A properly balanced development is the result of harmonious cultivation of every department of man's being, including all of the "talents" with which both nature and his Spiritual self have endowed him.

This development, a gradual growth, is possible only by a deliberate, conscious effort and will gradually and ultimately lead to what the Ancient Priesthood termed "Initiation."

Later, in the Christian Mysteries, this process was known as Christification, or the BECOMING of the "sons of men as the Sons of God." In the modern, though less generally known terminology, it is called the Manistic state; a sonship with the Father. To accomplish this, there must be brought about harmony in man's manifold or fourfold nature; the equilibrium symbolized by the scales, of body, spirit, mind and of all Spiritual qualities inherent in man.

The one and only means of entrance into the vast realm of the mysteries of being, constituting one phase of the Biblical "kingdom of heaven," is through conscious and consistent effort to perfect the self by right, i.e., the Biblical "righteous" living which embraces correct thinking, true idealization of desires and constructive action in all the affairs of life.

There is an erroneous idea relative to this wholesome development, one far more destructive to the inner Spiritual self than that of being creed-bound. This is prevalent even among many people earnestly seeking "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." It is the delusion that Spiritualization, i.e., the awaken and Illumination of the Soul, is attainable through a process or method of becoming negative and by that means coming under control of disembodied souls who have passed Beyond, but who, due to their grossness, have never been able to leave the earth level.

Control by an exterior power or being is in no sense a development. It is the direction of what already exists and is not an elevation. Soul growth is possible only by an inner awakening and expanding of the faculties thus far dormant into a fuller Consciousness of Life, Light and Love.

Man must awaken and bring into manifestation the "talents" given him at birth, must develop a consciousness of the possibility of attaining, by atonement - correcting the evils - leading to at-one-ment with the Infinite. This process is Arcanely or Occultly known as Initiation.

It is the exact opposite of becoming vampirized physically and Spiritually by any form of external control. Soul development is the result of establishing an INNER control over all thoughts, desires, and finally all actions on our part and the direction of all our forces toward a given end in harmony with Divine Law.

In the beginning of time, with the thought for the creation of man, the Creator established irrevocable Laws governing man in detail, including the material and Spiritual self. These Laws have obtained throughout all time and cannot change, otherwise God would be a changeable Being, no different from man. Without such Laws there could be no Order, and chaos would long since have marked the final chapter to man's existence.

Beginning at the moment that the Word - the first fiat - the thought and desire of the Creator, became flesh in a new and different creation, the Laws governing both the evolution of the material man and the development based on thought, desire and act of the Spiritual man, have been active, immutable and invincible, for reason that they are both correct and just. Obedience to these laws will ALWAYS bring about understanding, i.e., WISDOM, and peace of mind, a phase of heaven. To disobey them unconsciously or deliberately, must forever result in sorrow, suffering and failure, even in the material affairs of life; this is the punishment that man inflicts upon himself as a result of his disobedience.

A positive and not forgettable distinction is made between what we know as (a) evolution, and (b) development.

(a) Evolution is the constant urge in Nature; a tendency toward progress and advancement; a normal growth; progression, without outward help from any source. Evolution is applicable to the unit man and to the species in every form of expression or manifestation capable of changing. It is a slow process, requiring ages, to bring about what might be accomplished in man's lifetime through directed development by a Spiritually awakened mind. Such development is in perfect harmony with the process of evolution.

(b) Development, however, is the intensification of Nature's evolutionary process by means of conscious, deliberate application of KNOWN LAWS ON THE PART OF MAN. Although the principles and laws of development must be in accord with evolutionary laws and principles, the former, because of the intensification of known methods, bring about the almost miraculous, particularly in the Spiritual realm.

The wonderful changes and improvement in plant and animal life brought about by the scientists' intensification and direction of normal conditions and growth, are illustrative of how methods for development can be practically applied.*

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* Although as yet accepted by only a few, almost the identical Laws which men follow in the development of plants and animals, can be applied in the development of the human embryo during gestation. (Refer to Pre-Natal Culture same publisher.)
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Similarly, the procedure for awakening the Divine Spark, i.e., the "seed" which is to become the Conscious Soul, is based on definite Laws, applicable to the Spiritual self. Thus, by known conscious, intelligent and systematic efforts on the part of the seeker for Spiritual Consciousness, known as Soul Illumination, by the application of the Law for such growth, Soul development is accelerated so that what would otherwise require aeons of time or many lifetimes, will be brought about in one short incarnation, as demonstrated by the Nazarene.

