The Resources of the Human Spirit - Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society
The Resources of the Human Spirit - Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society
The Resources of the Human Spirit - Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Society
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Resources</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Human</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong>33V. <strong>The</strong> origin <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong> and source <strong>of</strong> itsPowers and capacities<strong>The</strong> human spirit is born as a result <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> breath <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> divinespirit being blown into a body ready to receive it. This first birthis common to all human beings. However, <strong>the</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>in-brea<strong>the</strong>d spirit in <strong>the</strong> body <strong>of</strong> human beings is like <strong>the</strong> presence<strong>of</strong> a buried treasure, and we do not know how to reach itin order to benefit from all <strong>of</strong> its riches. <strong>Ibn</strong> ¡<strong>Arabi</strong> says: “If <strong>the</strong>Holy <strong>Spirit</strong> has been brea<strong>the</strong>d into Man, <strong>the</strong>n Man is linked to<strong>the</strong> Absolute Being in a non-material and sacred way, and is a‘portion’ <strong>of</strong> His divinity.” 42 He adds: “<strong>The</strong> human vicegerent inwhich <strong>the</strong> secret <strong>of</strong> My Divinity is established.” 43This secret is not given to every human being; it has to besearched for. Using <strong>the</strong> story <strong>of</strong> Moses and Khidr, peace be on<strong>the</strong>m, <strong>Ibn</strong> ¡<strong>Arabi</strong> states: “Search for <strong>the</strong> treasure (i.e. <strong>the</strong> spirit)buried under that corporeal wall.” 44 He compares <strong>the</strong> spirit with atreasure, and <strong>the</strong> body with a wall where <strong>the</strong> treasure is concealedin order to prevent it from loss or <strong>the</strong>ft, and to keep it protectedat <strong>the</strong> same time.What happens if <strong>the</strong> sålik (<strong>the</strong> traveller) begins to searchinside himself, and by committing himself to God and prayer,he finds <strong>the</strong> treasure? At this moment, <strong>the</strong> second birth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>spirit takes place. Indeed, it is as if <strong>the</strong> human spirit is reborn in<strong>the</strong> exterior world and becomes manifest in this world, in fullperception, after being hidden by <strong>the</strong> layers <strong>of</strong> materiality (<strong>the</strong>layers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> body). 45 <strong>Ibn</strong> ¡<strong>Arabi</strong> leads us into <strong>the</strong> exterior world <strong>of</strong>Man in order to allow us to witness <strong>the</strong> moment when <strong>the</strong> spiritcontemplates <strong>the</strong> divine Epiphany, and thus we can recognizeintellectually <strong>the</strong> moment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> second birth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spirit, itsreception <strong>of</strong> light and its propagation in every part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> body.Inside our heart, <strong>Ibn</strong> ¡<strong>Arabi</strong> says, <strong>the</strong>re is a point whose exactlocation is not known by anybody, which is similar to <strong>the</strong> time42. Inshå¤ al-Dawå¤ir, p. 21.43. Tadb¨råt, p. 181.44. Tadb¨råt, p. 105.45. Fut. II.59, Question number 26: What is <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spirit?
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