Commentary on Rule VII for Disciples and Initiates
Part IV of V
(Bolding and Underlining MDR)
Focus for the Fifth Month of Study on Rule(s) VII
4. For the fifth month we will focus upon the forth section of Rule VII for Disciples and Initiates (from May 24th to June 22nd 2005).
We might choose as theme for our meditation
a. Either Rule VII for Disciples and Initiates:
“Rule VII for Disciples and Initiates: Let the group life emit the Word of invocation and thus evoke response within those distant Ashrams where move the Chohans of the race of men. They are no longer men as are the Masters, but, having passed beyond that lesser stage, have linked Themselves with the Great Council in the highest Secret Place. Let the group sound a dual chord, reverberating in the halls where move the Masters but finding pause and prolongation within those radiant halls where move the ‘Lights which carry out the Will of God’.” (RI, p. 136)
b. Or sub-themes, DK is referring to in His commentary to the Rule, such as (RI, p. 145 top to p. 147):
i. “At this time, the work of the Great Council at Shamballa, working until now through the Hierarchy, is with the life within the form; They have to proceed with the utmost caution as They thus work, because these Lights know that the danger of premature direct contact with humanity, and of consequent overstimulation, are great.” (cf. RI, p. 145)
ii. “One of the causes of the present cataclysm is the fact that humanity was deemed capable of taking and receiving a ‘touch from Shamballa,’ without stepping it down via the Hierarchy, as has hitherto been the custom.” (cf. RI, p. 145)
iii. The determination to apply the ‘touch from Shamballa’ “(which is in the nature of a great experiment) was made in 1825, when the Great Council had its usual centennial meeting.” (cf. RI, p. 145)
iv. The results of that ‘touch from Shamballa’ are working out before our eyes: “The industrial movement began to take shape one hundred years ago and received a great impetus from this touch. The evil in nations—aggression, greed, intolerance and hate—was aroused as never before, and two world wars occurred, one of which is still raging (written October 1943). Paralleling this was an uprising of good, again in response to the divine ‘touch,’ resulting in the growth of understanding, the spread of idealism, the purification of our educational systems and the inauguration of reforms in every department of human life. All has been speeded up and little such growth was seen on a worldwide scale prior to 1825. The knowledge of the Hierarchy is also spreading over the earth; the facts anent discipleship and initiation are becoming common property; humanity has consequently moved onward into a greater measure of light. Good and evil stand out in clearer focus; light and dark are in a more brilliant juxtaposition; issues of right and wrong are appearing with cleared definition, and humanity as a whole sees the great problems of righteousness and love, of sin and separateness upon a worldwide scale. The old age and the coming new age, old rhythms of thought and new approaches to truth and consequent new and better ways of life are presented with clarity to the minds of men.” (cf. RI, p. 145-146)
v. “The guarantee of the success of the experiment started more than a century ago is the fact that (in spite of much that is undesirable) so many nations have ranged themselves upon the side of right, and only two definitely and altogether upon the side of evil.” (cf. RI, p. 146)
vi. “The evil is more concentrated, and therefore more powerful temporarily upon the physical plane; the good is more diffused and not so pure in its concentrated essence being coloured by many undesirable aspects; the good, however, is concentrating rapidly and will triumph.” (cf. RI, p. 146)
vii. “The ‘Lights that carry out the will of God’ now wait to give another touch which will enable the reconstruction work to move forward along right lines, but They wait for the invocative cry of humanity and for the dust of battle and of conflict to die down.” (cf. RI, p. 146)
viii. To “the processes and methods of hierarchical work, carried on in conjunction with the Great Council of Shamballa” ... “must be added the cooperation—as far as may be—of all enlightened men, working under the Lightbearers, the Masters, and under the inspiration of the Lights which carry out the will of God.” (cf. RI, p. 146)
