| This is a broad and general picture of this stage of
discipleship as I have attempted to convey its individual implications and its more
esoteric group results. More I may not say, nor can I enlarge upon the process whereby a
chela within the aura can at will and for the meeting of some urgent need confer with the
Master in the Ashram. One thing only can I tell you. The Master always has three disciples
who are his closest cooperators and intermediaries. They have emerged "into his
consciousness," as it is called, in response to the radiatory activity of his
threefold spiritual nature. They work very closely with him and watch over the other
disciples in the group [758] according to their need, their ray and their point of
development. You will remember in this connection how even the Christ had three disciples
who were closer to him than the other nine. This is ever true. In the Biblical story anent
the Christ, you have - among other things - conveyed a picture of an Ashram as technically
constituted and of the Hierarchy as it essentially exists. There were the three disciples,
beloved and close; then the nine, who completed the inner Ashram. Next came the seventy
who were symbolic of the Ashram as a whole and, finally, the five hundred who typified
those upon the Probationary Path who were under supervision by the Master, but not by the
three, the nine and the seventy until the time comes to admit them to the Path of Accepted
Discipleship. In the greatest Ashram of all, Sanat Kumara has the same sequence of
relationships among the great Beings who form his group of active workers. Bear in mind,
however, that these figures are symbolic and not factual. The number of disciples in an
Ashram varies constantly, but always there are the three who are responsible to the Master
for all ashramic activity, who are in his closest councils and who carry out his plans.
The chain of Hierarchy is great and immutable and the sequences unalterable. In
considering the theme of the chela within the Master's aura, we have seen that the true
pledged disciple who has reached the stage of being an accepted disciple passes from point
to point within the circumference of a Master's sphere of influence until he reaches a
period wherein he consciously "knows" his Master's aura. Now that, my
brothers, is a perfectly meaningless phrase, but it is technically and esoterically
correct. I will paraphrase its significance for you in an endeavor to give you some of
the vital implications.
- He is aware not only of the Master, but of what is in the Master's mind. That means that
he is telepathically en rapport with his Master.
- He is consciously past all inward discussion of what the Master wants him to do. He
knows the part which he has to play.
- He responds sensitively to the Master's aura not only upon the inner planes of life and
in the Ashram proper, [759] but also with his physical brain. He moves within the aura in
his daily physical plane life. This process necessarily falls into five stages:
- He is telepathically en rapport. His mind and his brain respond to the Master's mind.
- He is, therefore, mentally aware of the content of the Master's mind. This affects his
life and service and his mind constantly formulates the telepathic impressions into
organized formulas which are then available for directive processes.
- Being, at this stage, relatively free from glamor, he is able to respond from the angle
of sensitivity and feeling and consequently able to bring through the Master's plans (his
share of them) on to the astral plane.
- Etherically, he can begin to work with and use the ashramic force which his Master and
his soul can make available to him to use upon the physical plane. He becomes what is
called a "projector of force" and can then produce results upon the physical
plane.
- His brain becomes consciously aware of the simultaneity of the above four processes so
that he passes into a new phase of conscious discipleship. Through his own soul and the
Master's sphere of influence the Plan lies open before him. I would point out that this is
not only a higher stage of discipleship but presupposes initiate understanding.
The neophyte knows that the goal of the occultist is to work with forces. He fails,
however, to recognize that this may not be consciously done until -
- He has for a long time been simply a channel. I would have you reflect on that thought.
The attainment of the capacity to be a pure channel and an unimpeded distributor is the
first goal and it takes a long time. The force usually dispensed by a disciple, until the
channel stage is automatic and established, is normally colored by personality
distinctiveness (even if a high grade [760] personality). The time has to come when the
disciple can, at will, distribute the ashramic and group-soul energy in their pure state.
- He has, therefore, to distribute energy and not force. There is much confusion in the
minds of many disciples upon this matter. Until a man is an initiate of high degree, he
seldom dispenses energy. He works with forces and they concern the three worlds. It has
been said (esoterically) that "when the disciple can distribute the four forces and
make their seven notes heard, each note of the seven having a fourfold expression, he is
not able to work with energy. When he works with energy, he works with seven and not with
twenty-eight." Reflect upon this. I would add that the twenty-eight belong to the
seven and when the disciple works with seven, he normally and automatically releases the
twenty-eight, working under the impression of the seven ray qualities.
- He has to learn the uses of distinction and of synthesis. Herein lies a potent occult
hint of special use to workers.
- He is aware of the dangers incident to the untrained neophyte endeavoring to distribute
forces, to direct so-called energies in a specific and particular direction. He realizes
his goal is to be a channel for a long time through purity of life, correct orientation,
and non-criticism. This correct orientation involves a paradox with which all disciples
must wrestle, i.e., to be oriented to the soul, and, consequently, to the Ashram and to be
oriented at the same time to humanity. Only disciples close to the Master's heart
(technically understood) and, therefore, consciously aware of his aura have the right - I
had almost said privilege - to direct force in specific directions. When their status is
not that, their task is to act as channels for the distribution of energy in a general and
universal but not in a specific manner.
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