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Discipleship in the New Age I - Personal Instructions to Disciples - W.D.S.
April 1938 MY BROTHER AND MY FRIEND: You are entering - if you so choose - upon an extended period of service. The questions before you are: Will you serve as and how service is needed? Or will you serve as you believe you can and should? These questions are basic and can only be answered aright by your endeavoring anew to grasp the vision as a whole. I refer not here only to the vision of the many groups, serving in the world today and fulfiling their rightful function. That, they can and will do. But I refer to the vision of the Plan as it exists in the consciousness of the New Group of World Servers. It is interesting for you to realize that the Plan exists in four states of consciousness: As it is visioned and known by the Members of the Hierarchy, such as the accepted disciples of the world. As it exists in the consciousness of the members of the New Group of World Servers, stepped down into their minds and desires. As it exists in the consciousness of the men of goodwill. As its faint outlines are found in the minds of the average intelligent God-accepting men of the world at this time. I would like to emphasize to you the necessity for your definitely grasping the Plan as the New Group of World Servers grasp it, pondering on it and identifying yourself with it. At present, you grasp the Plan as the men of goodwill grasp it: your grasp is not that of the New Group of World Servers who see the group as an emanating point; the man of goodwill sees himself as the emanating point. Between these two positions there is a vast difference - the difference between a centralized consciousness and a decentralized consciousness. The efficacy and the efficiency of all your future service depends upon your understanding this distinction, for it is vital and real. Much of your present difficulty is based on the fact that your personality ray is, as you know, that of the first Ray of Will or Power. This gives you a sense of centralization, of uniqueness and aloneness. It makes the man who is conditioned by it "isolated." It makes his attitude to his work one of an unconscious separateness. It is the line of least resistance [378] for you to be separated off from your co-workers or - when urged to identification by your second ray soul - the response is one of going out to them with the inner distinction ever clearly held. I am not here referring to any pride, brother of mine, but to the absorbing, assimilating, isolating characteristics of the first ray nature. It is the great first ray Lord (to use an illuminating simile) who, at the end of the age, absorbs all things into himself and thereby brings about the final and needed destruction of the form nature. This is a right and good use of his first ray qualities. But first ray personalities can also do this type of work, that of absorbing, but this time with destructive results; in their case the task is unnecessary and wrong. I call you to a careful supervision of your first ray personality and to a greater demonstration of your second ray, inclusive, loving soul. Ponder on this, for a successful understanding and a consequent application of my words will greatly facilitate your usefulness and your power to bring a response of love and cooperation from your co-workers which at present could be decidedly better than it is. You do not mind my frank speaking, do you, my brother? I deal thus with all my trusted disciples, of whom you are one. It will be of use to you if I also indicate to you the rays of your personality vehicles; then you will have a complete picture of the forces with which you have to work; or should I say with which I have to work as I seek, through you, to work out certain aspects of the Plan? Your mental body is not on one of the usual rays, but is strongly second ray in its nature, and is, therefore, responsive to your second ray soul force. This is an asset but also a liability, for the sharpening of the mind which is the result of the effect of the usual fourth or fifth ray forces (the usual effects) is lacking. There is a lack of precision, of clear cut decision in you. Theoretically, my brother, this condition leads you - again theoretically - to be too nice, too kind, too appreciative, but not in reality. Fortunately (though unfortunately at times) this is offset by your first ray personality which nips your second ray mental reactions in the bud and reasserts isolation for inclusiveness and understanding. Yet, if you once [379] grasp the implications of this first ray personality and the difficulties engendered thereby in your group relations, you can most easily put the matter straight, for your second ray soul can come in, in full tide, via your second ray mental body. Your task is not, therefore, difficult and you have no cause for discouragement. Your astral body is on the first ray and again (as do many aspirants nearing the end of the Path of Probation or at the beginning of the Path of Discipleship) you follow not the normal procedure but complicate your problem by having a powerful astral body on the same ray as the personality. Being where you are, however, upon the Path, your soul planned this procedure in this manner so as to bring to the surface as many of the hindering qualities as possible - hindering, I mean, to group effectiveness and group cohesion. If I were asked what, at this time, constitutes your major group problem, I would phrase it thus: Learn to work with your equals as harmoniously and selflessly as you can. In your own department you do work this way with those who are subordinate or inferior to you in development. You, my brother, are afraid of your equals. You want to be the one alone as your first ray powerful personality (focused naturally in your first ray astral body) would normally incline you. It is not easy for you to be one among the many - all equal, all working as one, all engrossed with the one work. This you must learn to do, or else you hinder the group. Your physical body is on the third Ray of Active Intelligence. This was the factor which brought you originally into the business field and has, therefore, inclined you to field work, and organization work. You will, from all the above, notice the lack of balance in your rays: The soul ray - the second Ray of Love-Wisdom. The personality ray - the first Ray of Will or Power. The ray of the mind - the second Ray of Love-Wisdom. The ray of the astral body - the first Ray of Will or Power. The ray of the physical body - the third Ray of Active Intelligence. You would profit much if you studied carefully the rays [380] which are, at this time, lacking in your equipment. The forces of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th rays are not present. All your rays are major rays of aspect. The rays of attribute are lacking and hence your problem and your immense opportunity. What saves the situation for you is that in a previous life, you worked through a fourth ray personality. Harmony through Conflict is, with you, a deep seated desire and a basic determination. You have inherited it and in it your present life is rooted. One of the best ways in which you can learn to solve your problem is to train yourself to be - as are all true hierarchical workers - the one in the background, and not the one at the center. You will still be the one, for you are still a personality, but you can learn to work silently and through love, and carry all forward from the background. You will then gradually become a hidden force, galvanizing others into activity and pushing them forward in their work, offering them their needed opportunity and training, but in complete self-forgetfulness. To aid you and in order to evoke your second ray quality of soul and mind, I would suggest the following meditation. This should be run through rapidly and dynamically, prior to the group meditation.... Assume always the position of the "one behind the scenes" and say dynamically and with due intent: "I am the one who never stands alone. Those days of isolation lie behind. I stand alone when trial comes, for I am strong and need not drain the strength of others. I stand alone when blame descends, for I am true and know what I should do. I thereby shield the weak and leave them free. But in this work, I have no self but am the Self - the Self which knows itself to be the Self in all. And thus I do my work - alone, yet not alone, and thus - for aye - I stand." Then proceed with the group meditation. Forget not also that I have given you detachment for one of your keynotes. Ponder more deeply upon its meaning. The future holds much of opportunity and of service for you, for the group, for your chosen co-workers. It holds no scope for service for any isolated person. Together must the work be done. [381]
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