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SECTION FOUR - STAGES IN THE EXTERNALISATION OF THE HIERARCHY - Part 2

Adjustments and Alignments within the Hierarchy

What, in the last analysis, is this Hierarchy? It is a great salvaging corps of dedicated, liberated Units of Life, working in group formation with all forms and lives in all kingdoms and with all souls particularly. As the Hierarchy so works, Its emphasis is solely on the consciousness aspect of all forms; Its present agency of salvage and of service is the mind, as it expresses Itself through the minds of all humanitarians, all aspirants, all disciples (of all rays and degrees) and of all initiates; the Hierarchy also can express Itself through the medium of thought currents and ideas and through them impose Its hierarchical concepts upon the embryonic minds of the general and average public; and It also directs the educational work of all nations, so that the undeveloped masses can become—in due turn—the intelligent general public.

The Hierarchy works, as you know, in or through three major departments, each possessing its full Personnel, and under three Great Lords. I have dealt with this in some detail in Initiation, Human and Solar, as well as elsewhere [527] in my writings; more information at this point is needless and of no real service to you.

The Hierarchy works also through the seven major Ashrams and their affiliated Ashrams, and these "seven which are the forty-nine" represent in their totality the seven rays with their subrays, and are the custodians, transmitters and distributors of the seven ray energies to the seven planetary centres and—via these seven centres—to those in the fourth kingdom in nature (as they gradually unfold over the aeons) and then, via these, to the seven centres in individual man. Such is the synthesis.

The seven major centres or Ashrams within the Hierarchy are each presided over by Masters of Chohan rank; the seven subsidiary centres or Ashrams are presided over by Masters and Adepts (of the fifth and fourth initiations), aided by initiates of the third degree and certain picked and senior disciples. Several of the seven affiliated Ashrams are, as yet, incomplete as regards personnel, but vacancies are rapidly being filled as the spiritual effects of the world war (1914-1945) make themselves felt. These effects are very real and have been a source of great encouragement to hierarchical workers.

Before the Hierarchy can emerge (as is the intention), the relation between a major Ashram and its subsidiary Ashrams must be firmly established, whilst that between a major Ashram and other major Ashrams has to be brought more definitely and unquestionably closer to Shamballa, and under the influence of that great first ray centre. The energy which will align and adjust the subsidiary forty-nine Ashrams is that of the second Ray of Love-Wisdom. That, however, which will bring about a similar adjusting and aligning impetus in the seven major Ashrams is the energy of the first Ray of Will or Power. I have here given you a most important item of occult information, but one which is of no importance to you individually; it serves, however, to present proof of the significant occult relation between the three planetary centres. Just as the third planetary centre, Humanity, has now reached a point of intelligent development [528] so that a closer rapport can be set up between it and the Hierarchy, so the Hierarchy also has moved forward as a unit so that a closer corresponding rapport can also be set up between It and Shamballa. Just as the rapport between the Hierarchy and Humanity is established via aspirants, disciples and initiates in physical existence who are responding to the love-wisdom of the universe in some measure and who work via the intelligent people in incarnation primarily, so rapport between Shamballa and the Hierarchy is being more closely established via the senior Ashrams, and not via the secondary ones. You have, therefore, a situation which might be depicted somewhat as follows:

I.    First Planetary Centre................................ Shamballa

                         working through

      1. The seven Rays or the seven Spirits before the Throne.

      2. Certain great Intermediaries.

      3. The Council Chamber of the Lord of the World.

II. Second Planetary Centre........................... Hierarchy

                         working through

      1. The seven major Chohans and Their Ashrams.

      2. The forty-nine Masters of the secondary Ashrams.

      3. The sum total of the secondary Ashrams.

III. Third Planetary Centre  .............................. Humanity

                         working through

      1. Disciples in manifestation—of the seven ray types.

      2. The New Group of World Servers.

      3. The sum total of humanitarians, educators and men of goodwill.

This is but a rough picture and one which is not totally correct; it will, however, show you certain direct lines of contact and of relationship which are true and which will suffice to [529] give you a vague and general idea of the new alignment being set up between the three major planetary centres, requiring new adjustments.

At this particular time, the emphasis of the needed alignments and adjustments with which the Hierarchy is faced is being placed upon activity within the Hierarchy Itself. The secondary Ashrams are being stimulated; new ones are being gradually formed, for there are not as yet forty-nine minor Ashrams; vacancies in the major Ashrams are being filled as rapidly as possible from the ranks of those working in minor Ashrams and the places of these latter are being taken by accepted disciples who are being fitted for this work through experience, difficulties and the tension of world service. All these changes necessitate much adjustment. The interior work of hierarchical alignment is in the charge of the Chohans of the Major Ashrams, whilst the task of superintending the interior adjustments incident to new alignments and the admission of new personnel is being watched over and directed by the forty-nine Masters who are in charge of minor Ashrams—either Ashrams with what is regarded as a full complement of workers, or Ashrams in process of attaining that full complement, or embryonic Ashrams of which there are already quite a few.

