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Edna Lister’s Lectures, 1945
Your New Year
Edna Lister article, American Pen Women Magazine, January 8, 1945, Seattle WA
This is your year of fulfillment. Do you know this for yourself? Do you know exactly where you are going this year? Have you charted your new course to fit the new and changing times? It does not matter how many small ports you are forced to visit by circumstances beyond your control, how often you have to stop for forced repairs, how many contrary winds blow you off your charted course, if you constantly hold before yourself your original course, clearly outlined on your new chart and always set your helm on a straight line back to your course of life, or if you return to the original line the instant your ship is free to move again.
Delays cannot keep you from finally reaching your chosen goal! Keep your own mind made up and determined to do this. Do not allow anyone or anything to un-make it for you. God’s winds are always with you. Do you know this deeply enough in your own heart to keep your confidence adamant that you can win?—constant in your thinking and determination to strive and struggle with life itself until you have won? Nothing too hard for you to do. No effort is too great or too long for you to make, no goal too distant for you to attain.
The long-range view of life is the success view of life. When you cramp your view down to fit today’s despair, you lose the incentive and the power to move forward into your success. So, make your 1945 vision a long-range vision. Make it part of a 10- or 20-year plan. Give yourself time enough to accomplish a truly great plan. There is no such thing as “old age” or “too late.” Now is the time of fulfillment for you!
Life is “deathless, ageless and abiding.” Life is “the same yesterday, today and forever,” and you are life. Chart your new course. Tie down your helm so that no contrary winds of earth can blow you too far to return to your own chosen course. No heavy gale can take the helm from your own two hands, or make you alter your direction, the path toward your goal. You are complete within yourself and already your own fulfillment for 1945. Choose more life! Light as life itself is the power that flows through you and heals.
You Are a Creator
Edna Lister outline, February 25, 1945, Tacoma, WA, April 29, 1945, Buffalo, NY, Genesis 1:1-5, John 14:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
–Genesis 1:1-5.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
–John 14:12.
Let there be Light.
With that great creative fiat, God brought all substance into being, from invisible life sparks to visible solids, and it came to pass.
Every life spark will return to Him, even from an ice state, back to invisible Light.
God has granted substance only the power to become. You are a creator god, here to do the greater works. God has designed you with the mental and soul faculties and the ability of speech to speak the Word of the Creative Fiat, Let there be Light.
As a creator, you have the God-given powers to become like your Creator, now.
You Are a Creator
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Bender, scribe, February 25, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Genesis 1:1-5, John 14:12
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
–Genesis 1:1-5.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
–John 14:12.
Let there be Light.
With that great creative fiat, God brought all substance into being, and it came to pass.
Every life spark of divine substance will eventually return to Him, from dense solid form back to invisible Light. God has granted substance only the power to become. You are a creator god, here to do the greater works. God has designed you with the mental faculties and the ability to speak the Word, Let there be Light!
As a creator, you have the God-given powers to become like your Creator, now. Speak the Word in full faith, believing, and it will come to pass, now. Delay is no good result for anyone, but is the product of lukewarmness.
God and science begin at the same point, Light. Your body is built of Light. You have cells made of electronic substance. Even the physical body has an atomic sense, the subconscious mind of the creature-like appetitive soul. The physical body is a hardened crystallized substance. When you raise its vibration, you put more life back into it. The physical body should never vibrate lower than the water stage. In fact, the body truly inhabited is vapor-like in density.
At his Transfiguration, Jesus’ garments and face were glistering, literally glowing with Light from within. When Jesus disappeared from their midst, he had raised the rate of his body to the vapor stage through the power of his mind. All substance is filled with Light, whether is in an ice state, water, steam or invisible vapor. Yet substance can do nothing of itself. Substance must be acted upon to become something else, to flow into some other form. If you do not live in the present, time flows by and becomes the past without having been the present. Instantaneous living is a scientific fact.
Love is the heat of the universe. The heat of love will melt any hardened, crystallized form substance takes. You may think you have love as Christ did, but you have not yet touched the hem of his garment. Love is the fulfilling of the law.
–Romans 13:18. The love of God in action, moving through at that point of heat, brings the miracle. This substance flows out from the Source of All Light and back again under the laws of addition and multiplication. Whatever darkness has subtracted or divided, Light adds and multiplies as a miracle of healing.
God made us in His image and likeness. We came from the Source and must return to it again. Anyone who has won through and returned to God is the one who has the grit to struggle steadfastly. He has knocked so constantly that God has opened the door. When you want a miracle, but find yourself wavering and doubtful, knock harder against the doors of heaven.
Any idea begins as a concept in the Mind of God before it becomes an idea in the mind of man. You express it first as a thought, then as the spoken Word. Finally, when you speak the Word, it comes into solid form. God knows what you need when you speak the Word. He has matched the Light-as-substance you will need to the soul substance life sparks you already have, and knowing this, He pours all this Light into your Oversoul star. It is yours, with one proviso. You are the creator. A teacher can only lift for you, pray for you, release Light as Power and Substance for you, and kick you in the south end so you will go north, which is up in consciousness.
When you ask the Father for something, He builds a creative prayer mold for you. Someday, you, as a creator, must fill that mold, even though it may take aeons. The higher the idea, the longer it takes man’s cellular consciousness to attain this height. So, finally, the concept in God’s Mind becomes an idea in man’s. By using the faculties of logic, reasoning, discernment, discrimination and discretion, man creates a plan of action. Then man speaks the Word according to the secret of perfect creations.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good.
–Genesis 1:3-4. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
–Genesis 1:31. Use the word Let
to preface all your declarations of creation, and for seven days, pronounce it good and very good. That is how to bless your creations. From the moment you say, Let it come to pass,
so it is. Then you no longer see this particular miracle as it was when you started. You see it, you visualize it as a completed form.
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
–1 Corinthians 1:27. God does not make it hard to get. He says, It is so simple that it confounds the wise.
For example, I once helped a woman to heal herself of a golf ball-sized lump on her hand. I instructed her to see only the Light, not the lump. And it came to pass that the growth disappeared.
Arise and go into your Father’s house, into the Light. Lift whatever it
is to have it healed. Put it into the Light. See only the Light. In moments of stress, stand and look upward in consciousness, into the Light. God knows what needs to be done, and the Power knows where to go when you declare it. God needs someone to serve Him as an instrument, someone with a brain, tongue and vocal cords to speak the Word. Hold the whatever in the Light until it feels light. It takes only one creator to stand and hold as a transfigured instrument.
Suppose you have been in the golden silence, yet when you emerge, your body is still groaning. Continue thanking and praising God for the miracle of healing, and declare that it is so! Nature draws upon the invisible substance for its life and verdure. Your task is to praise it into being. Declare, I now live in the faith of God, and I now dwell in the love of God.
Miracle upon miracle shall be yours.
Imagination Enthroned
Edna Lister outline, March 11, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 6:22-23, Revelation 3:8
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
–Matthew 6:22-23.
I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.
–Revelation 3:8.
A throne is where a ruler sits. We call our personal throne many names—the high place, the city of Jerusalem, the city of peace, the Holy City. The throne is the higher creative center in man, the head, with it glands and nerve centers. We also call our throne the open door: I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.
–Revelation 3:8. Imagination is the kingly faculty in man. To imagine in Godlike visualization is how to apply the Christ consciousness to your self and to your affairs.
First comes the concept. Imagination must reach into divine Mind, before the idea can enter or register on your mind. You can color ideas by your will and desire, which are teammates when unified in balance, pulling together. When they are pulling apart, you can be both in the office and on the golf course, both working and at leisure.
You need will power. Will is potential energy, but for it to be useful, you have to put it into action. Desire heats it, but your will power transforms the potential into kinetic energy. In many industries, they use a boiler to create steam to drive the wheels of industry. You must apply will to concentrate your desire to make it hot enough to work. Then will as determination pipes it to your goal.
Imagination enthroned in the driver’s seat guides the teammates of will and desire up in consciousness, in the right direction.
Imagination Enthroned
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Bender, scribe, March 11, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 6:22-23, Revelation 3:8
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
–Matthew 6:22-23.
I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.
–Revelation 3:8.
The black pearl is the most costly, the priceless pearl. You create your own black pearls when the experience is darkest, yet you still call it good and very good. Doing so takes great imagination. Imagination is the kingly faculty. As a ruler, it sits enthroned in the higher creative center in man, the head, and with it, glands and nerve centers. We have given our personal throne many names: The crown center, the high place in consciousness, Jerusalem, the city of peace, the Holy City.
We create from the head centers. Any imbalance is the result of imagination dethroned. Light, descending from the high place, illumines the optic chiasm,
1 Optic chiasm: The optic nerves send electrical signals from the eyes to meet in the brain at the optic chiasm (or chiasma), where the left visual signal is combined with the right eye signal and vice versa. Then the signals split again. Nerves from the right eye go to the left brain and the left eye to the right side of the brain. This way, visual messages from both eyes reach both halves of the visual cortex. The brain then merges the signals into the one image with which you view the world. This partial crossing of the nerve fibers at the optic chiasm is why humans have stereoscopic sight and a sense of depth perception.
–Guyton’s Textbook of Medical Physiology.
When you are in prayer, Light descends as a stream of life, filling the brain’s third ventricle to gradually cleanse the optic chiasm, nerves and tracts. So, let this stream of Light flow through you. Inhale deeply and ask the Father to possess you as Light. This is the Christ consciousness.
The spiritual or inner eye, which enables soul vision, is based in the optic thalamus, which is a relay center for sensory impulses to the cerebral cortex. You can see spiritually no farther than the Light flowing through you can shine out before you. Look up in consciousness and, according to your desire, the Light flows through you. Metaphysically, you should consciously align your imagination north, because south represents illusion. This is keeping your eye on the Light.
