INTRODUCTION BY BEN CAMERON

The principal reason for writing this blog is to put in written form the content of some of my public lectures as well as the basic content of my talks to customers and general public that I meet at conferences, psychic fairs and healing festivals. I have spent a considerable amount of time lecturing and teaching, especially during the 1980’s and 1990’s at what was then called the “School of Esoteric Sciences”, later becoming the “Sydney Esoteric Centre” located in Surrey Hills. I also spent many years working in the Sydney Esoteric Bookshop helping it to become one of the best spiritual bookshops in Australia. In my time there I met people from all walks of life and I was able to meet and work with some of the leading lights in the New Age community from Sydney, Australia and other parts of the world. The spiritual world has attracted me since childhood when I had an interest in ghosts, the supernatural, UFO’s, mysteries, the paranormal, astrology, and spiritual philosophy—it was as though I was born to pursue the spiritual life. In high school I would wag school and hang out at the Theosophical bookshop in Perth—I didn’t really understand all that I was reading but I knew there was something that I thought was real —different from what I was learning at school. After meeting Fred Robinson and his UFO group in 1971, when I was seventeen years old, I immediately became a vegetarian, clean living individual who was on a serious, and very “cosmic”, spiritual quest. Over time I went back and forth between a spiritual life and one of hedonism but when a drug and alcohol based illness forced me to heal myself, via fasting and diet, I decided on a cleaner and more wholesome way of life—from then on my life was definitely different. In 1981 I moved to Sydney from Perth and cleaned my act up completely taking up studies in natural medicine, massage, medical astrology, Chinese massage, psychic development, meditation and personal growth. I come from a typically dysfunctional family but with that came a strong interest in left wing politics, environmentalism, humanitarian ideals and public service, all of which persist to this day and I have given my time to both the Labor party in the past and currently the Greens. I keep up to date with the course of current events both locally and throughout the world….from the viewpoints of insiders and whistleblowers as well as from the mainstream media. Environmental problems and solutions, ecology, economics, politics and prophecy are of particular interest to me because the future of the world is in the balance and the repair and rebuilding of earth is of prime importance to us all. My reading was is very widespread and comprehensive and I have attended many conferences, workshops, lectures and public talks on many different topics. I think I am an “input” kind of person! I like to know as much as I can about as many different topics as I can possibly handle at any one time. My principle line of development has been along that of development of the mind and I love to study as well as talking to people about their lives, interests and motivations. I have seen the worst and best in people counting among my friends and acquaintances criminals, drug addicts, and people who were definitely not on a spiritual path of any kind but, I knew that I was always looked after, guided and protected….by what or whom I cannot truly say - only that when my life was genuinely in danger I was assisted, protected shielded, guided and shown the way of escape.

I see spirituality as a way of life and not an optional extra to be indulged in when times get tough and to be put in the background when all is rosy. If my life is anything to go by, persistence, patience, perseverance, pain, and a sense of humour, are the requirements for approaching what might be called God, deity, spirit or whatever you would like to call him, her or it. Without these qualities, which in the end are the working out in everyday life of higher knowledge, our progress is limited and our ability to serve is compromised. We turn and twist, avoid and reject our calling but in the end there is no option but to face the light and go forward or lose our opportunity and return to do it all again When our sight is fixed and focused things then start to fall into place and the protection and guidance I spoke of earlier come into play. It may take a long time to manifest, but it does and will happen. In a sense we have to qualify for the right to access higher knowledge…it is not given out to everyone because of the risk of misuse and exploitation –it has to be earned….. (This must be known and understood).

ALICE A. BAILEY AND THE WISDOM TEACHINGS

Alice A. Bailey was born on the 16th. of July 1880 in Manchester, England. The first 28 years of her life were spent in a relatively “well to do” environment where money was no object. During the course of her life her experiences were many and varied - travel, poverty, loss, failed marriage, hard work, doubt, strong spiritual challenges and, sadness with physical and emotional pain were her constant companions but, an iron will and steadfast and focused determination, pushed her forward to do the work that was her karmic destiny. Despite these physical and emotional limitations, Bailey worked tirelessly for the betterment and welfare of humanity and never ceased in carrying out her karmic mission right up until her death in 1949. Her life is an example for those who, in the modern world, are treading a serious spiritual path. Not all is “light and love” in the emotional sense and a more serious intellectual rigour needs to be applied.

“The Unfinished Autobiography” contains the full story of Alice A Bailey’s life and, as such, is an important teaching on the “way” for the modern new age disciple. Contact with the masters of the race, in particular the “Tibetan” (the master Djwahl Khul), set her apart from the spiritual writers who have come before or since. Alice Bailey’s work developed as a duality – her discipleship service to her own master, Koot Hoomi, which included the establishment of the Arcane School; and her initially reluctant agreement to work with the Tibetan (D.K.) in the writing of a series of books presenting the next phase in the continuity of the Ageless Wisdom teaching for the present and, immediate future. Thirty years work was planned and within 30 days after that period had finished, Mrs. Bailey obtained her release from the limitations of the physical vehicle. The depth and breadth of the resultant body of work stands the test of time and is destined to carry us through to the year 2025. Bailey’s work has influenced many modern writers such as Alan Oken, David Tansley, Piero Ferruci, Roberto Assagioli Torkom Saradarian and especially in the fields of psychology, astrology, healing, and conflict resolution. One of the principal reasons for the writing of this book is not to expand on, or reinterpret, the works of Alice A. Bailey and the Tibetan Master Djwahl Khul, but more to create interest in the 24 volumes of writings that are possibly the most important spiritual writings available today. There are many who are interpreting these works and some who are supposedly “channeling” the Tibetan, (the master Djwahl Khul or D.K.) but, I would prefer to try and inspire the reader to go to the source and ascertain for themselves the authenticity of the material before being influenced by contemporary writers on esoteric philosophy. In fact I will go right out on a limb and say that much of the channeled material that purports to be from the Ascended Masters is spurious, misleading and erroneous. This is not a statement made lightly and it requires the reader to investigate with an open mind and with a desire for the truth, no matter what the impact on one’s established lines of thought, the writings of Alice A. Bailey and compare them to other writings that claim to be from “Ascended Masters” - in other words, cross reference and look for proof.

It is intended that the serious student of esoteric teachings apply what they learn to other areas of their lives and establish a relationship between the inner and outer workings of life – the intention is to create an integrated and synthetic perspective revealing the intricate connections between all aspects of our civilization including science, the arts, politics, healing, good government, sound social programs, the environment, and education; all is relationship from the highest to the lowest and from the infinite to the finite. Alice A.Bailey’s writings are perhaps the only spiritual knowledge that is so broad in its approach and able to unite the many and varied fields of service work available to us. This path is there for the open minded, serious student of the truth and, for those with open hearts and a desire to serve the planet, it’s inhabitants and, all of God’s creation.

I have arranged the books in a certain order for study, which, along with the complete listing of titles, can be found in the back of this volume. It is hoped that all interested seekers read some of the titles and adds the knowledge to their spiritual repertoire, passing on this information to the others they meet along the way. This is by no means meant to be an evangelical mission to convert the “heathens” or to create followers or cultists but to help people to become independent, questioning thinkers with a deeper sense of spirituality, so, beware of those individuals who claim exclusive ownership of knowledge that requires complete and blind obedience to some individual or organization in order to gain access to truth – in many cases only corruption, limitation and negativity is available to the seeker. Alice Bailey’s books indicate the path of the modern occultist – someone who, despite the rigours of everyday life, remains focused toward their soul and the needs of their fellow humanity.

The New Age disciple will have family, jobs, responsibilities, and perhaps power and, authority, but will respond to the true spiritual directives of the soul and apply the knowledge gained to the best of their abilities in whatever environment they are placed. The “saviour complex” is not recommended but a more quiet, measured, and an unobtrusive meeting of the needs of the world. Don’t follow anyone or believe anything, unless from the level of the soul there is a directive to do otherwise. True spiritual wisdom comes in many forms and from different sources so work things out for yourself, trust your intuitive and intellectual capabilities and be ready to change your old way of thinking if you access new and different information. Remember– the soul is your internal guru and teacher and it is the source of “in-tuition”. The planet is undergoing unprecedented change which is in line with spiritual karma and it is imperative for everyone to find a spiritual basis to their lives, not ultimately for selfish gain, but to create a sense of group awareness and consciousness that will be the saviour of the race - Christ consciousness. I hope that I am able to inspire the weary traveler, as well as those who are ready to put their first footstep on the path of return, hopefully helping to save time and energy in the process. I will cover certain topics within this volume but it is done in the knowledge that Alice Bailey’s books provide the real basis and all I am trying to do is alert as many people as possible to the presence of these writings and, hopefully, creating an intense interest in, and attraction for, the truth, speeding up the evolutionary process for individuals, groups and humanity as a whole. I play my role as a fellow student and traveller.