One of the results of this hierarchical alignment and adjustment will be the establishment, for the first time, of a fluid interplay and movement between the three planetary centres. Chohans are today passing out of the Hierarchy into the Council Chamber of the Lord of the World, or on to one or other of the Seven Paths; senior Masters in charge of Ashrams are taking higher grades of initiation and taking the rank of Chohans; initiates above the third degree are rapidly taking the fourth and fifth initiations and becoming Masters (taking both initiations in one life), and their places are being taken by lesser initiates; these, in their turn, have been training disciples to take their places, until in this process of substitution and replacement we arrive at the door which symbolically stands between humanity and the Hierarchy, and today stands wide open, so that accepted [530] disciples are taking initiation, pledged disciples are being accepted, and accepting disciples are taking their pledges.

Thus a great and new movement is proceeding and a tremendously increased interplay and interaction is taking place. This will go on until A.D. 2025. During the years intervening between now and then very great changes will be seen taking place, and at the great General Assembly of the Hierarchy—held as usual every century—in 2025 the date in all probability will be set for the first stage of the externalisation of the Hierarchy. The present cycle (from now until that date) is called technically "The Stage of the Forerunner". It is preparatory in nature, testing in its methods, and intended to be revelatory in its techniques and results. You can see therefore that Chohans, Masters, initiates, world disciples, disciples and aspirants affiliated with the Hierarchy are all at this time passing through a cycle of great activity.

In the adjustment necessitated by the rapidly advancing alignment, the Members of the Hierarchy are fitting Themselves for the objective work of public expression. This entails far more difficulty than you might imagine or anticipate, because it entails the development of that form of "resistance to the pull of the lower vibration" of which you can know nothing, for that lower vibration is a necessary aspect of your normal expression—little as you may like to realise this. You need to realise that there is nothing in the Masters or higher initiates which can respond to any vibration of this nature. Though They cannot absorb it or react to it or re-develop it again, it can cause Them the acutest discomfort and pain; that is the reason why the Son of God was called in The Old Testament a "man of sorrows and acquainted with grief". This did not in reality refer to His sufferings for poor miserable humanity (as orthodox theology so selfishly interprets it) but to the fact that He had to submit Himself to contact with humanity. The Hierarchy is therefore, along all lines (many of which I may not indicate or upon which I may not enlarge), preparing Itself for the experience of physical manifestation; It is also endeavouring to "create" the needed responsive apparatus which will be of such a nature that [531] Members of the Hierarchy may function with the minimum of difficulty on earth and will experience the least possible measure of handicap; They will thus be enabled to give full time and attention to the work to be done by Them in physical manifestation.

They are endeavouring also to establish a closer telepathic rapport and a more intimate (though strictly impersonal) relationship with Their disciples on all rays, so that there can be a free interplay of thought and a consequent better hierarchical integrity and one which—no matter what may happen in the three worlds—cannot be disrupted or in any way lessened.

Although for Them no astral plane exists and glamour is entirely non-existent, They have to learn to do a most peculiar thing: to work on the astral plane (because it exists for humanity and for the animal kingdom), to traverse this region of glamour and then to "demonstrate light in dissipating fog" in a manner for which there has hitherto been no call. None of this information may make much sense to you, but I am simply seeking to go on record for the sake of those who will come after you. There is little more that I may give you anent adjustment and alignment within the Hierarchy. It is rapidly proceeding, and just in so far as disciples demonstrate upon the outer physical plane and in the three worlds their affiliation with an Ashram will they share in this dual process. Are you prepared for this?

In Connection with the Council Chamber of Sanat Kumara, the Lord of the World

As this subject concerns one of the seven goals towards which the Masters aim after They have attained the fifth initiation, it will be obvious to you that there is little that I can say about it. One of the seven Paths for which the Way of the Higher Evolution prepares the senior initiates is the Path of Earth Service. This Path, as you know, keeps the Masters attached to service in the three worlds for a period much longer than the average. It involves tremendous sacrifice. [532] Just as the disciple has to live a dual life, with one part of his reflective nature and awareness centred in the life of the Hierarchy and the other part of his mental responsiveness equally centred on life in the three worlds, and this simultaneously, so the Master, when He chooses this Path, forms a constituent part of the Council Chamber of the Lord of the World and at the same time works consciously in the three worlds, via the Hierarchy (of which He remains also a part), and with the human and subhuman kingdoms in nature. As evolution proceeds, He will work increasingly via humanity because humanity will be shouldering its responsibilities as the Macrocosm of the lesser microcosm. This dual activity entails much specialised training, and as the initiatory process becomes exoteric and men everywhere recognise it and participate in it, the training which Members of the Hierarchy also undergo will not be so secret and mysterious as it is today. But the time has not yet come to publicise it.