Visualization is the mental concentration of imagination to apply the Christ consciousness to your affairs as it illumines your personality with a radiant glow. This is how to use your imagination without being fooled by your imagination. Imagination is the only point of consciousness you can use to contact the Christ principle. You must look up in consciousness to put imagination on the throne to contact that mind which was in Christ Jesus.
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
–Philippians 2:1-5. The mind of Christ is universal law founded on Mind, Substance and Power, which you apply through your focus of desire and will.
Will is a facet of God’s Wisdom, as desire is a facet of Love. Will, applied selfishly, can color the Light, taint it with self. You must balance your will and desire as divine Wisdom and Love. Will is a cold principle, judicial and logical, devoid of personality. Love is the heat of the universe, and it unifies everything in its cohesive nature. The only way to make will malleable is to heat it with love. Will power is wisdom in action as you. To heat will power suitably for action requires a flaming burning desire.
Will and desire are either teammates or they pull against one another. The only enemies you have are in your own heart, inside. Never bring your imagination down into the world of appearances and illusion. You cannot fish in the River of Life for God’s concepts as your ideas unless you exercise imagination. Imagination catches
the concept and transforms it into an idea.
Desire sends imagination to the river, into the realm of abstract concepts. Imagination registers a concept as an idea, then will, as logic and thought, give it form as a plan. The soul, practicing will power, puts the plan into action. Will is the furnace, the steam boiler, but desire is the heat. Determination is the facet of will that creates the plan, but desire is the steam power that drives it into materialization. Will power is intellectual, but desire is emotional. When you combine will and desire, your determination, as kinetic energy, pushes the plan forward.
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
–Matthew 6:22-23. When asked how often in a day to look up with the mystic eye, St. Augustine answered, A thousand times a day.
Prayer and using your imagination constructively are the only ways to cleanse and strengthen your soul’s vision.
Use your imagination as often as you can. For example, start singing memorized music or recite poetry while you are doing mundane automatic tasks. You use visualization for concentration. Enthrone your imagination above any selfish will, then apply your soul’s will to visualize your idealised desire to make it manifest. Remember, the subconscious mind tears down your creations constantly if part of you decides they cannot come to pass. It takes great quality and quantity of effort in focusing desire and will to achieve a goal.
Your desire begins with a seed of Light holding a miniature of the goal within it. Let it grow until you can see it, then consciously visualize it. Make a seed of healing even for your so-called enemies. Make the bills you owe pay you dividends. Instead of worrying how you will pay them, see the cash in hand, coming from unexpected sources. A prosperous consciousness is the ability to see yourself as owning what you do not already have. Play this game. Use this method to visualize someone into health. You may not concentrate on the person’s body or they will have no healing.
Keep your imagination on its throne. See that person with you in a room of Light. Set that person’s imagination on the throne center of his body, in the Light. Stand and declare, Let the white Light of the Christ move though you, and as it flows, let it cleanse and heal you.
When you keep imagination enthroned, while looking at the Light, imagination holds the reins of will and desire.
The Trinities of Creation
Edna Lister outline, March 17, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 5:14-16
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
–Matthew 5:14-16.
God is the universal absolute. God is both principle in action and personality in expression. God as principle is Wisdom, Love and the Christ principle of consciousness. God as personality is the Father, Mother and Son in action and expression. Wisdom, Love and the Christ principle become Mind, Substance and Power when you put them into action as your personalized expressions of the Godhead.
We call these the triple trinities of manifestation.
They are nine in number, which is the number that symbolizes perfected man, and the universal brotherhood of humanity. Manifestation is how the universal absolute reduces in its rate of vibration into the conditioned relative parts of the whole.
You use the principles of Wisdom, Love and the Logos as your will, desire and imagination. You use the divine personality of the Father, Mother and Son as illumination, intuition and action or expression in your life. You are the principles of Mind, Substance and Power as you begin life. You express these principles as personality as you receive and give. The number of a man on earth is six, which represents the double trinity of creativity.
Three sixes is the number of the beast
when the soul perverts and misuses the creative powers. On a high level, the triple six is the number that represents the Father and Mother in action as Creators. To receive the number nine on the forehead, you must first use your illumination, intuition and action-expression from the soul above. Second, you must balance your will, desire and imagination. Third, you must perfect your outer personal expression for the world to see and thus glorify your Father in heaven.
You apply will as determination, desire is your substance, and imagination becomes your quickening Power. This is how you open the door to the Father who plans, the Mother who sustains and nourishes, and the Son, who is your selfless expression.
The Trinities of Creation
Edna Lister transcript, Ruth Bender, scribe, March 17, 1945, Tacoma, WA, John 1:1-4, Matthew 5:14-16
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
–John 1:1-4.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
–Matthew 5:14-16.
God is absolute principle and absolute personality. Man is a finite and relative expression of the infinite. Since we are a part of God’s Creation, we require categories in which to place the phases of expression of the absolute and the relative. No single man can express the all of God. All mankind is a part of God. God is Mind, Substance and Power. You cannot express the totality of God’s Mind, yet you can have the whole of that mind that was in Christ Jesus flow through you. The absolute God was all that was, in the Beginning. God is all the principles that exist and all the forms of expression of those principles.
I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.
–Revelation 20:11. From the Source of All That Is there first emerged the three Emanations of Wisdom, Love and the Logos, the Christ principle, which are vast vibrations sweeping out from the center of the Godhead, the great white throne and returning to it. Everything, all the Mind, Substance and Power that emerges from the Source is destined to return to that Source. It cannot stop at any point in its circuit. It can but alter in its rate of vibration temporarily.
The ancient mystics likened the Emanations to the Holy Breath of the universes, an inhalation, a pause, an exhalation, a pause and so on. The Emanations, to them, were the process of God’s inspiration and aspiration as the divine respiration. So the Godhead, comprised of Wisdom, Love and the Logos, moved from their absolute state to become relative Wisdom, Love and the Christ consciousness. Relative Mind, Substance and Power reign as supreme principles in manifestation. The Father, Mother and the Son reign as supreme personalities in manifestation.
These are the triple trinities of Creation, three sets of three, totaling nine, the number that symbolizes the universal brotherhood of man under God. Six is the number representing man on earth, and represents the double trinity of creativity of the Father and Mother. Nine is the number written on the forehead of man having perfected himself, the perfect man. A triple six is the mark of the beast
described in the Book of Revelation.
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
–Revelation 13:11-18.
The numbers one through nine unfold that mystical history of mankind. Man emerged from the auric circle in the beginning, which was really the sphere of the Source of his consciousness. Thus, in the beginning, man was one with the Light. When you feel right,
you are in the center of your auric sphere. Your sphere expresses as your particular degree of Light, color, tone, number and name, which dictates your form.
According to the philosophy of numbers, one is the number symbolizing the soul of man standing upright in the Garden of Eden. Two signifies a second unit added, another soul with whom you must agree and adjust. Three represents a third unit added to the two, making the first trinity of creativity, as in the Father, the Mother and the Son. The three signifies that from two joined together a third emerges, which is a combination of the first two.
The number four represents the higher creative centers in the head of man. Physically, these include the pineal body and pituitary gland, the hypothalamus and the optic chiasm.
1 Optic chiasm: The optic nerves send electrical signals from the eyes to meet in the brain at the optic chiasm (or chiasma), where the left visual signal is combined with the right eye signal and vice versa. Then the signals split again. Nerves from the right eye go to the left brain and the left eye to the right side of the brain. This way, visual messages from both eyes reach both halves of the visual cortex. The brain then merges the signals into the one image with which you view the world. This partial crossing of the nerve fibers at the optic chiasm is why humans have stereoscopic sight and a sense of depth perception.
–Guyton’s Textbook of Medical Physiology.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
–John 1:1-4. Thus, the Light is the life in man. Christ came to earth to serve mankind as the Light. This is your destiny as well. When you reach up in consciousness and open yourself to the Light, letting it move through you, the Light itself adds this dimension of service to your life.
Five is the number that symbolizes your soul’s freedom to choose, guaranteeing freedom of expression. The five is centered between the numbers one through four and six through nine. As the number of law, the five symbolizes balance between body and soul. You have freedom of action to express as you choose. How you act reveals your expression of balance or imbalance. Ideally, you would exercise your freedom to express upward in consciousness.
Six is the number of creation, and the creative faculties in man. Six is also the number of how the soul expresses the Mother’s Love on earth. Thus, the number of the beast, 666, shows that it is the result of the misuse of the faculty of love. Seven is the number of the protective priest. Its shape (7) resembles a cane, an aid in walking uprightly. The priest moves forward while reviewing the past and redeeming the good.
The cross-over point in the eight (8) symbolizes how the soul must cross out the tangle of earthly emotions based in the physical (the lower sphere), and hold its consciousness high above (the upper sphere) in heaven. Mystically, the number eight represents the upper and nether millstones. No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man’s life to pledge.
–Deuteronomy 24:6.
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
–Matthew 21:42-44.
Thus, eight symbolizes how the soul integrates his earth to his heaven. The Crown of Christ is symbolized in the number 888. Visually, the lower arc of the eight represents the everlasting arms of the Father upholding, and the upper arc the protective wings of the Mother o’ershadowing the soul of the Christed one in between.
The number nine we have already discussed, and the one in the ten. The zero in the ten represents the individual who has passed through the nine great phases of evolution and ascension of body and soul. Again, the one becomes a circle as the soul returns to its source. When you have accomplished all the works symbolized by one through eight, you become a full living soul and the number nine is written on your forehead.
As a soul in the body, you must live and express as these triple trinities. Will is the Father Wisdom principle in man. Desire is the Mother Love principle in man. The Christ, the Son principle, represents the whole total and complete expression of the soul in man. The life in man must be the Christ principle. Life is the ability to do, to express, to use the Mind, Substance and Power that is in the individual soul, not just to call for more.
