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Discipleship in the New Age II - Personal Instructions to Disciples - W.D.S.
September 1943 MY BROTHER: I have watched with interest as you have made many drastic adjustments in your life during the past two years, I have noted the increased strength of your spiritual links with your own soul, with the Ashram and with me, your Master and your constant friend. Of this you may not be constantly or inspiringly aware, but you have done one surprising thing - surprising because it is not usual. You have made these drastic adjustments without losing temporarily any ground. This is a thing rate indeed. Usually during these basic life changes, and during periods wherein the pattern of a daily life is altered, there is a temporary loss of time and of ground. It is seldom permanent but it usually exists for a short time until the new arrangements and adjustments have been regimented into rhythm, and then the threads are picked up, the old spiritual habits are reinstated, and the disciple again proceeds upon his way. This has not, however, happened to you. You seem to have gone steadily on, with no great or vitally important spiritual experience but with a pronounced stability. This should indicate to you something of importance. It means that you have reached that point upon the Path of Discipleship where you need no longer ask yourself if you are going to fail as far as a steady and undeviating moving forward is concerned. You may and will fail on details, techniques and methods; you may err in understanding or in prompt reaction to spiritual opportunity. That is inevitable, and the method whereby a disciple learns. But you will not fail in going on; for you there will be no turning back nor any real tendency to do so - only moments of unutterable fatigue when temptation may appear, but to it you will pay no attention. I wonder if you can realize, my brother, what this means to the Master who has a disciple under training and guidance. [629] It means that one possible danger can be definitely discounted and that along one line at least he can feel sure of his disciple. He need no longer question his staying power; he knows that it is good and that the disciple will take what is coming to him with steadfastness. As you move forward you must, for the next twelve months, come to a clear understanding of my injunction to you, given earlier, to "seek the pinnacle of loneliness which is the sole place whereon truth can be known." This is an injunction to increase your capacity to withdraw into the focused point in the illumined mind where no one else can accompany you, and there await the arrival of the truth - that particular truth which your personality demands from your soul and which you feel - at any given time - it is essential that you grasp if your service and your progress are to be properly furthered. This demand, based on a sensed need, will vary from year to year, but there will always be some truth, some aspect of understanding and some immediate revelation which you know (past all controversy and discussion) that you must grasp and know if you are to move forward as desired - by your soul and by your Master. At this particular time what is that immediately needed truth, information and revelation which you must have? It is not for me to tell you, even though I know. It is in the formulating of that need and that requirement that your progress will be made. I would ask you, on receipt of this instruction, to determine in your mind, upon quiet reflection, what is your one immediate spiritual need. Then seek the pinnacle of truth within yourself and there await the revelation. It will inevitably come if you care enough and have adequate patience. The past two years have been preparatory years for you, even if you do not yet know for what ends they are the preparation. They have taught you much. But here I would remind you that all the teaching, training and experience which you have undergone has now to be brought to a point of synthesis within the illumined mind; it then becomes a potent seed thought, capable of bringing much intuitive perception and later revelation. [630] Will you therefore do the following things and follow the procedure outlined below: Summarize in your own consciousness, and in the light of your soul, the nature and purpose of the experiences and changes to which you have been subjected. Endeavor to see the big sweep of the intention and be not preoccupied with the detail. Formulate to yourself in clear concise sentences your conclusions, so that the lessons of the past can stand revealed to you. Determine then within yourself what is the next needed truth, type of revelation or requirement which will enable you to move forward with increased potency, clearer vision and truer insight. This will not be as easy as it sounds, because this next truth must relate the past to the future of service, as you see that service. Then with these two lines of thought held quietly and clearly in your mind, seek that "pinnacle of loneliness" which is to be found if due search is made. There the desired truth and revelation can be expected and awaited. Then wait. When your intuition begins to move and your patient waiting, quiet reflection and steady mental poise bring their reward of clarified perception, then endeavor to apply the recognized truth and the germ of the revelation to the practical affairs of living. You will then find taking place a steady enrichment of your entire life. This will constitute a richly rewarding exercise and - could you but grasp it - constitutes a definitely advanced form of meditation. You will find this meditation project a most interesting experiment. Another thing, my brother. This war period will not last indefinitely. Already the end is in sight, and for its termination you must be prepared. This is not only worldly practical wisdom but also spiritual prevision. Your work in my Ashram must some day be more definitely an aspect of my work [631] in the outer world than it now necessarily is; I would have you ponder upon what you can do. Disciples in all Ashrams (and mine is no exception) are pledged to the work of their Ashram, and this you have always known. E'en though it is true that all work is spiritual, given right motive and intention, yet disciples are definitely pledged to certain hierarchical forms of service which must take precedence in all life activities even whilst - at the same time - the disciple fulfils his other tasks in the outer world, based on his right obligations and responsibilities and upon his citizenship. Have this definitely in mind, and remember that I need the assistance of this entire group within my Ashram. I also need their individual cooperation and understanding of the problems to be met. It is permitted to me to give a general call and to state specific principles and lines of activity which should govern the work of my disciples. It is not permitted for me to say when or where that service must be rendered. The group work and the four stages of reflection which I have outlined for you will suffice for your spiritual enterprise at this time. These and the work you are doing in your present field of labor present adequate opportunity for living and progress. My love and blessing are yours and upon that you can count.
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