Ash Wednesday opens Lent, the Season of the Sacrifice of Self in Joy. In Joy we make sacrifices of all negative spiritual, mental and emotional expressions to conquer the little self.

Lenten Vows

To Know:

That Lent is the season appointed for the cleansing of soul from all earthly stains.
That at this time all the Power of Heaven is working for me, with me and through me.
That as I prepare my soul for the reception of the Power and Light, it will go forth and bring to pass all the dream-desires of my soul.
That “according to my faith” is but the limit which I myself place upon my ability to release Power.
That the Father puts no limit upon my release of Power.
That my own consciousness determines my results in the outer.
That I shall be powerfully selfless in my actions, powerfully determined in my steadfastness, powerfully strong and humble in my heart.

To Promise Myself:

To surrender to the whole Light of God.
To become the servant of all the Power.
To speak only the things the Christ would speak through me.
To hear only the things the Christ would hear as me.
To think only as the Christ would think about my brothers as me.
To act only as the Christ would act toward my family and the world as me.
To do something each day to show forth this Spirit of the Christ as me.

To Face My God:

Each night, with a pure heart and clean hands.
Each morning, with a song in my heart which shows forth my gratitude.
Each noontide, with a greater surrender of myself to the fullness of His Glory.
Each feast time, with praise for the release of His Substance to rebuild my life and my body temple.
Each business hour, giving over every detail into His charge and keeping, ready and waiting for His right answer.
Each social hour of diversion, with the completeness of His joy so possessing me that I shall radiate the happiness to recreate all things new.
Each quiet time of silence, with the tranquility and devotion of Spirit that makes the Angels of Heaven rejoice that earth is becoming Heaven.

Lenten Questionnaire
March 16, 1936
Buffalo, New York

1. Have you kept your Silence?
2. Have you kept your Vows?
3. Have you treated your body as a Temple of the living God?
4. Have you instantly held every thought, emotional desire, imagination up in the Light?
5. Have you instantly turned on the Light for all darkness?
6. Have you given your days to God at night as they were given you in the morning?

Lenten Preparation
February 6, 1937
Buffalo, New York

Repentance: Looking over life, viewing past life taking stock, executive session to gain just estimate of self.
Sacrifice: To make way for lifting of self, to make room, to balance.
Vows: Solemn promise, an engagement with God, an oath to God to keep our engagement.

Questionnaire

Each soul taint has a brood of offspring. Hate produces anger, intemperance, intolerance, irritation, impatience. Revenge begets “I’ll get even, I’ll show ‘em!” Jealousy gives rise to criticism, pride, and condemnation. Produces envy, scorn, seeking to reap where we have not sown, self-pity, desire to possess attributes, qualities. Greed is possession of things, possession of clear seeing, prophecy, Heaven.

1. Am I ever hateful?
2. Am I ever revengeful?
3. Am I ever jealous?
4. Am I ever envious?
5. Am I ever greedy?
6. Am I living my life in Heaven, or on earth? Can express these attitudes, emotions in both directions?

We have 12 Virtues, born of Love, to express, to work for:

1. Have I given Understanding?
2. Have I been all-purity? All Light? Have I blown out the Light of another?
3. Have I expressed only Graciousness in all places and ways to all people at all times?
4. Have I expressed only Charity at home? In my business? In all my Service?
5. Have I been instantly obedient to all God’s Laws? Willingly obedient? Eagerly obedient?
6. Have I forgiven all my debtors? Myself?
7. Have I shown Mastery in my Gratitude? How much Praise? How many hours? How much Devotion?
8. How much Power is my “Rod of Faith” conducting into my life and affairs?
9. Am I always fully Compassionate? What kind of sympathy do I express? And to whom? (Self?)
10. Is Tolerance my detriment and my delusion? Am I proud of my Tolerance? Anything we are conscious of being is our delusion. To be because we are unconscious as a bird or a child is happy.
11. Am I a Master of all Wisdom? To be so sure of Truth, God’s Laws, God’s Principles to instantly be able to stand against anything, anywhere, unmovable, inevitable, Supreme, Above all doubt, fear, pettiness.
12. Am I a living expression of Justice? Am I always just? To myself? To others?
13. What shall I sacrifice for my Ascension? Is anything worth holding?
14. I am engaged to God! What vows shall I make?

A Letter on Lenten Preparation Work
January , 1939
Tacoma, Washington

Beloved Group of Chosen Ones:
This opening of a new Cycle is very pregnant with meaning. It starts off a Vibration of Devotion, which will set a pace for our Lifting for the whole year. It will set a keynote sublime for our Temple work. It will Radiate from the inmost Holy of Holies unto the Inner Court, the Outer Court and the Temple Porch and so to the whole world. It will set the full keynote of the fullness of the Release of Power.

