DINA Studies

We are in a process of Self-training, and we are trying to benefit from all the Master has said, even if He has not said it to us, personally. The modern way for the modern disciple to receive hints is to discover them in the voluminous text he/she studies. Sometimes a word or a phrase will “jump off the page” and seem of unusual significance. Another reader might not experience the same. When this happens, perhaps you have received a hint which must be pondered and developed into a revelation. The text we are studying is so rich, that many hints are likely to occur.

I do not intend to continue giving you only reiterated advice upon the treading of the Path of Discipleship. You are adult men and women and know the Way. The practical application of the ancient Rules is your personal responsibility. What you do is your own affair. You have reached maturity and should be ready for the next step. That step will be taken when you have transmuted knowledge and theory into wisdom, practice and expression.

1. The Master places responsibility squarely on the shoulders of His disciples. One can feel a detached attitude in His statements, which does not mean that He is not interested or deeply concerned.

2. The new type of discipleship is for mature, adult men and women; it is not for dependent, spiritual aspirants who tend to rely excessively on the guru, even in matters which could and should be handled by themselves.

3. As an incentive, Master DK reminds His chelas that He is sharing with them “ancient Rules”. This suggests that the Rules will lead to success if followed.

4. Knowledge and theory must be transmuted into wisdom, practice and expression if there is to be any real practice. We all know for ourselves whether a gap exists between theory and practice. There is an almost painful dissonance when this is the case. The lunar vehicles (all of them) must express what the mind accepts as theoretically true. Only thus, does real soul-infusion proceed.

5. One may be learned, indeed, and yet soul-infusion fails to be an accomplished fact. This would not be a long-tolerable condition for a sincere disciple.

It is only in a spirit of real detachment that the best work of a disciple is done. The disciple comes to realise that because of this detachment he is (for the remainder of his life) simply a worker — one of a great army of hierarchical workers — with supposedly no personality inclinations, objectives, or wishes. There is for him nothing but constant work and constant association with other people. He may be a naturally isolated person, with a deep craving for solitude but that matters not. It is the penalty he must pay for the opportunity to meet the need of the hour. The hardest organised push of the Hierarchy is now taking place and its objective is to offset the tendency of the race to crystallise into separativeness, for separation is the line of least resistance to people and nations at this time. Hence the formation of these working groups of disciples, giving an expression of group work and group cohesion and of non-separativeness.

1. DK states an important principle. “Only in a spirit of real detachment” is “the best work of a disciple” done. Why should this be so?

2. The “best work” is the work most clearly reflective and expressive of the soul; such reflection and expression will be blocked, side-tracked or distorted by an instrument conditioned by personality attachments. The disciple will fail to be objective and the nature of the soul will not be successfully transmitted to the instrument.

3. Perhaps it would be wise for us to become aware (if possible) of the personality attachments which (in our own personal case) skew a faithful representation of soul impulses within the personality.

4. DK offers a deglamorizing perspective; we are to become simply “workers”. It is the perspective of one who works under the influence of Virgo (in relation to which the source served is other than oneself) and Saturn, the “task-master”.

5. We are to have no “personality inclinations, objectives, or wishes”. This is an exacting requirement, and each may examine himself/herself for deviation. Perhaps such deviations can be found if we compare our vision of the Divine Plan with ‘what else’ we would like to be thinking, feeling and doing.

6. Work is “constant” as is association with other people; otherwise, how could the Ageless Wisdom be spread to those it must reach?

7. There are sacrifices to be made. Our particular, long-cultivated tendencies “matter not”, even if there is nothing inherently wrong with them; even if, in less stressful times, such tendencies would be considered productive.

8. The “need of the hour” is paramount, and all must be measured against it. Perhaps this is the real difference between working from one’s own causal body as the source of one’s inspiration, and (more maturely) working under the spiritual will of the Spiritual Triad.

9. Note that Master DK uses the word, “penalty”. We usually think that penalties arise due to infringements of the law. They also arise (so it appears) when special ventures with their special demands are undertaken. In this case, something quite “natural” is not allowed expression so that something more important may manifest.

10. Master DK speaks of the “hardest organised push of the Hierarchy”. These instructions were written after the mid 1930’s when Hierarchy hoped to offset the precipitation of what became World War II. When Hierarchy was working so hard, with such determination, one would think that the disciples of the time would do likewise, within the natural limitation of their capacities.

11. Today (2004) there is a period of significant preparation leading to the Shamballic/Hierarchical Conclave of 2025. It is, very reasonably, the most intensive phase of the approximately eighty-year Period of the Forerunner. The dangers to humanity are increasingly evident and Hierarchy’s concern must be great. The disciples and initiates of the world are again under great pressure and will respond to the fullest extent possible if they are wise.

12. Separation is still the line of least resistance for the peoples and nations of the world, though a growing internationalism is present to help offset the tendency. Organized selfishness, however, is now replacing individual selfishness and it is a considerable political, economic and religious danger.

13. In our groups and in the relations between group and group, we (disciples of the world) should at least manage to offset the selfishness and separatism which has too often characterized our own interplay. This is the very least that should be done, otherwise, how can we stand before the world as any kind of example of a new civilization in embryo.

