Grades Of Initiation In Mysticism

The title of my talk for this morning is Grades of Initiation in Mysticism.

The Thursday night classes that we are having at this point actually are going into quite a detailed amount of work, occult work, dealing with the grades of initiation where we are actually developing the capacity for linkages with the paths of return to the source, the paths of return to the divine unity, bringing with us, as we're learning how to become linked and travel these paths, bringing with us the richness of what we have gained wandering in the wilderness the very wilderness mentioned in the reading by our beloved frother david mitchell wandering in the wilderness where we were able to develop that extraordinary wondrous miracle individuality where we were able to face test after test we were where we were able to meet Satan and finally invite him to go where he belongs because some of us might be thinking of of saying whoa what did you what do you mean you tell Satan to go to hell well how do you tell Satan to go to hell when hell is the state of consciousness and And Satan itself is one of the names for that consciousness.

At any rate, we can see that in the initiatory processes of Jesus of Nazareth, the very tests and trials are spoken about in what our beloved Fr. David Mitchell read. And we have taken up some of these aspects in the classwork. We will be taking them up in many other ways. However, for this morning, I think that what we should do is talk about the general principle of the Grades of Initiation as they are utilized and understood by the adepts, the Masters, and as they have been given to us so that we will know what it really involves. Evolves. First of all, as we recognize by now, this Qabalistic tree of life that we look upon here is actually the most ancient map of consciousness that exists on this planet, and that's exactly what it is, incidentally, a map of consciousness. Now, it is a map of consciousness in more ways than one it is a map of consciousness in its symbolic representation of the universal consciousness and it is therefore also a map of consciousness in all its varying grades and degrees of unfoldment from the very beginnings of the mineralized states of consciousness that is where consciousness starts developing something due to compression even though we call it latent in its awareness right on through the mineral the vegetable the animal man man and beyond, whatever that may mean to us at the moment.

So that when we are guided, and we are always guided by the higher self, which is one with divinity, whatever else the personality is aware of or not, when we are guided to that place, to that area, where the real discipline, the real teaching, the real insistence on learning and undertaking the tests of learning, how to travel the map of consciousness is undertaken. When we are guided, when we have been receiving this principle, you can be sure that we have already gone through many incarnations of various levels of initiation where we are finally ready to undertake the most dangerous parts of the journey in a very special way.

Now, there are many people who feel that attaining cosmic consciousness, whatever that may mean, or attaining the divine raptures, whatever that may mean because it means so many things to so many people or attaining illumination again whatever that may mean because so many people will think of it in other ways there are so many people who think that this should not be a very difficult thing to do really all they should be able to do is is sit on some mountaintop or if they don't do so well in the cold of mountaintop they'll decide perhaps to sit in some desert anyway something that is isolated and away to sit and just meditate and thereby receive all illumination thereby develop all the cosmic consciousness everything would be open there are many precious aspirants who seem to think that that this would be the way it should be done, this is the way they'd like it to be.

Well, if you want to know the truth, I'd like it too. I'm very good at meditation. I didn't have to work at it. I mean, my mind has always automatically, in this incarnation, been able to focus down, and focus down so thoroughly that I'm unaware of anything around me, if I so choose to be. It's just a matter of that much interest in the spirit, to be able to get that utterly lost in something. So think how easy it would be for me if it were so. I'd like that very much. But of course God doesn't pay attention to things like that.

And so we have to take reality as it is. And indeed the occult aspirant who has been guided into the initiatory path of unfoldment certainly undertakes to accept reality, whatever it may be.

You see, our greatest problem, really, even the most profoundly sincere aspirants have this problem, is the acceptance of certain illusions and delusions and hanging on to them because we think that these are the idealistic thoughts or that these are the closest to reality just because we love them. I know I have, if we want to call it a sin, and I guess all ignorance is sin, then I can certainly assure you that I have sinned in that direction better than anybody here. I have a very intensely serious superiority complex that way, you know. I insist that when I sin I do a better job than anybody, mainly, I guess, because whatever I do, I do with so much of all of me that I have to learn a great deal more rapidly, and I do.

That's how you have to. I learn very fast that that isn't the way. The reason I learn is because the consequences are too unbearable.

And you see, that doesn't sound so easy then, does it? In other words, to have to travel the path by learning and making the mistakes, being willing to accept the discomforts that come from the mistakes we make. We want to remember that every human being on the face of the earth who has wisdom has gained it out of ignorance.

Otherwise, how could this wisdom be?