Only certain further generalisations are here possible, some of which are already known to you because they are so broad that their inclusions and implications are obvious. This, for instance, concerns the "centre where the Will of God is known". Here at Shamballa work Those Who have unified Their personality will and Their spiritual will with the universal will, and such a unification inevitably brings knowledge. It is, however, not knowledge as you understand it. It is a blend of wisdom based on knowledge, understanding based on intuitive perception, and identification based on alignment, esoterically comprehended. For this peculiar condition or awareness we have no word in any language, and only the utilisation (the trained utilisation) of the abstract mind can possibly convey to you even an embryonic factual conception. But that type of imaginative conception will become more common during the next two centuries, and my words here will therefore serve an ultimate purpose. Those Who form the Council Chamber of the Great Lord are under no misapprehension as to His will because They [533] see it whole. Paul, the initiate, hints at this when writing one of the Epistles; he is in touch then with certain Members of the Hierarchy and is concerned with the theme of Love, which is the fundamental hierarchical theme and motive. He says to Them: "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now we know in part, but then shall we know even as we are known." He there points towards the future progress of the Hierarchy—a progress which remains as yet only a vague promise, lacking form and shape. But he wrote for initiates to whom love was a growing, vital concern, and to whom love and its practice meant light and the basic motif of all living, divine activity. It is not possible to reveal the will of God and the motivating Purpose of His manifesting Self, except to Those Who have demonstrated perfected love and Who register no sense of disunion or the faintest reaction to separateness.

At Shamballa, the Great Lives Who function there not only see manifestation whole and apart from all the limitations of time, but They feel all the major evolutionary impulses which are bringing the developing world into line with the divine Will. They embody those impulses not in terms of progressive movement, but in terms of one great divine and spiritual reaction. This idea can perhaps be best understood by you in terms of the Eternal AUM which is the symbol of the Eternal NOW. You have been told, and it has been demonstrated, that the AUM is composed of one major Sound, three minor sounds, and seven subsidiary vibratory tones. So it is with the Will of God which is embodied and held in synthesis by the Members of the Council Chamber. To Them, as They "hold the Will of God in solution, it is one clear note; as They see that Will in motion, it is three abiding chords, carrying outwards into all the worlds the Purpose of the ONE Who for aeons will abide; as They impel that Will to demonstrate, it is seven vibratory tones, drawing out into the reflected worlds the structure of the Plan. And thus the note, the chords and tone produce the Plan, reveal the Purpose and indicate God's Will." This [534] is a quotation from certain of the ancient Archives which constitute the study of the Masters; they relate to the nature of Shamballa, its work and emanating energies.

Shamballa, as it constitutes the synthesis of understanding where our Earth is concerned, is also the centre where the highest Will of the Solar Logos is imposed upon the Will of our planetary Logos, Who is, as you know, only a centre in His greater body of manifestation. With this item of information you can have no possible concern; the Masters Themselves are only learning the Will of the planetary Logos; the objective of effort in Shamballa is, however, the apprehension of solar Purpose, the Plan of which is working out on the highest levels of our planetary system, just as the Will, Purpose and Plan of Shamballa work out on the three lowest levels of our planetary system. Again, this item of information serves only to indicate hierarchical objectives, and those objectives extend away from time and space into the Mind of God Himself.

There are certain synonyms which here may serve to develop your synthetic thinking and so bring in a definite measure of enlightment.

SHAMBALLA

Synthesis
Will
Life
Spirit
Livingness                    Apprehension
Power
Energy
Direction
Head

HIERARCHY

Unity
Purpose
Soul                               Consciousness
Organism                      Polarisation                 Momentum                   Distribution                   Transmission
Heart

 

HUMANITY

Separation
Plan
Appearance
Substance
Organisation
Focus of Activity
Action
Forces
Reception
Throat

 

It will be apparent to you how little you can understand of the Shamballa intention when you realise that it is not easy for you to see any true distinction between unity and synthesis and, at the same time, how impossible it is for me [535] to make the distinction clear. All I can say is that synthesis is, whilst unity is achieved and is the reward of action and effort. As you progress upon the Path of Initiation the meaning of unity clarifies. As you direct yourself towards the Way of the Higher Evolution synthesis emerges. More than that it would be useless for me to say.

