From the Inertia of Mass to the Soul’s Persistence: The True Source of Power

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Introduction: Where Does the True Source of Power Lie?

The physical world is full of dazzling magnitudes, immense masses, and displays of brute force that our senses lay before us. At first glance, human perception tends to search for power in the size of objects, their visible weight, or their material volume. Yet the ancient teachings that examine universal laws and spiritual knowledge in depth reveal this material perception to be a profound illusion. Real power does not reside in the mass of a static object; it is hidden in the persistent continuity of an action that is invisible, unbending, and spread across time. This article searches for the answer to the question of “the true source of power” in the light of ancient wisdom and neo-spiritualist teachings.

The statement “power lies not in the mass of an object, but in the persistence of action spread across time” points to a profound truth in terms of spiritual philosophy and cosmic law. Mass represents crude matter, inertia, form, and the transient, while persistence spread across time represents spiritual will, effort, active patience, and gradualness (step-by-step development). In this study, we will examine the perspectives that neo-spiritualist schools, ancient sages, and modern esoteric movements bring to this concept, within the framework of matter, action, will, and time.

Mass and Inertia: The Illusion of the Material Mind

Material mass is inherently static and lacks the capacity to move on its own. As explained in the work İlâhî Nizam ve Kâinat (lit. “The Divine Order and the Universe”), compiled by Master Dr. Bedri Ruhselman, the primordial substance that forms the fundamental building block of the universe is said to be “inherently inert” — that is, entirely motionless by itself [1]. Matter cannot perform any purposeful movement on its own; it only takes shape, is formed, and is set into motion in response to the influences filtering down from the soul’s primordial principle [2]. In this sense, the power attributed to mass is, in fact, nothing more than the crude reflection of a temporary energy breathed into it from outside — that is, from the spiritual plane. Master Dr. Bedri Ruhselman‘s neo-spiritualist views demonstrate that life cannot be explained through physical, chemical, and mechanical perspectives alone, but only through the creative power of the soul [3].

In the ancient teachings, a person’s tendency to see themselves as nothing more than this material mass (the body and physical form) is the greatest reason for their being asleep. George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, in his work Gerçek Dünyadan Manzaralar (Views from the Real World), argues that the ordinary person can do nothing on their own and is a mechanical “machine” steered by external conditions [4]. The machine — that is, a person’s physical mass — holds no continuous will within itself. Will and power are hidden not in the static existence of mass, but in the spiritual dynamism that directs that mass toward a conscious purpose and breaks the automatism of external influences. Pyotr Demianovich Ouspensky, in his work İnsanın Gerçeği “Kendini Bilmek”, states that the effort of self-observation is the first step toward waking from this mechanical sleep [5].

We encounter a similar emphasis in İnsanın Kaderi (lit. “Man’s Destiny”), a work compiled from Edgar Cayce’s mediumistic readings. Edgar Cayce states that there is only one true power in the universe, and that each person shapes this power according to their own understanding [6]. Emphasizing that the soul is the “great builder” and must rise above bodily forces, Edgar Cayce affirms that each person prepares their own destiny with their own hands [7]. Thus, while the static magnitude of mass is doomed to dissolve in the face of time, the persistence found in the soul’s action remains an eternal builder.

Action and Effort: The Awakening of Will and “Increasing Effort”

The transformation of power into action is explained in spiritual terminology through the concepts of “cehit” (spiritual effort) and “gayret” (diligence). Merely knowing or wanting something mentally does not produce real power. As George Ivanovich Gurdjieff points out, the desire to attain something can arise randomly in a person’s mind; but as long as this desire remains nothing more than a bare idea in the head, the person stays as they were and nothing changes [8]. What creates change and power is the pouring of will into action, and the effort that this action displays in the face of material obstacles.

Master Ergün Arıkdal, in his work Kendini Bilmek (Know Thyself), argues for the importance of will and effort in advancing along the path of spiritual evolution and overcoming the boundaries of material attraction [9]. This effort is linked to a person pushing their own limits, and even after exhausting their available energy, gathering themselves with great diligence to continue acting. According to Master Ergün Arıkdal, it is only after applying this inner struggle and effort that a person gains the true meaning and comprehension of the action they perform; ordinary, automatic movements performed without this effort do not produce any lasting power of understanding within the soul [10].

