Commentary on Rule V for Disciples and Initiates

Rule Five. In unison let the group perceive the Triad shining forth, dimming the light of the soul and blotting out the light of form. The macrocosmic Whole is all there is. Let the group perceive that Whole and then no longer use the thought “My soul and thine” (RI, p. 111-123)

b. Or sub-themes, DK is referring to in His commentary to the Rule (RI, p. 117 bottom – 120 middle of page), such as:

i. The first demand made by Shamballa – the building of the Antahkarana – is the first expression of recognition—directly accorded—that the Great Lives at Shamballa are now in direct relation with humanity. (cf. RI, p. 117 – 118)

ii. Hitherto, all contacts and spiritual impulses from Shamballa have reached humanity via the Hierarchy, and vice versa. (cf. RI, p. 118)

iii. The first demand made by Shamballa – the building of the Antahkarana – concerns the negation, the obliteration, the absorption, the putting out or the synthesis of the lesser lights by the greater. (cf. RI, p. 118)

iv. About the words “the negation, the obliteration, the absorption, the putting out or the synthesis of the lesser lights by the greater” DK states: “All the words which I have employed are efforts to express the truth and all are entirely inadequate.” (cf. RI, p. 118)

v. “The moment the initiate or the disciple sees, even dimly, the light of the Spiritual Triad which veils and hides the Central Spiritual Sun, he realises that all other lights—that of the atom of matter, that of the form and that of the soul itself—must inevitably fade out in the stupendous glory and brilliance which emanate from God Himself and which he senses as in process of revelation. He becomes absorbed—intellectually, intuitively, spiritually and finally factually—in that Light.” (cf. RI, p. 118)

vi. The light of the soul reveals to the struggling aspirant a new vision, sets for him new goals, enhances all qualities present in his equipment, and reveals the past, the present and the future of the individual. (cf. RI, p. 118)

vii. The greater light of the Monad “reveals to the initiate a horizon so vast that it has hitherto escaped his capacity and is yet but possible to vision by an initiate of the third degree, endows him with an occult perception hitherto not realised as existing—a perception which permits him to penetrate increasingly and to cooperate understandingly in the purpose of the Lord of the World. It enables him later to develop the equipment—qualities and gifts of a divine nature—which will eventually enable him to take his place in the Council Chamber at Shamballa and work in full unanimity with the Lords of Karma.” (cf. RI, p. 118)

viii. “These qualities and gifts” revealed by the light of the Monad, “concern divine attributes and capacities for which we have as yet no words as they lie beyond the scope of human consciousness, being utterly unknown even to advanced human beings. They only begin to manifest as tendencies between the second and the third initiations, in the same way as the instincts in a small child are, in reality, the germs of later intellectual attitudes and activities.” (cf. RI, p. 118 – 119)

ix. “The clue” to understand the qualities and gifts revealed by the light of the Monad, “lies for you in understanding the three words—Happiness, Joy, Bliss.” (cf. RI, p. 119)

x. DK invites us to ponder upon the difference between Happiness, Joy, and Bliss. He states that “Bliss is associated with complete Being; it concerns the interior attitude of the Whole.” (cf. RI, p. 119)

xi. As the individual disciple builds the rainbow bridge, the antahkarana, and as a group of disciples build the group antahkarana, they make possible the "Triadal perception". (cf. RI, p. 119)

xii. “When the disciple has flung one strand of living light (through the power of magnetic love) across the space separating the Triad and the personality, he discovers that he is a part of a group.” (cf. RI, p. 119)

xiii. The disciple’s “group recognition is faulty and unintelligently expressed at first”. (cf. RI, p. 119)

xiv. The disciple’s “group recognition” is “the factor which enables him to pass, along the anchored thread, into the Ashram of a Master”. (cf. RI, p. 119)

xv. Hitherto, the Ashram of the Master and the focus of the Hierarchy were on the higher levels of the mental plane. Today this is not anymore the case. (cf. RI, p. 119)

xvi. Today the Ashram of the Master and the focus of the Hierarchy are on the plane of spiritual love, of the intuition and of buddhi. (cf. RI, p. 119)

xvii. “The Hierarchy is both retreating towards the higher centre of Shamballa, and at the same time advancing towards the lower centre, Humanity.” (cf. RI, p. 119)

xviii. That the Hierarchy is both retreating towards the higher centre of Shamballa, and at the same time advancing towards the lower centre, Humanity, has been made possible by man himself, by his growing intuitive perception, in its higher brackets, and by his ability to function upon the Path of Discipleship and on higher levels than ever before. (cf. RI, p. 119)

