Question… one of the serious questions is: which rays do
I belong to?
Answer: amongst the many systems to recognize a ray, the safest
one is to observe actions. When we watch a child playing we can recognize his
main characteristics; in the same way if we observe the behavior of a Postulant
we will know his spiritual inclinations (which are the hidden qualities of the
Aspirant). In order to discover a child’s attitude we need the help of a
psycho-therapist and in the same way for an Aspirant’s attitude we need
an Initiate; even better if the latter operates on the ray of Instruction (the
2nd Ray, called Love-Wisdom).
Question. I’ll be more explicit: may I really have been
in contact with the part of me I guess being ‘higher’? ….
Answer: Look, without going into what you by yourself call ‘hypothesis’,
what characterizes the contact with the Higher Ego (but there are several as much
dominating) is, so to speak, a sense of illumination, namely impersonal intelligence.
We can perceive it because we are able to understand the hidden sense of things
that used to express only their exterior meaning. Careful, though, this feeling
can be distorted by enthusiasm and expectations. It is essential, then, the guide
of an elder Brother or Sister, who will help us distinguishing emotional enthusiasms
from true intellectual achievements.
This achievement will be proportional to our expansion of conscience. It follows
the growth of particular intellectual faculties; otherwise it will all stay
in the field of expectation, hope and faith. These elements don’t help
progressing spiritually. Remember that spirit and intelligence are two sides
of the same coin.
Question. The question seems to me of vital importance not only
in the process of self-recognition, as you suggested ….
Answer: if you are referring to the rule: by recognizing you
will be recognized, I meant: when you will recognize your earthly master he will
be able to show himself for what he is, namely your guide. Otherwise, without
reaching a high level of conscience, self-diagnosis (or self-recognition) is impossible.
Therefore we need an earthly master that works as a SPECULUM, which is the mirror
to show us what we can’t see by ourselves, or rather what we prefer not
to see because we don’t like it!
Question. Service is the most difficult subject for me to face,
because it is not about choosing but it is about accepting. And the acceptance
must be joyful, perhaps, when the contact with the Soul will be real and not only
perceived or imagined or desired.
Answer: this statement makes me think of a vision far away from
objective reality. I’ll give you a reference point to make it clearer.
The contact with the soul marks the accomplishment of the 3rd Initiation, so
called Major, where the adept becomes one with the soul. In this fusion (spiritual
communion or celestial wedding), in the contact between soul and personality,
the true Disciple which is the soul and not the personality, appears. Many ignore
that it is not the personality (earthly disciple) that is the true Disciple,
but the soul; only the soul is the (almost) permanent part of the being.
Question. What I’m trying to say is that I understand the
Service is neither chosen according to our taste, nor we decide to face it through
an act of personal will. On the contrary, it should be a natural behavior ….
Answer: we must say that we are called to the true Service.
We are called, or expected, by those who guided or educated us in an initiatory
way; otherwise, even if we are in good faith, it could be an activity only based
on imagination.
Let’s see it in this way.
The guide educates us but then we must see if what we’ve learnt really
‘works’. How do we do this? Through the Service.
The Service, therefore, is the test-bed of the Disciple; at this stage he is
said to be in trial.
If everything ‘squares’ this means Acceptance. Once the tests are
passed, then the Disciple becomes ‘Accepted’.
The Accepted Disciple can (for the first time) approach his Master at any time
he thinks necessary and useful for reasons connected to the Service and Instruction.
Mind you, the Instruction offered by the Master is finalized to the Service,
because the Service is the practical aspect of the Teaching.
The Service is the Instruction that the Master gives his Pupil; it is what the
Pupil will do outside in the name of the teaching. Both aspects undergo the
Law of (cosmic) Economy.
Question. I think the same thing should happen towards the recognition
of the Master. These aspects are certainly inter-dependent with each other. There
as well, though, I can’t record any ‘signs’ of my perception.
Answer: the Master is a real ‘form of thought’, not
an image. A Master is an ‘intelligent form’ and only a suitable form
of intelligence (forma mentis) can be in touch by mutual synchrony (please read
the brief comment on Dharma and intelligence). Looking for him
through perception, sensitivity or feelings doesn’t help.
Perception, sensitivity and feelings can be useful to form the right motivations,
but they are simple emotional tensions and therefore they can’t ‘shape’
a true ‘connection’ (Bridge) with a being of a higher intensity.
It is said that an Accepted Disciple (earthly master) can be the Door to the
Master. It is true. To be able to be guided by an Accepted Disciple means to
be in synchrony with the Master, even if through a third person. If we are in
synchrony with the Accepted Disciple it means that his Master is our Master
as well.
