2. The Races, the Rays and the Signs.

The theme we will now consider is one which is of general interest but not of individual moment. Arguing as one ever must from the universal to the particular, it is essential that humanity relates its own mechanism to the greater mechanism through which the planetary Life functions and views his soul as an infinitesimal part of the world soul. It is necessary for him, therefore, to relate his Sun sign to his rising sign and his soul to his personality, viewing both as aspects and integral parts of the human family. This will be increasingly the case. This process is beginning to demonstrate in the steadily expanding group, national and racial consciousness which humanity is today demonstrating—a consciousness which shows as a spiritual inclusiveness or as an abnormal and wicked attempt (from the standpoint of the soul) to fuse and blend all nations into a world order, based on material issues and dominated by a material vision. There was nothing spiritual in the vision of the leaders of the powers which were called the Axis powers. But the spiritual intent of mankind is slowly growing and the great Law of Contrasts will eventually bring illumination.

[519]

I make these references to the present world situation because unless what I have to say is practical in value during this century of destiny, I might as well work at other modes and methods of raising the human consciousness. But there are those who see the issues clearly and will make due application of the imparted truths and for them I write.

Our theme concerns the planetary centres, the rays and the signs which govern and control them. I would first of all call your attention to the following facts which will bear repetition:

1. Our Earth, being a non-sacred planet, is in process of becoming a sacred planet. This means an interim of upheaval, chaos and of difficulty.

2. This transference out of the lower states of consciousness, expressed through the lower centres, into a higher state, can and will take place in this world period and in this century if humanity so wills it, if the Forces of Light eventually triumph and if the new world order comes into being. This it will do if the lessons of the war are learnt and right action follows as a result.

3. Three factors must also be borne in mind:

a. The whole problem is vaster than anything the human consciousness can grasp, because it concerns the life experience and a point of crisis in the life of the planetary Logos.

b. He, the Lord of the World, is releasing new energies into the form aspect, i.e., into the Life and the lives of the various kingdoms in nature.

Humanity, being the most developed—both from the angle of the mechanism and of consciousness—is the point of greatest response. The mineral [520] kingdom, through the excessive use of its form in the meeting of war necessities—munitions, ships, and planes, etc.—is being profoundly affected as are buildings, for instance, in blasted cities; the vegetable kingdom is almost as deeply affected through the destruction of vast areas of forests, fields and wide spaces of vegetation.

c. The Shamballa force, thus pursuing its work of destruction, is an aspect of the will and intention of the planetary Logos but its first and primary effect has been to stimulate the will-to-power and the will-to-have of certain great and unspiritual groups. Later this will aspect will evoke the will-to-good and the will-to-build and to this humanity will respond on a large scale. Thus the evil which is now being spread abroad by the opponents of the Forces of Light will be neutralised by the fixed intention of the men and women of goodwill to work for the good of the whole and not for any one part.

It might, therefore, be said that what is truly taking place in the world today is the transference of the energy of the planetary solar plexus to the planetary heart centre. The forces of cupidity, aggression, glamour and greed will be transmuted in the present furnace of pain and fiery agony and will be raised into the heart centre. There they will be changed into the power of sacrifice, of inclusive surrender, of clear vision of the whole, and into cooperation; this is an aspect of the principle of sharing.

When I say these words, I am not speaking idealistically or mystically. I am pointing out the immediate goal; I am indicating a problem of our planetary Deity; I am giving [521] you the clue to a scientific process which is going on under our eyes and which is today at a point of crisis.

As this is the Aryan or fifth root-race (and I do not use this term in the German,  materialistic and untrue sense) there are today in the body of Him in Whom we live and move and have our being, five focal points of spiritual energy, expressing themselves through five awakened centres in that body. These five are:

1. Geneva.—The European continent.

2. London.—The British Commonwealth of Nations.

3. New York.—The American continent.

4. Darjeeling.—Central and Western Asia.

5. Tokyo.—For the Far East.

Today, these five centres are being abnormally and deliberately stimulated and vitalised. The energy which flows from them is profoundly affecting the world, holding great hope for the future but producing most disrupting and disastrous effects where the material side of human life is concerned. There are two centres in the planetary Life which are as yet relatively quiescent as far as any world effect is concerned. To them I assign no other focal point beyond hinting that within the continent of Africa one will some day be found, and later still (many millions of years ahead) another will be discovered in the region of Australia. It is, however, with the five centres in this fifth root-race that we are concerned.

