23 Responses to The Search for Truth in the Matter of Channeled Esoteric Writings (Parts 1-5)

1. Phillip Lindsay says:

   June 15, 2016 at 12:03 pm

   I whole-heartedly concur with your remarks Michael. Approaching 2025, we are being challenged in our discrimination and falling prey to what I call “subtle astral sensationalism” in various channelled writings. This can have a very serious undermining effect upon the Will of aspirants and disciples, playing into the hands of the materialistic forces upon this planet.

   A good metaphor is that these writings are like a contagious “astral virus” that spreads quickly because of the excitement and drama of being closely guided by Hierarchy – and of course some individuals’ sincere dedication and aspiration to serve the Plan.

   However, the great irony is that it simply serves to foster group glamour, feeding and compounding everyone’s individual glamours. Hence, it creates a very complex situation from which it is highly difficult to extricate.

   Furthermore, when there has been a good deal of time invested and belief that these purported writings are true, then no amount of reasoning might convince some individuals otherwise. This time of the “Forerunner” before 2025 is bringing great testings as to the recognition of the true Christ, or Busiris dressed up in fancy clothes.

   Indeed, the language in these missives uses all the jargon of the Ageless Wisdom in a very clever way, but when you closely examine it, one sees the jargon as fancy wrapping paper that hides ideas that actually contradict the Teachings given out by the Masters.

   Myself and other students of the Ageless Wisdom will have more commentaries about this theme in the ensuing weeks and months ahead.

   Reply
2. Anand Rao says:

   June 17, 2016 at 2:32 pm

   I concur with MDR and what Phillip has to say! TRUTH is known by the Heart and not by mind. The language used in Master DK’s Teachings is Proof enough to prove that it is not human. The books written by AAB and those dictated by Master DK is proof enough. Many of MDR’s students and followers left him to follow other so called Masters Teachings and Channeled ones. I was sent links or books by email. Following the Truth by my heart, I never cared to open or follow. Even though the Turmoil in my life, I have stood by Master DKs Teachings and still do! MDR and Phillips are the Beacons of LIGHT guiding us through the Astral Storm.

   Reply
   1. Suzanne Vallez says:

      August 1, 2016 at 6:44 am

      Yes, Truth known by the heart, not the mind. This statement is which I believe also. When we study DK’s books, some sentences pop up to mean the “ah has” and illumination of the intuitive mind. The Truth known by the heart is what the One Soul is. This can also be called “The Golden Rule.” As disciples, we are not just here to study. We must share what we have earned with future generations and not be an esoteric snob. Perhaps in coming times it can be the New Religion that DK talks about. I know we have a long way to go AND we can also strive for this lofty goal by study, meditation and teaching The Ageless Wisdom to serious aspirants along their paths. Namaste, Suzanne <3

      Reply
3. Michael Robbins says:

   June 17, 2016 at 6:49 pm

   Dear Anand, The ability to stay steadfast as you are doing, is much needed in all disciples–and that’s what we are trying to be. What I hope is not for myself, but that Master DK will have those who really want to learn what He has presented and apply it. One can never lose by following the Trans-Himalayan Teaching. Many Blessings, Michael

   Reply
4. Maureen says:

   June 17, 2016 at 11:05 pm

   Thank you very much for this. Very timely ‘food for thought’ which I appreciate.

   Reply
5. Amma Bigg says:

   June 18, 2016 at 4:40 am

   I greatly appreciate you making your thoughts on this public Michael. A timely and important perspective.

   Reply
   1. Michael Robbins says:

      June 18, 2016 at 11:08 am

      Dear Amma,

      Naturally one has to think twice when writing a document which disagrees with what a number of his friends present as truth. However, the times are serious and humanity is challenged, on the physical plane!, as never before. Master DK warns that the entire human experiment might have to be begun again–a horrifying thought. So we, who are attempting to live as disciples, must be very clear in our understanding of the Divine Plan (as much as possible, in our limited state of mind) and what is expected of us by the Great Ones. For me, the main focus of concentration is the Externalization of the Hierarchy and the Reappearance of the Christ–right here on the dense material plane, which according to Master DK, is the Will of Sanat Kumara–the Divine Will for our planet. Anything that leads the thought of disciples away from that necessity is, in my view, harmful. Thus, even though friends of many years are involved, I must speak my thought. Let all think together, reasonably and intuitively, and arrive at as much truth in these matters as we can fathom. Light, Love and Power, Michael

      Reply
6. Lyn Hebenstreit says:

   June 18, 2016 at 9:10 pm

   1. I have the utmost respect for the work that Michael Robbins has done over many years and for his highly developed “esoteric sense”. If the esoteric community gave out Lifetime Achievement awards, Michael would be at the top of my list.