Be therefore faithful unto the greatest extent of present ability. Use then all the Faith at your command.
Let “according to thy Faith” mean something much more than ever before.

Let your own idea of God’s Power through you be greater from this Day of Days than ever in all your past experiences.

Let your Praise accelerate its voicing.

Let your lifting of Darkness be greater each new hour. Let each second see you with eye — Mystic Eye of Vision — turned higher and ever higher into the Kingdom of God.

Let all thoughts be of constructive nature, going more and more into the Light for their Source and Substance. Let your voices be raised in tenderness toward all.

As a Group, let us each one strive to gain greater control through the use of our Temple Creed, New Ten Commandments, and our six Great Words,

Let us be ever in Selfless Sweetness. Let us ever be in Sacrificial Firmness. Let us ever be in Service founded in Finality of and from the One Great Source, the Father.

The year IS and shall be the greatest year of your lives. This year IS the year of complete Fulfillment of all your Heart’s Desires, and may you let God add to your own desires ALL He can add of His abundance.

Lovingly and with great blessings, Edna Miriam

A Letter on Lenten Work
January 23, 1939
Tacoma , Washington

To my own Beloved Group of Golden Stars:
Friends in understanding and Disciples following the Master into the Light of the Source, there is so much to be done. The Power is released in its fullness now. Since the 12th of January, it has been coming through, heavier and heavier, and our duty is to see that it is distributed. Each day must see us with a little more love and little more Praise moving forth into our creations.

I have a Lesson for our first Saturday class, which will bring through a great Revelation. The final three Words are the Words for this coming year. They are Surrender, Obedience, Loyalty, making your nine (9) or the number of perfect man. Work with these in your daily lives from this point on.

Use this in everything you do and see if you do not get clearer Visions and greater Revelations within these next few weeks. The Lenten work will be very heavy and these Words are a preparation for it.

My love lifts and enfolds each of you. Power great to move through you makes your bodies, your relationships and your affairs perfect and complete. You shall BE all strength and all Love to all you meet and your contacts shall be a Glory to the Fathers and give you all abundance of life and things now.

Am looking forward to our first evening. You are all stepping up! A little more love, a little more Praise will do the work!

Lovingly yours, Edna Miriam

Lenten Questionnaire
January 23, 1939
Tacoma , Washington

In all ways are you free to choose, and to Desire. What? Each to his own heart’s choice and desire.

1. What is yours, even now?
2. What shall be given you as a Gift of God? What shall be added unto you as Gift of Men? Look to your own mind and heart, then choose and decide what is your need of God and of men.
3. God, the Father, has decreed that all is released now. How are you using it? How thinking it? How emoting it? How picturing it? How acting it? How speaking it? How mouthing it?
4. How are you Creating with the Father’s Power and Substance?
5. How is it with your desire? Upon this depends much.
6. How is it with your soul’s desire?
7. Are you ready for a greater climb?
8. Are you strong enough for greater mountain peaks? The way is full glorious and the way is bright, yet steep. There is a price for this. Have you the price in your heart and mind to pay?
9. Can you stand before the High Altars and declare fulfillment of all taken Vows?
10. Do your choice and desires take you higher?
11. Are you willing to go higher?
12. Are you ready to lay down more of self?
13. Is it your soul’s desire and the desire of that earth-self also to pay even greater price?
14. Do you care to follow our Lord and Master higher?

Lenten Declarations
February 7, 1939
Portland, Oregon

Use these Statements through Lent to build a Vibration of Lifting for the World:

1. My Yoke hath become the Yoke of Light and Love and it leadeth me into rest and comfort of Soul.
2. My Peace hath become that Peace which is from my Source, and it keepeth me in Safety now from all disturbance and confusion of earth. I am become Peace and very Peace.
3. Behold, I am now become aware of my Source–Light. It shines through me upon my World. It overcomes all darkness found within and without. It is my ever-present help and my Servant.
4. I am now a perfect Servant of my Lord and Master. His Power moves through me and my Service Glorifies His Name.
5. I am standing before my Fathers in freedom of Soul from all darkness. Let Light shine in me forevermore unto the further glorifying of all my Fathers.
6. My creations are all good and very good. I am now determined to make this all Truth in my expression of Life.
7. Standing before the Throne of all Light, hear my Vows, oh Father, and send thy Life forth as me. Praise and Love unto thee forevermore.

