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Discipleship in the New Age II - Teachings on Initiation - Part X
Part X For years we have talked about group initiation, and it remains as yet, for you, an unsolved problem. The phrase, "group initiation" is only used by the Members of the Hierarchy in reference to the first two initiations - initiations of the threshold, from the angle of the Lodge on Sirius. After these two preparatory events, the initiate - at and after the third initiation - reaches the point wherein he "undergoes initiation" in his own right (as the phrase runs), for he can now be trusted to ask nothing for the separated self; his personality is tempered and adjusted to group conditions; increasingly he is manifesting as a soul-infused personality, and the antahkarana is being rapidly created and effectively used. To phrase it otherwise: as the number and expressions of soul-infused personalities grow and initiates of the third degree increase numerically on Earth, what will be the result? Three great happenings will take place with spiritual and focused intention; they are today taking place, which is the point I wish to bring to your attention; it is this conscious intention which confers potency in the life of each disciple and initiate. 1. The Kingdom of God or of Souls, distinguished by the potency and therefore by the aura and radiatory emanation of love, is definitely anchored on Earth, and is penetrating [407] ever more fully and successfully into the three worlds of strictly human endeavor. There have always been outposts of this kingdom among men; there have ever been individuals in all parts of the world - in the world religions or in other constructive groups - who were linked consciously to their souls, and consequently linked to the Hierarchy. There have always been those in every land who developed and expressed the Christ consciousness; this is loving understanding and intelligent, living service, no matter by what words or terminology they expressed the tremendous spiritual event of which they were aware. But - from the standpoint of the world populations - the fourth kingdom in nature dominates in every field of thought and of activity, and not the Kingdom of God or of Souls. Today, as a result of a spiritual awakening which date from 1625 A.D., and which laid the emphasis upon a wider, general education and upon a revolt from the im position of clerical authority, the radiation from the world of souls has greatly intensified and the Kingdom of God is becoming a corporate part of the outer world expression, and this for the first time in the long, long history of humanity. The effect of this radiation or magnetic aura is now so extensive that we need no longer talk in terms of bringing in the kingdom or of its manifestation on Earth. It is already manifesting, and its aura is co-mingled with the mental, astral and etheric auras of mankind. Recognition only is required, but (and this is a factor to be noted) recognition is being withheld until the kingdom of souls can be safeguarded from the narrow claims of any church, religion or organization; many will claim (as they have ever done) that admittance into the Kingdom of God is to be found through their particular separative group. The Kingdom of God is not Christian, or Buddhist, or to be found focused in any world religion or esoteric organization. It is simply and solely what it claims to be: a vast and integrated group of soul-infused persons, radiating [408] love and spiritual intention, motivated by goodwill, and rooted in the human kingdom, as the kingdom of men is rooted in and is a break-away from the animal kingdom. 2. The antahkarana is now being built by all soul-infused personalities (or constructed unconsciously by all struggling to attain spiritual orientation and stature), and is rapidly becoming a strong cable, composed of all the many threads of living light, of consciousness and of life; these threads are blended and fused so that no one can truly say: "my thread, or my bridge, or my antahkarana." This, in ignorance, they oft-times do. All soul-infused personalities are creating the human antahkarana which will unite, in an indissoluble unity, the three aspects or energies of the Spiritual Triad and the three aspects of the soul-infused personality in the three worlds. In time to come, the phrase "life in the three worlds" will be discontinued; men will talk in terms of "life in the five worlds of the manifested Kingdom of God." Think in these terms today if you can, and begin to grasp somewhat the significance of the truth therein embodied. In the beautiful Eastern symbology, "The Bridge of Sighs" which links the animal world with the human world and leads all men into the vale of tears, of woe, of discipline and of loneliness, is rapidly being replaced by the radiant Rainbow Bridge, constructed by the sons of men who seek pure light. "They pass across the bridge into the Light serene which there awaits them, and bring the radiant light down to the world of men, revealing the new kingdom of the soul; souls disappear, and only the soul is seen." 3. Then follows that stupendous event for which all soul-infused persons prepare - the externalization of the Hierarchy and the