THE PATH OF INITIATION
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When The Ascended Masters and High Initiates of The Spiritual Hierarchy walk the surface of this planet in the early days of The New Age of Peace and Harmony, They will be establishing Temples and Schools all over the planet. One of the principle things that They will be teaching is The Path of Initiation, which was given by Sanat Kumara (The Lord of The World), during mid-Atlantean times, as the most effective means for evolutionary advancement of Humankind. The Probationary Path leads to The Path of Discipleship which ultimately, after many lives of hardship, service, and effort leads to The Portal of "The Birth" and The Path of Initiation. That, in turn, will eventually lead to The Fifth Initiation, Which is The Ascension and the escape from The Wheel of Rebirth.
This very esoteric information was provided by The Ascended Master of Wisdom, Djwhal Khul (also called The Tibetan), during the early 1920's, and some of The Masters and Chohans mentioned have moved on to other Positions in The Hierarchy since that time. The terminology used can be confusing and abstract to the "uninitiated", and so I've added many parenthetical comments to pave the way to a better understanding. I offer this synthesis of the teachings as a loving service to The Tibetan Master and direct this offering to all of you who would like to get a head start on those very teachings which will be emphasized when The Great Ones of The White Brotherhood have come to light our path and, in fact, to show us The Path that They have all tread upon this Earth. J.O. Cyr, M.D. Introductory Remarks: "The constitution of Man is basically 3-fold, as follows: I. The Monad, or pure Spirit, The Father in Heaven. This Aspect reflects the 3 Aspects of The Godhead: The Monad is only contacted at The Final Initiations, when Man is nearing the end of his journey and is perfected. The Monad reflects Itself again in II. The Higher Self, or Individuality This Aspect is potentially The Higher Self begins to make its power felt in advanced men, and increasingly on The Probationary Path until by The Third Initiation the control of the lower self by The Higher is perfected. The Higher Self reflects Itself in III. The Personality, or lower self This aspect is also 3-fold: The aim of evolution is to bring Man to the realization of The Higher Self Aspect and to bring the lower nature under its control." "The ideas that are elaborated here find their corroboration in certain facts that are stated in the occult literature, now extant. These facts are 3 in number and are as follows: a. In the creation of The Sun and The Seven Sacred Planets composing our Solar System, our Logos employed matter that was already impregnated with particular qualities. This matter held latent certain faculties that were forced to demonstrate in a peculiar way, under The Law of Cause and Effect, as does all else in The Universe. b. All manifestation is of septenary (7-fold) nature, and The Central Light Which we call Diety, The One Ray of Divinity, manifests first as a Triplicity and then as a Septenary. The One God shines forth as God The Father (Divine Will), God The Son (Love/Wisdom), and God The Holy Spirit (Active Intelligence), and These Three are again reflected through The Seven Planetary Logoi (for this Solar System). Students may call These Beings The One Ray, demonstrating through The Three Major Rays (First, Second, and Third) and The Four Minor (Fourth through Seventh), making a Divine Septenary. The Synthetic Ray Which blends Them all is The Great Love/Wisdom Ray (Cosmic Second Ray), for verily and indeed 'God is Love'. This Ray is The One Which will, at the end of the greater Cycle, absorb The Others in the achievement of synthetic perfection. c. The 7 Planes of Divine Manifestation (The Seven Densities), or The 7 Major Planes of our system, are but the 7 subplanes of the lowest Cosmic Plane. The Seven Rays, of Which we hear so much, and Which hold so much of interest and of mystery, are likewise but The Seven Sub-Rays of One Cosmic Ray (Divine Love/Wisdom, The Second). They form but one chord in The Cosmic Symphony. When that 7-fold Cosmic Chord, of which we form so humble a part, reverberates in synthetic perfection, then and only then will come comprehension of the words in the Book of Job, 'The morning stars sang together'." "The developement of the human being is but the passing from one state of consciousness to another. It is a succession of expansions, a growth of that faculty of awareness that constitutes the predominant characteristic of the indwelling Thinker. It is the progressing from consciousness polarized in the personality or lower self to that polarized in The Higher Self or Soul, thence to a polarization in The Monad or Spirit (The Higher Self of The Higher Self) until The Consciousness eventually is Divine. As the human being developes, the faculty of awareness extends first of all beyond the circumscribing walls that confine it within the lower kingdoms of Nature, to the 3 worlds of the evolving personality, to The Planet whereon he plays his part, to The System wherein that Planet revolves, until it finally escapes from The Solar System Itself and becomes Universal." Initiation Defined: "The word, Initiation, comes from 2 Latin words: in - into, and ire - to go; therefore, the making of a beginning, or the entrance into something. It posits, in its widest sense, an entrance into the spiritual life or into a fresh stage in that life. It is the first step, and the succeeding steps, upon The Path of Holiness. Literally, therefore, a Man Who has taken The First Initiation is One Who has taken the first step into The Spiritual Kingdom. Having groped his way through The Hall of Ignorance during many ages, and having gone to school in The Hall of Learning, He is now entering into The University or The Hall of Wisdom. When He has passed through That School, He will graduate with his degree as a Master of Compassion." "Knowledge is the product of The Hall of Learning. It might be termed the sumtotal of human discovery and experience, that which can be recognized by the 5 senses and be correlated, diagnosed, and defined by the use of the human intellect. It concerns all that deals with the building and developing of the form side of things. Therefore, it concerns the material side of evolution." "Wisdom is the product of The Hall of Wisdom. It has to do with the developement of The Life within the form, with the progress of The Spirit through those ever-changing vehicles and with the expansions of consciousness that succeed each other from life to life. It deals with The Life Side of evolution. Since it deals with the essence of things and not with the things themselves, it is the intuitive apprehension of truth apart from the reasoning faculty and the innate perception that can distinguish between the false and the true, between the real and the unreal." "It is also the growing capacity of The Thinker to enter increasingly into The Mind of The Logos, to realize the true inwardness of the great pageant of The Universe, to envision the objective, and to harmonize more and more with the higher measure. For our present purpose, it may be described as the realization of The Kingdom of God Within and the apprehension of The Kingdom of God Without in The Solar System. Perhaps it might be expressed as the gradual blending of the paths of the mystic and the occultist, the rearing of The Temple of Wisdom upon the foundation of knowledge." "Wisdom is the science of The Spirit, just as knowledge is the science of matter. Knowledge is separative and objective, whilst wisdom is synthetic and subjective. Knowledge divides; wisdom unites. Knowledge differentiates whilst wisdom blends." "In The Hall of Ignorance the form controls, and the material side of things has the predominance. Man is there polarized in the personality or lower self. In The Hall of Learning The Higher Self strives to dominate that form until gradually a point of equilibrium is reached where the man is controlled entirely by neither. Later The Higher Self controls more and more, until in The Hall of Wisdom It dominates in the 3 lower worlds (Physical, Emotional, and Mental), and in increasing degree the inherent Divinity assumes the mastery." "Initiation, or the process of undergoing an expansion of consciousness, is part of the normal process of evolutionary developement, viewed on a large scale and not from the standpoint of the individual. When viewed from the individual standpoint, it has come to be narrowed down to the moment wherein the evolving unit definitely apprehends that (by dint of his own effort, aided by the advice and suggestions of the watching Teachers of The Race) he has reached a point wherein a certain range of knowledge of a subjective nature, from the physical plane point of view, is his. These moments of intelligent apprehension follow the evolving Monad (Higher Self of The Higher Self) throughout his long pilgrimage." "Each Initiation marks the passing of the pupil in The Hall of Wisdom into a higher class, marks the clearer shining forth of the inner fire and the transition from one point of polarization to another, entails the realization of an increasing unity with all that lives, and the essential oneness of the self with all selves. It results in a horizon that continuously enlarges until it includes The Sphere of Creation. It is a growing capacity to see and hear on all The Planes. It is an increased consciousness of God's Plans for the world and an increased ability to enter into Those Plans and to further Them." "Initiation leads to the mount whence vision can be had, a vision of The Eternal Now wherein past, present, and future exist as one; a vision of The Golden Sphere that holds in unison all the many evolutions of our System: Deva, human, animal, plant, mineral, and elemental; a vision of The Logoic Thoughtform on The Archetypal Plane; a vision that grows from Initiation to Initiation until it embraces all The Solar System." "Initiation leads to the stream that, once entered, sweeps a Man onward until it carries Him to the feet of The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara), to the feet of His Father in Heaven (The Monad), to the feet of the 3-fold Logos (The Solar Trinity of The Solar Logos). It leads to the cross and to that utter sacrifice which must transpire before perfect liberation is attained, and The Initiate stands free of all earth's fetters, held by naught in the 3 worlds (Physical, Emotional, and Mental). It leads through The Hall of Wisdom and puts into a man's hands the key to all information, Systemic and Cosmic, in graduated sequence." "Initiation reveals the hidden mystery that lies at The Heart of The Solar System. It leads from one state of consciousness to another. As each state is entered, the horizon enlarges, the vista extends, and the comprehension includes more and more, until the expansion reaches a point where the self embraces all selves, including all that is 'moving and unmoving', as phrased by an ancient Scripture." "The process of gradual expansion -- the result of the definite effort and strenuous right thinking and living of the aspirant himself and not of some occult teacher performing an occult rite -- leads to what one might term a crisis. At this crisis, which necessitates the aid of a Master, a definite act of Initiation is performed, which (acting on a particular chakra) produces a result on some one body. It keys the atoms to a certain pitch and enables a new rate of rhythm to be attained." "This Ceremony of Initiation marks a point of attainment. It does not bring about attainment, as is so often the misconception. It simply marks the recognition by the watching Teachers of The Race of a definite point in evolution reached by the pupil and gives 2 things: 1. An expansion of consciousness that admits The Personality into the wisdom attained by The Higher Self and, in The Higher Initiations, into The Consciousness of The Monad (The Oversoul or The Higher Self of The Higher Self). 2. A brief period of enlightenment wherein The Initiate sees that portion of The Path that lies ahead to be trodden and wherein He shares consciously in The Great Plan of evolution." "After Initiation, the work to be done consists largely in making that expansion of consciousness part of the equipment for the practical use of the personality and in mastering that portion of The Path that has yet to be traversed." "The Ceremony of Initiation takes place on the 3 higher sub-planes of The Mental Plane, and on The Three Higher Planes, according to the Initiation. The 5-pointed star, at The Initiations on The Mental Plane, flashes out above the head of The Initiate. This concerns The First Initiations Which are undergone in The Causal Vehicle. It has been said that The First Two Initiations take place upon The Astral Plane, but this is incorrect, and the statement has given rise to a misunderstanding. They are felt profoundly in connection with the astral and physical bodies and the lower mental and affect their control. The chief effect being felt in those bodies, The Initiate may interpret Them as having taken place on The Planes concerned, as the vividness of the effect and the stimulation of The First Two Initiations work out largely in the astral body. But it must ever be remembered that The Major Initiations are taken in The Causal Body or -- dissociated from that body -- on The Buddhic Plane or Atmic Plane." "At The Final Two Initiations (Sixth and Seventh) Which set a Man free from the 3 worlds (of the lower self) and enable Him to function in The Body of Vitality of The Logos and wield that force, The Initiate becomes the 5-pointed star and it descends upon Him, merges in Him, and He is seen at its very center. This descent is brought about by the action of The Initiator (The Hierophant), wielding The Rod of Power, and puts a Man in touch with The Chakra in The Body of The Planetary Logos of Which He is a part, and this consciously. The Two Initiations called The Sixth and Seventh take place on The Buddhic and Atmic Planes. The 5-pointed star 'blazes forth from within itself', as the esoteric phrase has it, and becomes the 7-pointed star. It descends upon The Man and He enters within The Flame." "At The Fifth Initiation (The Ascension) The Adept lets the lower