14. Loving, non-separative behavior among the disciples of the worlds (especially in those groups most closely linked to the Master DK and other Masters) is an urgent necessity.

A few — relatively a very few — of the disciples and intuitives of the world today are standing together in a twofold activity: one activity is to sense and touch with greater accuracy the steadily unfolding subjective plan; the other is to speak and teach with greater clarity and to choose with wiser exactitude the right words (written and spoken) by which to express the truth. The presentation of the sensed realities will then lead the thinking people of the world to arrest their present trend of thought and to cooperate more fully and freely in the enlightenment of the world. I use the word "enlightenment" in its occult sense. The full measure of what can be done depends (as far as the individual disciple is concerned) upon his inner power to live [Page 56] each day as a soul — free from fear, free from self-consciousness and free from those reactions which stir the astral or emotional body into organised activity, based on ancient habits. For the disciple and for the success of his work, an astral body of stillness and of acquiescence, sensitive to impressions from the soul and from the Master, and reflecting the vision with as much purity of outline as may be possible, is the goal. It should be remembered that when the disciple is fully occupied in living the life of service on all three planes, there is little that can be said or should be said to him. But a thought may be of aid.

1. DK speaks of a desirable stance which should characterize the disciples and intuitives of the world. If they adopt this stance, they will, inevitably, stand “together” — cooperatively and non-separatively.

2. Note the importance Master DK places upon accuracy, clarity and exactitude. There is so much possibility for distortion and vagueness — both in the reception of the higher ideas and thoughts and in their presentation to the public. How can the light shine if there is so much unclarity?

3. We are often teaching and speaking of the Teaching, correct? It behooves us to attend to DK’s suggestions, and thus see to the quality of our reception and impartation. We note that the “right words” are very important, for the world is largely ignorant of an undistorted perspective upon the Ageless Wisdom; the establishing of this perspective will create a saner, wiser public opinion — that great force for change.

4. It is the thoughts of human beings that must be changed; correct action will follow. Changing the clarity and quality of human thought is part of a great battle taking place upon the mental plane. In this battle we are all, perforce, engaged — some more consciously and skillfully than others.

5. Our objective is the “enlightenment of the world” — the occult enlightenment. This means the bringing forth of the now-hidden nature of reality and the infusion of the human mind by the now-largely-hidden Soul of Humanity.

6. The Forces of Enlightenment are very powerful at the time of Wesak, and are, in many ways, correlated to the second Ray of Love Wisdom, which ever seeks to see the “Greatest Light”. We are “light bearers” and that is an onerous responsibility. We, obviously, do not seek to add to the confusion already existing. Thus the manner of our presentation is very important.

7. DK tells us how we can best carry forth this responsibility to enlighten. Each day we are to live as souls, free from fear, without undue self-consciousness (in the lower sense), and without astral reaction (so often based upon ancient habit). The requirements seem straightforward and, perhaps, not too difficult, but, though simple, are highly demanding for most of us.

8. DK addresses the ideal condition of the disciple’s astral body — stillness, acquiescence, sensitivity, purity, and soul-reflective. The astral body, too, receives impression from the soul and Master (not alone the mind). As well, the astral body may receive impression from the harmonious, unitive buddhic plane.

9. When a disciple is well into the process of transferring solar-plexus energy to the heart, the condition of his/her astral body will be approaching the ideal.

10. As the personality, the astral body and the solar plexus are all related, we can see that Master DK is emphasizing, in yet another way, the need for an impersonal life if the disciple is to be truly effective as a server.

11. It is interesting to consider that when a disciple is actively and rightly serving on all three planes of the lower worlds, he/she is largely Self-directed. Little outside advice may be offered. The “Inner Monitor” is at work. Still the Master is in a position to offer some useful counsel.

Let him seek, in the strenuousness of his life, to preserve the synthesis of the personality and the integration of all parts of his equipment. Often in the stress of activity in one body or another and on one plane or another, the emphasis may be temporarily so strong in some one direction that he may lose sight for a moment of the synthetic point of view of both the Plan and the group. Physically, he is working under great pressure; emotionally, he may be learning the difficult lesson of detachment and may consequently be full of a temporary rebellion. Yet on the mental plane, he is aware of a mental clarity and of a power to think which keeps him incessantly and constructively active. The following three terms, therefore, express quite frequently the disciple's situation where his lower nature is concerned: excessive fatigue, emotional rebellion and mental lucidity. How must he deal with this problem? Physical fatigue need not necessarily impair in any way his usefulness. With many people, physical conditions impair their work for their attention becomes focussed on the undesirable physical situation; disciples, however, often have a curious capacity to continue with their work no matter what may be happening to them physically. The physical brain can be so much the reflector of the mental life that he will remain essentially unaffected by any outer conditions. The disciple learns to live with his physical liabilities under adverse conditions and his work maintains its usual high level.

1. This is a piece of practical advice. Under strain, personality synthesis and integration are often challenged. Weaknesses appear and balance is sometimes forgotten.

2. Probably the disciple must practice moments of ‘self-distancing’ or dis-identification so that the synthetic point of view may be preserved.