The force which the centre at Geneva is expressing (at present ineffectually, though later a change will come) is that of the second Ray of Love-Wisdom, with its major emphasis at this time upon the quality of inclusiveness. It is concerned with the "binding together in brotherly love" and [522] with the expression of the nature of service. This planetary centre, which conditions the little country of Switzerland, has had a most potent effect upon that country; a study of these effects will demonstrate future possibility for the world, once the flow of its energy is less obstructed. It has produced the fusion of three powerful racial types in group formation and not through admixture as in the United States; it has enabled two relatively antagonistic divisions of the Christian faith to work together with a minimum of friction; it has made Geneva the origin of the Red Cross—that world activity which works impartially with and for the nationals of all countries and for the prisoners of all nations; it housed that sad though well-intentioned experiment which was called the League of Nations; it is that which has protected that small country from the aggressive sweep of the Axis powers. The motto or note of this centre is "I seek to fuse, to blend and serve."

The force which is centred in London is that of the first Ray of Will or Power in its building aspect and not in its destroying aspect. It is the service of the whole which is being attempted at great cost and the effort is to express the Law of Synthesis which is the new emphasis, pouring through from Shamballa. Hence the fact that the governments of many nations found asylum in Great Britain. Likewise, if the Forces of Light triumph because of the cooperation of mankind, the energy expressing itself through this powerful empire will be potent in establishing a world order of intelligent justice and a fair economic distribution. The keynote of this force is "I serve," as I told you earlier in this treatise (see the last page of A Treatise on the Seven Rays, Vol. I).

The force expressing itself through the centre, New York, is the force of the sixth Ray of Devotion or Idealism. [523] Hence the conflicts everywhere to be found between the varying ideologies and the major conflict between those who stand for the great ideal of world unity brought about by a united effort of the Forces of Light, backed by the cooperative effort of all the democratic nations and the separative materialistic attitude of those who seek to keep the United States from assuming her responsibilities and her rightful place in world affairs. This latter group, if they succeed in their endeavour, will deny the United States her share in the "gifts of the gods in the coming age of peace which will succeed this present point of critical suspension," as the Old Commentary phrases it. The sixth ray is either militant and active, or mystical, pacific and at present futile, and these two aspects at present condition the United States. The keynote of this world centre is "I light the Way" and this is the privilege of the States if its people so choose and permit worldwide humanitarian, self-sacrifice (self-initiated) and firm decision to stand by righteousness to govern their present attitudes and policies. This is slowly coming to pass and the selfish voices of the blind idealists, the fearful and the separative are dying out. All this is happening under the inspiration of service, motivated by love. Thus the two major democracies can eventually restore world order, negate the old order of selfishness and aggression and usher in the new order of world understanding, world sharing and world peace. Peace will be the result of understanding and sharing and not the origin of them as the pacifists so often imply.

The force pouring through Darjeeling at this time is that of the first Ray of Will or Power. The egoic ray of India is the first ray and hence the immediate effect of the inpouring Shamballa force is to stimulate the will-to-power of all dictators, whether they are the would-be world dictators [524] such as Hitler and his group of evil men, ecclesiastical dictators in any religion, business dictators in any business group in any part of the world or those minor dictators, the tyrant in the home. It is interesting to note that the keynote of India is "I hide the light" and this has been interpreted to mean that the light pours forth from the East, and that the gift of India to the world is the light of the Ageless Wisdom. This is true in a sense, but there is a wider and deeper sense in which it will prove true. When the intent and purpose of the great Life which works through Shamballa is carried out and is in process of expression, a light will be revealed which has never yet been seen or known. There is a word in the Christian Scriptures which says "In that light shall we see light"; this means that through the medium of the light of wisdom shed abroad in our hearts through the Ageless Wisdom, we shall eventually see the Light of Life itself—something meaningless and inexplicable to humanity at present but which will be later revealed when the present point of crisis is surmounted. Of its nature and its effect, I have naught to say to you at present.

I would like here to interpolate some remarks. It is of deep moment to realise that Great Britain and the United States are closely related and that this relation makes certain realities and activities inevitable, once the soul of each nation is functioning potently; and that India and Great Britain are related through the first ray personality of Great Britain and the egoic ray of India. The implications are clear and interesting and also encouraging. The consciousness aspect of the British people is steadily shifting into an expression of their second ray soul and hence their seizing upon the opportunity at this time to serve humanity at immense cost. The same thing is happening to the American people. The problem of shifting idealisms is great, as I have [525] said, and the temptation is to hide behind the glamour of fighting for an ideal rather than react to world need, and to omit to react to the ray of the soul which is the second ray of love.

