Navigate the Chapters of this Book

SECTION TWO - THE ASPIRANT AND THE MAJOR INITIATIONS - Part 2

I cannot here enlarge upon the various ideologies which are presenting themselves to the world of men—impulsed by the Hierarchy, precipitated into the human consciousness from the mental plane by the new group of world servers, implemented by the energy of the sixth ray, by the dominant Piscean energy and by the organising energy of the incoming seventh ray, and responded to emotionally by the masses of men focussed on the astral plane.  To all intelligent observers, this ideological situation is clear; it is a needed and preliminary stage to the creation of the new world order; it provides a point of crisis and the required point of tension which will enable those aspirants who are ready today, in their thousands, to pass through the experience of the second initiation and to undergo the purification of the fluid emotional nature in the Baptism Initiation.  Through this experience the kama-manasic aspirant will be in a positive and spiritual condition to bring about (on the astral plane) those fundamental changes, rearrangements and readjustments which will [581] bring that level of planetary consciousness into line with the immediate divine purpose: the manifestation of the Kingdom of God.

The work of sixth ray energy, the result of the long cycle of Piscean energy, and the impact of the incoming Aquarian energy will bring a potent transformation in the "watery realm" of the astral plane.  The symbol of that plane has ever been water—fluid, stormy, reflecting all impressions, the source of mist and fog, and yet ever essential to human living.  The Piscean Age, now in process of passing away, is also closely related to this plane and to the symbol of water; it fixed in the human consciousness the realisation that "men are as fishes, immersed in the sea of emotions."  Aquarius is also known by the symbol of water, for Aquarius is the "water-carrier."  The sixth ray will bring together all these energies in time and space:  ray energy, Piscean energy, Aquarian energy and the energy of the astral plane itself; this again produces a vortex of force which is invocative of mental energy; it is a controlling factor, which has plunged humanity into a tumultuous awareness of clashing ideologies, which has precipitated a reflected vortex in the world war, and which is responsible for the present crisis and point of tension.  This critical point of tension will enable groups of aspirants who—having passed through the first initiation—can undergo the Baptism experience, again a word identified with water.  Simultaneously, large masses of men will take the first initiation and "in the house of bread" stand before the Initiator.

The coming Christ will therefore initiate two groups of aspirants within the near future and in preparation for His coming; it is the closer approach of the Christ and of the Hierarchy of Masters to humanity which is implementing the initiatory energies, which is crystallising the ideologies present today in the human consciousness, and fostering—if I may so express it—the latent ideology of the Kingdom of God.

As regards the individual initiate who is to undergo the initiation of the Baptism, the effect of sixth ray energy [582] upon his nature is easily apparent, owing to the extreme potency of the second aspect of the personality in the three worlds, his astral body or nature.  In the early stages of the impact of sixth ray energy upon his emotional nature a perfect vortex of force is generated, his emotional reactions are violent and compelling, his glamours are intensified and controlling, and his aspiration steadily mounts, but is at the same time limited and hindered by the strength of his devotion to some sensed ideology.  Later, under the influence of an increasing soul contact (itself the second aspect of his essential divinity), his emotional, kamic and aspirational nature becomes quieter and is more controlled through the agency of the mind; his alignment becomes astral-mental-soul.  When this state of consciousness has been achieved and the "waters" of the astral body are quiet and can reflect the beautiful and the true, and when his emotions have been purified by intense self-effort, then the disciple can step into the baptismal waters; he is then subjected to an intense purificatory experience which, occultly speaking, enables him "for ever to step out of the waters and be no longer in danger of drowning or of submergence"; he can now "walk on the surface of the sea and with safety proceed onward towards his goal."

The effect of sixth ray activity upon the mental nature is, as you may imagine, a tendency—first of all—to the crystallising of thought, a reaction to imprisoning ideologies, and a fanatical mental adherence to mass ideals, with no understanding of their relationship to the need of the time or to their intended creative aspects.  Later, as the disciple prepares for the second initiation, these tendencies are transformed into spiritual devotion to human welfare and to a one-pointed adherence to the Plan of the Hierarchy; all emotional reaction to the Hierarchy of Masters fades out, and the disciple can now work without being hindered by constant astral disturbances.

The effect of sixth ray energy upon the integrated personality of the disciple can only be described as producing a condition wherein he is definitely astral-buddhic [583] in his nature; gradually his one-pointed emotional effort towards orientation to the soul makes him "an aspiring point of tension, oblivious of crisis and firmly anchored in the love which streams forth from the soul."