The Ancient Mysteries - “The Golden Thread”

D.K.; The Wisdom Teachings were originally given to humanity by the hierarchy and were in their turn – received by the hierarchy from the Great White Lodge on Sirius. They contain the clue to the evolutionary process, hidden in numbers and words; they veil the secret of man’s origins and destiny. They provide also, when rightly interpreted and correctly presented, the teaching which humanity needs in order to progress from darkness to light and from death to immortality. The mysteries will be restored in different ways for they contain much besides that which the Masonic rituals and religious rituals can disclose; they contain within their teachings and formulas the key to the science that will unlock the mystery of electricity. The mysteries are in reality the true source of revelation, and it can only be when the mind and the will to good are closely blended and, conditioning human behaviour, that the extent of the coming revelation will be grasped, for only then can humanity be trusted with these secrets. They concern those capacities that enable the members of the Hierarchy to work consciously with the energies of the planet. They will put the ordinary psychic powers in their rightful place and guide humanity to their helpful usage. The mysteries will restore colour and music to their correct and rightful place in the world and bring to light the true healing capacities that we are only just beginning to understand. The nature of religion, the purpose of science, and the goal of education will be understood – they are not what we think that they are. The ground is being prepared for this great restoration. The Mysteries are revealed, not primarily by the reception of information about them and their processes, but by the action of certain processes carried out within the etheric body of the disciple. These enable the knowledge of that which is hidden and they put us in possession of a mechanism of revelation and make us aware of certain radiatory and magnetic powers or energies within ourselves and these constitute channels of activity and modes whereby we may acquire that which is the privilege of the initiate to own and use.

“That which is mystery shall no longer be so, and that which has been veiled will now be revealed; that which has been withdrawn will emerge in the light and all men will see, and together they shall rejoice. That time will come when desolation has wrought its beneficent work, when all things have been destroyed, and men, through suffering, have sought to be impressed by that which they have discarded in vain pursuit of that which was near at hand and of easy attainment. Possessed it proved to be an agency of death – yet men sought life, not death” ……...From the “Old Commentary”.

To increase your understanding of the spiritual path look at the origins of modern spirituality. Study Buddhism, early Christianity, alchemy, hermetics and sacred geometry and groups such as the Rosicrucians, Masons, Knights Templar, Gnostics, Golden Dawn and the Theosophical Society and look at the lives of the great teachers such as Jesus, Helena Blavatsky, Appolonius of Tyana, Hermes, Pythagoras, Nostradamus, Rudolf Steiner, Shankaracharya, Milarepa, The Buddha, and Plotinus to name just a few. The Theosophical Society has published good books on the masters and their lives but, some of the modern books on the masters, Hierarchy and archangels are not at all useful when it comes to this topic so they are better avoided. Learn to see relationships between the past and the present as well as how distortions exist within many spiritual teachings and that to have a complete understanding requires a broad knowledge so as to ascertain the relative merits of any teaching or teacher. I think that the success of the “DaVinci Code” indicates that there is an intuitive knowing as to the reality or otherwise of the gospels, Christianity, and the life of Jesus. This is the “esoteric”, “occult” or hidden teaching that will expand into the public domain in such an obvious way that what we now know as the “Christian religion” will disappear and be replaced by a truth based spirituality. In my time as a bookseller I have always felt that any book, such as the DaVinci indicates that there is an intuitive knowing as to the reality or otherwise of the gospels, Christianity, and the life of Jesus. This is the “esoteric”, “occult” or hidden teaching that will expand into the public domain in such an obvious way that what we now know as the Christian religion will disappear and be replaced by a truth based spirituality. In my time as a bookseller I have always felt that any book, such as the Davinci Code, Celestine Prophecy, Conversations With God, that had a runaway success, always had some level of truth at its base or at its core and this was recognized intuitively by the general public even if the total picture was not seen. A book such as this that upsets and challenges the established religious hierarchy is a good thing and perhaps, could be symbolic of the impending end of established religious institutions.

It has been quite amazing to see the knowledge and information from such people as Sir Laurence Gardner in his book “Bloodline of the Holy Grail” and also in “Holy Blood, Holy Grail” by Baigent and Leigh, plus, the many books on the origins of Christianity and the Gnostics, becoming quite commonplace within the community as a whole and not just in the spiritual environment - truth is placed front and centre so that we can see something that normally we would not be exposed to. The “Golden Thread” is the continuous age old teaching lying behind all major religions and philosophies and manifesting as new teachings that revolutionize consciousness in such a way that it causes upheaval, turbulence, and cathartic change. When a new dispensation appeared there was usually hostile reception waiting for it and the teachers, such as Jesus, suffered primarily because what they taught was new and confronting and came into existence to bring about the end of the established order. This established order is represented today by much of mainstream religions, nationalistic and racial groupings, nature based religious teachings, and much of the animistic and shamanistic traditions. Remember that Jesus was in conflict with people who thought that they knew all there was to know about religion, spirituality and the Messiah - much like the religious establishments of today. The new spirituality will confront all that has come before…make no mistake ...we are in for huge and all encompassing change. We will keep all that is needed from past traditions and all the rest will go for everything evolves and any attempt to halt that process is fraught with danger…energy always follows the line of least resistance and any resistance results in a build up of heat and energy with the resultant destruction of that which provides the resistance.

There is a lineage and progression of teachers and teachings that is written in the history of civilization and it documents the spiritual evolution of humanity, our planet and all life forms - some of that history is still secret but much is available to the serious student of the true Mysteries and more is being revealed as time goes on. The esoteric path is one of seeing the hidden or occult aspect of religious and spiritual teachings which lies behind the external or exoteric side of these spiritual philosophies - it is the “Golden Thread”. Ultimately there is no true separation between the major religions because behind the outer manifestations and regalia the message at their heart is the same although they also represent different evolutionary stages and come into existence to anchor on the physical plane certain and distinct kinds of energies. Different members of the Hierarchy have reincarnated as the central figures of religions, philosophies and doctrines so that there is a continuity of presence and their influence has been profound in the course of history through all ages.

“The Golden Thread” by Natalie Banks is a very concise and readable book for an overview of the evolution of the Wisdom teachings. “The Secret Teachings of All Ages” by Manly Palmer Hall is also a valuable, serious and highly respected volume .covering all the major mystery schools and their teachings. H.P. Blavatsky has presented a huge body of work by way of “Isis Unveiled” and “The Secret Doctrine”.

Teachers of the Race - The Spiritual Brotherhood

One thing humanity will learn is of the existence of a governing body of enlightened beings who, with the assistance of humanity, influence the destiny of the planet and all life. Most, if not all, races and societies have had their stories and myths of teachers, saviours, guides, superbeings and gods who inhabited a secret spiritual realm and aided their followers only after prayer, invocation, ritual, purification, abstinence or perhaps even sacrifice. Superstition and folklore will give way to conscious recognition, cooperation and contact with the spiritual Hierarchy of the planet. Much has been written about Ascended Masters and the White Brotherhood and much has been erroneous, misinterpreted, half-true, or exaggerated. Bailey’s books along with those of H.P. Blavatsky and other Theosophical writers are the closest to the truth and they provide the best and most serious knowledge available.

D.K.; The Brotherhood is a community of souls who are swept by the desire to serve, urged by a spontaneous impulse to love, illumined by one pure Light, devotedly fused and blended into groups of serving Minds, and energized by one life. Its members are organized to further the Plan, which they consciously contact and with which they deliberately cooperate. The Hierarchy of Illumined Minds is a group whose telepathic powers enable them to be sensitive to the mind currents and to register the thoughts of those who personify the mind of God, (the universal mind) and to register the thought forms of those who are as far beyond the Hierarchy of Masters as They, in their turn, are beyond the disciples of the world.The Hierarchy works constantly at the task of awakening the consciousness aspect in all forms, so that it is awakened, expanded and intelligently employed. It directs world events, as far as mankind will permit (for free will and free decision of mankind may not be ignored), so that the unfolding consciousness may express itself through developing and adequate social, political, religious, and economic world forms. They give direction; They throw light; They impress those who are in contact with Them, and through the inflow of ideas and through revelation They definitely influence the tide of human affairs. The Hierarchy directs and controls, more than is realized, the unfolding cyclic cultures and their resultant civilizations. These can then provide adequate forms, temporarily useful for the emerging soul of humanity. The format of cultures and civilizations receives special attention. The Hierarchy receives that esoteric “ Fire of God” which brings to an end cycles, ideologies, organizations, and civilizations, when due and right time comes. This they do in order to make place for that which is better and which will be more adequate and not limiting to the awakening consciousness and emerging life. What in the last analysis is this Hierarchy? It is a great salvaging corps of dedicated, liberated units of life, working in group formation with all forms and lives in all kingdoms, and with all souls particularly. As the Hierarchy so works, its emphasis is solely on the consciousness aspect of all forms; its present agency of salvage and of service is the mind, as it expresses itself through the minds of all humanitarians, all aspirants, all disciples, and of all initiates; the Hierarchy also can express itself through the medium of thought currents and ideas and through them impose its Hierarchical concepts upon the embryonic minds of the general and average public; It also directs the educational work of all nations, so that the undeveloped mass can become – in due turn – the intelligent general public. Platitudinously, the aspirant is told that “when the pupil is ready the Master will appear” He then settles comfortably back and waits, or focuses his attention upon an attempt to attract the attention of some Master, having apparently settled in his mind that he is ready, or good enough. He naturally gives himself a spiritual prod at intervals, and attends spasmodically to the work of discipline and of purification. Steady, prolonged and undeviating effort on the part of aspirants is rare indeed. It is indeed true that at the right moment the Master will appear, but the right moment is contingent upon certain self–induced conditions. When purification has become a life long habit, when the aspirant can, at will, concentrate his consciousness in the head, when the light in the head shines forth, and the centers are active then the master will take the seeker in hand. In the meantime he may have a vision of the master, and may get much real good and inspiration from the contact with the reflected reality, but it is not the Master, and does not indicate the stage of accepted discipleship. Through the medium of the soul, the soul can be known. Therefore seek the light of your own soul, and know that soul as your director. When soul contact is established, your own soul will, if I may so express it introduce you to your master. With all due reverence, again may I add, that the Master waits not with eagerness to make your acquaintance. In the world of souls, your soul and His are allied, and know essential unity. But in the world of human affairs and in the process of the Great Work, it should be remembered that when a master takes an aspirant into His group of disciples, that aspirant is, for a long time, a liability, and often a hindrance. Students over estimate themselves quite often, even when repudiating such an idea; subjectively they have a real liking for themselves, and are frequently puzzled as to why the Great Ones give them no sign, nor indicate Their watching care. They will not and they need not until such time as the aspirant has used to the full, the knowledge that they have gained from lesser teachers, and from books and printed scriptures of the world. Students must attend to the immediate duty, and prepare their mechanisms for service in the world, and they should desist from wasting time and looking for a Master; they should achieve mastery where they are now defeated, and in the life of service and of struggle, they may then reach the point of such complete self forgetfulness that the Master may find no hindrance in His approach to them.

