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| Discipleship in the New Age II - Talks to Disciples - Introductory Remarks |
| SECTION ONE TALKS TO DISCIPLES Introductory Remarks January 1940 My BROTHER: May I say that when I am able to start my instruction to this New Seed Group with the words "My Brothers," you will then know that an adequate measure of group-integration has been achieved and that the real group work can begin. I have earlier stated the wider and more important objectives (Discipleship in the New Age, Vol. I, Pages 80-81.) which are, as you saw, entirely impersonal. I would commit this particular objective to your intelligent consideration. I would have you begin your new work with this objective and goal in your defined consciousness. I therefore stated the objective clearly, so that your minds may be tuned to mine - as far as that may be practically possible. Let your horizon be wide, my brother, and your humility great. I am here speaking individually to you, for you are as yet (the majority of you) individually polarized and the group polarization lies ahead. I have given much thought to what I have enjoined upon you in your personal instruction. I have attempted to gauge you and your need from the point of the next lesson you need to learn and the next step that you can take which will release you, each and all, for fuller and deeper spiritual service. I have not attempted to consider you from the point of your attainment upon the Path. I have attempted to aid you in the instructions as a group more than as individuals, and I will therefore ask you to read each other's instructions with great care, for you will find your name and perhaps some suggestions occurring in other papers than your own. It is as a group that you work and as a group you go forward. [4] The sense of criticism and wrong reaction to each other's knowledge is rapidly disappearing from among you. That is good. The growth of impersonality must be steady and sure. The faults evidenced by each and all of you are on the surface of your lives, but the deep inner integration and the activity of the divine nature in each of you is more definitely vital than before. I do not say that it is as yet in full right outer expression. It can and does produce at times a surface turmoil, but this, if rightly handled, need cause no true disturbance. Give to each other real love in the times that lie ahead, for it is the fusing and illuminating element in the life of the disciple. Let not your love remain theoretical, but give that true understanding which ignores mistakes, recognizes no barriers, refuses all separating thoughts, and surrounds each other with that protecting wall of love that meets all need wherever possible - physical, emotional and mental. It is this which blends the group into one organized whole, which the Masters of the Wisdom can use in the service of the Plan. The pressure at this time is great upon them and the urgency of humanity's cry grows stronger in their ears. I have given you much time and thought, and earnestly I have sought to aid you on the Way. My love and strength are ever yours, but not always my time and attention. My earnest prayer is that the Light may enfold you and the Love of God transmute your lives. For many years I have been looking ahead with definite planning and intent to the work which began in the late summer of 1936. I have sought - with the knowledge of some of you - to prepare you all as a group for an active participation in this future work. As I enter upon the task of preparing you for future increased usefulness and for closer cooperation, I must myself perforce take certain risks, and there must be established between us a trust which will be based - not on secrecy and reticences - but on truth and understanding. This formation of the New Seed Group is my second attempt to be of hierarchical assistance in inaugurating the New Age methods and technique and to train groups (for it [5] is a group age) which can express the New Age types of work. In my first attempt certain group limitations initiated difficulty and led to the closing of the several individual groups. You will have noted that I assigned the major failure to the inactivity of the heart center in the majority of the members; this leads necessarily to inadequate integration. I mention this now because I would urge those members who have been selected to work in this new group to bear in mind that they may quite easily carry their earlier tendency into the new group. Only a fresh dedication and a renewed aspiration towards inspiration can prevent the recurrence of a certain static tendency; only a clear vision of the nature of glamor and of its effects in the individual and group life can eliminate the danger of infection from that tendency; only a humble spirit which is not occupied with the faults and failures of others can prevent the injection of an attitude of criticism and judging; and only an attentive watchfulness on the part of a certain few of the members can protect this new vehicle from disaster based on inexperienced self-confidence. I have seriously considered what action I should rightly take. Various alternatives presented themselves - all of them concerned with the group work per se; none of them concerned you, as individuals. I could continue with the groups as they existed but, brother of mine, what more could I say, or do or teach them? The constant impartation of teaching and of information, the constant pointing out of failure, and the constant individual training are no part of the technique of the Hierarchy - certainly not as far as the individual aspirant is concerned. Where world values and where group consciousness are involved, the indication of needed change, the cyclic bringing about of the presentation to the soul of the Ageless Wisdom and the training of the world disciples - such is the definite and ordained technique of the Hierarchy. But this is not their method of work with personalities and with those whose orientation is primarily in the three worlds of human endeavor. Their method and procedure is to try out the personalities of their intended and indicated disciples and - should [6] these measure up with adequacy - then to proceed with the work of esoteric training. It is the same with groups; these are tested and tried in connection with the group personality, and upon the response depends the future activity of both