This problem of the apparently impenetrable darkness of intention as grasped by Shamballa, of meaning, of inscrutability, of a spiritual imperviousness which holds, in spite of all fluctuations in the three worlds of human evolution and the remaining two of superhuman unfoldment, provides a situation to which the Hierarchy has to make adjustment through alignment. You are, in your small way, making your adjustment to the Hierarchy through a steady construction of the antahkarana, and in so doing are aiding in the construction of the antahkarana which unites Humanity and the Hierarchy—the first few strands of which were established through the sacrifices of certain of the Sons of God when the Hierarchy was founded on Earth. Today, the Hierarchy is working at the establishing of the linking strands between Itself and Shamballa, and good progress has already been made. It might be said here that for the past seven hundred years the chain of Hierarchy has been complete; by this I mean that the planetary rainbow bridge uniting the three major centres has existed. The task ahead of all these three major centres, working in alignment through adjustment, is to strengthen and beautify (if I may so express it), to electrify this bridge, thus producing full planetary intercommunication between the three centres and the four minor centres, so that "the weight of the Will of God, the momentum of the Purpose of Sanat Kumara and the Plan of His Representatives may progress unimpeded from point to point, from sphere to sphere and from glory to glory."

It is this complete establishment of relationship between Shamballa, the Hierarchy and Humanity which brought about the planetary crisis through which the world has just passed and, from some standpoints, is still passing. [536] Shamballa, as I have told you, can now reach Humanity, the third major centre, directly, and therefore has two points of planetary contact: the first, via the Hierarchy, as has been for long the case, and secondly, in a straight line, carrying energy direct to Humanity, without any transmission and consequent modifying of impact, as has also been the case hitherto. When this direct line of spiritual, dynamic, electrical energy made its first impact on earth (after the Great Council held in 1825), it first of all awakened men's thinking in a new and comprehensive way, producing the great ideologies; it aroused their massed desire, and registered obstruction on the physical plane. It found its course impeded and discovered it was faced with barriers. This energy from Shamballa, being an aspect of the ray of the destroyer, proceeded to "burn up" in the fires of destruction, all such hindrances upon the planes in the three worlds. This was the deeply esoteric and unrecognised cause of the war—the beneficent bringing to an end of the impediments to the free flow of spiritual energy down into the third centre; this was the factor which called "evil from its hidden place" and brought the opposing forces to the surface of existence, prior to their "sealing". To the extent that this was so, mankind in the World War (1914-1945) was the unhappy victim of spiritual circumstance; however, from the angle of man's historical past, humanity was the engineer of its own fate; but it took both the esoteric activity of Shamballa and the exoteric activity of humanity over a millennia of years to precipitate the conditions which made this new alignment possible and brought about the sealing (still being carried slowly forward), and plunged mankind into the vortex of war. This impelling downpouring energy from the highest centre penetrated not only to the heart of humanity, but into the very depths of the mineral kingdom, implicating also the animal and the vegetable expressions of divine life.

Because of this direct impact between Shamballa and Humanity, by-passing the Hierarchy, the Hierarchy was left free for the work of rehabilitation and salvaging, for reconstruction and for the application of the regenerative forces of [537] resurrection.  The Hierarchy needed and welcomed this interlude and recognised it as an essential aspect of the Plan.

The "cycle of Shamballa impact" is now over; the appeal of humanity to the Christ and His Hierarchy has again refocussed the energy of Shamballa via the Hierarchy, and the direct work of the Hierarchy with Humanity can again take on fresh meaning, can be re-established on new and somewhat different lines, and thus definitely bring in that "new heaven and new earth" for which men have so long waited. This will take time, but the new energies and their emerging qualities are adequate to the task, and will alleviate much and bring about great changes in due course of time. You will note, therefore, that the Hierarchy has been faced with three adjustments as the result of being deliberately "put out of alignment," though only temporarily, with both Shamballa and Humanity. This was symbolised for us at the Crucifixion when the Saviour hung pendant between heaven and earth. These adjustments are:

1. Adjustment to those extra-planetary energies which were released into the highest centre. This was made possible by two factors:

a. The direct impact between Shamballa and Humanity or between will and intelligence. This is an important point to recognise.

b. The temporary quiescence of the love principle, as the Hierarchy waited for the results and effects of this direct impact upon the earth.

This was effectively carried out with much destruction in the world of forms.

2. Adjustment to certain basic changes within the Hierarchy Itself in preparation for the process of externalisation which was begun this century.

3. Adjustment to a disciplined and reoriented humanity, [538] working today in the dark, it is needless to say, groping along unknown ways, appealing to the Hierarchy for more light and understanding, but awakened and alert for changes.

These adjustments are proceeding with rapidity; the technique being employed is realignment, through a definite action of the Will, as far as Shamballa is concerned, and by an outpouring of Love, as far as humanity is concerned. This Act of the Will is carried out by the three Heads of Departments in the Hierarchy, under the guidance of the Christ and by the Chohans of the seven major Ashrams. They constitute a group of ten to Whom this task has been committed, for the reason that They are the only Members of the Hierarchy Who possess the needed qualifications and in Whom the Will aspect is adequately developed. The task of pouring out the Love principle in a new and dynamic manner is being carried out by all the Masters and by all initiates who have taken the third initiation. This stream of love will focus itself each coming Full Moon in a special act or demonstration of love.

