Do these steps have to happen in order, one at a time, or can they happen at the same time. It seems like you start with the first then build but maybe you are still learning about the previous while you move on to the second. Like music- you start with a few notes for the melody, then after you learn the main part of the melody you add the main part of the harmony but you still have some variations of the melody to learn later on in the song. Maybe this doesn't apply so much to the first as it does to the latter degrees -wisdom, reason , judgement and love. They all seem to really build on each other and the better you understand and learn about one the better you will understand the others, but also if you get stuck and follow man on one- it will affect how you view the others.
Like Judgement for example:
If one follows God's way one will see how one is lacking and needs God in all things- ones wisdom and ablitly to reason will increase with this revelation and also ones ability to love more fully will be magnified.
If one follows man's teachings on Judgement, one sees how others are lacking; decreasing ones wisdom and ones ability to reason and also the love that one feels for others will diminish.


I hope I am understanding this right- it is very interesting to think about- Thanks for posting it!
~Carrie