Our service today spans not only the North American continent but the Atlantic Ocean as well. There is a line of connection between all of us here in the Chapel at 100 Mile House and all of you there in Mickleton. There is indeed a cord of connection symbolized by the telephone line, but this cord of horizontal connection which we know this evening and this morning may be woven more strongly during this hour. But the fact that it exists at all is consequent upon the cord of vertical connection. To the extent that there is this connection from heaven there is also the connection on earth. Such connections on earth are impossible in any close meaningful sense, connections of agreement, without first the woven connection between heaven and earth. Because there is such a connection in our own experience, a heavenly connection, we delight also in the earthly connection. Indeed we are most thankful to be privileged to share this hour in these two locations.
A door has indeed been opened in heaven. I would like to say a word about this in connection with a name: Emissaries of Divine Light, or in abbreviated form, EDL. Many people talk about EDL without really knowing what they are talking about. I would suggest that EDL is a door. There are many fancy doors to great buildings in the earth. There were massive doors opening into the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. These are brass doors, and we were told it took twelve men to open them. One may stand outside the cathedral and look at the doors. Because they are so massive and because they are made the way they are, they may appear to be very impressive. One may be in awe of the door. One may also examine such doors critically. There are those who maybe think they should have been designed some other way. I'm still speaking about those massive cathedral doors.
But if we turn to EDL and recognize that here is a door, then indeed there may be something impressive about the door, or there may be those things to which observers take exception. Even those who are associated more closely with EDL have been known to assume a critical attitude toward the door. A door is useful because it can be opened. It is most useful when it is scarcely visible. One can then move easily in and out through the doorway, which was previously blocked by the door. Would it be helpful if Emissaries of Divine Light changed its name to "The East Gate," for instance? If a person really begins to recognize that EDL is a name given to a form which composes a door capable of being opened, then there might be less concern about the design of the door, if one accepted the fact that its value was in being open. And when it is open it is scarcely visible at all. It is only visible and therefore subject to human judgment when it is closed to the person who judges. There would be no judgment at all if it was open because there would be no door apparent, just the space through which there might be movement back and forth.
This name, EDL, given to a form, is something like our names. We all have names which identify our forms. We are accustomed to looking at one another in terms of those names and, in times past—I'm sure it is not so out front as it used to be—there may have been judgment as to the forms to which the names were attached. It seems that some people like their names, some people don't. I'm speaking of first names now, given names. We were all given names before we had any input in the matter, and so it seems reasonable that there could be like and dislike with respect to this. Most of us have grown accustomed to our names and accept them. Some of course change them or prefer nicknames. But here is identification of a form, just as EDL is identification of a form.
We are well aware that there is more to us as individuals than the form, more to us than our names. The same is true of the form and the name EDL. Individually our forms are properly available for the revelation of what is called light. Here we find that the name EDL is probably more fitting than any of the names which we ourselves may have. It is indication of the fact that identity is in the light, not in the form. Of course the light must shine for this identity to be seen and recognized; but when it is seen and recognized it is indication of the fact that the door is open, so that the personal name, or EDL as the case may be, is no longer so prominent. Only those who see EDL as a closed door fuss about it. They may be concerned that the design is not the way they think it ought to be. The design of the door is perhaps useful and may even be beautiful; but, even so, the use and the beauty pale into insignificance when the door is opened.
It is well that we should all understand that the name EDL is the name of a door, a door which may be opened if one is willing that it should be. If one is stuck with examining the door and making assumptions that it should be some other way than it is, what a waste of time. Why not just let the door be opened? Then the value may begin to be appreciated and understood. As long as it is closed it is nothing but a door, blocking the way. But one maintains that block by one's judgment of the appearance. This we see also as it relates to each individual. Each person is a door. Your given name identifies the door. It doesn't identify what would be apparent if the door was open. We have been concerned to allow these doors to be opened, individually. When this occurs for oneself there is understanding with respect to the door called EDL, because that is open then also.
One cannot pry open EDL. One can allow one's own door to be opened, in which case the door of EDL is open too. Usually people approach the door of EDL imagining that they have to get that one open, but the first one to open relates to oneself. Unless one's own door, one's own form with a name, is open, the door of EDL is not open—to oneself. One can't make it open; one can't examine EDL, one can't examine the door, and imagine that that would be sufficient. Well I suppose one could imagine that that would be sufficient, but it isn't, because the purpose of the door is to be opened. However the first door to be opened relates to oneself. It may be that the design on the door of EDL will give some clues as to how one's own door may be opened. That, after all, has been the suggestion all along, hasn't it? The value of the closed door of EDL is just to the extent that the design on the door encourages one's own willingness to let oneself be opened. And when that happens, lo and behold, EDL is open and is no longer a subject for judgment.
