THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE HOLY SPIRIT Paper No. 53 May, 1933

Because of there being considerable misunderstanding as to just what is the Christ Consciousness, in this heart to heart talk we will try to make it so clear that all may know it with certainty, and can distinguish it from all lesser states.

Our model will always be our beloved Master and Teacher, Christ Jesus. First you must know yourself to be in His Consciousness, in that Consciousness where He always spoke as one of authority, as knowing all things and having all power. You, when in It, must be able to speak from that Consciousness, where you know you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that your human mind can come unto the Father’s perfect Love and Blessings only through its KNOWING that you and the Father are One, and all that the Father has is yours.

In other words, you must bring your human mind back into your True Consciousness, away from all sense of separation from Christ and God; where it knows as you know and sees through your eyes the goodness and perfection of all things, and no longer sees the evil and imperfection everywhere apparent to mortal eyes.

But perhaps some of you cannot grasp all this as yet, and cannot retire in consciousness back of or outside of your human mind, and you think, when you become conscious of the Christ Love within, and strongly feel It and are led by Its Voice, that you are then in the Christ Consciousness.

Many think this, and many teachers even have taught it. But they are then still in the consciousness of their human minds, and are still disciples, waiting upon and being taught by the Christ within. This is a blessed stage, and We have been working for many years to help you to attain this stage. But this Christ Love within, as has so often been told in these Teachings, is the Real You, your Divine Self, a Son of God.

The time will be, and We hope soon, when your human mind will glimpse this, will determinedly seek to yield up all sense of self and of separation; and then will go back and strive faithfully to follow the different exercises and suggestions given to aid you to retire into your True Consciousness.

Paper after Paper has been devoted to explaining and making clear how to find and enter that Consciousness, and those of you who do not yet glimpse it are now asked to consider carefully and prayerfully all of the above and to make more determined efforts to understand Our real meaning. Until you get that meaning and accomplish what your soul intended when bringing you into this Work, you are shut out from all that is reserved for those who have found their Father’s home.

In the 50th Paper you were asked to try to speak the Prayer on the Blue Card, but changing it so you would be saying it from your Christ Consciousness. Then you were asked to change the Lord’s Prayer and also the Twenty Third Psalm, so you could say them likewise from your Christ Consciousness.

Some have written saying that the working out of the changes in these Prayers according to suggestions and repeating them in the new form; more than anything else, has helped to lift them out of their human minds into their Christ Consciousness. We tell you this for the benefit of those who are truly in earnest and have not yet succeeded in retiring to that Consciousness; for We know that if it helped others, it will help you. And We know of no better practice for everyone than trying to say and then always saying these Prayers in the consciousness of their changed meaning.

For in the Prayers as originally given it is the human self who prays. But as changed it is the Christ Self asking the Father to help lift the consciousness of the human mind into your Christ Consciousness.

In order to make sure that you are saying these three Prayers in and from your Christ Consciousness, We now ask you to submit them to the Sun Center in the form in which you have changed them, when they will be corrected, or confirmed, and returned to you.

You who have not yet obeyed the suggestion to make the changes—and We know many of you have not—will find a very definite spiritual growth resulting from your successful effort. Make no mistake; this is very much more important than you have realized. We dare not say more. You have been given your chance—and are hereby given another chance. What you now do will affect chiefly yourself; and hereafter, if you see your fellows enjoying blessings that you have been longing for and failed to attain, you will have no one to blame but yourself that they are not for you.

We will now give you a hint of what awaits those who have found and are able to abide in and work from the Christ Consciousness. You all know of the “miracles” that Jesus did in that Consciousness and, after His Ascension and when the Holy Spirit descended upon His disciples, what they did. And you know what He promised His disciples—that “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”—John 14:12.

As We indicated once before, We are preparing you, His disciples, so you can come into your True Consciousness and can assume the part and take the place that will enable you to accomplish what you came into incarnation at this time to do, as agents of the Brotherhood. Which means that in your True Consciousness you will be able to do all that Jesus did and all that His disciples did—in the so-called miracles They performed—when necessary to further the Father’s Work. For with the Christ Consciousness naturally comes all of the Christ Wisdom and Power.

But all this will not be given you until you have lifted your human mind above all sense of separation into your Christ Consciousness, where Love always rules and your mind is One with You and no longer desires anything for self, but has surrendered and merged itself utterly in the life and work of Christ and the Brotherhood.

We wonder if you realize just what that means? Also if you are beginning to glimpse why you have not as yet been able to rise in your human mind to the true Christ Consciousness? It is only because you are so greatly desiring it, so ardently longing for it, being so concerned about it, that you can not attain it. For that desire, that longing, that concern, is all of the self; and self must surrender all desire, all concern, and lose itself completely before your mind can enter Your Consciousness and be One with You, its Divine and Only Self.