vehicles go and stands in His Buddhic Sheath. He creates thence His Body of Manifestation. Each Initiation gives more control on The Rays. At The Fifth Initiation, when The Adept stands Master in the 3 worlds (of the lower self), He controls, more or less (according to his line of developement), The Five Rays that are especially manifesting at the time He takes The Initiation. At The Sixth Initiation, if He takes The Higher Degree, He gains power on another Ray, and at The Seventh Initiation He wields power on all The Rays. The Sixth Initiation marks the point of attainment of The Christ (and the other Lords of The Seven Rays)." "We need to remember that Initiation gives The Initiate power on The Rays and not power over The Rays, for this marks a very definite difference. Every Initiate has, of course, for his primary or spiritual Ray, one of The Three Major Rays (First, Second, or Third), and The Ray of his Monad is The One on which He at length gains power. The Love Ray, or The Synthetic Ray of this System, is the final One achieved (The Second Cosmic Ray of Love/Wisdom for this Solar System)." "Those Who pass away from The Earth after The Fifth Initiation, or Those Who do not become Masters in physical incarnation, take their subsequent Initiations elsewhere in The System. All are in The Logoic Consciousness. One great fact to be borne in mind is that The Initiations of The Planet (Earth) or of The Solar System are but the preparatory Initiations of admission into The Greater Lodge on Sirius (The Higher Self of The Sun or Solar Logos). The Fifth Initiation corresponds to The First Cosmic Initiation and makes a Master an 'entered Apprentice' of The Lodge on Sirius." "Each successive Initiation brings about a more complete unification of the personality and The Higher Self, and, on Higher Levels still, with The Monad. The whole evolution of the human spirit is a progressive at-one-ment. As evolution proceeds, successive at-one-ments occur. The approach to unity is through destruction of the lower and of all that forms a barrier. In all cases at-one-ment is preceded by a burning, through the medium of the inner fire, and by the destruction, through sacrifice, of all that separates." "The whole process is therefore for the purpose of making man consciously one (The Law of One): First: With himself and those in incarnation with him. Second: With his Higher Self and thus with all Selves. Third: With his Spirit or 'Father in Heaven' (The Monad) and thus with all Monads. Fourth: With The Logos, The Three in One and The One in Three." "Man becomes a Conscious Soul, with The Consciousness of The Higher Self, at The Third Initiation (The Soul Merge), through the instrumentality of The Masters and of The Christ, and through their sacrifice in taking physical incarnation for the helping of the world. Man unites with The Monad at The Fifth Initiation (The Ascension), through the instrumentality of The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara) and The Solitary Watcher, The Great Sacrifice (The Higher Self of Sanat Kumara, also called The Planetary Logos)." The Work of The Spiritual Hierarchy: "The entire Hierarchy of Spiritual Beings (for Planet Earth) represents a synthesis of forces or of energies which are consciously manipulated for the furtherance of planetary evolution. These forces, demonstrating in our Planetary Scheme through Those Great Personalities Who compose The Hierarchy, link It and all that It contains with The Greater Hierarchy Which we call Solar." "This Hierarchy of Forces has 4 pre-eminent lines of work: 1. To develope self-consciousness in all beings. The Hierarchy seeks to provide fit conditions for the developement of self-consciousness in all beings. This It produces primarily in Man through its initial work of blending the higher 3 Aspects of Spirit with the lower 4; through the example It sets of service, sacrifice, and renunciation; and through the constant streams of Light which emanate from It. The Hierarchy might be considered as the aggregate, on our Planet, of The Forces of The Fifth Kingdom in Nature. 2. To develope consciousness in the 3 lower Kingdoms. The 5 Kingdoms of Nature on the evolutionary arc might be defined as follows: Mineral, Plant, Animal, Human, and Spiritual. All These Kingdoms embody some type of consciousness, and it is the work of The Hierarchy to develope these types to perfection through the adjustment of karma, through the agency of force, and through the providing of right conditions. In The Mineral Kingdom, the work of The Hierarchy is directed toward the developement of the discriminative and selective activity. One characteristic of all matter is activity of some kind, and the moment that activity is directed toward the building of forms, even of the most elemental kind, the faculty of discrimination will demonstrate. In The Plant Kingdom, to this faculty of discrimination is added that of response to sensation. In The Animal Kingdom, this rudimentary activity and feeling is increased, and 'symptoms' are to be found of embryonic will and purpose. We may call it hereditary instinct, but it works out, in fact, as purpose in Nature. Man is the macrocosm for the 3 lower Kingdoms, for in Him these 3 lines of developement are synthesized and come to their full fruition. And He is incipient love and wisdom, even though as yet they may be but the goal of his endeavor. And He has that embryonic, dynamic, initiating will which will come to a fuller developement after he has entered into The Fifth Kingdom. In The Fifth Kingdom (The Hierarchy), the consciousness to be developed is that of the group, and this shows itself in the full flowering of The Love/Wisdom Faculty. In The Fifth Kingdom, Which is entered at The First Initiation, and Which covers all the period of time wherein a Man takes The First Five Initiations, and That wherein He works as a Master as part of The Hierarchy, The Love/Wisdom or Second Aspect (of The Creator) comes to its consummation. At The Sixth and Seventh Initiations, The First or Will Aspect shines forth, and from being a Master of Compassion and a Lord of Love, The Adept becomes something more. He enters into a still higher Consciousness than that of The Group and becomes God-conscious. The great Will or Purpose of The Logos becomes His. The fostering of the various attributes of Divinity, the tending of the seed of self-consciousness in all beings, is the work of Those Entities Who have achieved, who have entered into The Fifth Kingdom and Who have there made their great decision and that inconceivable renunciation which leads them to stay within The Planetary Scheme and thus cooperate with the plans of The Planetary Logos (The Higher Self of Sanat Kumara) on The Physical Plane. 3. To transmit The Will of The Planetary Logos. They act as The Transmitter, to Men and Devas, of The Will of The Planetary Logos and, through Him, of The Solar Logos. Each Planetary Scheme, ours among the others, is a Chakra in The Body Logoic and is expressing some form of energy or force. Each Center or Chakra expresses its particular type of force demonstrated in a triple manner (Triplicity), producing thus universally The Three Aspects (Will, Love/Wisdom, and Active Intelligence) in manifestation. 4. To set an example to Humanity. This is the work of The Hierarchy of Light: to demonstrate to Men the true meaning of brotherhood and to foster in Them response to that ideal which is latent in one and all. This Hierarchy is composed of Those Who have triumphed over matter and Who have achieved the goal by the very self-same steps that individuals tread today. These Spiritual Personalities, These Adepts and Masters, have wrestled and fought for victory and mastery upon The Physical Plane and struggled with the miasms, the fogs, the dangers, the troubles, the sorrows and pains of everyday living. They have trodden every step of the path of suffering, have undergone every experience, have surmounted every difficulty, and have won out. These Elder Brothers of The Race have one and all undergone the crucifixion of the personal self and know that utter renunciation of all, which is the lot of every aspirant at this time. There is no phase of agony, no rending sacrifice, no Via Dolorosa that They have not in their time trodden, and herein lies their right to serve and the strength of the method of their appeal. These Elder Brothers of Humanity are characterized by a love which endures and which acts ever for the good of The Group; by a knowledge which has been gained through a millennia of lives in which They have worked their way from the bottom of life and of evolution well nigh to the top; by an experience which is based on time itself and a multiplicity of personality reactions and interactions; by a courage which is the result of that experience and which, having itself been produced by ages of endeavor, failure, and renewed endeavor, and having in the long run led to triumph, can now be placed at the service of The Race; by a purpose which is enlightened and intelligent and which is cooperative, adjusting itself to The Group and Hierarchical Plan and thus fitting in with the purpose of The Planetary Logos; and finally They are distinguished by a knowledge of the power of sound. Knowing The Plan so well and having clear, illuminated vision, They can bend their will unflinchingly and unswervingly to the great work of creation by the power of sound." The Founding of The Hierarchy: "In the middle of The Lemurian Epoch (The Motherland of Mu), approximately 18 million years ago, The Planetary Logos (Higher Self of Sanat Kumara) of our Earth Scheme, One of The Seven Spirits before 'The Throne', took physical incarnation and, under the form of Sanat Kumara, The Ancient of Days and The Lord of The World, came down to this dense physical planet and has remained with us ever since." "He (Sanat Kumara) was unable to take a dense physical body such as ours and has to function in his Aetheric Body. He is the greatest of all The Avatars or Coming Ones, for He is a Direct Reflection of That Great Entity (Vywamus) Who lives and breathes and functions through all the evolutions on this Planet, holding all within His Aura or Magnetic Sphere of Influence (referring to The Planetary Logos). In Him we live and move and have our being, and none of us can pass beyond the radius of His Aura. He is The Great Sacrifice and He is The Silent Watcher as far as our immediate Humanity is concerned. Perhaps it might be stated thus: that The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara), The One Initiator, holds the same place in connection with The Planetary Logos (Vywamus) as the physical manifestation of a Master holds to that Master's Monad on The Monadic Plane." "With The Ancient of Days (Sanat Kumara) came a Group of other highly evolved Entities, Who represent his own individual karmic Group and Who represent Those Beings who are the outcome of the triple nature of The Planetary Logos (The First, Second, and Third Rays or Aspects). They (The 6 Kumaras) came in with Sanat Kumara to form focal points of planetary force for the helping of The Great Plan for the self-conscious unfoldment of all life. The central esoteric Group of Six, with The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara), form the heart of hierarchical effort." "The result of their advent, millions of years ago, was stupendous, and its effects are still being felt. The Planetary Logos (Vywamus) on his own Plane was enabled to take a more direct method in producing the results He desired for working out His Plan. Sanat Kumara, with the 6 other Kumaras, are The Directing Agents and The Transmitters of the energy, force, purpose, and will of The Planetary Logos on his own Plane." "The Third Kingdom of Nature, The Animal Kingdom, had reached a relatively high state of evolution, and Animal Man was in possession of The Earth. He was a being with a powerful physical body, a coordinated astral body, or a body of sensation and feeling, and a rudimentary germ of mind which might some day form a nucleus of a mental body." "The decision of The Planetary Logos (Vywamus) to take a physical vehicle (Sanat Kumara) produced an extraordinary stimulation in the evolutionary process, and, by his incarnation and the methods of force distribution He employed, He brought about in a brief cycle of time what would otherwise have been inconceivably slow. The germ of mind in Animal Man was stimulated and became a fit receptacle for the coming in (incarnating) of the Self-conscious Entities who had for long ages been waiting for just such a fitting. The Fourth or Human Kingdom came thus into being, and the self-conscious or rational unit of Man began his career." "In The Mineral Kingdom, certain of the minerals or elements received an added stimulation and became radioactive, and a mysterious chemical change took place in The Plant Kingdom. This facilitated the bridging process between The Plant and Animal Kingdoms, just as the radioactivity of minerals is the method of bridging the gulf between The Mineral and Plant Kingdoms." "In Lemurian days, after the great descent of The Spiritual Existences (The Lords of The Flame) to The Earth, the work They planned to do was systematized. Offices were apportioned, and the processes of evolution in all the departments of nature were brought under the conscious, wise guidance of this initial Brotherhood (The White Brotherhood). They exist upon this Planet with us, controlling its destinies, guiding its affairs, and leading all its evolutions on to an ultimate perfection." "The Central Home of This Hierarchy is at Shamballa, a center in The Gobi Desert called in the ancient books, 'The White Island'. It exists in aetheric matter (at The Aetheric Level). Several of The Masters in physical bodies dwell in The Himalaya Mountains, in a secluded spot called Shigatse, far from the ways of men, but the greater number are scattered all over the world, forming, each in his own place, a focal point for The Energy of The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara)." "For ages after its immediate founding, the work of The Hierarchy was slow and discouraging. Thousands of years came and went, and Races of Men appeared and disappeared from The Earth before it was possible to delegate even the work done by Initiates of The First Degree to the evolving sons of men. (Initially, all hierarchical work was done by The Lords of The Flame Who had come with Sanat Kumara.) But in the middle of The Fourth Root Race, The Atlantean, an event occurred which necessitated a change or innovation in the hierarchical method." "Certain of its Members were called away to higher work elsewhere in The Solar System, and this brought in, through necessity, a number of highly evolved units of The Human Family. In order to enable others to take their place, the lesser Members of The Hierarchy were all moved up a step, leaving vacancies among the minor posts. Therefore, 3 things were decided upon in The Council Chamber of The Lord of The World: 1. To close the door through which Animal Men passed into The Human Kingdom, permitting, for a time, no more Monads on The Higher Plane to appropriate bodies. 