Spiritual Enlightenment, Development, and Karma

To know that the Spirit is one’s own real innermost “Self” is the first stage of spiritual enlightenment.

The Spirit dons the body like a garment at birth, (incarnation), and lays it aside at death. The Spirit works through the physical body during this lifetime, which it needs, in order to continue its journey of enlightenment and development to maturity and perfection. Once the Spirit has attained its very lofty goal, it can return to its high luminous origins where it can continue its development in peace and harmony, with others who have achieved the same treasure.

The karma we bear is incurred by our Spirit, not our physical body. A part of this karma manifests itself during our life on earth either directly in our physical body or through the circumstances we are compelled to live in and deal with. It is the Spirit that sows the seeds, through the body, that grow into our karmic harvest.
karma: The effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in this incarnation and the next.