ix. DK writes that He has “endeavoured to give some faint idea of the relation existing between the Hierarchy and Shamballa,” in order that “some measure of the synthesis underlying the entire planetary life” may be grasped; and in order also that “this rule for initiates could be interpreted as intended, as far as is possible, to the uninitiate consciousness; and finally, in order that the entire concept of Shamballa and its immense reservoir of energy, which we call the will or the life of God, may take its rightful place in the occult presentation of truth.” (cf. RI, p. 146)
x. “The will of God and the life of God are esoterically synonymous terms, and when the life aspect of an individual and his spiritual, selfless will are completely synchronised, then you have—in a human being—the full expression of divinity or what has been called esoterically, ‘Shamballa is consummated in him.’” (cf. RI, p. 146-147)
xi. “The aspirant or disciple needs to remember that it is only through the analogies existing in the microcosm to the Macrocosm that enlightenment can come.” (cf. RI, p. 147)
xii. The aspirant or disciple must “understand the relation existing between the three great planetary centres (Shamballa, the Hierarchy and Humanity),” even “when as yet he scarcely knows himself as a human being,” and “is only just beginning to learn the nature of the hierarchical quality of love,” but “his spiritual will (which links him to Shamballa) is as yet totally unawakened.” However, DK emphasizes that “the dim outlines of the general picture must be grasped, and each decade in the future will see the aspirant and the disciple more capable of grasping it.” (cf. RI, p. 147)
Paragraph 1
At this time, the work of the Great Council at Shamballa, working until now through the Hierarchy, is with the life within the form;
1. The world of Hierarchy, per se, cannot be considered the world of “life within the form”. The ‘location’ of the Spiritual Hierarchy is naturally higher than that, though Hierarchy has long focussed on spiritual developments with the three lower worlds.
2. Now, Shamballa has turned its attention to the three lower worlds, the worlds of form, promoting the development of life within that form. All of this occurs under the influence of Vulcan and Saturn—two planets of great material effectiveness.
They have to proceed with the utmost caution as They thus work, because these Lights know that the danger of premature direct contact with humanity, and of consequent overstimulation, are great.
3. The Lives in Shamballa are experts in the measurement of applied force. They would have to be, or tremendous, unintended destruction of form could result. There is, of course, some destruction of form which is definitely intended.
4. Overstimulation is dangerous because, as a result, the lower aspects of the human being can gain control and overpower the wiser aspects of human nature. The result, in such a case, would be the stimulation of evil, as matter could come to dominate spirit and its reflection, soul. Such domination is one of the definitions of evil.
One of the causes of the present cataclysm is the fact that humanity was deemed capable of taking and receiving a "touch from Shamballa," without stepping it down via the Hierarchy, as has hitherto been the custom.
5. We remember one of the names of the First Ray Lord—“The Power that touches and withdraws”.
6. We not that we are not speaking of sustained contact with Shamballa—which would be devastating.
7. It is Shamballa that made the estimation of humanity’s capability to take and receive this “touch”.
The determination to apply this touch (which is in the nature of a great experiment) was made in 1825, when the Great Council had its usual centennial meeting.
8. Interestingly, this was the year of a tremendous second ray impulse—the midpoint of a 500 year second ray cycle. Perhaps, because of the strength of the second ray, it was deemed possible to offer an unbuffered “touch” of first ray energy.
9. We see a very interesting coincidence of spiritual events:
a. the Centennial Conclave;
b. the midpoint of a second ray cycle;
c. a direct Impact from Shamballa.
The results you know; they are working out before your eyes.
10. Although the “touch” occurred about 125 years before the writing of this material, the results of that “touch” were still working out at the time of the writing. Since that time we have had two additional Shamballa Impacts (1975 and 2000). The pressure of shamballic energy upon humanity and our planet is intensifying dramatically.
The industrial movement began to take shape one hundred years ago and received a great impetus from this touch.
11. This industrial movement is largely under the influence of Vulcan, which is a planet intimately associated with Shamballa.
The evil in nations—aggression, greed, intolerance and hate—was aroused as never before, and two world wars occurred, one of which is still raging (written October 1943).