You will note also how fully occupied the Hierarchy is with work, preparatory to emergence, and with those plans and activities which will lead to renewed interior activity, based not on lack of previous unity and integrity, but on the absorption of new energies, made available via Shamballa, of these extra-planetary forces to which I have earlier referred. This task of reorganisation prior to moving outward, will be completed by May, 1946. Then the task of the new alignment with humanity will be started and the great work undertaken which will proceed for several hundred years.

In Relation with Humanity

I shall not deal here with the work to be done in centuries to come in and through humanity, which is the goal of all these adjustments—at least as far as your present interest is concerned. I shall touch only upon the activities of the Hierarchy as it establishes—on a more powerful [539] basis—a more direct contact with mankind. Since 1925 the Hierarchy has directed Its thoughts to men, but It has not vitalised, as It will eventually do, the religious movements or churches in all lands, or the educational work in all countries, or any of the activities which are concerned with the aiding of humanity through welfare movements. It was felt that it was necessary for mankind to show the Hierarchy, as well as themselves, the nature of the impulses towards love and selflessness which may have been already established, and to do this free of hierarchical prompting and influence, and in this way demonstrating that they possessed that which might be depended upon as innate and as present in a living, creative manner. The demonstration has been good; humanity has shown creative love, of which goodwill and humanitarian efforts are the lowest aspects. The showing has been better than was anticipated, and this new and vital re-alignment between the Hierarchy and Humanity becomes now beautifully possible and can be carried forward without danger. The Hierarchy is now the Custodian of far greater power than heretofore, on account of Its adjustment to Shamballa.

This hierarchical readjustment to humanity is being carried out at this time in the Ashrams by the setting up of magnetic centres which, through their directed activity, will influence humanity in the coming large scale process of reorientation. In studying this, you must remember that these are not centres or concentrations of forces, but groups of disciples whose quality is oriented towards mankind and whose potency of thought will act magnetically upon aspirants and humanitarians and, through them and their goodwill activities, will reach and impress men everywhere. The adjustment being at this time undertaken, therefore, is between hierarchical groups and groups of men and women upon earth; it is intended, as you have been told, that Humanity itself will be the world-saviour, working with the aid of the Hierarchy—as yet invisibly behind the scenes. When this interim work of salvage is accomplished, then the Hierarchy will externalise Itself.

[540]

You can imagine the adjustments, therefore, going on in all the Ashrams in preparation for all this and—though I touch not upon it—you can imagine the general effect of these inter-hierarchical adjustments and alignments upon disciples and aspirants upon the earth; they are the first, needless to say, who will respond to this activity. As all this is taking place in the present difficult period of world rehabilitation, the immensity of the problem involved and the quality of the tension are abnormal. It is not easy for disciples today; of this the Hierarchy is well aware. This fact also involves for Them still another aspect of hierarchical adjustment. They have—for the sake of the work to be done—to establish a closer alignment between the inner Ashrams and the outer groups, between Themselves and Their senior disciples carrying the burden of the outer world service; this alignment has also to be extended between senior disciples and initiates and the workers on earth.

The pureness of the motives animating the Hierarchy will constantly emerge with greater clarity in your minds, as you attempt to understand, even in a small measure, Their problems. There are other problems of which you can know nothing—problems related to the new energies pouring into our planet, impersonally and dynamically; problems of fresh tensions, incident to stronger and new alignments; problems concerned with human enlightenments and reactions in the face of the darkness which evil initiated; problems of increased personnel, disturbing the rhythm but necessitated by the demand for workers; problems connected with the growth and training of the Members of the Hierarchy upon the Way of the Higher Evolution; other problems incident to the planetary crisis, to the Initiation of the Lord of the World Himself, and to the amazing demonstration of the success of the evolutionary process up to the present time. This success has been proven by the alignment for direct interplay of the three major planetary centres—Shamballa, the Hierarchy and Humanity.

