A morning talk by the Rev. J. van der Stok

August 7, 1956

Brethren,

The subject of this little talk is again the mysteries and the powers of the great festival of Our Lady, the festival of Her Assumption.

We may approach these mysteries and powers along different ways. I have already spoken about two different ones, the first one using a system of three functions and the other using five functions. The first one - the more conventional one in the Christian faith - is based on the Form aspect in its widest meaning. These three functions are celebrated by three festivals: Our Lady's Nativity (Sept. 8th), the Annunciation (March 25th) and the Assumption (Aug. 15th). The first function comes to full bloom early September. We can visualize its effect as the bud of a water lilly floating in the waters of Space. This is the first Divine Form, the prime condition for the creation of the universes that are and will come. They are the hypostasis of the waters of Space, but I will not go into it now, as I have already spoken about them.

The second Festival, in the first approach, is the Annunciation. The picture associated with this festival is quite different, it is more detailed. By then, the bud has opened itself to the light, it is unfolded, so the water lilly shows the full beauty and glory of Form. It displays its powers resting, floating on the surface of the waters of the deep seas resting on a bedrock of living, virginal rock. It is dreaming in the air and growing towards heaven. So, the Divine Form unfolds itself in three elements: the earth of the rock, the water of the seas, and the air of heaven. This form is reflecting the structure of the Light towards which it is growing. The structure of the leaves of the water lilly reminds us of veins, a middle vein and its division in many veins oriented towards the center of the leaves.

The three elements and the Form are challenging the divine Fire and the divine Light. The challenge creates a divine stimulus, a divine incentive, a spurring motive. They create the conditions for the first appearance of the masculine functions. The feminine energies are always preceding the masculine manifestation, and without them no real vision, no creation is possible. We walking in delusion when we give prominence to the masculine functions.

We have come to the festival of the Assumption. The consciousness in the flower is most intense, it becomes, for the first time, aware of its surroundings. Around the time of the Assumption, we may visualize the flower as completely dedicated to its surrounding, to the elements, to the divine Fire and Light. It empties itself of all its energy in the urge to fulfill its ambition to be consumed in the flame of total dedication. And a deepening of its depth occurs, followed by a re-emergence from the Deep, even from what transcends the Deep, to accomplish a perfect renewal and a glorification.

After looking at the three functions systems, let us have a look at the system with the five functions. The five functions are celebrated as follows: Our Lady's Nativity (Sep. 8th), the Annunciation (Mar. 25th), Christmas (Dec. 25th), the Visitation (Jul. 2nd), and the Assumption (Aug. 15th).

At the Nativity, we see a perfect little girl, the divine feminine Child with all the powers of innocence, spontaneity, total openness and profound purity. She is the embodiment of the Wisdom and the Glory in the Form. At the second festival, the Annunciation, she has become the divine Bride; her call and attraction causes the manifestation of the Bridegroom. At Christmas, she is the divine Mother baring the divine boy-child. With the appearance of the Bambino, there is a balance in every respect. At the Visitation, she has become the divine Mother. bountiful, with a multitude of graces, a display of all the heavenly glories. Finally, at the Assumption, she is the divine Mother of all the worlds, of all existence, of all beings even. In this last aspect, she is enfolding the universe in the Depth of Her primordial Wisdom. By her action, she brings about a fundamental renewal of Life, and transcends beauty.

Now we have arrived to the most complex, the most difficult approach of the feminine functions. I do not pretend to provide a clear presentation for many of you. I will be approaching these truths from a mystical point of vue, and therefore will have to use my own language, as the Occultists and the Scientists need to use a special language to express their thoughts. To understand a mystical approach, you need to learn that special language.

Let us begin with the month of September and travel around the year of the 12 months, and when we will arrive in August, we will have reviewed the 12 functions I want to present.

