Dear friend,

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." These words of the anthropologist Margaret Mead should give us all hope that the changes we seek for our world, and the altering of humanity’s impact upon it, can begin in small ways. A case in point is the ending of the slave trade in Britain 200 years ago this year. Its beginnings were inauspicious; in a time when 75% of the world’s people were in some form of servitude and 95% of the British public were unable to vote, a dozen or so concerned citizens met in a printshop in London to discuss whether something could be done about the evils of the slave trade. Yet, a relatively small group of individuals who were committed to raising the public consciousness launched an effort through such skillful techniques as pamphleteering, petitions, boycotts, direct fundraising—in fact, many of the tools of today’s political campaigns—which culminated within twenty years in Parliament’s decision to end the slave trade, and in another 31 years led to the banning of slavery altogether throughout the British empire.

How could such sweeping change be accomplished in such a short period of time? What inspired those at the forefront of the campaign to end the slave trade to devote their lives and, in many cases, risk their reputations and livelihoods to correct an injustice which none of them had personally suffered? We can only conclude that it was an act of the consecrated spiritual will-to-good and a living demonstration of the power of public opinion to express an idea whose time had come. This year, in which a cycle of Emergence and Impact on Public Consciousness governs the efforts of the new group of world servers, it is appropriate to reflect on the magnitude of the abolitionists’ accomplishment on behalf of their fellowmen.

One of the triumphs of the forces of separativeness is the sense that the individual cannot make a difference—that the world’s problems are too large for an individual or even a small group of "ordinary people" to confront. Yet the writings of Alice Bailey repeatedly point out the potential impact of the individual:

"One selfless, non-critical, consecrated person can swing a group into successful work."

"One radiant, creative life, consciously using the heart or throat centres, can carry inspiration to hundreds".

It is now clear to all thoughtful people that the selfish desire, separativeness and base materialism which lie at the source of the problems of humanity cannot be left to "the powers that be" for resolution. A transformation in consciousness on the mass level is needed, and this will require the dedicated efforts of all intelligent people of goodwill. The esoteric group trained in meditation as a means to direct spiritual energies in service to the Plan can assist in the needed transformation by helping to build clear, lighted thoughtforms which can make impact on all responsive human minds.

What ideas most need impressing upon human consciousness in our time? In a time when the forces of religious fundamentalism and political correctness inhibit the needed dialogue, it takes courage to communicate the spiritual ideas and values that will guide humanity into the new age. Yet, we must try, and we will succeed if we search for "the new terminology" which Alice Bailey said was needed to revitalise ideas such as brotherhood and unity—ideas which have been much discussed but too seldom demonstrated. To express a vision of right human relations in such a way that mystical sentiment is transcended and intelligent, scientific minds can be engaged is the challenge before the world’s esoteric group, we believe. The presentation of ideas on which future world relationships should be based must avoid resorting to the age-old polarities of "them and us", East and West, the haves and have-nots. The tendency to see all who hold different views, values and aspirations as "the other" only deepens divisions, leaving no space for the discovery of common ground. Yet, behind all outer differences, many of which are genuine and grave, the sense that there is one humanity is an urgent aspiration of countless people of goodwill.

The realisation is growing that the problems we face today—climate change, religious and cultural misunderstanding, the unchecked forces of globalisation—have the potential to divide human beings from one another, and humanity from the larger life of the planet, in ways that could lead to lasting damage to the environment and fan the fires of hatred and terror in generations to come - unless the millions people of goodwill recognise their responsibility as global citizens.

Triangles, which was founded by the Tibetan Master D. K., is a superlative means to stimulate the enormous power of goodwill that exists in millions of human hearts and to awaken the light of human minds. The Special Reflective Meditations done on Sundays (on Attracting Money for Hierarchical Purposes) and on Thursdays (Preparation for the Reappearance of the Christ) are another opportunity, as are the monthly meditations at the time of the full moon and new moons.

If you are motivated to undertake a group project, the starting of the local group that meets for meditation at the time of the full moon is an important way to help anchor what Alice A. Bailey calls "the new world religion". Forming a study group to focus on the problems of humanity and to help build the thoughtform of their solution is a service project for which World Goodwill can supply study sets, many of which have recently been revised. Participation in the Cycle of Conferences project is an opportunity to help foster, through visualisation, the seed of "will energy" now visible in the various international conferences and discussions which seek to organise humanity’s approach to world problems. The current focus of the Cycle of Conferences group work is Earth Stewardship, as well as the continuing focus on the Geneva Accord as a potential solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

All of these initiatives work to transform human consciousness and bring into clearer definition the emerging spiritual principles on which values such as a love of truth, a sense of justice, a spirit of cooperation, a sense of personal responsibility, and commitment to the common good are based. We welcome your participation in any of these group efforts.

You and your friends are warmly invited to the World Goodwill Symposium {seminar/forum] to be held on Saturday, November 10th in all three headquarters centres. The theme will be "Evoking the Soul of the Nations" and a program is enclosed.

In shared service,

LUCIS TRUST