The initiatory Hierarchy is a Brotherly Chain but the image of the Chain is
quite exoterical. I’ll offer you another one, then, which was given to
me a while ago and it’s more suitable to the idea it should suggest.
The Initiate was standing with his arms up towards the sky and slightly spread.
He told me: this is the symbol of the Disciple, a Cup ready to receive and be
filled with the Teaching given to him. He then brought the right arm towards
the ground and said: look, once filled, the Disciple must not hold anything
of what he’s received; in the same way it has been given to him, he must
be ready to offer what he knows to those who follow him and in the same form
he received it.
I think this is a good lesson to show the sense of the White Brotherhood and
the relation between Aspirant and Instructor.
Question. At the moment it seems to me that the wisest attitude
is to work on the daily life, to accept challenges, to use the consciousness experienced
in moments of meditation into everyday life, without setting any specific goals.
Answer: you’ve identified a very important key for those
who ‘knock at the Door’; it is to experiment.
To experiment causes us to make mistakes but it also makes us wise. It is the
only way to recognize the correct proportions of the realities that surround
us and we ourselves contain. For this reason the Postulant is asked to ‘abandon
the world of words’. I’d think about the sense of this advice, which
on the other hand can’t be misunderstood.
Question. When this notorious contact will be steadier, perhaps
many of the above doubts will be clear and the practical way to follow will appear
more definite….
Answer: for the steady contact you are looking for I refer you
to the short article on Dharma and intelligence; this contact is in fact the intuitive
mind. It is an intelligence that on the physical level can be considered a first
spiritual phenomenon.
Question … yet, sometimes, I admit I feel disheartened
….
Answer: this feeling is understandable and natural during the
stage when we ‘look at the sky through the clouds’. Sure, we know
the stars are there, but can we see them, yet…
Question … to transform these depressive tendencies is
a task I’ve been facing for many years, even when I didn’t have any
spiritual interest…
Answer: A Master of the Hierarchy described carefully every symptom
occurring on the Way to Discipleship.
If you will remind me, I will bring back to this List some of the most common
physical and emotional discomforts, such as loneliness, doubt and discouragement.
In actual fact I don’t remember too well all the subjects that the Masters
dealt with. Give me time and I’ll find everything.
Question … the initiation we often talk about which these
works, if I’m not mistaken, should help approaching, is it a specific initiation
(to specify, the first ‘true’ initiation, the third...)?
Answer: I won’t be so conceited to think that the future
words (many, precise, dense and complex) can be considered as an initiatory viaticum.
More realistically, though, I can tell you that they are like lights in an
airport; they show quite safely the (inner) Way that leads to your Master, which
is not necessarily the same for everyone.
Let’s deal with Initiation. It is symptomatic that many Aspirants get
confused between ‘distances and relationships’ (we could study this
statement) and confuse what is close with what is distant since the distant
is present as well. The initiation which the majority of Postulants can aspire
to is the first one. Exceptionally, it can be the Second, but these people will
have an unmistakable and surprising intelligence.
How can we judge straight away a person’s level? First from the questions
he asks and then from the thoughts he expresses.
Where does this priority come from? The reason is that it could be difficult
to express ideas because of lack of dialectic or a cultural gap of the individual;
questions, though, even when they are asked in the wrong way, will still be
deep and intense and this doesn’t depend on a cultural ability but on
the depth of the heart.
Question … Sometimes events and turning points appear like
a kind of summary, sometimes like ‘lessons’, preparatory exercises.
In the past the ability to classify both in a complete evolutionary contest has
not been clear…..
Answer: in order to deal with these matters I think you will
find helpful the chapter about merit and demerit Karma that will be given soon.
It deals with many aspects connected to the subject you mentioned (trials and
lessons).
Only after the (long) treatment of Karma we will be able to consider a practical
method for the building of the Bridge (Antahkarana). Talking about rays, this
method is called Rainbow Bridge (7 rays, 7 energies, 7 sounds,
7 colors and 7 chakras). Can you see the analogy?
Question. One of my difficulties, in conclusion, comes from the
fact that I’m learning how to know the reference system while at the same
time I try to determine my coordinates.
Answer: you will see, when we’ll get to that point (the
Rainbow Bridge, I mean) that many doubts on ‘how’ will dissolve in
the certainty of ‘doing’.
Question. Now I think I’ve taken enough of your patience.
Thank you, as usual, for your attention and sorry if… As usual my best wishes
and a fraternal embrace; if you treat yourself with some rest, have a good time.
Sandra
Dear Sandra,
I am an athlete and what’s more I do 4 specialties. During
the months of July and August the sport activity reaches the top despite the
period of ‘holiday’. I find it ‘relaxing’ following
our mail.
Now I must go and ‘work’ so a fraternal embrace to you too.
Athos.
Esonet’s Editorial Staff
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