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Discipleship in the New Age I - The Six Stages of Discipleship - Part IX
Let us look at some of the types of people who respond to the call. Most of them do so unconsciously but react sympathetically, because something in them synchronizes with the call, or because they are sensitive to certain vibratory influences. There are the true lovers of humanity, who, though they may have absolutely no knowledge of esotericism, yet care enough to do what they can to help. Unconsciously, they can be used by the Hierarchy to do good and efficiently [770] selfless work. They are frequently more constructive than pledged or accepted disciples, because they are unconscious of status, of any responsibility in an Ashram and of their individual importance. Psychics everywhere throughout the world and of all kinds. They respond to those upon the astral plane who are catching the higher impression or who telepathically get some aspect of the projected idea. In such cases there is always glamor, distortion and misrepresentation. This causes much trouble but is a force with which the leaders and teachers of humanity must reckon. It affects the least intelligent of the masses of men and does give them some general, even if distorted, idea of the Plan, but is apt to revolt the intellectual, and complicate the work of the trained disciple. Probationary disciples who receive and respond to the impression more promptly and clearly than the above group. They usually receive it through the vision and teaching of a senior disciple. Their service to the Plan is frequently spoiled by their ignorance, their self-centeredness and their misrepresentation of the imparted teaching. Their approach both to the truth and to the teacher is too personal. Accepted disciples who get the Master's idea and plans in far greater completeness, but fail often to work them out as they should be in the world of daily living and of service because they are so preoccupied with their own problems as disciples, with their own character training, and with their status in a Master's Ashram and his interest in them. If they would forget themselves, their difficulties and their individual interpretations of truth, and just love their fellowmen and each other, and if they would simply obey to the point of crucifixion the "order of Service," they would pass more rapidly through the various stages of discipleship. Disciples close to the Master's heart, world disciples and those who are consciously in his aura, know his plan, which is the Plan of the Hierarchy as a whole, though emphasizing some appropriate aspect. They usually play [771] their part successfully, and their success is largely due to their constant group awareness and to a deep humility and, naturally, to a well-developed intellect and controlled astral body. There is little more that I can say to you all at this time anent the group work and relationships. There is an esoteric loyalty which is different to the ordinary world loyalty which I seek to see developed in the group. Some of you, particularly those who take quick refuge in self-defense, need to learn this silent loyalty which serves to integrate the group, as one. It is easy in self-defense to sacrifice one's brothers and one's fellow workers. It is not easy to heal the subjective rift thus made. Clear thinking is needed along many lines as this group begins to cohere and work together. An acute discrimination is also required. These are days when the lines of demarcation between the Forces of Materialism and the Forces of Light must be clearly defined. When the contrast between the way of love and goodwill and the way of cruelty and hate is being clearly defined on earth, disciples must exercise an unprejudiced attitude. To this group comes the difficult task of standing firmly on the physical plane against that which is destructive and hateful (in the true sense of the word), doing all that can be done to bring the destructive agencies to an end and to final powerlessness and, at the same time, preserving an inner attitude of complete harmlessness and loving understanding. For, my brothers, there are principles and ideals in the world at this time worth struggling for, but whilst the struggle is on it is necessary consciously to preserve and create that field of living, loving energy which will eventually bridge the gap between the two opposing factions and groups and so enable later contact to be made. Some of you are not thinking with sufficient clarity about the issues involved, being unduly engrossed with the outer signs of the struggle and so losing the long range picture. The dual life of active world participation in opposing that which is seeking to hold back and to destroy humanity and its highest ideals and - at the same time - to preserve a steady attitude of love, is not an easy one, particularly for some of you. Such is human integration today that it is not possible for any person or groups of people to isolate themselves away from [772] human activities and human welfare. Nor is a negative attitude adequate to the solution of the present world crisis. Those who refuse to share in the world karma and pain will find their entire progress inevitably slowed down, for they will have put themselves outside the great tide of spiritual force now sweeping in regenerating streams throughout the world of men. The present world conflict is analogous to the stern conflict which is going on within the hearts and lives of all the world aspirants and disciples and is inevitably a sign that they are setting their feet upon the Path of Conscious Discipleship. The higher Self and the personality meet face to face for the determination of that decision for which the soul (the Self) upon its own plane is waiting. This is what is also happening with the world aspirant, Humanity, at this time. Ponder with care upon this idea. It is not possible for members of the New Group of World Servers to divorce themselves from the acute situation now to be seen and felt. They cannot and must not escape into a cul-de-sac of personal training and individual interests. If that is your attitude, then there is little that I can do for you, for this would indicate to me an inability to differentiate in values, a desire to retreat in thought from the unhappy and the unpleasant and to shift responsibility on to the shoulders of others, plus a failure to identify yourselves with humanity. The call to world salvage has gone out and today disciples are assembling all over the world. It is not an assembling upon the physical plane but a profound subjective happening. Each of the Masters is sending out the call and many probationary disciples, even though placed upon the furthest point in the periphery of the Master's influence, are responding with eagerness; their motives are normally mixed and their response is frequently galvanized by a desire for personality progress and aggrandizement. They are, at this particular time, greatly complicating the call to service but their distortions are bringing about the fulfilment of the New Testament prophecy that (at the time of the end) there will be much distortion of the truth concerning the spread of the Christ consciousness and the return of the Christ, or the "Second Coming." And so, from stage to stage the disciple passes, going from light to light, from perception to perception, from force to [773] energy, from personality focus to soul integration and, then, from soul to spirit, from form to life. He has explored all the avenues of knowledge; he has descended into the depths, into hell and into the valleys; he has climbed the mountain top of initiation and from there has swung out beyond space and time; he has lost all self-interest and is a focused point of thought in the mind of God. Can I say more than this? I think not, my brothers. And so I bring to an end this series of instructions and my responsibility in this connection is ended. Yours now begins. [777] THE TIBETAN.
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