12. The Tibetan tells us that evil was aroused “as never before”. Do we think He is including Atlantean days in His perspective?
Paralleling this was an uprising of good, again in response to the divine "touch," resulting in the growth of understanding, the spread of idealism, the purification of our educational systems and the inauguration of reforms in every department of human life.
13. We should note with care the positive responses to the “touch of Shamballa”:
a. Growth of understanding
b. Spread of idealism
c. Purification of our educational systems
d. Inauguration of reforms in every department of human life
14. Clearly, the “touch” works more strenuously upon the evocation of the Good than of evil (which evocation is almost incidental) except that it clears the way for the Good.
All has been speeded up and little such growth was seen on a worldwide scale prior to 1825.
15. Can we successfully compare the speed of modern civilization with the speed of earlier processes? A little thought (concerning, let us say, the areas of communications and travel—relating to the Third Ray Department) will reveal a dramatic increase in speed.
16. Do we think and speak more rapidly. Perhaps so.
17. The first ray, it should be realized, is a ray associated with speed, for its motion is that of “progress onward” and “driving forward through space”. When curves and spirals can be eliminated, increased speed is the result.
The knowledge of the Hierarchy is also spreading over the earth;
18. This, we remember, is something Hierarchy seeks to promote actively.
the facts anent discipleship and initiation are becoming common property;
19. The secrets of the Kingdom of God are “shouted from the rooftops”.
20. That which is esoteric is no longer (entirely) the closely guarded property of the Hierarchy of Light (though much of deep import must necessarily remain esoteric). The revelation has been considerable.
humanity has consequently moved onward into a greater measure of light.
21. This is a measurement of illumination assessed from the inner planes (though reflected in the greater measure of outward illumination in which humanity customarily lives).
Good and evil stand out in clearer focus;
22. Normally, the line between them is sinuous and they are not always discriminated with the greatest of ease.
light and dark are in a more brilliant juxtaposition;
23. The minds of men have been clarified with respect to these great pair of opposites. When the contrast is dramatic, definite action can be more easily taken. Evil can be more swiftly defeated, or the reverse.
issues of right and wrong are appearing with cleared definition, and humanity as a whole sees the great problems of righteousness [Page 146] and love, of sin and separateness upon a worldwide scale.
24. It is not always easy to understand these great problems in a large context. Often in judging of them we are limited by our myopic point of view.
25. What are the great problems here listed:
a. Righteousness (relating to Shamballa)
b. Love (relating to Hierarchy)
c. Sin (relating to the lunar nature as it resists the impression of the solar nature)
d. Separateness (the one Great Heresy)
26. The Christ, who on the seventh or logoic plane, sits “at the right hand of the Father” knows full well the nature of righteousness.
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The old age and the coming new age, old rhythms of thought and new approaches to truth and consequent new and better ways of life are presented with clarity to the minds of men.
27. So often evil has to do with the dominance of the old imposed upon the nascent expression of the new.
28. Let us consider “rhythms of thought”: patterns of thought are not only spatial, they are also temporal. Thoughts occur in temporal relation to each other. Old rhythms may be sluggish (as in a non-responsiveness to the implicate good), or that which is of inferior quality may occur in too rapid a sequence (as in an irrational jumping to erroneous conclusions).
29. While the structure of thought is more easily studied, rhythms of thought may be arcane. Let us attend to this way of describing the thought process.
30. When it comes to “approaches to truth”, we may ask ourselves, “By what series of thoughts do we attempt to approach that which we call truth?” When new patterns of thought arise, old patterns of approach are seen to be cumbersome or misleading.
31. We could also say that the antahkarana work is a new approach to truth.
The guarantee of the success of the experiment started more than a century ago is the fact that (in spite of much that is undesirable) so many nations have ranged themselves upon the side of right, and only two definitely and altogether upon the side of evil.