   2. I have been a student of the Alice Bailey books (not an “A” student mind you) for over 40 years and consider them a pinnacle of esoteric tuition.

   3. I hope the aim in this new forum is not merely to try to “prove” that the books of HP Blavatsky, and Alice Bailey are the only reliable source of Hierarchical teachings, but to build bridges to disciples around the world by sharing, comparing and rigorously analyzing esoteric concepts from various sources to “separate the wheat from the chaff” as Michael expressed it.

   4. If Hierarchy is depending on the readers of AAB’s and HPB’s books alone for world salvage, I think we may be in trouble. The few of us left will probably all be dead before things really get going. In my opinion, Hierarchy is most likely working through many channels, many of which most of us are probably unaware. An abundance of Wisdom is emerging at an unprecedented rate – along with the distortions that intentionally or unintentionally impair this emergence. Hence the value of a forum such as this.

   5. I think any “gem” from Hierarchy, regardless of source, should be considered a prized possession – if it strengthens one’s resolve to tread the spiritual path, inspires service to the Christ or aids in some way on the path of discipleship. Prospecting itself is good exercise in any event.

   6. The students (and authors) of various streams of Hierarchical teachings have a long history of suspicion and mutual disrespect. Hopefully, disciples today can set the bar a little higher.

   For example, here’s what Helena Roerich had to say about the books of Alice Bailey (translated haltingly from Russian):

   “Many naive people believe, that the dark forces work only with evil, debauch and crimes. How they are mistaken. So the rough forces and forces of small degrees work only. Much more dangerous are those who comes under a mask of light of the Teaching. You already know such example. In America there is a very extensive society, and the head of it receives the doctrine from the teacher, which does not open his name, naming himself by the Tibetan Brother. We know, who disappears under this pseudonym. The force of him is great. And purpose of this teacher, personificates as though a Teacher of the White Brotherhood, is to attract in his staff so many as possible of the good and useful people, which otherwise could help effectively to the Great Plan of Masters, Plan of rescue of a planet.”

   She goes on to say that the “best pages” of A Treatise of White Magic were “borrowed” from Agni Yoga and that all of AAB’s books are “deprived of the heat of heart.”

   Phillip’s site discusses this issue a lot more thoroughly: https://esotericastrologer.org/articles/alice-a-bailey-h-p-blavatsky-and-helena-roerich-pt-ii/

   7. AAB’s work doesn’t fare much better at the hands of many Theosophists. Some of the world’s best scholars of The Secret Doctrine won’t waste their time even opening A Treatise on Cosmic Fire because they already “know” that it can’t possibly compare with Blavatsky – apparently the last word from Hierarchy in their minds.

   8. Regarding Michael’s excellent list of criteria for deciding what we believe. Item #4 concerns:

   “Logic and the power of reason. By this means we notice harmonious relations between apparently related truths, or we notice discrepancies and deep contradictions which suggest that the ‘truths’ with which we are confronted and which contradict each other cannot all be really true.”

   I think we might also benefit by keeping in mind the occult “Law of Paradox”. I think we’ve all run into that one. A quick quote for DK on this:

   “There are many paradoxes in what I am here giving you, and apparently some contradictions where orthodox occultism is concerned, but that is ever the case as the teaching expands in content and the earlier all – inclusive facts are seen to be minor aspects of still greater facts.” TEV, 66.

   9. Starting with an open mind is beneficial I think – but not so open that our brains fall out, as someone once said.

   10. Assertion 1- the works of AAB are dated and passe. I agree with Michael that AAB’s works remain a priceless treasure for the contemporary disciple. It’s called Ageless Wisdom for a reason.

   It seems from the mention of a claim that “these writings emanate from a very high Ashram which was formed in the later 1940’s” that this assertion is related to the works of Lucille Cedercrans.