The encouragement of conscious, intelligent, sane, systematic methods for the soul's awakening and development does not presuppose a mushroom growth and is not to be confounded with the spurious and highly dangerous methods now in vogue. The desired results are to be obtained only by consistent, steadfast, patient obedience to both Natural and Divine Law, the Natural law applying to the physical self, the Divine Law to the Spiritual self. One is as important as is the other because the welfare of the one is dependent upon the other. One who knew well, said:

"Man shall not live by bread alone [materiality in its various aspects - that which is applicable to the physical alone], but by every word [Spiritualization; that which is also potent to the Soul] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." ____Matthew 4:4

To live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God is figuratively speaking. It has DIRECT reference to the Laws which God formulated or called into action, for the express purpose of awakening the Divine Spark of Himself which is inbreathed into every normal human body at birth. That man may benefit by the "word," i.e., the food for the Soul, requires his awakening to both the possession and the responsibility of the Divine hidden within him. There must be a sincere desire to bring this Divinity within into manifestation to co-exist in full harmony with his material and physical self.

The greatest, deepest and most intense desire of every man's heart should be, and ultimately must become, a constant longing and search for all that is highest, noblest and most exalted. Material, mortal, carnal man, groping and stumbling in the dark when he becomes even partially awakened to his possibilities and responsibilities, will grasp at every opportunity for advancement and self-betterment.

Be his immediate environment ever so undesirable, man would choose to live on and on, if he could. This desire for physical existence, unfavorable and miserable as it may be, is in fact the cry of the buried Soul, the John in the Wilderness for continued existence, a striving for recognition and the means of escape from its long imprisonment.

To respond to this cry is a step forward. To become thoroughly conscious of the well-defined hunger and longing of the Soul for higher and more favorable environments and means for its development, is a wholesome indication of what may be. Even in the first degree of its awakening, the early stages of its unfoldment, the Soul seeks to free itself from all pretense and affectation, all that would tend to retard it, and to rise above the frivolities of a purely physical, selfish existence; being perhaps as yet unaware that whatever will free the Soul will, in every respect, equally benefit the physical, material self.

As the Soul rises more and more out of the entanglements of its own weaving, its enslavement to the carnal in its physical environments of both former and present existence, it gains in strength and purpose. Its true nature becomes more and more apparent and directing, while its desires are felt more and more by the mortal self. There will be a conflict for a time because there is travail; the second birth is approaching and there cannot be an abiding peace until this is fully accomplished.

During this process, gradually, slowly, the confusion of thought and desire disappear. Conflict of motive gives way to certainties. Hindering influences and cloying attachments of the personal plane lose their power. Thus, almost imperceptibly, the Soul evolves by means, or as a result of the aspirant's conscious, deliberate, consistent efforts.

As the Soul develops and advances into the likeness of its Creator, it attracts to itself the assistance of everything that is harmonious with its purpose. It becomes conscious of a new existence, much as the body becomes conscious of a new existence, much as the body becomes aware of new life in the air it breathes, in the sunlight falling in glorious golden rays across its path, in the lightning's flash, which, for an instant thrusts aside the veil of darkness and permits mortal eyes to glimpse that which is generally hidden from all but the Spiritually awakened.

After man's carnal self, at the urge of the Spiritual self, has become even partly transmuted and uplifted, his inner vision will begin to open and he will begin to see the Light, though as yet as "through a glass darkly," and slowly become capable of deciphering mysterious messages the Light is endeavoring to convey to him.

It is well to be fully aware that there are dangers in the path of Spiritual development. As a result of development, a new power, force and energy previously unknown is developed. There is danger in every form of power. Its misuse is certain to bring disaster. He who seeks to become an aspirant should remove the faults within himself which cause even Spiritual forces to be dangerous, holy though they be.

