Controlling and Manipulating

Control is the power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events; the ability restriction of an activity, tendency, or phenomenon; the power to restrain something, especially one’s own emotions or actions; to be able to organize your life well and keep calm.–Oxford English Dictionary
  To control is to exercise authoritative or dominating influence over; to control somebody or something, to have power over a person, company, country, etc., so that you are able to decide what they must do or how it is run; to limit something or make it happen in a particular way; to manage to make yourself remain calm, even though you are upset or angry.–American Heritage Dictionary
  To manipulate is to handle or control, typically in a skillful manner; to control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously; to influence or manage shrewdly or deviously.–Oxford English Dictionary Manipulation is to control or influence somebody, often in a dishonest way so that they do not realize it.–Oxford English Dictionary

“You are chief controller of your subconscious mind, so don’t fill it with garbage.”–Edna Lister

  The controlling and manipulating behavior of others has become a pervasive topic in modern dialog and magazine psychology. A review of Edna Lister’s work reveals that the only legal forms of control are the rational soul controlling the selfish appetitive soul, and of God controlling the soul and His universe.
  Controlling and manipulating your own appetites and behavior is acceptable to a point, in order to strengthen your ability to conquer. Controlling and manipulating others is strictly illegal from a moral and ethical position.
  Parents may control the behaviors of their children but only with the intent and purpose of instilling discipline of self within them. As Edna Lister often said, Control is but the first step in conquering self.
  The obsession with control and manipulation of the behavior of others is a pathological side effect of the Degree of the Adept, who is supposed to perfect control as the basis for soul conquering, not for domineering and enslaving others. Such possessive control of another, Edna Lister said, is a form of possession, the deepest and darkest evil, a form of black magic./p>

Edna Lister on Controlling and Manipulating

Never lend yourself to anyone’s complete control, even though it seems good. Maintain control over your own consciousness—Edna Lister, January 30, 1933.

When God’s Power controls you, nothing can stop you as you move, steadily, unchangeably, surely, determined, and the game is yours. You beat the world before you start, if you start under Light, controlled by Light.–Edna Lister, The Fountain of Youth, December 19, 1934.

Rules are formulas for applying laws. The world confuses rules and laws, using them to curb passion and conduct, to keep them under control. The law that Jesus taught, condensed into the Golden Rule, requires us to conquer self, to become law, and to do as the Christ principle dictates.–Edna Lister, Your Standard of Action, Friday, March 22, 1935.

Mediums remain below the Gates of Heaven in the planes of consciousness, and see clairvoyantly by drawing outer vibrations into the room. They work on the fate line for partly or purely selfish reasons, seeking to control and manipulate life’s conditions with little or no desire to become selfless and perfect.–Edna Lister, A Design for Ascension, 1941.

You must let God rule, control and conquer as you.—Edna Lister, December 22, 1942.

God has given the soul the power of conscious direction and control through the spoken Word.–Edna Lister, A Design for Ascension, April 24, 1945.

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.—Proverbs 16:32. He who controls himself is greater than he who takes a city.–Edna Lister, August 18, 1945.

Law is a modification of Wisdom that plans, Love that sustains, and is the set of principles that control and limit all transformations to meet your present capacity and ability.–Edna Lister, November 6, 1946.

Adepts can and do use their own soul substance through control and manipulation in the world of appearances. They do not take initiations; they are very happy in their own control of power but do not lift self. In the long run, this is self-defeating.–Edna Lister, May 16, 1947.

Balance of observation comes from the rational soul resting just above the body, reaching down, filling it lightly for control but in full consecrated release of Power for conquering.–Edna Lister, July 30, 1947.

You may know another’s main point of weakness, yet if you prey on his weakness, use it or manipulate it for your gain, you misuse divine Mind. The world is full of such manipulation for greed and power.–Edna Lister, Unconquerable Faith, November 5, 1950.

Everyone has a pattern for living. Some unconsciously use their grandma’s old world pattern or a new, modern hedonistic pattern. People live by mistaken ideas, without consideration for others. Others float indifferently as the playthings of the four worldly winds—criticism, condemnation, opinions, and prejudices. Thankfully, some people live consciously, while directing and controlling their lives.–Edna Lister, A Design for Living, November 2, 1952.

When you stand in unquenchable love and unconquerable faith of God, you always have control.–Edna Lister, December 8, 1952.

Everything in life is under control once you make up your mind to conquer self.–Edna Lister, Paradise, October 16, 1955.

When you hold honor to God as your highest soul value, the I AM of super-conscious mind holds the subconscious selfish emotions and feelings under perfect control.–Edna Lister, The Beatitude Are Be-Attitudes, February 12, 1956.

To ascend, you first prepare, then exercise perfect control over your life to follow law.–Edna Lister, Constancy in Obedience, October 26, 1958.

God created us as instruments for His expression. He gave us free will to choose good or evil. However, the only time your will is free is when you exercise it to express His wisdom. God holds absolute control over every life spark of His substance, the firstborn of every living creature. Your firstborn is your body in which you dwell, and your share of the mind that was in Christ Jesus, from which you draw ideas.–Edna Lister, Desire Is Your Glory, June 14, 1959.

An Adept can and often does manipulate Mind, Substance, and Power to demonstrate phenomena as do Hindu fakirs for example, walking on hot coals.–Edna Lister, Invisible in a Mist, June 25, 1961.

You are chief controller of your subconscious mind, so don’t fill it with garbage.–Edna Lister, Invisible, Powerful You, December 12, 1965.

Erosive permissiveness insures that parents will eventually have no control over their childrens’ behavior.–Edna Lister, Choice, Your Glorious Foundation, October 16, 1966.

The soul faculties are the seats of control for all physical urges, propensities and appetites. Exercise command and do not submit to appetitive slavery.–Edna Lister, Judgment and Love, May 14, 1967.

Spirit is Power, but needs divine Mind to direct and control it.–Edna Lister, Secrets of the Soul, November 10, 1968.

You must direct and control your own thinking.–Edna Lister, Let Your Light So Shine, November 24, 1968.

Deception is the accepted procedure of the age, but Scripture says, Be not deceived. God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.—Galatians 6:7. This refers to the sins of groups, churches, and nations as well as those of an individual. The resultant "chaos" is the anguish of the public who believed the religious and individual integrity of those who exploited and manipulated them and their fellow men for personal power and gain. Leaders of groups and associations must personally travel the straight road of integrity, without leaving it to another.–Edna Lister, Undated Papers, 1933-1971.

Controlling in Other Sacred Writings

The veil at first concealed how God controlled the creation, but when the veil is rent and the things inside are revealed, this house will be left desolate, or rather will be destroyed, for it will not be able to mix with the unmixed Light and the flawless fullness, but will be under the wings of the cross and under its arms.–Gospel of Philip, Codex II, 3.

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