   I think it is important to differentiate between what students of Lucille’s work may think and what the teachings themselves actually say. I know of no reference by Lucille to this effect (or is it affect?). In fact, I often hear the same complaint about Lucille’s books.

   11. Assertion 2 – that certain teachings are all that students of esotericism will need during the impending Age of Aquarius. I’m only familiar with the teachings of Lucille Cedercrans (in addition to Theosophy and AAB) and can’t tell if this assertion is pointed in that direction or not. Without specific quotes it’s hard again to differentiate between the teachings themselves and student opinions.

   If, indeed, this assertion has reference to Lucille’s work, her first two books – Creative Thinking and Nature of the Soul are said by Master R to be just the “beginning” of the teachings. (Of course, not everyone will except at face value that Lucille is writing under impression by Master R, but I refer to it this way to differentiate what Lucille attributes to Master R versus her own opinion about things – another topic in and of itself).

   In addition to the 12 or so volumes of Lucille’s work already published, there is more unpublished material and much still in “overshadowing” mentioned by Master R including volumes on Right Human Relations, Esoteric Mathematics, Every Man a Christ, The Disciple and Economy (the current book by that name has only the original Introduction. The rest of the book is extracted from other teachings via Lucille). There was also an 8 volume set of books on Cosmic Law alluded to by Master R that never saw the light of day. Lucille was not as well prepared as AAB it seems for her role as a communicating station for Hierarchy and failed to complete much of the work intended.

   12. Assertion 3 – channeling Chohans. I agree, this is a tough one. Again, I assume that Michael is referring to the work of Lucille – and maybe others as well. He makes good points about why this seems unlikely. Not everything in life is likely, however, as unlikely as that seems.

   One of Michael’s first points is that the Chohans are too busy trying to prevent a religious war to direct their attention to “any particular disciple in some small field of activity”. Although not an accurate comparison, we can recall that Master DK himself was dictating personal letters to a large group of not particularly advanced disciples all throughout World War II, possibly the greatest crisis since Atlantean times.

   Points 2 and 3 suggest that the Hierarchy wouldn’t waste time repeating teachings that have already been given out in compelling form. That makes perfect sense, however, I would ask, are the books by AAB a repetition of Agni Yoga (as HR seemed to think)? Is Agni Yoga a repeat of the Secret Doctrine? It seems to me that each has its own purpose, and its own intended audience. Is it possible that there are other audiences and other purposes that Hierarchy intends to fulfill?

   Just a couple thoughts about items 4 -7. There may be some “channelers” that aspire to be a Chohanic amanuensis, but Lucille wasn’t one of them. When she made first contact with what she called the “Presence” (that years later she came to identify as the Master R) she was a 27-year-old high school dropout and mother of five living in Boise, ID who didn’t know her ajna from her elbow. She was contacted by a “Presence” one uneventful day in her kitchen, raised to a higher state of consciousness and given the choice to “continue the process, learn the full meaning of life, and become a teacher of this wisdom.” The Prescence went on to say, “This would benefit many people, far beyond family and friends. It is important for humanity.” “Like I even knew who humanity was,” she quips in her autobiography, perhaps revealing how unfit she felt herself to be.

   While Lucille may seem an odd choice for such a role, Master R, many years later, indicated that Lucille had been in training in his ashram for several hundred years.

   Is communication with a Chohan unprecedented? No – my next door neighbor was in contact with the Master KH and Lord Maitreya on a regular basis. OK, I lived next door to Krishnamurti for a year or so – maybe not your average neighbor.

   In regard to the reappearance of the Christ, Master DK says that “disciples everywhere will find themselves increasingly sensitive to His quality, His voice and His teaching; they will be “overshadowed” by Him in many cases, just as before, He overshadowed His disciple Jesus; through this overshadowing of disciples in all lands, He will duplicate Himself repeatedly. The effectiveness and the potency of the overshadowed disciple will be amazing.

   One of the first experiments He made as He prepared for this form of activity was in connection with Krishnamurti. It was only partially successful.”

   If the Christ is experimenting with “overshadowing” disciples everywhere, is it possible that the Mahachohan might also do something along the same lines?

