Course IX - Teaching 14: Vows

With extraordinary exceptions, the soul does not keep the mystical fervor with the same intensity. Periodical enthusiasm and discouragement mark the path toward God. The triumph is of those that, despite their state or stage, never lose sight of the forged ideal.
In order to achieve his longed realization, the Son ties himself with Vows to the different stretches of the Path. His Vows are duties that he assumes to engage his energy and to carry them out.
Cafh is aware of how the Sons may be able to consecrate their lives at certain points of the process and to assume realizable duties, and that is why the Regulation establishes and graduates Vows according to different categories and groups.
The serious first step taken by the aspirant entering Cafh is confirmed by taking immediately his vow of silence.
The vow of silence is like a spiritual baptism of the Son; as the aspirant takes this vow and the Superior receives it, the aspirant enters the Current of Cafh and shares the secret that veils the name and organization of the Holy Order.
Through these vows, the Son and Cafh express externally the inner and divine promise made with the Divine Mother.
Temporary vows can be cancelled by both parties at any moment.
The Sons cannot cancel their solemn vows, but the Knight Great Master can certainly do.
Perpetual vows cannot be cancelled by any of both parties.
Sometimes, the aspirants enter directly a Table of the Solitary. The normal way is to be slowly acquainted with the life and Current of Cafh, which is given by entering a Table of Sponsored Sons.
The Son adheres to Cafh after experiencing inner and outer changes. Then he feels the natural impulse not only to keep quiet but also to be faithful. And for a higher achievement of this virtue, again he involves his will and therefore takes the vow of fidelity.
The vow of silence implies the approach of the soul to Cafh; and the vow of fidelity is an introduction of Cafh into the soul. The former closes the new aspirant in Cafh; the latter consecrates him to the Work through the loving force that his own heart has already produced.
One can say that Cafh starts its true modeling work with the Son when the latter takes the vow of fidelity, since a progressive achievement of this virtue beautifies the soul and leads to be delicate, circumspect and noble. This vow leads the Son to self-observation and self-improvement, since to be faithful implies a control of actions and thoughts in order to adapt them to the object of Fidelity.
The vow of Obedience corresponds to the bold searchers of God. This vow is not taken by the Sponsored or by those Sons belonging to lower groups of the Solitary. The vow of Obedience is only taken by Knights and Ladies of the Solitary, and by Ordained Sons.
A decisive step in the spiritual life is to subdue one’s personal will to that of a Superior for the sake of the true freedom.
Afterwards, the Son notices that the fulfillment of his duties, his consecration, and even his love to the Divine Mother ultimately are a personal satisfaction and a noble pleasure, since the personal will guides always his steps and regulates his realization. It is then when he decides to give an impersonal sense to his spiritual work and to surrender to the freer will of the Superior by taking his vow of Obedience.
The personal will produces problems, promotes ambition and traces little tracks by the Spiritual Path. As the obedience detaches the soul from the personal will, destroys these limitations and consecrates the soul to the Path.
The process of liberation in the personal will starts with Obedience and follows with Renunciation.
As the Son understands that even Obedience does not grants perfect freedom, since always remains a dose of personal will, which escapes from being subject to rules and to the Superior, he involves boldly his destiny taking his vow of Renunciation. No individual or social prejudice, no craving or desire can arise long time in the soul, since the soul knows that ultimately and over and above all things, the Son has renounced to any manifestation of his own will.
It is through these four vows that Cafh guides the undefined anxiety of the aspirant for achieving a perfect freedom: a freedom that, by breaking any personal and personal form, launches the soul toward the infinite bosom of the Divine Mother.