32. Master DK looks at the results of the Shamballa Impact of 1825 from a global perspective. The majority of nations in that great conflagration we called the World War arranged themselves on the side of right.
33. The two nations which aligned with evil were almost certainly Germany and Japan. Italy, it would seem, could not be rightly considered definitely aligned with evil.
34. Of the two, the German alignment was strongest and most evil.
35. DK has described the alignment of the Axis powers in an interesting manner: Japan represented maya; Germany, glamor; and Italy, illusion.
The evil is more concentrated, and therefore more powerful temporarily upon the physical plane; the good is more diffused and not so pure in its concentrated essence being coloured by many undesirable aspects;
36. These words (“concentrated” and “diffused”) represent a great problem facing Hierarchy at this time. Evil is concentrated and good is diffused. But that which is concentrated can be more easily eradicated, and the diffusion of goodness is also a kind of protection.
37. Eventually the diffused good will become omnipresent and will negate and absorb the evil.
38. Let us note that (in the life of humanity, at least) there is no such thing as pure goodness; the good is presently colored by many undesirable qualities.
39. This is certainly microcosmically true as well, and each of us can find the admixture within our own energy system.
the good, however, is concentrating rapidly and will triumph.
40. Speaking specifically, by 1943 the Tibetan knew that the good would triumph. The winter solstice of 1942 saw the tide of the war turn towards the good, though the outworking of victory took another two and a half years.
The "Lights that carry out the will of God" now wait to give another touch which will enable the reconstruction work to move forward along right lines,
41. We note the different kinds of “touches” dispensed by the “Lights that carry out the will of God”. The first kind brings the evocation of the good and, thereby, draws evil to the surface. The second type is reconstructive—a touch which summons the builders.
but They wait for the invocative cry of humanity and for the dust of battle and of conflict to die down.
42. Under Law, these “Lights” can only respond if they are invoked. How They measure this invocation is a mystery to us, but They have Their methods.
43. We saw that every response on Their part is precisely commeasured to the need and to the condition of the “life in form” Their touch will affect.
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The next two rules will reveal the issues still more clearly and will outline for you when better understood, explained and amplified, the processes and methods of hierarchical work, carried on in conjunction with the Great Council of Shamballa.
44. We see that the Rules are becoming more advanced. The Rules to this point have concerned humanity’s relationship with Hierarchy, and, to some small extent, with Shamballa.
45. Now, we are told, succeeding Rules will deal with the relationship between Hierarchy and Shamballa and will concern work carried on by Hierarchy and Shamballa in conjunction
To this must be added the cooperation—as far as may be—of all enlightened men, working under the Lightbearers, the Masters, and under the inspiration of the Lights which carry out the will of God.
46. If the union between Shamballa, Hierarchy and humanity is ever to be complete, enlightened human beings must learn to respond to both Hierarchy and (in appropriate measure) Shamballa.
47. The distinction between “Lightbearers” and the “Lights which carry out the will of God” is worth noting. The members of Hierarchy carry the Light. The members of Shamballa are, in a planetary sense, “Lights” and Their burden is not so much light as will. We see a broad difference in function. Members of the Hierarchy illumine; members of Shamballa move the whole in the direction dictated by the Will of the Most High.
48. Members of Shamballa are “Lights” because They truly know the Will of God.
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In the foregoing I have endeavoured to give some faint idea of the relation existing between the Hierarchy and Shamballa. I did this in order that you might grasp some measure of the synthesis underlying the entire planetary life; in order also that this rule for initiates could be interpreted as intended, as far as is possible, to the uninitiate consciousness;
49. Before the Tibetan offered His teaching, practically nothing was given on the nature of Shamballa.
50. In this era of synthesis, something of the great planetary and solar-systemic synthesis has to be made comprehensible to the mind of disciples.
51. DK assumes that He is working largely with the “uninitiated consciousness”, and yet He seeks to make matters vital to the initiate available to those who are not yet initiated. He is preparing for the future.
and finally, in order that the entire concept of Shamballa and its immense reservoir of energy, which we call the will or the life of God, may take its rightful place in the occult presentation of truth.