Let me sum up what I have said anent the effect of sixth ray energy:

1. The energy of the sixth ray produces two major results:

a. An embryonic realisation of the will nature which determines the life of the initiate.

b. A pronounced conflict between the lower and the higher self.  This reveals to the initiate the ancient conflict between the emotional nature and true realisation.

This brings about a basic reorientation of the life of the initiate and of humanity as a whole.

2. In connection with humanity, the effects of the sixth ray are as follows:

a. The development of a tendency to clarify the world atmosphere, thus releasing the energy of goodwill. 

b. The production of a condition wherein "the race of men" can take either the first or the second initiation. 

c. The sudden and powerful emergence of the world ideologies.

d. A basic transformation within the astral plane itself which is producing points of crisis and a point of tension.

3. In relation to the individual initiate, the sixth ray produces:

a. An acute situation wherein a vortex of force is generated.

b. In this vortex all the emotional and ideological reactions of the aspirant are intensified. 

c. Later, when this subsides, the initiate's alignment becomes astral-mental-soul.

d. There takes place, in connection with his mental vehicle, a crystallisation of all thought and a fanatical adherence to mass idealism.

[584]

e. These tendencies are later transformed into spiritual devotion to human welfare.

f. The personality becomes definitely astral-buddhic in nature and expression.

You will see, therefore, how immediate and important is the opportunity confronting humanity today.  Vast numbers of men will take the first step towards the unfolding of the Christ consciousness and thus pass through the first initiation.  This often (I might well say usually) takes place without the conscious realisation of the physical brain.  This first initiation is—and always has been—mass initiation, even when individually registered and recorded.  Thousands of aspirants in every country (as a result of conscious effort to understand) will stand before the initiator and undergo the Baptism Initiation; bread and water are the symbols of these first two initiations; both are basic essentials for life in the physical sense, and are equally basic in their implications spiritually; this the initiate knows.  These two initiations are the only two of significant importance at this time, owing to their relative immediacy.

It is the return of the Christ which has brought these subjective spiritual tendencies of mankind to the surface and made these two initiations possible; it is the activity of the seventh Ray of Order and of the sixth Ray of Idealism which has generated the tendency in humanity towards the white magic of right human relations.  They have fostered the trend to ideological control of the human consciousness.  It is the passing out of the Piscean Age with its type of energy, and the coming into power of the Aquarian Age (with its potent purificatory energies and its quality of synthesis and universality) which will make the new world order possible.  It is therefore apparent that the opportunity confronting humanity has never been so promising and that the corporate relation and fusion of all these energies makes the manifestation of the Sons of God and the appearance of the Kingdom of God an inevitable happening in our planetary life.

[585]

As we study the other ray energies and their initiatory effect, we shall not be able to indicate a great deal in relation to humanity itself.  Only the first two initiations which are implemented by the Christ and which are "under the supervisory probation of the spiritual Hierarchy" are as yet possible to humanity.  The initiation of the Transfiguration is not yet for the mass of men.  We can, however, study the effects of these rays where the individual disciple is concerned, because the later initiations—from the third initiation onward—are administered by the Lord of the World from His high place in Shamballa; in the present world period, these initiations are individually administered and registered, and are undergone consciously and with an entirely awakened awareness.  

It will be apparent to you that I shall necessarily have more to say anent the first three initiations and the ray effects upon the initiate and upon humanity than will be possible when the higher initiations come under consideration.  The effects of ray impacts in the first three initiations come via the soul, and the initiate is—during this period—a struggling aspirant, under the inspiration and the stimulation of the Hierarchy of which he is becoming increasingly aware.  After the third initiation, which is in reality as you well know, the first major initiation, the ray energy is applied (if I may use such an inadequate word) via the Spiritual Triad, utilising the antahkarana.

After the fourth initiation, the effects are felt predominantly in the initiate's group and in his field of service; there, he constitutes a point of tension and precipitates great points of crisis.  His own points of crisis and of tension are existent but, mysteriously, only in relation to his consciousness of the group in which he plays an increasingly potent part.

The groups affected by the progressive initiatory process to which the disciple is being subjected are three in number, and these effects differentiate and condition his group service, according to the initiation being undergone; it is from this angle we must study the initiation, [586] the ray effects, and the results produced within the three groups.  These are:

1. The group in which the initiate is working upon the physical plane and which is an externalisation (existing on the mental and astral planes) of some phase of work sponsored by the New Group of World Servers.  All disciples and initiates in physical manifestation are at this time members of that group, which is the focal point of the present effort being made by the Hierarchy.  Through it spiritual energy from five of the Ashrams is flowing.  These five are:

a. The Ashram of the Master K.H., particularly in regard to the work of education.

b. The Ashram of the Master D.K. (myself), particularly in regard to aspirants for initiation. 

c. The Ashram of the Master R., particularly in regard to the reorganising and the reconstruction of Europe, from the point of view of economics. 

d. The Ashram of the Master Morya, as He seeks to find, influence and direct the activities of workers in the political field throughout the planet. 

e. The Ashram of the Master Hilarion, as He supervises the discoveries (and the application of such discoveries) of the scientific movement in the world today.