xix. Man’s growing intuitive perception – in its higher brackets – and his ability to function upon the Path of Discipleship and on higher levels than ever before, has been recognised by the Hierarchy. The growing aspiration of the masses is also drawing the Masters closer to humanity than ever before. (cf. RI, p. 119)

xx. That the Hierarchy is both retreating towards the higher centre of Shamballa, and at the same time advancing towards the lower centre, Humanity, is an instance of the ability of the initiate consciousness to function on initiate levels and also in the three worlds simultaneously. (cf. RI, p. 119)

xxi. Of the dual activity of the initiate consciousness, to function on initiate levels and also in the three worlds simultaneously, “the mind is a symbol, acting as it does as the common sense and so dealing with all matters in the three worlds, and as the spiritual [Page 120] mind at the same time, dealing with all matters connected with the soul, with light and illumination.” (cf. RI, p. 119 – 120)

Rule V: Paragraphs for Fourth Month: (pp. 117 bottom—120 top)

A. This first demand [1. In unison let the group perceive the Triad shining forth, dimming the light of the soul and blotting out the light of form] is, curiously enough, the first expression of recognition—directly accorded—that the Great [Page 118] Lives at Shamballa are now in direct relation with humanity. Hitherto that contact has not been direct, and They have not been in touch with current developments. Hitherto, all contacts and spiritual impulses from this highest centre have reached humanity via the Hierarchy, and vice versa. This demand concerns the negation, the obliteration, the absorption, the putting out or the synthesis of the lesser lights by the greater. All the words which I have employed are efforts to express the truth and all are entirely inadequate.

1. We learn of the amazing implications of the first “demand”: “In unison let the group perceive the Triad shining forth, dimming the light of the soul and blotting out the light of form”. It signals that the Great Lives at Shamballa are now “in direct relation with humanity”.

2. The “Great Lives” are not in touch with individual human beings, except, possibly, in the case of very high initiates, but, increasingly, with humanity as a whole.

3. The “recognition” of humanity by the Great Lives is no small matter because even a ‘glance’ from Shamballic Lives is, for lives of our calibre, a tremendous happening.

4. When we think about Shamballic Impacts we may translate such events as ‘Shamballic thought directed towards the human kingdom”. The directed ‘Eye of Shamballa’ is an impact.

5. A “recognition” from Great Lives in Shamballa does not mean a vague awareness of humanity, but, as DK indicates, that these lives are now “in touch with current developments”. Even cognition of such developments by Shamballic Lives has great repercussions within humanity. As modern physics shows us, the act of perceiving is influential upon that which is perceived.

6. We live in times when the Spiritual Will is newly and potently operative on many levels. The Planetary Logos (as Sanat Kumara) is passing through His fourth initiation. (The Planetary Logos can also be considered independently of Sanat Kumara).

7. This initiation, we know, greatly involves the energy of will, and must mean for the Logos-as-Sanat-Kumara a contact with Sources of Will entirely higher than usual heretofore. Perhaps the contact is with an aspect of the Will of the Solar Logos. In any case, the repercussions upon humanity and the planet are profound.

8. Before an initiate reaches the fourth degree, the application of will from the monad is mediated by the causal body. As the fourth degree is approached, there is a direct impact of monadic energy and this, in part, is what brings about the destruction of the causal body.

9. We are participating in the process of the destruction of an aspect of the causal body of the Planetary Logos-as-Sanat Kumara. We cannot say that the entire planetary logoic causal body in its entirety is being destroyed, because the Planetary Logos, as a whole, is approaching only His second cosmic initiation. (cf. TCF 384) But the causal body of Sanat Kumara (whatever that may be), or, perhaps, the causal body of the “Globe Lord” of the Earth Globe (as an aspect of the Planetary Logos), may be the object of intense, destructive energy. For those upon our planet (i.e., our “globe”) it will mean a much greater and more direct access to the Divine Will.

10. So, we have to get used to the idea of directness, and direct impact—both first ray ideas. In this regard, we recall that the monadic ray of the Planetary Logos is the First Ray of Will and Power. (EA 619)

11. The monad of the Planetary Logos is, indeed, involved in present planetary ‘happenings’ upon our Earth Globe. We may think that this process concerns only humanity and its units, but, really, it is of much broader and greater import.

