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The Seven Degrees: The Pioneering Mystic Edna Lister We study God as both Personality and Principle. Personality is the outer expression of the indwelling Living Soul, the individualized expression of God, and is what the world sees of the Living Soul. Principle is the absolute, unchangeable, undeviating, immutable foundation upon which God has based and established all universes. The Principles of Mind, Substance and Power operate through five categories of expression: Mysticism, philosophy, science, metaphysics and psychology. Mysticism reveals God’s hidden nature as Personality, and that God speaks as Personality through personality to personality. Philosophy reveals God’s nature as Principle, absolute and relative, thus we may say that nothing can exist on the periphery of Creation that does not exist at the Source. Science relates to outer physical facts, Principles and Laws subject to demonstrable physical proof through our five outer senses. Psychology studies the Mind and Personality of God as humanity. Metaphysics, which is the study of that which lies just beyond the physical, dilutes and restates absolute Principle to meet humanity’s relative needs. Thus, metaphysicians would restate the philosophical statement, "God is All," as "God is everywhere evenly present and available." Even religious orthodoxy admits a divine spark within everything. Five categories of expression describe ways we may understand how we use or invest soul substance. Psychology and metaphysics teach us to "conquer the devils of self"– all afflictions of the subconscious mind, not just control self. Metaphysicians call such devils the products of little self, the subsoul portion of soul, the storage bin of illusions and delusions. These include the "dweller on the threshold," the total substance of past negative thoughts, words, emotions and actions. Only our self-created devils can bedevil us, and lifting all self-concoctions is part of our responsibility in earth life. "Lifting" is declaring a person or situation good, imagining the subject on a cloud of Light, and perfect before God. Our personal responsibility on earth is to lift all that comes to us, and declare it good for God to move in. The categories of expression are all paths that dovetail. To transform the old into the new, we must build on the facts we have under these categories. Many metaphysicians choose to worship God solely as Principle, denying the Personalities of the Father, Mother and Son. We may add to build another’s faith, but never subtract from faith. Belief in Principle alone isn’t wrong, but is incomplete without understanding God as Personality. For instance, some metaphysical schools of thought deny that evil exists, yet denial hasn’t wiped sin or evil from earth and cannot, since they are born of choices made by personalities. "Sin" is missing the mark, living by a negative, not a positive pattern. Evil is a conscious choice against the Light. Evil cannot exist without a base of individual personality and mind. We miss the mark by being bothered, irked or irritated. We are "off the beam" when we hold a grudge, pass judgment, pity self, speak or act negatively or deny the Christ Principle, which is misusing the Holy Spirit, breaking the Law of being alive, alert and aware. Most of the world now lives by metaphysical law, which is living the Law of Truth as revealed to you personally, a great Law of Ascension. Metaphysical teachings begin with the Initiation of Rebirth and go only as far as the Initiation of Resurrection, which is the pioneering Mystic’s starting point. "The Christ Principle of selfless service gives of itself lavishly and counts no effort too long or too hard" is a metaphysical statement of Principle, which we, as personalities, may restate as, "I am able to give of myself lavishly in selfless service, and count no effort too long or too hard." "I AM," which is a great name of God, is never tired or weary. The physical body may ache, but "I am tired" sends out the Power of the Holy Breath in our words as grey, dark clouds. Our words’ Power then becomes force because we have separated Mind, Substance and Power, the three Emanations as One. What we separate through misuse, we must recombine and lift to its original state before we can ascend, which is paying a spiritual debt to the Law. Personalities add negativity, hatred, resentment, revenge motives, opinions, prejudices and criticisms to the world’s subconscious "world mind." A subtle example of this is the mother who says, "Wait until my daughter has one of her own! Then she’ll understand!" The pioneering Mystic is always standing in the Light, working out his salvation and loving God