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YOU have been told that Jesus and those like him came back voluntarily and were born under conditions different from the ordinary, in that they had accomplished some degrees of their regeneration. These degrees are twelve in all, and constitute twelve labours, twelve gates, or twelve pearls, all of which are of equal value. Jesus was born regenerate in certain degrees, and the whole were completed only after his "resurrection," during the retirement which ended in his "ascension." The last degrees are the most difficult. There are four for the soul, four for the perisoul (or astral), and four for the body, this being the last. And it was this that Paul was so anxious to accomplish, but failed to do. With some the body is never redeemed; but this does not hinder the "divine marriage" of the soul and spirit. This marriage facilitates the redemption of the body, but may take place without it.
There are four zones or divisions in the astral light, and the reflect of Jesus is in the highest only, and cannot be seen by those who have access only to the lower; and not being strengthened by the shadow of the body of Jesus, it has become fainter, until now it is hardly perceptible. This is because his body was indrawn. 3
Jesus had a great advantage in his birth, owing partly to his own regenerate condition, and partly to that of his parents. Owing to the purity of his mother's blood, she is said to have come of a priestly family. For the same reason his father is said to have come of a royal descent, for the terms "Tribe of Levi" and "House of David" have a mystic meaning. 4
The sanctity of any particular Christ is dependent upon the
advance made by him previously to his birth. Jesus had in this respect an advantage over Buddha. He was regenerate in more degrees, and he had no sexual relations as had Buddha. The Twelve Labours refer each to some concupiscence, which is depicted under the figure of a ravenous bird, horse, or some other animal which requires to be subdued. And Jesus had previously accomplished the Labour denoting that particular kind of concupiscence.
Now, of men some must needs be satisfied first intellectually.
These are regenerate first in the mind; and afterwards they attain to the kingdom.
But some begin from within; and these are the most blessed. For they seek the kingdom first, and the rest is added to them afterwards.
These last begin the Great Work in the heart, by means of the affection. And the grace of love attracts the Holy Spirit, and transmutes them from glory to glory, so that the reason, or mind, is suddenly enlightened by the inner reason; and with such the work of regeneration is instantaneous--"in the twinkling of an eye." These are of the type of the woman.
But others--and these are of the masculine type--must perform their work more laboriously; for in them the mind is first illuminated. They pass from without inwards; from the circumference to the centre. And this is but a difference of method, not of ultimates; for the Reason is the heir of all things.
With these the Great Work is a slow process; but their gold is one in kind with that of the first. For when at last the divine marriage consummates their labours, the mind and the body are already redeemed, and beyond the power of death, because they have already the power.
But with those who are regenerate first within, there is suffering of the body, and often death. For two opposing currents meet with violence, and the result may be the rending apart of body and spirit. But yet their death is not as the death of the unregenerate. Because in the very shock of it transmutation takes place: matter, that is, is sublimated, and the man needs no further incarnation. He is free, for he has conquered matter. Wherefore the bond is severed between him and the earthly, and he will return to the earthly no more.
He who is regenerate first in the body and mind, usually lives long, even beyond the limit of mortal life, and absorbs in that
period his entire astral being, and often even his body. Thus did Enoch, thus Elias, and some others. I do not name them. And Jesus remained to do this also. For he would leave nothing undone, being in the end Lord of the kingdom, the power, and the glory.
But when he arose from the dead, not having seen corruption, nor fallen under the dominion of death, there remained to him one degree of regeneration to be accomplished-he was not yet "ascended."
For there were then but the eleven; because the twelfth--Judas"--was imperfect. And because of this Judas, Jesus fell under the power of the cross.
[For Judas was the type of his own weakness; since the flesh, not being wholly regenerate, was, in that unfulfilled degree, weak.
And the regeneration of his body not being complete before his crucifixion, his flesh-will still warred against his spirit-will, and he could still find room to say, "Not my will, but Thine be done."
The Martyrs who followed his teaching were braver in the face of death than Jesus, though their pains were, for the most part of them, far sharper.
Tender women, maidens, and youths went fearless and smiling to the stake or the rack, without tear or sigh; but Jesus shrank and wept piteously at the foot of his cross.
Yet a man may be victor in the spirit though his body remain unredeemed. For this redemption of the body--when fully accomplished--is transmutation, and its beginning is the At-one-ment of the will of the flesh with the will of the spirit.]
But when Jesus completed his regeneration, then there were again twelve.
But until Jesus, no man ever attained these twelve degrees and the divine marriage from within. Hitherto the taking of the kingdom had been from without, by violence and labour, after the manner of the Patriarchs.
Now, these twelve degrees are fourfold for almost every part of man; being four for the body, four for the astral, four for the soul, but one for the spirit.
And until Jesus there had been no regeneration of the twelve in this order-from within. Buddha at his death had attained to the ten only.
For of sonic the regeneration is fourfold; being one degree for each kingdom, and the last for the marriage of the spirit.
And with some it is sevenfold; being two for each kingdom, and
the seventh for the marriage. Such was the regeneration of the mother and father of Jesus.
But Jesus himself had more than the four, the seven, or the ten; for he had the thirteen.
And first he had four of the soul. With these, two of the astral, and one of the body, he was born.
Afterwards, at the "ninth hour," when he had completed the fourth degree of the astral, he consummated the divine marriage.
Afterwards he achieved three degrees for his body, but the last only after his "ascension" to the mount of the Lord.
No man ever attained thus before. And since the glory is of the Spirit, or divine part, it is said 1 that Jesus by his marriage feast manifested forth his glory.
And the celebration of this marriage was in Jordan; but the manifestation was in Cana.
For Jesus had received the Double Portion; and hence his double glory. 2
65:2 London, July 9, 1881. Received in sleep. See also No. XXXIII.
65:3 Some occultists have made their own failure to discern the reflect of Jesus--a failure here accounted for--a ground for denying his existence. E. M.
65:4 For another and more profound meaning of the derivation from David, see note to No. XXXVIII. E. M.
68:1 I.e. in the Mysteries, on which the Gospels are based. E. M.
68:2 Concerning the Double Portion, see No. XXXVII.