[541]

HIERARCHICAL PREPARATION AT THE WESAK FESTIVAL

April-May 1946

I have delayed writing my usual Wesak message until this late date because of a certain event in the Hierarchy which was maturing and which necessitated my entire attention. This event was connected with the Wesak Festival and involved among other matters the formation of a new Ashram in which the Wisdom aspect would be of particular importance and not the Love aspect; this Ashram would also be related in a peculiar manner to the Buddha. It had to be formed at this time in order to be the recipient, and then the custodian, of certain "endowments" which the Buddha will bring at the time of the May Full Moon. The endowments concern the will-to-good of the Lord of the World, the Ancient of Days, though they do not concern goodwill as you understand that phrase. This Ashram, when duly formed and established, will enable the Members of the Hierarchy to respond to this aspect of the divine Purpose—the Purpose which as you know lies behind and implements the Plan; this Ashram, related to the Buddha, will be specifically under the close supervision of the Christ, and also of the Lord of Civilisation—at this time the Master R. They are the only two Members of the Hierarchy able to register the divine Purpose (in regard to its immediate objectives) in such a manner that the entire Hierarchy can be informed and can then work unitedly and intelligently at its implementation. More than this I may not tell you about this particular hierarchical move, affecting as it does both Shamballa and the Hierarchy.

This Wesak Festival is of supreme importance because it is the first Festival since the war ended, because it takes place at a time when a definite orientation of the Hierarchy will take place, and because a fresh tide of spiritual impulse and directed second ray energy will flood the entire Hierarchy; the work, therefore, to be done by the Hierarchy will be far more effective. This you may anticipate and upon this you can count.

[542]

But—as you may well have surmised—it is the Full Moon of June which is (this year) the season of prime and outstanding importance; it is in many ways easier for Western believers and esotericists to tune in and participate in the activities of the Hierarchy when closely connected with the Christ than it is in those related to the Buddha. The main intention in these early stages of keeping the Eastern Festival of Wesak is to familiarise the Western world with the fact of the presence of the Buddha and with His activities in connection with humanity. Such great progress has, however, taken place in the spiritual development of humanity that the Buddha need no longer continue with His task unless He so desires—and then only for a period of years, known to Him and the Lord of the World. He could cease His annual contact with the Hierarchy at this time, if He so chose, owing to the direct contact now established between the Hierarchy and Shamballa. This, however, He does not immediately choose to do. For a few decades longer He will cooperate with the Christ in widening the channel of contact between Shamballa, the Hierarchy and Humanity. After that, He will "proceed to His Own place" in the solar Hierarchy and will no longer visit the Himalayas annually, as has been His custom for so many centuries. The Eastern Festival of Wesak (Vaisaka) and the Christian day of remembrance, Good Friday, will fade out of the consciousness of humanity in due time; they are both festivals related to aspects of the first Ray of Power or Will. The abolition of the fear of death and the establishment of a close relation of the Hierarchy with Shamballa will render obsolete these ancient ceremonial rites.

In this message I would like to consider with you primarily the Festival of the Christ, held at the time of the Full Moon of June, and the work of the Christ as He prepares Himself for the fulfilment of His true mission on Earth. The Christian Church has so distorted that mission and ruthlessly perverted the intention for which He originally manifested that a consideration of that mission is deeply needed and should be revolutionary in its effects. Starting [543] with St. Paul, the theologians interpreted His words in such a manner that they served to bridge the gap between the spiritual future of the world and the Jewish dispensation which should have been passing out. So effective has been their work that the teachings of the loving, simple Son of God have been largely ignored; the failure of Christianity can be traced to its Jewish background (emphasised by St. Paul), which made it full of propaganda instead of loving action, which taught the blood sacrifice instead of loving service, and which emphasised the existence of a wrathful God, needing to be placated by death, and which embodied the threats of the Old Testament Jehovah in the Christian teaching of hell fire.

This situation is one which the Christ is seeking to alter; it has been in preparation for His instituting a new and more correct presentation of divine truth that I have sought—with love and understanding—to point out the faults of the world religions, with their obsolete theologies and their lack of love, and to indicate the evils of Judaism. The present world faiths must return to their early simplicity, and orthodox Judaism, with its deep-seated hate, must slowly disappear; all must be changed in preparation for the revelation which Christ will bring.

The first things which the Christ will do, beginning with this full Moon of June, will be to prepare all people everywhere (if possible through their regenerated, religious institutions) for the revelation for which all humanity waits.

It is this revelation which lies behind all the activities which now engross the attention of the Hierarchy. There have been many revelations of divine purpose down the ages, each of which uniquely altered the point of view and the pattern of living for men everywhere. There was the ancient revelation, given through the people of India, as to the existence of the Self and the Not-Self—a revelation which is now coming to have meaning through the teaching of modern psychology; there was the revelation of the Ten Commandments, given through the Jews and—because of the negativity shown then and today by the Jews—given [544] in a negative and not a positive form. The Christ endeavoured to offset and bring to an end the need for the Ten Commandments, by giving us the eleventh commandment; this, if kept, would entail the keeping of all the others. There was the revelation which Christ Himself gave, summing it up for us in His life of service, in the love which He preached and in His constant repudiation of theological Judaism (the Sadducees and the Pharisees). This difficulty with Judaism still persists and is symbolised for us in the failure to recognise the Messiah when He came to them in their own country and let it be known that He came to the whole world and not to the Jews alone.