If you think anybody is a saint, the one thing you can be sure of, they must have been fabulous sinners.

Otherwise, how could they have become saints?

You see, I'm giving myself away.

And I'm giving my beautiful, gorgeous other half away because you know how often I call him an angel. Believe me, an angel looks out from behind that pair of gorgeous, angelic blue eyes.

So you see what I'm telling you, he had to be a very fabulous sinner.

Except I don't think he could have been that in this incarnation you know I think he took care of that previously now I don't think I'm being prejudiced you know I'm always scientific and unbiased. So what we have to come to recognize is that reality is the one and only reliable principle to desire, to really desire it. And unless we desire reality you see during the various tests and trials which we inevitably must undergo in order to achieve the different levels of initiation that we do achieve if we do not love reality beyond all else we are going to continue keeping ourselves open to the illusions and the delusions of those portions of our personality which still have not developed enough response to the higher self which still like kids you know often off into the rebellious areas most children go through the rebellious stages only very highly evolved children recognize it very rapidly usually and and they at least don't rebel for as extreme a period over one issue.

They'll go off into new rebellions maybe more regularly and learn more rapidly.

I see a mother here hoping that the children aren't going to throw this back in her face.

At any rate, I'm sure they won't.

Reality can be understood only if we try to think of it in more ways than one in other words what is is now that's reality you know simple what is not is not it's a figment the imagination now if what is is and our journey deals with learning how to walk through what is then can't we see even there just as a practical thing how important it becomes to want reality beyond all else so if we can think of reality as a capital R reality and if we can start thinking of reality as being the divine consciousness itself and all of its areas of movement if we If we can think of reality as being that towards which we are journeying in our evolution, that is, our consciousness is expanding more and more into the capacity to recognize it and then accept it, then we're really going to be able to undertake the tests and trials of the different grades, and with great celerity, that's a good word, rapidity, instantaneous response, will be able to say exactly what Jesus said during his initiatory processes as he was presented with the temptations, which are really marvelous things.

You know, I adore certain temptations. Sometimes I prepare to fall for them. Doesn't that sound terrible? You see, we have to share our sins as well as our other aspects. As I think I've mentioned before, amongst the many weaknesses the Lord of Life has gifted me with is a sort of gluttony, I would call it, a sort of gluttony.

Now, I remember someone near and dear said, well, if you're a glutton, why don't you weigh 300 or 400 pounds?

I said, well, that's because I try to control my gluttony. Doesn't mean I'm not a glutton reality is reality I know I'm a glutton I know if I permitted myself I would weigh three, four hundred pounds in no time I could easily gain fifteen pounds a week if I let myself now I'm not kidding easily so you see it isn't having a weakness that that is so important as knowing it in other words reality is reality if you see certain tendencies that may be considered weaknesses then and only then are we able to cope with it now suppose I was determined not to see reality and to say well it's my glands well of course as a matter of fact that's always involved to some degree but I suppose I was insisting it's my glands then I would I could very I would have a marvelous reason for just indulging my gluttony because not only does it taste like heaven but because it tastes so marvelous I just don't want to stop until I'm just about bursting and then I figure surely I can stretch my capacity just a little more so I can continue enjoying this heaven of the flavor but I could then be saying it's my glands I can't help it and that and the result would be that because I was unable to see reality or let's put it this way even unwilling to see reality regarding myself or a weakness tendency within the personality I could as we said well I might earn a good living in a circus except they don't have circuses anymore with fat ladies do they see it would even be impractical at any rate aside from this joshing uh you see as long as we have to function in and through a personality we have to expect certain weaknesses no personality can be perfect that's why you remember jesus said call no man good but the father and those who have attained certain levels of direct experience with the divine level of being, know the difference between the perfection of the Higher Self and its powers and the personality. And they know that the personality, just by virtue of having to to function in a vibratory area where we have so many different levels of thinking, feeling.

This is part of the test. You know, it's what you call traveling in the wilderness.

What more wilderness could we have, incidentally, than having to walk through areas where people rationalize killings as being the right thing or the good thing?

