Know that procession is of two kinds: procession and appearance through emanation, and procession and appearance through manifestation. Emanational procession is like the procession of the handiwork from its author. For example, the writing proceeds from the writer. Now, just as the writing emanates from the writer and the discourse from the speaker, so does the human spirit emanate from God. …… As for manifestational procession, it is the manifestation of the reality of a thing in other forms, like the procession of this tree or this flower from their seeds, for it is the seed itself that has become manifested in the form of the branches, leaves, and flowers. This is called manifestational procession. The spirits of men proceed from God by emanation, …… The procession of human spirits from God is therefore an emanational procession. When it is said in the Torah that God breathed His spirit into man, this spirit is even as speech that has emanated from the true Speaker and taken effect in the reality of man. (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions 54)
要知道「產生」的途徑有兩種：經「源發」而產生出現，和經「顯示」而產生出現。經源發的產生就像動作之出自於動作者，文章之出自於著作者。那麼文章是由作者寫出來、演說是由演講者說出來的，同樣人的靈魂是由上帝而來的。……但是經由顯示的產生過程乃是事物實質在另一種形式下的顯現，就像這棵樹的產生來自於樹種，或花朵的產生來自於花籽一般，因為以枝葉花朵之形態出現的正是種籽本身。這就叫經由「顯示」的產生。人性靈之於上帝，是由於「源發」而生的依賴關係，……人性靈來自上帝是由「源發」所至。當聖經上說，上帝將他的靈吹入人體時，這個靈就如同那演說辭，發自於真正的宣說者，並在人的實質中發生作用。 (阿博都巴哈，已答之問54)

These words tell us that we can learn to know God through our own reality. God’s will can be “emanated” through the human soul when we are willing to submit our will to God. When our soul becomes the instrument of God, God’s Will can emanate through it, then we can learn about God through His emanation of procession and appearance in us. A man has two natures, one is the ego-self, which is earthly; the other is the divine self, which is heavenly. The divine self is like a seed hidden in the reality of a man. Through divine grace and care by the divine gardener, the seed can become a plant and grow. This process only can happen when we are willing to obey the laws of God and let our ego die, be obedient and let the divine gardener take care of us in His way. The divine attributes of a man are his fruits of the life of the spirit. They are a manifestation of procession and appearance. Through these divine characteristics, a man sees the image of God in himself. This is the other way from his own reality to know God. We will learn more about God through our own reality by submision, obedience, and seeking perfection.
這段經文告訴我們，認識上帝，可藉由自身的靈性實在去認識上帝。上帝的意志可以支配人的意志，當人願意「交託」其意志而受上帝意志所支配時，人就能從意志的運作中認識上帝的意志，這種認識是「源發」的認識上帝。人有兩種天性，一種是屬自我的，是塵世的；另一種是屬神性的，是天國的。人的神性就像種子，隱藏在人性靈當中，透過神聖的恩典與神聖園丁的培育，它漸漸會展現出來。這需要人致力於消融自我，在意志裡「順從」、遠離自我，願意接受神聖園丁的培育。當人的神性有愈多的顯現，那就像靈性生命結了豐碩的果實，愈來愈有神的樣子。從自身的神性顯現開發與認識，這種認識是「顯示」的認識上帝。交託與順從與追求至善就能更認識神。

Therefore, if we truly follow the teachings of a Divine Messenger and do whatever as the Holy Writings tell us, then a sanctified soul can lead to the emanation of the Will of God and a purified heart can manifest (reflect) the divine attributes of God. In both ways we learn about God through our own reality. This is the mystery of creation and is within us.
因此，從神聖經書中顯聖者給我們的啟示，我們依照著去行，靈魂愈超脫，就能使上帝意志「源發」地在我們身上「產生」；而心的愈淨化，就能使神性「顯示」在我們身上。心靈淨化是藉由自身去認識上帝的途徑。上帝把靈氣吹入我們，又依照祂的神性樣子創造了我們，這兩者就是人性靈的實在，前者是「源發」的產生，後者是「顯示」的產生。這是創造的奧祕，它隱藏在我們自身裡。

O Son of Being! Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation.(Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic 59)
生命之子啊! 你的心是我居住之地；聖潔之，以待我降臨。你的靈是我啟示之所；淨化之，以待我顯聖。(巴哈歐拉，隱言經上59)

O SON OF MAN! If thou lovest Me, turn away from thyself; and if thou seekest My pleasure, regard not thine own; that thou mayest die in Me and I may eternally live in thee. (Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic 7)
人子啊! 如果你愛我，就離開你自己吧；如果你想尋求喜悅，就別再顧慮你自己的；如此你便能在我裡面滅了，而我卻永遠活在你裡面。(巴哈歐拉，隱言經上7)

… Could ye apprehend with what wonders of My munificence and bounty I have willed to entrust your souls, ye would of a truth, rid yourselves of attachment to all created things, and would gain a true knowledge of you own selves– a knowledge which is the same as the comprehension of Mine own Being. (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, page 230)