You will note, therefore, the profound and widespread interest of this field of energy wherein ray energy is now active.

2. The group which may regard itself consciously as the initiate's own group, in the sense that he is slowly influencing those around him, collecting the personnel and forming the nucleus of the Ashram by means of which he may some day serve the world.  All those who are taking initiation do not necessarily create their own ashrams, though a large number do so.  The work of those initiates who do not form an ashram is mysterious in the extreme, from the point of view of aspiring humanity, and there is little that I may say about the subject.  These initiates work [587] in connection with plans emanating from Shamballa, of which humanity can know nothing; they work with the three subhuman kingdoms in nature, each of which has its own peculiar and specific band of initiate-workers.  If they do not do this, they transfer into certain groups of workers who are engaged in activities connected with the deva or angel evolution, or in relation to the manifestation of energies about which I can tell you nothing.  We shall deal only with the expansion of consciousness and the experience of those initiates who remain—in their activities and aims—related to humanity and to the Hierarchy.  It might here be pointed out that:

a. The work of the deva evolution comes under the ray energy of the third Buddha of Activity.

b. The work with humanity comes under the influence of the ray energy of the second Buddha of Activity, Who embodies in a most peculiar sense the conditioning energy of the Hierarchy.

c. The work with the subhuman kingdoms of nature is under the energy stimulation of the first Buddha of Activity.

Each of these great energising Lives works through certain Masters and Initiates of the sixth initiation; these Masters work in full consciousness upon the atmic plane, the plane of the spiritual will; from that high level, They function as transmitting agents for the energy of one of the three Buddhas of Activity.  These three Buddhas are the creative Agents of the planetary Logos and are Wielders of the Law of Evolution.

3. The ashramic group of which the initiate is a part and within which his influence or spiritual radiation is increasingly felt.

The awareness of the initiate and his ability to work consciously within this triplicity of groups becomes the major objective of all his efforts, once the third initiation is left behind.  His magnetic radiation and the expression of his controlling energies-prior to this stage of unfoldment—is [588] that of the soul, working through the personality.  After the third initiation this radiation and the energy expressed become increasingly monadic and subject to three stages:

1. The stage wherein the lowest aspect of the Spiritual Triad (that of the abstract mind) becomes potent as the conveyor of ideas; these are transformed by the initiate into ideals for the service of humanity.

2. The stage wherein pure reason, plus the spiritual will, makes him an effective server of the Plan and a transmitter, in a progressive manner, of the Purpose underlying the Plan.

3. The stage wherein pure monadic energy pours through him, focussing the will-to-good, as registered by the Hierarchy, and the sense of universality (not a vague phrase, but a specific potency) upon the physical plane.  A close study of these developing ranges of activity and of expanded consciousness will indicate why and how our planetary life is one immense synthesis of ordered activity.

The ray energies, utilising the created form world and the "world of formless forms" (that is, the cosmic etheric levels of activity), constitute a great and applied process of initiatory activity, governing, controlling and conditioning every expression of divine life in all the kingdoms of nature—subhuman, human and superhuman.  It is into this world of active moving energies that the initiate penetrates and within which he must consciously play his part.  As you well know, the work of the aspirant today is to become a conscious, self-controlled and spiritual worker in energy within the ring-pass-not of the three worlds and—as I have frequently pointed out—to function, first of all, in control of his physical instrument, demonstrating this at the first initiation and during the succeeding initiatory processes; secondly, to control his emotional, feeling nature, demonstrating that control at the second initiation; at the third initiation, he has to bring into visible activity the mental element, and thus function in the three worlds as a soul-infused personality, utilising the illumined mind as the fusing and synthesising factor.  These things [589] accomplished, he can—again in full consciousness—begin to be active as "a radiating point of crisis and a producer of the needed tension."