enough. He’s just too busy to waste time with personal opinions, or telling the other fellow what to do. The Mystic communes directly with God, or philosophically stated, with Divine Mind. The Mystic prays to God, knows God, accepts God, and longs with all his heart and soul to return to God, the Source of All Light and Life. The Mystic passes beyond intellectually practicing metaphysical mental science that holds him stuck within his skull. Mental science is good, but to ascend in consciousness, our burning desire must flame beyond the ceiling. A true pioneering Mystic has the soul ambition to return to God under sacrificial surrender as a selfless servant of all Power. The Mystic is single-minded and determined to ascend after spiritual Rebirth and Resurrection from old beliefs and ways of living. How do I become a pioneering Mystic? How do I begin? I climb every time I ascend from horizontal, worldly consciousness to vertical God-consciousness, think high, soul-inspiring, glorious thoughts or am aware of my shortcomings. As I obey Principle, I begin to pioneer in the new high territory of Ascension. The Mystic uses the soul faculties of intuition, which is related to Love, and illumination, which is related to Wisdom, to commune directly with God and become all Law received through this communion. The Mystic also becomes the Law of Humility, which is God’s Wisdom and Love in perfect balance as Compassion. To the pioneering Mystic, conquering is becoming all the Laws received through Initiations under the great Seven Degrees. The Way of Christ, the Via Christa, is the Path of Ascension that we follow to work out our personal salvation. The Seven Great Degree Initiations, which include Rebirth, Baptism by Water, Baptism by Fire, Transfiguration, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension, form all Via Christa Initiations. Each Great Degree encompasses seven times seven lesser Initiatory Degrees. The Seven Degrees each name a great universal Principle, a Law and quality we must become, and a Vow of Conquering. "I vow to make my body a fitting dwelling place for my soul" says the Neophyte, who takes the Initiation of Rebirth, returns to God consciousness, and is made anew. We die to "old" self-expressions and are reborn to the new Christ-life. The Rebirth is either a long process or an instantaneous act as we mate desire to will, which is the first Marriage of the Lamb. "I vow to surrender completely to be the servant of all Power." The Disciple takes the Initiation of Baptism by Water and conquers his emotional life under the pouring out of Spirit as the waters of the River of Life. He "walks on water" to ascend and conquer the emotions. "I vow to be selfless in my release of Power." The Adept undergoes the Initiation of Baptism by Fire and begins to burn away self. Flames of the Holy Spirit dance upon the Adept’s shoulders, appearing as White Wings of the Christ to awaken the parathalamus glands for "seeing" and "hearing." "I vow to keep my silence shining and golden." The Mystic accepts the Initiation of Transfiguration. Standing in the Golden Silence, he maintains a constant contact with the Source and names all things good and very good. The materiality of self falls from the soul and his face shines as pure Joy. "I vow to be a Master in all responsibility." The Master begins the Initiation of Crucifixion, lays his self-will upon the crossbar of the Master’s cross, and assumes full responsibility for lifting everything. "I vow to remain pure in heart, mind and purpose." The Priest faces the Initiation of Resurrection, rises into the Light, and transforms his Cross into a Ladder of Ascension. He sublimates Desire and Will to become Love and Wisdom, which is the second Marriage of the Lamb. "I make my supreme vow to surrender self completely." The Christos chooses the Initiation of Ascension from all earthy pull. He lives by the precepts of soul in the higher creative center, and attains the fortress of soul, the high tower of Ascension in the Garden of Eden, the head. God, as the many Fathers of the Heavenly Hierarchy, includes seven great Universal Soul Groups of Service, each of which has forty-nine groups named for the Seven Degrees: 49 Neophytes, who protect earth’s "children," the young souls, and all unconscious creations, including the animal Group Souls. They care for all individuals learning how to pray. 49 Disciples, who teach the purity of life. They direct us in our outer creations of released Substance, all concentration, demonstrations and established functions of Creation. 49 Adepts, who direct healing, diversion, play, social life, recreation, sports and rest activities. Each is free to choose how he spends his hours of freedom, on self or soul. We must lift these hours into years of freedom. How we use our freedom determines our Ascension. 