The “Reappearance of the Christ” and the “Externalization of the Hierarchy” by the Tibetan are well worth reading to further the readers knowledge of the Masters of wisdom and the Hierarchy and read anything you can find on the great teachers such as Milarepa, Pythagoras, Count St. Germain, Appolonius of Tyana, Shankaracharya, Christian Rosenkreutz, the disciples of Jesus and Jesus himself to name just a few. Look for quality historical material and not the so called “channeled” information.

INTENTION, CHOICE AND RESPONSIBILITY

Intention, Choice, and Responsibility

We will learn as time goes on the role we play in creating our own future and ultimately that of our planet. We are conditioned to believe that everything that happens to us is by chance, bad luck or accident so that we think we are powerless and no matter what we do there is always the chance that disaster will strike and destroy us or at least make our life difficult in some way. Insecurity, loneliness, depression, sadness, grief, despair and fear are commonplace today because of this presumed powerlessness - the antidote for which is creativity, confidence and optimism but, how do we attain these attributes without developing an ungrounded and unrealistic approach to life? We must recognize that the source of our pain and our pleasure is determined by where we place our intent and upon the choices that we have made. These attitudes in my case have been determined by personal experience and application in real life. Anything that happens to me is not dependent on the stars, numbers, chance, God, angels or anything else - I am responsible for everything that happens - the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between The immediate response of people is to say “I didn’t make all those bad things happen, it was an accident, it was someone else’s fault, I’m powerless, I’m a victim etc.” When we think in this way, our power is given away and we lose the ability to influence events in a conscious way. The universe proceeds under law and order so this must be show itself in all areas of creation - all is consciousness. To become fully conscious we must realize that we are an integral part of that law and every effect has a cause - and that cause may be karmic, from the mind or emotions, or perhaps a choice that was made from the soul , the personality, the subconscious or unconscious. Look at anything that happens in your life as a result of your intention misplaced or otherwise and there will be no excuses, shame, blame or guilt. See others in the same light and see their responsibility for their own life and that judgement and criticism are unnecessary.

As we pursue our spiritual goals there comes a time when free will must give way to spiritual will - self- centredness must give way to inclusiveness, personality consciousness to soul awareness. This is the journey from unconsciousness to consciousness. With the increased light comes increased responsibility - our personal desires, ambitions and needs are moved to the background and our life is lived in the realm of causes rather than the world of effects - we become an agent of change and influence - a life lived with purpose. I think that another aspect to this is living our lives with dynamic purpose - with an attitude of detachment and stillness. Esoterically this would be seen as “the mind held steady in the light.” This is where the mind, emotions and physical body are stilled so that the soul can impress itself upon the brain and the mental body and a true knowing is available That knowledge is based in truth to the disciple.. My personal process of consciously taking responsibility for everything in my life was an incredible experience. It was freeing, liberating, and I felt it throughout my body as a subtle energy flow shifting and changing my mental, emotional and physical constitution. What followed was a reliving of many of the times in my life when I had peak experiences which was uplifting, calming, joyful and gave me and a very strong sense of oneness and connection. Responsibility has a negative connotation in most peoples minds almost like a weight on our shoulders so it is wise to create another perspective that is one of acceptance accompanied by awareness of our ability to influence events by way of our ownership of our attributes as well as faults.

I think the biggest issue for people is that of “control”. Many of us are “control freaks” and we are being controlled, trying to control or losing control. It is imperative that we let go of all these notions so that we become free and allow all others the same freedom. If we are truly to live in the “now” then we must realize that controlling anything is not possible - I like the phrase “let go and let God”.

The Secret

There has been some talk lately about “The Secret”. Its not really a secret because the law of attraction has been known by many people for a long time. If there is any kind of secret it is this; enlightenment and higher consciousness are ultimately the sources of happiness, prosperity and freedom. This is achieved by having a fluid, open and awakened mind, utilizing the intellect, thinking logically and sequentially as well as stilling the emotions and the psychic nature so that we don’t react in an emotional and personal way - don’t take things personally. Take complete personal responsibility for everything in your life. Give from your heart to all with no thought of repayment. Let go of fear, hate, selfishness, criticism, judgement, prejudice, jealousy, spite, victimization, control, self loathing, self centredness, and develop the virtues of generosity, selflessness, love, goodwill, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, justice, fairness, kindness, and charity. Do all these things without demand, expectation of reward, self congratulation, or pride and see what happens. From my personal experience a whole new world opens up and our old ways of viewing the world are transformed and a sense of connection, wonder and oneness becomes the normal state of being. So when anyone tells you they know “the secret” they may be telling you the truth but know that the real secret lies in your own heart. We all have a definite and important role to play in the creation of a new and better world - and we can serve from wherever we are at this very moment in space and time irrespective of whether we feel we have the capabilities or not - this is no secret.

THE TRUTH ABOUT ANGELS

The Truth About Angels

I think there would be very few of us who have not heard of angels, or have read about them or perhaps even attended lectures and conferences. From my perspective I see very little real knowledge available to the general public along with the presence of a certain amount of sensationalism and simplistic information. There is a reality but it has been submerged by a tidal wave of half truths, illusion, and well intentioned but misguided teachings regarding the angelic kingdom and other inhabitants of the subjective realms. The angelic kingdom exists as a parallel stream of evolution running along side that of humanity with a structure that mirrors that of the Spiritual Hierarchy. This is represented best by Kabbalistic teachings that show different levels and grades as well as different functions for the various groupings of angels with one half on an evolutionary path and the other on the involutionary path. At this stage of our development, because of the inherent dangers, contact between humans and the angelic kingdom is limited although their influence is felt throughout the human kingdom and through all kingdoms in nature. Every society in history has had as a part of its teachings references to beings who are not human but are still influential in the affairs of society. They were called Djinn, Gnomes, Fairies, Sprites, Trolls, Leprechauns, and many other names by different civilizations in different ages. The word “deva” is Sanskrit for “being of light” and is one of the more commonly used terms for describing members of the angelic kingdom.

The western magic tradition works with invoking members of the involutionary or elemental forms and for most people great danger lies in this practice. We are warned to avoid contact with this stream of life because of the destructive capabilities that can be unleashed by the ignorant, selfish and evil practitioners of ritual and black magic who work for selfish and materialistic purpose. Be under no illusion as to the extreme danger presented by premature contact with the elemental kingdom – avoid the darkness and work with the light. It is better to focus on the healing side of “the realm of angels” and the development of a cooperative attitude that will result in evolutionary progress for angels and humans alike. It is an interdependent relationship that has existed since the dawn of time but, as we develop and evolve, there is a drawing together of the subjective world and the objective world – the closer we draw the greater the capabilities for the healing and regeneration of the planet – all forms in existence are made from angelic essence – we are made from angelic substance. Devas “see” sound and “hear” colour and respond to ritual processes.