These three groups are essentially points of planetary tension and are producers of crisis in the lives of the individuals influenced and in the Hierarchy, as well as in the planetary life.  Thus the conditions are created which make evolution possible.  Some day the story of the evolutionary process will be written by an initiate of the great White Lodge, from the angle of its points of crisis and the subsequent points of tension.  This enables the living forms, under this dual impact, to emerge into larger areas of consciousness.  Each kingdom in nature can itself be regarded as a point of tension within the sphere of Being of the planetary Logos, and each—in time and space—is in process of generating those points of crisis which will produce a potent (and often sudden) moving forward upon the Path of Evolution.  Humanity is today, in its present situation as a point of planetary crisis, generating such a point of tension that it will shortly be enabled to move forward into the new age dispensation, culture and civilisation.  The study of the individual aspirant parallels this.

These thoughts and ideas must be borne in mind as we study the remaining three major initiations confronting average humanity.

Initiation III.  The Transfiguration.  Ray V. 

The Energy of Concrete Knowledge.

As all disciples have to be focussed on the mental plane and must operate from that level of consciousness, the understanding of this type of consciousness is one of major importance.  It is glibly and most easily said that disciples and (necessarily so) initiates must use the mind, and that their polarisation must be mental.  But what does this mean?  Let me give you some concise definitions of this ray energy, leaving you to make your own individual application, and from your study of these concepts anent the mind, learn to gauge your own mental condition.

[590]

1. The energy of what is so peculiarly called "concrete science" is the quality or the conditioning nature of the fifth ray.

2. It is pre-eminently the substance of the mental plane.  This plane corresponds to the third subplane of the physical plane, and is therefore gaseous in nature—if you care to use its correspondence as a symbol of its nature.  It is volatile, easily dispersed, is the receptive agent of illumination, and can be poisonous in its effect, for there are undoubtedly conditions in which "the mind is the slayer of the Real."

3. This energy is characterised by three qualities:

a. The quality which is the result of relationship with the Spiritual Triad.  We call this "abstract mind" and the impact which affects it comes from the atmic level of the Spiritual Triad, that of spiritual will.

b. The quality which in this solar system is easily responsive to the major ray of the planet, that of love-wisdom.  So responsive is it that—in conjunction with emanations from the three worlds—it has produced the one existent form upon the mental plane.  This form (in the planetary sense) is that of the Kingdom of God and, in the individual sense, is that of the ego or soul.

c. The quality which is basically related to the emanations or vibrations arising from the three worlds; these creatively result in the myriads of thoughtforms which are found upon the lower levels of the mental plane.  It might therefore be said that these qualities or aspects of the fifth ray of spiritual energy produce:

Pure thought

The thinker or the Son of Mind

Thoughtforms

4. This energy (as far as mankind is concerned) is the thoughtform making energy, and all impressions from the physical, etheric and astral planes force it into activity on the level of concrete knowledge, with a resultant kaleidoscopic presentation of thoughtforms.

[591]

5. It is fundamentally the most potent energy at this time in the planet, because it was brought to maturity in the first solar system, that of active intelligence.

6. It is the energy which admits humanity (and particularly the trained disciple or initiate) into the mysteries of the Mind of God Himself.  It is the "substantial" key to the Universal Mind.

7. It is profoundly susceptible to the energy of Love-Wisdom, and its fusion with the love aspect is given the name of "wisdom" by us, because all wisdom is knowledge gained by experience and implemented by love.

8. This energy, in its three aspects, is related in a peculiar sense to the three Buddhas of Activity.  These great Lives reached Their present state of development in the previous solar system.

9. This energy, in so far as it is considered as the mental energy of a human being—and this is one of its minor limitations though a major one for a human being—is the higher correspondence of the physical brain.  It might be said that the brain exists because the mind exists and needs a brain as its focal point upon the physical plane.

10. The quality of this energy of concrete knowledge or science is twofold:

a. It is extraordinarily responsive to impressions coming from some source or other.

b. It is rapidly thrown into forms in response to impression.

11. The impressions received come from three sources and are sequentially revealed to man.  These three are:

a. Impressions from the three worlds; these come, first of all, from the individual and then, secondly, from the levels of planetary consciousness. 

b. Impressions from the soul, the Son of Mind, upon the level of mentality itself.

c. Impressions from the Spiritual Triad, via the antahkarana; these come when the antahkarana is constructed or in process of construction.

[592]

12. This energy is essentially a light-bearer.  It responds—again sequentially in time and space—to the light of the Logos.  It is for this reason that the mind is regarded both as illumined when higher contacts are present and as an illuminator where the lower planes are concerned.

13. This energy is (from the human standpoint) awakened and brought into activity through the action of the five senses which are the conveyors of information from the three worlds to the mental plane.  It might be said that

a. Five streams of informative energy, therefore, make their impact upon the concrete mind and emanate from the physico-astral plane.

b. Three streams of energy, coming from the soul, also make an impression upon the concrete mind. 

c. One stream of energy—during the initiatory process—contacts the mind.  This comes from the Spiritual Triad and utilises the antahkarana. 