2. To open another door and permit members of The Human Family, who were willing to undergo the necessary discipline and to make the required stupendous effort, to enter The Fifth or Spiritual Kingdom. In this way, the ranks of The Hierarchy could be filled by the members of earth's Humanity who qualified. This door is called The Portal of Initiation and still remains open upon the same terms as laid down by The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara) in Atlantean Days. 3. It was also decided to make the line of demarcation between the two forces of matter and spirit clearly defined. The inherent duality of all manifestation was emphasized. The problem of good or evil, light or darkness, right or wrong, was enunciated solely for the benefit of Humanity and to enable Men to cast off the fetters which imprisoned spirit and to thus achieve spiritual freedom. Man has to learn through experience and pain the fact of the duality of all existence. Having thus learned, he chooses that which concerns the fully conscious Spirit Aspect of Divinity and learns to center Himself in That Aspect. Having thus achieved liberation, He finds indeed that all is one (The Law of One), that spirit and matter are a unity, naught existing save that which is to be found within The Consciousnes of The Planetary Logos (Vywamus) and, in wider circles, within The Consciousness of The Solar Logos. This decision led to that great struggle which distinguished The Atlantean Civilization and which culminated in the destruction called The Flood, referred to in all the Scriptures of the world. The Forces of Light (service to others polarity) and The Forces of Darkness (service to self polarity) were arrayed against each other, and this for the helping of Humanity." "Working as Members of The Hierarchy are a great number of Beings called Angels by the Christian and Devas by the Oriental. Many of Them have passed through the human stage long ages ago and work now in the ranks of the great Evolution parallel to The Human and which is called The Deva Evolution. This Evolution comprises, among other factors, The Builders of the objective Planet and the forces which produce, through Those Builders, every form familiar and unfamiliar. The Devas, Who cooperate with the hierarchical effort, concern Themselves, therefore, with the form aspect, whilst the other Members of The Hierarchy are occupied with the developement of consciousness within the form." The Three Departments of The Hierarchy: "At The Head of affairs, controlling each Unit and directing all evolution, stands The King, The Lord of The World, Sanat Kumara, The Youth of Endless Summers, and The Fountainhead of The Will (showing forth as Love) of The Planetary Logos (Vywamus). Cooperating with Him as his Advisers are 3 Personalities called The Pratyeka Buddhas or The Buddhas of Activity (The 3 Exoteric Kumaras). These 4 are the embodiment of active, intelligent, loving Will. They are the full flowering of the intelligence, having achieved in an earlier Solar System that which Man is now striving to perfect. The Love Aspect (The Second Ray) is as yet but in the process of developing, and The Will is only embryonic. Another Solar System will see The Will Aspect (The First Ray) come to fruition, as Love will mature in this." "Standing around The Lord of The World, but withdrawn and esoteric, are 3 more Kumaras Who make The Seven of planetary manifestation. Their work is, to us, necessarily obscure. The Three Exoteric Buddhas or Kumaras are the sumtotal of activity or planetary energy, and The Three Esoteric Kumaras embody types of energy which, as yet, are not in full demonstration upon our Planet. Each of these 6 Kumaras is a Reflection of (incarnation of), and the distributing Agent for, The Energy and Force of one of the 6 other Planetary Logoi (of the 7 Sacred Planets in this Solar System), the remaining 6 Spirits before 'The Throne'. Through each of The Six Kumaras passes The Life Force of one of The Six Rays." "One might sum up their (The 6 Kumaras or Buddhas) work and position as follows: 1. They each embody one of the 6 Types of Energy, with The Lord of The World as The Synthesizer and The Embodier of the perfect Seventh Type, our Planetary Type. 2. They are each distinguished by one of the 6 colors (of The Seven Rays), with The Lord of The World showing forth the full planetary color. 3. Their work is concerned, not only with Force distribution, but with the passing into our Scheme, from other Planetary Schemes, of Higher Selves seeking earth experience. 4. Each of Them is in direct communication with one or another of The Sacred Planets (The Kumaras being manifestations of Those Planetary Logoi). 5. The Three Buddhas of Activity change from time to time and become, in turn, exoteric or esoteric as the case may be." "Besides these main presiding Personalities in The Council Chamber at Shamballa, there is a Group of 4 Beings Who are The Representatives upon The Planet of The Four Maharajas, or The Four Lords of Karma in The Solar System, Who are specifically concerned with the evolution, at the present time, of The Human Kingdom. These Four are connected with: 1. The distribution of karma, or human destiny, as it affects individuals and, through the individuals, the groups (group karma). 2. The care and tabulation of The Akashic Records. They are concerned with The Halls of Records. 3. The participation in Solar Councils. They alone have the right during the world cycle to pass beyond the periphery of The Planetary Scheme and participate in The Councils of The Solar Logos. Thus, They are literally planetary Mediators, representing our Planetary Logos (Vywamus) and all that concerns Him in The Greater Scheme (of The Solar System) of which He is but a part." "Cooperating with These Karmic Lords are the large Group of Initiates and Devas Who occupy Themselves with the right adjustment of world, racial, national, group, and individual karma, and Who are responsible to The Planetary Logos for the correct manipulation of those forces and building agencies which bring in the right Higher Selves on the different Rays at the correct times and seasons. The remaining Personnel of The Hierarchy are divided into 3 main and 4 subsidiary Groups (3 Major and 4 Minor Departments)." "The Manu presides over Group One (The First Ray Department). He is called Vaivasvata Manu and is The Manu of The Fifth Root Race (The Aryan). He is the ideal Man or Thinker and sets the type for our Aryan Race, having presided over its destinies since its inception nearly 100,000 years ago. Other Manus have come and gone, and his place will be, in the relatively near future, taken by someone else (Master Jupiter). He will then pass on to other work of a more exalted kind. The Manu (Lord Himalaya), or The Prototype of The Fourth Root Race (The Atlantean), works in close cooperation with Him and has his center of influence in China (the Oriental being the residual of The Fourth Root Race)." "The periods of Office of all The Manus overlap, but there remains no Representative of The Third Root Race upon the globe at this time (The 'Lemurian' was The Third.). Vaivasvata Manu has his dwelling place in The Himalaya Mountains and has gathered around Him at Shigatse some of Those immediately connected with Aryan affairs in India, Europe, and America and Those Who will later be concerned with the coming Sixth Root Race. The plans are prepared for ages ahead." "The work of The Manu is largely concerned with government, with planetary politics, and with the founding, direction, and dissolution of racial types and forms. To Him is committed The Will and Purpose of The Planetary Logos (The First Ray of Divine Will). He knows what is the immediate objective for This Cycle of evolution over Which He has to preside, and his work concerns itself with making that Will an accomplished fact." "He works in close cooperation with The Building Devas, for to Him is given the work of setting the race type, of segregating the groups out of which Races will develope, of manipulating the forces which move the earth's crust (the tectonic plates), of raising and lowering continents, of directing the minds of statesmen everywhere so that racial government will proceed as desired, and conditions be brought about which will produce those needed for the fostering of any particular type." "The Energy which flows through Him emanates from The Head Center of The Planetary Logos, passing to Him through the brain of Sanat Kumara Who focalizes all The Planetary Energy (The Seven Rays) within Himself. The Manu works by means of a dynamic meditation, conducted within the head centers (chakras), and produces his results through his perfect realization of that which has to be accomplished, through a power to visualize that which must be done to bring about accomplishment, and through a capacity to transmit creative and destructive energy to Those Who are his Assistants. And all this is brought about through the power of the enunciated sound." "Group Two (The Second Ray Department) has The World Teacher for its presiding Head. He is That Great Being Whom the Christian calls The Christ. He is known in the Orient as The Boddhisattva and The Lord Maitreya and is The One looked for by the devout Mohammedan under the name of The Imam Madhi. He it is Who has presided over the destinies of life since about 600 B.C. He is The Great Lord of Love and of Compassion, just as his Predecessor, The Buddha, was The Lord of Wisdom." "Through The World Teacher flows The Energy of The Second Aspect (The Second Ray of Love/Wisdom), reaching Him directly from The Heart Chakra of The Planetary Logos (Vywamus) via The Heart Chakra of Sanat Kumara. He works by means of a meditation centered within The Fourth Chakra (The Anahata). He is The World Teacher, The Master of The Masters, and to Him is committed the guidance of the spiritual destinies of men and women." "In a physical body, He can be found by those who know the way, dwelling in The Himalayas and working in close cooperation with his 2 Great Brothers, The Manu and The Mahachohan. Daily He pours out his blessing on the world, and daily He stands under the great pine in his garden at the sunset hour with hands uplifted in blessing over all those who truly and earnestly seek to aspire." "Group Three (The Third Ray Department) has, as its Head, The Mahachohan, The Lord of Civilization. He may hold Office for the term of several Root Races. He is the sumtotal of The Intelligence Aspect (The Third Ray). The present Mahachohan is not the original One Who held The Office at the founding of The Hierarchy in 'Lemurian' Days. It was then held by one of The Kumaras, or Lords of The Flame, Who came into incarnation with Sanat Kumara. But He took hold of his Position during the second sub-race of The Atlantean Root Race." (Each Root Race has 7 sub-races.) "His work concerns itself with the fostering and strengthening of that relation between spirit and matter, life and form, the self and the not-self, which results in what we call civilization. He manipulates The Forces of Nature and is largely the emanating Source of electrical energy, as we know it. Being The Reflection of The Third or Creative Aspect (Active Intelligence), Energy from The Planetary Logos flows to Him from The Throat Center (Chakra), and He it is Who, in many ways, makes the work of his Brothers possible. Their plans and desires are submitted to Him, and through Him pass the instructions to a large number of The Deva Agents." "Thus you have Will, Love, and Intelligence represented in These 3 Great Lords. The closest cooperation and unity exists between These 3 Personalities, and every move and plan and event exists in their united foreknowledge. They are in daily touch with The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara) at Shamballa, and the entire guidance of affairs rests in their hands and in those of The Manu (Lord Himalaya) of The Fourth Root Race (The Atlantean)." "The Third Ray Department of The Mahachohan is divided into 5 Divisions, so as to take in the 4 lesser Aspects of hierarchical rule (Departments Four through Seven). Under The Manu work The Regents of the different world divisions, such as, for instance, The Master Jupiter, the oldest of The Masters now working in physical bodies for Humanity, Who is The Regent for India, and The Master Rakoczi (Saint Germain), Who is The Regent for Europe and America. It must be remembered here that though The Master Rakoczi (Saint Germain), for instance, belongs to The Seventh Ray (The Violet Ray) and thus comes under The Department of Energy of The Mahachohan, yet in hierarchical work He may and does hold Office temporarily under The Manu (First Ray Department)." "These Regents hold in their hands the reins of government for continents and nations, thus guiding, even if unknown, their destinies. They impress and inspire statesmen and rulers. They pour forth mental energy on governing groups, thus bringing about the desired results wherever cooperation and receptive intuition can be found amongst the thinkers." "The World Teacher (Lord Maitreya) presides over the destiny of the great religions through the medium of a group of Masters and Initiates Who direct the activities of these different schools of thought." "In The Third Ray Department of The Mahachohan, a large number of Masters, in 5-fold division (Third through Seventh Departments), work in connection with The Deva Evolution and with The Intelligence Aspect in Man. Their Divisions follow those of The Four Minor Rays of Attribute: Fourth -- The Ray of Harmony through Conflict, or Beauty Fifth -- The Ray of Concrete Science or Knowledge Sixth -- The Ray of Devotion or Abstract Idealism Seventh -- The Ray of Ceremonial Law or Magic" "And The Three Departmental Heads represent The Major Rays of: First -- Will or Power Second -- Love or Wisdom Third -- Active Intelligence or Adaptability" "The following is an outline of a portion of The Hierarchy at the present moment (1922) and gives only the outstanding Figures in connection with Human Evolution. A similar diagram from the standpoint of The Deva Evolution would be differently arranged." The Solar Logos The Solar Trinity or Logoi I The Father ...................................................................Will II The Son .................................................................... Love/Wisdom III The Holy Spirit ...................................................... Active Intelligence The Seven Rays Three Rays of Aspect Four Rays of Attribute
