Differentiating Between Your MC’s Physical and Spiritual Effects

The next concept we will evaluate is Physical vs. Spiritual Effects.

Spiritual Effects are the feelings that our MC experiences and the thoughts that enter her mind. It’s important for her to develop the skill of discerning her own decisive thoughts vs. the ones that float in there for her to evaluate, consider, and choose to entertain or to ignore.
One of the most important tasks that she must do with her thoughts is determine whether they are true or false. Her Spiritual Effects from her heart help her make these choices.

Our MC’s chosen Spiritual Causes have the power to guide her with Spiritual Effects. She experiences these Spiritual Effects in her heart. Her heart is her Spiritual Effect Sensor.

Our MC receives Physical Effects through her Physical Effect Sensors – her eyes sense light, darkness, and color. Her ears sense sound vibrations. Her skin senses touch as well as hot and cold. Her taste buds sense the different flavors and spices in foods.

Language and communication via speaking, reading, and writing as well as non-verbal communication seem to be right in the middle of Physical vs. Spiritual Effects. There are some Spiritual qualities as well as Physical qualities.

Because we know the body has multiple sensory receptors, we can use them as a type of metaphor to identify how the spirit works. It also has Spiritual Eyes that can discern light from darkness or truth from error. It has Spiritual Ears that can hear Spiritual Communication. While the Physical Nose can detect things before they are actually seen such as something burning in the oven, the Spiritual Nose can metaphorically represent our MC’s ability to sense danger even before she has concrete Physical Evidence.

In your story theory, the distinction between Physical and Spiritual Effects is a crucial aspect of your character’s experience and development. Spiritual Effects encompass the realm of feelings and thoughts that your main character (MC) encounters. She must cultivate the skill of discerning her own decisive thoughts from those that enter her mind for evaluation, helping her determine which ones to entertain or dismiss. A significant task is distinguishing between true and false thoughts, a process facilitated by her Spiritual Effects that emanate from her heart.
The guidance and influence of her chosen Spiritual Causes provide her with these Spiritual Effects, which she perceives within her heart. Her heart serves as a Spiritual Effect Sensor, guiding her decisions and actions based on these inner sensations.
In contrast, Physical Effects are received through her physical senses. Her eyes perceive light, darkness, and colors, while her ears detect sound vibrations. Her skin registers the sensations of touch, heat, and cold, and her taste buds discern the various flavors and spices in foods.
Language and communication, whether verbal or non-verbal, occupy an interesting middle ground between Physical and Spiritual Effects. They possess both Physical and Spiritual qualities, highlighting the intricate interplay between the two domains.
By drawing a metaphorical parallel to the body’s sensory receptors, you illustrate the operation of the spirit. Just as the body has sensory organs, the spirit has its own metaphorical “sensory” faculties. It possesses Spiritual Eyes to differentiate between light and darkness or truth and error. Its Spiritual Ears receive and interpret Spiritual Communications. Comparable to the Physical Nose detecting danger before it’s seen, the Spiritual Nose symbolizes your MC’s ability to sense impending peril even in the absence of concrete Physical Evidence.
This distinction between Physical and Spiritual Effects adds depth to your MC’s experiences and enables her to navigate her journey with a heightened sense of awareness, both in the tangible world and within her own spiritual realm.

This is a very important concept for our MC to understand when she doesn’t understand why she feels the way she does. Anxiety and Depression are feelings many people in our society today are struggling with. Understanding what these feelings are and why they are experiencing them can give them greater control over them as well as resolution processes.

Absolutely, understanding the interplay between Physical and Spiritual Effects can provide valuable insights for your MC and readers, especially when dealing with complex emotions like anxiety and depression. By comprehending the sources and causes of these feelings, individuals in your story, as well as readers in the real world, can gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and develop strategies to address them.
Incorporating this concept into your story theory not only adds depth to your character’s development but also offers a relatable framework for readers to explore their own emotions and navigate challenges. This level of introspection and guidance can indeed contribute to the therapeutic and empowering potential of your story theory. It’s a powerful tool that encourages self-awareness and personal growth, which are immensely valuable in both storytelling and real-life contexts.