14. The energy of this fifth ray might be regarded as the commonsense, because it receives all these impacts of varying energies, synthesises them, produces order out of the many ceaseless impacts and interprets them, thus creating the multiplicity of forms to which we give the name of "world thought".

15. This energy transforms the divine ideas into human ideals, relating the knowledges and sciences of humanity to these ideals, thus making them workable factors in human evolution, its cultures and civilisations.

There is much more that I could add, but the above gives you a series of simple definitions of value as you study the mental unfoldment of the disciple, as he undergoes the initiatory process which is our theme at this time.  It also throws light upon the ray effects upon humanity as a whole.  This ray energy is indeed sadly concrete in its expression in our Aryan race—a race, however, which will see more people take initiation than ever before in human history, and which will, in a peculiar sense, see the descent of the Kingdom of God to Earth as a result of the ascent of so many upon the ladder of evolution.  Just as the disciple [593] or the initiate is a soul-infused personality, so will humanity—upon the physical plane—be also soul-infused, thus precipitating the Kingdom of God and giving birth to a new kingdom in nature.  This great spiritual descent will be prefaced (if I may use such a word) by the appearance of the Christ among the peoples of the world and by a stupendous inflow of love-wisdom.  There is a tendency in the minds of esotericists always to refer to the great lines of force: 1-3-5-7 and 2-4-6.  I would have you remember with still greater emphasis the relation of rays II and V and of the second plane, the monadic plane, and the fifth plane, the mental plane; it is the relation of these major energies which makes the initiation of the Transfiguration possible.

What is the effect of this ray upon humanity as a whole and at this time?  The effect of these influences is very great and of supreme importance in this fifth root race, the Aryan race, in this second solar system.  Again you can see the clarity of the correspondences which are emerging.  I would have you note them again.

1. Ray II, the Ray of Love-Wisdom; and Ray V, the Ray of Concrete Knowledge or Science. 

2. The second plane, the monadic plane; and the fifth plane, the mental plane.

3. The second solar system of love; and the fifth root race, the Aryan race, of active intelligence.

In all these basic relationships, that which is the fifth in order is destined to be the instrument, the vehicle or the implementing factor for the second.  The Universal Mind, as it works through all the planes of our conscious planetary life, is the creative agent and the form-building factor which makes the revelation of love possible.

Today in our Aryan age and race, we see the vital expression of this fifth ray energy.  When I use the word "race" I deal not with man-made or pseudo-scientific differentiations of nations and races or types.  I deal with a state of consciousness which is the Aryan or mental consciousness or state of thinking; this finds its exponents and [594] its "race members" in every nation, without any distinction or omissions.  This I would have you carefully remember, for there is no new race in process of appearing, from the territorial angle; there is only a general distribution of those persons who have what have been called the sixth root race characteristics.  This state of consciousness will find its expression in people as far apart racially as the Japanese and the American or the Negro and the Russian.  It posits an ability to function with clarity upon the mental plane, to collate information, rightly to interpret and relate that information, and to create the needed thoughtforms or concepts for those interpretations.

These thoughtforms fall into three major fields of thought or thoughtform areas of consciousness:

1. Science.  Under this word I include all that which the educational processes cover or are supposed to cover, and such a useful science as medicine. 

2. Philosophy, with its presentation of great conditioning ideas.

3. Psychology, with its effort to account for humanity and to discover what man is essentially and how he functions.

You will note that I have not included religion in this analysis.  The reason for this is that IF the world religions were really controlled by concrete knowledge or science, they would not be the vague, speculative, mystical and glamour-controlled systems which they are at present.  Some day the minds of men—illumined by the light of the soul—will formulate the One universal religion, recognisable by all.  Then the Kingdom of God will be known for what it is, another kingdom in nature.  Speculation, wishful thinking and hopeful aspiration will disappear.  The science of occultism is the first step upon the way of true religion, and the scientific investigation of human psychology will greatly help toward this end.

Today we find this ray energy expressing itself mainly through science—a science sadly debased and corrupted by materialism and human greed, but a science which (when [595] animated entirely by goodwill) will lift humanity on to higher levels of consciousness, thus laying the foundation for that time when humanity on a large scale can pass through the Transfiguration Initiation.  Steps in this direction are already being laid and the existence of the press, the radio and the rapid means of transportation have done much to further the revelation of that unity and that Oneness which is the major characteristic of the Universal Mind.