   As another example, high quality transmissions from Master R were purportedly received at Findhorn through David Spangler in the early 1970s. Findhorn was one of the most well-known spiritual Light centers in the world at the time and closely related to the work Lucille was doing in the US judging from the similar subjective personnel and emphasis on the Avatar of Synthesis (Findhorn at that time was referred by Master R as an outpost of the “Brotherhood of Synthesis”. Lucille called the source of her impressions the “Ashram of Synthesis”.

   13. Assertion 4 about the etherealization of the earth. Michael makes a very good case that terra firm will be around for quite a while. I’m sold.

   14. Assertion about the physical reappearance of the Christ. I agree that both Master DK and Master R (via Lucille) assert that the Christ and his Hierarchy will reappear on the dense physical plane of our planet in physical (or seemingly physical) bodies. Of course, they will also manifest on the inner planes through various forms of energetic presence. (Good to see that common ground is growing).

   Reply
   1. Michael Robbins says:

      June 19, 2016 at 2:46 pm

      Dear Lyn,

      MDR 18Jun16: Thank you for your letter in response. You and I have been dialoguing on these matters (and in general on matters concerning the Ageless Wisdom)—both outwardly and inwardly for quite a number of years now. I have great respect for your knowledge of the Wisdom and admiration for all you and Tara have done in a practical way for those far less fortunate than are we in wealthy Western countries. Together you have offered a tremendous service which stands as a selfless example to the world esoteric community.

      I assume that whatever dialogue ensues between us will be retained upon the plane of mind and will be pursued with the mutual respect we both hold for each other. Of course, we will speak frankly and from our own perspectives or from the perspective of the teaching we most focally represent. One day all will be utterly clear to the initiate who understands all these issues directly through observation. There are many matters in which that infallible, confirmatory approach is not yet possible, and so one proceeds reasonably and with caution, realizing that, as human beings, we all believe many things we are in no position to verify.

      I suppose when all is said and done, you and I will agree to disagree on a number of points and as the decades and centuries elapse, proof will come regarding whether it was rationally justifiable to hold certain thoughts and expectations or whether it was not.

      So then, some responses after MDR 18Jun16 – including the date as more exchanges may ensue.

      Comment:
      LH: 1. I have the utmost respect for the work that Michael Robbins has done over many years and for his highly developed “esoteric sense”. If the esoteric community gave out Lifetime Achievement awards, Michael would be at the top of my list.

      MDR 18Jun16: Well, I guess we have a mutual admiration society going here. Further, I know that in dialoguing with you, we will not descend into the ‘strictly personal’ and will reserve judgment where necessary as we both love the Truth.

      LH: 2. I have been a student of the Alice Bailey books (not an “A” student mind you) for over 40 years and consider them a pinnacle of esoteric tuition.

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, your respect for the Bailey/DK Teaching has been clear and you have pursued it with clarity of mind and in good faith. – so I perceive.

      LH: 3. I hope the aim in this new forum is not merely to try to “prove” that the books of HP Blavatsky, and Alice Bailey are the only reliable source of Hierarchical teachings, but to build bridges to disciples around the world by sharing, comparing and rigorously analyzing esoteric concepts from various sources to “separate the wheat from the chaff” as Michael expressed it.

      MDR 18Jun16: I guess we all have our standards of comparison, but, indeed, as you suggest the factor of enlightened analysis should, where possible, be applied and from this the truth (as much as we limited human beings can perceive it) should emerge. H.P.B. and A.A.B. are just the beginning of occultism’s move towards the West. There is so much in the Buddhist libraries which has not been translated or interpreted, and far, far more in the Libraries of Shamballa (so to speak) which has not seen the light of day and will only be revealed as appropriate in a well-timed manner. I am sure we both agree that there is a “continuity of revelation” constantly in process. It can be applied to religious teaching (where it is stubbornly and even violently opposed by some groups) or it can be applied to the Light of the Ageless Wisdom.

      What we need to do is look for points of commonality and points of contradiction which must be resolved—either by rejecting one or other of the conflicting alternatives, or by taking a more elevated and insightful position in consciousness from which the apparent conflict can be resolved. Not everything can be resolved, but blatant contradictions can at least be noted; then it is up to each aspirant or disciple to determine how he or she deals with the cognitive dissonance produced. To carelessly ignore the contradictions should not be the way of the disciple intent upon illumination.