49 Mystics, who lead all earthly service upward from the remnants of self-pity into a Godlike universal service, and direct earthly forms of service, social professional, commercial or religious, through prayer and devotion. 49 Masters, the Lords of Change, who direct changes from self-expression into full soul-expression, not "control" mastery but "letting" mastery. 49 Priests, who direct relationships above and below, acting as Creators and creating Harmony, Balance and Equilibrium through the Action of agreement and adjustment. 49 Christos, who are members of the Master’s own Legions of Christed Ones, work with all incarnated souls who have earned Christos Initiations. The goal of the Neophyte, Disciple and Adept Degrees is self-control, controlling the body, emotions and thoughts. These Degrees cover the first three chakra centers in the abdominal cavity, which we call the land of Egypt. All psychic phenomena, such as levitation, breath control and walking on coals, manifest under mediumship, adeptship and self-control, and the White Brotherhood rules these Degrees. Ordinary occult work stops here. Any truth work, no matter its degree or kind, is good if it helps someone, lifts consciousness or raises the soul’s rate of vibration. Yet to the pioneering Mystic, one thought or statement about self, cuts us off to drop to our previous level. If we are conscious of where we’ve climbed, we block our ability to climb farther. Wherever one stops along the path, he is an Adept. Anyone desiring to ascend in consciousness under love and selflessness can climb on an ascending Mystic’s vibration, if he can give up the "little self" and become Law. The Mystic’s lifting power lies in his devotional attitude toward God and the respiratory rate of balance he attains at the heart center. The Mystic Degree covers the stomach, heart and lungs in the cellular physical body, and the heart center in the molecular desire body. The thoracic cavity is the Promised Land, and the heart center is the respiratory rate of balance between the lower abdominal centers and higher brain centers, where the Mystic breathes the Holy Spirit as Light to balance the Love and Wisdom of God moving through. We call the heart the balance point because here we balance Love and Wisdom to become Compassion. A pioneering Mystic is awakening the pineal gland and developing the soul faculty of illumination. We cannot have perfect intuition under a fully functioning pituitary gland until we have experienced some illumination. On an ascending vibration and sincere desire to lift, a Mystic can enter a room and raise the vibration until everyone balances on the same high vibration, which is how we can "see" on another’s vibration. "If I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to me." The Mystic’s power to lift is so great that he could heal anyone on his ascending vibration. A mystic ascends under criticism without paying attention to what others think or say. God and all the Heavenly Councils care nothing for another’s opinion or judgment of us. Councils judge us on what we are, reflected by the Lights and colors of our aura. Criticism provides a stage for our Initiations to ascend in consciousness and lift. For example, subconscious mind cannot discern the difference between righteous indignation and passing unrighteous judgment. The lid put on temper can blow off under self-control. When we pass judgment in anger, we foolishly sit in the seat of the Almighty, and when we declare that what another has done is wrong, our judgment goes no farther than the room we occupy, and our own soul’s record. Jesus the Christ rules the Mystic Brotherhood, which his Legions of Christed Ones oversee. The Mystic Brotherhood Degrees of Master, Priest and Christos, cover the Garden of Eden, which lies above the collar bones in man. These work Degrees deal with mediatorship, soul conquering and Ascension. A mediator follows Jesus the Christ all the way home. Our head
is the "golden bowl" that contains the higher creative center,