This danger persists so long as man attempts to develop his God-given "talents: to become Spiritually conscious, but fails to remove from within himself base passions and the evils of the carnal nature. These must be removed by transmuting them into the nobler elements, while making every effort to bring the Spiritual self into consciousness.

For every noble purpose to be attained there is an evil to overcome. This is a Law. Wherever God is, the devil, symbolic of evil in every form, lies in waiting to divert the aspirant from his intent, and therein lies the danger to those who would forsake the world, i.e., absolute materialism, to seek God. As the aspirant strives to walk in the straight and narrow path leading to his ultimate attainment, there will be many things to retard his progress. Even the Nazarene had to meet his "devil" on the mountain; even Peter, called the "strong," met and, for the time being, was conquered by the tempter.

In addition to the hampering influences of friends and foes alike, as well as the numerous external environments, the many subtle demands of the physical, carnal, material self will be certain to make every effort to retard the Soul's progress. Being of the earth, earthly, the material body naturally finds great difficulty in harmonizing itself with the demands of an inner urge for self-purification and self-justification for all its acts.

Because of this conflict, the body requires special attention from the very beginning on entering the path culmination in Soul Consciousness. The manifold forces and powers which are part of the physical being must be wisely directed into proper channels and focused along constructive avenues of activity.

Every need of the body and mind should be carefully selected. It is well to bear in mind that everything that is of help toward Spiritual development is ACTUALLY TO THE BENEFIT OF MIND AND BODY, AND TO MAN PERSONALLY IN EVERYTHING THAT CONCERNS HIM, or is a benefit and NOT A DISADVANTAGE to him.

The Nazarene, as a Master-Teacher, made every effort to teach man that he must SUBDUE all things, and not be overcome by any. It is man's duty, an absolute imposition upon him, that he must learn to control all conditions that affect him and not permit them to control him. It is wisely written:

"He that controls himself is greater than he who taketh a city."

To be controlled by any desire, by any person, by any force, IS TO BE ENSLAVED TO THE DEGREE OF THE CONTROL. It is by the knowledge of what we seek to become, by positive, constructive thought, by righteously directed motives, by a mode of correct living, all very simple though by no means easy, that man gradually subjects all things beneath him. In doing this, he becomes master of himself, his destiny, the "talents" inherent in himself, and above all, and most desirable, free from every form of slavery, an INDIVIDUAL, a self-conscious Immortalized being. In the words of the poet:

"Lord of all he surveys."

Achieved self-development is the establishment of Law and Order in man's own thought kingdom. It is in effect the decreeing that kindness, compassion, tenderness, sympathy, and affection must be, and will be, the activating principles of every activity, coupled with absolute justice in all affairs between self and other men. It is the development of a strong steady Will, ever obedient to the Christic or Manistic Ideal. It means to make certain that every thought shall be kind and exalting, radiation a helping, healing uplifting influence upon all coming within its radius, and the building of a wall against all evil, degrading, destructive influences from without.

All that has been said here relating to the attainment of Soul Consciousness should not, for a moment, lead anyone to think or feel that the aspirant is to constantly, at all times, and under all conditions, give his thoughts to Spiritual attainment and the means thereto. This is an error to be carefully avoided, as it would lead to excessive self-centralization.

Just as physical exercises so vital to mental and physical health and well-being are to be practiced regularly for a moderate length of time - possibly fifteen to thirty minutes several times a day - just as business affairs are to be attended to during the Biblical eight hours a day, and as recreational and other affairs require a proportionate concentrated period of time, so sufficient length of time should be devoted to exercises for the purpose of awakening and bringing into manifestation the Divine Spark.

As physical culture exercises should be practiced with regularity and adapted to individual requirements, so the means and methods essential to Soul Culture should be selected and directed with intelligence and practiced with systematic regularity. Regularity is order, and order as heaven's first Law is a Spiritual necessity. Recreation which means the discontinuance, for a time, of any special work, is necessary in any type of business or profession and is of equal importance in the realm of individual Spiritual development.

Life, to be complete and as ordained by Divine Law, must be devoted to a useful occupation, profession, business or some form of constructive activity and allotted the required time. On the other hand, Spiritual development, the equalization of the Eternal in man, is as important as all things else combined, dynamically stated in the command:

"Render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar and unto God that which belongs to God."
___Luke 20:25

Spiritual development never requires more than an hour's time out of the days Twenty-four, and in case of necessity, may be even less.