All the mystical mysteries lie within the hidden Mother, which the Roman Church categorized as the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, also called the Holy Spirit and Holy Breath, is both the Father and the Mother combined in action. The Holy Breath is the very breath you breathe, the vitality it confers. The Holy Spirit is the Christ consciousness that moves through all living things according to degree and kind. Wisdom is the positive expanding vibration of life while God as Light involves itself with manifestation during the involution. Love is the negative contracting vibration of life while God as the Light within the soul evolves in ascension to its source.
Man, as a soul inhabiting a body, can never be absolute, but must always be relative to The Absolute. Soul ascension is the art of expressing as, of living as the graciousness and the loveliness of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are the Wisdom, the Love and the Logos of Selflessness expressing as the Mind, the Substance and Power of the Father, the Mother and the Son within your soul. You are weaving a pattern of the life everlasting. With every breath you exhale, you paint a picture. Your expression of principle paints the exact picture of your life pattern.
The only way you can change or alter your pattern of expression is to love, love, love as you declare perfection for those parts of your pattern that seem square pegs of will in round holes of desire. Christed substance moves forth on your every spoken Word. Your degree of artistry in painting depends on how you use your God-given mind, substance and power.
No one else can place even a single brush-stroke on your life’s canvas without your permission. The would-be artist paints only on his canvas. The art of fine living consists of your thoughts, words, deeds, kindness, service and love. Your quality of living lies in your intensity of desire, from ice cold to white hot. Lukewarm is the most crippling degree.
You expression of desire’s quality depends on whether you are living consciously or unconsciously. Faith is Substance backed by Mind and Power. Your faith and love dictate your quality of life. Wake up and live your life. So many people are proud of the fact that they are satisfied with the little they have in life. If you just let life flow through you and past you, you might as well be living in a coma.
Remember the Parable of the Ten Talents: Unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
–Matthew 25:29. Do you believe that life is one great and grand adventure? Do you live by a more and more plan for living, or by a less and less plan? If you do not ask more of life than what you were given, you will end as the unprofitable servant, with nothing.
Life is free. Make up your mind to live. Your capacity for life is limitless, but you must go to God for more life. What you want from life, its quality and quantity, how you choose to meet life, governs how much you get. God does not credit the other person with what you think he should or should not have. He pays no attention to your criticism or condemnation of the other fellow, either. He judges you by the canvas you have painted.
When you ascend, you can take all the life you want into your circle of Light. It just grows larger and larger. As you walk down the street, the Light in your auric sphere reaches out and heals those whom it touches, and lifts darkness. You are eternally young in heart and spirit and need never grow older. God is only thirty-five! Think young thoughts. Act as if work is play. All it takes is a flaming desire and vivid imagination. Act as if you have your soul’s desire now.
The Pearl of Great Price
Edna Lister transcript, Victor Collord, May Wilder, scribes, April 13, 1945, Buffalo, NY
The first and fundamental law of expression for the Elect is the pearl of great price: To ignore the truth of appearance and accept, surrender to, and declare the truth of reality. The first two chapters of the Book of Genesis reveal that the secret to perfect creations is prefacing your declaration with "Let," following it by declaring, "This is good and very good." To lift anything from one state to another, declare, "This is good. Let there be Light." Whatever it is, declare that it is good at the time for God to move in and clean it up, but is not good to continue. You must declare all your creations good. Also declare that the other fellow is right for where he is, according to his degree and kind. "This good. You are good right where you are." Thus, you agree with the adversary, then remain still, without adding any more negative judgment or criticism. Apply this in your own life as God gives it to you. Why kick, why resent, why talk about it? Lift it onto a cloud continent of Light and leave it there.
The way of the seer and prophet is to approach God through psychology, metaphysics, science, philosophy, and mysticism. Philosophy deals with God as principle, but mysticism considers God as personality. Thinking progresses from the creature stage to the creator by the processes of induction, which is the first process of any reasoning power; comparison, deduction, analysis, synthesis, imagination, the great creative faculty; intuition, illumination, and the Light of the golden silence. The majority of those who come to you in need of healing, occupy the first three stages of induction, comparison, and deduction, the self-pitying phase.
Seven Degrees to transformation progress from self awareness to soul consciousness: The first three degrees, the Neophyte, Disciple, and Adept all practice varying degrees of self-control. The Mystic stands at the center point of balance, the fulcrum between self and soul. As a Mystic, you commune directly with God, needing no other intervening agency, creed or dogma. The final three degrees, the Master, Priest and Christos all deal with soul conquering through absolute responsibility, service and surrender of the self to the soul. You work on all seven degrees always.
Five Categories of Expression
Edna Lister transcript, May Wilder, scribe, May 4, 1945, Buffalo, NY
The first fundamental law of expression for the Elect is to ignore the truth of appearance and to accept, surrender to, and declare the truth of reality. Genesis 1 and 2 reveal that the secret is to declare, “Let there be Light,” and then to declare, “It is good and very good.” No halfway measure will do. You may declare “This is good” at the time of the upset, but fail to pursue that course of action through to completion, which will never bring success. You must declare all your creations good and very good, then stand on the foundation of that absolute truth. “Agree with thine adversary,” then remain still and silent. You may legally declare that the other fellow is right because what he chooses as the right is his choice and the expression of his opinion, not necessarily yours. Say, “I see what you mean.” It is good—for him. Mentally, you can declare, “You are good right where you are.” Apply this in your own life as God gives it to you. Why kick, why resent, why complain, why talk about it to no effect but resentment?
The Way of the Seer and Prophet is through a thorough comprehension of the five categories of expression: psychology, metaphysics, science, philosophy, and mysticism. Philosophy deals with the principles of God as perceived through the super-conscious Oversoul, the conscious rational soul, and the subconscious impulsive appetitive soul. Mysticism deals with the personality of God as the Father, Mother, Son, and the descended creator gods. The selfish “little me,” the subconscious mind, must be under the command of the rational soul and held open to the Light. Otherwise, you forget to compare yourself only with God and fall into making comparisons with the world, which any lesser creature consciousness can do.
The mental-intellectual process of ascension, from the creature to God, begins with keen observation and logically proceeds through the steps of comparative analysis to deduction, and synthesis. Beware using induction from the senses for it is colored by emotion and is usually misleading. Deductive reasoning depends on intellect, the mental state, for its analysis and is thus more objective in its results. Only then is it safe to exercise imagination, the great creative faculty, together with intuition, to reach for illumination, which is the Light of the Golden Silence. The vast majority of all clinical patients occupy the self-pity stage, which includes emotional induction, comparison, and analysis.
Obeying all the laws associated with the Seven Degrees of Initiation will lead the embodied soul to transformation, transfiguration, and will enable ascension. The Neophyte must command and properly care for the body. The Disciple must firmly establish self-control, control of the appetites and impulses of self. The Adept begins the arduous mastery of mind over matter and emotions. The Mystic learns to commune directly with God, without benefit of books, intermediary priest, minster, religious conductor, or formalized religious structure. The Master is the point at which the aspirant to ascension becomes an effective teacher for Neophytes. The Priest fully engages in the all-consuming struggle of soul in conquering self. The final Christos Degree is achieved only by living in the physical world as the Light of God, never wavering, faltering, or losing the Christ mind consciousness that forever beholds God and His Creation as the Good, the True, and the Beautiful.
The Land of Egypt is the domain of self, and includes all organs and vital centers below the diaphragm that separates the chest from the abdomen. No matter how an embodied soul excuses or justifies his actions and choices, no soul “gets away with” anything—all debts to law are entered in the accounting and every debt catches up with you, is unveiled and made public. “Whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”–Luke 12:3.
You cannot successfully analyze the self and its effects and flaws unless you first pray earnestly and in complete surrender of self. Use only Light for self-analysis, or you will clog your own channels of comprehension. Agree with your adversary, within and without. Any and every disobedience to law must be paid. While you are taking the seven times seven equals the 49 Degrees, you may earn ahead on some degrees according to your desire and earnest prayers. Remember, every word you utter creates after its own degree and kind.
The curled horns of the Ram of Aries are a symbol of the white Light “Wings of Christ.” When you ascend, they descend, and their Light further burns out the dross of self. The white wings protect you to see and hear as a mediator. Whenever the Oversoul descends, it further consumes any taints remaining in the body until your vehicle is free of taints. The Light of God is the Light of salvation, and is free. You can’t be a servant of the Almighty and talk about it or self is again taking credit for what soul has accomplished. Being in service to Almighty God means devotion to the Master and complete surrender to be used by the Power, with no thought of self. Impersonal prayer is done in silence, silence!
The Twelve Labors of Hercules
Edna Lister series transcript, May Wilder, scribe, May 4, 11, 18, 25, 1945, Buffalo, NY
The twelve Labors of Hercules compose a series of formal initiations that outline the soul’s advance in its ascent to God. (Herakles is the original Greek spelling of the hero’s name, with Hercules being the Latin version, immortalized by Ovid in his Metamorphoses.) Initiation is how you advance from degree to degree by tests and trials. You face many sets of initiations on every principle, law, degree, virtue, taint and sin.
The ancients used the stories of the Labors of Hercules as parables to describe the initiations that a candidate must face while traveling one full round on the spiral Path of Ascension. They often associated the stories with the twelve signs of the zodiac, which they used as a mnemonic device, making the steps to the goal easier to remember.
The oldest texts of the story of Hercules are by Hesiod, 6th Century B.C., Diodorus Siculus, 1st Century A.D., and Apollodorus, 2nd Century A.D. The order in which the Labors occurred differs at various places in the two accounts, by Diodorus Siculus and Apollodorus. We have used the order Diodorus Siculus set forth in his earlier document.