These developments can be regarded as the initial steps of the initiatory process for the third initiation—far ahead as that initiation may lie for the mass of men.  It is unification and a growing sense of oneness which is required in order to take this initiation, and it is the integrated personality which takes it.  The major sin of Russia, and that which has prostituted and warped the initial divine impulse underlying the ideology of that country, is the determination she demonstrates at this time to be separative and to shut the Russian people away from world contact, using the implements of deception and the withholding of information.  It is not the totalitarian nature of the Russian government which is the prime disaster; it is the refusal to develop the universal consciousness.  Many governments today are totalitarian in nature, either openly or subtly, but—at the same time—their peoples have free access to press and radio and are not kept in ignorance of world events.  Russia is drifting into a pronounced expression of the great heresy of separateness.  There lies her problem—a problem which is refused recognition by her rulers.

The existence of a closed mind on a national scale is dangerous in the extreme, just as the individual is in a dangerous "state of mind" when he closes it to world contact, world news and world understanding, and when he refuses to admit new ideas and new modes of behaviour.  Fortunately, the influence of this fifth ray energy—which is always present, whether the ray is in incarnation or not—is steadily leading humanity towards illumination.

[596]

This ray energy operates always in connection with the Law of Cleavages.  Today, tremendous cleavages between the past and the present are in order.  The importance of this statement is to be found in the fact that—for the first time in human history—humanity is aware of cleavage at the time it is being brought about.  Hitherto cleavages have been noted during an historical retrospect.  Today, all men everywhere are conscious of the fact that the old order, the old cultures and civilisations are rapidly passing away, and they are universally clamouring for the new.  Everywhere men are laying the foundation for the new order, the coming of which is threatened only by one country, Russia, owing to its separativeness (and not because of its ideology), and by one world group in every country, those guilty of financial greed and consequent aggressiveness.

Before humanity can pass through the Transfiguration Initiation the new world order must be functioning and the coming civilisation must be at its height.  It is useless for me to consider with you this third initiation in connection with humanity as a whole, or its preparatory or subsequent initiatory process.  All this lies too far ahead for even advanced humanity to consider; there are, however, senior disciples who are preparing for this initiation, just as there are a few who are passing through the initiatory process, prior to taking the fourth initiation.

The outstanding expression of this fifth ray energy can be seen in the rapid formulating of the many ideologies which have taken place since the year 1900.  Such words as Fascism, Communism, National Socialism, Socialism as the British accept it, and the names of many schools of psychology and philosophy, were unknown one hundred years ago; today they are the common talk and phrases of the man in the street.  The inflow of this mental energy into the world of men, the attainment in consciousness of mental ability by many thousands, and the achievement of mental polarisation by aspirants all the world over, are all due to the activity of this fifth ray energy; this may be [597] regarded as preparatory work for the first and the second initiations.  Some of this success is due also to a little-realised function of this fifth ray energy—that of telepathic interplay.  Few people realise in the slightest degree how naturally telepathic every human being is or how impressionable are their minds; this again is an effect of fifth ray influence.

The creation (and, I should add, the over-creation) of the millions of material things which men everywhere regard as essential to their well-being is also the result of the creative activity of the fifth ray consciousness.  This is, of course, as it demonstrates upon the physical plane.  When it demonstrates upon the mental plane, we then talk of ideas, concepts, philosophies and ideologies.  When it demonstrates upon the astral plane, we are aware of the religious impulse, of mysticism and of the emotional and conditioning desires.  All these aspects are present in the consciousness of men everywhere today.  Everything is crystallising in human consciousness, and this takes place in order to make man aware of where he stands upon the ladder of evolution, and of what is wrong and what is right.  All this again is due to the influence of fifth ray energy.  This will begin to transform human living and human desires and also human affairs and attitudes, and will lead eventually (in the middle of the sixth root race) to the great Transfiguration Initiation in which the reality that lies behind all human phenomena will stand revealed.

Let us now consider the effect of this ray energy upon the life of the individual, as he faces the third initiation.  This third initiation is, as earlier said, the first initiation, from the angle of the Hierarchy; it is the one in which the spiritual man demonstrates his complete control of the personality.  The physical body has been controlled through the medium of the physical disciplines; the emotional nature has been reorganised and made receptive to spiritual impression coming from the plane of pure reason (the buddhic plane) through the transforming processes of the mind or the fifth principle.  In this connection, the mind has acted as an organiser of astral reaction and as a dispeller [598] of glamour.  The disciple is now focussed in his everyday consciousness upon the mental plane, and the triangular relation of the three aspects of the mind upon this plane is now dominant.  In the next initiation, the Renunciation, this relationship becomes a dual one instead of a triangular one, through the destruction of the soul vehicle which is no longer needed.  Soul fusion with the personality is now completed.