The Theosophical Society author Geoffrey Hodson has written the books that are possibly the most important in the field and, with the help of artists, he has been able to graphically present his intuitive visions of the greater and lesser devas. His work is largely unrecognized but, of all the works on this topic that exist, his are the deepest and most serious to be found – this is why Hodson’s writings are largely unknown but lie at the heart of all contemporary sources of information on the topic. “Kingdom of the Gods”, “Fairies at Work and Play”, “Clairvoyant Investigations”, and are some of his more important books. The Findhorn community in Scotland via one of its founders Eileen Caddy, was one of the best sources for contemporary and practical knowledge regarding angels which was then built upon by people such as Machaelle Small Wright and her work at Perelandra. Again these explorers are virtually unknown compared to the likes of Doreen Virtue and Sylvia Brown and their overly simple but, commercially successful, brand of New Age mainstream thought. Their books serve as an introduction to the topic but they are extremely limited in what they are able to convey as to the reality of the world of angels.

Working consciously with the Deva kingdom will eventually become the science of the future combining the reality of the spiritual world with that of the phenomenal world.

One of the best books on the angelic realm is “Devas and Men” (a compilation of Theosophical studies on the angelic kingdom) This is a rare volume.

THE NATURE OF EVIL

Nature of Evil - Black vs White vs Grey

Possibly the most sensitive and perhaps most controversial topic is that regarding what may be termed “evil”. Many say that there is no such thing and, at the same time, organized religions focus excessively on the shadow side with attendant guilt, shame and persecution. Another way of looking at this is to think in terms of the concept of the “shadow” as it is called in psychology. I do this because there is often a strong reaction from many people who do not want to think there is something that could possibly be so negative, but this is a dualistic planet so for every source of light there is a counterpoint. Some authors in the contemporary new age field have dealt with this challenge and one is Scott Peck with his book “People of the Lie” and there are some indicators given in the “10th Insight” by James Redfield, but references are few and far between. At some stage we will have to address this issue simply because it is there and unavoidable. As the light intensifies so the shadow cast by the material world will be more defined and the greater the distinction between dark and light. We have been mislead as to the source of evil with Christianity claiming Satan or the devil or the Antichrist as origin of darkness but these images were created well after the time of Jesus and in fact are distortions of reality and mislead the followers of the Christian teachings. At the same time our understanding of evil has been conditioned by these images along with the modern media and entertainment industry amplifying the fear surrounding our perceptions of darkness with films such as The Omen, The Excorcist, and most of the shock/horror film genre. Always keep in mind that our belief systems are not always based in fact so don’t be disappointed if when truth is revealed things are not what they seem to be. “….every good deed transforms some particle of chaos . Each kind action is a burning away of chaos.” But also “...each good deed attracts the fury of the dark ones. Timid souls will probably wish to refrain from performing good deeds for safety’s sake, and there are many such people who for this reason refuse to be compassionate. They have extinguished their fires and merged with the darkness...The great Pilgrim taught the love of goodness, but his teaching was greatly distorted. Even His simplest words could not save the Teaching, for people found ways to interpret Truth for their own profit. The expulsion of the merchants from the temple is a symbolic warning, and the temple should be understood as the human spirit from which the mercenary thought must be ejected. No one can forbid the exchange of daily necessities, but merchants must attend to their business with enlightened hearts. Even the basic elements of life can be spiritualised….Be not frightened by even the most awful grimace of evil, for our main task is to increase the reservoir of goodness….Persecution pursues a great teacher like dust after a horseman...The persecutors of the Teachings of Light inflict harm consciously as well as unconsciously, and grow increasingly furious as, as against their will, they are magnetically drawn to the Teaching...examples of this madness can be seen in various eras, and when these persecutors are asked what causes their fury and makes them attack the Teaching that they hate so persistently, the answer is almost always the same - they are unable to stop their attacks. Such lack of self-control indicates obsession” . “Evil (or the counter forces of material expression) requires good (or the unfolding essential truth) in order to exist but the reverse is not so. It is the reactionary energy of resistance to the inevitable but refuses to realize that it only exists through its relationship with goodness, truth or the essential reality. Hence evil is magnetically drawn to to what is good. It has no independent existence.” - Sydney Goodwill Newsletter - October 2006. . D.K.; “Evil” or “wrong” exists only when the emphasis is retained in the wrong aspect from the point of view of the unfoldment attained, or when that which has been used and developed to the necessary point, holds the life or consciousness too long. Hence, the beneficent nature of death. The forces of darkness are powerful energies, working to preserve that which is ancient and material; hence they are pre-eminently the forces of crystallization, of form preservation, of the attractiveness of matter, and of the lure of that which is existent in the form life of the three worlds. They consequently block deliberately the inflow of that which is new and life giving. They endeavour to preserve that which is familiar and old, to counteract the effects of the oncoming culture and civilization, to bring blindness to the peoples and to feed steadily the existing fires of hate, of separateness, of criticism and of cruelty. These forces as far as the intelligent peoples of the world are concerned, work insidiously and cloak their effort in fair words, leading even disciples to express hatred of persons and ideologies, fostering the hidden words of hatred found in many human beings. They fan to fury the fear and hate of the world in an effort to preserve that which is old, and make the unknown appear undesirable, and they hold back the forces of evolution and of progress for their own ends. Nation is still pitted against nation in the political arena, group against group and (within nations) party against party, and man against man. The wise and the far seeing, those prompted by a sane and unselfish common sense, the idealist and the men and women of goodwill, are everywhere and are struggling to find a solution, to build a new world structure of law, order and peace, which will ensure right human relations; but they are in turn, a tiny minority in comparison to the vast multitude of human beings peopling our earth; their task is hard and from the point at which they must work, appears to them at times presenting well nigh insuperable difficulties. Certain questions inevitable arise in the minds of the men and women of goodwill everywhere: Can the great powers be trusted to function selflessly in the interests of the little powers and of humanity as a whole? Can power politics and the various national imperialisms be forgotten and ended? Can a world policy be devised which will insure justice for all, whether great or small? Can world opinion be sufficiently strong in the interests of right human relations, that it can tie the hands of the selfishly aggressive, and open the door of opportunity to those who have as yet had little? Is the hope of establishing an era of right human relations within nations as well as internationally, an impossible dream, a waste of time to consider, or evidence only of wishful thinking?

Does the goal of right human relations, equal rights and opportunity for all people everywhere, provide an entirely possible goal for which all well intentioned people can work with some hope of success? What are the first steps which should be taken to promote such right endeavours, and to lay a secure foundation of World Goodwill? How can public opinion be sufficiently aroused so that the many steps to promote right human relations will be faced by legislators and politicians everywhere? What should minorities do in order to gain their just demands, without promoting more differences and feeding the fires of hatred? How can we abolish the great lines of demarcation between races, nations and groups, and the cleavages that are to be found everywhere, working in such a manner that the “one humanity” emerges in the world of human affairs? How can we develop the consciousness that what is good for the part is good for the whole, and that the highest good of the unit within the whole guarantees the good of the whole? These and many other questions arise and clamour for an answer. The answer comes in the form of a generally accepted platitude and is unfortunately in the nature of an anti climax; Establish right human relations by developing a spirit of goodwill. Then and only then shall we have a world at peace and ready to move forward into a new and better era. It is important for the modern spiritual searcher to understand that spirituality encompasses all areas of human activity and the future of humanity depends on the creation of a new world on all levels – not just the personal. Our own immediate spiritual endeavours are not important in as much that if the world perishes - we perish along with it.

DREAMS AND DREAMING

Dreams - The Language of the Soul

Have you ever been told to stop being such a dreamer, get your feet back on the ground, get real, be practical etc. Do you discuss your dreams with others and do you do ask others about theirs? Dreams are somewhat of a “no go zone” for the modern westerner except for many of those on a spiritual path or undergoing psychological counselling. Correct recording and accurate interpretation of dreams can be one of the most important teaching/learning methods for us and speed our spiritual development, showing us where we are on the spiritual path. Even if we haven’t done a lot of work, or shown much interest in things spiritual, dreams will appear in our consciousness to help direct and move us forward. Lets assume, for arguments sake, that dreams are as real as any waking experience and there is in fact no separation between the activities of the real world and the events of our dreamworld. Dreams show us, in symbolic form, all the different “personalities” and sub personalities that interact within us and make up our total self. When people went to the famous psychic Edgar Cayce to have their dreams interpreted he would invariably tell them that the horrible negative person or image that appeared in a dream was in fact themselves.or as Carl Jung put it “the shadow self”. Cayce would say “you meet yourself” to the client and he would explain that an aspect of the person’s own personality was being shown as a way to remedy personality faults and help that person to make spiritual progress by recognizing barriers and hindrances to achieving a higher level of consciousness. . In most, if not all societies through the ages, dreams have always been an important part of everyday life and were accorded great importance by the elders and religious hierarchies. Dreams were seen as a way of seeing in to the future, healing, communing with ancestors, gaining insight into the solutions for problems, and revealing spiritual truths. Dream temples were built so that the ill and infirm were able to seek healing via the dreams of the temple’s priests and priestesses who used dream incubation techniques to access knowledge not readily available in the waking state. Apart from psychologists (possibly only those who have a Jungian training) and therapists, very little attention is paid to dreams and their meanings so that they are relegated to the background in our present society which makes it possibly the first to do so, with the result that we lose many opportunities to progress spiritually as individuals and as a group. A recent (August 2006) study in Germany looked at “lucid dreaming” (conscious participation in dreaming) as a way of learning and practicing skills and the results showed that those who consciously practiced their motor skills while asleep improved and performed better than the groups who only practiced while awake or who didn’t practice at all. Indigenous peoples lived in a world that was a continuous spiritual process with symbols, guides and directions seen in all areas of life. For us dreams are the most obvious and, perhaps the only guide, that we have that come from somewhere different to the normal, everyday life processes. When we are dreaming we process the events of the day, we undergo psychological, emotional and spiritual healing, it is the same as working through and, processing experiences on the physical plane.

