better remember my dreams?
The soul speaks to the mortal consciousness through symbology in both the awakened state and the dream state. However, it is important to remember that some dreams are simply frustration dreams and hold no symbolic value. It is as if your brain is blowing off steam. The best way to differentiate between frustration dreams and symbolic dreams is to record these dreams in a journal. As soon as you wake up, write down everything you remember. This technique will also help you remember your symbolic dreams better.
Now, pay close attention to the objects and situations in the dream. For it to be a symbol, it must appear in at least three separate dreams. That is how the soul lets the exterior mind know it should pay attention to the symbol. Also pay attention to the type of symbol. For example, if in one dream you were surrounded by red roses, in another dream you were surrounded by purple orchids, and in another dream you were surrounded by white tulips, it is the same symbol three times: flowers. However, if in one dream you were surrounded by red roses, and in another red carnations, and in another red daisies, the symbol is then red flowers. And finally if you dreamed of red roses, white roses, and purple roses, the symbol would be more specific: roses. That is why it is important to write down as much as you can remember as soon as you wake up.
17. Is déjà vu real?
Yes. Deja vu is a signal from your soul that you have had this experience before and you need to pay attention. Be aware and think about what you are feeling, the reactions within you, and what action you plan to take. It is not a bad thing; it means you are becoming or have become aware enough to communicate with your higher consciousness.
18. What is an aura?
The aura is a generic term for the energy fields around objects, but mostly used in reference to the physical body. There are many energy fields about the physical body, but the aura generally refers to the soul aura and the electromagnetic field. The soul aura is white in color and stays very close (an inch or so) to the physical body. The electromagnetic field is much broader and is aquamarine in color. When we are in a relaxed, open state, our aura can expand out as far as 30 or 40 feet in each direction. If we become frightened or we retreat emotionally, our aura shrinks around us.
19. What are the chakras?
The chakras are the physical manifestation of etheric energy points on the physical body. They are also known as the major meridians. There are seven chakras on the human body and the colors and functions are:
- Coccyx — red-orange, deals with base emotions.
- Spleen — pink, cleansing of the physical.
- Solar plexus — green, house of the soul.
- Heart — gold, deals with higher emotions.
- Throat — sky blue, communication.
- Brow — indigo, the third eye, spiritual sight.
- Crown — purple, wisdom.
In most philosophies, it is believed the color of the third chakra is gold and the fourth is green. We believe the third chakra is green and the fourth is gold, that the colors emanated from the chakras are spectral (astral, anim) light and thus the order of the color spectrum is slightly different.
20. Is it possible to heal someone?
No. No one can heal another person. However, a person can channel energy to another person; and if the person who is ill is ready to release the illness, they can heal themselves with the energy.
21. What is the astral?
The term astral is used in many different ways. In our philosophy, it generally means a state of consciousness other than the physical worlds. It is a state of consciousness where the make-up of matter is of anims and not atoms.
22. Do we have spirit guides?
Yes, these are individuals who have decided to help mankind on the physical plane. Some guides are with us only for a short period of time and help with emotional issues. These are the Angels of Light. There is also another group of teachers known as the Light Teachers. They help individuals on the physical plane with their mundane day-to-day situations. They are with you for an entire lifetime on the physical plane. And finally, there is the wonderful Soul Teacher. This individual has been with you since the beginning of time and will stay with you until you no longer need his or her assistance. He or she was attracted to you when you were in your embryonic spiritual state because of the likeness of the path in which you would be walking. The purpose of the Soul Teacher is to help you with your spiritual development.
23. What is the difference between a religion and a philosophy?
See question 1. Religion contains dogma; philosophy does not. In the Universal Understanding of the God Consciousness, no single act or ritual is required to become spiritual. Religion often threatens punishment for non-compliance; this philosophy simply asks you to do what is right for you, provided you harm no one and follow the laws of your society.
24. Why is meditation important?
It’s not that meditation itself makes you more spiritual, it’s that it enriches your spiritual journey by giving you insights. What really matters is how you apply those insights in your everyday life. For more detailed information, see the article on meditation in the Discourses section.
25. What is prosperity in a material and spiritual sense?
Prosperity in the material sense is a very subjective thing. It varies from person to person. Prosperity in the spiritual sense is being growthful. It is being in the right state of mind, in the right place to get the maximum benefit and understanding of a lesson. When our soul unfolds, we are prosperous. You don’t need to become an ascetic and renounce worldly possessions. As a matter of fact you shouldn’t give up your material possessions, but at the same time, you should not become attached to them.
26. What are the different types of psychic abilities?
There are many types of psychic abilities. A clairaudient is a person who can hear entities from the astral planes. A clairvoyant is a person who can see entities from the astral planes. A clairkenetic (also known as telekinesis) is a person who can touch an object and tell a great deal of information about the owner of that object. A materialization medium can materialize objects and likeness of physical bodies. A trance medium can channel entities from the astral state.
The highest form of mediumship is the intertransitory medium in which the medium goes through a temporary physical death during trance. It is the clearest form of mediumship because the consciousness of the medium is completely removed from the physical body and thus the medium cannot influence what is being said. (A trance medium, for example, can influence what is being said.) The mediums at the Agasha Temple of Wisdom have been and always will be intertransitory mediums. This type of mediumship is very, very rare, and no more than one or two individuals on the physical plane have had this ability at the same time.