pineal, pituitary and parathalamus glands. The symbol The mediator uses the same faculties as the medium but extends her consciousness and vision beyond the Heavenly Gates into the Realms to see and hear. The mediator heeds and obeys the Orders of inner Councils, paying no attention to the outer or the subconscious mind, except to lift. The medium remains below the Gates and "sees" by drawing outer vibrations into the room. When a Master becomes proud or self-conscious about how far she has climbed, she sinks to the Neophyte Degree. Egotism sends her down the "greased pole" of self-consciousness. When can I become a pioneering Mystic? Anywhere, anytime, twenty-four hours a day, if I love enough. Only devotion and love can buy a lift from God, or give us an emotional lift as we arise in selflessness through prayer. Vision and hearing depend upon the height, breadth and depth of devotion. A rebirth of devotion and love are the only way the Holy Spirit can awaken our parathalamus glands of comprehension into Wings of Fire. "Re" means to go back to and "born" means to be made new. All religions teach the Rebirth, the Neophyte Initiation. A Rebirth lifts us to Baptism by Water, the Disciple’s Initiation. Water represents the emotional life, so walking on water symbolizes conquering emotions. Baptism by Water represents Spirit poured out from above, which is usually a process but can be an instantaneous act, if we love enough. We awaken the seven chakra centers in the desire body as we first ascend on the Seven Degrees. Chakra is an Eastern term meaning "wheel," used to describe seven vital energy centers in the molecular desire body that whirl and appear as wheels of light. Each center relates to a physical nerve plexus and gland. The Neophyte rules the sacrum center, the gonads [reproductive glands] and sacrum plexus. [Five pairs of nerves are associated here, which we must reawaken to sublimate the creative fire: Fibers from the fourth and fifth lumbar nerves, and the first to third sacral nerves form the sacral plexus, which innervates the abdominal organs, reproductive organs, buttocks, hips, thighs and legs.] The ten plagues on Egypt represent the sacral nerves. The sacrum center is the lower pole of Paracelsus, which is usually frozen by past misuse of creative fire and attempts to kill desire instead of sublimating. Paying our Neophyte Vows is a "must" to reawaken this center, its nerves and glands. In occult terms, "The life is in the blood." The bloodstream carries the flow of life through us, in part. Blood passes through two small, yet significant areas, the carotid body and the coccygeal body, called Paracelsus’ upper and lower poles of balance. The coccygeal body, ruled by the sacral plexus, is a small plexus of arteries enclosed and supported by fibrous tissues. It is found at the level of the coccyx and is associated with the median sacral artery. It also contains polyhedral cells collected into irregular nodules. The coccygeal body’s function is heat conduction to the skin by the blood, controlled by the sympathetic nervous system under direction of the hypothalamus. Its nerve fibers secrete a vasoconstrictor. It mediates communication between the venous and arterial systems. The Disciple rules the splenic center, the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas and the hypogastric plexus. [The islets of Langerhans secrete insulin and glucagon, hormones that regulate the carbohydrate metabolism. The hypogastric plexus innervates the colon, bladder, bladder sphincter and reproductive organs.] The splenic center controls all physical/emotional appetites. All our emotional insecurities are rooted in selfishness and possessiveness. Here we begin to draw in our emotions and the five physical senses to sublimate them and the mental faculties into the great soul faculty of apperception. The Adept rules the navel center, the adrenal glands and the solar plexus. [The adrenal medulla helps to rouse or calm the body in response to emotional states of fight-flight. The solar (celiac or epigastric) plexus innervates the stomach, liver, pancreas, adrenal medulla, spleen, kidneys, colon, bladder, bladder sphincter and reproductive organs.] The navel center is the "seat of Satan," the seat of intellectual belief in self-control. The Adept is Pharaoh, ruler of the land of Egypt. The Breastplate of Judgment, earned at the heart center, protects the navel center. Without it, we wander forty years in the wilderness. The Mystic rules the heart center, the thymus and the cardiac plexus. [The thymus is the gland of Eternal Youth, the immune system architect. Located in front and above the heart, it grows until puberty, when it atrophies and is replaced by fat and connective tissue. Its atrophy may be the source of aging. The cardiac plexus innervates the heart with the vagus (tenth cranial nerve) fibers to slow the heart-rate. The vagus also innervates the pharynx, larynx, carotid body, bronchial muscles and lungs, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, colon and thoracic and abdominal viscera.] The heart center is the respiratory rate of balance between the lower creative center at the sacrum, and the entrance to the higher creative center in the golden bowl. The heart center is the Mystic’s citadel of conquering in the Promised Land. The Mystic