THE PLANETARY HIERARCHY Sanat Kumara (The Lord of The World, The Ancient of Days, The One Initiator) The Three Exoteric Kumaras
Reflections of The Three Major and Four Minor Rays The Three Major Departmental Heads
Four Grades of Initiates Various grades of disciples People on the probationary path Average Humanity of all degrees The Lodge of The Masters: "The ranks of The Planetary Hierarchy form literally 2 Lodges within The Greater Body: a. The ------------------- Lodge, comprised of Initiates above The Fifth Initiation, and a Group of Devas. b. The Blue Lodge, comprised of all Initiates of The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Initiations." "Below These come a large Group of Initiates of The First and Second Initiations and then the disciples of every grade. The disciples are considered as affiliated with The Lodge but not as literally members of It. Finally come those who are on probation and who hope through strenuous effort to achieve affiliation." "From another point of view, we can consider The Lodge Members as existing in 7 Groups (7 Departments), each Group representing One Type of the 7-fold Planetary Energy (The Seven Rays) emanating from The Planetary Logos. All that is herein imparted concerns the work of The Hierarchy in connection with The Human Kingdom and refers especially to Those Masters Who work in connection with Humanity. Were The Deva Evolution being dealt with, the entire tabulation and division would have to differ from this." "The work and Personnel of The Hierarchy are infinitely greater and more important than may appear upon a superficial reading of this material. In the service of The Human Kingdom, we are concerned with the manifestation of The Three Aspects of Divinity (Divine Will, Love/Wisdom/ and Active Intelligence), but the other Departments are interdependent, and the work progresses as a synthetic whole." "The Adepts concerned with the evolution of The Human Family comprise 63, if The Three Great Lords (The Manu, The Christ, and The Mahachohan) are counted in making the 9 times 7 necessary for the work. Of these, 49 work exoterically, if it might be so expressed, and 14 esoterically, being more concerned with the subjective manifestation." "Throughout the world, disciples of These Masters have come into incarnation at this time with the sole intent of participating in the activities and occupation and truth dissemination of the various churches, sciences, and philosophies, and thus producing within The Organization itself an expansion, a widening, and a disintegration where necessary, which might otherwise be impossible." "The Master reveals to a disciple the objective in view for an immediate little Cycle and suggests to him that such and such a developement would be desirable. It is the work of the disciple to ascertain the best method for bringing about the desired results and to formulate the plans whereby a certain percentage of success will be possible. Then he launches his scheme, founds his society or organization, and disseminates the necessary teaching." "The Master is not to blame should the disciple show lack of discrimination in the choice of co-workers or evidence an inability to represent the truth. If he does well and the work proceeds as desired, The Master will continue to pour his blessings upon the attempt. If he fails, or his successors turn from the original impulse, thus disseminating error of any kind, in his love and his sympathy The Master will withdraw that blessing, withhold His Energy, and thus cease from stimulating that which had better die." "Under The First Great Group (The First Ray Department) of Which The Manu is The Head can be found 2 Masters, The Master Jupiter and The Master El Morya. Both of Them have taken more than The Fifth Initiation (The Ascension), and The Master Jupiter, who is also The Regent of India, is looked up to by all The Lodge of Masters as the oldest among Them. He dwells in The Nilgherry Hills in Southern India and is not one of The Masters Who usually takes pupils, for He numbers amongst his disciples Initiates of High Degree and quite a number of Masters. In his hands are the reins of government for India, including a large part of The Northern Frontier, and to Him is committed the arduous task of eventually guiding India out of her present chaos and unrest and of welding her diverse peoples into an ultimate synthesis." "The Master El Morya, Who is one of the best known of The Eastern Adepts, and Who numbers amongst his pupils a large number of Europeans and Americans, is a Rajput Prince, and for many decades He held an authoritative position in Indian affairs. He works in close cooperation with The Manu and will Himself eventually hold Office as The Manu of The Sixth Root Race (the next Root Race). He dwells, as does His Brother, The Master Kuthumi, at Shigatse in The Himalayas." "The Master El Morya is a Man of tall and commanding presence, with dark hair and beard and dark eyes, and might be considered stern were it not for the expression that lies in his eyes. He and His Brother, The Master Kuthumi, work almost as a unit and have done so for many centuries and will on into the future, for The Master Kuthumi is in line for The Office of World Teacher when the present Holder (Lord Maitreya) of That Office vacates It for higher work, and The Sixth Root Race comes into being." "As The Master El Morya is upon The First Ray, that of Will or Power, his work largely concerns itself with the carrying out of the plans of the present Manu. He acts as The Inspirer of the statesmen of the world, and He manipulates forces, through The Mahachohan, that will bring about the conditions desired for the furthering of Racial Evolution. With Him cooperate certain of The Great Devas of The Mental Plane, and 3 Great Groups of Angels work with Him on mental levels in connection with the lesser Devas Who vitalize thoughtforms and thus keep alive the thoughtforms of The Guides of The Race for the benefit of the whole of Humanity." "The Master Kuthumi, Who is also very well known in The Occident and has many pupils everywhere, is of Kashmiri origin though the family originally came from India. He is also an Initiate of High Degree and is upon The Second or The Love/Wisdom Ray. He is a Man of noble presence and tall, though of rather slighter build than The Master El Morya. He is of fair complexion with golden brown hair and beard and eyes of a wonderful deep blue, through which seem to pour the love and wisdom of the ages. He has had a wide experience and education, having been originally educated at one of The British Universities and speaks English fluently." "The Master Kuthumi concerns Himself largely with the vitalizing of certain of the great philosophies and interests Himself in a number of philanthropic agencies. To Him is given the work, very largely, of stimulating The Love Manifestation which is latent in the hearts of all men and of awakening in The Consciousness of The Race the perception of the great fundamental fact of Brotherhood." "At this particular time (early 1920's), The Master El Morya, The Master Kuthumi, and The Master Jesus are interesting Themselves closely with the work of unifying, as far as may be, eastern and western thought, so that the great religions of The East, with the later developement of The Christian Faith in all its many branches, may mutually benefit each other." "The Master Jesus is upon The Sixth Ray of Devotion or Abstract Idealism, and his pupils are frequently distinguished by that fanaticism and devotion which manifested in earlier Christian Times amongst the martyrs. He Himself is rather a martial figure, a disciplinarian, and a Man of iron rule and will. He is tall and spare with rather a long thin face, black hair, pale complexion, and piercing blue eyes." "The Master Jesus is preparing the way in Europe and America for the eventual coming of The World Teacher (The Christ). He is well known in The Bible History (through his other incarnations), coming before us first as Joshua the Son of Nun, appearing again in the time of Ezra as Jeshua, taking The Third Initiation (The Soul Merge) as related in The Book of Zechariah as Joshua, and in The Gospel Story He is known for 2 great sacrifices: that in which He handed over his body for the use of The Christ (for the 3 years from The Baptism to The Crucifixion) and for the great renunciation which is the characteristic of The Fourth Initiation (taken during his Crucifixion). As Apollonius of Tyana (Greece), he took The Fifth Initiation (The Ascension) and became a Master of The Wisdom. From that time on He has stayed and worked with The Christian Church, fostering the germ of true spiritual life which is to be found amongst members of all sects and divisions and neutralizing, as far as possible, the mistakes and errors of the churchmen and the theologians. No one so wisely knows, as He, the problems of The West. No one is so closely in touch with the people who stand for all that is best in Christian teachings as He." "The Master Djwhal Khul is another Adept on The Second Ray of Love/Wisdom. He is the latest of The Adepts taking Initiation, having taken The Fifth Initiation in 1875, and is therefore occupying the same body in which He took The Initiation. His body is not a young one, and He is a Tibetan (referred to as The Tibetan and The Runner in Theosophical writings). He is very devoted to The Master Kuthumi. From his willingness to serve and to do anything that has to be done, He has been called 'The Messenger of The Masters'." "The Master Djwhal Khul is profoundly learned and knows more about The Rays and Planetary Hierarchies of The Solar System than anyone else in the ranks of The Masters. He works with those who heal and cooperates unknown and unseen with the seekers after truth in the world's great laboratories, with all who definitely aim at the healing and solacing of the world, and with the great philanthropic world movements such as The Red Cross. He works largely, too, with certain groups of The Devas of The Aethers Who are The Healing Devas and Who thus cooperate with Him in the work of healing some of the physical ills of Humanity. He it was Who dictated a large part of that momentous book, The Secret Doctrine, and Who showed to H.P. Blavatsky many of the pictures and gave her much of the data that is to be found in that book." (H.P. Blavatsky founded The Theosophical Society.) "The Master Who concerns Himself especially with the future developement of racial affairs in Europe, and with the mental outgrowth in America and Australia, is The Master Rakoczi. He is a Hungarian and has a home in The Carpathian Mountains (Transylvania) and was, at one time, a well known figure at The Hungarian Court. He was particularly before the public eye when He was The Comte de Saint Germain (after His Ascension) and earlier still when He was both Roger Bacon and, later, Francis Bacon (author of the Shakespearean Plays)." "The Master Rakoczi is rather a small, spare Man with pointed black beard and smooth black hair. He is upon The Seventh Ray, That of Ceremonial Magic or Order, and He works largely through esoteric ritual and ceremonial, being vitally interested in the effects, hitherto unrecognized, of the ceremonial of The Freemasons, of the various fraternities, and of the churches everywhere. He is called, in The Lodge, usually 'The Count'." "On The Fifth Ray of Concrete Knowledge or Science, we find The Master Hilarion Who, in an earlier incarnation, was Paul of Tarsus (St. Paul, The Great Apostle). He is occupying a Cretan body (His Ascension was taken during his lifetime as St. Hilarion.) but spends a large part of his time in Egypt. He it was Who gave out to the world that occult treatise, 'Light on The Path'. He works with those who are developing the intuition and controls and transmutes the great movements that tend to strip the veil from the unseen. He it was Who initiated, through various pupils of his, The Spiritualistic Movement. He has under observation all those who are psychics of the higher order and assists in developing their powers for the good of The Group, and, in connection with certain of The Devas of The Astral Plane, He works to open up to the seekers after truth that subjective world which lies behind the grossly material." "One other Master may here be briefly mentioned, The Master Serapis Bey, frequently called The Egyptian. He is The Master upon The Fourth Ray (The Ray of Harmony through Conflict), and the great art movements of the world, the evolution of music, and that of painting and drama, receive from Him an energizing impulse. At present He is giving most of his time and attention to the work of The Deva, or Angel, Evolution until their agency helps to make possible the great revolution in the world of music and painting which lies immediately ahead." "The Master Paul (not The Venetian) works under The Master Rakoczi (Saint Germain) in North America. He it is Who has had much to do, esoterically, with the various mental sciences, such as Christian Science and New Thought, both of which are efforts put forth by The Lodge (of Masters) in an endeavor to teach Men the reality of that which is not seen and the power of the mind to create. This Master occupies an Irish body and is on The Fourth Ray. Much of the work of The Master Serapis Bey was taken over by Him when the latter turned his attention to The Deva Evolution." "Certain facts concerning