3. DK speaks as an experienced realist. He knows, directly, the physical and emotional strains of discipleship. The suggestion of a likely personality rebellion is very interesting since our Planetary Logos is characterized by the psychology of a “Divine Rebel”. Upon this planet there is presently occurring a great detachment from the desire body. This macrocosmic process works out in the little life of microcosmic man.

4. We can see why mental polarization is so desirable; the lucid, thoughtful, illumined mind is the instrument by which the tired body and rebellious emotional nature may be kept in line, and their disruptive influences somewhat offset.

5. DK gives three terms to sum up the condition in which the disciple frequently is found: “physical fatigue, emotional rebellion, mental lucidity”. Who is to say that He is inaccurate?

6. In these three terms we are dealing with the Mercury/Venus mind, the Mars/Neptune astral body and the Saturnian/Lunar brain and body.

7. Sound advice is given for the counteracting of physical fatigue and other physical conditions. The mental-etheric link is to be developed and exploited. This interplay can become so strong as to negate outer conditions which inhibit the normal individual. That a disciple is “in the world” but “not of it” comes into play. The inner life becomes positive to the outer, and mind, indeed, does triumph over matter.

8. Note that Master DK speaks of this “curious capacity” which characterizes the disciple — the ability to work no matter what may be happening to him/her outwardly. We can realize that this capacity has something to do with the ability to “work from a point of tension” — an intensifying one.

9. The physical plane liabilities, apparently so important and so distracting to the average individual, are relatively discounted by the disciple who is actively engaged in his/her work. He/she knows the negligible value and place of the physical plane relative to the other (more real) inner worlds, and puts first things first. Each of us, no doubt, has been or will be tested in this regard. One works with that with which on has been presented, as long as the ‘presentation’ lasts.

The emotional problem may be the hardest. But only the disciple can handle his own self-pity and free himself from the inner emotional storm in which he finds himself living. He [Page 57] must recognise that his integration is weak, for he is working in two phases or sections:

1. We realize that the emotional body is unified whereas the physical and mental bodies are not.

2. This unification makes of it a formidable opponent — or, later, ally.

3. DK throws the disciple back upon himself, referencing the “emotional storm” in which many disciples habitually live. Is this true of us? If so, why? Or has the storm somewhat abated? If so, again, why?

Physical . . . . . . emotional.

Mental . . . . . . . . . . . soul.

He is sometimes one and sometimes the other and usually very thoroughly in either case. This duality must be brought into a closer relation and this is the point to which he must attend as he seeks to establish and preserve the needed synthesis and personality-soul integration. When will disciples learn that the attitude which involves a certain "don't care" reaction and a form of indifference is one of the quickest ways by which to release the Self from personality claims? This is not the "don't care" spirit which will affect the disciple's attitude to other people. It is the attitude of the integrated thinking personality of the disciple towards the astral or emotional body. It leads him to assume the position that not one single thing which produces any reaction of pain or distress in the emotional body matters in the very least. These reactions are simply recognised, lived through, tolerated and not permitted to produce any limitation. All disciples would do well to ponder what I have just said. The whole process is based on a deep-seated belief in the persistence of the immortal Being within the forms of soul and personality.

1. The Master points to a fundamental dis-integration, a split between the ‘rational’ and ‘irrational’ aspects of man-the-disciple.

2. It is also a rather Geminian condition, indicating the split between the “Twins”. The physical and emotional life represent the personality; the mind, somewhat illuminated by the soul, represents the will of the soul.

3. Gemini and Mercury (“Star of Conflict”) indicate the split. Venus, in its spiritually-magnetic aspect, must enter, and also the influence of Libra — to draw the two aspects together. We are speaking here of the fundamental processes of personality integration and soul-personality fusion.

4. Master DK offers a simple palliative — the “don’t care” attitude. The personality makes its claims upon the imprisoned Self. The “don’t care” attitude releases the Self from those claims; this attitude negates and dismisses the claims. One must be, however, quite identified with the soul-mind aspect of the duality to be effective in employing this technique.

5. As with all techniques, one must be careful not to misinterpret or lose one’s balance. We do, indeed, care about other people as souls. We do not dismiss others, but are sensitive to their needs.

6. The right attitude requires that we identify with the higher aspect of the duality we have become, and view the lower aspect of that duality from a higher perspective.

7. Then comes a very important statement: “not one single thing which produces any reaction of pain or distress in the emotional body matters in the very least”. This covers a wide range of reactions, and some of them might seem more than justified. DK tells us, however, “not one single thing”; it is a radically dismissive attitude to the astral vehicle. One must practice this to see if what the Master says is correct.

8. There are times, perhaps, when a difficult condition in the astral body is a matter of conscience or of a recognized impact by the intuition. DK is not, I think, talking of such instances, but of those rebellions which arise when the disciple (identified with the higher parts of his/her nature) seeks to serve continuously as an agent of the Divine Plan. The ‘forces of retrogression’ within us so often use the astral body as the staging ground for their contra-progressive ‘offensives’ (really, reactions). Of this we must be aware.