possesses the Promised Land by perfectly balancing Love and Wisdom. We cannot develop spiritual gifts without balance at the heart center. We do this by completely conquering the drag of emotion and intellect. The Master rules the throat center, the pharyngeal plexus, thyroid and parathyroid glands. [The pharyngeal plexus innervates the pharynx, taste buds, carotid sinus and carotid body, thereby controlling respiration. It controls speech. The ninth to twelfth cranial nerves are associated here. The thyroid, located on both sides of the base of the neck, at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, secretes hormones that increase metabolism and nervous system activity. The parathyroid glands, located close to the thyroid’s lower edge, secrete a hormone that regulates the calcium-phosphorus metabolism, kidney excretion of calcium and calcium release from the bones (osteoporosis).] Paracelsus’ upper pole of balance is in the carotid bodies at the bifurcations of the common carotid artery. These supply blood to the neck and head, and thus are associated with the throat center under the Master Degree. They contain cells that respond to changes and concentrations of oxygen in the blood and to changes in arterial blood pressure. Thus, they are keys to respiratory control. Some cells of the carotid bodies are gland-like and it is believed they are chemoreceptors. They stain brown under chromic acid, as do those of the adrenal medullas. Accompanying each carotid body is the carotid sinus, a dilated area richly supplied with sensory nerve endings and a branch of the vagus nerve. This, when stimulated by a rise in blood pressure, causes reflex vasodilation and a slowing of the heart rate. It is a plexus of small arteries enclosed and supported by fibrous tissues containing polyhedral cells collected into spheroidal clumps. The throat center rules our creative power of speech expressing as self or soul. Adeptship extends here and is conspicuous in the personal pronouns, I-me-my. We cross out self at the throat and begin a thousand burnt offerings to conquer our self-formed blocks. Mastery reaches up to the pineal and pituitary glands, and its highest aspect is the "I AM" center. The Priest rules the brow center, the first to eighth cranial nerves [which innervate the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, teeth and face; note the relation to the physical senses] and the pituitary, called the master regulating gland because it controls the function of many other glands. The brow center is the mystical "third eye," and it can cause fascination with Color, Tone and Number. Here we attain consecrated service as a Priest. We must ascend beyond intellectual pursuits to know the Kiss of the Serpent. The Christos rules the crown center, the central nervous system [the brain and spinal cord] and the pineal [a gland-like structure in the brain, shaped like a pine cone. The exact function of the human pineal remains unknown. Current animal research suggests the pineal gland is exceedingly light-sensitive and may function as a seasonal "clock" affecting sleep (hibernation) and the gonads, through the anterior pituitary]. We reenter the Garden of Eden through the crown center, which is the link between egoic consciousness and superconscious mind when we are open to the Oversoul. We ascend from outer to inner in all ways and surrender all self-identity. This is the Degree of the fully conquering soul who lives by pure illumination. The mental body thousand-petaled lotus opens at the crown of the head under Christed consciousness. Thus, etheric currents from above descend through the crown center under conscious deep breathing, while earth’s magnetic currents ascend through the soles of the feet. These two vibrations meet at the solar plexus, creating an explosion of Light that forms two "seeds of life," which are as virile, strong and great as the breathing. One seed of life ascends to the Mount of Transfiguration, watering the brain cells in the Garden of Eden. The other seed of life descends to the land of Egypt for physical creations. Dark thoughts or negative emotions dissipate the power and virility of these seeds. We experience many new states of consciousness as we ascend and conquer on the Seven Degrees. In each state we learn something, and begin to understand and comprehend the new. The Neophyte always begins something new. We learn that we do not know it all, and we learn what we think we know. Every new learning experience makes us a Neophyte. The first Law of Expression is to lift desire and emotions to achieve physical balance. The Disciple learns mental balance by crucifying self-will. Every time we pick up our cross of self to follow the Master, we are a