Pyotr Demianovich Ouspensky also writes that spiritual awakening and unity can only be achieved through an inner struggle — that is, through the friction between “yes” and “no” [11]. If a person makes no inner effort and simply drifts before the blowing wind, they will remain as they are. But if a firm and persistent line is followed in action, permanent qualities begin to take shape in the spiritual structure, giving rise to “crystallization,” or fixation [12]. This crystallization is the concrete embodiment, within the spiritual constitution, of the persistent effort of action spread across time.

Persistence Spread Across Time: Active Patience and Gradualness

At the heart of the concept of “persistence spread across time” lie two great spiritual pillars: Active Patience and Gradualness (step-by-step becoming). In spiritual philosophy, patience is not a passive endurance or a dull waiting; it is an intensely conscious and dynamic power. The law that George Ivanovich Gurdjieff conveys — “Patience Is the Mother of Will” — expresses this truth most eloquently [13]. Active patience is the ability to sustain action in the face of the difficulties and opposing forces involved in achieving a goal, not through denial or violence, but through a transformative intelligence that reconciles the situation [14].

The higher spiritual planes that convey ancient wisdom to our world emphasize that the soul’s development can never be rushed. In the readings received, Silver Birch reminds us that everything in nature carries out its task through slow, patient, and calm work [15]. Silver Birch, in his work Öte Alemden Gelen Hikmet (lit. “Wisdom from Beyond”), states that the soul’s power and healing ability can only unfold gradually — little by little — and that the cosmic plan is realized step by step [16]. Power lies not in a sudden leap, but in the act of growth that a seed silently and persistently displays, day after day, in the darkness beneath the soil.

The teachings of White Eagle also confirm the importance of showing patience along the path, with these words: “When you lose control of your patience, your thoughts, and your emotions, your spiritual flow will encounter obstacles” [17]. White Eagle, in the work Güzel Hayatı Yaratmak (lit. “Creating the Beautiful Life”), also states that spiritual development should never be attempted by rushing or forcing, and that simple, slow, and natural progress is a far better method [18]. That the soul continues its struggle without extinguishing its own inner light, in the face of the heavy veil and doubts of the material world, is precisely what persistence spread across time means [19].

In spiritual development, time holds a dimension far different from the ticking of clocks. Halil Cibran (Kahlil Gibran), in his work Ermiş (The Prophet), says that there is no weather-vane to chart the course of those who travel with the wind, and that those who break their yoke cannot be bound by any human law [20]. According to Gibran, the essential being within us lies beyond time and space. Similarly, Eckhart Tolle argues that the ego and the mind constantly exhaust our power by trapping us in the illusion of future-oriented “psychological time,” whereas the only true place of power is the “Now” [21]. Persistence spread across time means sustaining action in an uninterrupted flow, uniting every moment with the vertical depth of the “Now,” without being caught up in regrets about the past or anxieties about the future [22].

Momentum and the Transformation of Energy

One of the laws that ensures the continuity of action on the physical plane is momentum. George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, in an experiment concerning the expenditure of energy, explains the secret of momentum as follows: after the initial push, a pause follows, and if we can remain still in that moment of pause, we can then make use of the advantage offered by the vibrations that follow the pause [23]. This physical law takes on tremendous meaning when applied to spiritual work. The initial effort of awakening requires a great deal of energy; but when this action is persistently repeated, a spiritual momentum forms, and conscious living begins to become a person’s natural state.

The act of persistence is also directly connected to the principle of the conservation of energy. As stated in Ölümün Ötesi (lit. “Beyond Death”), a work composed of spiritual readings conveyed by Dolores Cannon, the indestructibility and transformation of energy is fundamental on the spiritual plane [24]. While a thought or intention is realized instantly on the spiritual level, the fact that time intervenes between thought and the manifestation of action in the physical world is a cosmic school designed to teach humanity how to be patient [25]. In this school, the persistence of intention and action spread across time is the greatest power that shapes crude matter (mass).

