Evolution of the Soul - Peter Malcolm

This non-religious book reveals and describes the timeless program of the soul from its first incarnation on earth as animal-man. It then traces the many stages of personality development, leading to the third and final phase wherein the individual treads the path of spiritual return back to their Source and the ultimate achievement of their magnificent destiny. This history reveals that when the soul or Self was first formed, it was in a dormant, seed-like condition. Its inherent faculties were all potential but not yet actual, and its awareness was in a vague, dim dreamy state. Mankind therefore was originally little more than an animal with a few dimly sensed but higher feelings. During repeated cycles of incarnations on earth and being planted in the school of material life, the impacts of the environment beating against consciousness gradually evoked the awareness of the soul, and the struggle to survive in a difficult and often hostile environment, so its powers and capacities began to unfold. As the soul's awareness of its own God-like nature awakens, so it comes increasingly into conflict with its savage, instinct-driven animal-man scaffolding, that was initially necessary for its survival on the earth. As the seed-like Self increasingly penetrates consciousness and develops its abilities and creativity, so people evolve out of the animal-man stage in which they are just one of a herd and become more individual and therefore different. This creates the conflict of personality development, and this is the evolutionary phase in which mankind is now engaged. This chronicle of the fundamental stages of the plan and purpose of the soul then goes on to describe the third phase of treading the steep and narrow path of self-knowledge. This finally leads to conscious union with the fully grown and unfolded soul, and culminates in the sublime attainment of Self-realisation and cosmic or God-consciousness, which is the ultimate purpose of human life on earth.