These Masters and their work in the present and in the future may be in place here: First, the work of training their pupils and disciples to fit them to be of use in 2 Great Events -- one, the coming of The World Teacher (The Christ or Boddhisattva) towards the close of this present century (postponed), and the other the training of them to be of use in the founding of the new Sixth Sub Race (of The Fifth Root Race, The Aryan) and in the reconstruction of the present world conditions. This being the Fifth Sub Race of The Fifth Root Race, the pressure of the work on The Five Rays, (Third through Seventh) which are controlled by The Mahachohan, is very great. Secondly, the preparation of the world on a large scale for the coming of The World Teacher and the taking of the necessary steps before They Themselves (The Masters of The Spiritual Hierarchy) come out among Men, as many of Them surely will towards the close of this century (postponed). The Master El Morya, The Master Kuthumi, and The Master Jesus will be especially concerned with The Movement towards the last quarter of this century." "Two other Masters, especially concerned with The Seventh or Ceremonial Ray, whose particular work it is to supervise the developement of certain activities within the next 15 years, work under The Master Rakoczi (Saint Germain). Very definitely may the assurance be given here that, prior to The Coming of The Christ, adjustments will be made so that at the head of all great organizations will be found either a Master or an Initiate Who has taken The Third Initiation (The Soul Merge)." The Probationary Path: "The Probationary Path precedes The Path of Initiation or Holiness and marks that period in the life of a man when he definitely sets himself on the side of the forces of evolution and works at the building of his own character. He takes himself in hand, cultivates the qualities that are lacking in his disposition, and seeks with diligence to bring his personality under control. He is building The Causal Body (called The Higher Mental Body or Christ Self) with deliberate intent, filling any gaps that may exist, and seeking to make it a fit receptacle for The Christ Principle." "A certain structure of right living, thinking, and conduct has to be built up. That form, we call character. It has then to be vivified and indwelt. The immortal destiny of each and all of us is to attain The Consciousness of The Higher Self (The I Am Presence) and, subsequently, That of The Divine Spirit (The Monad, The Father in Heaven). When the form is ready, when Solomon's Temple has been built in the quarry of the personal life, then The Christ-Life enters, and the glory of The Lord overshadows his temple." "Whilst the man is on The Probationary Path, he is taught principally to know himself, to ascertain his weaknesses, and to correct them. He is taught to work as an invisible helper at first and, for several lives, is generally kept at this kind of work. Later, as he makes progress, he may be moved to more selected work. He is taught the rudiments of The Divine Wisdom and is entered into the final grades in The Hall of Learning. He is known to a Master and is in the care of one of the disciples of That Master or, if of rare promise, of an Initiate." "Classes are held, by Initiates of The First and Second Degrees, for accepted disciples and those on probation between the hours of 10 and 5 every night in all parts of the world, so that the continuity of the teaching is complete. They gather in The Hall of Learning (in their Astral Bodies). Graduation results when Initiation (The 1st Initiation) is taken and The Initiate passes into The Hall of Wisdom. Those on The Probationary Path nearing Initiation work more frequently in, what might be termed, departmental work, forming a group of assistants to The Members of The Hierarchy." "First: Instruction is given tending to the disciplining of the life, the growth of character, the developement of the microcosm along cosmic lines. The man is taught the meaning of himself. He comes to know himself as a complex, complete unit, a replica, in miniature, of the outer world." "Secondly: Instruction is given as to the macrocosm, the amplification of his intellectual grip of the working of The Cosmos. He acquires a deep fund of general knowledge, and when he reaches his own periphery, he is met by Those who lead him on to encyclopaedic knowledge." "Thirdly: Instruction is given in, what might be termed, synthesis. The disciple learns the meaning of occult cohesion (The Law of Attraction) and of the internal unity which holds the system as a homogeneous unit. The major part of this instruction is usually given after The Third Initiation, but a beginning is made early in the training." "Disciples, and those who are advanced on The Probationary Path, receive instruction at this particular time (The 20th Century) for 2 special purposes: 1. To test out their fitness for special work lying in the future, the type of that work being known only to The Guides of The Race. They are tested for aptitude in community living with a view to drafting the suitable ones into the colony of The Sixth Sub Race (of the current Fifth Root Race). 2. Instruction is being given at this time to a special group of people who have come into incarnation at this critical period of the world's history. They have come in, all at the same time throughout the world, to do the work of linking up the two Planes, The Physical and Astral via The Aetheric (The Transition from Third to Fourth Density on this planet)." "In The Hierarchy, nothing is lost through failure to recognize The Law of Economy. Every expenditure of force on the part of a Master or Teacher is subjected to wise foresight and discrimination. Just as we do not put university professors to teach the beginners, so The Masters Themselves work not individually with men until they have attained a certain stage of evolution and are ready to profit by their instruction." "And remember that each of us is recognized by the brilliance of his light. Light is vibration, and through the mearurement of vibration is fixed the grading of the scholars. Hence nothing can prevent a man's progress forward if he but attends to the purification of his vehicles. We are all graded, therefore, if it may be so expressed, according to the purity of the tone, according to the magnitude of the light, according to the rate of vibration and the clarity of the colour. Who our Teacher is depends, therefore, upon our grading. Similarity of vibration holds the secret. We are frequently told that when the demand is forceful enough, The Teacher will appear." "All are graded and charted. The Masters have their Halls of Records (The Akashic Records), with a system of tabulation incomprehensible to us owing to its magnitude and its necessary intricacies, wherein these charts are kept. They are under the care of a Chohan (or Lord) of a Ray, each Ray (or Division in The Hierarchy) having its own collection of charts. These charts, being in many sections, are again all under the care of subordinate Guardians. The Lords of Karma, with their vast band of Helpers, are the most frequent Users of these charts. These Halls of Records are mostly on the lowest Levels of The Mental Plane and the highest of The Astral, as They can be there most fully utilized and most easily accessible." "Initiates receive instruction directly from The Masters or from some of The Great Devas or Angels. These teachings are usually imparted at night in small classes or individually in The Master's private study." "Disciples are taught in groups in The Master's ashram or classroom at night if in incarnation. The major part of a disciple's tuition is left in the hands of some Initiate or more advanced disciple who watches over his younger brother and is responsible to The Master for his progress, handing in regular reports. Karma is largely the arbiter of this relation." The Path of Discipleship: "A disciple is one who, above all else, is pledged to do 3 things: a. To serve Humanity. b. To cooperate with The Plan of The Great Ones. c. To follow the guidance of The Higher Self and not the dictates of his 3-fold lower manifestation (the personality)." "A disciple is one who is beginning to comprehend group work and beginning to change his center of activity from himself to the group center. A disciple is one who realizes simultaneously the relative insignificance of each unit of consciousness and also its vast importance. A disciple realizes the force side of nature and to him the form makes no appeal. He recognizes himself as a force center within a greater Force Center, and his is the responsibility of directing the energy which may pour through him into channels through which the group can be benefited." "A disciple is one who is transferring his consciousness out of the personal into the impersonal, and during the transition stage difficulties arise from: a. The disciple's lower self, which rebels at being transmuted. b. A person's immediate group, friends, or family who rebel at the growing impersonality." "The disciple is one who realizes his responsibility to all units who come under his influence, a responsibility to expand their consciousness. This he does most easily by a demonstration in his own life as to his goal, his object, and his center of consciousness." "The disciple has several things at which to aim: -- A sensitive response to The Master's Vibration. -- A practical purity of life. -- A freedom from care. Bear in mind that care is based on the personal and is the result of lack of dispassion. -- Accomplishment of duty. This point involves the dispassionate discharge of all obligations and due attention to karmic debts. Special emphasis should be laid, for all disciples, on the value of dispassion, where balance is seen, and neither pleasure nor pain dominates, for they are superseded by joy and bliss. -- He has also to work scientifically, if it may be so expressed, at the building of the physical body. He must so strive that he will produce, in each incarnation, a body which will serve better as a vehicle for force." "He who guards his words and who only speaks with altruistic purpose, in order to carry the energy of love through the medium of the tongue, is one who is mastering rapidly the initial steps to be taken in preparation for Initiation." "The disciple must learn to be silent in the face of that which is evil. He must learn to be silent before the sufferings of the world, wasting no time in idle plaints and sorrowful demonstration, but lifting up the burden of the world, working and wasting no energy in talk. Yet he should speak where encouragement is needed, using the tongue for constructive ends; expressing The Love Force of the world as It may flow through him, where It will serve best to ease a load or lift a burden, remembering that, as The Race progresses, the love element between the sexes and its expression will be translated to a Higher Plane." "The path of the disciple is a thorny one. Briars beset his every step, and difficulties meet him at every turn. Yet in the treading of the path, in the overcoming of the difficulties, and in a single-hearted adherence to the good of the group, with a proportionate attention to the individuals and their evolutionary developement, comes at length fruition and the attainment of the goal. A server of The Race stands forth. He is a server because he has no ends of his own to serve, and from his lower sheaths goes out no vibration which can beguile him from his chosen path." "Some practical advice might be of value here: Stand ready and watch the heart. In the transferring of the fire from The Solar Plexus (The Manipura Chakra) to The Heart Chakra (The Anahata Chakra) comes much pain. It is not easy to love, as do The Great Ones, with a pure love which requires nothing back. Be prepared for loneliness. It is the law. As a man dissociates himself from all that concerns his physical, Astral, and Mental Bodies and centers himself in The Higher Self, it produces a temporary separation. Cultivate happiness. Happiness is based on confidence in The God Within (The I Am Presence), a just appreciation of time, and a forgetfulness of self. Suffering comes as the lower self rebels. Control that lower self, eliminate desire, and all is Joy. Have patience. Endurance is one of the characteristics of The Higher Self. The Higher Self persists, knowing Itself immortal. The personality becomes discouraged, knowing that 'time' is short." "To the disciple naught occurs but what is in The Plan, and where the motive and sole aspiration of the heart are towards the carrying out of The Master's Will and the serving of The Race, that which eventuates has in it the seeds of the next enterprise and embodies the environment of the next step forward." "It is possible to reach a point where naught that occurs can ruffle the inner calm, where the peace that passeth understanding is known and experienced, because the consciousness is centered in The Higher Self Who is peace Itself." "As the aspirant progresses, he not only balances the pairs of opposites (duality) but is having the secret of his brother's heart revealed to him. He becomes an acknowledged force in the world and is recognized as one who can be depended upon to serve. He reaches the hearts of Men in some way or another and becomes a helper and server of his Race." "The aspirant has an appreciation of the occult value of money, in service. He seeks nothing for himself, save that which may equip him for the work to be done, and he looks upon money and that which money can purchase as something which is to be used for others and as a means to bring about the fruition of The Master's Plans, as he senses those plans. One of the greatest tests as to the position of a man upon The Probationary Path is that which concerns his attitude to and his handling of that which all men seek in order to gratify desire (money). Only he who desires naught for himself can be a recipient of financial bounty and a dispenser of the riches of The Universe." "It would be well to remember that disciples on The First Ray (Divine Will) understand discipleship largely in terms of energy or force or activity, whilst disciples on The Second Ray (Love/Wisdom) understand it more in terms of consciousness or Initiation. Hence the divergence of expressions in ordinary use and the lack of comprehension among thinkers. It might prove useful to express the idea of discipleship in terms of the different Rays -- meaning by this, discipleship as it manifests in service on The Physical Plane: First Ray ........................... Force ...................... Energy ................................. Action ..................... The Occultist Second Ray ............ Consciousness ............ Expansion ............................ Initiation ............... The True Psychic Third Ray ..................... Adaptation ............ Developement ........................ Evolution ................. The Magician Fourth Ray .................... Vibration .................. Response .......................... Expression ................... The Artist Fifth Ray ....................... Mentation ................ Knowledge ............................ Science ................... The Scientist Sixth Ray ....................... Devotion ................. Abstraction ............................ Idealism .................. The Devotee Seventh Ray ................ Incantation ................... Magic .................................... Ritual ..................... The Ritualist." "Remember that we are here dealing with disciples. Later on, as they progress, the various lines approximate and merge. As time elapses and they are brought into closer relationship with the 2 Masters with Whom they are concerned (The 2 Sponsors of the disciple), the inability to cooperate and to merge their interests in the good of the group will pass away, and community of endeavor, similarity of object, and mutual cooperation will take the place of what is now so much seen,divergence." The Path of Initiation: "After a longer or shorter period of time, the disciple stands at The Portal of Initiation. He who treads The Probationary Path and The Path of Holiness (Discipleship) is he who has counted the cost, whose sense of values has been readjusted, and who, therefore, judges not as judges the man of the world. In the struggle for the mastery of the lower self by The Higher, he is willing to sacrifice even unto death." "At The First Initiation (The Birth), the control of The Higher Self (The I Am Presence) over the physical body must have reached a high degree of attainment. A general attitude of obedience to The Higher Self must have been achieved, and the willingness to obey must be very strong. The channel between The Higher and the lower is widened and the obedience of the flesh practically automatic." "The very fact that a Man is an Initiate and, therefore, the medium for force of a greatly increased kind, makes his lapses from The Straight Path (of Initiation) to have more powerful effects than is the case with a less advanced man. His retribution and 'punishment' (karma) will be equally greater. Inevitably, He must pay the price before He is allowed to proceed further upon The Way." "All people do not develope exactly along the same or parallel lines, and, therefore, no hard or fast rules can be laid down as to the exact procedure at each Initiation or as to just what centers (chakras) are to be vivified or what vision is to be accorded." "At The First Initiation, That of The Birth of The Christ, The Heart Chakra (The Anahata Chakra) is the one usually vivified, with the aim in view of the more effective controlling of The Astral Vehicle (The Emotional Body) and the rendering of greater service to Humanity. After This Initiation, The Initiate is taught, principally, the facts of The Astral Plane. He has to stabilize his Emotional Vehicle and learn to work on The Astral Plane with the same facility and ease as He does on The Physical Plane." "He passes, at This Initiation, out of The Hall of Learning into The Hall of Wisdom. At this time, emphasis is consistently laid on his astral (emotional) developement, although his mental equipment grows steadily." "Many lives may intervene between The First Initiation and The Second. A long period of many incarnations may elapse before the control of The Astral Body (The Emotional Body) is perfected, and The Initiate is ready for the next step." "The Second Initiation (The Baptism) forms the crisis in the control of The Astral Body. Just as, at The First Initiation, the control of the dense physical has been demonstrated, so here the control of The Astral is similarly demonstrated. The sacrifice and death of desire has been the goal of endeavor. The aspiration and longing to serve, love, and progress become so strong that rapid developement is usually to be seen. This accounts for the fact that This Initiation (The Second) and The Third frequently follow each other in one single life." "At This Second Initiation, should the ordinary course be followed (which again is not at all certain), The Throat Chakra (The Visshuddha Chakra) is vivified. It imparts the ability to give forth and utter that which is helpful, possibly, in the spoken word but surely in service of some kind. A vision is accorded of the world's need, and a further portion of The Plan (of Sanat Kumara) shown. The work, then, to be done prior to the taking of The Third Initiation is the complete submerging of the personal point of view in the need of the whole. It entails the complete domination of the concrete mind by The Higher Self." "After The Second Initiation, the teaching shifts up a Plane. The Initiate learns to control his Mental Vehicle (The Mental Body). He developes the capacity to manipulate thought matter and learns the laws of creative thought building. His knowledge of the microcosm becomes profound, and He has mastered, theoretically and practically in great measure, the laws of his own nature." "At The Third Initiation, termed sometimes The Transfiguration, the entire personality is flooded with Light from above. It is only after This Initiation (also called The Soul Merge) that The Monad (The Higher Self of The Higher Self) is guiding The Higher Self, pouring his Divine Life ever more into the prepared and cleansed Channel." "Again, a vision is accorded of what lies ahead. The Initiate is in a position, at all times, to recognize the other Members of The Great White Lodge (The Great White Brotherhood), and his psychic faculties are stimulated by the vivification of The Head Chakras (The Ajna and Sahasrara Chakras). When the physical body is pure, The Astral Body stable and steady, and The Mental Body controlled, then The Initiate can safely wield and wisely use the psychic faculties for the helping of The Race. The Personality has now reached a point where its vibrations are of a very high order." "It is only at The Third Initiation that The Great Hierophant (Initiator), The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara) Himself officiates. It is the first at which He contacts The Initiate. Earlier, it would not be possible. For the First Two Initiations, The Hierophant is The Christ, the World Teacher, The Firstborn among many brethren, One of the earliest of our Humanity to take Initiation. But The Lord of The World, The Ancient of Days, The Ineffable Ruler Himself administers The Third Initiation." "The heart is now sufficiently pure and loving and the intellect sufficiently stable to stand the strain of knowing." "Before The Fourth Initiation can be taken, the work of training is intensified, and the hastening and accumulation of knowledge has to be unbelievably rapid. After The Third Initiation, The Initiate can contact and assist (in measure) The Chohans of The Rays, The Boddhisattva (The Christ), and The Manu." "He studies The Cosmic Plans and has to master the charts. He learns to direct the activities of The Building Devas, and, at the same time, He works continually at the developement of his spiritual nature." "The life of The Man Who takes The Fourth Initiation, or The Crucifixion (also called The Renunciation), is usually one of great sacrifice and suffering. It is the life of The Man Who makes The Great Renunciation, and even exoterically it is seen to be strenuous, hard, and painful. He has laid all, even his perfected Personality, upon the altar of sacrifice and stands bereft of all. All is renounced: friends, money, reputation, character, standing in the world, family, and even life itself." "After The Fourth Initiation, The Initiate is admitted into closer fellowship in The Lodge, and his contact with The Devas is more complete. He is rapidly exhausting the resources in The Hall of Wisdom and is mastering the most intricate plans and charts. He becomes adept in the significance of colour and sound and can contact His Monad with more freedom than the majority of The Human Race can contact their Higher Selves. He is in charge, also, of large work, teaching many pupils, aiding in many schemes, and is gathering under Him Those Who are to assist Him in future times. This refers only to Those Who stay to help Humanity on this globe." (as Initiates in The Spiritual Hierarchy) "After The Fifth Initiation (The Ascension), The Man is perfected as far as This Scheme (The Earth) goes, though He may, if He will, take 2 further Initiations (in This Planetary Scheme)." "To achieve The Sixth Initiation (The Level of The Seven Chohans), The Adept has to take a very intensive course in planetary occultism. A Chohan of The Sixth Initiation wields The Law in The Chain on all planetary levels. A Chohan (or Buddha) of The Seventh Initiation wields The Law in The Solar System." "The stages of developement of the aspirant might be expressed as follows: 1. He has to become aware, through discrimination, of the energy or force of his own lower self. 2. He has to impose upon that energetic rhythm one that is higher, until that lower rhythm is superseded by the higher, and the old method of expressing energy dies out entirely. 3. He then is permitted, by gradually expanding realizations, to contact and -- under guidance -- to employ certain forms of group energy until the time comes when He is in a position, scientifically, to wield planetary force. The length of time taken over his final stage is entirely dependent upon the progress He makes in the service of his Race and in the developement of those powers of The Soul (The Higher Self) which are the natural sequence of spiritual unfoldment." "The application of The Rod of Initiation at the first 2 Initiations by The Boddhisattva (The Christ) enables The Initiate to control and utilize the force of the lower self, the true sanctified energy of the personality, in service. At The Third Initiation, the application of The Rod by The One Initiator (Sanat Kumara) makes available, in a vastly more extensive manner, the force of The Higher Self and brings into play on The Physical Plane the entire energy stored up, during numerous incarnations, in The Causal Vehicle (The Higher Mental Body of The Christ Self). At The Fourth Initiation, the energy of His Higher Self Grouping becomes his to use for the good of planetary evolution, and at The Fifth Initiation the force or energy of the planet is at his disposal." "During The First 5 Initiations, these 2 Great Beings -- The Boddhisattva (The World Teacher) for the first 2 and then The One Initiator, The Lord of The World (Sanat Kumara) for the next 3 -- are The Administrators or Hierophants. After These Ceremonies, should The Initiate choose to take the 2 Final Initiations (Sixth and Seventh) Which it is possible to take in This System (of Earth), a still higher type of Energy in expression of The One Self comes into play and can only be hinted at." "At The Seventh Initiation, That One of Whom Sanat Kumara is The Manifestation, The Logos (Vywamus) of our Planetary Scheme on his own Plane becomes The Hierophant. At The Sixth Initiation, The Expression of This Existence (Vywamus) on an intermediate Plane, a Being Who must at present remain nameless, wields The Rod (of Initiation) and administers the oath and secret. Through The Planetary Logos (Vywamus) at The Final Great Initiation (The Seventh) flows the power of The Solar Logos." "Students must get rid of the idea that if they are 'very good and altruistic' suddenly some day they will stand before The Great Lord. Goodness and altruism grow out of realization and service, and holiness of character is the outcome of those expansions of consciousness which a man brings about within himself through strenuous effort and endeavor. Therefore, it is here and now that man can prepare himself for Initiation by working systematically and enduringly at the steady developement of The Mental Body, by the strenuous and arduous process of controlling The Astral Body (the emotions), so that It becomes responsive to 3 vibrations: a. That from The Higher Self (The I Am Presence). b. That from The Master (one's personal Master). c. Those from his brothers everywhere around him." "He becomes sensitive to the voice of his Higher Self, thus working off karma under the intelligent guidance of his own God-Self. He becomes conscious, via The Higher Self, of the vibration emanating from his Master. He learns to feel it ever more and more and to respond to it ever more fully. Finally, he becomes increasingly sensitive to the joys and pains and sorrows of those he daily contacts. He feels them to be his joys and pains and sorrows, and yet he is not incapacitated thereby." The 7 planetary Initiations of Earth: The Universality of Initiation: "This particular mode of developing the consciousness (The Path of Initiation) of The Human Family was initiated by The Hierarchy during The Atlantean Root Race (The Fourth Root Race) at the latter end of The Fourth Sub Race and will persist until the middle of the next Round. At that time, the needed stimulus will have been imparted and, as three-fifths of The Human Family will then have esoterically set their feet upon The Path and a large percentage of them will then be in process of becoming The Path Itself, the more normal routine will again be resumed." "The process of stimulation of humans by means of graded instructions and the application of the dynamic Force of The Rod is employed on 3 of The Planets of our Solar System at this time. The other Planetary Schemes, though fundamentally the same as ours, have their profound differences in manifestation due to the varying characteristics and the individual karma of the incarnating Planetary Logos or Ray." "The 3 Planetary Schemes wherein the great experiment of Initiation is being tried are The Earth, Venus, and