9. The disciple animated by the “will-to-love” and possessed by the spiritual will, will have little trouble negating the obstructive influence of the astral body, though much ‘personal’ pain may be experienced before this desirable attitude/’altitude’ is reached.

10. It is all a question of what matters. We have lived very many lives during which the condition of our astral body has mattered much. Now, new values have grown within our consciousness and we have begun to care far more about other and higher things. We are always put to the test to see whether these new values are firmly and unshakably established. When they are, we can be trusted.

11. That trust is accorded once a disciple is midway between the second and third initiations and has achieved mental polarization. Does it seem like a long time to wait before one is worthy of trust?

12. Reactions will arise, of course. Our success depends upon how we ‘respond to the reactions”. To “respond” is other than to “react”, for response carries the note of self-consciousness and of the will.

13. We can be successful in achieving the necessary attitude if we are in process of achieving identification with and as spirit — “the immortal Being within the forms of soul and personality”. We see then, that victory is related to spirit and not to soul alone.

14. Spirit is a great fulness and requires naught. It is sufficient unto ‘its-Self’. The desired attitude here presented is based upon a realization that there will be no ultimate loss if one negates the importunities of the desire body. In fact, the real loss (however temporary) would occur if one failed to assume the “don’t care” attitude. Higher values would be sacrificed for lesser ones.

This inner realisation grows with the development of power in meditation whether it is individual meditation or group work. Meditation is essential for establishing a freer inner spiritual interplay — again whether as a soul in relation to the personality or a group of disciples in relation to their Master or each other. You might here well ask: Why is this sensitive interplay between the disciples in a Master's group regarded as necessary? Is not life complicated enough without too much awareness of the conditions, the personalities and the soul contacts of those with whom we are associated and with whom we seek to walk as fellow disciples? I would like here to remind you that, as disciples, you are in preparation for initiation and that impending condition of consciousness implies three things:

1. If we wish to know how we will develop a genuine “don’t’ care” attitude, based upon identification with the higher member of an inevitable developmental duality, then, meditation is the key.

2. The correct approach to meditation polarizes us within soul-mind (the higher aspect of the split).

3. Again and again we return to the necessity for meditation, without which one cannot live a conscious occult life. Of course, methods of meditation are various and do not have to be pursued in a manner proposed in academic occult study.

4. Meditation also promotes right interplay between a group of disciples and their Master or each other.

5. DK will now address the necessity for the interplay of the disciples in a Master’s group. This interplay is necessitated during the process of preparation for initiation — individual or group initiation.

6. May it not be that awareness of the condition of our brothers (both personal and soul conditions) helps us ‘grow beyond ourselves’? Will such awareness not help us in realizing that ‘I am the group’?

1. Increased awareness and sensitivity to experience and to life in all forms.

2. The power to do for others what I have attempted to do for you, at present on a lesser scale and later, in other lives, as I now do it.

3. The courage and the strength to know all, to realise all and to love with patient wisdom and unchanging sincerity.

This must surely be apparent to you. In the group work in which disciples are now called to participate, you have an opportunity offered which can aid in the inducing of all the qualities which are needed by you as candidates for initiation, at no such very distant date, as we view time on the inner side.

1. Master DK presents us with the reason that our growing sensitivity to each other (both personally and spiritually) is important.

2. The soul is essentially sensitive, and as we become the conscious soul in incarnation, our sensitivity to all-as-souls must necessarily increase. Soul and life underlies the form. In form-consciousness we remain relatively oblivious to what is going on ‘within’ other forms. Once we identify as soul, that oblivion is overcome; our ring-pass-not expands and we no longer live-unto-ourselves alone.

3. We realize, do we not, what a tremendous gift Master DK offered His chelas? From whom, except a Master, could one ever receive such a gift? The incentive is offered to us to do for others (in the future) what the Master has done for us (for, even if we are not receiving letters from Him at this time, the letters He has already written are a great service to His present readers).

4. Even today, with all our limitations, we can help others somewhat as DK helped those to whom He wrote (though, of course, on a lesser scale). We are interested in helping relieve the Masters of some of Their work with Their chelas, just as DK has done — especially for Masters M. and KH.

5. If we are not aware of our co-disciples as both personalities and souls, we cannot hope to fulfill this kind of service, which is, is it not, intensely psychological.

6. Yet another reason is offered for the desirability of apparently complicating our own lives through a sensitivity to our co-disciples’ personal and spiritual process; we are to develop the strength to “know all, to realise all and to love with patient wisdom and unchanging sincerity”. This is no small matter, for it is not what most of us do all the time. Human progress can seem unbelievably slow, and Masters must be, above all, patiently loving beings. Somehow, we have to develop an awareness of what others are passing through. In this way, light is shed upon our own process and we learn to see all in the light of loving-understanding.

7. Therefore, to be sensitively aware of our brothers’ conditions and struggles is a great spiritual gift — to us. And if our attitude is right, a gift to them as well, for our support will be forthcoming and will assist them.