In September we begin with the in contact with the divine substances and the divine essences. The topic of Form can impossibly be avoided, but it is to be seen only in a secondary fashion. When we look at the system with three aspects, we see that the divine Form is prominent. In the next system with five aspects, it is the personification of the divine Feminine Principle in the universe. Now we look at a more complex, more essential and more real principle. There is nothing abstract in this concept, and considering it as an abstraction is a loss of time and energy. The divine background of September and its divine substance appears as virgin obsedian rock, violet and pregnant with the Mystery. If we manage to visualize it, it will appear as the ultimate substance of spontaneous creation. It is implacably, relentlessly pure. It teaches about the spontaneous creation of Form, of transcending Perfection and Beauty as any true spontaneous creation must be. We could see this aspect of a deeper foundation for the festival of the Nativity.

The background of October is still as pure as the one of September. It may perhaps be a little milder, but still manifests the principle of spontaneous creation and it teaches us about the spontaneous production of the crystal Light of the Spirit. in stead of the teaching about the transcendent beauty in Form and corporality.

When we arrive in November the background of it changes into an abyssal depth that flows as a clear spring. It is a spring of the clearest waters we can conceive, and it still has the power of transcending creation, but also the wonders and glories of the Soul in its transcending aspect.

We can only attempt to approach the background of December. The creative substance of that month will appear to glow, if we compare it with the ones of the three previous months. This divine glow is like the highest aspect of the shekina of the Kabalist. It is the substance from which the world of manifestation and existence will leap forth spontaneously. It is the background of spontaneous creation of the divine Intelligence, but in its highest meaning.

When we arrive in the different atmosphere of January, we have considered the fourth function, but now appears the function of Manifestation. It is the function of universal Life pervading the entire universe and sustaining it; it is the domain of development, of manifestation, so there is absolutely no relationship with the power of spontaneous creation present in the background of the four previous months.

The Universal Life changes itself into the Waters of Life in February. A star is shining in the air, in the sky above. We must consider air, water, and the star which is one of the symbols of the development of the divine spirit. So, we see that the spontaneous Creation is not taking place as the first movement in the process of the creation.

In March. it is as if we see only the seas. They appear more dense now and we see that its waters create a jewel. It may help our imagination if we think of an opal with rich colors. The teachings of this month are about the development of the Soul. I will not expand on the meaning of the word "soul", although its mystical meaning is very different from its occult one. You will understand the word if you consider it functionaly, as I have tried to do it, one meaning after another, one meaning calling for another, one demanding the next one.

In April, we have to think of the four horizons, ever widening; and of the surface of the seas, the churning oceans as they are called, full of disturbances and in perpetual movement. But forms of power and glory appear from the horizons. These are all feminine powers that are gently and sweetly ordering all things, bringing about a magnificent glorious harmony in the world of existence, by transmuting the disturbances into order. It is telling us of the development and the growth of the mind. Grows is the key word: growth of the Spirit in February; the growth of the Soul in March; and now in April, the growth of the Mind.

We have now to consider the last four months. They are different because the Mystery filtering through and penetrates the Spirit, the Soul, the Mind, and the Life of the whole manifestation in four phases. The first phase takes place in May. A mysterious Ether, more subtle than all the other elements, carries the fragrance of the deep Mystery. It is a unique fragrance, it cannot reveal more at this stage. It raises the intelligence - it is not a matter of growth anymore - and makes a close connection with the Mysteries of the Deep.

In June, the Mystery can filter through more fully. It gives a deeper power to the world to approach the Ultimate Reality, which is the Mystery. We can only approach this Mystery by the Path of total dedication and of the spirit of Sacrifice.

July prepares us to enter in the most hidden Sanctuary. Its atmosphere is like magnetic Will. It is the Will born in full, complete, self consuming dedication. It is called Iccha in Sanskrit. It is the power of Maha-Vidya in its highest meaning.

After the preparation is complete, in August, we penetrate the Mystery of the Flame, the Form of the Absolute. The whole system, even the prime substance of September and October, will be totally consumed by the Flame into a complete Assumption. There is the true renewal, a transcendent glory, and happiness everywhere.