Perhaps the most important element in the legend of Hercules is that, having been accidentally poisoned by his wife Deianira, he chose to immolate himself on a funeral pyre to escape the pain. When his mortal portion (his body and impulsive-appetitive soul) had been burned away in these fires of initiation, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, arrived and claimed his immortal being and consciousness. At Zeus’ command, she bore Hercules to Olympus to dwell with the gods eternally.
Zeus fathered Hercules by the princess Alcmene, a descendant of Perseus. Hera, Zeus’ wife, hated Hercules because of his paternity, but even more so because his name means "glorious gift of Hera." Hera caused him to go mad after his marriage to Megara, a Theban princess.
After he burned his house, wife and children, Hercules recovered his sanity and consulted the oracle at Delphi on how to make amends. She instructed him to serve his cousin Eurystheus, King of Argo, for twelve years, during which time, Hercules performed his twelve labors.
Hercules represents the soul, embodied in impulsive-appetitive form, seeking to conquer the sensory appetites and violence of self. Each person and place mentioned is significant, symbolically.–Edna Lister, The Twelve Labors of Hercules, May 7, 1945.
The First Labor: Hercules Killed the Terrible Nemean Lion
The first Labour which he undertook was the slaying of the lion in Nemea. This was a beast of enormous size, which could not be wounded by iron or bronze or stone and required the compulsion of the human hand for his subduing. It passed the larger part of its time between Mycenae and Nemea, in the neighbourhood of a mountain which was called Tretus from a peculiarity which it possessed; for it had a cleft at its base which extended clean through it and in which the beast was accustomed to lurk. Heracles came to the region and attacked the lion, and when the beast retreated into the cleft, after closing up the other opening he followed in after it and grappled with it, and winding his arms about its neck choked it to death. The skin of the lion he put about himself, and since he could cover his whole body with it because of its great size, he had in it a protection against the perils which were to follow.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
First, Eurystheus ordered him to bring the skin of the Nemean lion; now that was an invulnerable beast begotten by Typhon. On his way to attack the lion he came to Cleonae and lodged at the house of a day‑laborer, Molorchus; and when his host would have offered a victim in sacrifice, Hercules told him to wait for thirty days, and then, if he had returned safe from the hunt, to sacrifice to Saviour Zeus, but if he were dead, to sacrifice to him as to a hero. And having come to Nemea and tracked the lion, he first shot an arrow at him, but when he perceived that the beast was invulnerable, he heaved up his club and made after him. And when the lion took refuge in a cave with two mouths, Hercules built up the one entrance and came in upon the beast through the other, and putting his arm round its neck held it tight till he had choked it; so laying it on his shoulders he carried it to Cleonae. And finding Molorchus on the last of the thirty days about to sacrifice the victim to him as to a dead man, he sacrificed to Saviour Zeus and brought the lion to Mycenae. Amazed at his manhood, Eurystheus forbade him thenceforth to enter the city, but ordered him to exhibit the fruits of his labours before the gates. They say, too, that in his fear he had a bronze jar made for himself to hide in under the earth, and that he sent his commands for the labours through a herald, Copreus, son of Pelops the Elean. This Copreus had killed Iphitus and fled to Mycenae, where he was purified by Eurystheus and took up his abode.–Apollodorus, The Library
The ancient Greeks revered the Nemean Lion as the guardian of the portals to heaven. Entry and advance into heavenly realms expands as you become impervious to worldly influences of the self on the soul. Hera afterwards placed the lion among the stars as the constellation Leo. Top ↑
The Second Labor: Hercules Slew the Hydra at the Well of Amymone
The second Labour which he undertook was the slaying of the Lernaean hydra, springing from whose single body were fashioned a hundred necks, each bearing the head of a serpent. And when one head was cut off, the place where it was severed put forth two others; for this reason it was considered to be invincible, and with good reason, since the part of it which was subdued sent forth a two‑fold assistance in its place. Against a thing so difficult to manage as this Heracles devised an ingenious scheme and commanded Iolaus to sear with a burning brand the part which had been severed, in order to check the flow of the blood. So when he had subdued the animal by this means he dipped the heads of his arrows in the venom, in order that when the missile should be shot the wound which the point made might be incurable.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
As a second labour he ordered him to kill the Lernaean hydra. That creature, bred in the swamp of Lerna, used to go forth into the plain and ravage both the cattle and the country. Now the hydra had a huge body, with nine heads, eight mortal, but the middle one immortal. So mounting a chariot driven by Iolaus, he came to Lerna, and having halted his horses, he discovered the hydra on a hill beside the springs of the Amymone, where was its den. By pelting it with fiery shafts he forced it to come out, and in the act of doing so he seized and held it fast. But the hydra wound itself about one of his feet and clung to him. Nor could he effect anything by smashing its heads with his club, for as fast as one head was smashed there grew up two. A huge crab also came to the help of the hydra by biting his foot. So he killed it, and in his turn called for help on Iolaus who, by setting fire to a piece of the neighboring wood and burning the roots of the heads with the brands, prevented them from sprouting. Having thus got the better of the sprouting heads, he chopped off the immortal head, and buried it, and put a heavy rock on it, beside the road that leads through Lerna to Elaeus. But the body of the hydra he slit up and dipped his arrows in the gall. However, Eurystheus said that this labour should not be reckoned among the ten because he had not got the better of the hydra by himself, but with the help of Iolaus.–Apollodorus, The Library
The Hydra, daughter of the Titans Typhon and Echidna, was a water serpent with nine venomous heads, the middle one being immortal. The eight heads represent the powers of being that we may misuse.
Impulses arise from the subconscious, which the Hydra represents. You cut off the head, but two more of the same ilk regrow. You cannot use force to destroy them, but can only burn them out with the fire of love. Wisdom is hidden in the pineal body, which is the rock covering the immortal head.
The Third Labor: Hercules Captured the Erymanthian Wild Boar Alive
The third Command which he received was the bringing back alive of the Erymanthian boar which lived on Mount Lampeia in Arcadia. This Command was thought to be exceedingly difficult, since it required of the man who fought such a beast that he possess such a superiority over it as to catch precisely the proper moment in the very heat of the encounter. For should he let it loose while it still retained its strength he would be in danger from its tushes, and should he attack it more violently than was proper, then he would have killed it and so the Labour would remain unfulfilled. However, when it came to the struggle he kept so careful an eye on the proper balance that he brought back the boar alive to Eurystheus; and when the king saw him carrying the boar on his shoulders, he was terrified and hid himself in a bronze vessel.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
As a fourth labour he ordered him to bring the Erymanthian boar alive; now that animal ravaged Psophis, sallying from a mountain which they call Erymanthus…And when he had chased the boar with shouts from a certain thicket, he drove the exhausted animal into deep snow, trapped it, and brought it to Mycenae.–Apollodorus, The Library
The wild boar symbolizes power of the darkness of self in form. It is savage and strong. The mountain represents high consciousness. We can capture self on a mountain by all Power of Light from above. Once captured, we move on, remaining high in consciousness, soul ruling our life here below to rid us of this form.
The Atonement: “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.”–Hebrews 10:9.
“To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”–1 Peter 2:4‑5.
The Fourth Labor: Hercules Captured Cerynitis, an Arcadian Stag, Alive
The next Command which Heracles received was the bringing back of the hart which had golden horns and excelled in swiftness of foot. In the performance of this Labour his sagacity stood him in not less stead than his strength of body. For some say that he captured it by the use of nets, others that he tracked it down and mastered it while it was asleep, and some that he wore it out by running it down. One thing is certain, that he accomplished this Labour by sagacity of mind, without the use of force and without running any perils.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
As a third labour he ordered him to bring the Cerynitian hind alive to Mycenae. Now the hind was at Oenoe; it had golden horns and was sacred to Artemis; so wishing neither to kill nor wound it, Hercules hunted it a whole year. But when, weary with the chase, the beast took refuge on the mountain called Artemisius, and thence passed to the river Ladon, Hercules shot it just as it was about to cross the stream, and catching it put it on his shoulders and hastened through Arcadia. But Artemis with Apollo met him, and would have wrested the hind from him, and rebuked him for attempting to kill her sacred animal. Howbeit, by pleading necessity and laying the blame on Eurystheus, he appeased the anger of the goddess and carried the beast alive to Mycenae.–Apollodorus, The Library
Artemis’ wonderful stag had golden antlers and brazen hoofs. The stag’s golden antlers reach upward in innocence, symbolizing alertness, buoyancy, freedom, and the protection of Spirit. We find these elusive faculties only in the high place of consciousness, and they are the source of our creative powers. The brazen hoofs represent imperishable understanding that never fails; the roughness of earth cannot wear them down.
The Fifth Labor: Hercules Drove Away the Birds at Lake Stymphalus
Heracles then received a Command to drive the birds out of the Stymphalian Lake, and he easily accomplished the Labour by means of a device of art and by ingenuity. The lake abounded, it would appear, with a multitude of birds without telling, which destroyed the fruits of the country roundabout. Now it was not possible to master the animals by force because of the exceptional multitude of them, and so the deed called for ingenuity in cleverly discovering some device. Consequently he fashioned a bronze rattle whereby he made a terrible noise and frightened the animals away, and furthermore, by maintaining a continual din, he easily forced them to abandon their siege of the place and cleansed the lake of them.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
The [next] labour he enjoined on him was to chase away the Stymphalian birds. Now at the city of Stymphalus in Arcadia was the lake called Stymphalian, embosomed in a deep wood. To it countless birds had flocked for refuge, fearing to be preyed upon by the wolves. So when Hercules was at a loss how to drive the birds from the wood, Athena gave him brazen castanets, which she had received from Hephaestus. By clashing these on a certain mountain that overhung the lake, he scared the birds. They could not abide the sound, but fluttered up in a fright, and in that way Hercules shot them. – Apollodorus, The Library
The Stymphalian birds were predatory, with cruel beaks and sharp talons. They represent high thoughts used as lashes over another, as when you seek to make another live the Christ life as you do, as you think he should, giving him no freedom of action. The absolute calm of the silence (created by the brazen castanets) causes the thoughts of self to surface noisily until you lift them.