8. Master DK’s chelas of those days (as we are now) are candidates preparing for eventual initiation — most probably either the second or third initiation (one day). There are many necessary qualities to be developed and such development is not easy. Through exposure to the psyche of our brothers, many of those qualities (and a number of liabilities) are vividly demonstrated. Our acquisition of the desirable qualities is facilitated, and our avoidance of undesirable liabilities is encouraged: “There but for you, go I”. We become object-lessons to each other, and the lives of each of us become a cautionary tale to our observant brothers, who, by our example, are prevented from making the mistakes we have made. Thus (by both positive and negative example) do we help each other become qualified.

The teaching has always been given that the disciple or the initiate must adapt himself to, and learn from, the conditions in which he finds himself and from the setting and environment with which his physical plane life puts him in daily touch. This is one of the initial platitudes of the Path. It was, however, at one time as new a concept to the aspirant and the disciple under training as is the teaching which I seek to give this group of my disciples and the opportunity which I would have you seize. The training, hitherto carried forward upon the inner planes, and unrealised oft in the waking consciousness of the accepted disciple, has now to be grasped, used and mastered in his waking consciousness and physical brain. The disciple in the past sought to establish harmonious relations with his environment — harmony being one of the liberating forces which must precede the release of energy for use after initiation. He practised patience and forbearance and helpfulness and rendered service and this was worked out through the process of right external conduct based upon right inner orientation and attitude.

1. Wherever we are, there we learn. With whomever we find ourselves associated — from them we learn.

2. Master DK points out the relatively of the teaching. What seems today but an occult platitude was one day, long ago, a new teaching. The methods of discipleship are constantly evolving and ever there are fresh presentations of the age-old truth.

3. DK is somewhat urgent in His presentation. He does not wish for His chelas to be passive. He would have them “seize” the new concepts with which He is presenting them. We remember that He wished they were both younger (physically) and more courageous.

4. There have been many changes in ‘occult tuition’. It is interesting to realize that much former teaching was given on the inner planes and was not consciously registered by the disciple. All this is now changing. Registration in the “waking consciousness and physical brain” is necessitated. This registration is part of the “Externalization of the Hierarchy”.

5. DK is discussing old and new approaches. Harmony was important to the former disciples. We can presume that the Master is speaking, often, of disciples in the East, where His experience is the most extensive. The soul ray of the East is the fourth, emphasizing this need for harmony. The disciple of former days had to emphasize forbearance — still a needed quality, but much has changed for the more intellectually active Western disciple.

6. We have to ask how it is that harmony is a liberating force. We realize that much energy is wasted through needless conflict and dissonance. Just as a chord of music is ‘liberated’ when it is, at last, in tune, so a disciple’s energies are liberated when he/she has achieved inner and outer harmony. Dissonance consumes energy; harmony is efficient and takes much less energy to sustain. It may even be proven that harmony actually produces more energy that is required to sustain it.

But under the new system (made necessary by achieved racial progress) this process of right external adjustments must be paralleled in the New Age by right inner relations, consciously established and consciously held and recognised for what they are by the conscious mind and brain of the disciple. This, therefore, involves true knowledge of the disciple's inner group relation, spiritual penetration to the inner life of a brother disciple and the consequent fusion in the heart-mind-brain of the disciple, simultaneously, of all that is known on both the outer and the inner planes. This has not hitherto been the case. It is one of the major reasons for the forming of these groups as far as the individual group members are concerned. It will be brought about gradually and safely by the daily use of the group meditations which I may assign you, by a renewed interest in the subject of telepathic work and by a closer and deeper love, cultivated by all of you.

1. The new approach to discipleship demands conscious inner as well as outer adjustments.

2. The disciple has always had “inner group relations” but has, very often, remained unaware of them. Today, the modern disciple must be conscious of them, and “penetration to the inner life of a brother disciple” is part of establishing this awareness.

3. These are days in which the spiritual will is being activated and a greater appreciation of the Divine Plan and Purpose is coming into the conscious possession of disciples. We can realize the heightening of consciousness (inner and outer) which is required for the fulfillment of greater responsibilities (inner and outer).

4. We are often told that there must be established a direct connection between soul-mind-brain in the disciple. Here the Tibetan discusses “heart-mind-brain” (which, effectively, may amount to the same, as, occultly, the “heart” is the “soul”).

5. It is the “heart”, of course, that is sensitive to one’s fellow disciple. If we are to work together, within the Ashram, we can hardly avoid sensitivity to the other members of the Ashram.

6. Through the expedience of group meditation, we are ‘growing into each other’, and our inner affiliations are being revealed. This cannot happen all at once. The group meditations make the process safe.

7. We are entering a “group Age”. The group has both its outer and inner aspects. Under the universalizing energy of Aquarius, both of these aspects must be included in the disciples’ awareness. Naturally, a good deal of impersonal love will assist the process. We cannot react personally to what we discover about each other, and yet, we must respond as a soul would respond.

8. The great expedient of thinking towards each other in love is suggested. This will facilitate telepathic sensitivity between us and will promote the growth of “ashramic intimacy” — based on loving-understanding and shared Purpose.

9. A change is occurring from preoccupation with the third aspect of divinity to the second. Under the second aspect, we are all consciously related to each other and, in fact, parts of each other as a ‘Group Being’. Hence the need for us to share each others burdens (in this case psychically).

