28 Rules Group

Please read this Commentary with your book open or with reference to an electronic copy of the text. This will facilitate an appreciation of continuity.

2. Let them find the Word which will carry out that task.

1. We are speaking of the manner in which the group must find the work which will assist them to move the fire within the "Jewel in the Lotus" into the spiritual triad.

2. We see that the work is reciprocal. The group must demonstrate the capacity to “find the Word”, but the Master also has something indispensable to impart in this process. Both approaches are needed—that of the group and that of the Master.

What is this technique of transference? It falls into three stages, each one of which has to be arrived at by the group in unison.

3. DK now begins to describe the threefold nature of the technique of transference.

4. We note that the three stages must be achieved by the “group in unison”. Always the entirety of the group is responsible, together, for each successive step.

5. None of the three stages can be imposed—either by a ‘helpful’ group member or by the Master.

The first is the stage of united tension or the attaining of such a focal point of planned and focussed intent that the group is undeviatingly oriented to the immediate task to be done and is functioning from the angle of purpose as one individual.

6. This is the description of the first stage. It involves:

7. Within most groups there are many interests and many motives. The group members are not actuated by a single purpose to which they single-mindedly (and ‘single-heartedly’) adhere.

8. We have noticed in the antahkarana work that tension precedes elevation (whether that act of elevation occurs through the act of projection or through the transference here discussed).

This is perhaps the hardest stage, but it has to be mastered prior to the assistance of [Page 220] the Master in the inner Ashram;

9. The Master will not assist unless the requisite point of tension has been achieved by the group. Were He to do so, His efforts would be destructive rather than helpful, and all would be in vain.

10. Why is this stage so hard to achieve? Perhaps because it is so difficult for the group members to make the necessary eliminations and to pass through the necessary period of destruction. The necessary destructions, when accomplished, assure the needed intensity of orientation. They release the energy of divine will within the group.

He is to the group what the Monad is to the disciple, ever seeking to bring about the esoteric "renunciation" of the causal vehicle.

11. This is an important analogy: Master/Group = Monad/Disciple.

12. The Master, it appears, works with monadic potency and contributes to the esoteric renunciation of the causal body, leading, eventually, to its destruction.

13. We are also learning that it is the role of the Monad (in relation to the disciple) to work towards the esoteric renunciation of the causal vehicle. The renunciation of or destruction of the causal body is a process with a number of causes emanating from different causes. The Monad (generically wielding first ray energy) has its part to play in the process.

This point of tension has to be held in high vibratory activity all through the process of transference.

14. The first step, then, is the creation of a most potent point of tension and its maintenance despite all experiences within the three lower worlds.

I would remind you that the outstanding characteristic of Jesus of Nazareth, throughout the period prior to the crucifixion, was one of complete silence; here is where the efficacy of the fourth quality mentioned by me appears.

15. DK is speaking of the necessity of “occult silence” which the Master Jesus demonstrated so completely during His ordeal.

16. In order to sustain this occult silence, a requisite point of tension had be achieved and sustained under the most appalling circumstances.

17. We see that occult silence has a definite role to play in the esoteric renunciation of the causal body.

The group, at this stage, is so preoccupied with the task ahead and so conscious of the need for preserving a united and uniform tension, that "the silence of the secret place" settles on it and the work can then proceed apace.

18. DK speaks of a positive and necessary type of preoccupation. What is its nature?

19. The point of tension (preserved in occult silence) eliminates all discordant vibration; it is occultly deflective of all ‘noise’ (considered in the esoteric sense). It creates a kind of ‘vacuum of purpose’.

When this point has been attained, then the third quality manifests with power to work as a miniature hierarchy, and this becomes increasingly noticeable.

20. The third and fourth qualities seem to be presented out of order. Perhaps, we should say that they are occurring simultaneously.

21. Personality attitudes prevent the proper hierarchicalization of the group. When the requisite point of tension fortified by occult silence negates these personality attitudes, a correct hierarchical organization of the group personnel and of the group energies supervenes.