12. On our planet we are participating in the approach to what might be called ‘unbuffered living’—the unbuffered reception of the life aspect.

13. Master DK searches for words which will suggest to us the results of Shamballic contact. He finds all words inadequate.

“This demand concerns the negation, the obliteration, the absorption, the putting out or the synthesis of the lesser lights by the greater”.

14. The “lesser lights” are the light of soul and the light of form. “Blotting out” is a greater “putting out” or “obliteration” than “dimming”.

15. We do not yet know the ‘meta-physics’ by means of which this blotting out and dimming are accomplished. We can only imagine.

16. It is not that the lesser lights really disappear, for they certainly remain in the consciousness of those who are not immersed in triadal awareness, and even the ones so immersed can purposefully re-register the lights which have been blotted out and dimmed.

17. The obliteration is (for the one fully and intensely immersed in triadal light) an ‘obliteration in consciousness’ of the lesser lights. The attention of consciousness is so preoccupied by triadal light, that the lesser lights are as if they were not.

18. Our attention should turn to the word “synthesis”—“the synthesis of the lesser lights by the greater”, for this description is, perhaps, even more accurate than “blotting out” or “dimming”.

19. In the synthesis here described, the “lesser lights” lose their ‘autonomy of being’ and are seen to be merely parts of, extensions of, emanations of greater types of light.

20. The “lesser lights” are seen to be ‘triadal light in extension or attenuation’. The “lesser lights” lose their apparent ‘self-subsistence’. One day, triadal light also will be shown to be ‘non-self-subsisting’, and thus it will be for a virtually endless chain of ever-greater “lights”. Gradually, all will be shown to be extensions and attenuations of the ‘One Universal Light’.

21. We come to understand, then, that “dimming” and “blotting out” are ‘acts of consciousness’ or ‘occurrences within the realm of consciousness’. The “lesser lights” do not actually change, but rather, are seen for what they more truly are.

22. We understand that Shamballa is a ‘realm’ or ‘vibratory domain’ of the most intense planetary Light (“unfettered enlightenment”, or the “Light of Life”). One who is possessed by the Divine Will becomes divinely blind to many lesser things. These things become as “of no moment”. In the blaze of Shamballic Light the sense of spiritual values and recognitions is entirely altered. Desires are, therefore, profoundly changed. Objectives are no longer what they were as now they align with the Great Objectives willed by the Planetary Divine Will.

23. We do understand that Master DK, being much closer to the realities He is attempting to describe, knows more about them than He can ever put in words customary to human language. It must be a great frustration for Him, and yet He manages to charge ordinary words with far more than their ordinary meaning. This is something which we, too, need to do as we attempt to convey to other what, for us, has recently been intangible but is no longer so.

B. The moment the initiate or the disciple sees, even dimly, the light of the Spiritual Triad which veils and hides the Central Spiritual Sun, he realises that all other lights—that of the atom of matter, that of the form and that of the soul itself—must inevitably fade out in the stupendous glory and brilliance which emanate from God Himself and which he senses as in process of revelation. He becomes absorbed—intellectually, intuitively, spiritually and finally factually—in that Light. Here I would remind you that just as the light of the soul revealed to the struggling aspirant a new vision, set for him new goals, enhanced all qualities present in his equipment, and revealed the past, the present and the future of the individual, so this still greater light reveals to the initiate a horizon so vast that it has hitherto escaped his capacity and is yet but possible to vision by an initiate of the third degree, endows him with an occult perception hitherto not realised as existing—a perception which permits him to penetrate increasingly and to cooperate understandingly in the purpose of the Lord of the World. It enables him later to develop the equipment—qualities and gifts of a divine nature—which will eventually enable him to take his place in the Council Chamber at Shamballa and work in full unanimity with the Lords of Karma.

1. Master DK is speaking here of the consequences of triadal vision and realization.

2. For practical purposes, to see the light of the spiritual triad is to ‘stand’ in the presence of a great revelation. It is not necessarily that one will see, per se, a blinding light (though this may occur in a number of cases—as it seems to have done for Paul of Tarsus), but that all things will be revealed in an entirely new aspect.

3. Changes in consciousness cannot be described as changes of form. Something very subtle happens, and suddenly, one sees and understands more than before. The ‘objective content’ of that which is seen may be the same, but the ‘sight-as-understanding’ is entirely altered.