Disciple. The second Law of Expression is to lift self-will to a state of emotional and mental calm under trial. The Adept learns spiritual balance in the first Marriage of the Lamb, where we mate self-will to God’s Will and self-desire to God’s Love to become "I AM," Christed consciousness. The third Law of Expression is to ascend self-desire, which balances emotions at the solar plexus center. The Mystic learns high prayer and praise, for we cannot pray without praise in our hearts. The fourth Law of Expression is to balance Love and Wisdom perfectly, to stand in balance under the pure White Light of the Christ. The Master learns honor, and polishing ethics and morals. The fifth Law of Expression is to accept responsibility. We begin a thousand burnt offerings, a thousand days of perfection and surrender to Light of our emotional-mental leftovers. The Priest learns to live by soul conquering and selfless service. The sixth Law of Expression is to practice full surrender of all self. The Christos learns that "I die daily" is the death of self. We learn to lift all fear of old age and death. The seventh Law of Expression is to live by pure illumination, the final, complete conquering of soul. Our first ascent through the Seven Degrees includes "144" steps, twelve times twelve through seven times seven equals "49" Degree Initiations. This takes us twelve times around the Zodiacal Wheel of Terrah with one birth or earth incarnation in each sign. These 144 steps include twelve Virtues to become, twelve Laws of Becoming and twelve ways of disobeying them under each sign or house. We may take Initiations in different Degrees simultaneously. For instance, we may be taking the sixth Christos Initiation and yet have earned only one Degree as a Neophyte, which includes all physical Laws. Though we are born under only one sign at a time, the other eleven signs influence us also, and we polish their Virtues as well. Every sign releases Power from above as it rises over the eastern horizon. If we neglect to conquer any of these Virtues, we may owe incarnation debts to the Law. We can do only two things, accept and ascend, or rebel and regress, perhaps even falling back to the animal kingdom. The last stage of regression from which the Father may lift a soul is the dog stage. Affection for animals lifts them, while love raises them to become human and receive bestowal of the Living Soul. The Via Christa is the Way of Christ. The 33 Via Christa Degrees are the attitudes of Ascending Gods, part of 144 steps as we make the rounds twelve times on the Wheel of Terrah to conquer on the Seven Degrees. We raise the creative fire from the base of the spine up the thirty-three vertebrae to the brain during our first ascent on the Wheel. Then we awaken the optic chiasm of the thalamus and open the crown center. Light illumines the endocrine and central nervous systems as the crown center opens. Light shines through the mystical "third eye," an inverted triangle on the forehead, to illumine our path as a great beam of Light and we can "see" the records in the Book of Life. How much Light do you desire to send before you? How great a pioneering Mystic do you want to be? The Greater Mysteries relate to our attitude toward God. The Lesser Mysteries deal with our attitude toward others. The Mystic Brotherhood Via Christa, modern Masonry, Order of Melchizedek, Clansmen of Aaron, Mysteries of Moses, and the ancient Egyptian priesthood all contain thirty-three Degrees. Each individual must earn these Degrees on earth. We take the first thirty Via Christa Degrees in daily living on earth, and the final three at night, standing before the Altar in the Skies at the Supreme Temple of the Sun on our Sun.
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represents the optic chiasm of the thalamus (X), and the left and right
parathalamus glands. Our optic chiasm registers the Light from above,
and everyone must develop this ability. Nearly everyone now on earth
was born with their parathalamus glands virtually frozen. The right
parathalamus gland vitalizes and quickens the pituitary, the left vitalizes
and quickens the pineal. The infinitesimal parathalamus glands are organs
of immortality, our glands of comprehension, "hearing" and
"seeing," which are not really "alive" until we
extend our vision. They expand every time we try to "see"
or wonder about truth. As we aspire and ascend, Light seeps in to open
them. Good "seers" have quite large parathalamus glands. We
cannot "see" or "hear" unless the desire body’s
optic nerves cross the optic chiasm of the thalamus to connect the right
and left parathalamus glands. Our desire body nerves also must cross
over between the parathyroid glands behind the thyroid.