Dream interpretation has many levels, much like any spiritual text (the Bible has at least 7 levels of interpretation ) so learning symbolism, mythology, numerology, tarot and astrology is advisable. A basic familiarity is all that is required at first so that when numbers, glyphs, symbols, words and phrases appear, we may be able to determine whether a dream is a communication from our soul, astral body or from the mundane world. A dream which may look as if it is not very important but in fact may carry important messages not readily recognizable to the untrained spiritual eye. Our soul is always attempting to impact upon our consciousness and during the course of our busy lives there is often very little recognition of this process. Opportunities for spiritual progress are lost to the constant demands of life but, when we are asleep and traveling in the next dimension in our astral body, we are unimpeded by our physical bodies. It is in this state, when our analytical mind is disengaged, that the soul can impress on our consciousness that which is unlikely to be comprehended in our waking state.

In talking to many people about their dreams I have heard amazing tales of extremely powerful and high level enlightenment experiences that are beyond the comprehension of most people. These experiences are available to all people of all backgrounds, ages, and spiritual persuasions. They come unasked for, unannounced, they can be a isolated episodes or repeat for years - inspiring, confusing, energizing, frightening or perhaps jolting us out of our slumber and apathy. When I have given up hope and been ready to throw in the towel and call it quits, a dream that is so inspiring, uplifting and awe inspiring has been given to me and I am led into a new area of consciousness. At the same time my dreams have given me confidence, inspiration and hope….dreams have been like my own personal guru showing me the meanings of spiritual texts, guidance for study, indicating my level of spiritual development, as well as direct esoteric teachings on astrology, numerology, alchemy, symbology, and prophecy. I have met high level teachers or perhaps their astral reflection, I have traveled through space, battled the forces of evil, I have been psychicallv attacked, contacted pure darkness, pure light, had my centres (chakras) energized, seen the future and the past as a participant and as a viewer, I have been healed and much more. All of this has been going on my whole life - as far back as my memory will allow.

There are many dream books available out there but very few actually give you the most important and deepest meanings of your dreams. The symbolism is at once universal and archetypal but at the same time it is relative to the individual and their point of evolution – it is therefore not always possible to give the same meaning to the same dream image experienced by different people. One task I have set myself is to write an esoteric dream dictionary because I had a dream in which I shown a book called “Alice Bailey’s Dream interpretation Book”. My aim is to create a reference work that is specifically related to soul inspired dreams. The best book on dreaming that I have read is ”Dreamwork For the Soul” by Rosemary Guiley. Any of Carl Jung’s work is enormously interesting and relevant also.

Prophecy, Vision, and the Akashic Records

D.K.; One of the first things that the aspirant has to learn is to dissociate his own aura in the emotional sense from that of his surroundings and much time is expended in learning to do this. It is for this reason that one of the first requirements of discipleship is discrimination for it is through the use of the mind , as analyzer and separator, that the astral body is brought under control. Secondly, the astral plane is the plane of illusion, of glamour, and a distorted presentation of reality. The reason for this is that every individual in the world is busy working in astral matter, and the potency of human desire produces that constant “outpicturing” and form building which leads to the most concrete effects of astral matter. Individual desire, national desire, racial desire, desire of all subhuman lives causes a constant changing and shifting of the substances of the plane; there is a building of the temporary forms, some of rare beauty, some of no beauty, and a vitalizing by the astral energy of its creator. Add to these forms that persistent and steadily growing scenario we call the “Akashic Records” which concern the emotional history of the past, add the activities of the disincarnate lives which are passing through the astral plane, either out of or towards incarnation, add the potent desire, purified and intelligent, of all superhuman lives, including those of the occult planetary Hierarchy, and the sum total is stupendous. All play upon, around and through every human being and according to the calibre of the physical body and the condition of the centers will be the response. The akashic record is like an immense photographic film registering all the desires and earth experiences of our planet. Those who perceive will see pictured thereon: The life experiences of every human being since time began. The reactions to experience of the entire animal kingdom. The aggregation of the thought-forms of a kamic nature (based on desire) of every human unit through time. Herein lies the great deception of the records. Only a trained occultist can distinguish between the actual experiences and those astral pictures created by desire and imagination. The planetary “Dweller on the Threshold” with all that appertains to that term and all the aggregations of forms which are to be found in that environment. The trained seer has learnt to dissociate that which pertains to their own aura and the aura of the planet (which is in actuality the akashic record). They can distinguish between those records which are: a. planetary, b. Hierarchical or pertaining to the work of the 12 Creative Hierarchies as they bring to concretion the plan of the Logos. c. Imaginative forms, the result of the desire thought activity of the myriads of people, animated by desire for some form of experience or another. d. The historical record pertaining to races, nations, groups and families in their two great divisions on the physical plane and on the astral. It should always be borne in mind that every human belongs to a physical family which constitutes a link to the animal kingdom, and also belongs to an astral family. Through that affiliation on the upward arc he is linked with his egoic group and on the downward arc with the vegetable kingdom. e. The astrological record, or the forms taken on the astral plane under the influences of the planetary forces. These are in two great groups: 1. Those forms or pictures n the “akasha” produced by the inflow of solar force via the planets. 2. Those forms or pictures which are produced by the inflow of cosmic force from one or other of the signs of the zodiac, that is, from their corresponding constellations. These points are enumerated to show how impossible it is that the majority of the claims regarding past lives can be true. They are the result of vivid imagination and the assumptions that the flashes of astral sight, which reveal glimpses of the akashic film, give that which pertains to the one who sees. This is not the case any more than the people and activities seen out of any window in any big city reveal to the onlooker his own relatives, friends and pursuits.

THE QUESTION OF CHANNELLING

To Channel or Not to Channel - (Dynamics of the psychic world)

One of the main sources of inspirational literature is the channeled book and some of the best sellers in the new age field are channeled writings and some of the best known individuals are those who talk with spirits, deceased people, angels, aliens and extraterrestrials. Are these “communications“ real or the manifestations of our own desire for supernatural excitement or are they manifestations of delusional minds attracting the deluded? Any high-level information or teaching should be verifiable in that its source should be knowable and the so called “communication” can be checked and cross referenced to ascertain its truth. Does anyone really think it wise to believe something that may not be based in truth? It is generally easier to look outside ourselves for answers and, by implication, we absolve ourselves from responsibility for our lives and place undue faith in the abilities of others to see that, which in many cases, really just requires honesty, truthfulness, and logic on our part. For many years I have worked with, psychics, mediums, channelers, healers, and spiritual teachers (some very well known) as well as reading many books, magazine articles, and attending lectures and seminars that feature channeled information. It became apparent to me that there was much contradictory material given out regarding events and individuals and about humanity itself. I think I have heard it all from the photon belts, UFO invasions, armageddon, reappearance of the Christ, alien contact, reptilians, chosen ones, illuminatis, ashtars, walk - ins, etc. etc. and there have been absolutely “true”predictions of the end of the world, with the attendant fear and hype, through to those who say all tribulations have past and that we are in a “new era of peace”!? There have been ancient Lemurian and Atlantean warriors, angels of all ranks, saints, Jesus, Christ, Ascended Masters, monks, priestesses, mother Mary, Gods, Goddesses, Red Indian chiefs, gurus and spirits of all different kinds, (you name it!) and they have spoken to the fortunately placed channel on the earthly plane and, for some, it has meant great riches and, for others, great power, popularity, and authority. I see this as a parallel to the rise in religious fundamentalism i.e. looking for simple answers to complicated problems. It is easy to have confidence, passion and excitement when we have narrow and defined views but, in seeing delicate interconnecting relationships that constitute the bigger picture, our immediate passion can dissipate. At the same time, however, all is relative and, in the short term, it may serve an individual to follow a certain line of thought, a teacher or a teaching to take them somewhere else in consciousness and is a relevant part of the path for them. Distractions and dead ends are there for the unwary, the unprepared, and the starry eyed. In the end however, it is important to learn discipline, understanding, individuality and independence so that we can build on what we have learnt and leave behind those things that no longer serve us. Remember; the only constant is change – so, have many experiences but, be ready to change and move forward taking the things that are useful and leave behind the rest. True knowledge comes without charge and is available to and accessible by all – it is up to us to make the effort and not rely on secondhand, possibly spurious, teachings. Don’t believe everything you hear or see. In fact I wonder why every psychic is not leading the perfect life if they have access to all the knowledge from the other side – one would think that there would be no barrier to great wealth, health, and happiness.