      LH: 4. If Hierarchy is depending on the readers of AAB’s and HPB’s books alone for world salvage, I think we may be in trouble. The few of us left will probably all be dead before things really get going.

      MDR 18Jun16: Well, as we know it is a three-part offering of bridging Treatises, and around the year 2025 we can, according to the Tibetan, expect the third part or third installment. Whether such as you or I are alive or dead, we will probably be back just as the third installment is really gathering steam and will be able to continue offering the Light of the Ageless Wisdom to humanity.

      I also think that there will be many developments in the next decade or so (not all of them pleasant) which will render humanity more sober and responsive to the esoteric teaching. Somewhere DK wrote that humanity would realize that it could not solve its problems entirely on its own. The implication is that humanity would invoke the Presence of Hierarchy. We are taught (EXH 530) that “…at the great General Assembly of the Hierarchy—held as usual every century—in 2025 the date in all probability will be set for the first stage of the externalisation of the Hierarchy.” We see that we are really not very far advanced into the project, but that definite hierarchical actions are impending I do think there is sufficient momentum in the Teaching to instruct disciples about what they must do to assist with this all-important process. Really, this highlighted statement is very encouraging and, in my view, can be trusted.

      Additionally, DK assured us that there were more readers of His books that we realize. I suggest that the forces available can see to it that the first two instalments of His Teaching are held with clarity before the eyes of humanity in such a way that they can serve as a continued source of inspiration and spiritual propulsion.

      LH: In my opinion, Hierarchy is most likely working through many channels, many of which most of us are probably unaware.

      MDR 18Jun16: I assume you use the word “channels” in a generic sense. I do agree in the following sense—there are many disciples and initiates who are illumined by the Light, Love and Will of Hierarchy and they are bringing the Ageless Wisdom before the minds and hearts of humanity. The question of major bodies of hierarchical Teaching is, however, to be carefully investigated. That is a different matter than the general outpouring of light, love and sacrificial will from those who are affiliated in differing degrees of intensity with the Hierarchy.

      LH: An abundance of Wisdom is emerging at an unprecedented rate – along with the distortions that intentionally or unintentionally impair this emergence. Hence the value of a forum such as this.

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, above all, as clearly and impersonally as possible, let us determine, within the range of our capabilities, what teachings can be completely trusted, and what teachings are embroiled in contradiction (even though heartily accepted by a significant number of people). There are, for instance areas of the A.A.B. Teaching which people strongly reject because of their own personal attachments; such are the teachings around the Jewish Group and homosexuality. The Christians, too, will offer their fair share of rejection, imagining that it was A.A.B. who wrote the sections of text to which they object (not DK) and on a “bad day” at that!

      LH: 5. I think any “gem” from Hierarchy, regardless of source, should be considered a prized possession – if it strengthens one’s resolve to tread the spiritual path, inspires service to the Christ or aids in some way on the path of discipleship. Prospecting itself is good exercise in any event.

      MDR 18Jun16: I must agree with the way you have presented this thought. If people are strengthened in their resolve to tread the spiritual path (avoiding harm to fellow travellers and to hierarchical intention) and if they serve the Christ, and especially at this moment, plans for His Reappearance, then any teaching which does such things can be considered useful. Understanding of the degree of exact accuracy in any teaching will emerge in time. If, however, the “ancient landmarks” to use Masonic terminology, are disturbed, distorted or ignored, then we have a problem, and those who imagine they are treading a reliable spiritual path, may be wandering farther and farther from the real Spiritual Path as Hierarchy understands it and sanctions it.

      LH: 6. The students (and authors) of various streams of Hierarchical teachings have a long history of suspicion and mutual disrespect. Hopefully, disciples today can set the bar a little higher.

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, we are all mortal in our present form and fallible, and we have our “good days” of illumined vision and our “bad days” of vision obscured.

      LH: For example, here’s what Helena Roerich had to say about the books of Alice Bailey (translated haltingly from Russian):

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, I received, some years ago and with shock, what HR had said about A.A.B.—especially given that for a number of years they were apparently friends, working, as I understand it, in the same building on 42nd St in New York.