Just think about that. And willing to put out any amount of money to kill and maim and destroy while other human beings are starving not receiving proper education not receiving the proper medical care isn't this a wilderness you see true civilization a civilization of the consciousness that knows the true values and works with them so to walk through the wilderness of the various forms of consciousness which have values that are demoniacal in nature certainly like you know there it is the devil is the Satan that took Jesus out into the wilderness you see right here key 15 and that's a and And that's us, because Jesus isn't separate from us. The whole story of Jesus is the story of initiation, which we are undergoing, every one of us. Some of us are in different stages. That's the only difference. But we are all undergoing these tests, these grades of initiation in our evolution. And the map of consciousness is there to help us if we're willing to study it, if we're willing to accept reality in order to understand how to travel and in order to know when we need to reach to our fellow brothers and sisters our fratres et sororities we call them in the tradition in order to help each other like a group of people who are trying to get to the top of a mountain you know if you have very steep inclines you need a certain number in a group for traveling to get to the top of that mountain and there are places where you need to have someone who knows where to throw the rope and how to get it hooked just right and then you need a whole group of people to hold that rope so that each person them can manage to get to that spot safely so it takes many to uh for all to get to the mountaintop it takes many in fact for one to get to the mountaintop it takes many and in the same way again I say those of us who think we can withdraw to my to physical mountaintops or or to places like the desert in order to attain our illuminations are very mistaken being taken up into the wilderness was not being taken away from society that's the very opposite being taken out into the wilderness to be tempted is being taken into the areas where all levels of people dwell and only there do you you receive your spiritual testing.

That is why it is the Western occult system of mystical training which has been very specifically designed for this time, this era, this culture.

And that is why you find so many coming and flocking now, so many more. Because the previous systems that have flourished, and some still do because they're needed for certain aspirants who still require that form. Some individuals still need certain types of experience where they can differentiate the consciousness that's able to be an exaltation from the rest of the consciousness. But that really is not as complete a stage of experience as most people think when we are guided into the western occult tradition of training it's because in at least in previous incarnations we've already been the mystics who've been withdrawn into either monasteries or mountaintops or caves and we've already gone the pipe dream type of route that's true and we know that it has not accomplished what we want we have to then take whatever fraction of awareness we've achieved if we have from that type of withdrawal and bring it out into the wilderness where it can be tested because nothing is ours unless we are able to retain it in our our thinking, feeling, being, and living areas through the different types of experiences that come.

It just simply isn't ours. You know, it's so easy to be patient when there's nobody around to be impatient with.

And it's so easy to love humanity when there's no humanity around to drive us crazy.

And it's very very easy indeed to be forgiving when we're not around anybody who's going to betray us you know you in other words it's again it's not living or being tested in the world of of the real now we don't say the material manifested world is the world of the real what we're saying is that reality includes the testing within the manifestation and unless it goes through the testing within the manifestation we in no way can say that we have even a fraction of the reality which has to do with with the eternal realities that which we should want beyond all else now then therefore in the Western occult grades of initiation not only do we have the map of consciousness which remember according to all tradition was taught Adam by the angels after the fall so that he would have a way to return to the Garden of Eden here we have the map the Qabalistic tree of life that tree which we are now learning how to to understand so that we can have what we mentioned in the Thursday night class, the conscious immortality. Because to have immortality without being conscious about it is still being in the state of innocence which our little creatures are in. And a human has evolved beyond animal level. We hope some of them are certainly much lower than animals, because because what's pure and right for an animal is not pure and right for a human.

And repercussions must come because we must evolve away from certain self-indulgences.

The map, therefore, involves not only a guide, but it involves the method. And indeed, the extraordinary profound completeness of this method is so beyond calculation that the longer true aspirants, initiates and adepts work with this Qabalistic tree of life the more astounded do they become at the completeness because it never finishes you know it's like the spiral motion going in a circle but in a spiral manner you never come to the end when you think you've gone around the whole thing meanwhile the whole capacity has been deepened so that you continue to go and you're on a new arc of going round and then the capacity deepens again and then you're on another new arc so that if you've been in the work say 50 years in this with this method after 50 years you are aghast at how much there is still to know, to learn, and that is the miracle of the grades of initiation because of the fact that we have what you might call the eternally expanding consciousness of the divine within which we participate, gaining individuality and then participating in ever greater measure.

That's why though some people think of the tree as just being one group of ten areas in Qabalah it is taught each sephirah is we has a whole tree of life inside of it so that say Malkuth the kingdom are manifested it has a tree of life inside of it so let's say some people in their evolution are what you might call in the beauty part in their own evolution of malkuth in other words the tree was in malkuth other people might be say in the foundation part of beauty now that's a those are very different levels yet we might make the mistake of thinking that a person whose present incarnation is filled with initiations dealing with the beauty aspect in the kingdom we might think they're more highly evolved than another person who is working in this incarnation on the foundation part of beauty you see that's why in our work we always warn everyone don't be so quick to judge what spiritual level anyone is on.