For this new revelation the Christ is preparing as are all the members of the Hierarchy, from the highest Chohan down to the humblest accepted disciple; it is for this that all the ashrams are getting ready; it is for this also that (in a weak and feeble manner) Christian people, those of the other world faiths, and spiritually minded people are likewise preparing.

Therefore, we have isolated (if I may use such a word) three activities to which the Christ is at this time dedicated:

1. The reorganisation of the world religions—if in any way possible—so that their out-of-date theologies, their narrow-minded emphasis and their ridiculous belief that they know what is in the Mind of God may be offset, in order that the churches may eventually be the recipients of spiritual inspiration.

2. The gradual dissolution—again if in any way possible—of the orthodox Jewish faith, with its obsolete teaching, its separative emphasis, its hatred of the Gentiles and its failure to recognise the Christ. In saying this I do not fail to recognise those Jews throughout the world who acknowledge the evils and who are not orthodox in their thinking; they belong to the aristocracy of spiritual belief to which the Hierarchy itself belongs.

[545]

3. Preparation for a revelation which will inaugurate the new era and set the note for the new world religion.

To these three efforts of the Hierarchy, superintended by the Christ, another two must be added, of perhaps even greater importance. The first one is the reaction of the Hierarchy itself to the new relationship established between It and Shamballa and to that new, direct and potent channel which has lately been induced by the efforts of the Hierarchy and human invocativeness. The second activity is one leading towards a much closer relation between the Hierarchy and Humanity; this will lead eventually to the externalisation of certain of the Ashrams, and later to the appearance of the Hierarchy on earth, bringing the new revelation.

These various efforts may appear to the casual reader as relatively unimportant. This is a superficial point of view and one which meets with little sympathy from the Hierarchy. That the Jews should be rid of fear is of major importance; that they should know and recognise the Christ as the Messiah, and therefore find for themselves that the religion they follow is destructive of many of the finer values, is likewise of major importance; that orthodox Judaism, along with all the other faiths, should realise that there is no desire to make them Christian (in the ordinary sense of the term), but that they should all move towards some loving synthesis and eliminate their mutual antagonisms and rivalries is equally urgent, and this statement includes the Christian faiths as well. That the Vatican cease its political scheming, its exploitation of the masses and its emphasis upon ignorance is as important; that the manifold divisions of the Protestant churches be bridged is imperative. If none of these things happen, humanity is headed towards a religious war which will make the past war appear like child's play; antagonisms and hatreds will embroil entire populations and the politicians of all the nations will take full advantage of the situation to precipitate a war which may well prove the end of humanity. There are [546] no hatreds so great or so deep as those fostered by religion.

The Christ, therefore, has to add to all the many objectives which occupy His attention still another—the effort to avert a final war. This incipient war is contrary to the will-to-good of the Lord of the World and any world plan; it can be averted by goodwill. This is the most important statement in this message, as far as humanity is concerned.

Great and stirring events are imminent, and they will take place when the effect of the new Invocation is more pronounced and its use more general. This is primarily the responsibility of those who are affiliated with the three movements which demonstrate the part I have sought to take in the world preparation. These are: The Arcane School, and this refers primarily to the books for which I am responsible; the Triangles, which constitutes a deeply esoteric mode of working, yet one of extreme simplicity; and the Goodwill movement, which has in it a factor of major importance in that this movement (embracing already as it does many, many thousands) seeks to promote right human relations with its acute and immediate appeal to the masses; it is this that the masses want essentially, and is oft what lies behind the things which they do and the plans which they make, so often ignorantly and disastrously.

You will note that my outstanding theme is that of world planning; this is the main preoccupation of the Hierarchy. This planning falls into two categories, and for these the Christ is responsible. These are:

1. The esoteric preparation for the physical appearance or the material emergence of the Hierarchy on earth; with this activity the Buddha is definitely associated as it is connected with His final service to mankind.

2. The establishing, by all means available, of right human relations; this, as it is achieved, will swing the Ashrams gradually into external activity as need arises, and it involves the constant cooperation of the Masters.

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Since 1931 I have hinted at much of this, and my activities (carried forward with these things in view) have followed the sequence outlined below:

1. I attempted to reach certain people in order to see how far an ashram could function in external form on earth. It has proved only a partial success and the results of my experiment have been given in the book, Discipleship in the New Age. The effects of the experiment upon the individuals involved have not proved encouraging; the effect upon the esotericists and aspirants of the world has been most successful and has greatly enhanced the sense of reality, so essential to the recognition of the hitherto unseen Hierarchy.