This is an approach that may be quite usefully made as it begins to be seen as quite accurate. So there are names; we all have them. And whatever the form of EDL may seem to be, it has a name, but that is not the identity. None of us by repeating our own name can come to an awareness of our own true identity. That should be more or less obvious, because it isn't the name of our true identity; it's the name of the form which needs to be opened in order to discover what the true identity is. The opening of the door lets the light shine. This is why I said I thought the name EDL was far more accurate than any of the names which we ourselves have, in revealing the truth of the matter, because the identity is in the light. Unless the light shines one cannot experience one's own true identity which, as we well know, is found in heaven. It isn't discoverable on earth by examining the earth. It isn't discoverable by looking into our psychological character, for instance. It isn't discoverable by examining our physical forms. Our physical forms are a door, which must be opened by the shining of the light. The physical form as it is now known in this human state is very dense, one might say. The light finds quite a job getting through. Sometimes there are those who are spoken of as having a "glow of health." That is a very restricted evidence of life in that form, but there is something much more to be known than is presently conceivable to the human mind.
The human mind is the means by which the light may shine. We have spoken of Lucifer, the light-bearer. The transparent mind allows the already existing angelic light to shine through. The mind is not an entity of itself, as it tries to be in the human state. Trying to be an entity of itself, it becomes satan; it lands up in darkness. The state of the human mind, in the peoples of the world as we now know it, is darkened. The light is still present—we're still alive—but the light shines in the darkness and the darkness comprehends it not. We are aware of this state, the state where there is a separation between the heaven and the earth of the individual human being. That separation has taken place because satan, the darkened mind, has assumed—or usurped, I suppose you could say—the position of the true identity, the true identity which isn't Lucifer but is revealed by the fact of Lucifer's presence, because Lucifer is the light-bearer, the identity-bearer. It makes possible the experience of the true identity.
We are quite aware of our own propensities, mental propensities, to try to do our own thing and get our own way. We've examined manifold aspects related to this endeavor in order to recognize the fact that this is the state of affairs. As long as it is the state of affairs we remain in darkness, and the only identity we seem to have is the one to which this given human name relates. We are inclined to ask people, "What's your name?" or, "Do I know you? Who are you?" And a name will be forthcoming. "Ah, now I know." Sometimes in my own experience this reminds me of something that I had maybe temporarily forgotten. There seem to be so many names to remember, none of which identify those concerned. However I suppose there is a certain usefulness to it, as there has been a usefulness to the name EDL. But EDL and our own names are names of the form only; they do not reveal the identity.
We ourselves know that we properly come in the name of the Lord. How can we come in the name of the Lord if we don't know His name? I think there has been a certain amount of fooling ourselves on this basis. We could say of ourselves, "I am the door," just as we may say of EDL, "I am the door." The closed door is of little value. But when the door is opened, the door itself recedes into the background, and all that is seen is what emerges by reason of the open door. And that emergence is light. In light is the truth of each one. What a very practical suggestion: "Let your light so shine." That simply means, allow Lucifer to be restored so that the light of true being may shine forth. And when it does, there is the identity, and it is known. It doesn't mean that humanly speaking we drop our human names and pick up another one; it simply means that we are identifiable by the light which is shining. Is this not the way that Emissaries of Divine Light are aware of each other? We discover that we have friends all over the face of the earth. We may never have met them before, but when we do, we know. Why is that? Simply because there is at least some measure of light shining. Lucifer begins to come again into place; and the darkened satan consciousness, while one may be aware of the fact of it, carries little or no weight.
Let your light so shine. It is a spiritual light, we might say, in which case it probably seems to be incomprehensible light. But heaven and earth are one; so what is deemed to be spiritual light has its counterpart in the earth, which could be said to be literal light. The evidence of man, the truth of man, is in the light. This physical form is something of a burden, isn't it? We have to lug it around. Some of us are more sprightly than others, more agile, but it becomes a more evident burden as one grows older. It's a heavy load of flesh to pack around! This is a form which has enabled the continued existence of potential Man on earth. It is useful because of this. But to become the form of Man it must be filled with light. "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light"—literal light. They say that light weighs a little, but not much. It's very light! And if the composition of human expression in living is light, the body becomes light. Here we see something of a transformation, even transmutation, to occur.