The Sixth Labor: Hercules Cleared the Stables of King Augeas of Elis
Upon the performance of this Labour he received a Command from Eurystheus to cleanse the stables of Augeas, and to do this without the assistance of any other man. These stables contained an enormous mass of dung which had accumulated over a great period, and it was a spirit of insult which induced Eurystheus to lay upon him the command to clean out this dung. Heracles declined as unworthy of him to carry this out upon his shoulders, in order to avoid the disgrace which would follow upon the insulting command; and so, turning the course of the Alpheius river, as it is called, into the stables and cleansing them by means of the stream, he accomplished Labour in a single day, and without suffering any insult. Surely, then, we may well marvel at the ingenuity of Heracles; for he accomplished the ignoble task involved in the Command without incurring any disgrace or submitting to something which would render him unworthy of immortality.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
The [next] labour he laid on him was to carry out the dung of the cattle of Augeas in a single day. Now Augeas was king of Elis; some say that he was a son of the Sun, others that he was a son of Poseidon, and others that he was a son of Phorbas; and he had many herds of cattle. Hercules accosted him, and without revealing the command of Eurystheus, said that he would carry out the dung in one day, if Augeas would give him the tithe of the cattle. Augeas was incredulous, but promised. Having taken Augeas’s son Phyleus to witness, Hercules made a breach in the foundations of the cattle‑yard, and then, diverting the courses of the Alpheus and Peneus, which flowed near each other, he turned them into the yard, having first made an outlet for the water through another opening. When Augeas learned that this had been accomplished at the command of Eurystheus, he would not pay the reward; nay more, he denied that he had promised to pay it, and on that point he professed himself ready to submit to arbitration. The arbitrators having taken their seats, Phyleus was called by Hercules and bore witness against his father, affirming that he had agreed to give him a reward. In a rage Augeas, before the voting took place, ordered both Phyleus and Hercules to pack out of Elis. So Phyleus went to Dulichium and dwelt there, and Hercules repaired to Dexamenus at Olenus. He found Dexamenus on the point of betrothing perforce his daughter Mnesimache to the centaur Eurytion, and being called upon by him for help, he slew Eurytion when that centaur came to fetch his bride. But Eurystheus would not admit this labour either among the ten, alleging that it had been performed for hire.–Apollodorus, The Library
The Augean stables housed 3,000 oxen and had not been cleaned in thirty years. The stables represent the residue of self, and its 3,000 negative emotions and repressions. They had been left uncleaned for thirty years, symbolizing that the soul had not completed thirty of the Via Christa Degrees. Hercules turned the Light of intuition and illumination, the Alpheus and Peneus, upon the mess of self, looked up once and cleansed it with one surrender of self to soul. The parable of the Prodigal Son is parallel to this.
The Seventh Labor: Hercules Captured the Savage Minotaur
The next Labour which Heracles undertook was to bring back from Crete the bull of which, they say, Pasiphae had been enamoured, and sailing to the island he secured the aid of Minos the king and brought it back to Peloponnesus, having voyaged upon its back over so wide an expanse of sea.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
The seventh labour he enjoined on him was to bring the Cretan bull. Acusilaus says that this was the bull that ferried across Europa for Zeus; but some say it was the bull that Poseidon sent up from the sea when Minos promised to sacrifice to Poseidon what should appear out of the sea. And they say that when he saw the beauty of the bull he sent it away to the herds and sacrificed another to Poseidon; at which the god was angry and made the bull savage. To attack this bull Hercules came to Crete, and when, in reply to his request for aid, Minos told him to fight and catch the bull for himself, he caught it and brought it to Eurystheus, and having shown it to him he let it afterwards go free. But the bull roamed to Sparta and all Arcadia, and traversing the Isthmus arrived at Marathon in Attica and harried the inhabitants.–Apollodorus, The Library
King Minos of Crete housed the Minotaur in the center of the labyrinth at his court. This Labor illustrates the power of creative ability. You couldn’t create or live without the creative fire (the power of the Minotaur), but it is absolutely destructive unless you conquer it. You must bring the creative fire from the base of the spine to the ruler, Oversoul, and command it from the head, the higher creative center.
The Eighth Labor: Hercules Captured the Man‑eating Mares of Diomedes
The next Labour which Heracles undertook was the bringing back of the horses of Diomedes, the Thracian. The feeding‑troughs of these horses were of brass because the steeds were so savage, and they were fastened by iron chains because of their strength, and the food they ate was not the natural produce of the soil but they tore apart the limbs of strangers and so got their food from the ill lot of hapless men. Heracles, in order to control them, threw to them their master Diomedes, and when he had satisfied the hunger of the animals by means of the flesh of the man who had taught them to violate human law in this fashion, he had them under his control. And when the horses were brought to Eurystheus he consecrated them to Hera, and in fact their breed continued down to the reign of Alexander of Macedon.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
The eighth labour he enjoined on him was to bring the mares of Diomedes the Thracian to Mycenae. Now this Diomedes was a son of Ares and Cyrene, and he was king of the Bistones, a very warlike Thracian people, and he owned man‑eating mares. So Hercules sailed with a band of volunteers, and having overpowered the grooms who were in charge of the mangers, he drove the mares to the sea. When the Bistones in arms came to the rescue, he committed the mares to the guardianship of Abderus, who was a son of Hermes, a native of Opus in Locris, and a minion of Hercules; but the mares killed him by dragging him after them. But Hercules fought against the Bistones, slew Diomedes and compelled the rest to flee. And he founded a city Abdera beside the grave of Abderus who had been done to death, and bringing the mares he gave them to Eurystheus. But Eurystheus let them go, and they came to Mount Olympus, as it is called, and there they were destroyed by the wild beasts.–Apollodorus, The Library
The man-eating horses symbolize the powers of darkness, the resentment and willful rebellion buried in your own subconscious self, which still wants to play around with the misuse of Power. The Oversoul must let the subconscious mind run away with the conscious mind until excess consumes the base desires, until the soul comes to repentance. The fire of desire finally burns itself out by its own excesses.
The Ninth Labor: Hercules Took the Girdle of Hippolyta
Heracles then received a Command to bring back the girdle of Hippolytê the Amazon and so made the expedition against the Amazons. Accordingly he sailed into the Pontus, which was named by him Euxeinus, and continuing to the mouth of the Thermodon River he encamped near the city of Themiscyra, in which was situated the palace of the Amazons. And first of all he demanded of them the girdle which he had been commanded to get; but when they would pay no heed to him, he joined battle with them. Now the general mass of the Amazons were arrayed against the main body of the followers of Heracles, but the most honoured of the women were drawn up opposite Heracles himself and put up a stubborn battle. The first, for instance, to join battle with him was Aella, who had been given this name because of her swiftness, but she found her opponent more agile than herself. The second, Philippis, encountering a mortal blow at the very first conflict, was slain. Then he joined battle with Prothoe, who, they said, had been victorious seven times over the opponents whom she had challenged to battle. When she fell, the fourth whom he overcame was known as Eriboea. She had boasted that because of the manly bravery which she displayed in contests of war she had no need of anyone to help her, but she found her claim was false when she encountered her better.
The next, Celaeno, Eurybia, and Phoebe, who were companions of Artemis in the hunt and whose spears found their mark invariably, did not even graze the single target, but in that fight they were one and all cut down as they stood shoulder to shoulder with each other. After them Deianeira, Asteria and Marpe, and Tecmessa and Alcippe were overcome. The last‑named had taken a vow to remain a maiden, and the vow she kept, but her life she could not preserve. The commander of the Amazons, Melanippe, who was also greatly admired for her manly courage, now lost her supremacy. And Heracles, after thus killing the most renowned of the Amazons, and forcing the remaining multitude to turn in flight, cut down the greater number of them, so that the race of them was utterly exterminated. As for the captives, he gave Antiope as a gift to Theseus and set Melanippe free, accepting her girdle as her ransom.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
The ninth labour he enjoined on Hercules was to bring the belt of Hippolyte. She was queen of the Amazons, who dwelt about the river Thermodon, a people great in war; for they cultivated the manly virtues…Now Hippolyte had the belt of Ares in token of her superiority to all the rest. Hercules was sent to fetch this belt because Admete, daughter of Eurystheus, desired to get it. So taking with him a band of volunteer comrades in a single ship he set sail…Having put in at the harbor of Themiscyra, he received a visit from Hippolyte, who inquired why he was come, and promised to give him the belt. But Hera in the likeness of an Amazon went up and down the multitude saying that the strangers who had arrived were carrying off the queen. So the Amazons in arms charged on horseback down on the ship. But when Hercules saw them in arms, he suspected treachery, and killing Hippolyte stripped her of her belt. And after fighting the rest he sailed away and touched at Troy.–Apollodorus, The Library
The girdle of Hippolyta represents conquering love; it girds our loins, which support the abdominal cavity as conscious mind. Thus, the Labor symbolizes wresting love from what has been used as war and hate, returning it to reign in the higher creative center in the head. Hera tricked the Amazons into attacking Hercules, who then slew Hippolyta and took the girdle. The use of treachery as a means to gain on the outer caused the slaying of strength. For a time, one has no strength for anything. You may feel impotent when you let go the past yet have no plan for the future. When you have lived by blaming others, you do not realize that you have founded your whole life on a misconception.
