The Work of the Spiritual Hierarchy of the Planet

The outstanding and dramatic feature of hierarchical action in the present era is the preparation now under way in the Hierarchy for its return to outer plane activity. It is important, therefore, that more people know about the fact of the Hierarchy and about what sort of people the Masters of the Wisdom really are.

The Nature of the Spiritual Hierarchy

The spiritual Hierarchy of the earth is the aggregate of those members of humanity who have triumphed over matter, who have achieved the goal of self-mastery by the same path that individuals tread today. These spiritual personalities have wrestled and fought for victory and mastery upon the physical plane, and struggled with the miasmas, fogs, and dangers, troubles and sorrows of everyday living. They have trodden every step of the way of suffering, have undergone every experience, have surmounted every difficulty, and have won through. Herein lies their right to serve, and the strength and reality of their relationship to a still struggling humanity. They know the quintessence of pain, and can exquisitely measure their methods to the need of the individual. They are characterised by a love which endures, which acts always for the good of the whole; by a knowledge gained through living; by experience based on the evolution of time; by courage as a result of that experience; by a purpose which is enlightened and intelligent and adjusted to the purpose of the planetary Logos, and a dynamic will that brooks no interference to the eventual carrying out of that divine purpose.

The spiritual Hierarchy is the result of human activity, aspiration and achievement; it has been created by and of humanity. The members of the Hierarchy have achieved a complete control of the personality, or lower self. They are no longer centred in the individualised consciousness but have entered into the wider realisation of the planetary group life, which includes all stages, from that tiny sense of social responsibility of the man or woman taking the first steps upon the path of spiritual maturity, to the inclusive comprehension of the Christ himself.

The members of the Hierarchy are the Masters of the Wisdom. Just as a Master’s degree in the academic field indicates one who has achieved proficiency, or mastery, in one particular area of human understanding, the Master of the Wisdom is one who has, through self-mastery, achieved mastery within the whole field of human evolution. Because of an individual natural predisposition to certain lines of work, they each have a special contribution to make towards human progress in one of the seven major fields of world work: political, religious, educational, scientific, philosophical, psychological or economic.

The Planned Work of the Hierarchy

The Masters are a worldwide group of executives, adept and skilled in the various fields of work in the modern world, organised into a close network of communication throughout the world, with representatives in all nations, both east and west, and working in the closest co-operation.

The overall hierarchical organisation has three major divisions: one having responsibility for world political progress, or government in its true sense; the second having responsibility for teaching in its three aspects, education, religion and healing; and a third division having responsibility for all economic progress, industry, labour and capital relations, scientific discovery, finance as it pertains to all fields, intellectual culture, and the arts. This third division is the largest of the three, with many different departments of work.

The Masters of the Wisdom are far more practical and realistic than the most efficient big business executives in our modern world. They are far more potent in affecting world events than are the most powerful leaders of any nation or government in the world. They make a constant study of human affairs, watching human trends and human planning for world betterment.

The Masters work according to plan and are known as the “Custodians of the Plan”. The Plan is for all people everywhere in the world; it works out under the impelling power of evolution itself.

They work under law and never coerce or pressure humanity. Individual freedom, particularly mental freedom, is never infringed.

Anything that is really good for humanity as a whole is a legitimate aid to their work and fits in to the fundamental purpose of the Plan itself. For example, the establishing of right human relations between races and nations and groups of every kind; the substitution of co-operation for competition in all departments of human affairs; the growth of the recognition and use of the power of goodwill.

The work since the 15th century has been carried forward by the sending out of senior disciples, qualified and trained to work in these particular fields. A number of such disciples appeared at about the same time, sometimes in different parts of the world, working separately, but producing an effect upon human consciousness. Today, all of the work is interrelated and co-ordinated into one worldwide group effort, and the senior members of this group who are responsible for the implementing of the Plan in these various fields have been called the New Group of World Servers.

The results of the work accomplished in these seven fields can be clearly seen.

a. The entire level of human intelligence has been raised and the mind made generally more active in all races everywhere. Humanity has progressed to a state where an intelligent public can discuss world problems.

b. Basic cleavages and separateness unrecognised 500 years ago are now recognised as harmful and remedies are sought.

c. World interrelation, intercommunication and economic interdependence have been achieved, thus guaranteeing ultimate world unity.

d. Progress from the old ways and ideas into the new has produced a natural division of intelligent men and women into two general and basic attitudes, the conservative and the progressive. This applies in all fields of human affairs producing clarifying comparisons which bring opportunity of choice and therefore opportunity for improvement.

e. A widespread philanthropic enterprise utterly unknown before the year 1500 has appeared which is the practical result of the growth of the concept of the brotherhood of humanity.