4. One symbol for this change in consciousness is “the lifting of the veil”. Another symbolic expression is that of “scales which fall from the eyes”. The scales are invisible and, while in effect, are unperceived. With the onset of an entirely new and expanded perception, it is inferred that scales must have existed. When the scales are removed the form previously perceived changes not; but the understanding of form changes profoundly. Scales must be ‘transparent’ or they would be detected during normal processes of perception, yet, in subtle ways, they ‘filter out reality’. When thinking of these scales we might think of them as insensitive to the presence of higher vibration. We might also see them as filters which inhibit the perception of connectedness.

5. All of us have undetected scales upon our eyes. They can, however, disappear in a Uranian flash, and then, only, will we know the reasons why we failed to perceive what we now perceive.

6. Just as the “Disk of Golden Light” hides the spiritual triad, so the light of the spiritual triad hides the “Central Spiritual Sun”. The term “Central Spiritual Sun” can mean many things (from the monad of the Solar Logos to the great Entity, Alcyone within the Pleiades). In this case, it appears to mean the human monad, which is the “central spiritual sun” of the microcosmic system.

7. The Tibetan confers great dignity upon the light of the spiritual triad. It is an aspect of the ‘Light of God’. There are a “stupendous glory and brilliance which emanate from God Himself”. This glory and brilliance is more than the light of the spiritual triad, but the spiritual triad is an emanation of it and an evidence of this Greater Light. That Greater Light of God is in slow process of revelation, beginning with the light of the spiritual triad. That Greater Light includes the light of the monad, the Light of the Planetary Logos, and finally, for our purposes, the Light of the Solar Logos. Of course, the series of intensifying ‘Lights’ can be extended almost indefinitely.

8. The Tibetan speaks of the manner of the disciple’s absorption into that Light:

“He becomes absorbed—intellectually, intuitively, spiritually and finally factually—in that Light”.

9. The sequence of words is interesting and illuminating. Intellectual absorption signals that the lights of the lower mind and “Son of Mind” are absorbed into higher manas (the lowest aspect of the spiritual triad). The man can polarize his consciousness upon the first subplane of the manasic plane thus focussing triadally in manas. He knows somewhat of the content of the “Mind of God”.

10. Intuitive absorption suggests the possibility of focussing triadally in buddhi. The word “spiritual” in this case refers to the atmic plane as a source of “spiritual will”. While the term “spiritual” often relates to the soul level, in this case it has a higher meaning.

11. Factual absorption refers to the monad, for it is the fact of spirit/monad which is asserted, in the Word of Power, “I assert the Fact”. The light of the spiritual triad is really monadic light in extension and attenuation. To be absorbed into the spiritual triad and its light is a step along the way to being absorbed into the monad and its light.

12. How may these varieties of absorption be experienced? With each absorption will come a kind of “dimming” and “blotting” out of the lower correspondences to the triadal level concerned. Lower mind will be blotted out in triadal mind, ‘substood’ by atmic mind; emotional sentiency (apparently so revelatory to those considering the astral plane as source of revelation) will be blotted out by the intuition; the principle of activity as expressed in the etheric and physical body will be blotted out by the activity aspect of the spiritual triad—higher manas. Note these relations, for they suggest a superimposition of the spiritual triad upon the lower personality rather than an inverted reflection (as in the relation of the lower personality to the soul).

13. As for the “dimming”, the consciousness of the third subplane of the mental plane will be dimmed by the light of higher manas; the consciousness of the second manasic subplane by the buddhic light of intuition; and the light of the first manasic subplane (which is already triadal) will be dimmed by the atmic light. The light of atma is as much mental as it is willful. In a way, the manasic plane is a lower correspondence to the atmic plane.

14. In general, the Light of the Soul (within the causal body) is dimmed by the Light of the Monad, and, at length, even the Light of the Triad is dimmed by this greater monadic source of light (at which point the Light of the ‘Soul-enshrouded’ is occultly extinguished). This occurs at the fourth degree and finally (through dissipation of debris) at the fifth.

15. The Tibetan offers us an analogy. The revelation of soul light disclosed great vistas to the personality consciousness. The past, present and future of the individual were revealed. We should not underestimate the disclosures possible when soul light pervades the personality.

16. The light of the spiritual triad promises far greater revelations, totally unsuspected. Probably, many of us are still engaged with revelations of the first order, for we have much to learn about ourselves as incarnating human units. How many can be certain of both their reincarnational past and probably reincarnational future?

17. The type of revelation here discussed is only possible to the initiate of the third degree. The complete revelation, of course, is not accorded then. Only a beginning is possible, with the revelation intensifying in subsequent initiatory degrees.

