Introduction
"HUMAN BEINGS ARE, PERHAPS, the most marvelous creatures in the universe - where everything is absolutely related and where a Supreme Intelligence coordinates and maintains all of creation in constant harmonious evolution.
"This coordination and evolution happens through a direct and permanent contact which all living things have with that Supreme Intelligence. This contact is made possible through what can be called 'the all pervading energy' - a divine, strong, and subtle energy that is everywhere, within all beings and things, coordinating life and evolution.
"Most living creatures are contented and at peace, existing and evolving in a natural, harmonious way, just part of the universal evolution or flow. Through this 'all pervading energy,' they simply follow the guidance of God Supreme Universal Intelligence, thus realizing the highest purpose of life.
"Yet human beings, in order to come closer to God's will through a higher dimension, have been given a marvelous capacity for awareness and intelligence, which permits them to analyze and alter their environment, but which can also turn against them. Hence, this capacity has, too often, made them commit the error of going astray from God's guidance and ignoring the will of their Creator, thus being negative to themselves and creating disharmony and negativity around them.
"Each one of us has a different level of consciousness. Depending upon this level, we create different degrees of harmony or disharmony in our environment.
"This level of consciousness is sort of an inner, natural knowledge that dictates the way we relate to everyday life and the world around us. The higher our level of consciousness, the closer we are to the will of our Creator, and the more we experience awareness, creativity, happiness, and well-being.
"Yet we can use our awareness and intelligence to help raise our level of consciousness, to rediscover our direct contact with the Creator. This contact was never broken, only ignored or lost in confusion.
"God Supreme Universal Intelligence, loving and wise, gives us the chance to raise our level of consciousness so that we can improve the quality of our lives. For this purpose we are offered ways to get in closer contact with our soul or 'energy within.' The gradual increase of this contact causes a gradual increase in our level of consciousness, a constant overall improvement of our lives, and a real understanding of the world around us.
"Moreover, this is the only way to achieve individual happiness and well-being and to reach the highest purpose of life: to be our real selves and to live according to our own natural inner guidance, God's guidance. This is also the only way to prevent us from bringing further destruction, misery, and chaos to earth.
"Human beings are composed of body, mind, and soul - three different things closely interrelated and, in certain ways, dependent upon each other. In order to reach higher levels of consciousness and harmony, we should have a clear understanding of our bodies and minds, and work to improve each one of them so that, more and more, they function according to our souls, positively reinforcing one another. This is the only way to constantly reach higher levels of consciousness and gradually improve our life in every sense.
"Therefore, the following pages will present, in a clear and simple way, what our bodies, minds, and souls are and how to take proper care of them.
"We will become more open to this knowledge if it is supported by quotations after every chapter from some of the most enlightened men that have ever lived. These men, with whom many of us are familiar, were also teaching the understanding and care of the body, the mind, and the soul because they knew this was the only way to reach real freedom, happiness, and well-being.
"Thus, to start with, it would be good to offer a brief history about the lives and teachings of these men who, by so closely following the guidance of their souls, became such high and brilliant instruments of God."
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The voice stopped. I realized this was the introduction. I liked it very much. As I worked to improve it, I felt better and better. It had taken more than two hours of writing and rewriting. I realized that working on this book was going to be an exciting and interesting task.
I felt hungry. It was dark outside. Robert hadn't come home nor called. All I could hear were the sounds from the garden and maybe a cricket or two. I got up, turned on the radio to classical music and went to the kitchen.
Then it came to my mind that to better understand and digest all that is going to be written, it should be read slowly and aloud. This is what I have been doing for years with almost everything I read, and it really works. Maybe I read less, but what I read I certainly understand and make mine.