The Tenth Labor: Hercules Captured the Cattle of the Monster, Geryon
Eurystheus then enjoined upon him as a tenth Labour the bringing back of the cattle of Geryones, which pastured in the parts of Iberia which slope towards the ocean. And Heracles, realizing that this task called for preparation on a large scale and involved great hardships, gathered a notable armament and a multitude of soldiers such as would be adequate for this expedition.…After Heracles had visited a large part of Libya he arrived at the ocean near Gadeira, where he set up pillars on each of the two continents. His fleet accompanied him along the coast and on it he crossed over into Iberia. And finding there the sons of Chrysaor encamped at some distance from one another with three great armies, he challenged each of the leaders to single combat and slew them all, and then after subduing Iberia he drove off the celebrated herds of cattle. He then traversed the country of the Iberians, and since he had received honours at the hands of a certain king of the natives, a man who excelled in piety and justice, he left with the king a portion of the cattle as a present. The king accepted them, but dedicated them all to Heracles and made it his practice each year to sacrifice to Heracles the fairest bull of the herd; and it came to pass that the kine are still maintained in Iberia and continue to be sacred to Heracles down to our own time.
And passing through Abderia he came to Liguria, where Ialebion and Dercynus, sons of Poseidon, attempted to rob him of the kine, but he killed them and went on his way through Tyrrhenia. But at Rhegium a bull broke away and hastily plunging into the sea swam across to Sicily, and having passed through the neighboring country since called Italy after it, for the Tyrrhenians called the bull Italus, came to the plain of Eryx, who reigned over the Elymi. Now Eryx was a son of Poseidon, and he mingled the bull with his own herds. So Hercules entrusted the kine to Hephaestus and hurried away in search of the bull. He found it in the herds of Eryx, and when the king refused to surrender it unless Hercules should beat him in a wrestling bout, Hercules beat him thrice, killed him in the wrestling, and taking the bull drove it with the rest of the herd to the Ionian Sea. But when he came to the creeks of the sea, Hera afflicted the cows with a gadfly, and they dispersed among the skirts of the mountains of Thrace. Hercules went in pursuit, and having caught some, drove them to the Hellespont; but the remainder were thenceforth wild. Having with difficulty collected the cows, Hercules blamed the river Strymon, and whereas it had been navigable before, he made it unnavigable by filling it with rocks; and he conveyed the kine and gave them to Eurystheus, who sacrificed them to Hera.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
As a tenth labour he was ordered to fetch the kine of Geryon from Erythia. Now Erythia was an island near the ocean; it is now called Gadira. This island was inhabited by Geryon, son of Chrysaor by Callirrhoe, daughter of Ocean. He had the body of three men grown together and joined in one at the waist, but parted in three from the flanks and thighs. He owned red kine, of which Eurytion was the herdsman and Orthus, the two‑headed hound, begotten by Typhon on Echidna, was the watchdog. So journeying through Europe to fetch the kine of Geryon he destroyed many wild beasts and set foot in Libya, and proceeding to Tartessus he erected as tokens of his journey two pillars over against each other at the boundaries of Europe and Libya. But being heated by the Sun on his journey, he bent his bow at the god, who in admiration of his hardihood, gave him a golden goblet in which he crossed the ocean. And having reached Erythia he lodged on Mount Abas. However the dog, perceiving him, rushed at him; but he smote it with his club, and when the herdsman Eurytion came to the help of the dog, Hercules killed him also. But Menoetes, who was there pasturing the kine of Hades, reported to Geryon what had occurred, and he, coming up with Hercules beside the river Anthemus, as he was driving away the kine, joined battle with him and was shot dead. And Hercules, embarking the kine in the goblet and sailing across to Tartessus, gave back the goblet to the Sun.–Apollodorus, The Library
Geryon, who dwelt on the island of Erythema (the red), west of the Pillars of Hercules (Straits of Gibraltar) was a monster with three bodies. Control of three bodies, physical, desire and mental, represents lifting the outer physical body with its five senses, the desire body and the mental body. The Labor, as a whole, represents the separation of the soul from the Land of Egypt, or freedom from bondage to the senses.
The Eleventh Labor: Hercules Won the Apples of the Hesperides
The last Labour which Heracles undertook was the bringing back of the golden apples of the Hesperides, and so he again sailed to Libya. With regard to these apples there is disagreement among the writers of myths, and some say that there were golden apples in certain gardens of the Hesperides in Libya, where they were guarded without ceasing by a most formidable dragon, whereas others assert that the Hesperides possessed flocks of sheep which excelled in beauty and were therefore called for their beauty, as the poets might do, “golden apples,” just as Aphroditê is called “golden” because of her loveliness. There are some, however, who say that it was because the sheep had a peculiar colour like gold that they got this designation, and that Dracon (“dragon”) was the name of the shepherd of the sheep, a man who excelled in strength of body and courage, who guarded the sheep and slew any who might dare to carry them off. But with regard to such matters it will be every man’s privilege to form such opinions as accord with his own belief. At any rate Heracles slew the guardian of the apples, and after he had duly brought them to Eurystheus and had in this wise finished his Labours he waited to receive the gift of immortality, even as Apollo had prophesied to him.
But we must not fail to mention what the myths relate about Atlas and about the race of the Hesperides. The account runs like this: In the country known as Hesperitis there were two brothers whose fame was known abroad, Hesperus and Atlas. These brothers possessed flocks of sheep which excelled in beauty and were in colour of a golden yellow, this being the reason why the poets, in speaking of these sheep as mela, called them golden mela. Now Hesperus begat a daughter named Hesperis, whom he gave in marriage to his brother and after whom the land was given the name Hesperitis; and Atlas begat by her seven daughters, who were named after their father Atlantides, and after their mother, Hesperides. And since these Atlantides excelled in beauty and chastity, Busiris the king of the Egyptians, the account says, was seized with desire to get the maidens into his power; and consequently he dispatched pirates by sea with orders to seize the girls and deliver them into his hands.
About this time Heracles, while engaged in the performance of his last Labour, slew in Libya Antaeus, who was compelling all strangers to wrestle with him, and upon Busiris in Egypt, who was sacrificing to Zeus the strangers who visited his country, he inflicted the punishment which he deserved. After this Heracles sailed up the Nile into Ethiopia, where he slew Emathion, the king of the Ethiopians, who made battle with him unprovoked, and then returned to the completion of his last Labour. Meanwhile the pirates had seized the girls while they were playing in a certain garden and carried them off, and fleeing swiftly to their ships had sailed away with them. Heracles came upon the pirates as they were taking their meal on a certain strand, and learning from the maidens what had taken place he slew the pirates to a man and brought the girls back to Atlas their father;
And in return Atlas was so grateful to Heracles for his kindly deed that he not only gladly gave him such assistance as his Labour called for, but he also instructed him quite freely in the knowledge of astrology. For Atlas had worked out the science of astrology to a degree surpassing others and had ingeniously discovered the spherical nature of the stars, and for that reason was generally believed to be bearing the entire firmament upon his shoulders. Similarly in the case of Heracles, when he had brought to the Greeks the doctrine of the sphere, he gained great fame, as if he had taken over the burden of the firmament which Atlas had borne, since men intimated in this enigmatic way what had actually taken place.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
When the labours had been performed in eight years and a month, Eurystheus ordered Hercules, as an eleventh labour, to fetch golden apples from the Hesperides, for he did not acknowledge the labour of the cattle of Augeas nor that of the hydra. These apples were not, as some have said, in Libya, but on Atlas among the Hyperboreans. They were presented (by Earth) to Zeus after his marriage with Hera, and guarded by an immortal dragon with a hundred heads, offspring of Typhon and Echidna, which spoke with many and divers sorts of voices. With it the Hesperides also were on guard, to wit, Aegle, Erythia, Hesperia, and Arethusa…journeying through Libya to the outer sea he received the goblet from the Sun. And having crossed to the opposite mainland he shot on the Caucasus the eagle, offspring of Echidna and Typhon, that was devouring the liver of Prometheus, and he released Prometheus, after choosing for himself the bond of olive, and to Zeus he presented Chiron, who, though immortal, consented to die in his stead. Now Prometheus had told Hercules not to go himself after the apples but to send Atlas, first relieving him of the burden of the sphere; so when he was come to Atlas in the land of the Hyperboreans, he took the advice and relieved Atlas.
But when Atlas had received three apples from the Hesperides, he came to Hercules, and not wishing to support the sphere (he said that he would himself carry the apples to Eurystheus, and bade Hercules hold up the sky in his stead. Hercules promised to do so, but succeeded by craft in putting it on Atlas instead. For at the advice of Prometheus he begged Atlas to hold up the sky till he should) put a pad on his head. When Atlas heard that, he laid the apples down on the ground and took the sphere from Hercules. And so Hercules picked up the apples and departed. But some say that he did not get them from Atlas, but that he plucked the apples himself after killing the guardian snake. And having brought the apples he gave them to Eurystheus. But he, on receiving them, bestowed them on Hercules, from whom Athena got them and conveyed them back again; for it was not lawful that they should be laid down anywhere.–Apollodorus, The Library
The golden apples were a gift of the goddess of the earth to Hera at her wedding. Their location was a secret. Hercules enlisted Atlas, the Titan who bore the weight of the heavens on his shoulders (and was the father of the Hesperides), to help him find the apples. Hercules took the heavenly burden on his shoulders while Atlas found the apples for him. The gold and silver apples represent the fluid [hormones] of the pineal body and pituitary gland. The Titan, Atlas, holding the world, represents the spinal fluid upholding our world [the head]. Hercules represents the conscious mind pursuing spiritual intuition and illumination.