18. Although it is within the spiritual triad that one discovers the truer nature of the Divine Plan, DK promises even more to those who succeed in penetrating the triadal light. The “purpose of Sanat Kumara” is also slowly disclosed. One suspects, however, that it is the ‘Purpose-as-revealed-by-the-Plan”, and not pure Purpose, toward a knowledge of which even the Masters aspire.

19. We remember that the “Purpose of Sanat Kumara” is a sevenfold purpose (cf. R&I 240 et seq.)

20. We come to understand that entry into the light of the spiritual triad is entry through a great ‘Door of Perception’ which leads to even greater possibilities. It is at this point of entry that training for eventual Shamballic participation becomes possible.

21. Since the spiritual triad is conditioned by the number three and by Saturn, Lord of Karma (cf. EA 35), this entry also provides the opportunity to commence a training process leading to the ability to work more intimately with the Lords of Karma which have been assigned to our planet. All factors concerning karma on our planet are intimately related to the number three, the third ray and Saturn, even though there are four Lords of Karma.

22. Triadal intelligence is of that kind which will, when expanded, eventually reveal the ‘intricacies of fate’.

C. These qualities and gifts concern divine attributes and capacities for which we have as yet no words as they lie beyond the scope of human consciousness, being utterly unknown even to advanced human beings. They only begin to manifest as tendencies between the second and the third [Page 119] initiations, in the same way as the instincts in a small child are, in reality, the germs of later intellectual attitudes and activities. It is needless, therefore, for me to enlarge upon them; unless you are an initiate of the third degree, my words would be meaningless to you and would convey naught. The clue lies for you in understanding the three words—Happiness, Joy, Bliss. Do you, as you speak of bliss, understand wherein it differs from happiness and joy? Bliss is associated with complete Being; it concerns the interior attitude of the Whole.

1. Master DK is speaking of high faculties which are related even more to the to “Raincloud of Unknowable Things” than to the “Raincloud of Knowable Things”.

2. We are speaking here of gifts and qualities which pertain to the realm whereon Arhats, Masters and Chohans focus Their consciousness.

3. We remember that, in His description of the various siddhis found upon the various subplanes, the Tibetan does not describe the siddhis pertinent to the highest two subplanes of both the buddhic and atmic plane. Of them He says:

“It can be noted that we have not summed up the two planes of abstraction on the atmic and the buddhic planes, the reason being that they mark a degree of realisation which is the property of initiates of higher degree than that of the adept, and which is beyond the concept of the evolving human unit, for whom this treatise is written”. (TCF 188-189)

4. Even the siddhis which are listed for the lower levels of the atmic and buddhic planes, and even those concerning the higher three subplanes of the mental plane are beyond the scope of strictly “human” consciousness.

5. In discussing these high triadal qualities leading to Shamballic qualities, we are speaking not only of “Presented Attributes” (many of which are at least theoretically comprehensible) but of ‘Unrevealed Attributes’ (not yet “presented”) towards which even a Master may be aspiring.

6. The amazing thing about trying to conceptualize the nature of such higher qualities, attributes and faculties is that, in this process, we can exercise only the faculties of which we are presently possessed, and they are inadequate to fathom faculties entirely higher than they are.

7. It becomes clear that, in the Tibetan’s understanding, an “advanced human being” is not yet an initiate of the second or third degree (two degrees, between which, the germ which will eventually unfold into these higher faculties begins to be active).

8. We note that what is present between the second and third degree must be regarded merely as “tendencies” towards the higher unfoldments. The full flowering begins to occur only at the fourth degree and beyond, although the Tibetan seems to suggest that initiates of the third degree may begin to understand.

9. In the field of occultism it is impossible to speak meaningfully about certain things to people who have not yet developed the equipment to register what is being discussed. There is no way that they can understand. So often the Tibetan refrains from certain discussions or elaborations simply because He knows that they would be useless or worse—misleading. There is much need for patience in this matter. The scales will fall from our eyes, eventually, but they do so gradually and there are many scales. The unveiled, ‘unscaled’ “Dragon’s Eye” belongs to the Universal Logos alone.

10. Even though triadal participation represents the beginning of a training process which will eventually make it possible for a unit to “take his place in the Council Chamber at Shamballa”, we must remember that not all human units choose this Path. In fact, only a minority so choose and they are more ‘chosen’ (by Sanat Kumara) than ‘choosing’.