We all have abilities to see into the future but we may not recognize or understand the messages that come our way due to fear, ignorance, and non receptiveness. How many of you have had psychic flashes, warnings, messages, or prophetic visions? From my experience of talking to thousands of people over the years all these things are far more commonplace than many would imagine. Around the turn of the millennium many people were having dreams and premonitions about the future so I decided to act as a focal point or coordinator for those who had visions particularly of tidal waves and earth changes - the response was amazing. Some of my contacts had incredible and overwhelming visions of our shared future so I was able to see first hand the way that we are able to receive high level messages from the collective consciousness or from our higher self. Our dreams are a great source of knowledge and direction and they can be cultivated so that there is a continuity regarding the messages and images that are placed in our waking consciousness. They are an indicator that when we seek the truth it will be revealed to us irrespective of whether we agree with it or not. Dreams are possibly the most important connection that we have to high-level spiritual knowledge, but, the interpretation must be accurate in order to gain the greatest value. Personally, my dream life has been a great source of direction and I trust what is given to me implicitly. ( more will be discussed on this topic later in the book). All psychic communications take place on the “astral plane” and this is the reason for the plethora of confusing and contradictory material that is available to the seeker. Psychic perceptions are relative in that they are dependent on the spiritual status of the psychic and their level of physical, emotional and mental purity, personality integration as well as the karma between the psychically open individual and the people with whom they come in contact. We all must understand the dynamics of the astral plane and the illusory spell it has over humanity. The Tibetan has written much on this topic especially regarding the great dangers for the unsuspecting student who, through ignorance or willfulness, contacts the streams of energy that can literally destroy any individual, hinder progress, and feed selfishness and pride. Many high level individuals have come unstuck when they have become consciously or unconsciously enmeshed in the energies of the astral plane not realizing that the things they see can often be reflections of themselves, distorted images of soul impressions, astral entities of a lower order inhabiting astral shells or astral thoughtforms created by the mass aspirations of humanity. This is the realm of delusion and while any of us have astral bodies that are strongly stimulated, toxic, or distorted our astral impressions will likewise be coloured by our psychic impurities – hence the emphasis in serious religious teachings on the need for purity. Any one who works with the psychic world should ensure that they are psychically clean in the truest sense of the words i.e. no drugs, alcohol, meat, tobacco, no violent emotions, and an ability to be still and quiet, as well there should be a balanced, strong, steady, developed mental body, unselfishness and correct meditation practices should be followed. It would also help if they were able to determine the relative merit of their impressions and whether these are of a high order or a lower grade communication as well as their source. In regard to the writings of Alice Bailey it must be pointed out that there is a difference between the way she worked ( AAB was an “amanuensis”) and the way a medium, a psychic and a “channel” works. An amanuensis is more like a stenographer taking dictation while remaining fully conscious (aware and awake) at the same time utilizing and possessing an intelligence and structured mental body that makes possible the reception of abstract thought forms that are projected by a higher consciousness. Keep in mind also that Bailey was very learned, well read, and wrote a number of books under her own name. Despite her busy life and heavy workload she always made time to study and learn.

A medium, on the other hand, is entirely unconscious or in a trance and their astral body is utilized by a disincarnate spirit or entity that then has a connection to the physical plane so that it can communicate to listeners; therefore, the medium is “out of body” (i.e. unconscious.) This makes it possible for interference and contact with very low orders of life (entities of the lower astral plane) that at best can be mischievous and at worst harmful, leaving open the possibility of possession or obsession manifesting as “voices in the head”, schizophrenia and other psychological problems. Unfortunately the sensational nature of this form of communication makes it popular among the general public and, as here is usually no way of verifying any of the information received, it is accepted at face value although I do think that the material attributed to Edgar Cayce and Jane Roberts is of quite high quality.

Channeling on the other hand is generally a process where the “channel” is usually awake and the communications may or may not come from outside the person . By this I mean that often these messages are from the channel’s own mind, subconscious, emotional body, higher self, mass or group thoughtforms or emotional urges and not necessarily some cosmic, alien, past life, or ancient spiritual source. It is not a case of whether the knowledge is of a high order or not, but more that it is a stream of consciousness from a person and that any claims that they come from some “highly spiritual source” are highly debatable. I see people place such undue importance on hearing something that they feel to be true because it comes from a seemingly “disembodied” source. Most (if not all) of the channeled writings I have read or heard are relatively innocuous and platitudinous truisms that cannot be generally proved or disproved and, apart from stimulating the emotions of the reader, they provide little or no verifiable fact. I see a level of “self- consciousness” present in many channeled messages and I think that the channel’s own consciousness is probably the source of the communication. The Masters, Teachers of the race, and archangels are highly unlikely to be in direct contact with people on the physical plane because, for one, they are busy guiding the evolutionary processes of the planet and the physical forms of humanity are not strong enough and would provide too much resistance to handle the streams of energy that would flow through them. Most contact has to be stepped down much in the same way power from a power station is stepped down to a point where it can be utilized in our homes via our lights and power switches. Direct contact with higher sources is not useful, practical or needed and is potentially dangerous. Our personality flaws and the presence of psychic and physical disorders will distort any inflow of spiritual energies. Of course over the eons those individuals whose karma is to provide a point of focus for higher energies have existed but these contacts have been rare and the teachings given out by them have not always been acceptable at the time they were given out – i.e. they have not been “platitudes” for the masses but designed more to shift the evolutionary consciousness of humanity and often their validity has become apparent only after the passage of time. Some of those who think they are in contact with a master or similar are more likely to have contacted the soul of one of the initiates or disciples in that Master’s ashram, so they misinterpret the quality of the energy stream for that of the individual teacher or initiate. The mental plane is usually the lowest point of contact for the Teachers of the race because they are working with humanity’s thoughtform processes rather than with individual emotional needs and wants. Most of the channeled information available is no more than expressions of wishful thinking, platitudes, truisms, niceties and basic mysticism, all of which can be found in other sources both current from older sources. Some years ago one well known channel would buy books from me and the magazine he published would then carry his channeled communications which would be uncannily similar to the books he had just bought and I was the only person that knew. This is why I ask people to exercise discrimination when reading or listening to information that doesn’t have some kind of order and sequential logic at it’s core. Don’t worry about being upset by new knowledge because this is probably just the ego coming into play to generate fear and arouse our survival mechanism so that we can avoid any perceived or subliminal challenge to our belief system. The Teachers of the race use many different types of personalities to carry out hierarchical work on the planet (some of them have very obvious character , personality and psychological flaws) and the work may be done behind the scenes and in areas of human activity that seem far away from the accepted vision of the spiritual life. The personalities involved who are working on behalf of the High Initiates, may bring chaos, pain, upset, disorder, and challenge the accepted and prevailing mindset because what they are doing is clearing out the old and redundant ways of life that hinder the evolution of consciousness within all forms of life - this is an important point to understand. In other words the celebrity channels, who are popular at the moment, are highly unlikely to be in contact with the Hierarchy or any of the teachers of the race, and that what they do, although it may help people to find a spiritual perspective on life, it is not what it is claimed to be- some are frauds, some misguided, some are useful but overall they are not able to express anything that is new, innovative or provable. Look for what is “real and true”, find people who are “real and true”, make your life a testament to reality and truth - leave behind superstition, half truth, delusion and hocus pocus - leave your comfort zone and seek that which is challenging, logical, deep, new, grounded and founded on love and service to all of God’s creation. When there is so much spiritual knowledge available that is of a very high order, it seems odd that so many people seek out that which is untrue or half true and, in some cases, form groups or organisations around a philosophy or individual and, make it a way of life or a “cause” to be to be followed. Everyone can “channel” in some way or another although we normally call it “inspirational thought” and at times it can be the soul reflected through the astral or mental bodies, but, the process is relative to the individual and it can come in quite a few different forms. This inspiration more often takes the form of philosophy, poetry, music, art and literature and many times these sources are of a much higher order than many contemporary “channeled “ works.

The modern spiritual seeker does not have exclusive access to the Teachers of the race. They work to inspire, direct, and teach using initiates and disciples in all walks of life irrespective of age, colour, race or religion in the fields of; science, politics, social work, religious reformation, the arts, economics, psychology and medicine. “The science of impression”, as it is called, is like anything governed by law and is in reality quite technical, so it is important for students to learn as much as they can about the astral plane for, as I have stated previously, this is the realm of delusion and illusion. Learn how the contact process works - understanding that individual study, meditation, service, group consciousness and the taking responsibility for one’s life are of more importance than superstitious imaginings and longings. Use whatever means are at your disposal to make progress but remain detached and unafraid. I am sure that we are able to directly assess the truth of any statement, situation or occurrence because we are specifically designed to process information on many different levels - our psychic faculties are but one of those methods. Whether or not we want to know the truth is more to the point. We can know as much or as little as we want but it takes a certain amount of courage to wholeheartedly embrace the truth that is there and waiting for us - it is in us and “we are that”.