Now comes the result of all these preliminary stages, and it comes spontaneously and automatically.

22. The four preliminary stages or qualities lead to the climactic moment about to be described.

23. Three of the preliminary stages just discussed have been:

I want to emphasise that the group does not wait in expectancy for a Word to be given to it; it does not search and strive to discover a Word; it does not take some Word as may be suggested by a helpful disciple and then proceed to "empower it."

24. Here are three things the group must not do:

25. All of these approaches suggest naiveté and a lack of understanding of occult process.

The Word is the result of the point of tension; it emerges from the silence and its first expression is simply the slowly rising tempo of the group "Sound" or note.

26. The Word emerges as part of a natural process. If the point of tension is requisite, and if occult silence (representing intense preoccupation with ashramic Purpose) has been achieved, the Word will emerge.

27. The emergence of the Word apparently has several effects. The first of them is the “slowly rising tempo of the group ‘Sound’ or note’.”

28. The term “tempo” seems related to vibratory quality. The group sound or note is enhanced; its intensity becomes stronger and its quality clearer.

29. If the “group Sound” is continuous, then tempo is not an issued. If the “group Sound” is still somewhat intermittent, then an increase in tempo of the “group Sound” could mean an increase in the number of correct soundings per unit of time—until continuity of sounding the Sound is reached.

30. The sequence of achievement is:

As you know, every individual and every group of individuals have their own peculiar note or sound which is the creative agent of the focussed group life.

31. The “note or sound” arising is defined in a very interesting manner—“the creative agent of the focussed group life”.

32. Group creativity expresses itself through this sound or note. Via the sound or note the group makes its creative impact upon the world—an impact exemplifying the quality of the Ashram from which the group is inspired.

33. So, the emerging “Sound” is creative—the “creative agent of the focussed group life”.

At this point we again touch the fringe of the coming Science of Invocation.

34. Note that we are only touching the “fringe”.

This group sound, rising as the tension increases and stabilises, is invocatory in effect and draws forth response eventually from the inner Ashram, owing to its relation to the outer group.

35. We see that the sound or note must rise before the inner Ashram and the Master can respond.

36. The Master will not respond unless the group sound is not only of a requisite tension but stabilized, even as the point of tension intensified.

37. When the proper requirements have been met, the inner Ashram must respond because of its relationship to the outer group. When response is warranted, response must come; such is the Law.

When the response of the Master is registered in the group consciousness and His potency is added to the potency of the group, the sound emitted by the group changes in quality, is amplified and diversified, is enriched and then precipitated outside the ring-pass-not of the group life; this precipitation takes the [Page 221] form of a Word.

38. We seem to be reaching the second stage of the technique of transference although we are not told this is the case.

39. The Master is responding (presumably aided in some measure by the entire Ashram) to the rising point of tension achieved by the applying group.

40. There is a group note or sound and the Master’s response enriches and strengthens the group note or sound.

41. Thus is the group sound changed:

42. And now, this is the important point—the precipitation of the enhanced group sound takes place in form of a Word. Thus, does the Word appear.

43. It is a combination of one sound and one energy—the group sound and the energy emanating from the Master and the Ashram.

44. We note, as well, that this “Word” is precipitated “outside” the ring-pass-not of group life. At the very least the precipitated “Word” expands the outreach of the group.

This Word, being the result of group activity; focus and tension, plus the aid of the Master,

45. DK describes the manner in which the Word results—

46. Always, the principle of reciprocity is involved.

47. We are reminded of a section from Rule III:

Let the cry of invocation issue forth from the deep centre of the group's clear cold light. Let it evoke response from the bright centre, lying far ahead. When the demand and the response are lost in one great SOUND, move outward from the desert, leave the seas behind and know that God is Fire. (R&I 67-68)

brings about three results:

48. We are discussing the three results of the precipitation of the Word.

1. It produces fusion between the outer group and the inner Ashram.

49. The emerging Word, then, is a ‘Word of fusion’, bringing the outer group and the Ashram into greater intimacy.

50. We can assume that the group becomes aware of his fusion. The Master and Ashram would naturally be aware of it.

2. It enables the group life to be transferred along the group antahkarana and focusses it once and for all in the Master's Ashram.