2. I published books which gave the new esoteric teaching, founded on the past, of service today, and indicative of the future. In those books I isolated for the new generation of esoteric students the "truths" which were true, extracting them from the mass of imaginative thinking and consequent formulation of thoughtforms which esotericists (since the time of H.P.B.) have so consistently created and presented to the enquiring public as truths. I indicated the new truths which were of significance for the future and for which the truths of the past were a needed foundation, and gave enough in outline and in "seed" concepts to show the lines along which the new world religion, the new political regimes and the new social order could be set up. I gave you the blueprints. I enunciated these as principles, leaving men free—as must ever be the case—to work out the details according to their contributing civilisations and their peculiar national cultures, which should unitedly create a beautiful whole and not provide barriers of separativeness as is today the case. I finally brought to the attention of the public the idea that the externalisation of the Hierarchy was a major hierarchical project, for which due preparation would have to be made.

3. The world war then reached a final stage; the first stage was from 1914-1918; it then proceeded in a subterranean [548] fashion, only to erupt once more in 1939, continuing with extreme fierceness and cruelty till 1945, when the power to continue the fight ended and the atomic bomb wrote finis to the world chapter of disaster. That atomic bomb (though used only twice destructively) ended the resistance of the powers of evil because its potency is predominantly etheric. Its uses are twofold at this time:

a. As the forerunner of that release of energy which will change the mode of human living and inaugurate the new age wherein we shall not have civilisations and their emerging cultures but a world culture and an emerging civilisation, thus demonstrating the true synthesis which underlies humanity. The atomic bomb emerged from a first ray Ashram, working in conjunction with a fifth ray group; from the long range point of view, its intent was and is purely beneficent.

b. As a means in the hands of the United Nations to enforce the outer forms of peace, and thus give time for teaching on peace and on the growth of goodwill to take effect. The atomic bomb does not belong to the three nations who perfected it and who own the secrets at present—the United States of America, Great Britain and Canada. It belongs to the United Nations for use (or let us rather hope, simply for threatened use) when aggressive action on the part of any nation rears its ugly head. It does not essentially matter whether that aggression is the gesture of any particular nation or group of nations or whether it is generated by the political groups of any powerful religious organisation, such as the Church of Rome, who are as yet unable to leave politics alone and attend to the business for which all religions are responsible—leading human beings closer to the God of Love.

4. The world war now being ostensibly over and the work of restoration, leading to resurrection, being slowly implemented, the work of the Hierarchy is to foster that enthusiasm [549] in the hearts of people everywhere which will enable them to work wholeheartedly for right human relations and the spread of that simple but tonic quality, goodwill. It is enthusiasm in the spiritual sense which is lacking today, even among those who see the Mind of Christ and the Plans of the Hierarchy as existing in factual usefulness; those who have for years read my teachings on goodwill with real belief in what I say but who evidence no willingness to sacrifice time or money, block the growth of the movement. It is the task of the Hierarchy to promote goodwill as the first step in Their plans, and it is that quality which is today closest to the heart of Christ; "goodwill to men," or rather among men, was the primary stage in the threefold promise made by the angels at His Birth:

a. Goodwill, leading to right human relations, leading to

b. Peace on Earth, leading to

c. Glory to God.

Analysed, these words simply mean that goodwill will result in right human relations in that centre which we call Humanity; this will produce the possibility of that peace which characterises the Hierarchy appearing on earth, and leading to the glory of God, which animates the activity of Shamballa, the centre where the Will of God is known. Therefore, intelligent relationship, practical love and the full expression of the divine will are bound to occur, if the correct sequence of activities is followed. At present, even the first of them remains a hope. The factors of the failure of the religious and political groups and the apathy of the mass of men have greatly complicated the task of the Hierarchy.

5. My personal work has been to bring all this to the attention of the general public through my interpretation of the Problems of Humanity and bring it to the point where simplicity of purpose, an inspiring and flaming ardour and a minimum of organisation may implement the new presentation of goodwill as it affects and changes the sovereign [550] world religions which are forgetful of the words of the Christ, "My kingdom is not of this world"; as it permeates into the political conferences of world statesmen and rulers, and as it governs the decisions of science and economics. In so doing and in the direful task of pointing out mistakes and errors of ancient standing, wrong and disastrous attitudes and human separativeness, an inevitable opposition has been evoked; had there been none, my efforts would have been futile. I have said naught that is not true and I retract no single word which I have said. There are many who prefer the esoteric truths anent the antahkarana, the world constitution, the doctrine of man, the Law of Rebirth and the many intricate teachings related to world planning. These they have received in full measure from me. There are others who desire information anent the Hierarchy, the work and standing of the Masters, the training to be given to disciples and initiates. This again they have received. I have now dealt in the past few years with world abuses and the problems with which humanity is faced in this period of restoration—of God's plan for man, and not of former conditions.