one other. Venus was the first Sphere of experiment (in this Solar System), and the success of the endeavor and the force generated was the cause of a similar effort being made on our Planet." "A similar process has but lately been instituted on another Planetary Scheme, and when, in the next Round, our Earth attains a point in evolution analogous to that of The Venusian Scheme at the time its influence was felt by us, then we shall aid in the stimulation of still another Group of Planetary Higher Selves." "In the 3 great Planetary Schemes of Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn, the method of Initiation will not be employed. They will be The Recipients of those who are esoterically 'saved' from amongst the other Schemes. That is to say that all those who, in any Planetary Scheme, achieve the needed expansion of consciousness will be considered 'saved' whilst the remainder will be held to be 'failures' and will be held over for further developement (further incarnations) during later periods or will be transferred to Those Planetary Schemes which, from the point of view of time, are not so far advanced as our Earth Scheme. These 3 Major Schemes are the absorbers and synthesizers of the energy of the others." "Initiation has to do with the conscious developement of the self and concerns The Wisdom Aspect of The One Self (The Monad). The Devas, with the exception of Those Greater Devas Who have in earlier Cycles passed through The Human Kingdom and are now cooperating in the evolution of Man, are not as yet self-conscious. They grow and develope through feeling and not through the power of conscious thought. Man, however, grows through expansions of self-conscious realization, self-initiated and self-imposed." "The Devas follow the line of least resistance and seek to appropriate and experience, in fullest tide of feeling and sentiency, the vibration of things as they are. Therefore, the method for Them is an ever-increasing intensity of appreciation for the feeling of the moment. The Devas seek to feel, whilst Man seeks to know. For the former, then, those expansions of consciousness which we call Initiation exist not." "Sirius (The Higher Self of The Sun) acts as The Transmitter, or The Focalizing Center, whence emanate those influences which produce self-consciousness in Man. During Initiation, by means of The Rod of Initiation, this energy is momentarily intensified and applied to the chakras of The Initiate with terrific force. Were it not that The Hierophant (The Initiator) and the 2 Sponsors of The Initiate pass it primarily through their bodies, it would be more than He could stand. This increase of mind energy results in an expansion and an apprehension of the truth as it is and is lasting in its effects. It is felt primarily in The Throat Center (The Visshuddhi Chakra), the great organ of creation through sound." "Another type of energy reaches Man from The Pleiades, passing through The Venusian Scheme to us, just as The Sirian Energy passes through The Saturnian. It has a definite effect upon The Causal Body (The Higher Mental Body, That which is intermediate between The I Am Presence and the lower self) and serves to stimulate The Heart Center (The Anahata Chakra)." "A third type of energy is applied to The Initiate and affects his Head Center (The Crown Chakra, The Sahasrara). It emanates from That One of the 7 stars of The Great Bear (Ursa Major) whose ensouling Life holds the same relationship to our Planetary Logos (Vywamus) as The Higher Self does to a human being. This energy, therefore, is 7-fold (The Seven Rays) and differs according to a man's Ray or type." "Other types of force from certain of The Planetary Schemes, as well as from Cosmic Centers (or Chakras), are brought into play by The Initiator and transmitted, through the medium of The Rod, to the various chakras in The Initiate's 3 Vehicles, The Mental, The Astral, and The Aetheric." "At The Fourth Initiation (The Crucifixion), a specialized type of force from a Center, Which must remain nameless, is applied to a man's Causal Body (Higher Mental Body) and is one of the causes of its final disintegration (It no longer separating The I Am Presence from the lower self personality)." "The 7 'Heavenly Men' (The 7 Planetary Logoi of The 7 Sacred Planets of This Solar System), in whose bodies each Human Monad and each Deva finds his place, form The 7 Chakras in The Body of The Solar Logos. He, in his turn, forms The Heart Center (or Chakra) of a still greater Entity. The consummation of all for This Solar System will be when The Solar Logos takes His Fifth Initiation (Fifth Solar Initiation). When all the sons of men attain The Fifth Initiation (The Ascension), He achieves. This is a great mystery and incomprehensible to us." The Participants in The Mysteries: "We are considering facts which are substantial and real on The Mental Plane, The Plane on Which all The Major Initiations take place, but which are not materialized on The Physical Plane and are not physical plane phenomena. Corroboration of the occurrences upon The Subjective Planes of reality and proof of the accuracy of the transmitted knowledge will demonstrate as follows: In and through the aetheric chakras. These centers (in The Aetheric Body) will be greatly stimulated and will, through their increased inherent energy, enable The Initiate to accomplish more in the path of service than He ever before dreamed possible. The physical centers, such as the Pineal Gland and the Pituitary Body, will begin to develope rapidly, and He will become conscious of the awakening of the 'siddhis' (metaphysical abilities), or powers of The Soul, in the higher connotation of the words. The brain will become ever more rapidly an acute transmitter of the inner impulses. The Initiate finally becomes aware, increasingly, of the growth of that inner recollection or 'occult memory' which concerns the work of The Hierarchy and, primarily, his share in The General Plan." "Initiation is strictly a personal matter with a universal application. The Initiate will know for Himself when the event occurs and needs no one to tell Him of It. The expansion of consciousness called Initiation must include the physical brain or It is of no value." "At the same time, it is quite possible for Men to be functioning on The Physical Plane and to be actively employed in world service Who have no recollection of having undergone The Initiatory Process, yet Who, nevertheless, may have taken The First or Second Initiation in a previous or earlier life. However, if Initiation is taken for the first time in any life, the recollection of It extends to the physical brain." "Curiosity or even ordinary good living never brought a man to The Portal of Initiation. Curiosity, by arousing a strong vibration in a man's lower nature, only serves to swing him away from, instead of towards, the goal he is interested in; whilst ordinary good living, when not furthered by a life of utter sacrifice for others and by a reticence, humility, and disinterestedness of a very unusual kind, may serve to build good vehicles which will be of use in another incarnation but will serve to break down those barriers, outer and inner, and overcome those opposing forces and energies which stand between a 'good' man and The Ceremony of Initiation." "The Path of Discipleship is a difficult One to tread, and The Path of Initiation harder still. An Initiate is but a battle-scarred warrior. He makes no reference to Himself or to all that He has accomplished, save to deprecate the littleness of what has been done. Nevertheless, to the world He is ever a Man of large influence, the wielder of spiritual power, the embodier of ideals, the worker for Humanity Who unfailingly brings results which succeeding generations will recognize. He lays his all upon the altar of altruistic service and frequently offers his life as a final gift, only to find that those whom He has served throw his gift back to Him, scorn his renunciation, and label Him with unsavory names. But The Initiate knows that his name and effort are noted in The Archives of The Lodge and that The Silent Watcher (Vywamus) over the affairs of Men has taken notice." "The Silent Watcher is That Great Entity Who is the informing Life of The Planet and Who holds the same position to The Lord of The World, Sanat Kumara, as The Higher Self does to the lower self of Man. From the standpoint of our Planetary Scheme, this great life has no greater, and He is, as far as we are concerned, a correspondence to The Personal God of the Christian. He works through His Representative on the physical, Sanat Kumara, Who is the focal point for His Life and Energy. He holds the world within His Aura. This Great Existence is only contacted directly by The Adept Who has taken The Fifth Initiation (The Ascension) and is proceeding to take the other Two, The Sixth and Seventh." "Once a year, at The Wesak Festival (the full moon of May), The Lord Buddha, sanctioned by The Lord of The World, carries to the assembled Humanity a dual stream of force -- that emanating from The Silent Watcher, supplemented by the more focalized energy of The Lord of The World. The dual energy He pours out in blessing over the people gathered at the ceremony in The Himalayas, and from them, in turn, it flows out to all peoples and tongues and Races." "The Planetary Logos (Vywamus) is only concerned with the 2 Final Initiations (The Sixth and Seventh), Which are not compulsory as are the earlier Five (for Planet Earth). These Initiations are taken upon The Buddhic and Atmic Planes, whereas The First Five are taken upon The Mental." "The Lord of The World, The One Initiator, He who is called in The Bible 'The Ancient of Days' and in The Hindu Scriptures 'The First Kumara'; He, Sanat Kumara it is, Who from his throne at Shamballa in The Gobi Desert (at a Higher Level of Being) presides over The Lodge of Masters (The Great White Brotherhood) and holds in his hands the reins of Government in all The Three Major Departments (First, Second, and Third). He has chosen to watch over the evolution of Men and Devas until all have been occultly 'saved'. He it is Who decides upon the 'advancements' in the different Departments and Who settles Who shall fill the vacant posts." "At stated periods in the year The Lodge meets and at The Wesak Festival gathers under his jurisdiction for 3 purposes: 1. To contact planetary force through the medium of The Buddha. 2. To hold the principal of the quarterly conferences (once each season). 3. To admit to The Ceremony of Initiation Those Who are ready in all grades." "Three other Initiation Ceremonies take place during the year (at quarterly intervals): 1. For The Minor Initiations administered by The Boddhisattva (The World Teacher), all of Which are in The Department of The Mahachohan (The Third Ray Department) and on one or another of The Four Lesser Rays, The Rays of Attribute (Fourth through Seventh). 2. For The Major Initiations on one or another of The Three Major Rays, The Rays of Aspect (First, Second, and Third), Which are administered by The Boddhisattva and are, therefore, The First Two Initiations. 3. For The Higher Three Initiations at Which Sanat Kumara wields The Rod." "At all Initiations The Lord of The World is present, but at The First Two He holds a position similar to that held by The Silent Watcher when Sanat Kumara admisters the oath at The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Initiations. His power streams forth, and the flashing forth of the star before The Initiate is the signal of his approval, but The Initiate does not see Him face to face until The Third Initiation (The Transfiguration or Soul Merge)." "The function of The Three Kumaras (Exoteric) or The Three Buddhas of Activity at Initiation is interesting. They are Three Aspects of The One Aspect and The Pupils of Sanat Kumara. They each embody the force or energy of one of The 3 Higher Subplanes of The Mental Plane." "During The Final Two Initiations (Sixth and Seventh), Sanat Kumara is still The Hierophant, yet in a very esoteric manner it is The Planetary Logos (Higher Self of Sanat Kumara) Himself Who officiates. They are merged at that time into One Identity, manifesting different aspects." "It has been said that The 3 Major Departmental Heads represent the triplicity of all manifestation, which might be expressed under the following form:
All human beings belong to one of These Three Departments, Which are all of equal importance." "The Three Great Lords closely cooperate in the work and are closely connected with The Initiations of a human unit. However, They are too occupied with greater affairs and with group activities to have any relationship with a man until he stands upon The Probationary Path. When he has, through his own effort, brought himself onto The Path of Discipleship, the particular Master Who has him under supervision reports to The Head of one of The 3 Major Departments (this being dependent upon a man's Ray) that he is nearing The Portal of Initiation and should be ready for The Great Step during such and such a life. During the final year upon The Path of Discipleship, the applicant's name is submitted to The Lodge, and after his own Master has reported upon him and his record has been briefly summarized, his name is balloted and Sponsors are arranged." "During The Initiation Ceremony, the important factors are: 1. The Initiator (The Hierophant). 2. The Triangle of Force formed by 3 Adepts or 3 Kumaras. 3. The Sponsors." "In the case of The First 2 Initiations, 2 Masters stand, One on each side of The Applicant within the triangle. At The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Initiations, The Mahachohan and The Boddhisattva perform the function of Sponsor. At The Sixth and Seventh Initiations, 2 Great Beings, Who must remain nameless, stand within the esoteric triangle. The work of The Sponsors is to pass through their bodies the force or electrical energy emanating from The Rod of Initiation. This force, through radiation, circles around the triangle and is supplemented by the force of The 3 Guardians. It next passes through the chakras of The Sponsors, being transmitted by an act of will to The Initiate." The Two Revelations: "The stages of The Initiation Ceremony are 5 in number, as follows: 1. The Presence revealed. 2. The Vision seen. 3. The application of The Rod, affecting: 4. The administration of The Oath. 5. The giving of The Secret and The Word. These points are given in due order, and each of these 5 stages is in itself a complete ceremony." "On The Path of inner or subjective developement, the sequence of developement of the senses is: Hearing -- response to the voice of conscience (The God or Higher Self within). This covers the period of strictly normal evolution. Touch -- response to control or vibration and the recognition of that which lies outside of the separated human unit on The Physical Plane. This covers the period of gradual spiritual unfoldment, The Paths of Probation and of Discipleship, right up to The Door of Initiation. The man touches, at intervals, that which is higher than himself. He becomes aware of the 'touch' of The Master. He reaches out after that which concerns The Higher Self, and, through touching unseen things, habituates himself to them. Finally, Sight -- that inner vision which is produced through The Initiation Process. The medium of the inner sight has ever existed, and that which can be seen is always present, but the recognition by the majority as yet exists not." "This 'recognition' by The Initiate is the first great step in The Initiation Ceremony, and until it has transpired all the other stages must wait. That which is recognized differs at the different Initiations and might be roughly summarized as follows: The Higher Self, The Reflection of The Monad, is in Itself a triplicity as is all else in Nature and reflects The 3 Aspects of Divinity, just as The Monad reflects, on a Higher Plane, The 3 Aspects -- Will, Love/Wisdom, and Active Intelligence -- of The Diety." "Therefore, at The First Initiation, The Initiate becomes aware of The Third or lowest Aspect of The Higher Self, That of Active Intelligence. He is brought face to face with that manifestation of The Great Solar Angel (Pitri) Who is Himself, The Real Self." "At The Second Initiation, This Great Presence is seen as a duality, and another Aspect shines forth before Him. He becomes aware that This Radiant Life, Who is identifying with Himself, is not only Intelligence in Action (Third Ray) but also is Love/Wisdom (Second Ray) in origin. He (The Initiate) merges his consciousness with This Life and becomes one with It so that on The Physical Plane, through the medium of that personal life, That Life is seen as intelligent love expressing Itself." "At The Third Initiation, The Higher Self stands before The Initiate as a perfected triplicity. Not only is The Self known to be Intelligent, Active Love, but It is revealed also as a fundamental Will or Purpose (First Ray) with Which The Man immediately identifies Himself and knows that the 3 worlds (Physical, Astral, Mental) hold naught for Him in the future but only serve as a sphere for active service." "These profound revelations shine forth before The Initiate in a triple manner: 1. As a Radiant Angelic Existence. The Great Solar Angel, Who embodies the real Man (Initiate) and is his Expression on The Plane of Higher Mind (Mental Plane), is literally his Divine Ancestor, The 'Watcher' Who, through long cycles of incarnation, has poured Himself out in sacrifice in order that man might BE. 2. As a Sphere of Radiant Fire, linked with The Initiate standing before It by that magnetic thread of fire which passes through all his bodies and terminates within the centers of the physical brain (the Pituitary and Pineal Glands). This 'Silver Thread' emanates from The Heart Chakra of The Solar Angel, linking thus heart and brain, that great duality manifesting in This Solar System, Love and Intelligence. One Life pulsates and circulates through all via the fiery strands. This is part of the revelation which comes to a Man Who stands in 'The Presence' with his eyes occultly opened. 3. As a many tinted Lotus of 9 Petals. These petals are arranged in 3 circles around a central set of 3 closely-folded petals which shield what is called, in the eastern books, The Jewel in the Lotus. This Lotus is a thing of rare beauty, pulsating with life and radiant with all the colours of the rainbow, and at The First 3 Initiations the 3 circles are revealed in order, until at The Fourth Initiation The Initiate stands before a still greater revelation and learns the secret of that which lies within the central bud." "In all these words, 'Solar Angel', 'Sphere of Fire', and 'Lotus', lies hidden some aspect of the central mystery of human life, but it will only be apparent to those who have eyes to see." "At The Fourth Initiation (The Renunciation), The Initiate is brought into The Presence of that Aspect of Himself Which is called his 'Father in Heaven'. He is brought face to face with his own Monad, That Pure Spiritual Essence on The Highest Plane but one, That Which is to his Higher Self what That Higher Self is to the personality or lower self." "The Solar Angel hitherto contacted has withdrawn Himself, and the form through which He functioned (The Causal Body) has gone, and naught is left but Love/Wisdom and that dynamic Will which is the prime characteristic of Spirit. The lower self has served the purposes of The Higher Self and has been discarded. The Higher Self likewise has served the purposes of The Monad and is no longer required, and The Initiate stands free of both, fully liberated and able to contact The Monad, as earlier He learned to contact The Higher Self. For the remainder of his appearances in the 3 worlds (Physical, Astral, Mental) He is governed only by will and purpose, self-initiated, and creates his body of manifestation and thus controls (within karmic limits) his own times and seasons. The karma here referred to is planetary karma and not personal." "At This Fourth Initiation he contacts The Love Aspect of The Monad, and at The Fifth The Will Aspect and thus completes his contacts, responds to all necessary vibrations, and is Master on The 5 Planes of human evolution (Physical, Astral, Mental, Buddhic, and Atmic)." "Further, it is at The Third, The Fourth, and The Fifth Initiations that He becomes aware also of That 'Presence' Which enfolds even That Spiritual Entity, his own Monad. He sees his Monad as one with The Planetary Logos (Vywamus). Through the channel of his own Monad, He sees the self-same Aspects (Which That Monad embodies) on a wider scale, and The Planetary Logos, Who ensouls all The Monads on his Ray, is thus revealed." "At The Sixth Initiation, The Initiate, functioning consciously as The Love Aspect (The Second Ray) of The Monad, is brought (via His 'Father') into a still vaster recognition and becomes aware of That Star Which encloses His Planetary Star (The Planetary Logos), just as That Star has earlier been seen as enclosing his own tiny 'Spark' (Soul or Higher Self). He thus makes his conscious contact with The Solar Logos and realizes within Himself the oneness of all life and manifestation." "This recognition is extended at The Seventh Initiation, so that 2 Aspects of The One Life become realities to The Emancipated Buddha. Thus by a graded series of steps is The Initiate brought face to face with Truth and Existence. It will be apparent to thoughtful students why this revealing of The Presence has to precede all other revelations." "His oneness with his brothers is proven, and He realizes the indissoluble link which binds Him to his fellow-men everywhere. Brotherhood is no longer a theory but a proven scientific fact, no more to be disputed than the separateness of men on The Physical Plane is to be disputed." "The immortality of The Soul and the reality of the unseen worlds is, for Him, proven and ascertained. He realizes the meaning and source of energy and can begin to wield power with scientific accuracy and direction. He knows now whence He draws it and has had a glimpse of the resources of energy which are available." "Thus, in many ways, does the revelation of The Presence produce definite results in The Initiate, and thus it is judged by The Hierarchy to be the necessary preamble to all later revelations." "Having brought The Initiate face to face with The One with Whom, for countless ages, He has had to do, and having awakened in Him an unshakable realization of the oneness of the fundamental life as it manifests through all lesser lives, the next momentous revelation is that of The Vision." "The first revelation (of The Presence) has concerned that which is undefinable, illimitable, and (to the finite mind) infinite in its abstractness and absoluteness. The second revelation (of The Vision) concerns time and space and involves the recognition by The Initiate -- through the newly aroused sense of occult sight -- of the part He has played and has to play in The Plan and later of The Plan Itself, in so far as it concerns: a. His Higher Self. b. His Higher Self Group. c. His Ray Group. d. His Planetary Logos." "At The First Initiation (The Birth) He becomes aware, definitely, of the part, relatively inconspicuous, that He has to play in his personal life during the period ensuing between the moment of revelation (The Vision) and the taking of The Second Initiation. This may involve one more life or several. He knows the trend they should take. He realizes, somewhat, his share in the service of The Race. He sees The Plan as a whole where He Himself is concerned and becomes conscious of what must be accomplished by Him before He can again stand in The Presence and receive an extended revelation." "At The Second Initiation (The Baptism) the part His Higher Self Group plays in the general scheme is shown to Him (in The Vision). He becomes more aware of the different Group Units with Whom He is intrinsically associated. He realizes who they are in their personalities, if in incarnation, and He sees, somewhat, what are the karmic relations between groups, units, and Himself. He is given an insight into the specific group purpose and its relation to other Groups." "Group relations are consolidated, and the plans and purposes can be furthered more intelligently. As this consolidation of group relations proceeds, it produces on The Physical Plane that concerted action and that wise unity in purpose which results in the materialization of the higher ideals and the adaptation of force in the wise furthering of the ends of evolution." "At The Third Initiation (The Transfiguration) there is revealed to The Initiate the purpose of The Subray of The Ray to Which He belongs, That upon Which His Higher Self finds Itself. All Higher Self Units are upon some Subray of The Monadic Ray (One of The Seven Rays). This knowledge is conferred upon The Initiate so as to enable Him, eventually, to find for Himself (along the line of least resistance) The Ray of His Monad." "The Initiate now learns the secret of group subordination to the good of the aggregate of groups. This will demonstrate on The Physical Plane as an ability to work wisely, intelligently, and harmoniously with many diverse types and to cooperate in large plans and wield wide influence." "A part of the plans of The Planetary Logos becomes revealed to Him, and The Vision includes the revelation of The Plan and Purpose as it concerns The Planet. This brings The Initiate, through a series of graded realizations, to the portals of The Fourth Initiation (The Crucifixion). The Vision this time is greatly extended, and, it might be said that, for the first time He becomes aware of the extent of planetary purpose and karma within The Scheme. His own personal unimportant karma being now adjusted, He can give his attention to the working off of planetary karma and the far-reaching plans of That Great Life (The Planetary Logos) Who includes all the lesser lives." "He bends all his energies towards planetary cooperation as it is furthered by work with and through the 2 great evolutions, Human and Deva, upon our Planet. Through the blending of all of nature's forces, the interplay of energy between the 2 Schemes may be quickened. He is admitted not only into The Council Chambers of his own Hierarchy but is permitted entrance also when Agents from other Planetary Schemes are in conference with The Lord of The World and The 2 Great Departmental Heads." "At The Fifth Initiation (The Ascension) The Vision brings to Him a still more extended outlook, and a third Planetary Scheme is seen, forming, with the other 2 Schemes, one of those triangles of force which are necessitated in the working out of Solar Evolution. Just as all manifestation proceeds through duality and triplicity back to eventual synthesis, so these Schemes, Which are but Centers of Force (Chakras) in The Body of The Solar Logos, work first as separated units (Planets) living their own integral life, then as dualities through the interplay of force through any 2 Schemes, thus aiding, stimulating, and complementing each other, and finally as a Solar Triangle, circulating force from point to point and Chakra to Chakra until the energy is merged and synthesized and the 3 work together in unity." "When The Adept of The Fifth Initiation can work in line with The Plans of The 3 Planetary Logoi involved, cooperating with Them with ever greater ability, as time elapses He becomes ready for The Sixth Initiation, Which admits Him to still Higher Conclaves. He becomes a Participant in solar and not merely planetary purposes." "At The Seventh Initiation His Vision penetrates beyond the solar ring-pass-not (periphery of The Sun's Aura), and He sees that which He has long realized as a basic theoretical fact, that our Solar Logos is involved in The Plans and Purposes of a still Greater Existence and that The Solar System is but one of many Centers of Force (Chakras) through which a Cosmic Entity, vastly greater than our own Solar Logos, is expressing Himself." "During The Initiation Ceremony, the opening of the eyes of The Initiate to see and realize divides itself into 3 parts, which are nevertheless parts of one process: 1. The past sweeps before Him, and He sees Himself playing many parts (in many incarnations), all of which are realized to be but the gradual bringing of his forces and capacities to the point where He can be of service to and with His Group. He sees and identifies Himself, according to the particular Initiation , with ................ a. Himself in many earlier lives. b. His Group in earlier groups of lives. c. His Ray as It pours down through many cycles of time. d. His Planetary Logos as He func |