Three things are of great importance and constitute your individual responsibility:

1. Facility of rapport. As a member of my group, it is essential that you cultivate two aspects of the "art of rapport" which is based, eternally, on loving attraction.

1. DK now presents a list of His chelas’ responsibilities.

2. Rapport between them is to be cultivated and made both natural and easy. Eternally (we are taught), the “art of rapport” is based on “loving attraction”. In short, there will be no real rapport between us, unless we love each other with soul love. Personal love, per se, is inadequate to the task.

3. A dual rapport is required: Vertically, soul-rapport is necessitated. Correct alignment and meditation will bring this about.

4. Horizontally, rapport between all group brothers is necessitated. How else can there be constructive and united work?

5. Always we see the appearance of the “even-armed Cross” of the Aquarian Age.

6. We can begin to see how very much Master DK sought to cultivate the presence of the second aspect of divinity amongst His chelas. Probably, we do not realize it, but we are excessively conditioned by the third aspect and are relatively unconscious of our deficiencies along second ray lines. Yet the “Attractive Coherency” of the second ray is that which promotes light, unity and real group work. We have much to learn during the next two thousand years.

2. Impersonality. Is there aught more that I can say on this theme? You must learn to view what is said or suggested by any group brother with a complete and carefully developed "divine indifference." Note the use of the word "divine," for it holds the clue to the needed attitude. It is a different thing to the indifference of not caring, or the indifference of a psychologically developed "way of escape" from that which is not pleasant; nor is it the indifference of superiority. It is the indifference which accepts all that is offered, uses what is serviceable, learns what can be learnt but is not held back by personality reactions. It is the normal attitude of the soul or self to the not-self. It is the negation of prejudice, of all narrow preconceived ideas, of all personality tradition, influence or background. It is the process of detachment from "the world, the flesh and the devil" of which The New Testament speaks.

1. DK, we realize, has spoken much and often on the subject of “impersonality”. He seems here to be asking His chelas to finally realize the nature of what He has said and to absorb it.

2. “Divine indifference” and the “don’t care attitude” are closely related, though the first of these two seems a more dignified presentation.

3. DK focuses our attention on the word “divine” when considering “divine indifference”. The “divine” part of “indifference” has much to do with our level of identification. To be divinely indifferent one must be identified as soul or spirit. A consciousness focussed within the personality cannot be divinely indifferent.

4. DK lists the kinds of ‘indifferences’ which “divine indifference” is not. It is not “not caring”; it is not a “way of escape” from the unpleasant; it is not the indifference of superiority. All these are personality versions of indifference and have the protection or buttressing of the personality as an objective.

5. It is the indifference which continues to learn through all presentations and personality reactions, yet is not held back by these.

6. Divine indifference is clearly defined:

“It is the normal attitude of the soul or self to the not-self. It is the negation of prejudice, of all narrow preconceived ideas, of all personality tradition, influence or background. It is the process of detachment from ‘the world, the flesh and the devil’ of which The New Testament speaks.”

It is not a personality-conditioned indifference, nor does it judge by narrow personality standards. It cares more for the soul than the personality, and thus, can hold the reactions of the personality more lightly.

7. “Personality tradition, influence and background” have much to do with our past conditioning, which, because of many years of familiarity, we are liable to judge as quite ‘holy’. But familiarity is not holiness. In fact, our glamors lurk in that which has become so familiar as to become unnoticed.

8. “Divine indifference” does not really care for the personality and its reactions. The personality is regarded simply as an instrument for higher purposes. One is no longer so sensitive to its preferences, because the identity is ‘felt’ as other than the personality.

9. It takes a long time before the ‘most familiar self’ (the personal self) is seen rather more as a ‘stranger’ than as one’s very self; at length, however, it happens. Thus does consciousness slip out of its prison, and we discover ourselves to be detached, luminous intelligences (essentially members of the fifth kingdom of nature), rather than encapsulated human beings.

10. The theory is simple and the doing hard.

3. Love. Love is that inclusive, non-critical, magnetic comprehension and attitude which (in group work) preserves the group integrity, fosters the group rhythm and permits no secondary personality happenings or attitudes to mar the group work.

Contact, impersonality and love — these three constitute the individual objectives which I set before each and all of you.

1. Here is one of the finest definitions of love to be found in the Teaching. Long and well should it be pondered.

2. Three words stand out: “inclusive”, “non-critical”, “magnetic”.

3. The mental attitude is there as well, for we speak not only of magnetism, but of “magnetic comprehension”. The inference is that one comprehends because the magnetism is correct. This is another way of saying that “love reveals”.

4. Love is also “of the essence” for it does not allow the interference of “secondary personality happenings or attitudes” to hurt the group work. In an attitude of love, secondary things are revealed for what they are and can be more easily set aside.

5. As these objectives are set before DK’s immediate chelas, so they are set before us. It will require a re-conditioning for many of us. The three — “contact, impersonality, and love” — are not personality attitudes. The process is slow but sure. We are becoming souls in expression, after millions of years of expressing otherwise.

