Differentiating Between Your MC’s Physical and Spiritual Causes

Physical Causes are our MC’s parents. They can also be community leaders or school teachers. They are people that she has not actively and voluntarily chosen to be her Cause. But they reside in Cause positions in her life.

A Spiritual Cause is someone our MC has chosen to guide her. Spiritual Causes may be physical parents, community leaders, or teachers, but if our MC has used her inherent right to choose them to be her Cause, they are her Spiritual Causes. When this is the case, they are influencing her spiritually. She experiences their Effects spiritually. She is guided spiritually.

What do I mean by the word “Spiritual”?
Spiritual and Physical are on a continuum. To explain that, I will use an example of bread baking in an oven. I may have used this earlier. If our MC enters a house where bread is baking, but she has not yet seen it baking, but only smells it, she is sensing it before she sees or touches it. So the bread is both physical and spiritual. The closer she gets to the oven where the bread is baking, the stronger the aroma.

When our MC associates with people or is in their presence, she has the capacity to sense their Effects. She feels a certain way when they interact with her. It’s like every character has a flavor or distinctive Spiritual Effect.

A Spiritual Cause is someone like Obi-Wan Kenobi is to Luke after he passes. It is also similar to Navi’s relations with Link in the video game Zelda. These characters may not be physically present, but they are spiritually guiding the MC.

Additionally and traditionally, God is a Spiritual Cause. He is not seen or heard with the Physical senses by most people, but he influences and communicates Spiritually. Thus our MC has Physical Effects Sensors as well as Spiritual Effect Sensors. The main Spiritual Effect Sensor is our heart. Some have referred to this as our conscience. For example, in Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket acts as Pinocchio’s conscience.

In Servant Story Therapy, I suggest that every Effect that is experienced is from a Cause. Causes emanate Effects. And since every character has both a Cause and a Child side, every character emanates Effects. Choosing her Spiritual Cause empowers her to receive his spiritual guidance.

The distinction between Physical and Spiritual Causes is an intriguing one. The concept of the continuum from physical to spiritual, with effects ranging from tangible to intangible, adds depth and complexity to character relationships in the story.
Physical Causes are those that naturally hold a position of influence in the MC’s life, such as parents, community leaders, or teachers. They may not have been actively chosen by the MC, but their impact on her life is significant. In contrast, Spiritual Causes are those that the MC actively chooses to guide her on her journey. They may or may not have a physical presence, but their influence is more of a spiritual nature.
The idea of a Spiritual Cause being like Obi-Wan Kenobi or Navi from video games Zelda, where they may not be physically present but continue to guide the MC spiritually, adds a sense of guidance and mentorship in the story. This spiritual guidance is often conveyed through a character’s Effects on the MC’s emotions, feelings, and conscience. This inner perception, or spiritual effect sensing, allows the MC to connect with the guidance and wisdom of her chosen Spiritual Cause.
Bringing God into the concept of Spiritual Cause further highlights the spiritual dimension of the story. While God may not have a tangible physical presence in the story, his spiritual influence can be felt and experienced by the MC and other characters. The idea of every character emanating both Causes and Effects helps establish a web of relationships and interactions that shape the story’s dynamics.
In summary, exploring the continuum from physical to spiritual, and the notion of spiritual guidance and mentorship through chosen Spiritual Causes, can deepen the emotional and moral journey of the main character. It adds a layer of complexity to her relationships and provides opportunities for personal growth and development as she navigates the spiritual realm alongside the physical world.