After a certain degree of inner growth has once been attained, everything that has been achieved as a result of properly directed desire and effort rightly belongs to the aspirant and is at his command. It is his by right of conquest of overcoming, as a reward or return for his faithfulness, his obedience to the Divine Law, and his progress is step by step as he continues in his efforts.

Having utilized constructively, to the benefit of himself and others, all that he has attained, the aspirant must either press forward or retrograde, there being no such thing as standing still. Knowledge is limitless. Step by step as he advances into higher planes of action, and progressively enters the storehouse of experience which brings him wisdom in even greater degree, he will also develop a power, a force, an energy that will help him to attain to even greater heights. This is the mode of procedure, of "using" the Talents" on which the Bible lays so much stress.

Man: body, spirit, mind and the degree of Soul Consciousness attained, is the temple of Spiritual states and spaces. Some of these states and spaces may be active; others wholly latent. Life, as it is lived today by the majority, seldom includes any thought, desire or activity for the awakening and development of these spiritual states - mental and Spiritual "talents" - hence they are left dormant throughout life and again Biblically speaking, are taken from those who failed to use them.

This can only mean that those who fail to follow the commands of the Law leave the world with no higher degree of development or advancement than they possessed when they came into it.

In the advancement of the aspirant there is a broadly marked line of demarcation. Often after the aspirant has gained a knowledge of the direction of forces and powers as a result of obedience to the Divine Law, he is tempted to misuse or misdirect them. It is at this point that the tempter - the symbolic devil - must be met with firmness. This is not always easy, as so well illustrated by the experiences of the Nazarene and Peter.

Nevertheless, if it is the aspirant's desire to advance, to attain step by step, and not to retrograde, the tempter must be met and turned away with resolute purpose to proceed and progress despite all opposition. These temptations are not peculiar to Spiritual attainments, but in all the affairs of life and the penalty for falling into temptation is always certain and inevitable.

All who sincerely seek to become Soul Conscious will not only be willing, but anxious, to prepare the house, the Biblical "temple" by means of self-purification. The mind must be cleansed of all unkind, malicious, hateful and evil thoughts and desires and these replaced with pure, unselfish, generous and kindly thoughts, the exalting vibrations of which will not only lead the aspirant onward and upward, but likewise along the path to complete achievement in all realms of activity.

Thoughts are of the mind. The mind is activated by desire and the requirements of the physical body. The mind is the electrical center of the Soul. By thoughts the mind sends out vibrations which either elevate or degrade both body and Soul. Hence the mind, with its thoughts which induce desire and feelings, is the POINT of BEGINNINGS, the first part of the "house" or "temple" to be cleansed of its rubbish. As long as the mind is filled with thoughts and desires of destructive passions, such as hate, jealousy, malice, resentment, envy and others of like kind, it builds around about itself a ring or circle of vibrations of like nature.

It thus becomes impossible, even if there were the desire, for the inner self to break through and contact the Spiritual forces and entities who are active in the realm we call "heaven" and who are ever ready to help those who are ready and prepared to receive such help. this Law is clearly illustrated in the simple statement:

"Like attracts like."

Every sincere, honest and devoted aspirant is constantly surrounded by the powerful, wholesome, exalted vibrations emanating from the Spiritual realm or spaces above. Every form of ill-feeling, every doubt or indecision, even though conditions might be thought to justify them, will prevent these Divine emanations from reaching those who have charged themselves or enveloped themselves with the vibratory forces inimical to the Divine. In all of his ministry, the Nazarene recognized this and constantly admonished against such evils within the temple.

Those engaged in teaching the Divine Law can be content to do no less than did the Nazarene. Their duty is identical with his. Those of today who will listen and obey the Divine Law, which has never changed, will have the same opportunity, receive the same help, and attain to the same degree of Spiritual Consciousness as did those who were obedient Neophytes in the Temples of Egypt following in the footsteps of the Nazarene who himself had been instructed in these temples and guided until he had attained to Supreme Initiation, known as Cosmic Consciousness.
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