6. DK’s expectations are simply stated, and every disciple should have no trouble remembering them. Of course, they require constant practice.

The group requirements which must be met and preserved by the group, as a group, are as follows:

1. Group integrity. This grows out of right integration and refers to the delicate balance which must be preserved amongst the members of the group. This is of such a nature that there emerges eventually a group steadiness and a group freedom from "oscillation" which will permit of uninterrupted group work and interplay. It will come if each of the group members will simply mind his own business and permit his group brothers to mind theirs; it will come if you keep your personality affairs, your private concerns and troubles out of the group life; it will come if you refrain from discussion of each other and of each other's affairs and attitudes. This is of supreme importance at this stage of the group work; it will mean — if you can achieve success in this — that you will be able to keep your minds clear of all lesser things which concern the personality life. This means that your minds will be free, therefore, for group work.

1. Individual requirements have been presented: “contact, impersonality and love”.

2. Now Master DK presents “group requirement” which must be met by the group and preserved by the group as a group. This is a different matter.

3. Master DK is interested in group steadiness, a freedom from “oscillation” which interrupts the group work.

4. The method of achieving that “delicate balance” which results in group steadiness is perhaps surprising. Essentially, it is for each disciple to “mind his own business”. Much imbalance arises through the tendency to be thinking of other group members in ways which do not help them.

5. There is also the need to keep our personality affairs out of the group life. Each is to handle those matters himself/herself. Immediate friends may also assist.

6. We can see that Master DK is very interested in keep the consciousness of His chelas free from secondary preoccupations. The normal psyche tends to think quite personally, and disciples are not immune from this tendency.

7. Working in affiliation with Hierarchy demands prioritization within the field of consciousness. Normal tendencies, though natural, cannot forever be indulged, because an entirely new order of life is being instituted.

8. We have to begin regarding each other in entirely new ways; we are not essentially personalities and should not be so regarded. If I think of you as a personality, I do not help the emergence of you as a soul; the same is true if you think of me similarly.

9. If we could all learn to “put first things first” (by no means an easy matter) our progress and our usefulness would greatly increase. This requires, of course, the power of elimination and, therefore, the good offices of some of the harsher planets — Saturn and Pluto especially.

10. Right action in this regard would leave us far freer for group work. Personality preoccupation (whether physical or psychological) consumes far too much energy. An initiate has freed himself from this.

2. Fusion. By this I mean the ability of the group to work as a unit. This is dependent upon the achieving of right individual attitudes and (when working) the attainment of the capacity to lose sight of everything except the work to be done and a deeply sensed love of your brothers.

1. Fusion is yet another step beyond group integrity.

2. A group is not an assemblage of individuals, but a merging into effective unity of a number of individuals driven by the same purpose and plan.

3. One may still have a nominally personal life (for we are persons in this world as well as souls) but when working spiritually, only the work to be done and a “deeply sense love of your brothers” are of moment.

4. Our approach to group work is greatly simplified by these words, but the eliminations required are rather drastic.

5. Group members who have achieved in accordance with the above are driven by spiritual will and spiritual love. They are working somewhat in rapport with the Spiritual Triad, and not only from their accumulated fund of desirable qualities (stored in the causal body).

6. We can see that group members will have had to work together for some time (as intelligently, lovingly and as purposefully as they can) before real fusion can supervene. Many group processes stop short of this objective.

3. Understanding. I use this word in reference to your comprehension of the work to be undertaken. I do not use the word in reference to your attitude to yourself or to your group brothers. It means that each group works wisely and understandingly at its own appointed task, knowing that it contributes to a whole which exists in the mind of the Master.

1. The word “understanding”, as here used, focusses more on the mental plane than in relation to individual and group psychology.

2. In an Ashram there is a fine division of labor and each member is to know exactly what he is doing and why he is doing it.

3. A vision of the whole is, to some extent, required, so that there may be an understanding of the part that each is to play within that whole.

4. We may ask: do we truly understand what the Ashram with which we may be affiliated is attempting to achieve — as a whole? It would be important to grasp such a vision with some measure of accuracy, otherwise, how can we co-measure our activity in relation to the Ashram?

5. We are, however, speaking not only of what the individual within the group must perform, but what the group as a whole must perform in relation to other groups affiliated with the Ashram and in relation to the Ashram as a whole.

6. The specialized groups-of-nine (Telepathic Communicators, Trained Observers, Magnetic Healers, etc.) had each a very specific task set before them, even though the details of that task were not yet fully presented by the Master. These tasks were to emerge as time passed, but unfortunately (as misfortune seems to the disciple) the groups had to be brought to a close.

7. We are perhaps engaged in the labors of a number of groups — the 28 Rules Group, the LAWS Group, the AAMP Meditation Group, to name a few among many. The place and purpose of such groups must be eventually clarified so that the exact contribution to humanity and the Ashram may be accurately perceived.

8. In general, were I to judge the nature of these groups, I would say that they are designed to “teach and spread the knowledge of the Ageless Wisdom” wherever a response may be found. They are largely educational, and, I suspect, many of their members, are engaged in tasks related to esoteric education.

9. Within this general educational thrust, there are also a large variety of other esoteric orientations and tasks — worthy and important.