52. Until this time, the fact of Shamballa has not figured into the thinking of students of esotericism. If the intended planetary process is to move forward as Purpose and Plan dictate, this must change.
53. A close look at early theosophical literature will show how little Shamballa was mentioned. The average student did not think that he must eventually come into relation with this highest of all centers. To do so was not presented as an immediate objective. The Tibetan and His writings changed all this.
54. We remember that the most important teaching for which Master DK made Himself responsible was the presentation of teaching upon Shamballa. (cf. R&I 251)
55. The “will or life of God” is called an “immense reservoir of energy”. “Will” and “life” are made synonymous terms. When we feel that we lack energy or the power to achieve, we have only to align with this “immense reservoir”—for our purposes, inexhaustible.
The will of God and the life of God are esoterically synonymous terms, and when the life aspect of an individual and his spiritual, selfless will [Page 147] are completely synchronised, then you have—in a human being—the full expression of divinity or what has been called esoterically, "Shamballa is consummated in him."
56. When does this consummation of Shamballa in the initiate occur? We are talking about the alignment of the monad with the spiritual will of the spiritual triad. This shamballic consummation may, therefore, be considered to occur at the fifth initiation when one becomes a Master of the Wisdom.
57. We could hardly expect it to occur at the third degree when the first real contact with Shamballa (in its third aspect) may be experienced.
58. We can only imagine what heights of selflessness are required in order for this consummation to occur.
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This again is, of course, only relative but the expression of this relationship may elucidate the problem somewhat, and the aspirant or disciple needs to remember that it is only through the analogies existing in the microcosm to the Macrocosm that enlightenment can come.
59. Master DK is telling us of the value of analogy as a tool of enlightenment.
60. Through the method of analogy, we pass from the familiar to the unfamiliar, with which the familiar has resonance. Knowledge of the familiar thus illuminates the unfamiliar.
61. Analogy, therefore, is a great key to the interpretation of all levels of cosmos.
62. The fractal-like structure of Creation is a confirmation that the universe is organized along analogical lines.
And how, I ask you, will he understand the relation existing between the three great planetary centres (Shamballa, the Hierarchy and Humanity) when as yet he scarcely knows himself as a human being?
63. The Tibetan turns realistic, pointing out that even advanced human beings have only recently moved beyond the animal stage.
64. The contrast between the elevated quality of material DK is presenting and His assessment of the average disciple’s consciousness is shocking.
How can he grasp these fundamental and advanced truths when he is only just beginning to learn the nature of the hierarchical quality of love and when his spiritual will (which links him to Shamballa) is as yet totally unawakened?
65. The first curriculum to be pursued by the advancing, intelligent human being is the curriculum of love. Only then can the curriculum of will be safely pursued.
66. We learn the important fact that the spiritual will (rooted for practical purposes in the spiritual triad) links the disciple to Shamballa. This is an important statement.
67. DK’s assessment of the aspirant’s or disciple’s will is that it is “totally unawakened”!
And I mean, totally.
68. He drives the point home. We might almost recoil in disbelief if we did not study the subject of will in depth.
But the dim outlines of the general picture must be grasped, and each decade in the future will see the aspirant and the disciple more capable of grasping it.
69. DK uses the time measure of the decade, perhaps not by accident or simply conventionally, for the decade is related to the number one and is a measure related to first ray cycles.
70. We can measure our growth and the growth of humanity in terms of decades (for the ten is the perfect number and the seven only relatively perfect). Actually, the ten, as well, is only relatively perfect, but more perfect or complete than the seven.
71. Perhaps, especially, it is the growth of the will which should be measured in decades.
72. Master DK, being actively upon the second ray of Love-Wisdom, presents what is called the “Quality of the Hidden Vision”. If an accurate vision grows in the minds of His students, His work will not have been in vain.
73. When such a vision is in place, right thought and right action more readily follow.