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2. The Cross of the Crucified Christ.

For those who read this treatise, the Cross which is of prime importance is the Fixed Cross of the Heavens. Aspirants to the Mysteries are steadily increasing in numbers at this time and this involves their re-orientation towards the Light, their conscious reversal upon the wheel of the zodiac, and their comprehension of the objectives of the processes to which they have given themselves upon the Fixed Cross. Disciples are apt to think that the fact of their taking their place upon that Cross and demonstrating their willingness to be tested and to show unalterable stability is the major factor involved. This is by no means so in reality. Each of these Crosses makes its presence felt as a fourfold sphere of influence or a potent centre of energy through the medium of an "invoking sound." This sound goes up from each of the Crosses and produces a result and a response from some source. It is this new fact anent the Crosses which is of importance and upon which I seek briefly to touch. Only when the influence of all the four arms of each Cross has produced an effect in the subject is a transition in consciousness made from one Cross to another—each transition marking a point of crisis, both in [569] the individual and in the larger whole. Then a process of invocation is instituted—at first unconsciously, in which case it is in the nature of a diffused call, and, later, consciously, when it takes the form of a focussed appeal.

When the time of transition from the Mutable Cross on to the Fixed Cross arrives, three things occur:

1. The influence of the four energies of the Mutable Cross have brought about a vast experience of life in form.

2. There is now a gradually growing and profound dissatisfaction awakening in the consciousness of the man making the transition. He has exhausted material desire to a very great extent and is no longer attracted by the Path of outgoing into matter; the needs of the physical nature no longer dominate him; he is afraid of the impulses, emanating from the astral plane; he is awake and active mentally and as a functioning personality. But he remains unsatisfied and is uncomfortably aware of it.

3. He turns to invocation. This process of invocation falls into two stages:

a. The stage of aspiration, irregular and vague but gradually assuming power.

b. The stage of mysticism, merging into occultism (the study of that which is hidden). Duality is now consciously and uncomfortably recognised and the higher way and the spiritual vision is contacted. Desire gives place to the vague promptings of what might be called love. This is the movement in the personality of that divine emerging aspect. It is this that he seeks to invoke. When this is adequately strong then true evocation [570] takes place and the disciple (for such the man now is) mounts the Fixed Cross.

The above is true of the individual disciple and also today of humanity as a whole, and—as I have oft told you—it is this process of invocation which is taking place in the human family. This produces the present dire crisis. The two stages above outlined are present today in a general and potent sense in mankind.

It was the recognition of these two stages in humanity which led me, under instruction from the Hierarchy, to give out—at widely separated points in time—two stanzas of a great occult mantram. The first stanza, used in 1936, referred to the vague general aspiration of the mass of the people in the world, which is today more pronounced than ever before and becoming more focussed towards true well-being.

THE GREAT INVOCATION

Let the Forces of Light bring illumination to mankind.

Let the Spirit of Peace be spread abroad.

May men of goodwill everywhere meet in a spirit of cooperation.

May forgiveness on the part of all men be the keynote at this time.

Let power attend the efforts of the Great Ones.

So let it be, and help us to do our part.

The use of this first stanza was immediately successful and met with a full response from those good and well-meaning people whose focus is predominantly astral and aspirational, and whose aim is peace and quiet. This peace and quiet provides the "area of consciousness" in which aspiration can flourish, physical and emotional comfort can be attained and the recognition of the mystical vision becomes possible.

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The second stanza was given out later and was intended to be a test and a "decision point in a time of crisis."

Let the Lords of Liberation issue forth.

Let Them bring succour to the sons of men.

Let the Rider from the Secret Place come forth,

And coming, save.

Come forth, O Mighty One.

Let the souls of men awaken to the Light,

And may they stand with massed intent.

Let the fiat of the Lord go forth:

The end of woe has come!

Come forth, O Mighty One.

The hour of service of the saving force has now arrived.

Let it be spread abroad, O Mighty One.

Let Light and Love and Power and Death

Fulfil the purpose of the Coming One.

The WILL to save is here.

The LOVE to carry forth the work is widely spread abroad.

The ACTIVE AID of all who know the truth is also here.

Come forth, O mighty One, and blend these three.

Construct a great defending wall.

The rule of evil NOW must end.