However, Man is more than one person. Even from the standpoint of the beginning of things, it turned out to be Adam and Eve—two, at least. So the light relates to more than one person. It may be said that Man is composed of a body of individuals, and the form of that body is made up of the individuals who compose it. That body is properly the light in expression, the radiant light made manifest. This is something very different to this heavy clod of flesh. Where to start to let the restoration come? We know where to start, because we have started. The question is of no interest any longer. EDL, Emissaries of Divine Light: a form composed of individuals through whom the light shines.
The light shines through the form of EDL to the extent that it is shining through the forms of those who compose the form of EDL. It's not some sort of extraneous light that appears magically through EDL, whatever that is. EDL doesn't exist except for those individual forms that are drawn together to compose it. The shining of the light relates to that form. The transformation, in other words, relates to that form. Obviously it relates to the individuals who compose that form, but it doesn't happen merely for this individual and that individual. It occurs because there is a form, which presently is identified by the letters "EDL."
Because there is such a form there is a facility through which the light may shine. But then we come back to the individual, because the extent to which it is shining is dependent upon the extent to which it is shining through each individual. As we have recognized before, the sum of the light—in this instance, light shining through these individuals—is not the total light shining through the form of EDL. That is far more. We have seen this from the standpoint of putting two people together, a man and a woman for instance. Each has an ability to reveal and express and radiate the light, to whatever extent. If you add one and one together, we find more than two. This is a new math! Properly there are at least three: there are the two who are together and there is the new state that comes because they are together. So one and one make three.
This just illustrates something. The composition of the body, the form, of EDL provides a facility which can radiate far more light than the sum of all the light of the individuals who compose the body of EDL, and because that is far more, it enhances the individual expression of light. We begin to find something happening exponentially here, but it only comes because, individually, responsibility is being taken for letting the light shine to the extent that it may now do so. Then that extent of light, put together collectively, is found to be far more than the mere sum of the individual light. This is indication of how rapidly transformation can occur. We ourselves as individuals simply keep it from occurring, if it doesn't occur. We have known the fact of our own individual responsibility. We may see it now in terms of letting the light shine.
We find that there are variations in the shining of the light. We may take what is occurring now as an example. My responsibility is of a particular nature which will permit an intensification of the light to shine by reason of my radiant expression. This is very different to what may occur in conversation, for instance, during the day. In other words, as Uranda put it one time—you may recall from Class—the sun rises, and there is day; there is a bright intensity of radiation for whatever period of time is necessary for that. And then the sun sets. But the morning star is still there. In fact when the sun is shining the morning star can't be seen, but when the sun sets the morning star is right there. Lucifer is always on hand, but he is the light-bearer. He doesn't bear a flaming torch which is always the same intensity. He bears whatever light is necessary in the particular circumstance of the moment. And there is a variation in the intensity of that light, but it is always the same light. It's not some sort of strange extraneous light coming in on special occasions. "On special occasions a light is going to come from"—where would you like it to come from? Jupiter! And there it will be for us." No, it's the same light, but there are pulsations in the creative process, and it shines with the intensity that is necessary in the moment. At least this is the intent, unless we block it.
So we are very much aware, I'm sure, of the real nature of our responsibility mentally. The light determines what is thought. The light determines, therefore, what is said and what is done. Here is the process of creation. Creation comes through thought. It has continued to come through the thoughts of human beings in this fallen condition, but very sluggishly. It takes a great deal of the sweat of the brow to get anything done. We all know that, in this human state. We've struggled with it and exhausted ourselves at the business. But where the thought which moves through the mind is not generated by the mind but is generated by the light, it's easy and there is a natural flow. And all creation has occurred on this basis within the range of the responsibility of man. It would be very risky, wouldn't it, if presently your thoughts during a day were immediately to take form! So it's useful that a certain sluggishness has put in an appearance. But they do take form after a while, and they come back to haunt us. What a wretched state.
