While a world leader’s skill in the power of oratory can communicate a vision of unity, the hard, unglamorous work of international dialogue is required between all the nations of the world in order to make it a reality.

At this critical time, we see an increasing number of world conferences taking place. It would be easy to despair at the fact that the crises these conferences seek to address have been caused by the ingrained behaviour patterns of the nations who meet there. Yet despite this, the flame of hope still burns deep and bright within the psyche of humanity; it is as if the collective subconscious is aware of the prize that awaits at the end of the difficult road it has chosen – no less than world integration and the emergence of the One Humanity.

The path of each nation towards this goal is one of psychological rehabilitation – the word ‘rehabilitation’ meaning “to restore to good health or useful life, as through therapy and education.” These days, glamorous personalities and celebrities from all fields are reported going into “rehab” to throw off addictions of one kind or another. But it is no less a form of therapeutic re-education that nations are currently undergoing through international dialogue, as they endeavour to correct the degenerative habits that have resulted in nuclear proliferation, the threat of terrorism, environmental degradation, the world banking crisis, and so on.

Another interesting definition of the word ‘Rehabilitation’ is “to make habitable again”, the word ‘habilitate’ originating from the same source as the word habitat. Other associated words are habit and inhabit. These related words illustrate a sequence of wrong attitudes in consciousness. First, a selfish and isolationist ‘habit’ of thinking builds up patterns in the subtle essences through which consciousness operates. Then, these patterns in low grade thought and feeling surround the consciousness like an imprisoning shell. Finally, the consequence of this habit of wrong thinking is that the consciousness now inhabits an unhealthy habitat; and from within this, it forms a distorted perception of itself as separate from ‘the outside world’. The spirit of relationship that should synthesise each unit of life into an organic whole is thus diminished and the consciousness turns in upon itself, further crystallising its isolation.

Thus, as with the human being, the psychological dwelling place of a nation is often to be found in “habits of
residence that imperil the resident”, to quote one of the great Eastern sages. It is all too easy for a nation to reside in the isolation of separative thought processes. An inflated sense of importance then settles down upon its people and the nation falls under the spell of glamour – the thraldom of an alluring but deluded perception of itself. In the book Discipleship in the New Age Vol.II by Alice Bailey, one of the many types of glamour that distorts perception, is termed the ‘flight into safety of the racial consciousness’. Here we read that “Every individual, without exception, is subject to this racial glamour and its potency is unbelievable. The subjective life of any nation, producing as it does racial psychology, national inclinations and traits and characteristics, lies behind every single individual and into it he can at any time throw himself, and into it he can retreat thus taking refuge in the past and emphasising certain racial attitudes.” The difficult rehabilitation process consists of “the breaking of such bonds…. and a subsequent entering into the freedom of humanity itself.” Hence rehabilitation involves the redemption of the psychological dwelling place of any given entity, be it person or nation, making the habitat of the psyche a healthy place in which to reside, where interaction is welcome.

The current dislocation/relocation of people through emigration is helping to hasten this bond-breaking process, with world communication networks also expanding the sense of world community. But the main organ of hope for humanity remains the United Nations and the cycle of world conferences it hosts. Despite constant criticism of its effectiveness, the UN has been integral to the survival of humanity, smoothing its rough passage into the new world era. Its purpose of maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, and promoting social progress has far to go, but it is the outstanding organ for international dialogue – providing a forum for its 192 member nations to express their views to the world community. Dialogue between the nations is of the utmost importance, and indeed, the world conferences that have taken place since the world war have averted further major conflicts on the physical plane – providing a stage for the clash of national ideologies at a mental level. So, although many commentators may deride the UN as little more than an ineffective talking shop, a more thoughtful analysis indicates that this is far from true. Without the fierce debating and arguments that have taken place in various world conferences, further conflict would undoubtedly have spilled out onto the physical plane – and in this age of nuclear weaponry, the consequences are unthinkable.

To the trained observer, penetration of the outer form of international dialogue reveals the quality aspect of national psychologies, and the spectrum of both the lower and higher impulses at play. The stage of spiritual unfoldment of each of the nations is thereby revealed. Any practical results emerging from world conferences represent the highest common ground between the participants; and while this isn’t very high as a rule, the detached observer can trace the path of redemption which is being carved out towards the light of new values and principles. He sees that as each nation faces crises of decision and searches for resolutions through international dialogue, so is opportunity presented for rehabilitation through the establishing of right relationships with other nations.

To become the trained observer, liberation from the conditioning thoughts of our own nationality is essential, for without this detachment it is well nigh impossible to gain an unbiased world view of the psychological condition of other nations; and this in turn is a prerequisite for all who wish to work subjectively and influentially with the various international conferences taking place around the world. The Cycle of Conferences project involves a group building bridges in consciousness between the inner spiritual realms and the group of diplomats/representatives who bear responsibility for resolving the problems which form the focus of any given conference. By helping to provide an atmosphere of lighted goodwill in which these conferences can take place, the medium through which all communication occurs is spiritually charged, and barriers of misunderstanding progressively dissolved. It is an essential service that can be provided by a worldwide meditating group, and one to which all people of goodwill are invited to participate.