It was offered, under this test, to the masses, but was intended primarily for the use of those aspirants and disciples who are not only mystics but who have made at least some small progress in their attempt to tread the occult way. They are mentally focussed in their attitude; the higher way is recognised by them; the vision has been seen and they are now ready for something closer and more real. The last stanza given is primarily, therefore, for the use of those who have mounted, or are in process of mounting, the Fixed Cross.

It is for this reason that the use of the second part of [572] the Great Invocation was relatively limited. It was repudiated (almost violently sometimes) by the emotional type of person who could see no further than the beauty of peace—the goal of expression upon the astral plane. Their vision of the greater whole and of the evocation of the will-to-good (which is not the will-to-peace) was exceedingly limited and this through no fault of their own. It simply indicated their place upon the ladder of evolution and marked a relatively useful point of service, but one which is in process of being transcended. The people in the world today are coming to realise (through suffering and its consequent reflection) that there is something greater than peace and that is the good of the whole, and not just individual, peaceful conditions or national peace. This re-orientation of the human consciousness is brought about by the determined attitude of the souls of men, massed and blended, organised and focussed by the vision of the general welfare of humanity.

It was, however, essential that these distinctions in attitude should appear in their clarity and, therefore, we gave out the two stanzas of the Great Invocation separately and at different times. You learnt thereby the difference of attitude between the mass of well-meaning people in the world, and the correctly oriented attitudes of the intelligent aspirants and disciples. This was necessary before wider action could later take place. I would pause here and remind you that both groups are necessary: the first group—emotional and idealistic—have a part to play in focussing the mass fluid aspiration. Their responsibility is to the general public. The other group of trained thinkers and people who are animated primarily by the will-to-good (which is of more importance in this world cycle than the will-to-peace) have a function to carry out in evoking hierarchical response in [573] reply to the aspiration of the first group. They focus this aspiration on the mental plane, create a thoughtform embodying the objective and project the "call" which may reach the ears of the Lords of Liberation.

The blended invocation and the united call from the different levels of the human consciousness will bring a mighty appeal to bear upon the hidden Centres of the "Saving Force." It is this united appeal which you must now organise. Thus the mass of humanity will be stimulated to move off the Mutable Cross on to the Fixed Cross and the new world cycle, beginning in Aquarius (one arm of the Fixed Cross) will be definitely inaugurated by humanity itself.

It might be said, therefore, that the Great Invocation as first given out was for the use of those who are crucified upon the Mutable Cross, the Cross of change, whilst the second invocation is for the use of those who are crucified upon the Fixed Cross, the Cross of right orientation. It is for the use of those men and women whose aim is the will-to-good, who think in terms of world service and who are oriented towards light—the light of knowledge, the light of wisdom and understanding and the light of life itself.

Upon the Fixed Cross, the united influence of its four streams of energy, when expressing themselves fully through an individual disciple and through the Hierarchy, produces likewise three emerging conditions:

1. There is a vast experience of group life, group activity and group awareness. The self-conscious man in Leo becomes the group conscious man in Aquarius.

2. There arises in the consciousness of the disciple a vision of the "endless Way of which Nirvana is but the beginning."

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3. He recognises his task of mediatorship which is the major task of the Hierarchy, mediating between Shamballa and Humanity. He knows that he must carry forward the dual task of invocation and evocation simultaneously—the evocation (through right invocation) of the will-to-good of the world thinkers and aspirants, and also the will-to-save of the Shamballa Lords, via the Hierarchy, which he is in a position directly to approach. I touch here on grave mysteries.

There awakens in him, therefore, a vague determination at first which gives place in time to an evocation of the will in himself. This eventually puts him en rapport with the will aspect of Deity as it emanates and is stepped down from Shamballa, via the Hierarchy, into which spiritual organisation he is being gradually integrated through experience upon the Fixed Cross. It might here be pointed out that:

a. Experience upon the Mutable Cross integrates a man into the centre which we call Humanity.

b. Experience upon the Fixed Cross integrates the disciple into the second planetary Centre which we call the Hierarchy.

c. Experience upon the Cardinal Cross integrates the initiate into the primary planetary Centre to which we give the name Shamballa.

He eventually becomes a radiating centre of spiritual will, affecting humanity and evoking its will-to-good; he blends this into the Hierarchy as far as he can, fusing this human will into hierarchical activity in an effort to evoke response from Shamballa.

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