How wonderful to have the mind transparent so that the light may be born, the fitting light of the moment may be born, the fitting thought of the moment, primarily, may be born—not generated because one is thinking so desperately, as human beings do in an endeavor to control all their circumstances, but the thought which is the creative thought coming down from God out of heaven into the earth. How? Through the mind. That's what it's for—not to do its own thinking and to mess things up constantly on that basis, but to become transparent so that the light may be born. The light may be carried, yes, but also born into expression, and the first expression comes through thought. There is something which precedes the thought, mind you, but the first awareness that one may have of what it is that is moving comes through conscious thought. Conscious thought is controlled thought, controlled by the design in heaven, controlled angelically. That thought may safely take form, and it will do so. I'm sure you have found already that when there is that thought, what is thought very quickly takes form. The world is transformed on this basis, not by manipulation either mental or physical but by the flow of creative thought out of heaven into the earth by reason of a transparent mind. The transparency of mind cuts human beings down to size. The usual view is that value comes because a mind is very capable of generating its own thoughts. But that all dissolves, and there is a totally new state, a new heaven. Out of the new heaven the new earth springs, and the basis of that coming forth is the flow that occurs through the transparent mind.
I most thankfully share these thoughts with you now, that we may all be willing to let the light shine. I would offer the opportunity to Rupert to let the light shine by the words he might find fitting to speak now.
Rupert Maskell — Martin, it's a pleasure to participate in the process of truly creative thinking with you. This has been an hour where we've had opportunity to do that by joining you in this process of creative thinking, because of the transparency of our own mental equipment made fully available, through our love and appreciation for the spirit that you are, to turn the wheel so that we might, together with you, participate in the creation and allow the differentiation of this one spirit that occurs so naturally thereby. It's a process which is easy and delightful; "light" certainly describes it very well. And we know something of the exponential nature of that creative process as together we find a fluidity and an ease in this.
I appreciated particularly your words about the open door, and it reminded me very much of what you were discussing last week concerning the wrapping paper. The gift is light. If we've tended to be confused by forms or wrapping paper, this is the time to let them go so that together the light may shine ever increasingly, more brightly and with greater potency. This is our commission, and it's a joy to share it with you in this particular way this evening and this morning. Thank you very much.
Martin Exeter — The light shines and, in the shining, transforms. Creation occurs by reason of the shining of the light. Re-creation occurs in this way. Insofar as human beings are concerned, the only way that there may be participation in creation is when the facility for the shining of the light is available to that shining. And the facility is the human mind, not merely the conscious mind but the unconscious mind as well. The light is apparent consciously, and it transforms by reason of the radiation. We are familiar with the process: radiation, response, attraction, union, unified radiation. This is a mental description of something which happens continuously when the mind is in place to let it do so. There is radiation and there is consequent transformation.
It is not only what may be deemed to be spiritual light, but it is literal light also. When the light shines, the flesh is revealing of it and is transformed by it. But, as we have recognized in our consideration this morning, it is not possible for it to occur individually without it at the same time occurring collectively. The collective shining of the light is what clarifies and restores the flesh to the point where the light may be intensified so that the transformation occurs. However, the flesh is the last along the line. The light only comes to the flesh because there is a transparent mind, and it is the transparent collective mind that permits the intensity of radiant light to be of such power that the very flesh may be transformed. All these things work in the creative process, if we trust the creative process and let it work. Moving together in the assumption of individual responsibility for the light, the fulfillment comes.
I am thankful that we shared this hour of creative thought, amongst other things; and it is the creative thought that brings forth the creation. We have an enormous responsibility in this matter. Our external cord of connection will now be severed, but our internal cord of connection remains as strong as ever. We all wish you well, Rupert, in your journeyings with Tessa which begin, I understand, early tomorrow morning for you. So that will complete our external association. We continue together in spirit.
The importance of the light may be easily seen. Mention was made of loving the light, which is what is essential. If you love darkness more than you love the light, well you'll stay in the dark. But loving the light implies loving the Word, the illuminating Word. This has always been stressed, hasn't it? Finally there are those who suddenly seem to have become aware of the vital nature of the Word—not of the printed form in and of itself but of the radiance which is made available in this way. It's made available in other ways too, and it's made available rightly through each of us and all of us continually. But to appreciate the light and to know the nature of it, it must be loved, certainly, above all else. In the light is the one identity, the one I am.
So there is natural love for the light and consequently a delight to bathe oneself in it, because thereby it is found that as the substance of one's own external being resonates with the light, it is resonating with one's own true identity. And one's own true identity consequently emerges. It can never emerge except by reason of the light, because that's what it is. And in the radiance of the light the truth is known: "I am the door. I am the open door."
