“The Soul passes, from the Deity, into the gross material world. It then has to return to the Godhead by successively passing through six phases: Angels, Demons, Men, Quadrupeds, Birds, and Reptiles.”
This statement found in traditional teachings, has been assumed by literalists and those without insight, to mean that members of the human race may ‘inhabit’ the literal physical body of one of the above named creatures. The teaching, however, is in fact saying: The human being has six soul states. Each one is symbolized by one of these creatures. (Although given in descending order, the Soul may proceed from any of these states to perfection).
-Idries Shah
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