51. We are dealing with the climax of the transference process. When the Word emerges through group focus and intensity and the Master’s consequent aid, a Word precipitates which a) fuses the group and the Ashram and which b) effects the transference of the fire into the worlds of the spiritual triad, which is another way of saying, ‘into the Master’s Ashram’.

52. The transference, we note, occurs along the group antahkarana. This means, of course, that for a group to undertake to make Rule XI practical, the group antahkarana must be built.

53. The fire in the group "Jewel in the Lotus" is transferred into the Master’s Ashram on triadal levels. It is accomplished through the use of a Word which the group has earned through the right use of a group point of tension (accompanied by the Master’s response to the note and sound which arise through the sustainment of that group point of tension).

54. The ‘location’ of that which is to be transferred is of moment. The “fire within the Jewel in the Lotus” is to be transferred into the triad, and yet the antahkarana is to be used. Usually, the antahkarana is considered to bypass the egoic lotus and the jewel, but there is one stream of the antahkarana which connects the "Jewel in the Lotus" and the manasic permanent atom. This strand of the antahkarana is diagrammed as part of an antahkaranic triangle in the chart on TCF 823, Chart IX.

55. It would be along this strand of the antahkarana that the transference would take place and not along the strand which unites the mental unit with the manasic permanent atom.

56. In order for a group to achieve this transference it must have a degree of causal focus; there must be the ability to focus the group consciousness within the egoic lotus and specifically within that ‘area’ of the lotus where the "Jewel in the Lotus" is influential.

3. The result of this transference is twofold:

57. We are dealing with the third result of the precipitation of the Word.

58. The following is the first result of transferring the fire.

a. The outer group dies, occultly speaking.

59. This is another way of saying that the group personality is completely subservient to the Ashram and, therefore, to triadal energies.

60. The following is the second result of transferring the fire.

b. The soul of the group, being now merged with the life aspect on levels higher than those on which the causal body exists, is no longer of major importance;

61. The soul of the group does not cease to exist. From a higher perspective, the spiritual triad is the soul of the group.

62. It is the soul at that soul expresses through a causal body that is no longer of major importance. The causal body is a limitation upon the group soul and that limitation is overcome.

63. When we speak of the “soul of the group” we are actually speaking of the consciousness of the group.

64. The soul aspect is absorbed into the life aspect. Though the soul aspect or the consciousness aspect continues to exist, it is no longer the major focus of the group.

the Great Renunciation takes place, and the causal body—having served its purpose—dies and is destroyed.

65. Now we have moved into that stage of the process in which the fourth initiation actually occurs.

66. This is a major crisis in the life of the group. Group liberation has come:

67. If we look for three stages in the process of transference we might consider the following:

So died, according to theological injunction, the Christ upon the Cross. Yet He died not, and still lives, and by His life are all souls saved.

68. Having explained the occult process, we are in a position to interpret the old “theological injunction”.

69. The soul or Christ appears to have died, but has not, because the soul has been absorbed by the life aspect (represented in this instance by the spiritual triad).

70. The combination of the life aspect (expressing through the triad) and the Christ aspect is the saving aspect which liberates all souls.

71. In another way, it is the life that is the liberating aspect.

72. In a way, souls are occultly “saved” because of the transference of the fire. We might say that the true soul is saved because the causal body is destroyed and the fire is elevated.

It is hard for esoteric students to realise that the emphasis of the coming Schools of Enlightenment will be upon the life aspect, and not upon contact with the soul.

73. This is one of the major changes in the spiritual approach which will be characteristic of the new discipleship.

The goal will be transference and not union.

74. Here we have the essence of the difference between the old approach and the new.

75. Yoga means union; the transference represents a higher form of yoga—the Yoga of the Spirit, Agni Yoga.

Aspirants and disciples today are largely the result of the old order of teaching and are the flower of the processes to which humanity has been subjected.