Two Basic Needs

A main hindrance to the Plan is the spiritual inertia of people of goodwill. Two basic needs today are for trained workers and adequate financing. The Hierarchy works through its disciples and co-workers in all countries, and never before have there been so many endeavouring to fit themselves for this function in the world as “transmitters of the Plan”, and never before has there existed such a strong inner integrity and subjective relation between workers in all fields in all parts of the world. For the first time in history there is a coherent world group; but the need for trained workers was never greater nor so widespread nor so urgent as now.

When the hierarchical worker is an advanced worker, he is aware of the source of his guidance and co-operates consciously with the plans of the Hierarchy. Such workers gather around them others who will work along the same lines, through community of interest and humanitarian conviction. They may be quite unconscious of any hierarchical guidance or spiritual objective, except the recognition that they love their fellow men, and this love conditions all they do and motivates their every effort. From the standpoint of the Master, they can be reached, impressed, and directed; and most definitely they are so reached.

A second basic need is for adequate financing of hierarchical work. The crux of the problem of spiritual work in the world today is a financial one. Workers need to recognise that money is a consolidation of the living energy of divinity, and that the greater the realisation and expression of love the freer will be the inflow of that which is needed to carry forward the work. It still remains for the crystallised aspect of this energy of creative intelligence, money, to be used on a large scale for the furtherance of the work of the spiritual Hierarchy. It is at this point and in connection with money that the great test of goodwill in any individual, group or nation demonstrates.

The bringing in of the Kingdom of God, the preparation for the coming of the Christ and the salvaging of mankind demand courage, organisation, business acumen, psychology, and persistence. It needs trained workers and much money. It requires a hard business sense on the physical plane, a practical common sense, a cessation of the constant presentation of a beautiful future in a mythical heaven. It calls for workers possessing long-range vision, using sensible business procedures, and carefully considered programmes.

All humanity, no matter what the place of residence, colour of skin, or religious belief, is clamouring for peace, education, justice, and economic security. All this the right use of money and a recognition of the financial responsibility of each one, based on spiritual values, would rapidly make possible. The major opportunity lies before those already handling the financial resources of the world and the mass of good, kindly people all over the world in all spheres of influence. The power of the individual is not yet truly grasped; there is a vast opportunity before all, but it requires courage, patience, and loving understanding to do the needed work.

Workers, group leaders, organisation heads, thinkers, and men and women of goodwill in all parts of the globe can share this work provided their minds are open and focussed on world betterment.

A Programme of Action

The following important steps can be taken by individuals and groups recognising the fact of the spiritual Hierarchy and the presence of the Christ, who will aid the work of establishing the Plan:

1. Develop a sense of individual responsibility.

2. Develop the spirit of goodwill, and evoke it in others. Express real love in all relationships.

3. Study and reflect upon the many proposals made by world leaders and thinkers on world problems.

Cultivate an intelligent opinion, based on goodwill, on what you as a result of study believe should be done. Discuss the ideas in your home, among friends, and in your various relationships. Regard such discussions as service.

Gather people together to discuss and study current problems and future needs. If only two people co-operate with you, the effort will be a means of helping to change world thought.

4. Find out and study the method, techniques, and objectives of the various groups and organisations concerned with world reconstruction. Establish helpful and friendly relations with them to the best of your ability. Discover the men and women of goodwill in your community, and then co-operate with what they are doing.

5. Behind the world pattern stands its Originator, its Planner, its motivating Energy, its central Will, its living Creator, its God. Use prayer and meditation to reach that central point of Life, and thus blend yourself with the sensed divine objective.

6. Begin at once to lay aside sums of money which can be spared and which can accumulate for hierarchical work. This organised and planned saving will enable you to assume your share in the work without placing an undue burden on others. It will enable you to respond immediately to the real need as it appears.

The text of this pamphlet is adapted from the books “Initiation, Human and Solar” and “The Externalisation of the Hierarchy”, both by Alice A. Bailey. They may be obtained from the addresses below.

This pamphlet reaches you as a service activity of World Goodwill. World Goodwill is an activity of the Lucis Trust, working to create an informed public opinion based on spiritual values. It carries out a number of worldwide educational and goodwill service projects. The work is supported solely by the voluntary donations of interested persons.

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