11. It is correct, in a way, to (as it were) ‘strain after the unknown’. This is what the use of the antahkarana is all about. The ‘straining after’ can be described as the holding of a higher-than-customary “point of tension”. If the possible revelation is a true one, we will literally have no true prior conception of what that revelation may be. The antahkarana, when truly activated, always presents surprises. It has a Uranian/Mercurian nature.

12. We find that Master DK is offering us divine incentives for the rigors involved in penetrating the spiritual triad. In occult training, vista after vista is revealed, but every revelation requires an effort commensurate with the magnitude of the revelation. The process is increasingly subtle and the obstacles to the succeeding revelation would hardly be considered obstacles by someone standing at a lower rung of the ‘ladder of perception’. In fact, such obstacles would not even be registered.

13. The words “perceive” and “perception” are peculiarly appropriate to the process of penetrating the spiritual triad. We note that in Rule V, DK uses the word “perceive” twice.

14. DK offers us an important hint or clue. The key to the understanding of triadal energy or triadal light lies in our ability to understand the distinctions between happiness, joy and bliss.

15. While I have made a compilation on “bliss” which we will send you, I seemed to have overlooked happiness and joy! Perhaps there is someone in the group who would like to undertake a compilation either on happiness or joy or both, or who has already done so and would be willing to share.

16. It is clear that, in occultism, happiness is linked to personality satisfaction and joy to the “surety of the soul”.

17. Bliss, we are told, “is associated with complete Being; it concerns the interior attitude of the Whole”.

18. Happiness is transient and subject to lunar fluctuations. Joy arises from a perception of the unity of life, but not its oneness. Joy arises through a certainty regarding the eventual positive outcome of evolutionary processes. When personality consciousness merges with soul consciousness (the consciousness of the soul on its own plane), an inherently ‘positivity of perception’ becomes convincing, even intuitively irrefutable.

19. But there is no “bliss” if one believes that multiplicity is real. While multiplicity is a ‘presented actuality in consciousness’ its unreality must be ascertained by the discerning, boundary-dissolving consciousness. When subject and object become identical, and, in fact, are perceived as ‘only subject’ (the self-perceiving-subject), then bliss will supervene.

20. We can see why unitive Jupiter is associated with joy and boundary-dissolving Neptune with bliss.

21. If bliss is associated with “complete Being” we must know the nature of “complete” Being. Presumably, nothing that is, is left out. As long as all are not seen as one, there can be no bliss. In bliss there are no divisions and hence no enumeration. Bliss demands ‘simply everything’ or ‘everything simply’. In bliss the paradox of the “Many and the One” is solved.

22. Let us ponder on the phrase, “the interior attitude of the Whole”. How can the “Whole” have an “attitude”? We are not told that bliss concerns an ‘attitude of Wholeness’, though, indeed, it does. What we are told is that that “Whole” is mentioned as if it is a Perceiver, as if it can have an attitude.

23. This is psychologically true, for in bliss, it is not the separated unit that is perceiving the Whole, but ‘the Whole Itself perceiving Itself’, with no separation between the Perceiver and the Perceived.

24. If ‘I’ am blissful (again a paradox), then ‘I’ am identified as the Whole. In my monadic nature this is already true, but I am not yet ‘worthy’ (i.e. qualified to possess) the fundamental apperception which is already and forever ‘mine’. These are paradoxes needing to be pondered.

25. Bliss is not for the unready or the unwary. Though it is the fundamental state, it must be earned. It is earned through harmonization—the buddhic faculty which, eventually, unifies.

26. The Beauty of all things must be understood intuitively before the homogeneous Oneness of All becomes apparent. Beauty is the antechamber to Oneness.

27. It is clear that books could be written on each of these three subjects—happiness, joy and bliss—(and have been). As well, a book is needed on their relations.

28. Our immediate task is to achieve the joy of the soul rather than the unpredictable, elusive and transient happiness of the personality. We can understand that joy will be related to a positive vision, based on an apprehension of the beauty of the planetary or systemic archetypal structure.

29. I would recommend that every member of the 28 Rules Group ponder the three qualities, and their relation to each of them, though it hardly makes sense to speak of one’s relation to bliss, for bliss (like the One) is out of all relation to anything (except itself).

D. As the individual disciple builds the rainbow bridge, the antahkarana, and as a group of disciples build the group antahkarana, they make possible the "Triadal perception" referred to above. When the disciple has flung one strand of living light (through the power of magnetic love) across the space separating the Triad and the personality, he discovers that he is a part of a group. This group recognition—faulty and unintelligently expressed at first—is the factor which enables him to pass, along the anchored thread, into the Ashram of a Master.