76. This is, therefore, a critical moment in the spiritual history of humanity.

This is a vital transition period; disciples and aspirants in the world at this time are, figuratively speaking, at the same stage as the group which we are considering—the stage of the transference of the life from the outer form into the inner being.

77. The “inner being” is the first aspect—the Spirit. Even the soul vehicle (the egoic lotus) is to be considered as the ‘outer form”.

78. If we view the position of disciples realistically, that position only reflects on a lower turn of the spiral what the third degree group can accomplish immediately before the fourth initiation. In this case the “outer form” is the personality life and the “inner being” is the soul nature.

79. “Transference”, nevertheless, is the order of the day.

Hence the difficulty with which you are all faced, and the arduous task it is to comprehend realistically that which I am attempting to convey.

80. DK is intending to bring us into an entirely new order of discipleship training. We are, however, deeply entrenched in the old ways of approach and so the apprehension of the new methods is more difficult for us than we may at first imagine.

The problem of soul contact is something which you can and do grasp, at least theoretically.

81. Even this preliminary step may be only theory to us—so the Master suggests.

82. In all realism, we are dealing with two types of transferences:

The problem of life transference from the highest point of present attainment into some vague and mystical spiritual focus is not so easy to understand.

83. Transfer of the fire in the "Jewel in the Lotus" is “life transference”. In essence, we are transferring the life aspect (as it has been projected into the egoic lotus) back towards its source—first into and through the spiritual triad and then into the Monad from which the downwardly projected life originated.

Forget not, I am not looking for understanding for I write for those who will come after you, and —[Page 222] for those who will be the reincarnated aspects of your present selves.

84. The Master plans far into the future. Most often, he must express that which will find its full utility in the future. In a way, He was writing for His chelas, but not for their present apprehension. Instead He wrote for them as they would be in future incarnations. Such is the Master’s sense of time and timing.

You will note, therefore, how the four qualities dealt with (page 215) have enabled the group to achieve the sounding of the Word.

85. Each of us should think through the specific manner in which the four qualities prepared the group for the emergence of the Word, here called the “sounding of the Word”.

86. The difficult stage of arriving at the necessary point of tension (which allows the Master to add His potency to the rising “group Sound” is clearly traceable to the execution of the requirements expressed by the “four qualities”.

87. We should grasp firmly that no group will find such a “Word” precipitating in their midst (and expanding their ring-pass-not) unless they have successfully express these four qualities.

That Word, now emitted by them as a group under the inspiration of the Master (and I use the word "inspiration" advisedly),

88. This suggests that the Master breathes life into the group as the group note or sound is emerging.

89. The Master, standing as the Monad to the group, inspires it with the energy of life which strengthens their note or sound, thus leading to the precipitation of the Word.

has gone forth; it has passed beyond the sphere of the immediate group influence;

90. The Word is not only effective within the group but operates beyond the present group ring-pass-not. This has been indicated by the word “outside”.

it has made its initial impact upon the soul of the group and has vitalised to a new potency the life aspect, the Jewel in the Lotus of the soul.

91. We are reminded of the following: “Let the group life emit the word of invocation, and thus evoke response within those greater Ashrams where move the Chohans of the race of men.”

92. The precipitated word has a profound effect upon the energy system of the group members. Let us tabulate the effects of the precipitated Word.

93. It would be wise to remember that, from one perspective, the Monad is the "Jewel in the Lotus" and the "Jewel in the Lotus" is the presence of the Monad.

94. The group is now empowered, fused inwardly with the Ashram and effective outwardly (in a newly strengthened manner) as a representative of the inner Ashram.

95. The causal body may not have been destroyed at this point, but an entirely new level of spiritual freedom has been achieved by the group.

Now comes the possibility of fulfilling the third great injunction contained in this rule:

96. Having sequentially fulfilled many arduous requirements, we have made our way to the third injunction.

97. That injunction is: “Let them destroy by their dynamic Will that which has been created at the midway point.”