According to Silver Birch, the sufferings, illnesses, and hardships of earthly life actually serve as “catalysts” that allow the soul to discover its own power [26]. In an easy and comfortable life, no impression can reach the soul; but the persistent action and pain shown in the face of difficulties are a purifying process that brings the golden ore hidden in the soul’s own depths to the surface [27]. Power lies not in the static comfort of mass, but in the persistent struggle given, over time, to transcend that mass.

Conclusion: The Cosmic Triumph of Persistence

In the light of ancient teachings and spiritual knowledge, it becomes clear that material mass is transient, limited, and inert by nature. A person’s physical body, social standing, and material means (mass) are illusions doomed to be worn away in the eroding river of time. The one true and lasting power is the persistent action, spread across time, that the soul displays within the framework of the laws of causality (cause and effect), as it becomes conscious of its own existence. And this is exactly where the true source of power lies: hidden within this very persistence.

This persistence is not confined to a single earthly life; it is an eternal march that rises in a spiral curve across reincarnations (rebirths) [28]. As the being sustains its action by putting the “law of increasing effort” into motion at every obstacle it meets, every calamity it suffers, and every anguish it endures, it breaks the inertia of mass and attains the freedom of the soul. Power does not lie in the mass of an object, for mass is, in the end, a form destined to dissolve. Power lies in the sacred persistence, spread across time, of the action that gives life to that mass, that makes it vibrate in harmony with universal laws, and that shines with a new creation at every moment within the bosom of infinity.

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Endnotes and Citation Details

1. Master Dr. Bedri Ruhselman (Ed.), İlâhî Nizam ve Kâinat, Istanbul: MTİAD Yayınları, 2013, p. 11.
2. Master Dr. Bedri Ruhselman (Ed.), İlâhî Nizam ve Kâinat, p. 19.
3. Bedri Ruhselman’s metaphysical views, p. 17.
4. G. I. Gurdjieff, Gerçek Dünyadan Manzaralar, Istanbul: Ruh ve Madde Yayınları, p. 100-101.
5. P. D. Ouspensky, İnsanın Gerçeği “Kendini Bilmek”, Istanbul: Ruh ve Madde Yayınları, p. 207.
6. Edgar Cayce, İnsanın Kaderi, p. 215.
7. Edgar Cayce, İnsanın Kaderi, p. 156-157.
8. G. I. Gurdjieff, Gerçek Dünyadan Manzaralar, p. 193.
9. Master Ergün Arıkdal, Kendini Bilmek, Istanbul: Ruh ve Madde Yayınları, p. 36.
10. Master Ergün Arıkdal, Kendini Bilmek, p. 80.
11. P. D. Ouspensky, İnsanın Gerçeği “Kendini Bilmek”, p. 335.
12. P. D. Ouspensky, İnsanın Gerçeği “Kendini Bilmek”, p. 34.
13. P. D. Ouspensky, İnsanın Gerçeği “Kendini Bilmek”, p. 330.
14. Maurice Nicoll, Gurdjieff ve Ouspensky Öğretisi Üstüne Psikolojik Yorumlar Cilt-2, p. 277.
15. Silver Birch, Öte Alemden Gelen Hikmet, Istanbul: Ruh ve Madde Yayınları, p. 60.
16. Silver Birch, Öte Alemden Gelen Hikmet, p. 61.
17. White Eagle, İki Dünya Arasında Bağlantı, Istanbul: Ruh ve Madde Yayınları, p. 38.
18. White Eagle, Güzel Hayatı Yaratmak, Istanbul: Ruh ve Madde Yayınları, p. 44.
19. White Eagle, İki Dünya Arasında Bağlantı, p. 43.
20. Kahlil Gibran, Ermiş, p. 339.
21. Eckhart Tolle, Varolmanın Gücü, p. 677.
22. Eckhart Tolle, Varolmanın Gücü, p. 63.
23. G. I. Gurdjieff, Gerçek Dünyadan Manzaralar, p. 312.
24. Dolores Cannon, Ölümün Ötesi, p. 714.
25. Dolores Cannon, Ölümün Ötesi, p. 715.
26. Silver Birch, Öte Alemden Gelen Hikmet, p. 85.
27. Silver Birch, Öte Alemden Gelen Hikmet, p. 16.
28. Master Dr. Bedri Ruhselman (Ed.), İlâhî Nizam ve Kâinat, p. 106.

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