Creation itself is an expansion of our Creator’s thought and self-awareness. The evolution of soul entities is another aspect of this expansion. Through the process of Evolution, individual souls, each a ‘Spark’ of the Creator’s Consciousness, embark on a journey of exploration and growth, ultimately returning to unity with the Creator, endowed with the fullness of wisdom and experience.

Through its evolutionary descent into the worlds of materiality the Soul first develops a growing awareness of self as an individual entity. The ego-self gradually becomes more assertive, gaining strength and widening its field of exploration. As it descends into the worlds of density and matter, self-awareness becomes ego-centeredness, developing a desire for personal-gain and superiority, often acquired through aggression, and sometimes, even violence. When all the possibilities of its separate ego-development have been fully explored, the soul can then begin its return journey back up through higher planes to unity, learning the gentler arts of co-operation and sharing with others. The eventual culmination will be its eventual re-unification with the Unity of the Creator as an evolved, compassionate and fully ‘aware’ soul. And so it is that we set out on the great Cycle of Evolution. As the soul or spirit descends into worlds of increasing density and matter, we develop this correspondingly increased sense of individuality.

Ego Centredness
During the descent of Spirit, often called the downward arc, there is not only a tendency towards greater materiality, the Spirit involving itself in matter in order to learn to receive impressions through it, but there is also a tendency towards differentiation, the stream of Divine Life dividing and sub-dividing itself into an ever-increasing number of streamlets and units of consciousness.
By descending into progressively denser and denser matter, the soul experiences an increasing detachment and loss of contact with the Higher Spheres. At the same time the soul is experiencing a sense of developing separation from other souls and a corresponding increase in the awareness of self, which in turn leads to ego-centredness. This increasing sensation of self is reinforced by the need to satisfy the requirements of a physical body in a world of dense matter, where food and protection from the elements are essential to survival. Thus the soul-plus-body combination is forced to focus on self-preservation, which can easily become competitive and exploitive in relationships with others pursuing similar objectives.

This potent combination of the effects of physical matter, ego-centeredness and bodily demands, first creates, then enhances to an extreme degree, the conflict between Ego and Unity: between Self and the Flow of Creation. This inherent conflict in turn provides the many complex opportunities for the exercise of our Creator's gift of free choice (or free will) which allows the evolving soul to explore paths and directions of evolution alternative to the Highest Wisdom, and therefore to experience and learn from their effects.

Indeed we are forced to confront, and to learn from the results of all our actions; this ‘Law’ is often expressed as the ‘Law of Karma’: namely that we must experience, fully comprehend and assimilate the effects of all our actions, both “good” and “bad”, before we can continue on to our next lesson or experience. Every thought, every action has its effect, which we must ultimately experience and learn from. Similarly everything that happens to us has its cause, and that cause can ultimately be seen to originate from our own past actions, or thought. Cause and effect.Everything existing now is the result of past actions, and the future will be the result of present actions.

By experiencing the effects of all its actions, the soul gains a greater depth of wisdom than would otherwise be obtained by following the ‘straight and narrow path’. It is only through a knowledge of ‘bad’, both of its causes and its effects, that the evolving soul can comprehend ‘good’ in the full and genuine knowing which comes of physical and emotional experience. Experiencing the ill-effects of inappropriate actions is the essential key to learning, and thus an important element of evolution.

The 'fall' of the soul
The concentration by the ego on self-motivation and self-interest, leads inevitably to competition and conflict, as each ego-individual tries to profit from and ‘get the better of’ others. This explains why political and social relationships on Earth have tended to dominate human thought and group activity. It also explains why we have failed to live at peace with one another.
This self-centered concentration on developing an individuality at the expense of others has led to most of the problems experienced by humanity throughout Earth’s history, and it has also caused many souls to ‘fall’ even further.

Through negative deeds and thoughts manifested in various forms of oppression, murder, torture and perversion, these souls, when they exit the Earth plane, find themselves enmeshed in the denser lower Astral worlds - a self-induced personal hell.  Even these rebellious souls, having ‘fallen’ into worlds of darkness, are also learning from their experience of evil. Eventually they tire of the constant competitive conflict, and finally feel moved to start looking upwards towards the Realms of Light for salvation.

When they do genuinely begin to seek the Light, they are always readily assisted to move up to the higher planes by their Spiritual Guides. And so these ‘errant’ souls will eventually rediscover for themselves, the hard way, the true direction of evolution. They will be returning to the Path of Wisdom, not only much the wiser, but indeed much stronger souls than many of us, with a much deeper depth of understanding between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. Thus even the most extreme expressions of ‘evil’ can contribute to the knowledge, learning and experience which forms the very essence of evolution.