The forces flowing through Tokyo are those of the first Ray in its lower materialistic aspect. Japan is governed by the soul ray in the consciousness of its leaders. Its sixth ray personality is responding to the call of the first ray energy; hence all the present unhappy attitudes and activities, and hence also its link with Germany through the soul ray of both nations and with Italy through the personality rays. Hence, therefore, the Axis.

I would here point out that in these inter-relations is no inevitable fate or unavoidable destiny. The aim of the individual disciple is to handle the forces which play through him in such a manner that only constructive good can eventuate. He can misuse energy or employ it for soul ends. So it is with nations and races. The fate of the nations lies in the hands of its leaders usually; they marshal the nations' forces, focus the national intent (if intuitive enough) and develop the characteristics of the people, leaving in fact behind them the memory of symbols of national intent, ideals or corruption. This could be seen working out in a demonstrable way in the two great guiding groups of world leaders: The three Axis groups of leaders, dominated by the evil German group, with Italy and Japan fighting at intervals (consciously seldom but unconsciously often) against the evil influence, and the second group—the leaders of the Allied Cause who represent their nations. No matter what past history may indicate in connection with many of the allied nations (past aggressions, ancient cruelties and wrong doing), they sought to cooperate with the Forces of Light [526] and endeavoured to salvage human freedom—political, religious and economic.

I would also point out in passing that the two major divisions of the world—the Occident and the Orient—are also governed by certain ray energies, as follows:

I would remind you that we are in a period of shifting rays and that they change both for individuals and nations, for hemispheres and planets. All can move off a minor ray on to a major if destiny decrees. A study of the above tabulation will give much light to the inter-human relation. Three great countries hold the destiny of humanity in their hands at this time: The United States of America, Great Britain and Russia. Great fusing, racial experiments are going on in all these lands; the rule of the people is being developed in all of them though it is as yet in an embryonic stage. In Russia it is being retarded by a dictatorship which will shortly end; in the States by corrupt politics and in Great Britain by ancient imperialistic tendencies. But democratic principles are being developed, if not controlling; religious unity is being established though it is not yet functioning and all three countries are learning very rapidly, though the United States at present is learning the most slowly.

The Occident and the Orient are linked through the personality ray of the Occident and the egoic ray of the Orient and this indicates eventual understanding once the second ray occidental soul becomes the dominant factor. When these various relationships are somewhat grasped by the peoples of the world you will get the clue to the various happenings taking place today and will understand the goal [527] and the method of its attainment more clearly. There is much deep research work to be done, for the science of energy relationships is yet in its infancy. The next few years will see it gain. What is really happening is a shift in the human consciousness from its focus on individual energies, functioning through some specific ring-pass-not (individual, national, continental or racial) to a grasp of their inter-relation and effects upon each other. This science can be studied in various ways:

1. From the angle of antagonisms which seem inevitable and which can be accounted for by the ray energies and which can be offset by soul energies rightly employed.

2. From the angle of identity of forces, leading inevitably to identity of interests and activities.

3. From the angle of fusion, of unity, of vision and of goals.

4. From the angle of humanity as a whole. If it is remembered that humanity is primarily governed by two rays (the second and the fourth) it will be found that those nations and countries whose governing rays are also the second and the fourth must and will play an important part in determining human destiny.

Therefore, through the five major centres in the planet today, spiritual energy is streaming forth, and according to the vehicle of expression which receives its impact so will be the reaction and activity and so will be the type of consciousness, interpreting and using it. The ancient occult truism remains accurate: "Consciousness is dependent upon its vehicle for expression and both are dependent upon life and energy for existence." This remains an immutable law.

[528]

The five cities which are the exoteric expression of the esoteric centre of force and through which the Hierarchy and Shamballa are seeking to work are the correspondence in the planetary body to the four centres up the spine and the ajna centre in the body of humanity and of individual man. In all three cases, they are "living, vital, focal points of dynamic force" to a greater or less extent. Some predominantly express soul energy and some personality force; some are influenced by Shamballa and some by the Hierarchy. The head centre of the Occident is beginning to react to second ray energy and the ajna centre to fourth ray energy and in this lies the hope of the race of men.