We have heard devout Christians shocked at the idea that Jesus was born of a human father and mother, in the natural way of the race.  They seemed to think that it savored of impurity.  Such a notion is the result of a perverted idea of the sacredness of natural functions—­a seeing of impurity—­where all is pure.  What a perversion, this regarding the sacredness of human Fatherhood, and Motherhood, as impure!  The man of true spirituality sees in the Divine Trinity of Father, Mother and Child, something most pure and sacred—­something that brings man very close indeed to God.  Is the beautiful babe, held close in its mother’s fond embrace, a symbol and type of impurity?  Is the watchful care and love of the Father of the babe, an impure result of an impure cause?  Does not one’s own heart tell him the contrary?  Look at the well known picture of the Journey to Egypt, with Mary carrying the babe, and both guarded and protected by the husband and father—­Joseph—­is this not a beautiful symbol of the sacredness of Parenthood?  We trust that the majority of those who read these pages have advanced spiritually beyond the point where The Family is a thing of impure suggestion and relationship.

And, now, what are the Occult Teachings—­the Secret Doctrine—­regarding the Real Virgin Birth of Jesus?  Just this:  that the Spirit of Jesus was fresh from the bosom of the Absolute—­Spirit of SPIRIT—­a Virgin Birth of Spirit.  His Spirit had not traveled the weary upward path of Reincarnation and repeated Rebirth, but was Virgin Spirit fresh from the SPIRIT—­a very Son of the Father—­begotten not created.  This Virgin Spirit was incarnated in His body, and there began the life of Man, not fully aware of His own nature, but gradually awakening into knowledge just as does every human soul, until at last the true nature of His Being burst upon him, and he saw that he indeed was God incarnate.  In his short life of thirty-three years—­thirty years of preparation, and three years of ministry, Jesus typified and symbolized the Life of the Race.  Just as he awakened into a perception of his Divine Nature, so shall the race awaken in time.  Every act in the Life of Jesus typified and symbolized the life of every individual soul, and of the race.  We all have our Garden of Gethsemane—­each is Crucified, and Ascends to Higher Planes.  This is the Occult Doctrine of the Virgin Birth of Christ.  Is it not a worthy one—­is it not at least a higher conception of the human mind, than the physical Virgin Birth legend?

As we proceed with our lessons, we shall bring out the details of the Occult Teachings concerning the Divine Nature of Christ—­the Spirit within the Human Form.  And, in these references and instruction, you will see even more clearly that nature of the Spiritual Virgin Birth of Jesus.