My personal process began by asking or, perhaps, making the statement; “I want to know the truth and I will go through anything to find out” and I really meant it with all my heart. My experience after making this statement was of going through total chaos and changing on all levels - from physical and emotional/psychic changes to the development of increased mental capacities and, via dreams and meditations, I was shown certain “secrets” regarding past lives, karma, mantras, some of which were verified later on by way of my studies. A strong sense of self, powerful aspiration, focused meditation, a desire to be of service to humanity, as well as the purification my emotional/psychic body led me into areas of expanded consciousness I had not imagined in my wildest dreams. I had decided to rely on my own abilities to receive and perceive the truth and that I would disregard anything as soon as I found a new and better way to proceed. This is an era when we must leave the old behind and venture forward as if we are blind but recognizing that there is an overarching protective energy available to us as we travel in this new and radical way. My approach is to say to people that “if you are thinking or doing the same thing as the majority, then you are probably thinking or doing the wrong thing”. - so strike out on your own and “channel” your higher mind and your soul and leave behind the mainstream.

“Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle” by the Tibetan, “The Astral Body” and “The Etheric Vehicle” by A.E. Powell are the best books to read on the subjects of the nature of the astral body, psychic phenomena, mediumship, and the structure and function of the etheric body.

THE POWER OF THE MIND

The Power of the Mind

In discussing the mind, the mental body, and the power of thought I will point out that there is a difference between these aspects and those of consciousness, the brain, it’s functions and thinking - all are different but at the same time they are all related but I will focus on the mind and the mental “plane” and mental “body”. From an esoteric perspective the mind is seen as having two components - the higher mind which is an aspect of the soul and as such is intuitive and processes our spiritual experiences while the lower mind is responsible for logic, analysis, rational thought and day to day cognition. The mind (higher and lower) is said to reside on the mental plane, according to esoteric philosophy - in other words all activities of the mind possess a certain vibration which distinguishes it from the physical and astral/emotional plane and as such is of a higher vibration relatively speaking.

One of the most important books that I have read is “Psycho-cybernetics” by Maxwell Maltz. It was at a time that I become quite sick and found this book in a box of old paperbacks and magazines and it changed my life. It explained the principles of mind power, positive thinking and creative visualization, all of which I began to learn so that I could heal myself. I decided to separate from my specialist and doctor finding one of the few naturopaths who were around in those days and began to “repair” myself, never forgetting the powers of my mind for healing. Later on I studied mind power more seriously reading everything from Shakti Gawain and Louise Hay through to Ernest Holmes, Thomas Troward, Catherine Ponder and other founders of the Science of Mind. The results I achieved startled me and I realized that everything I focussed on came into manifestation but, eventually, I also found that there was no differentiation, as far as the mind concerned, between “positive” and “negative”. I had not learned to control my thoughts with the result that any negative thought would also manifest which was a bit scary, so I decided to put it all aside and seek greater understanding of the spiritual world as a whole although I never forgot the importance of a focussed mind, positive affirmation and creative visualization in the healing process. Our mind is an untapped resource that holds the key to our future.

D.K.; “Manas” has been defined as mind, or the faculty of logical deduction and reasoning, and of rational activity that distinguishes humans from the animals. It is something much more than that, for it underlies all manifestation, and the very shape of an amoeba, and the discriminative ability of the lowest cell or atom, is actuated by mind of some kind or another…the fire of mind is fundamentally electricity, shown in its higher workings. Love is the great unifier, the prime attractive impulse, cosmic and microcosmic, but the mind is the main creative factor and the utiliser of the energies of the cosmos. Love attracts, but the mind attracts, repels and coordinates, so that the potency is inconceivable….the race is progressing into an era wherein humanity will function as minds; when intelligence will be stronger than desire, and when thought powers will be used for appeal and for guidance of the world, as now physical and emotional means are employed. The mind creates or formulates those thoughtforms (or embodied energies) which express, upon the mental plane, the measure of the disciple’s understanding of the Plan, and their ability to convey the embodied mental energy to the etheric body – unimpeded by the emotional nature or by any lower upsurging desire.

We must learn and understand the difference between thought, the mind, consciousness and the brain as well as their interactions.

THE QUESTION OF PURITY

The Question of Purity (Nutrition, Fasting, and Cleansing)

D.K.; Most religions have emphasised purity, cleanliness, fasting and particular dietary regimes as integral practices in the spiritual life of the devotee either as something permanent or perhaps following certain times of the year, month or week and it has been ritualised to increase the significance and impact. Esoterically this could be seen as; “the building in of matter of the higher subplanes, and the elimination of the lower coarser matter.” This is needed because it is impossible for those with coarse bodies to contact high vibration. It is impossible for the soul to transmit the higher knowledge and guidance through a coarse physical body and it is impossible for the loftier currents of thought to impact the little evolved brain. Hence the refinement of the physical body is an essential by eating pure food, cleanliness, sleep, sunshine and a strict vegetarian diet. Each disciple should be strictly vegetarian because the lower nature becomes clogged and heavy, and the inner blaze cannot shine forth when meat is part of the diet. This is a drastic rule for applicants and may not be violated although aspirants can choose to eat meat or not as they prefer, but at a certain stage upon the path it is essential that all meat eating be stopped, and the strictest attention must be paid to diet. A disciple must confine themselves to vegetables, grains, fruits and nuts and only thus can they build the type of physical body that can stand the entry of the real person who has stood in his subtler bodies before the Initiator. It must of course here be recognized that no hard and fast rules can ever be laid down, except the initial one for all applicants for initiation; meat, fish, and fermented liquors of all kinds, as well as the use of tobacco, are absolutely forbidden and for those who can stand it, eggs and cheese are sometimes better eliminated from the diet. It is known esoterically that the vegetable kingdom is the transmitter and the transformer of the vital pranic fluid to the other forms of life on our planet….Those who seek to read the akashic records, or who endeavour to work on the astral plane with immunity, and there to study the reflection of events in the astral light correctly, have perforce and without exception to be strict vegetarians. It is this ancient Atlantean lore which lies behind the vegetarians insistence upon the necessity for a vegetarian diet and it is the failure to conform to this wise rule which has brought about the misinterpretations of the astral and akashic records by many of the psychics of the present time and given rise to the wild and incorrect reading of past lives…only those who have been for ten years strict vegetarians, can work thus in what might be called the “record aspect of the astral light”. When they add to their purified astral and physical bodies the light of reason, and illumination of the focused mind then they become accurate interpreters of astral phenomena. The use of animal food (and the use of minerals (petrochemicals) as medicine in a lesser degree) has produced a co-mingling of deva substance, and of vibrations that are not attuned to each other. The vegetable kingdom is in a totally different situation, and part of its karma lies in the providing of food for man. This has resulted in the needed transmutation of the life of the plant kingdom into the higher stage (the animal) which is its goal. The transmutation of vegetable life takes place necessarily on the physical plane – hence its availability as food. The transmutation of the life of the animal into the human kingdom takes place on the kama manasic levels – hence the non availability, esoterically understood, of animals as food for the human. Plants evolve through ingestion and animals evolve through contact with humanity. As the disciple lives a regulated life – avoids meat, nicotine, and alcohol, and practices continence, the pineal gland becomes no longer atrophied and resumes its normal activity. It is known esoterically as the “light in the head”. If the idea of a vegetarian diet seems to radical a step to take it might be something that you want to try every now and then to see if there is any difference in your life.

My theory is that, over time and perhaps in the immediate future, many people throughout the world will change the way they eat and the environment will be the better for it. The most important point to remember is that there are negative karmic implications in the exploitation, persecution, and killing of members of the animal kingdom by humanity through ignorance or otherwise. It has been said that humanity will never see peace until peace is made with nature and the animal kingdom.

There are many good books to read regarding vegetarianism but Peter Singer’s new book (“The Way We Eat; Why Our Food Choices Matter”) on the ethics of killing animals is one of the best sources of information available on the topic. Ultimately, a vegetarian diet is not followed because of health benefits, although there is definitely much to be gained in this regard, but it is more to create a better and stronger spiritual body that will be able to handle more intense spiritual energies that will benefit the planet - it is part of service work.

DEATH THE FINAL FRONTIER

Death - The Final Frontier?

When the world learns of the law of karma and discovers that anything that we have done that has caused pain and suffering in this life and, that because we will have further lives in which that suffering and pain will have to be redressed, there will be an inevitable shift in consciousness and the way in which we lead our lives. Many people I meet have had experiences of meeting recently deceased partners or family and many have had near death experiences that have altered their views of the material world. In fact I meet very few individuals who do not have some kind of understanding about the reality of life after death. There are so many books available now on reincarnation, near death experiences and contact with “dead” people, as well as movies and television shows, that the idea of life after death has already become quite mainstream. Some of the notable authors are Raymond Moody, Cherie Sutherland, Dannion Brinkley, Peter Ramster, Betty Eadie, Peter Richelieu, Mike Agostini and there are many more.. From my experience past life regression techniques are not a very reliable method of determining past lives because there are too many variables and any resultant conclusions are extremely hard to prove or disprove. Any psychic perceptions, as previously discussed, are also more likely to be error than fact and also there are too many variables and the perceptions are more than likely to be unprovable.

