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history. After completion of evolution, when self-consciousness breaks into the soul and man is able to say ‘I’, the involution of consciousness starts. When that break took place we do not know, it seems to have been rather like a general jump in evolution that brought in existence the species man.

 

When self-consciousness is reached a reverse process, the 'in-volution' of consciousness, starts: if evolution be likened to a spreading-out, involution can be likened to a folding-in, a concentration of the soul. (You will find this discussed in the writings of Teilhard de Chardin.) Involution takes place upon seven 'planes', and upon these planes of consciousness in the soul of mankind the specific work of the God-Man is done. These planes are described in 'God Speaks' and are summarized and to some extent explained in the 'The God-Man' (pp. 417-424).

 

It is within these planes, from the first to the last, that the God-Man's work is done, and within these planes come every soul of man upon earth. The 'planes' are not to be thought of as a 'spiritual' world, but as belonging to the 'actual' world: they describe the soul in its actual living psycho-somatic state. Neither should it be thought that individual souls are confined to one plane only or that they progress automatically from one plane to higher one. An individual soul, up to and including the fourth plane, remains under the influence of the lower planes and can temporarily slip back. The most dangerous is the fourth plane on which 'catastrophic downfall' is possible.

 

The God-Man's work is with the human soul in general and equally with particular souls, for increase in consciousness is increase in particularness. It is a paradox that the more fully soul knows itself and the more meaning it gives to the ‘I', the more completely it knows itself to be one with, not separated from, and having identical interests with, all other souls.

 

The God-Man works irrespective of time and place. He is as near to people at home as when they are in His physical presence. He works unceasingly, everywhere at once and at every time. Our physical-sense terms do not apply to Him in His working: He is bound by nothing.

 

This 'work' explains Meher Baba's more or less continuous seclusion, and the fact that even when we are with Him and He is giving us His full attention, there is in His aspect and eyes a sense of pre-occupation. How He works on these 'planes' is, perhaps, explained by His mastery of the principle (or laws) of His own being, what we call His divinity, which takes Him throughout the entire realm of the soul. This is not equivalent to what is called, loosely, supra-sensual powers, for it is nothing that man as man possesses; it belongs to the God-Man as an incarnation.

 

I do not know that any more can usefully be said about Meher Baba's work. I should add, however, two further remarks. According to traditional teaching, after Jesus died on the cross he descended into hell, which is an indication that the God-Man's work is not restricted to the soul as we know it in this life of the senses. Secondly, we may suppose that a God-Man, at least theoretically, could not only be such a one as Baba, but could be any man. He could, conceivably be an artist or a bishop or soldier or just an ordinary man. Jesus was a carpenter - but his specific 'work' as God-Man would not be in any of these activities: it would be such as I have described. Or so it seems to me.

 

We should now consider what 'our work' is. Meher Baba has spoken about what He expects of us. 'God to Man & Man to God' is largely concerned with this: The last but one chapter is entitled 'The task for spiritual workers', in which He says that our work is to know our true being to be God, 'eternally one

 

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