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Preface
5 Planes of Existence
Introduction
Five Planes of Manifestation
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APOSTLES, THE TWELVE
A symbol of the twelve highest qualities or
virtues in the soul. They form a group nearest to the central
indwelling Christ. The apostles are specialized conditions of the
“disciples" and all are qualities which follow the leading of the
Higher Self. The apostles are disciples raised to a state of close
companionship with each other, whereby the Christ is brought into
near relationship with the lower nature now gradually being drawn
towards him.
“By the twelve apostles are signified all things of doctrine
concerning the Lord, and concerning a life according to his
commandments." - SWEDENBORG, Apocalypse Revealed, n. 915.
“Jacob begot the twelve apostles in the Spirit, not in the flesh; in
word, not in blood." - Pseudo-Chrysostom.
“Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are types of the divine life in man.
These children (of Jacob) by Leah and the bondmaids, are the
different forms of life which are produced by the spirit of service
in us out of different principles, Leah and Rachel representing the
higher principles; the bond-maids, other lower principles." - A.
JUKES, Types of Genesis, p. 340.
In the book Am-Tuat, the twelve amakhiu (apostles) of Ră, draw Afu-Ra
(the embodied Self, or Lamb of God) through the body of the Serpent
(lower nature) and bring him out at its mouth, transfigured.
The amakhiu "enter the tail of the serpent as loyal servants, but
like their master, are transformed during their passage through its
body, and they emerge from its mouth as rejuvenated forms of Ra'
each day."-BUDGE, Egypt. Heaven and Hell, Vol. III. p. 193.
“Buddha, like Christ, had twelve great disciples.' 'Only in my
religion,' he said solemnly a little before he died, 'can be found
the twelve great disciples who practise the highest virtues and
excite the world to free itself from its torments' (Bigandet, p.
301)." - A. LILLIE, Budd. in Christendom, p. 138.
“The apostles are the qualities which "practise the highest
virtues," and stimulate the mind to free itself from the causes of
bondage in matter (suffering). In the one religion of the Higher
Self (Buddha or Christ) those qualities which are more advanced help
those behind them to rise.
“The Marriage Supper can be celebrated in the kingdom of the Father
only, when all the 'Twelve Apostles,' or elements corresponding to
the twelve degrees (of the Perfect Man), have been brought into
perfect harmony and at-one-ment, and no defective element any longer
exists among them. In the central place at this divine feast is the
Thirteenth Personage, the Master or Adonai of the system, the
founder and president of the banquet. He it is who in later times
found a representative in the pure and heaven-born Arthur, Ar-Thor -
- the 'Bright Lord' of the Round Table." - The Perfect Way, p. 247.
"In St. Clemente at Rome, in the apsis, is a cross in mosaic, on
which are represented twelve doves, signifying the twelve apostles
united to, or having their life in, Christ." - H. C. BARLOW, Essays on
Symbolism, p. 74.
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