During the initiatory process preceding the third initiation, the mind works in a new manner.  Its transmuting work with the physical body has been accomplished; its transforming work with the emotional nature has been successful, and now its transfiguring work with the personality as a whole is carried forward, making the initiation of the Transfiguration possible.  It is of value to the student to consider these three activities of the mind.  The transmuting agent in the first case is the lower or concrete mind; the transforming agent is the soul, whilst the transfiguring agent is the Spiritual Triad, working through the higher or abstract mind.  You will here note the wonderful synthesis of the spiritual work.  When this work is concluded, you have the initiation of the third degree made possible.  This produces impelling and new contacts.  It should here be remembered that when I use the word "new" I mean that which is new in consciousness, for the basic synthesis and fundamental relationship always exists in factual recognition, but is only progressively realised by the evolving spiritual man.

It is well nigh impossible to differentiate the results of fifth ray energy in the various aspects of the personality, for the reason that the initiate is now functioning as a soul-infused personality, and therefore the three aspects of that personality are nothing more or less than agents of the soul, and thus are progressively responsive to the inflow of triadal energy.  It might therefore be said that, as a result of the Transfiguration Initiation—the culminating point of strictly human unfoldment—the three types of energy which are expressed through the Spiritual Triad [599] can begin—only begin—to flow through the reflection of itself in the three worlds.  Let me state this as follows:

1. The directing energy of the higher mind is—as a result of the Transfiguration Initiation and via the antahkarana—thrown into the brain; therefore the man upon the physical plane is guided, directed and controlled by group purpose and by the hierarchical plan.

2. The illuminating energy of pure reason, emanating from the buddhic plane, pours down into the clarified and organised body of sensitive response which is all that remains of what has been called the astral body.  This produces complete freedom from glamour and the creation of "a limpid pool of such reasonable response to the love of divine relationship" that the initiate becomes a sensitive revealer of that love.

3. The dynamic energy from the atmic plane (the highest aspect of the Spiritual Triad) pours into the mind and begins slowly to reveal the will-to-good, which is essentially the will of God.

Behind these three differentiations which are all of them expressions or aspects of the divine or the universal mind, the initiate dimly senses or becomes consciously aware of what has been called the Monad or Spirit or Life.  This is subtly revealed in the Transfiguration Initiation of the Master Jesus Who re-enacted all the five human initiations for the benefit of humanity.  In this dramatic picturing of the third initiation, the three disciples (or the three vehicles of the personality) prostrate themselves upon the ground and the Master Himself (the glorified personality) is transfigured before them.  At this climaxing point they hear that which is called "the voice of the Father" speaking to the transfigured Jesus.

The personality is now possessed of knowledge, for fifth ray energy has done its needed work; the disciple is also aware that he is in possession of the wisdom which enables him to use knowledge in the furtherance of the Plan, and therefore to work as an illuminating factor in the world of men.  He knows clearly what has been accomplished [600] and senses something of what lies ahead.  The great principle of cleavage (which the fifth ray governs) is the dominating factor in his time sense; he now differentiates sharply between past and present and that which has to be ascertained in the future.  Cleavage, in the sense of separateness, is finished for him and he now feels and knows something of the essential unity of all manifested life; therefore, from the angle of space, he has dominated and overcome cleavage and division; in the sense of time he has not.  The great heresy of separateness no longer exists in his consciousness; the consciousness of the initiatory process is not yet over, however for that involves the recognition of time.

During the initiatory process between the second and the third initiations, the initiate has to battle with illusion in exactly the same sense as he earlier had to battle with glamour.  Illusion is, in the last analysis, the control of the mental processes by great and massive thoughtforms; this conflict persists from the moment that the disciple has achieved mental polarisation (at a midway point between the second and the third initiations) until he stands before the Initiator at the sixth Initiation of Decision, when the last illusion disappears.  You will feel and comment that the Masters are therefore subject to illusion.  This They definitely are, and there are great and basic illusions governing life within the Hierarchy.  Nevertheless, they are illusions of such a high order that—for advanced humanity—they would signify achievement.  I may not give you more than one instance of such illusion, but that should prove clear and sufficient.  It is not until the sixth Initiation of Decision that the illusion of the planetary ring-pass-not finally disappears.  The Master then knows that such a limitation is non-existent.  For Him, the choice between the seven Paths becomes possible.  This basic illusion constitutes for mankind a great hierarchical mystery and is based upon the Principle of Privation, by means of which the planetary Logos chooses to circumscribe His freedom and to limit His activities.