Lenten Questionnaire
March 1, 1940
Cleveland, Ohio

1. Who makes a good steward in God’s house? One who is alert and ever watchful over the Father’s business.
2. Who makes a good member of God’s Temple? One who fulfills all obligations under the command of service.
3. Who makes a good student in any class? One who is attentive to teachings and in harmony with the Master.
4. Who makes the greatest gains through Temple teachings? One who offers the greatest, selfless, sacrificial service.
5. What are your beliefs?
6. What do you get from our work?
7. Is it worth your effort? Time spent?
8. Are you bored? Discouraged by delay?
9. Do you think some unworthy, even within your own group?
10. Are you the only chosen one?
11. Do you hold yourself above all others?
12. Are you humble in your own heart?
13. Are you ready and willing to give outer place to all others?
14. Do you think only upon the things of good repute?
15. Do you dwell upon the sins of others? When the sins of others are pointed out to you, it is for lifting, so that special cloud of darkness may be lifted. How then, should God have all blackness lifted if He did not give you the places, the people, the things and conditions which are in present darkness? How could you know where to lift, whom to lift if God did not bring it to you?
16. Why should you seek, ever hunting patience? When you live to your Soul’s heights, only peace moves then into action sweet, compassionate and fulfilling.
17. Do you see perfection in everything about you?
18. When you look out in peace and in joy, what can you see, in the face of either friend or the world’s face? Be not double-minded. Be not double-sighted.
19. Why see that which you do not desire as your portion?
20. If one looks toward the world only to see hate, how then can that one reach or hope to see God?
21. Laws are given to follow, not to disregard. Laws are for all, not one. If none will follow, then how shall the world follow?
22. What have you sacrificed this Lent?
23. What have you given up of the world?
24. Would you choose to lose all last year’s gains?
25. Would you rather have demotions in life rather than promotions into Higher Life?

Daily Questionnaire for Self-Examination During Lent
February 14, 1941
Seattle, Washington

1. Have I played keeper for my brother’s sin? If I constantly see another in sin, I am keeping his sin and paying his debt as well as my own.
2. Have I given up looking at darkness, considering it, loving it and contemplating it in myself and others? If I condemn myself and others, I am doing these things.
3. Have I found the true Way of the Christ? Do I doubt, or hold fast to the new Light on my path of love?
4. Do others annoy me? Where are my eyes and ears? Why am I following their weaknesses instead of God’s strength? Why am I contemplating your “little self” and worshiping it? Why am I pandering to it by wanting everyone else to be perfect? Operate on yourself now until you can no longer be bothered by anything but the Light.
5. Do I desire freedom? What kind? For what use? To lord it over another, to crack down on another, or to see only the Light, leaving all others alone to follow their own Light?
6. What are my plans of service in the coming year? Are they onward and upward, or am I trying to drag some dead issue of self along with me? Are my plans large enough?
7. Have I been satisfied with my allotted time for pray-er, praise, treatments and my very Golden Silence during the past year?
8. Is my earth now completely lifted into Heaven?
9. Am I impersonal when I discuss things with another, either soul things or world things? Or do I grow indignant, impatient or take remarks personally?
10. What is my idea of true poise and where is it found?
11. What is my idea of self-mastery? Is it controlling self or conquering self by sacrifice and lifting?
12. Do I live by the virtues or by any old thing that panders to my petty emotions? Do I live by joy, faith, love, compassion, praise, under-standing, prayer, the Golden Silence and all other virtues?
13. Do I feel perfectly satisfied over my past year’s following of the Via Christa, or have I room for improvement?
14. Have I truly let go of my past? Am I forever separated from it, or do I hold it by the tail and bring it back again and again? What is choice and what is separation?
15. Have I sunk from letting the Light do the work and using me into forcing my will at any time?
16. What are my soul desires now? Do I have more and greater soul desires than last year?
17. Have I made new plans? Am I ready to move in and DO?
18. Have I released enough Love substance through my creations?
19. Have I been complete Joy?
20. Have I agreed with the Light first? You do this by declaring: “This is good. Let there be Light.”
21. Am I now fully delighted only in the Law? You never judge another, knowing that the Law takes care of everything.
22. Am I completely, to the full forgetting and exclusion of everything else, only in love with God?

Questionnaire for Pre-Lenten Work
January 26, 1942
Seattle, Washington

These Questions shall be part of each day’s work. Earnestly seek to better yourself, your disposition, your ability to Love, to declare everyone perfect, yet lift any unlikeness to God the instant it appears.