1. Our ‘royal road’ to triadal perception is reaffirmed. Of course, the thought has been repeated so often, that we are inescapably familiar with it. ‘Build the antahkarana and discover a new world with which you (as spirit) are already totally familiar!’

2. Sometimes it seems as if there is really no individual antahkarana. That which ascends along the antahkarana discovers that it is not the encapsulated individual. That which ascends discovers itself to be in the presence of a group (and to be, in fact, the group which is present).

3. Perhaps this realization comes if, in fact, we do ascend, and do not simply remain rather anchored in the lower mind awaiting impact from a higher world we have managed to ‘touch’. When this type of ascension occurs there is a new polarization, and one is initiate.

4. The following statement is both highly symbolic and highly important. It gives important clues for esoteric procedures.

“When the disciple has flung one strand of living light (through the power of magnetic love) across the space separating the Triad and the personality, he discovers that he is a part of a group”.

5. We note the use of the word “flung”. It should suggest to us an interior action. When one ‘flings’ one is not so sure where the landing will occur. There is a generalized direction and aim and much faith. One thinks of flinging ropes across a chasm or of a mountaineer flinging a piton to an anchor point above.

6. We note that the strand that is flung is “living light”. It is more than simply the light of lower mind. That mental light has been animated (thus made to live) by soul infusion and by the appropriation of the will (life) aspect of the soul. Refer to the process through which the antahkarana is built to see that this is so.

7. Because the light that is “flung” lives, it already has a rapport with the domain whither it is destined. The spiritual triad, we remember, is a living realm reflective of the monad (the embodiment of the Life Aspect of Divinity).

8. So we gather that it is not sufficient to simply think (with the concrete mind) in the ‘direction’ of the antahkarana or simply to visualize it (using the visualization faculties inherent in the lower man). The ‘flinging is required” (antahkaranic projection) and that which is flung must live.

9. Then comes the mention of “magnetic love” as that which empowers the flinging. The energy of the magnetic planet Venus is implicated. There is a deep rapport between the animated, soul-infused mental unit and the triadal domain which is the destined ‘target’ of the ‘flung strand’.

10. Without magnetic love, it seems evident that the flung strand (the projected strand) would never anchor properly. It would not find its way ‘home’. Nor would it come into resonance with the vibratory domain we call the spiritual triad.

11. When the will of the soul is absorbed by the mental unit to augment its intensity before the act of projection occurs, the love of the soul (resonant with the love of the triad) must also be absorbed. The word “resonance” is important, because the antahkarana is built through resonance, and the flinging or projection is an ‘act of resonant alignment’. It is a lining up of vibratory domains such that they resonate to each other (in such a way that transmission between them is unimpeded). We know that objects in resonance with each other register each other’s vibrations immediately, whereas non-resonant objects fail to respond.

12. DK speaks of the “space separating the Triad and the personality”. Of course, it is not a literal “space”. This is pictorial symbol of a state of vibratory disconnection and ‘non-attunement’.

13. Still, for some, it may serve to visualize a ‘space’ and the bridging of that ‘space’. Different visualizations and imaginings may accomplish the same, desirable internal result for different types of people.

14. For others, the utilization of the image of a ‘space’ may be useless or even inhibitory. Their method of “bridging the gap” will be different.

15. What we do know is that there is an apparent cleavage between two ‘vibratory domains’. Some ‘line of resonant connection’ is required to transmit the vibratory activity of one to the other and vice-versa.

16. Sometimes, I think of the ‘resonant bridge’ (a bridge resonant to both vibratory domains and, also, capable of bringing them into resonance) as a ‘bridge of singing light’. If we could hear the notes of the both domains and the note(s) of the bridge, we would notice that free transmission would occur when harmony was achieved. Probably, these are fourth ray thoughts in relation to the building of the antahkarana, but I think they will prove useful in the future (and maybe, to some, are useful now).

17. In any case, once the “thread” is flung and anchored, the disciple discovers that he is part of a group. He is risen beyond the egoistic sense of encapsulation. The group has ‘always been there’, and he is now unencumbered by his own self-generated impediments (whether personal or egoic).

18. We are to expect that this initial “group recognition” will be faulty at first and expressed unintelligently. In time correct modes of group rapport will be assimilated, the heart will open, and the Law of Magnetic Impulse will condition the newly released disciple.