As we experience Earth’s wars and conflicts in all their many manifestations, between nations and ethnic or religious groups across the world, in politics and commerce, and in our own families or within ourselves, we eventually come to a true understanding of the nature and fruitlessness of self-motivated aggression, of actions based purely on individual self-interest exercised at the expense of others.

In the growth of this realization, be it individually or collectively, we on Earth are at last coming to the end of the long downward arc of Evolution, the phase of competitive individuality.

This is the critical turning point, the point of balance, where downward movement into separateness away from the Creator makes a turn, becoming the upward path to Unity with all other forms of life. From this point we begin to see the advantages of collaboration and co-operation, of mutual respect and mutual assistance.

This point of turn is, not surprisingly, the point of major conflict within each soul and also collectively in societies and nations. At this critical time on Earth (and this is why many of us have chosen to be here at this time), the choices inherent in our world of duality are magnified: Self versus Unity, and Spirit versus Matter. We now have to make a shift of consciousness away from the perception of self as an individual self-contained unit responsible only to itself. We need to develop a perception of self as a component of a wider grouping: harmonizing within the family and community, collaborating rather than competing in the productive service of our ‘work’, respecting all of human life and ultimately all of Creation. We must learn to transmute our self-interest into care and concern for others, working together co-operatively with our fellow humans as well as the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms, not seeking to take advantage of another for one’s own benefit.

This ‘return to unity’ does not imply that the individual becomes ‘a cog in a wheel’, but rather a wise, experienced, compassionate, thinking, contributing component of a wider, ultimately universal grouping. Though we are joining, not separating, unifying not compartmentalizing, each Soul remains an ‘individual consciousness’, each enriched with its own personal accumulation of experience and wisdom.

On the returning upward Arc of Evolution, when the soul returns to its Source, it is endowed with a fully developed consciousness and awareness of life in all its myriad aspects. Above all, we have learnt compassion and understanding. This growth allows us to make informed decisions in accordance with the true direction of evolution. Although we are returning to Unity, each of us is now part of that Unity as a fully individualized consciousness.

The Creator’s Thought Force that is continually going forth as a ‘River of Thought’ in the creation and sustenance of the Universe, also has the inherent magnetic Light-force qualities which we know of as Love. Love is an energy of cohesive and magnetic force of attraction, being the cohesive Light-force behind all manifested matter as well as being the magnetic force drawing all of Creation back into the center of His Unity. When this Force of Love is transmuted down through the life experience of individuals, it finds expression at lower levels as the feelings of emotion. Emotion can either manifest itself as a positive force, or take an opposite form as a negative force: love and its opposite - hate, attraction and its opposite - repulsion.

It is this positive/negative emotional experience which provides the strongest impetus for our evolution and learning. Through our feelings and emotions, we experience the pain of wrongdoing, and the joy of helping others and contributing to the flow.

It is through the emotions that we are ever eager to move forward, and as a result we also experience and learn from the joys and the sorrows of our actions. It is through the emotions that we feel sympathy with others, gained through our own experiences of pain and distress. We become more sensitive and aware within ourselves; we also experience the kindness as well as the thoughtlessness of others. It is through the emotions, as well as the intellect, that we feel anger at perceived injustice, or approval of right conduct, and thus we learn how to behave more correctly towards others.

We are all One
While the development of individuality is a necessary part of the process of evolution as we are currently experiencing it, we may also wish to remind ourselves from time to time that fundamentally we are all a part of, and at ONE with all of Creation. This great truth is something we can easily forget, enmeshed as we are in a world of individuality and separateness. But the recollection of our true underlying unity with all of Creation can give comfort in times of stress, providing a sense of context and reality as well as reassurance and guidance.

We are all inter-linked, both through a shared origin, and through the Creator’s continuous River of Creative Thought. We are linked, not only as humans with humans, but with every particle, rock, plant, animal and insect. And we are all intimately linked with our Creator, for we are a part of His Life-substance, and through us He is always in touch with our every experience. We are ourselves an extension of our Creator, experiencing and learning together with Him on our long journey of evolution.

You have forgotten
Know that you are not - and never have been separate from your Source. You truly have never been separate from each other. You have never really been separate from all of the brothers and sisters you have on countless planets throughout your galaxies. You have never been separate from any creature of your planet. Not separate from any leaf, or blade of grass, or flower that blossoms in your garden. You have forgotten, that is all. You have forgotten that who you are is Creator smelling the rose of the vibrancy and excitement of this dimension of reality.