reappearance of the Master of that Hierarchy, with the Personnel of which it is composed; this group of liberated and functioning souls will appear on earth as part of the manifested phenomena of the outer plane. This I have been dealing with in another section (The Externalization of the Hierarchy) and will not enlarge upon it here. The outposts of that [409] Kingdom and the vanguard of disciples and initiates is already here. The work or the radiatory activity of the Hierarchy is today more potent than at any time in human history. The Masters and their disciples (under the guidance of the World Teacher of that period) were physically present on earth in early Atlantean times, and the radiation emanating from them was protective, guarding and nurturing. Later, the Hierarchy withdrew into a subjective expression and humanity was - under the Law of Evolution - left to its own devices thus to learn the Way and tread the Path of Return through individual experiment and experience. The Masters (in this long interim) have not come forth to contact humanity on any large or group scale; many of their senior disciples have, however, emerged at varying intervals and when needed; the World Teacher has also come forth to sound the key or note for each new civilization and to express the results of the passing civilization. Men have had, therefore, to find their way alone to the Hierarchy; in silence that Hierarchy has waited, until the number of "enlightened souls" was so great that their invocative appeal and their magnetic radiation reached a potency which could not be denied; the balance of equilibrium, attained between the Kingdom of God on Earth and the Kingdom of God in Heaven (to use Christian phraseology) became such that the "Gates of Return" could be opened and free intercourse established between the fourth and the fifth kingdoms in nature. The gates (and I am still speaking in symbols) are already opening and soon will stand wide open to admit the passing of the "Son of Man, the perfected Son of God," back to the place - our Earth - where he earlier demonstrated perfect love and service. But - as you know - this time he will not come alone, but will bring with him the Heads of certain of the Ashrams, as well as a trained group of initiates and disciples. These happenings are taking place today before the eyes of all men, even though much that is going on remains totally [410] unrecognized over vast areas of the world of thought and by many millions of men. However, brother of mine, there are enough initiates and disciples working upon the physical plane at this time to ensure a recognition so extensive that the steady, consistent arousing of human expectation is guaranteed. Ponder on this and learn to recognize on every side the signs of human anticipation, and the pronounced indication of the approach of the Hierarchy. These three happenings will also indicate to you that, as far as the masses of men are concerned and the first two initiations are likewise involved, there is today and will increasingly be need for group initiation. It must be remembered that if these two earliest initiations are to be administered upon the physical plane by the Christ in his function as Initiator, that then the time factor must necessarily be involved, and that it will not be possible, therefore, to admit disciples one by one to initiation. Administration of the initiatory formula will have to be in group formation, and that - as you know - has necessitated drastic changes in the presentation of the training to be given to aspirants and disciples. People everywhere are joining groups of all kinds and working steadily in group formation; these can be regarded as preparatory classes in group fusion and group work. Among those in these many groups - functioning in every land - will be found those who form part of the subjective groups which the Hierarchy is everywhere forming upon all rays, on every plane and under many varying astrological aspects. Such a group is the one with which you are affiliated, objectively and subjectively; groups like the one to which you belong are far more common than you realize. The Masters are all working in a similar manner, where groups in preparation for initiation are concerned. it is not easy to induce aspirants and disciples to function in this preparatory group formation and to make it the major interest in their lives, for they must at the same time fulfil as perfectly as may be their family and social responsibilities and their business obligations. None of you would have been offered this opportunity had you not been capable of this dual life. I would ask you to study carefully the background [411] of this present hierarchical undertaking (I had almost said, adventure) and fulfil your part in the preparatory work which is demanded. This work falls into two parts: Your own preparation, as a soul-infused personality, for initiation; this will embody personality life disciplines. Preparation for the reappearance of the Christ; this will embody your life service to humanity and to the Hierarchy. With these ideas on group initiation, I leave the subject and will now proceed with the subsidiary themes of our study.
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