[601]

This curious freedom from successive limitations is experienced at the third, the sixth and the ninth initiations; these are, all three of them, related in a mysterious manner to each other.  Transfiguration leads eventually to Decision, which culminates in due time with a final refusal to accept any planetary limitations whatsoever.

It will be obvious to you that the higher the initiation, the less will any involved energy have a personality control or connection.  Progressive and recognised fusions have taken place as one initiation after another is undergone; the effect of the energy involved will be noted in relation to humanity as a whole, to the work of the Ashram within the Hierarchy and to the planetary life.  This must ever be borne in mind and must necessarily limit the scope of the teaching which I am able to give you.

Let me now summarise the effects of this fifth ray energy in relation to humanity and to the individual initiate:

1. I gave, first of all, fifteen items of information anent this fifth ray energy, or fifteen definitions of its activity.  These will warrant careful study.

2. The effect of this fifth ray energy upon humanity in this fifth root race was considered; it was noted that this Aryan effect was dominant and dynamic in the extreme and that it has greatly hastened human evolution.

3. I pointed out the close relation between love and mind, as follows:

a. Ray II and Ray V

b. Plane II and plane V

c. Solar system II and root race V

In all of these relationships, the fifth in order is the prime agent and the revealer of the second type of spiritual energy

4. The fifth ray energy produces three major areas of thought, or three prime conditions wherein the thought-form-making energy expresses itself:

a. Science  . . .  education  . . .  medicine

b. Philosophy  . . .  ideas  . . .  ideals

c. Psychology . . .  in process of modern development

[602]

5. This fifth ray energy operates in connection with the Law of Cleavages.

6. It is also responsible for the rapid formation of great conditioning ideologies.

7. This fifth ray energy is the important factor in making possible the first major initiation, the Transfiguration Initiation.

8. Fifth ray energy works in three ways in connection with the three aspects of the personality:

a. As the transmuting agent  . . .  the physical body

b. As the transforming agent  . . .  the astral body

c. As the transfiguring agent  . . .  the mental body

This gives you much food for thought; it indicates the personality goal and the mode whereby it is attained.  After the third initiation, we reach out in consciousness to higher expansions of consciousness and will then enter a realm of ideas which are not yet easy for the disciple to appreciate or to understand.  Much that I will have to say anent ray energy and the higher initiations will mean little to many, but it will mean much to the initiate-consciousness.  The world initiates will be coming into incarnation at this time, and will read my words towards the end of this century with great understanding.—

Initiation IV.  The Renunciation.  Ray IV. 

The Energy of Harmony through Conflict.

Our study today is of profound interest and has a great bearing on the present world situation.  I would like to make clear two important facts:

1. The fact that the world war (1914-1945) was quite unavoidable, though the conflict might have been retained upon mental levels, had humanity decided rightly.

2. The fact of the inevitability of the return of the Christ in this era and in the relatively immediate future.  We are here dealing with immutable law, for the energies of the various rays move under law; humanity can therefore do naught but accept, determining only what I might [603] call the locale, or the sphere of activity, of both these major events.  The determination of mankind to fight out the issues involved in the world war upon the physical plane, at the same time automatically determined the sphere of Christ's activity—as I shall attempt to show you.  In many ways, this particular instruction is one of the most important I have yet given because of its essential and obvious implications.  We will therefore study the fourth initiation and its relation to the fourth Ray of Harmony through Conflict.

This fourth ray, as you have several times been told, is out of incarnation, as far as the reincarnating egos or souls of men are concerned.  From another angle, however, it is always active and ever present, because it is the ray which governs the fourth kingdom in nature, the human kingdom in the three worlds of strictly human evolution.

It is the dominant energy, always exerting pressure upon the fourth kingdom; this pressure began to exert itself primarily towards the end of the fourth human race, the Atlantean race of men; at that time men began to give evidence of a growing sense of responsibility, and therefore of the power to demonstrate discriminative choice.  This led to the great war in the fourth race which culminated in the Flood, to which all parts of the world testify and to which the majority of the world Scriptures bear evidence.  In that era, in which the then known world of men was extensively involved, the Black and the White Lodges of adepts were also implicated, and the first major fight between the demonstrators of evil and the Forces of Light took place; it was inconclusive, with the evidence for defeat to be found on the side of the good more than on the side of evil.  Under the symbolism of the Flood, it is apparent to students that the fight was focussed primarily upon the astral plane, though fought out historically upon the physical plane; it resulted in the destruction of the world by water, as it might be symbolically expressed.