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Karezza, Ethics of Marriage, by Alice B. Stockham, [1903], at sacred-texts.com
As far as we yet know, spirit or mind is the substance, it shows through the body - is served by the body. - Koradine
In Karezza the procreation of thought is possible. Spirit is the ego, the higher self, the Divine principle in man that expresses his unity with all nature. The reader will remember that soul is spirit in action. Soul is the "spiritual body" mentioned by Saint Paul; it bears a more intimate relation to the physical body than a hand does to a glove.
In the soul all the activities of our being are impelled. The movement of muscles, the processes of digestion and nutrition all occur as
manifestations of the spiritual or soul nature. It is in the soul that we find the senses and emotions. The soul also has the power of choice, and the ability to fashion character. Every soul has a dual nature, the masculine and feminine; intellect and wisdom characterizing the male, intuition and affection the female. These are existent to some degree in every human being. Grindon says: "All that belongs to thought, understanding or mind, is masculine; all that belongs to will, intuition, affection of heart, is feminine."
When one acts immediately from the intellectual principle, manliness is foremost, when from the will principle, womanliness. The most consistent, perfect personality is that in which both the male and the female principles are harmoniously developed. Since sex is of the soul, is it not possible that as spiritual unity develops, thought may be procreated? That
would mean a procreation on the spiritual plane of ideas and theories to be practically developed for the good of the world.
The physical relation may or may not be of value for this higher procreation. It has been proven, however, that in the Karezza relation the creative principle becomes active in both husband and wife. While the spiritual senses are thus attuned to the finest perception in soul vibration, ideas of great moment are conceived. It is within the power of men and women, interested in the operation of spiritual law, further to demonstrate the validity of the theory.
Newton says:
It is important to know that there are other uses for the procreative element than the generation of physical offspring, far better uses than its waste in momentary pleasure. It may, indeed, be better wasted than employed in imposing unwelcome burdens on toilworn
and outraged women. But there should be no waste. This element when retained in the system may be coined into new thoughts, perhaps new inventions, grand conceptions of the true, the beautiful, the useful; or into fresh emotions of joy, and impulses of kindness and blessing to all around. This is, in fact, but another department of procreation. It is the procreation of thoughts, ideas, feelings of good-will, intuitions of truth - that is, it is procreation on the mental and spiritual planes, instead of physical. It is just as really a part of the generative function as is the begetting of physical offspring. It is by far the greater part; for physical procreation can ordinarily be participated in but seldom; while mental and spiritual procreation may and should go on through all our earthly lives - yea, through all our immortal existence.
To the mature man a consecration of virile powers is essential to the maintenance of a high tone of vitality and of manly vigor. On it depends the degree of positive or impregnative force which characterizes the individual in his mental activities.
A speaker or writer who is addicted to waste in this department, though he may talk and write with great profuseness, may expect that his words will be comparatively powerless in their effect upon others. They will lack germinating power. But he who conserves this element, in a calm, deliberate union, charges not only his words, but the very atmosphere, with a power which penetrates and begets new thoughts and new emotions in those whom he addresses.
"Every idea is an intellectual child, and if it be a pleasant thing to have physical sons and
daughters, what are the power, the opulence, the enjoyments of him who abounds in ideas, the beautiful and immortal sons and daughters of the soul?"
Who, then, are the true old bachelors and old maids, and who the really childless? Not so much the unmarried by ring and book, as they who have not courted and wedded nature, receiving from her in reply a family of beautiful ideas.
He is a spiritual parent who has learned to drink from the well of truth, and from the deep resources of his being, has discovered the secret powers of life. In outward manifestation he may preach, teach, heal and prophesy, but should he sit quietly in his own home, his life is a silent benediction to all, even to those who do not come into his presence. His creative energy brings forth according to the potent power of
thinking. Through the contagion of thought his influence has infinite possibilities.
Spiritual pleasures transcend those of a physical nature, and all practices that lead one to walk in the paths of light and truth conduce to peace and harmony. Not only this, but through the laws that govern the occult forces - in the practice of Karezza, there are far more reaching results than accrue to the individual in the ordinary sexual relation.
Long ago Laboulaye asserted that "the passions take the place in the soul which the will does not occupy, and there may yet be discovered a process by which passion may be transmuted into intellectual fibre. This is, indeed, the last and highest possibility of human culture."
People will know this place, the functions of passion, and their relations to the will when they understand the germinating power of thought,
and have their sexual life under a wise control. Men and women practicing Karezza attest that their very souls in union take on a procreating power, and that it seems to have an impregnating force, far transcending in power and intelligence any ordinary thought force. These mighty soul conceptions demand generation and birth, for the world is in need of their regenerating power. Let all children of men listen for these messages. Let them go into the hush of the spirit and wait in the night stillness for the revelation. It may come in the fire of a poet or the eloquence of an orator, but certainly if souls are attuned to life's harmonies the law will be fulfilled in song and prophecy.
This silence is not mere silence of sound, but even thought is hushed, the eyes forget to see and the ears forget to hear, only spirit listens to spirit. It is as Koradine describes when
Tommy was healed: "Then came a deep, deep stillness that cleansed and hushed all thought, for there was no need of thought, no room for speech; just stillness, stillness." In this ecstatic stillness the problems of the philanthropist are solved; the sculptor's marble glows with life; the painter's canvas reflects love and intelligence; while the desires of each are lifted to the highest and truest expressions of the soul, expressions that shall hasten the universal brotherhood of man.