This next part will provide a more structured view of the evolutionary process that we are involved with. This in turn will provide a more objective view of that process which is by nature subjective. Each of the initiations represents a milestone on what is termed “the Path”, and as the name implies each is the beginning of a new phase. The following points will help to summarize the nature of this process.
(a) Man is involved in a life process of many hundreds of incarnations that extend over a total span of millions of years. During this entire period of time he has been perfecting the separate parts of his being, his bodies of consciousness. In the initial phase of his evolutionary journey he was involved for millions of years in an effort to perfect his physical form, and subsequently his astral body, again over a long period of time. In the final phase of this development as relating largely to the mental vehicle, he passes through a series of five initiations that take place over a span of perhaps twelve incarnations.
(b) The initiations are presented in the Bible as representing phases in the life of the disciple Jesus. Where fact and allegory diverge is left to the reader and Biblical scholars.
THE FIRST INITIATION, termed the “Birth”, finalizes the development of the physical body. This process relates to control of the physical appetites.
THE SECOND INITIATION, termed the “Baptism” finalizes the development and control of the astral body that represents the fluid, emotional nature of man.
THE THIRD INITIATION, termed the “Transfiguration”, finalizes the personality aspect as relating to the mental body as it becomes the dominant vehicle as well as the perfected personality.
THE FOURTH INITIATION, termed the “Renunciation”, is where man leaves the guidance and protection of the soul.
THE FIFTH INITIATION, the “Revelation”, is where man breaks his ties with physical plane existence, and begins his new life in the spiritual worlds, in his etheric form .
(c) Because these initiations all occur on the subjective planes they are outside the sensory awareness of man, nevertheless he is consciously aware of them as they may occur in a dreamlike state. While he is also aware that this has somehow changed his life, there is no carryover of this knowledge to a new life experience, the new page is blank.
(d) As the course of initiations proceed, each of the bodies of consciousness is progressively refined over a series of lifetimes. This is also to say that the deva lives that are the substance of those planes and the sub-planes are being continuously rebuilt with ones of finer, and more energized substance for the cells of our bodies are constantly renewing themselves. In this process we say the sub-planes are being successively mastered as they become built with the new level or quality of deva substance. Our actions and activities, the conduct of our life, directly affect this process.