A fundamental truth is the fact that, as souls, we are natural creators. Within the realm of spirit, creation takes place at the speed of thought.

However, souls can find it useful to disengage from instant creation potential in order learn certain lessons or experience aspects of duality.

For this reason, the dense 3^rd dimension of our physical universe was created. By incarnating a portion of its energy and consciousness into a physical body, a soul can experience a radically different learning environment.

In order to attempt creation in this radically different realm, the soul temporarily “subtracts” much of its awareness and abilities as it infuses its essence into the human host. The awareness and essential nature still exist at a higher energetic level, but the human mind is only dimly aware of this.

Thus we can visualize the roots of the Human Condition and the starting point of all Spiritual Quests: We enter this world cold and naked, and are instantly acquainted with Primal Fear.

Primal Fear is the human emotion from which all “negative” behaviors and traits originate; it is the essence of our dualistic experience in the 3^rd dimension.

From Primal Fear we derive a belief in the Law of Scarcity, which teaches that whatever sustenance and comfort we achieve comes through hard work, persistence, and perhaps exploitation of others. This spawns emotions of envy, jealousy, distrust, discord, and hatred. Tendencies toward behavioral traits of greed, lust, domination and violence quickly follow. For this reason, Earth’s dualistic environment is thought of on higher planes as a tough school.

The soul willingly chooses a tough assignment in this realm for good reason. While there are myriad possibilities of life paths, themes, lessons and experiences planned by souls, one common element is the concept of re-learning what has been intentionally forgotten, and re-creating at least part of what has been subtracted. It is hoped that the negative aspects of duality can be overcome, and that love and compassion can be expressed even in the midst of suffering.

Basically, the soul derives great joy by creating. The purpose of human existence is to seek joy through creating in the midst of difficult and challenging conditions.

The analogy of a video game provides a great illustration of the soul’s purpose in incarnation. Experienced gamers prefer challenging games. Beating an easy game provides little satisfaction; a difficult game requires great skill and perseverance, and subjects the player to many dangerous situations. Solving mysteries, discovering secrets and acquiring powers are part of the game. When victory is finally achieved, elation and satisfaction result.

This insight has immediate application to everyday life. If we can look at the dramas and challenges we face from the soul’s perspective, a much more positive outlook can emerge. Rather than futile suffering and existence without purpose, we can choose to see life as a marvelous adventure. This is not merely empty affirmation based on a Pollyanna philosophy; through spiritual discovery & insight, everyone can arrive at a full understanding of their life purpose and the reason for each major event. Once we realize that everything has been planned by us beforehand, and then understand why, it all falls into place.

The teaching that comes through in "The Secret" really falls short of the mark. The assumption seems to be that material prosperity should be everyone's highest aim, and that somehow, there has been a conspiracy to keep us ignorant and downtrodden.

I would suggest that, as humans, our highest aim is to understand our soul's agenda in this life, and to align our ego-based mind to it. Then we can begin to look at each problem and challenge we have faced with a radically new perspective. Each problem offers a new opportunity to re-learn and re-create a piece of the reality of which the soul is already acquainted.

The soul knows that it has unlimited power to draw upon and unlimited possibilities to pursue. Seen in this light, the ego-based concept of scarcity seems ridiculous. There is never a question of having enough; the only question is what the soul chooses for its experience in this life.