The Struggle of Essence
In exploring Essence and Personality, we encounter the first great mystery about Man: the duality of his existence. Man is composed of two parts. You are born Essence, a pure and innocent being, and Personality accumulates as life unfolds.
Essence, in its nascent form, is governed by 24 orders of laws, while Personality, in its developmental stage, is more constrained – subject to 48 orders of laws or worse. This distinction suggests that there might be two potentially different lives for Man. However, in almost every case, Personality soon dominates the relatively timid Essence and it remains that way. The Work aims to reverse this state, making Essence active and able to subdue Personality.
That transformation, if achieved, signifies the development of a complete man, someone who has a higher level of understanding and consciousness. The Work takes the pivotal role of neutralizing force in this potential transformation.
Under normal circumstances, Life and the world are the neutralizing force, keeping Personality active and Essence passive. Only when the Work becomes neutralizing force can the reversal occur that paves the way for the ascendancy of Essence over Personality. It is far from simple to attain this desirable state.
It requires replacing the current triad in man with a different one.
In the initial state:
-
Personality is active force.
-
Essence is the passive force.
-
Life is the neutralizing force.
In almost everyone this shapes their relationship with life.
In the second configuration:
-
Essence is the active force
-
Personality is the passive force
-
The Work is the neutralizing force,
In effect, the mechanical and habitual receipt of impressions from life is substituted by the Work receiving the impressions from life First then, we have to receive and digest the Work, in particular, we have to receive and digest the responses that the Work describes towards the events of life. And then we have to adopt attitudes to the events of Life which correspond directly to what the Work describes. This process goes against the natural flow of life and requires genuine continual effort and commitment.
Mere superficial changes in external aspects of life, such as a new profession or hobbies, do not alter the underlying triad. True change must occur within. It involves profound introspection and inner work. The ideas of the Work may seem easy to understand, but we have to clearly demonstrate their truth to ourselves. We need to observe ourselves, shedding light on the influences of self-love, which are deeply rooted in the first or Life-triad. Only by recognizing and confronting these influences can we hope to move towards the second triad, guided by the Work.
Understanding why Life cannot develop Essence is paramount in this pursuit. Essence comes from a more spiritual realm, “from the stars” – a level beyond our planetary world. It requires nourishment from a different kind of truth – truth that the Work imparts, in contrast to the truths of science or philosophy that only develop and strengthen Personality. By delving into the truths of the Work, one feeds Essence, and it begins to grow, gradually transforming us.
This process involves developing a New Will, distinct from the self-will that is fueled by self-love. This New Will arises from the genuine love for the Work and its principles. By willingly aligning with the teachings, one allows Essence to take precedence, and the passive Personality yields to its inner essence. The ultimate goal is to harmonize the two parts of Man, reaching a state of completeness, where Essence dominates, and one becomes a true MAN, liberated from the limitations imposed by an unconscious, mechanically driven life.
The concepts of Essence and Personality are at the core of the Work’s teachings. Understanding the dual nature of Man and the importance of The Work as a neutralizing force opens the door to the development of Essence and the transformation of Personality. The journey requires genuine commitment, inner work, and a deep connection to the truths of the Work.
By embracing this path you begin to change your life.