Do not be so hasty. And besides, it is a very good way to exercise spiritual superiority and call it by another name. It is the lack of humility. We have a way of wondering, I wonder how highly evolved this one is or that one. We really cannot tell that readily. Only a master of wisdom knows and a master of wisdom will not tell.

The master of wisdom will never tell neither the one involved nor anybody else the master of wisdom will just know how to guide each one in accordance with their particular need now then but even though different individuals are within these different areas of the tree and the different trees within each area we do have a certain principle that works and the grades of initiation, where those who are approximately within the same requirement of initiatory process, and it's only approximate, are brought together in various places at various times, whenever there is, especially whenever there is going to be a major change in the karma of the mass mind or shall we say the consciousness of humanity itself we are right now in the process of a mass change evolutionarily speaking in the mind of humanity itself and and those of you who shake your heads and your hearts and and wring your hands over the horrible state of this planet, I'd like to remind you that never before in the history of the world have there been so many human beings who are spiritual aspirants. We are in a mass spiritual awakening and you always have your opposites come into expression up to a point within such a time, within such a period indeed if we weren't having a lot of whoop-up well there would be no way of really being certain that this is the cycle in which the particular kind of initiation is taking place which actually is involving what is going to finish up as a certain separation right within the mass mind within the next few hundred years at the most in fact it could easily be less because just as Jesus was taken to into the wilderness to be tested so have a fantastic number of souls come from a fantastic number of times and climbs and and levels of consciousness in order to be tested by Satan in this wilderness that we're in right now.

We, you and I, all of us, have been brought into the wilderness because this is that particular cycle.

We've often heard talk of the Aquarian Age.

Well, the Aquarian Age is the age where humanity is going to definitely develop the capacity for brotherhood of man.

But bear in mind that the brotherhood of man means just that. What does the word brother mean?

And man is divine Adam, the divinely begotten.

It is in the same area as the Christ consciousness. So man, Christ, the higher self of you and me, all of us, we have been brought.

Incidentally, it's the spirit that has guided us into the wilderness. Remember that.

To be tested of Satan. Here is that handsome fellow that we have to know so that we know exactly where to tell him to go at the proper time and in the proper way in other words we have to finally invite all of those temptations to get behind us this is part of the grades of initiation now then and it's part of a very vital a very primary initiatory process so that we are all right now in a wilderness where we are being bombarded by demoniacal forces that's satan you know by the demoniacal forces in every way shape and form we're being bombarded by that which would would make us focus on materialism. That means we would change whatever treasure we have into bread because we're hungry, you see. You have to go to the ritualistic meaning. We're being bombarded by a materialism unheard of.

Unless it's everything for profit.

For instance, just look at the environmental factors. But in other words, the reason we're living in this poison air and being handed poison and all the food you know you can't buy food that isn't poisoned anymore because all of the insecticides and the radiations it's all everywhere even those who do organic growing how are they going to protect it from the foul air that is being assimilated you see humanity is one and life is one so there are some portions of the mass testing and trying and trials that we can't get away from though I truly love to if I could but there I mean you have to accept reality that which you can't you can't you do the best you can within those frameworks but the point is that the materialism especially within a few nations and ours is at the top of the heap this focus this focus on you know it you can't afford it that is to like clean up air or to stop poisoning the uh the oceans or the waters with the various wastes that we do all of this has to do with the fact that uh the consciousness is that focused on the power of material things the values are completely completely demoniac, and that is Satan. That is Satan indeed. This is one of the tests that all of us are undergoing, and the hammering from TV, radio, the culture, the very schooling we get. It's all part of it. All part of it.

And remember, as you've often heard me say, it isn't that we have to turn our backs on material needs. That would be rather stupid.

Nor do we look down at anyone that happens to have a little extra of this world's good. If they have it, fine. It depends on how you value it. You know, it's never been said that money is the evil. It's the lust for money.

It is the, in other words, it is the emotional values that we have which we have to watch.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have such an effect upon us.

You see, we would be able to use in ways that are infinitely beautiful the things that the Lord of Life has placed in our hands only for a time because nothing is taken with us in the material sense. It is something lovely to use and then it goes on to those who come after now again the test of power it's part of the initiatory grades and you know the power mad aspect that we have in the minds and hearts of so many people this is part of the wilderness and also the test of whether we can just hold ourselves up towards that holy guardian angel in the face of anything and everything now these are the initiatory tests within the grades that have to do with the separation taking place right now and as I said it could last for several hundred years it could last just another hundred or so where those human beings who are unable to be a brother how can they they live in a brotherhood of man for one thing I have news for you they'd be miserable now what would be more miserable than an out-and-out materialist being plunked down in a society where the values are all spiritual and all and the material is merely for having the dignified requirements you know and the refined beauties as a frame, but seen in their proper perspective.