D.K.; As regards those who have passed into the light, whom you want to help, follow them with your love, remembering that they are still the same people, minus the outer limiting shroud or body. Serve them, but seek not that which serves your need of them. Go to them but seek not to bring them back to you. It is physical plane life that is purgatory, and life experience that is the school of drastic discipline. Let us not fear death, or that which lies beyond it. Death if we could but realize it is one of our most practiced activities. We have died many times, and shall die again. Death is essentially a matter of consciousness. We are conscious one moment on the physical plane and a moment later we have withdrawn onto another plane and are actively conscious there. Just as long as our consciousness is identified with the form aspect, death will hold us in it’s ancient terror. Just as soon as we know ourselves to be souls and find that we are capable of focusing our consciousness or sense of awareness in any form or plane at will, or in any direction within the form of god, we shall no longer know death. People are apt to forget that every night, in the hours of sleep, we die to the physical plane and we are alive and functioning elsewhere. They forget that they have already achieved facility in leaving the physical body; because they cannot as yet bring back into physical brain consciousness the recollection of that passing out, and of the subsequent interval of active living, they fail to relate death to sleep Death, after all, is only a longer in the life of physical plane functioning; one has only “gone abroad for a longer period. The process of daily sleep, and the process of occasional dying are identical, with the one difference that in sleep the magnetic thread or current of energy along which the life force streams, is not preserved intact, and constitutes the path of return to the body. In death this life thread is broken or snapped. When this has happened, the conscious entity cannot return to the dense physical body, and that body lacking the principle of coherence, disintegrates.

Read “Death the Great Adventure” by Alice Bailey.

OCCULT MEDITATION

Meditation - Communing With the Soul

Meditation is possibly the most important practice we can undertake on the spiritual path and perhaps it is the single most important activity that we will learn in our whole life. It is easily learned but not easily mastered. There are many techniques that range from total silence, to chanting mantras, holy verses, creative visualization, and we are told that we should sit, stand, lie down, walk, have our eyes open or closed and that it should be done only at certain times of the day and only under certain conditions otherwise we will probably fail. Many gurus ask that we must meditate on them, their image, or, some one or other deity and, if we do this, we will become enlightened and free from karma and full of divine grace but, it is not as simple as that although, at the same time, it is not complicated. In reality, meditation is free from dogma, religion, or any form of ownership by individuals or groups—it is a process that is natural, instinctive, innate, and in some ways our normal state of being. It might all seem a bit complicated at first but I but I recommend that people start with basic relaxation techniques and learn how to de-stress, relax the body, steady the emotions and still the mind - in fact, do all the things that are associated with meditation but which are usually called “relaxation therapy”. Nearly every religion, spiritual teaching or discipline has had a method of contemplation or meditation that has been a way of communing and communicating with the Creator and as a path to enlightenment and oneness.

Meditation could be defined as “ the prolonged focusing of the attention and the holding of the mind on any desired idea or image”. This is but one definition and as time goes on the definition will change somewhat to more accurately reflect the progress we have made and the increased understanding and awareness that we have begun to possess and express. There are probably as many definitions as there are methods but this definition will suffice for now. Focus and concentration are the hallmarks of meditation but are by no means the only aspects to be cultivated by the student. When we begin the process, stillness and quiet are so elusive to many of us that it seems futile to continue but, persistence has it’s rewards and the benefits are sometimes noticeable very early on in the process although, for most of us, it is a slow and seemingly impossible quest to achieve inner harmony, outer stillness and a sense of peace. It requires patience, dedication, perseverance and most of all, it requires a wise appreciation of time and the necessity for regulation, rhythm, and ritual in our fast paced busy, stressed and emotion driven lives. In other words we have to make the time to be regular and relaxed about our meditation life and not be too hard on ourselves when we are unable to find the space and time but, to make sure we try as hard as possible to sit and focus - letting the cares, worries and stimulation of the day drift away. Rhythm is one of the most important secrets to be learned. Only by a regular and consistent meditation life can we gain the full benefit. This can mean that no matter what the distraction, no matter how enticing the pleasure, in fact irrespective of what is going on around us, if we find the time to sit and contemplate we will gain from the experience. So turn off the T.V., phone, computer and ignore the noise outside, forget what your friends may think, do what is best for your spirit and begin to create an inner space that, after a time, begins to show in your appearance and your positive attitude to the world. This practice should form the basis of your spiritual life irrespective of what path you are on and even for the atheist it is a wise practice to follow because it has health benefits for the body especially the immune system and the nervous system.

There is much written material available so we can find a practice that is suitable for us and many meditation C.Ds and tapes are on the market as well as videos and computer programs so there is no excuse for not participating. Many groups offer teachings as well although I don’t necessarily recommend joining any particular group or organisation but that choice is for the individual however, it is wise to be cautious when dealing with “cult” types of spirituality that demand total devotion to a teacher or teaching as I have previously stated. Avoid paying exorbitant money to learn something that is essentially a normal physical process. Keep your money in your pocket and find a meditation practice that is either free or low cost, non– doctrinaire, non denominational, and doesn’t ask you to join anything or give up your worldly possessions. Psychic perceptions and psychic awakenings are generally a byproduct of meditation and, for some people, this is the principle goal. Karmically this maybe appropriate for certain individuals but for humanity as a whole it will become apparent, as time goes on, that the power of meditation will be understood as a major driving force for the healing, balancing and clearing of the worlds karma. The Aquarian age indicates that group activity will be the dominant method for the creation of a “new age” and our spiritual techniques will reflect this. Humanity is evolving away from the influence of the psychic realm and the mental or mind aspect will become more dominant. Awakening of psychic faculties although exciting, stimulating and appealing to the ego, are in reality a hindrance in general terms, because ultimately they are part of the physical plane and this is the realm of limitation. “Astral travel”, mediumship, channeling, and all forms of psychic activity are likely to delude and side-track the serious spiritual aspirant. Meditation, as explained by the “Tibetan”, is in reality a process where we are able to focus on our soul and draw that energy down into the physical form so that we are able to express the truest and most powerful spiritual energies available to us. The psychic realm often serves to delude us and creates an atmosphere that is at odds with our true spiritual evolution that ultimately at one with the whole of God’s creation. Soul consciousness gives us authority over the psychic realm and we will use this faculty when and if it is needed. The Atlantean civilization was the high point for the development of the astral body and psychic talents but ultimately it was the wrong use of these powers that which led to the downfall of that society. We are now going through a karmic cycle that approximates the end of Atlantis, resulting in our astral bodies being more stimulated and so to counteract this, it is important for us to awaken fully our mental bodies. The mind is a dangerous thing when it is applied in an extreme way as evidenced by the destructive processes that have been unleashed upon the world via war, environmental damage and disease.

Mind, combined with emotional imbalance and karmic liabilities, is the source of our pain but if we are able to focus our soul’s energies through our mental body or mind then we are able to express the truest and most powerful spiritual energies available to us. The psychic realm often serves to delude us and creates an atmosphere that is at odds with our true spiritual evolution that ultimately is that of the whole of God’s creation. Soul consciousness gives us authority over the psychic realm and we will use this faculty when and if it is needed. We are at a stage where we need to “think” and we must try to dispel ignorance wherever it maybe and to seek the truth no matter what the cost. To do this we must still and purify our emotional body and balance, stimulate and awaken our mental body. We will then have accurate vision and understanding unlike emotional/psychic perceptions that are just about always coloured by our own auras. Esoteric meditation utilizes the organised physical, emotional, and mental bodies to establish a constant strong link with the soul and the soul then utilizes the physical form to contact the physical plane thereby cleansing and purifying the atmosphere. This is a process we have set in motion from ages past and, for many, this life will be a high point for realization of our soul’s labour upon the spiritual levels of being. The soul is inherently group conscious (being at one with all other souls) so as we become more soul infused, we will be creating a dynamic, powerful “point of light” that will represent all the soul focused disciples of the world gathered as one. This is not just a hopeful, idealistic, immature perception but something that is real, practical, grounded and purposeful, cooperative and group conscious - these are the hallmarks of the new age. At the same time there is a need for a lack of glamour, sensationalism, ego, pride, and selfishness.

Esoteric or occult meditation is somewhat different from most other forms of meditation in that it is not designed to create relaxation, but is more intended to be an active, focused and powerful mode of service work. The esoteric way is that of self - forgetting so, whatever the task undertaken, it will be for the service of humanity. Most meditation techniques emphasise enlightenment and individual progress as the goal but the ancient, traditional and mystical approach will give way to an organised group process that involves the group soul and not so much the union of the individual with the Divine. Meditation is the pre-eminent method of working within the subjective realms (behind the scenes) thereby influencing reality from the realm of causes rather than from the objective world of effects (the physical “real” world). Using the “Great Invocation” daily is one of the best methods to bring the truth of the spiritual dimensions into the consciousness of humanity.

Pamphlets and booklets that explain the importance, origins and significance of the Great Invocation are available.

Read “From Intellect to Intuition” “Letters on Occult Meditation” and “Light of the Soul” by Alice Bailey.