The soul before birth
When a child is born there are two or more souls who have agreed to this opportunity to meet for a life lesson or a life mission to balance their karma. Both souls have to agree on this and make the choice to meet. It is not enough for only one of the souls to consent to this opportunity.

Miscarriage or abortion
If the child’s soul doesn’t consent, the mother will have a miscarriage. If the mother, or any other person with whom the child has an agreement, does not consent, the mother will have a miscarriage or decide on an abortion. The fears and personal feelings of the mother may have an impact on this decision. That is all right, because those two souls will meet in another time in this life or in a future life.

The only ones who can make the decision are the souls involved in this agreement. Nobody else could or should interfere in their making the decision. Remember that there is a great love between these souls, and that none of them judges the other in any way.

The time for entering the physical body
When does the soul enter the body of a child who is about to be born? It can be done at any time. The soul of the child is present with the mother a long time before the conception. You have to understand that the physical body isn't of prime importance. It is not until some time after the child is born that the soul makes a firm connection to the physical body. Before and after life, the soul is free to go wherever it wishes to go.

The soul of the child may enter and exit the body many times during the pregnancy. This soul has a great love for the physical body-to-be, and is keeping watch over it during the pregnancy, but the soul does not yet have a firm connection to the body. The child’s soul makes a decision if he/she would like to enter the body and live this lifetime. This is usually decided at least two months before the birth.

Stillborn child or sudden infant death syndrome
Remember that it is possible for the child to reverse his/her decision at any time. If the reversal takes place before or during the birth the outcome will be a miscarriage or a stillborn child. If the reversal takes place after birth the baby dies, usually through sudden infant death syndrome.

To the parents, this could seem inexplicable, and naturally it is a great shock when it happens. But you have to remember that the child comes to this life with a mission. A new-born child has a whole lifetime ahead of him/her, and is aware of all the possibilities and challenges he/she will meet. Not until some time after birth will the infant forget the knowledge of past and present lifetimes. Some souls do not have the strength to complete the lifetime they see before them. They then choose to leave this life and accomplish their life lesson in a future life instead.

To most humans, the tasks a soul has chosen are unknown for optimum realization during the lifetime (otherwise, it would be like going to a test and knowing the questions beforehand). Some souls choose a very specific task, to be born for a number of reasons, and when that purpose is fulfilled. A soul sometimes offers to help another to learn a lesson, e.g. to learn the value of life, by being born as a child to the other soul and leaving the physical plane shortly thereafter (e.g. sudden child death syndrome or even being stillborn). In some cases, the child chooses this experience in order to learn the last missing lesson necessary for ascension.

Reincarnation   
Every night you sleep, and the next morning you wake up. If you had an argument with your friend yesterday, you will still have the consequences of that argument to face when you wake up. They don't disappear because you went to sleep. You will still be responsible tomorrow for what you did today.
Re-incarnation is just like that. What you create will be there for you to face in your next life if you don't take care of it in this one, just like the consequences that you create today will be waiting for you tomorrow if you don't take care of them before you go to bed.

You are always responsible for what you do, and your responsibility cannot be assumed by anyone else.

When you die, you don't go to sleep. You go home, and you are very much awake. You are also a much larger you than you are now. That is your soul. The consequences that you created, but didn't experience before you died, do not disappear. They are waiting for you. You may think that you do not want to deal with them, but your larger you - your soul - does. In fact, it creates another lifetime just to do that.

Once you start to look at things this way, you begin to do things differently. You treat people the way that you would like to be treated yourself. That is the Golden Rule. You don't have to be a Christian to appreciate the Golden Rule. Billions of Hindus and Buddhists, who believe in re-incarnation, understand exactly what it means.

Reincarnation is a compassionate way of learning responsibility. It is not possible to do a wrong thing. You do what you do, and you experience the consequences of it. It’s that simple. If you don’t experience those consequences before you die, your soul creates another life so that you can. Your spirit will choose a body and environment appropriate for the experience it needs. What incarnates is another aspect of the same individuality, not the same personality.

Being in a state of pure thought, with no physical body or emotions to make it want to take the easiest path, it may well choose a difficult life, either to atone for past deeds or as a means of learning. It may choose parents that give it a difficult childhood. It may take on the role of a mental or physical cripple. Hence the importance of accepting your lot in life, however arduous and painful it may seem, because your own inner self has chosen it.

Eventually, you begin to treat other people the way that you want to be treated. You put yourself in your brother's shoes before you speak or act. You let yourself feel your brother’s pain. You become more tender and caring. You also become more wise.

When you become completely loving and kind - without fear and without thought of harming others - you graduate from the Earth school. That is when reincarnation ends and another adventure begins.