In order that you may know the great importance of what We are preparing you for, and what is possible for everyone that has been led into the Impersonal Work and has followed in It thus far, We ask you to think of all the teachers and advanced souls you know, and how many are actually in the Christ Consciousness and can do all the things that Jesus did! Think you there are a dozen such in the United States?

Shall We tell you that in this Work there are being prepared for that high Consciousness, or are more or less in it now, perhaps more souls than there are at present elsewhere in this country and in Europe? Consider what that means, and what is possible for you, if you are deadly in earnest and are faithful in making the finding of the kingdom first! How are you going to prove to yourself and to others that it is first? Only by day after day and hour after hour each day, striving to abide in your True Consciousness—in the Consciousness of that Great Love in your heart—and trying always, every moment of the day, to think, speak and act from Its Consciousness, under any and every circumstance.

Only one who is doing that is proving that it is first, and that nothing else supercedes it.

We will await receipt of the three Prayers changed as suggested, and ask all to send them as soon as possible.

HOLY WEEK

Another Easter season has come and gone; another rebirth has taken place, and many of you have felt it and are definitely aware of a new phase of consciousness expressing in and through you. Remember, all manifestations of life are but the unfolding of consciousness expressing through the life in the form. In other words, consciousness is the soul; its expression is life, and its form or medium of expression is the body in which it manifests.

Consciousness—your soul—is ever seeking to unfold itself into fuller and more complete expression—expression of the One Mind and Its perfect Life; season after season, life after life, each one a further unfoldment and a higher expression of the One Life, ever seeking to outpicture Its Perfection on earth even as It is in the Kingdom of the One Mind.

This Easter has brought a very perceptible unfoldment of consciousness to most of our dear ones. All who have written us have shown it, and we are going to quote from some of their letters, in order that you may see and understand what others have felt and how they reacted to this wonderful Life pushing forth from within, trying to bring all of your minds into complete Oneness with That which is their real Self and Nature—the Christ—the Holy Spirit of God:

“As I have written you many times, it is all becoming clearer to me as I travel with you. On Easter Sunday afternoon I spent four or more hours re-reading the Papers; most of the time I seemed to be fully conscious that others were reading with me, and I was a bit drowsy but my mind was still alert and upon the Paper and what I was reading. Then late in the afternoon all at once my eyes seemed to see more clearly and a brighter light seemed to be all about me, as if I had just returned in full possession of all my faculties after a deep sleep; there was a quickening of the whole consciousness, it seemed.” (We have had a number report almost identical experiences.)

“On Saturday night, the 15th, near midnight or soon after, I seemed to be taken to a place where there was quite a number of people. The first thing I remembered seeing clearly was a beautiful white Temple, so radiantly white with light all around it. It seemed to cover a large space, was round and had entrances all around, was much higher in the center than at the sides, but there was no dome—more like a spire that ran up to a point. The Temple itself was on high ground and was magnificent. The throng of people I could see were moving around in the Temple. I did not know any of them after the flesh, but it was so natural I seemed to know them all. The next thing of importance, I found myself in a long row of people who appeared to be receiving instruction. When it came my turn I was trying so hard to hear and understand that I did not get it. But a voice said, ‘Do not let it disturb you; you will get it; it will come through later.’ Then I was given a white card with a number on it.” (Three different ones reported receiving such a card, or written message; which was symbolic of impressing it strongly upon their consciousness.)

“On Sunday, April 9th, I saw in a center of light what appeared to be a fire burning on the ground that burned steadily. It seemed to me as a cleansing fire, for the ones that stood in front of it were being cleansed of impure thoughts. I then heard soft music, and each note was a different color and some rays were longer than others. It was all beautiful but very still. Then I seemed to see women walking up a hill, their heads bowed and covered as if in deep sorrow. And this is the message that came from Jesus, our Lord and Master, as a still small voice: “To the men of earth I come; not in the form of man, but through men. I am many, yet I am One. The time has been long that men have crushed one another. I have watched and see only chaos and ruin; so many have descended deep, even unto the lowest pit, not to rise again for many millions of years. Then they shall have a chance to try again. But the time is now short. Man will tear the tongue out of man; houses will rock and fall; churches will be crushed. The storms will be so great, lightning will cause the people to fear. Yet My Work will go on. I tried to tell you before, but you could not understand. Waste not your time, but work ever for My Cause’.” “During meditation from one to three o’clock P.M., on Good Friday, I saw a very vivid picture of our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and the large gathering of people there to witness the event.”

