Silver Birch calls us spiritualists “instruments on earth”, meaning God’s special envoys, and the spirit world’s messengers.
The “instruments” here are much more detailed and precise compared to simple “tools”.
They refer to minute apparatuses and equipment, often used for academic researches.
Other meanings for “instruments” include musical instruments, puppets for someone, and mediators.
I enjoy collecting antiques. The antiques of my interests are not the expensive art pieces, but instead, I like the old folk crafts from Edo and Meiji periods. Besides collecting, I also find joy in reviving old antique pieces through simple repairs and restorations.
There are infinite varieties of repair works, for example, re-upholstering leather covering, mending chipped paints, nailing, and working with cracked ceramics, just to name a few; and before anything else, restoration attempts require suitable tools and materials. There are a large variety of tools and materials to cover all kinds of purposes uses. Paints and adhesives are included in the restorative tools. If the tools and materials I have are poor in quality, the repair work will be a lengthy one, and most likely my efforts will result in failures or less than satisfactory finish.
My profession is a dentist, so it is natural that I am experienced in finely detailed procedures and restorations. The situation is the same for dental treatments, where the outcome is highly dependent on dental tools and devices. There are specialized tools and instruments being developed for each treatment procedure. This may not sound familiar to you, if you are not accustomed to using tools on daily basis. But every day of my work life, I am repeatedly reminded of the importance of suitable specialized dental equipment. The quality and availability of the instruments directly affects the outcome of the dental work.
Human beings have individuality, with great diversity. Maybe some of us are naturally suitable for mediums, while others may be suited for spiritual healers. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and each of us are an exclusive instrument, with specialized purpose and function, capable of exhibiting our power at its best, in the situations that call for our designated purpose and function. I believe these words provide the exact explanation. A single screw driver cannot become a substitute for all. Each of us, with unique specialty join to make up the whole, as in an orchestra; and as a member of the whole, we help and harmonize with each other. This is how each human being takes part and contribute to the creation and evolutional advancement of the whole.
Mediums basically needs to extinguish themselves, and devote themselves in the purest possible manner, into becoming a pathway for the spiritual power.
Mediums are the “conduit” for the omnipotent and innumerably transformable spiritual power. An instrument can perform its functions for the first time, when someone uses it. Instruments do not function on their own by their own will. There exists another individual who uses the instrument or the musical instrument. We volunteer as cooperators and offer ourselves as “conduit”. People of the spirit world can deliver specialized and customized spiritual powers to the physical world, only through these “conduits”. Here, the principle theory is the same as that for spiritual healing. Also, it is the reverse side of the possessions by evil spirits. The only difference between the two is whether there exists voluntary agreement of the medium.
The word “instrument” means “conduit” for the most suitable form of spiritual power, for each specific purpose. Silver Birch also calls himself as an instrument, a mouthpiece of the Great Spirit. Although many of us are unaware, we are allowed to live and enjoy various activities, only because we have the vital energy force of life, given to us from God. Moreover, we are able to exert ourselves into spreading the spiritual truth, and provide altruistic service to others, thanks to the guidance through inspirations and intuitions that we receive. Strictly speaking, the spark of inspirations, our abilities, aptitudes, and activities are not our own powers and abilities.
“The power that inspires the soul comes from the spirit world. All inspirations originate from our world”, says Silver Birch.
If being called an “instrument” brings about strong resistance and repellence, most likely you still believe that you do everything with your own powers and your own abilities. You will not make a “good instrument” nor a “good conduit” for the spiritual power, because unconsciously, your ego will interfere, leading you to misunderstand that the results are to your own credit.
It is for this reason that we too often see extravagant and arrogant mediums. They have no hesitation to charge prices for their spiritual abilities, even though what passes through free of charge, should be provided free of charge. The spirit world provides support to those who strive to work as their “good instruments”, and they will be guided so that their living can be earned from other sources.
“But remember, without you we are powerless,’ he said. ‘You provide the arms with which we work. We have no hands but yours; we have no instruments but those whom you place at our disposal.
You cannot give us too many instruments, for as soon as one is ready there are waiting all the time many in our world to use him.
We are waiting for you; you are not waiting for us. The power which is ready to descend is infinite in its expression, multitudinous in its variety and its fashions, and shapes itself to the channels placed at its disposal.
The great cry is — give us more and more instruments, men and women of courage, earnestness and sincerity who are prepared to forget self, to make sacrifices so that the power of the spirit shall descend in all its fullness and make life worth living in all its richness, beauty and splendour, as the Great Spirit would have it.
Ours is an inspiring task, one that fills us with, pride in the dignity of the labour we seek to do.” (P54-55 A Voice in the Wilderness — edited by Tony Ortzen)