Number Seven

The number seven has always had a special place in many civilizations. It’s thought to be magical, symbolic, spiritual and even sacred.

We have seven chakras, or energy centres, positioned from the base of our spines to the crowns of our heads. Each one is represented by a different colour.

Angels are celestial beings who are God’s messengers and servants. There are seven high ranking angels called Archangels. The prefix ‘arch’ means ‘chief’ in Greek. Each Archangel has a specific job to do.

All organisations with a belief system have some sort of structure or framework on which they are based. The Spiritualist National Union version of Spiritualism is based on seven principles, which provide a guide on how to live.

The seven principles weren’t intended to be the basis for a dictatorial dogma. Spiritualism is not a dogmatic religion. It’s a thinking person’s religion as individuals are given the freedom to put their own interpretation on each principle.

The seven principles were defined by Emma Hardinge Britten through inspiration given to her via her mediumship in 1871 and the wording could be said to be outdated. I would like to see the seventh principle modernised so that instead of reading “Eternal Progress Open To Every Human Soul” it reads “Eternal Progress Open To The Soul of Every Living Being.” This would make it clear that animals and other creatures are not exempt.

“Eternal Progress Open to Every Human Soul” says to me that we are all able to progress or advance in wisdom and love, achieving a purer spiritual state. “Open to” tells me that our own will or personal desire is crucial to when and how progress will be achieved. Eternal means forever. We can progress here on the earth plane and continue to advance spiritually when we pass to the Spirit World.

Eternal progress is open to us if we choose to accept the challenge. Choosing that path will almost certainly entail hard work. But we shouldn’t be afraid of hard work. As White Eagle, the Spirit Guide, explained, “If you love music and long to express yourself through music, it becomes a joy to practise, to acquire mastery over your instrument. If you are wholly interested in something worthwhile you do not mind taking pains, nor do you count the cost of attainment. So it should be with the work spent upon your soul.”

Everyone has his or her own personal spiritual journey to make. Inspiration, guidance and help are given by those in the spirit world who return to assist us if we seek greater awareness and understanding.

We can find ourselves asking why we encounter so many obstacles in our lives. I believe that each time we meet with difficulty and overcome it we progress spiritually.

Personal growth is very much linked with what one does for others. Most of us are inherently kind and help if we can. But sometimes we turn a blind eye or don’t want to get involved. We can lose our tempers or act selfishly. Such behaviour doesn’t help us to succeed in our endeavour to make spiritual progress.

The progress a soul has made, the level it has reached, is reflected in the quality, brightness and purity of its spiritual light. The more evolved a soul, the greater will be its light.

May your light shine brightly.

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