Integrity, fusion and understanding — this is the order of the work and the sequence of development. All groups, working in the outer world in relation to the Ashrams of the Masters, will follow certain initial and final stages in their work and [Page 61] these will be uniform for all the groups, no matter what their specific and individual group work may be. Thus there will be brought about an inter-group relation and a consequent strengthening of the individual groups. The third stage of the work to be done will be special and particular, differing for each group and to be followed by the group with meticulous care. I would ask all the various groups which may be working under my direction to attend to their own individual group business and not to speculate as to the nature of the work being done by the other groups.

1. DK is trying to be very clear. His groups have now been working for some time, and He has had His doubts about the success of the experiment (judging from things said elsewhere).

2. DK points out the uniformity of certain stages of group work. He is attempting to establish a structure in the minds of His chelas.

3. Groups must be related to other similarly motivated groups. A knowledge of the process to be followed by each and every group, will facilitate this group-interrelation.

4. At the time of this writing, each group-of-nine was intentionally isolated from other such groups. In general, the personnel of the various groups were unknown to each other, and this on purpose — to keep the thoughtform of each group clear and its progress subject to as little interference as possible.

5. Nevertheless, speculation concerning which chela was in which group was frequently to be seen despite Master DK’s admonitions against such speculation. Human curiosity was at work; it was not the curiosity of the soul.

6. A bit earlier we learned that group members were to “mind their own business” with respect to each other. Now we see that all members of a specific group are, essentially, to do the same — attending to the business of their particular group and not inquire about the business of other groups. Master DK wanted to prevent a premature mixing of thought and energy — especially since none of the groups was yet very stable, integrated or fused.

7. Early instructions would pertain to all groups. Later, differentiated processes would be followed with “meticulous care”. The groups did not really reach the stage where the “third stage of the work” could eventuate.

8. We can see, however, that the occult method was being followed — moving as it does from the general to the particular — from purpose, through cohesion, to carefully articulated process.

9. Group members, therefore, had to be aware of those aspects of their work which were uniformly shared with personnel of other groups, and such aspects as would be specifically particular to their own group.

10. A little thought about the nature of these Seed Groups will reveal how very much Master DK had yet to teach when world circumstances (and group failure) necessitated the termination of the groups-of-nine. Much very refined instruction had yet to be offered. Perhaps He had planned that He would be physically present to oversee the instruction. From Initiation: Human and Solar, we read that the Christ may have been intending to appear towards the middle of the twentieth century. As the Christ would necessarily be preceded by certain Masters, Master DK may well have been one of the externalizing Masters slated to appear.

11. World War II called for a major revision of plans, and I suspect that the Seed Group Work, in the form intended, will have to be deferred until some date later in this twenty-first century.

Let me outline for you the stages to be followed:

STAGE ONE. Alignment. Soul contact. Spiritual poise. Poise is the steady holding of the achieved soul contact.

This constitutes the vertical stage.

1. An important meditation to achieve some of the objectives stated above is offered.

2. Personality reactions are consciously relinquished.

3. Love is recognized as a soul factor and expressed through the personality.

4. And, imaginatively, soul and personality rays are fused.

5. The individual personality is seen as an instrument of the soul.

STAGE TWO. The above is followed by group integration and group fusion, carried forward consciously:

This constitutes the horizontal stage.

1. “Naming and loving” is an important phase of in the process of group integration. Each group member is actually named and a stream of love is sent from the meditator to each. This is a simple but effective method of achieving loving, lighted group interplay.

2. The simple beauty of this meditation is clear. Each of us can practice this in relation to the groups with which we may be participating.

3. The Sun is the symbol of synthesis, and in this case, it synthesizes the cross (the four corners of the earth). This involves the elements and the deva kingdom.

4. We note that this group process is considered a “horizontal” phase of the work. There is, indeed, a kind of ‘lateral expansiveness’ which can be sensed in terms of the instructions for the second stage.

STAGE THREE. There follows next a careful consideration of group purpose and technique. This technique will be different for each group; by a dynamic, unremitting following of the particular, indicated technique will the results be achieved. This technique must not be changed by anyone except myself.

1. Group purpose was, at this time, rather clear.

2. Group technique was more intricate and had not yet been fully revealed, though a general statement describing each had been given.

3. We note that Master DK is indeed the Director of these groups and responsible for their correct guidance.

Stages I and II should be rapidly effective and almost instantaneous in their results, after three months' careful work has been done. I request that you give careful, patient attention to them so that they develop eventually into stable habits and so give you no trouble and further difficulty. The initial stages in this type of work are of paramount importance.

1. DK works to make the first stages of the meditation routine.

2. Much training had already preceded the giving of this meditation. The meditation represents a stage of consolidation of considerable training.

STAGE FOUR. Having finished the special group work under Stage III, the members of the group will then endeavour to link up with the other groups in the same manner in which they linked up with the members of their own group. In this case, however, disciples will not concern themselves with the personnel of any of the groups, including their own, but only — as a group — link their group with the other groups. Thus the concepts of illusion and of separateness, and the realisation of fusion, will assume correct proportions in your minds.