1. Am I sure that I have kept faithfully all my Vows for the past year?
2. Am I certain I have never cooled off? By listening to the crabbing, whining, selfish complaints of another? By allowing anyone on earth to cause me doubts of confusion?
3. Have I entertained thoughts of withdrawing from God’s Elect? Have I entertained these thoughts? Have I allowed any other’s words, ideas, actions or counsels to cause me to stand still in release of Power?
4. Am I fully determined now in my own mind to make my stand alone, if need be, on the Truth of the Elect?
5. Am I ready to search my own soul for weaknesses now hidden from me in the subsoul?
6. Am I now ready to assume the fullness of the Sacrifice of all self to be ascended truly unto my Father?
7. Am I now ready to accept my own responsibility to stand and uphold the truth, releasing Love and declaring everyone perfect, even though I have to stand alone?
8. Am I ready to assume my own share of responsibility for world karma?
9. Am I my brother’s keeper? (His lifter at all times to pay his debts to Law?)
10. What are my Vows? Do I know?
11. Can I truly say: “I belong in every way to the Light.” Or do I withhold parts of my self?
12. Am I always in joy?
13. Am I always in the Light?
14. Am I always in love with God?
15. Am I always “looking up?”
16. Am I always lifting up?
17. Is my tongue always tipped with Love?
18. Do I recognize any darkness only to instantly lift? Or do I consider it and speak of it?
19. Do I Praise at White Heat at all times? Have I done this the whole year?
20. Do I Desire more perfection for my coming year? Honestly?
21. Am I ready, truly ready to Ascend?
22. Am I ready to answer all questions, search my subsoul for hidden things of weakness, search my Soul for pride of intellect, place or things, re-make all my Vows and do all this with all the strength of ability that in me now resides? And am I ready to do my best, seeking a greater best each day, to fulfill all my Vows?

Lenten Questionnaire
March 3, 1943
Buffalo, New York

This is the time of soul-cleansing, and you cannot attain with lip-service. Seek instead what you may give up unto God: All that self which interferes with thy Soul’s Desires may be laid upon the Altar now.

1. What have you planned as your ‘Sacrifice of self’ for ‘Soul’s attainment’?
2. What have you determined to give up as a gift to your Father?
3. Why hold fast to that self which limits the Power that uses you?

Instruction for Lent
February 22, 1944
Seattle, Washington

Questionnaire to be used twice each day, morning and evening

1. How much Love have you exercised since one season of a year has passed?
2. Have you dawdled or been in any disobedience to Law?
3. Has your time all been of redeemed time? Or has it been fulfilled time? (All time unfilled with Praise of Light goes forth as unfulfilled time.)
4. How about your “Waiting in the High Place upon the Lord?” (Only Love can be counted as “waiting upon the Lord.”)
5. How about that completed Unity within yourself, of Love, Wisdom and Selflessness? (This is the only Unity there is or can be. When these three are United, then you are fully, entirely God-conscious forever, and never can depart from it.)
6. Have you fully nourished and sustained your own Creations all the past year? Or have you allowed them to become pale and anaemic and die for lack of nourishment of Praise?
7. Have you kept all thy Priestly Vows intact? To protect all others, forgetting self in such service? To cover all the Transgressions of all others while loving them as egoic souls born of God, and not seeing them as Sons of men? Forgetting your own past hates, delays, lukewarmness? Forgiving all your own transgressions while pressing on to that state of Grace in Perfection?
8. Are you “using Power” in all manner of “missing the mark,” or are you “being used by” the Power in Grace, Love, Faith and Glory?
9. Are you polishing all three stages of your life? The Physical— in keeping Lenten Vows and pure Neophyte Vows. The Emotional, by the keeping of all Lenten Vows? The Mental, by the keeping of all Spiritual-Lenten Vows?

Use each day, morning and night.

Lenten Questionnaire
February 28, 1946
Seattle, Washington

1. Do you know Love as the Master knows Love? As God knows Love?
2. Do you feel that your year’s heat has been great enough?
3. Do you feel that you have done all possible to bring miracles into visible form for each other — the world?
4. Have you used enough Substance, Power, Light as Praise, Joy, Love, Faith?
5. Can you redouble all efforts along all lines?
6. Are you ready now for complete fulfillment of each promise?
Lenten Questionnaire
February 26, 1949
Seattle, Washington
1. Have I surrendered all personal feuds?
2. Have I Ascended until there is no feud between the little self’s demands for recognition and my Soul’s Great Responsibility?
3. Am I free of criticism of the little self and self-hate, as well as for the world and others?
4. Am I tolerant to my own missing of each high mark and in love with all others and earth?
5. Have I remembered that only the Love of Compassion for all darkness committed by others can ever cleanse it from earth?
6. Do I seek to push another off the Path?
7. Will I not all hold every weak one close as brother to Ascend together?

Repeat all Lenten Vows daily. Surrender. Ascend.
I DO. I Become NOW.

Lenten Questionnaire