The Twelfth Labor: Hercules Captured Cerberus, the Watchdog of Hades
And now that he had performed the tenth Labour he received a Command from Eurystheus to bring Cerberus up from Hades to the light of day. And assuming that it would be to his advantage for the accomplishment of this Labour, he went to Athens and took part in the Eleusinian Mysteries, Musaeus, the son of Orpheus, being at that time in charge of the initiatory rites.…Heracles, then, according to the myths which have come down to us, descended into the realm of Hades, and being welcomed like a brother by Persephone brought Theseus and Peirithous back to the upper world after freeing them from their bonds. This he accomplished by the favour of Persephone, and receiving the dog Cerberus in chains he carried him away to the amazement of all and exhibited him to men.–Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History
A twelfth labour imposed on Hercules was to bring Cerberus from Hades. Now this Cerberus had three heads of dogs, the tail of a dragon, and on his back the heads of all sorts of snakes. When Hercules was about to depart to fetch him, he went to Eumolpus at Eleusis, wishing to be initiated. However it was not then lawful for foreigners to be initiated: since he proposed to be initiated as the adoptive son of Pylius. But not being able to see the mysteries because he had not been cleansed of the slaughter of the centaurs, he was cleansed by Eumolpus and then initiated. And having come to Taenarum in Laconia, where is the mouth of the descent to Hades, he descended through it. But when the souls saw him, they fled, save Meleager and the Gorgon Medusa. And Hercules drew his sword against the Gorgon, as if she were alive, but he learned from Hermes that she was an empty phantom.
And being come near to the gates of Hades he found Theseus and Pirithous, him who wooed Persephone in wedlock and was therefore bound fast. And when they beheld Hercules, they stretched out their hands as if they should be raised from the dead by his might. And Theseus, indeed, he took by the hand and raised up, but when he would have brought up Pirithous, the earth quaked and he let go. And he rolled away also the stone of Ascalaphus. And wishing to provide the souls with blood, he slaughtered one of the kine of Hades. But Menoetes, son of Ceuthonymus, who tended the king, challenged Hercules to wrestle, and, being seized round the middle, had his ribs broken; howbeit, he was let off at the request of Persephone. When Hercules asked Pluto for Cerberus, Pluto ordered him to take the animal provided he mastered him without the use of the weapons which he carried. Hercules found him at the gates of Acheron, and, cased in his cuirass and covered by the lion’s skin, he flung his arms round the head of the brute, and though the dragon in its tail bit him, he never relaxed his grip and pressure till it yielded. So he carried it off and ascended through Troezen. But Demeter turned Ascalaphus into a short‑eared owl, and Hercules, after showing Cerberus to Eurystheus, carried him back to Hades.–Apollodorus, The Library
Hercules descended into the Underworld, helped by Hermes (Truth) and Pallas Athena (Wisdom). He gained permission from Pluto to carry the three‑headed dog to the upper air, provided he could do so without weapons. Hercules wrestled the dog and carried him forth. Cerberus was the guardian of the underworld who prevented the dead from returning to earth. It represents the faithful guardian of self who guards the secrets of the subconscious mind until we forget they are there. Hercules returned Cerberus to the Oversoul for the cleansing and redemption of self.
The last three Labors are considered ways of winning immortality. Geryon and Cerberus represent death, and the golden apples of the Hesperides are the fruits of the Tree of Life. At his funeral pyre atop Mount Eta, the gods were troubled by the end of the champion of earth. According to Ovid, Zeus said, "I AM pleased to see your concern, my princes, and I AM gratified to perceive that I AM the ruler of a loyal people, and that my son enjoys your favor. For although your interest in him arises from his noble deeds, yet it is not the less gratifying to me. But now I say to you, Fear not. He who conquered all else is not to be conquered by those flames which you see blazing on Mount Eta. Only his mother’s share in him can perish; what he derived from me is immortal. I shall take him, dead to earth, to the heavenly shores, and I require of you all to receive him kindly. If any of you feel grieved at his attaining this honor, yet no one can deny that he deserved it."
Hercules’ Apotheosis from Mortal to Immortal
Now on all sides the potent flames aspire,
And crackle round those limbs that mock the fire
A sudden terror seiz’d th’ immortal host,
Who thought the world’s profess’d defender lost.
This when the Thund’rer saw, with smiles he cries,
’Tis from your fears, ye Gods, my pleasures rise;
Joy swells my breast, that my all-ruling hand
O’er such a grateful people boasts command,
That you my suff’ring progeny would aid;
Tho’ to his deeds this just respect be paid,
Me you’ve oblig’d. Be all your fears forborn,
Th’ Oetean fires do thou, great hero, scorn.
Who vanquish’d all things, shall subdue the flame.
That part alone of gross maternal frame
Fire shall devour; while what from me he drew
Shall live immortal, and its force subdue;
That, when he’s dead, I’ll raise to realms above;
May all the Pow’rs the righteous act approve.
If any God dissent, and judge too great
The sacred honours of the heav’nly seat,
Ev’n he shall own his deeds deserve the sky,
Ev’n he reluctant, shall at length comply.
Th’ assembled Pow’rs assent. No frown ’till now
Had mark’d with passion vengeful Juno’s brow,
Meanwhile whate’er was in the pow’r of flame
Was all consum’d; his body’s nervous frame
No more was known, of human form bereft,
Th’ eternal part of Jove alone was left.
As an old serpent casts his scaly vest,
Wreathes in the sun, in youthful glory drest;
So when Alcides mortal mold resign’d,
His better part enlarg’d, and grew refin’d;
August his visage shone; almighty Jove
In his swift carr his honour’d offspring drove;
High o’er the hollow clouds the coursers fly,
And lodge the hero in the starry sky.
–Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book IX
Agreeing With the Adversary
Edna Lister outline, September 1, 1945, Tacoma, WA
“Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him.”–Matthew 5:25. To many this seems to mean giving up all personal freedom, yet nothing is further from the truth. A person may seek to force his methods of living upon you, either physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually only when he is full of opinions and prejudices. Only then will another attempt to interfere with your choice of how to live your Christ-life, and you need not offend to remain free.
Having first moved into your own kingdom of heaven for that instant contact with Light, you may look from heaven upon that earth-bound adversary and tell him that you are certain he is right in his ideas, and that he has worked out a wonderful method for himself. Then ask him to tell you more about it. Rest assured, he will be only too glad to talk about it, and in that talking will forget his original intention.
Any adversary will be happy to see your interest in him and never know that you have not promised to follow his method. Sometimes, because all barriers of resentment melted away when you first called upon God, you do find a way in which to apply law. An open mind always stands ready to receive a gift from every adversary. To agree means to be agreeable right now, not tomorrow.
The Keys of the Kingdom
Edna Lister outline, September 1, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Matthew 16:19
I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
–Matthew 16:19.
The faith of God creates a servant of God. Love of God fulfills all law. Joy is all action, energy, and Power. These three principles—faith, love and joy—form the high voltage charge that explodes your physical, mental, emotional, and imaginative powers.
Application of these principles opens the doors of the kingdom when you deny self, consciously take up your cross, and carry it up to God with you in ascension. Your thinking, feelings, and imagination back your spoken Word to loose anything on earth. And when you speak, the Father always says, Yes!
You must have the courage to choose the right way. And you must have an inner conviction so high that you can stand for that conviction without wavering. If you resent and hate, hate moves in to bind you. When you say, I love you,
love moves in from the world to fill your creative molds.
Life is Based on Law
Edna Lister outline, November 7, 1945, Tacoma, WA
Life is based on definite laws, physical, mental-emotional, and spiritual. Each realm, or phase of consciousness has its own laws. For example, the physical phase of your life has five great sets of laws for breathing, diet, water, rest, and exercise. These laws operate in your life as you express them physically and they affect you emotionally. At the emotional level, the appetitive (desire) and spirited (will) phases of soul express through the self and the subconscious mind, whose seat is at the solar plexus, called the abdominal brain.
In a child’s brain, Light first registers the new records of experience in what are called the higher creative centers, the pineal body and the pituitary gland. The pineal body is the channel for wisdom and illumination; the pituitary gland admits love and intuition into the spiritual faculties used by by the soul as a high creator or by his petty self. The record is then imprinted on the blood platelets; the physical platelets carry physical, emotional and intellectual records that subsequently are also recorded on the soul’s silver cord.
Another way to think of your brain cells is as a radio set that can both broadcast and receive. Your can receive from the outer world or through the Christ mind from above; you can broadcast from the lower level of self, or from higher soul level: It’s your choice.
Methods in Healing
Edna Lister outline, November 7, 1945, Tacoma, WA, Acts 3:1-11
Jesus was the greatest philosopher, lawyer, and physician of all ages, and he taught his healing statements and teachings to his disciples who passed them on. They still work today, so it’s obvious that his teachings stand the test of time.
Many teachers of healing techniques have been unable to pass their abilities on to others. There must be a reason why some can do so and other cannot, but what are the reasons? The most common reason is fear, followed by a desire for credits, and in some cases the belief that they have to do it all by themselves.
“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate
The third chapter of The Acts of the Apostles, featuring Peter and John, is one of the most beautiful of themes, illustrating perfect love and understanding. Peter was with John, and so he addressed the lame man by saying, “Look on us.” His approach was unselfish, and he obviously shared the credit with John and with God.
You must care for all the souls on your lines of Light and responsibility, and for those whom you contact in daily life, equally and wisely. Name them and see them with your mind’s eye, and let the healing Light pour through you to do the work.
1 The Beautiful gate (ὡραιαν = Hōraian) may have been the Nicanor Gate (named for its Alexandrian donor). The description of a man crippled from birth emphasizes his hopeless condition. He was more than 40 years old (4:22). People carried him every day to the temple gate named Beautiful so that he could beg. This may have been the eastern gate of the temple area that led from the court of the Gentiles into the women’s court.–Toussaint, S. D. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, Acts, vol. 2. Victor Books, 1985, p. 360.