the group and its Master and Teacher. But it is the group, as you see, which decides procedure. I have endeavored to remove out of this group those elements which might perchance have handicapped it, and which the group members - as they are at present constituted and motivated - are not capable of absorbing. Group unity is not dependent upon personal sympathy, personal liking and understanding as it may exist between the group members, but upon capacity to absorb and assimilate, to lift, to change and to transmute those units which seem at first to be uncongenial or even unsuitable - from the limited point of view of the group member. This is oft overlooked, but upon the capacity to do this depends much of group success. When a group cannot yet be depended upon to do this necessary absorption, the apparent rejection of certain people is not the fault of those people, but that of the group which is not yet integrated enough or unified enough to assimilate certain types of character and certain tendencies. The recognition of this should be fruitful in the preservation of much needed humility. You are being tendered another opportunity. I would ask you to remember this and to endeavor, in relation to this new experiment, to cultivate from the very start a humble spirit and the priceless gift of silence. A group of disciples must be distinguished, as I already told you, by pure reason which will steadily supersede motive, merging eventually into the will aspect of the Monad, its major aspect. It is, technically speaking, Shamballa in direct relation with Humanity. What, therefore, is the group will in any ashram or Master's group? Is it present in any form vital enough to condition the group relations and to unite all into a band of brothers - moving forward into the light? Is the spiritual will of the individual personalities of such strength that it negates the personality relation and leads to spiritual recognition, spiritual interplay and spiritual relation? It is only in consideration of these fundamental [7] effects of standing as a group in the "head's clear light" that it is permissible for a disciple to bring into the picture personal sensitivities of thought, and this only because of a group temporary limitation. I have pointed out along what lines there has been failure, not because I seek to put the emphasis upon failure or to enlarge upon it, but because clarity of thought and of vision is necessary if the work is to go forward in a reorganized and more vital manner. If this New Seed Group measures up to requirements, then there may again arise correspondences to the original groups as planned. They will arise as the spiritual result of the esoteric manifestation of the potency of life to be found in the seed group. The work to be done by us in joint cooperation (as regards your training) was organized by me into seven teaching units:
I am going to ask you to give two relatively brief periods of time each day to definite and defined meditation. One period (the most important) must be given to the general group meditation, and the other to that meditation which I feel will enable you to function as an integrated personality, fused and blended in consciousness with the soul. This will lead the group as a whole to function correctly, because the individual group units are aligned and rightly adjusted. Why is it necessary for the disciple to intensify his inner link with his teacher? Not because the teacher is his Master, not because the disciple is subjected to the imposition by the [8] Master of any subjective control, not because of any special privilege in the matter, but because if a student's mind is in true rapport with the teacher, then that student himself can become a source of inspiration to his fellow students; if he is thinking with clarity along the line of his chosen theme (note the word "chosen"), then he too can teach. A Master looks at each member of his group from the angle of their usefulness in the general group service. The contribution of each may differ; one disciple may have achieved much along the lines of clear thought and an impersonal attitude; his usefulness to the group can be that, and the Master will seek to train him still more along these two lines. What is it therefore which prevents a disciple, as an individual, from having direct approach and direct contact with a Master without being dependent upon a senior disciple as an intermediary? What is it that prevents you from having such direct relation to myself? One or two in this group have direct approach, and another one of you has it but knows it not; several others are well-intentioned and hard-striving disciples but never for a second do they forget themselves; the problem of glamor and preoccupation with spiritual ambition condition some aspirants, a spiritual ambition which is working through a very small personality; some could make rapid progress but are prone to inertia - perhaps they just do not care enough. All desire to move forward, all possess a strong inner spiritual life, but the group antahkarana is usually still incomplete and the aspect of pure reason, which is of the heart, does not control. The evocative power of the Spiritual Triad is not, therefore, adequate to hold the personality steady and the invocative power of the personality is non-existent - speaking from the angle of the group personalities which make up the personality aspect of the Ashram. This is a factor which can only become potent if certain personality relations are adjusted and inertia is overcome. Then, and only then, can the "group stand." I propose to give you personality instructions only once a year, at the time of the Full Moon of May. I shall then indicate to you any needed changes in your individual meditation [9] or in the group meditation. At this time I will give to this new seed group a meditation intended to produce coherent relations and a conscious group interplay. I will give each member also a meditation which will serve to integrate his personality more completely but will also serve, above all else, to fuse it with his soul. I shall enlarge later upon this when giving each of you his personal instructions. As I am to instruct you individually only once a year, I shall handle you with directness, and shall pay small attention to your personal reactions. Those are essentially your own business and not mine. |
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