Altitude in Attitude
From a psychological perspective attitude refers to a state of mind that determines an individual’s view of both the inner and outer life, conditioned by thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and values. Psychology today is largely the study of the mind and behaviour, but it once concerned the study of the soul. Indeed, the word psyche has been described as the animating spirit or soul which is in harmony with the attitude of mind of all who are oriented towards the soul high on the mental plane, as is the aim in Triangles service.
The mind can either be “the slayer of the real” or in tune with the real – a duality that depends on whether the orientation of the mind is focused on a higher plane or becomes immersed in the vales of glamour, illusion or maya. When reaching the higher levels of the mental plane the thinker develops an …intuitive recognition of reality, which resolves the differentiated parts into a unit, producing illumination. This illumination reveals the essential oneness which exists on the inner side of life and negates the outer appearance of separativeness.1 The significance of this reality for the future of humanity cannot be overstated.
Attitudes condition individuals, communities and the entire world. Described as hindrances in the Ageless Wisdom teachings, wrong attitudes can be overcome through the cultivation of right thought founded on timeless spiritual values and principles, and this has the power to uplift human consciousness leading to right relationships. Attitudes are not fixed provided the mind is open to new ideas, and in this regard, meditation founded on the Raja Yoga, “the Kingly Science of the Mind”, helps individual attitudes to rise above swirling emotions and lowly thoughts of anger, hatred, vengeance, and material desires. Thinking at this higher altitude is like looking through a wide-angle lens that reveals a more inclusive worldview. Increasingly, imaginative thinkers are understanding that all human communities and the whole of the natural world, with all its kingdoms, are interdependent parts of our beautiful planet. To recognise this interconnected whole and put this understanding to practical effect in daily life is Humanity’s responsibility and purpose. Attachment to the material life may still be strong yet the subjective stirrings of the soul are emerging, and people everywhere are seeking meaning beyond the world of appearances.
Swinging back and forth between the real and the unreal is part of our dual life, but when minds are oriented towards “…the great theme of Light that underlies our entire planetary purpose”2 the eternal values of the soul can be brought to life. For Triangles co-workers the attitude of constructive spiritual thought is full of lighted goodwill and purposefully employed daily on a worldwide scale for the benefit of all.
1 Esoteric Psychology, Vol. II, A. A. Bailey, p. 417
2 The Rays and the Initiations, A. A. Bailey, p. 142