Six Creative Laws
Edna Lister transcript, Madge Grataloup, Eunice Morrison, scribes, December 1945, National Woman’s League speech, New York, NY, Matthew 16:19, 6:33, 5:25, John 12:32, 21:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:22, Genesis 1
We may arrange God’s laws many ways to form the methods people may use for their different approaches to Him, which are primarily intellectual or devotional. Finding a method that works under all circumstances is the most important thing in life once you know, accept and live truth. You must base your arrangement of laws on God’s unchangeable principles to empower you to apply what you know to what you do in your daily expression of truth. Your arrangement of laws represents the key to open your individual kingdom of heaven, which you must enter alone.
Once you choose a particular method, you must stand within that creative kingdom constantly, holding the scepter of love, wisely applying it, using each law that method includes. You choose based on your particular needs in your emotional and mental life, personal relationships and, above all, to fulfill a perfect relationship between you and God. Since we worship God as both personality and principle, we use the following arrangement, which satisfies our need to understand intellectually, while including personality, which we adore. Principle is the absolute framework of the universe. We worship the Light, which contains all principles.
We can agree on one law as a necessity and as the first we must obey: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.”–Matthew 6:33. You must obey this law, completely depending on fulfilling the promise that it contains, “…and all these things shall be added unto you.” This is your promise that you shall have your miracles. This law sounds so simple to obey. Its simplicity may hide its importance in your creative life.
“Seek ye first the kingdom” means practice, prayer, and loving God enough, or “above all things.” When you stand fully clothed in a glorious God-consciousness, day and night, without deviation or letting go for an instant, you reach “His righteousness.” Obedience to this law of seeking demands that you stand still for that one instant before you speak or act and let the Light of God possess you. It means standing in that place of Spirit where nothing that earth can produce can move, hurt or dismay you. All this is yours for the practice of complete surrender to let the Christ Light speak as you. It is yours for that surrendering in love to be the servant of all the Power of God.
For the second law in this series of six creative laws, consider this one: “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the ways with him.”–Matthew 5:25. To many this seems to mean giving up all personal freedom, yet nothing is further from the truth. A person may seek to force his methods of living on you, physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually only when he is full of opinions and prejudices. Only then will he attempt to interfere with your choice of how to live your life in Christ, and you need not offend to remain free.
Having first moved up in consciousness for an instant contact with Light, you may look on that earth-bound adversary with compassion. Tell him that you are certain he is right in his ideas, and has worked out a wonderful method for himself. Then ask him to tell you more about it. Rest assured, he will be glad to talk about it, and in that talking will forget his original intention. Any adversary will be happy to see your interest in him, and may never realize that you haven’t promised to follow his method. Sometimes, because all barriers of resentment melted away when you first called on God, you do find a way in which to apply law. An open mind always stands ready to receive a gift from every adversary. To agree means to be agreeable right now, not tomorrow.
We find the third law in this series in Jesus’ answer to Peter, when he asked John: “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”–John 21:22. You cannot be all the way in your kingdom while wondering about anyone else. Being just part-way in the kingdom is not good enough. You must seek the kingdom diligently enough to enter it all the way. You are perfectly agreeable only from your own center of Light, leaving everyone else to follow the way they choose. If you try to force another to do it your way, you only create confusion and disturbance for everyone concerned. Therefore, good sense dictates leaving others alone, while you closely follow your own high laws, to become a living ensample of Light.
The fourth law in this series tells us to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”–1 Thessalonians 5:22. This means that if it is not good for the whole world to do all the time, it is not good for me to do even once. The full measure of service to truth is constantly and always to check your self on indifference or carelessness, while you observe and attend to the details of living so that life or people can never catch you “off base.” To “avoid the appearance of evil” is to walk steadfastly toward that goal of your own “high calling in Christ Jesus.” Obeying all the laws in your chosen method of expression is your only way to avoid missing the mark. You never know when someone may be watching you as their measuring rod of what the Christed one should always be before the world.
For our fifth law, we use, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”–John 12:32. Someone else is always depending on your expression of strength and courage. Each is lifting someone else. Everyone has the deep soul desire to lift at least one other person higher. Your lifting ability, your capacity for lifting, depends on constantly increasing your efforts in practicing all the laws. It means to “seek” God first more eagerly, to be more “agreeable” in our contacts, avoiding all delay and wasted time in following the Christ Light. In short, lifting means reaching to everyone who comes to you with arms of divine love, compassion and understanding. This is the high and glorious “lifting.”
Finally, to crown your efforts, now declare, “This is good! Let there be Light!” (Genesis 1). As you apply the sixth law of this method, divine universal substance moves to fill your prayer molds, and brings your creations into visibility. These are the six laws of the creator, which you have now become. Pronouncing “All is good!” is the final key to open your door into the kingdom of heaven. You have entered the house of the Lord, the house of law, and there you shall dwell forever, as the creator of wondrous miracles of life.
The Light of Comprehension
Edna Lister outline, December 9, 1945, Cleveland, Ohio; 1 John 1
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”–1 John 1.
“God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.”–1 John 1:5. The higher creative center holds your brain and soul faculties—the mental and spiritual faculties that form the basis of your mental life, which operates through your brain. The animal propensities beget all physical urges. You have three seats of memory, the midbrain, the medulla oblongata, and the abdominal brain in the solar plexus. The midbrain holds the records of the embodied soul’s eternal life. The medulla oblongata holds your memories of self, and those records of the past that are open to your recollection. The solar plexus is the seat of this life’s sensory memory.
The mental setup of your brain’s operating centers is complicated. The medulla oblongata controls all involuntary (autonomic) functions such as heart rate, blood pressure and breathing; physical coordination, balance and posture; voluntary movement, speech and memory; it stores and releases hypothalamic hormones that create homeostasis; it receives and processes auditory and visual input. In effect, the medula oblongata registers the animal propensities, and translates them for analysis by the mental and spiritual faculties. Light feeds your spiritual life through the “door of the crown,” filling the pineal body, the pituitary gland, and the optic chiasma
1 Optic chiasm: The optic nerves send electrical signals from the eyes to meet in the brain at the optic chiasm (or chiasma), where the left visual signal is combined with the right eye signal and vice versa. Then the signals split again. Nerves from the right eye go to the left brain and the left eye to the right side of the brain. This way, visual messages from both eyes reach both halves of the visual cortex. The brain then merges the signals into the one image with which you view the world. This partial crossing of the nerve fibers at the optic chiasm is why humans have stereoscopic sight and a sense of depth perception.
–Guyton’s Textbook of Medical Physiology.
You achieve comprehension when enough Light descends to fill “Wisdom’s well.” This is how Light works from the bottom up. You receive law, which is the first Light, and look up in consciousness. After hearing about the law, thinking about it, and applying it hit and miss, more Light pours through to illumine the new law. Suddenly you “see!” You can then look higher in consciousness and discern the “why” and “how” that law works. You understand in this degree of Light, but may still blunder in sin and self-deception. Finally you fully comprehend the law when you accept your soul’s responsibility for doing and being that law.
To know law is to comprehend its meaning as it applies to you, and to accept your responsibility to lift the self and incorporate it into the Oversoul. This is crucial, for you must lift the appetites and impulses of self within your soul before you can fully cleanse the subconscious mind. Therefore, you must determine to become law in an ever greater, higher degree. Only by emptying the subconscious records of all past memories of the little me, the impulsive appetitive soul, can you create the room to comprehend higher law. Therefore, comprehension is above all else your present need. Seek the true meaning of comprehension. Consult the dictionary, and make new laws for daily use. Make statements to declare each day that you are open to comprehend high law and to live up to that high law.
It’s a long road from your first illumination to the fullness of comprehension. You stumble along, blindly seeking something, somewhere. From a halfway belief, you move to having faith in and devotion to some principle or personality. If someone fails you, seek again. You have not wasted time, though you may think you have; you are now firmly enmeshed in the process of gaining knowledge through experience. Having gathered many varied facts and scattered ideas, you know half and how to do half of what you need. Often people ask, Why should I do this?
A great question, this leads you to gather all your divergent lines of thinking into one great comprehension.
The absolute trinity is Love, Wisdom and the Christ principle, which becomes the relative trinity of will, desire and imagination. Personality uses illumination, intuition, and expression, which you access through praise, and in no other way. As Light descends, you are better able to comprehend those subjects that attract you. You may expand your consciousness and fill yourself with illumination instantly. In two minutes, your current comprehension becomes the past, and you need another Light refill. Never, ever stop climbing!
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Edna Miriam Lister
1884–1971
The original Christian Pioneering Mystic,
Platonist philosopher, American Idealist, Founder, Society of the Universal Living Christ, minister, teacher, author, wife, and mother.
The Labors of Hercules compose a series of formal initiations.
In the eyes of many men the very early age and astonishing nature of the facts which are related make the myths incredible, a writer is under the necessity either of omitting the greatest deeds and so detracting somewhat from the fame of the god, or of recounting them all and in so doing making the history of them incredible. For some readers set up an unfair standard and require in the accounts of the ancient myths the same exactness as in the events of our own time, and using their own life as a standard they pass judgment on those deeds the magnitude of which throw them open to doubt, and estimate the might of Heracles by the weakness of the men of our day, with the result that the exceeding magnitude of his deeds makes the account of them incredible.–Diodorus Siculus,The Library of History
References
Apollodorus. The Library, Loeb Classical Library, Volumes 121-122. Sir James George Frazer, translator. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1921.
Guyton, Arthur C. and Hall, John E. Textbook of Medical Physiology, 9th ed., Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co., 1996.
Hesiod. The Homeric Hymns and Homerica, Loeb Classical Library, Volumes 121-122. Hugh G. Evelyn-White, editor and translator. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 1914.
The Holy Bible. King James Version (KJV).
Ovid. Metamorphoses, Book IX. Sir Samuel Garth, John Dryden, et. al., translators. London: 1717.
Siculus, Diodorus, Library of History, Loeb Classical Library, Volume 2. C.H. Oldfather, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1963.
Webb, Perry. What is the Beautiful Gate?,
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