And those who are power-mad, imagine how miserable they would be if they were in a society where no one was permitted to tyrannize over another human being in any way, shape, or form. My God, that would be hell to them. Real hell. You remember the story of the...

You remember the story that I've told of the man who passed on and found himself being given everything under the sun and being dressed and undressed and served the most exquisite marvelous foods and taken with a chauffeur in a car and all that. I mean, you never saw anything so fabulously wonderful and he just didn't have to do a thing. In fact he wasn't permitted to do a thing everything was done for him and after a while when he kept trying you remember when he kept trying to do things why the his caretaker his his valet said oh no no sir this isn't permitted here oh no sir you can't do that you can't put on your own shoes you can't tie your own laces this isn't permitted here it's unthinkable remember after a while he finally just practically got he got so miserable he cried out ye gods I don't know I just wish it was since I died I just assumed could be I should have gone to hell I wish I had gone to hell this is horrible you remember the shock of his valet but my dear sir wherever in the world did you think you were remember that yeah so you know those of us who want to get a little upset about the ones who shall we say during this cycle won't make it into the Aquarian age let's control ourselves a little bit you know compassion is the thing we should have but let's remember that unless we have developed evolved the capacity for being and loving that which is the true Aquarian age the true brotherhood of man and that involves all of our fields of endeavor they uh not only they couldn't function there but they'd be utterly miserable so they would have to await another life wave and they they have to be thrown back in the whole competitive thing you see people who have to compete with each other and knock each other over their heads those who have to have sports where you know where people are in danger you know gee isn't it exciting somebody's punching somebody in the nose or jaw you know this this wowie isn't it marvelous you know uh you know there's so many areas we are in a wilderness indeed and we're being presented with images of fantastic demoniacal areas in every way shape and form and unfortunately too many people are becoming uh what you might might call anesthetized.

And you know, we're being presented with so many horror pictures that too many people are becoming anesthetized. And the one thing, my darlings, in the grades of initiation, you want to be sure to do, protect, cherish, and keep your tenderness.

Don't let yourself lose the capacity to hurt. Now isn't that a strange thing to hear or but some of you know it isn't so strange don't permit yourself the capacity to be hurt because in the capacity to be hurt lies the capacity to remain remain tender, compassionate, deep, loving, protective in that. It is a gift beyond description. Remember, Jesus did not walk away from the crucifixion. Please remember this. In the grades of initiation, you have to bear in mind that even though he was able to say, say, Father, take this cup from me, because after all, you're only a masochist if you want to suffer. We're not talking about that.

You know, nevertheless, thy will be done. We want the divine will.

And he did not run out. He could have run away. You see, this is a story of initiation.

And this, the whole story of Jesus, gives that area where you go, you truly go, from the wilderness and the personality weaknesses into the capacity to be a brother and to know and act as the begotten, which we are, because we grow up to that area, to that level, to that potential, that capacity, the potential we've got. So what we want to realize is that being crucified doesn't mean what it says. It is the higher soul of every one of us as the divinely begotten which is accepting these tests of initiation in order that we may be tempted and if we fail then to face that tempter again and if we fall by God get up that's good I meant by God and just that's it by God get up and face it again until we have become strengthened to recognize what it really involves these temptations and gain that recognition of reality so that we will be willing to take our consciousness put it through the training necessary because nobody else is going to do it for you I can hand you the tools but you have to be the builders builders each of us are a builder of the holy temple within that's why we're called builders of the adytum and those of us who've gone up before have the tools it is our great privilege to offer them to you in every way shape and form to share them with you in fact to even show you the beauty of the edifice the grand glorious mansions that are there awaiting the building by every one of us both together and singly we are after all the builders the carpenters and we want to walk through the wilderness of our initiation where the Spirit has led us we want to accept these tests to pass them to make ourselves full of tender loving compassion to to develop within our consciousness the capacity for loving to the degree that we want to share all good with all people and all creatures.

We want to have that which is the true riches of the universe and we're being prepared for it, every one of us.

We're being prepared for it and indeed we have it in us to attain it, to accomplish it or we wouldn't have been guided here.

Together then, the mansions await, and lovingly we travel together.

Let's hold that in our minds, no matter how dark any moment occasionally appears.