19. “Group recognition” is the factor, we are told, which will eventually allow the disciple to “pass along the anchored thread into the Ashram of a Master”. At first one senses simply a group. Later, one will sense with precision the group with which one has the most ‘energic intimacy’—the Ashram of one’s Master.

20. We must pause to think what it means to “pass along the anchored thread”. What passes? What rises?

21. Once ‘on the resonant beam’, there is a tuning out of many lesser, discordant relations, and a tuning in to those who share the same soul ray (in most cases) the same spiritual task (in general) and the same Master.

22. Thus, this “passing along” is a “tuning in” (and consequently, a “tuning out”—for there is no way to tune in without tuning out, or, at least, a deemphasizing of secondary vibrations).

23. The antahkarana becomes a ‘bridge of vibrational selectivity’ and eventually anchors us in the Ashram. “Learn that all Ashrams are found upon the Antahkarana.” (DINA II 416).

24. DK’s paragraph above is very useful for reminding us of what is required when we build the antahkarana and whither it leads when properly used.

25. Without living light and magnetic love it cannot be built and used. We see, therefore, that projection or ‘flinging’ is not just an act of will, though an act of will is involved.

E. From the angle of the old teaching, the Ashram of the Master and the focus of the Hierarchy were on the higher levels of the mental plane. Today, that is not so. They are on the plane of spiritual love, of the intuition and of buddhi. The Hierarchy is both retreating towards the higher centre of Shamballa, and at the same time advancing towards the lower centre, Humanity. Both these activities have been made possible by man himself; the growing intuitive perception of humanity, in its higher brackets, enables him to function upon the Path of Discipleship and on higher levels than ever before. This the Hierarchy recognises. The growing aspiration of the masses is also drawing the Masters closer to humanity than ever before. This is an instance of the ability of the initiate consciousness to function on initiate levels and also in the three worlds simultaneously. Of this the dual activity of the mind is a symbol, acting as it does as the common sense and so dealing with all matters in the three worlds, and as the spiritual [Page 120] mind at the same time, dealing with all matters connected with the soul, with light and illumination.

1. DK reminds us about the ‘location’ of the Ashrams. It may be justifiably inferred that since the Great Conclave of 1925, the Ashrams have refocussed on the buddhic plane (from their original focus on the higher mental plane). This refocussing, itself, speaks of the approach of the Christ and Shamballa (for Shamballa is found upon the four cosmic ethers and the Christ is a great buddhic being.

2. Hierarchy is involved in a dual motion—both towards Shamballa and towards humanity. This must be remembered by those of us who seek to live in emulation of the Brotherhood.

3. The word “retreating” is interesting. To humanity, this movement towards Shamballa could appear a ‘retreat into subjectivity’, but Hierarchy will again be as tangible to physical plane man as in ancient days when the “God-Kings” walked the earth as guides to infant humanity.

4. Is it not curious that humanity has had an important role in determining the recent ‘dual approach’ of Hierarchy? It is as if the ability of man, in his higher brackets, to move ‘upwards’ toward the buddhic plane, enabled Hierarchy to move even higher. At the same time humanity (under the intensifying seventh ray) has never been more determined to “bring heaven to earth”—and a tangibly manifested Hierarchy will help him do this.

5. The masses are aspiring as never before and their aspiration is reaching Hierarchy, who, pledged to serve the elevation of the planet, must respond.

6. Under the great ‘Law of Giving’, the greater must empower the lower when the demand of the lower has been properly made. Of course, humanity is unconscious of the nature and manner of its demand, but Hierarchy is possessed of the means of measuring the adequacy of the demand and now finds it adequate.

7. DK gives important hints about the “initiate consciousness”; it is a dual consciousness. It is high but can function with perfect adequacy in the lower worlds. This is the kind of sustained point of tension and flexibility of expression to be cultivated by disciples. Where do we work? In both arenas (high and low) and increasingly so.

8. DK asks us to study the mind in two ways—as the “common sense” (adequate to its responsibilities in the three lower worlds) and as a kind of ‘search light’ into the higher worlds.

9. We do see, do we not, the flexibility required of us, and yet, the ability to hold?

10. Discipleship today is quite different from what it has been in former times. The modern disciple is increasingly mentally polarized and is, thus, learning to use the mind is two ways. The concrete mind is becoming the soul-infused mind. Eventually the mind will be used in yet another way involving contact with that which the triadal light presents. “Three minds Unite”.