“Saturday night before Easter soon after entering the Silence, I heard the strains of ‘The Holy City,’ but more mentally than clairaudiently. I received many mental impressions, but was not able to recall them clearly at all. The first waking thought Easter morning was the words of a verse to the tune of ‘Silent Night, Holiest Night—Holy Breath, Healing Breath; Breath of Life, Living Breath; Enter into our hearts today, Enter into our lives to stay: O, Thou Heavenly Breath, Our sweet Holy Breath’.”

“Early Thursday morning, April 13th, I had a vision of a great storm and blackness over the world, similar to that at the time of Christ’s crucifixion. Then on Saturday afternoon the seeming hopelessness of everything—of all effort, of all work; when I remembered what was said in explanation in the Paper. Truly at that time must my soul have been ‘hidden with Christ in God’.”

“Saturday before Easter I found myself standing with a very few, and with many open spaces all about me. I noticed there were not Priests, etc., (as last year) with their robes, but only those who were garbed in a bluish white. Then the Master addressed us, saying, ‘You are here before Me, while the world is in a turmoil and life does not seem worth living. I am here to tell you who are gathered here that many conditions you are in are finished. (This startled me greatly, but I did not realize its full meaning until while doing my housework next morning. Then I said over and over again to myself, ‘This seeming lack is finished and my needs are to be filled’.) In single file we passed before the Master, and to me He said, ‘Always remember Me.’ I found I was wearing a wreath of green laurel as I stepped forward and into the pool and that I had on a very thin garment. But after Jesus had put water on my head with something that looked like a shell, I stood naked. As I raised my eyes to heaven, the sky burst open and a very beautiful dove appeared with a light streaming from high above and on me. I stretched out my arms to that dove and light, and thanked God from the bottom of my heart.”

“On Saturday evening, April 15th, I found myself with a host of others gliding through the air to Jerusalem. After we reached there we began walking in pairs, all in flowing white robes, and each carrying over the left arm a spray of Easter lilies. We all felt the sublime sacredness of the occasion and moved along in orderly procession until we reached a church, where I soon found myself inside facing an altar banked with beautiful flowers, which also lined the walls, so that there seemed to be no walls. Looking toward the pulpit I saw Christ standing with arms outstretched in blessing. He began to talk, the crowd listening as one man, their whole attention fixed on His words. I heard and understood all he said, but can recall no words.”

“Saturday night, the 15th, I could not sleep. It seemed I was in the Garden just outside the tomb. Then quietly, peacefully, about three o’clock, I said, ‘He is risen!’ risen!’ And then I heard myself say, ‘Oh why do we stay so long at the Cross—why do we linger so long by the Tomb? He has arisen! Now—now is the resurrection and life for the world! The light is here!’ But all day Easter there was a tinge of sadness. I would find myself sitting with folded hands praying for the world. Easter has always been such a joyous season—I could not quite understand. But I feel that much good will be done in the Nation to bring all of the real ones into close unity this Summer, prepared to stand together in a most trying time.”

“Saturday, April 15th. (“This started with a short and very vivid vision of the Christ, such as I often saw when starting on the Path.”)

“My child, that is why I came to you so often in vision—to show you where your real work lies and to help you on the Way. In former ages you were already allied with the Brotherhood of Christ, vowed to work for Me. You often slipped back, but now that you have found Me within, you will stand firm and nothing can make you forget again Who you are and of What you are a part. Give yourself entirely to Us, dear child. Your work is waiting and will be given you gradually. All My faithful ones must gather about Me in the dark times to come, to form a Center of Light and Love that will eventually light the earth. Therefore group yourselves together and be ever prepared for My Call. There is work for each, but all must work as one, giving of their best. For through you, My Children, must come the help by which the inhabitants of earth shall be saved. Blessed are ye who have found your Lord within and are doing His Holy Bidding. May Peace and our Father’s Blessing be with you. Amen.”

These were some of the experiences reported. Another disciple was in the Garden of Gethsemane praying and watching with Him all through the night. Another followed with Him on the road to Golgotha, and saw Him hanging on the cross. While others felt they were with Him all during Holy Week and were being taught by Him.

It all shows that those who truly sought to be worthy, and whose minds and hearts were fixed on Him this Easter Season, were given actual evidence of His Loving Presence in one way or another.

But remember, He in reality is the Christ Love in your hearts, God’s Holy Spirit, Which is so strongly making Itself felt this Spring time, and Which but outpictures Itself to your human minds in these mystical incidents in the life of Him Who came to point us the Way, the Truth, and the Life that He, Himself, was, is and always will be.

IMPERSONAL GROUPS

Has all that has been said in the last few Papers inspired you to greater efforts toward service? Have you felt the call to carry the message to those of your friends wandering in the darkness of self—to draw them into a group to study and discuss the higher truths in the Magazine or in the Papers? Are you obeying the urge from within to be about your Father’s business, even as you would be were the Master here in the flesh asking it of you?

Search your heart and mind and see if you are doing all that He wants you to do.