      LH: “Many naive people believe, that the dark forces work only with evil, debauch and crimes. How they are mistaken. So the rough forces and forces of small degrees work only. Much more dangerous are those who comes under a mask of light of the Teaching. You already know such example. In America there is a very extensive society, and the head of it receives the doctrine from the teacher, which does not open his name, naming himself by the Tibetan Brother. We know, who disappears under this pseudonym. The force of him is great. And purpose of this teacher, personificates as though a Teacher of the White Brotherhood, is to attract in his staff so many as possible of the good and useful people, which otherwise could help effectively to the Great Plan of Masters, Plan of rescue of a planet.”

      MDR 18Jun16: Phillip Lindsay once did an excellent essay on the astrology of Helena Roerich, demonstrating the probable source of this type of suspicion—even paranoia. As I recall the sign Scorpio was involved.

      No, none of us is perfect, and even Arhats or those on the border of such a degree, demonstrate their fallible humanity.

      We all have to decide for ourselves. The Buddha counselled Self-reliance. People can say whatever, but we accept or reject according to the light within our consciousness. One cannot read The Rays and the Initiations or A Treatise on Cosmic Fire and give much credence to what Mme. Roerich wrote in this instance. Thus the need for keen discrimination (fourth subplane of the mental plane) and, even higher, spiritual discernment (third subplane). We decide for ourselves, as I would expect every true disciple to do, regardless of what I have written or you have written in defense of or in the questioning of any given teaching.

      LH: She goes on to say that the “best pages” of A Treatise of White Magic were “borrowed” from Agni Yoga and that all of AAB’s books are “deprived of the heat of heart.”

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, if it were not so sad, it would be humorous. Everyone who have read the Agni Yoga Books carefully and A Treatise on White Magic carefully, knows that such a statement is without foundation.

      One my major complaints about the quality of consciousness of the members of the world esoteric community is that they lack in sufficient intensity the type of discrimination and discernment I am talking about. (And, of course, I am working on the same.) It is great to be inclusive, but the search for quality must accompany the will-to-include, if the result is to be hierarchical in nature.

      I also do a lot of work with Spirit and Identification. From such a perspective, quality makes no difference at all, as all things are One in Being—but that is another curriculum.

      LH: Phillip’s site discusses this issue a lot more thoroughly: https://esotericastrologer.org/articles/alice-a-bailey-h-p-blavatsky-and-helena-roerich-pt-ii/

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, it’s a good lesson in humility for all.

      LH: 7. AAB’s work doesn’t fare much better at the hands of many Theosophists. Some of the world’s best scholars of The Secret Doctrine won’t waste their time even opening A Treatise on Cosmic Fire because they already “know” that it can’t possibly compare with Blavatsky – apparently the last word from Hierarchy in their minds.

      MDR 18Jun16: Well, we have a principle here—the principle of the continuity of revelation. A certain world religion with more than a billion members is assured that their Prophet has said the last word on truth for all time. We can see the limitations of mind and emotion at work. Esoteric groups, “the most glamoured” of all groups, are certainly not immune.

      “Occult bodies and esoteric groups are, at this time, the most glamoured of any of the world groups;…” (EXH 571)

      LH: 8. Regarding Michael’s excellent list of criteria for deciding what we believe. Item #4 concerns:

      “Logic and the power of reason. By this means we notice harmonious relations between apparently related truths, or we notice discrepancies and deep contradictions which suggest that the ‘truths’ with which we are confronted and which contradict each other cannot all be really true.”

      MDR 18Jun16: At least, we need far deeper insight fed by true intuition to resolve contradictions which apparently exist but do not in fact exist. The Tibetan often seems to contradict Himself, but when a larger picture is understood, what appeared as contradiction is demonstrated as concordant from different ‘altitudes’ of consciousness.

      LH: I think we might also benefit by keeping in mind the occult “Law of Paradox”. I think we’ve all run into that one. A quick quote for DK on this:

      MDR 18Jun16: True Ontology is full of paradox. If one gets into The Secret Doctrine on cosmogony, one is confronted with it immediately. I would suggest however, that we differentiate between true paradox requiring the real intuition for solution, and false paradoxes which “the acute energy of divine mental perception” could solve. Sometimes when we cannot reconcile an apparent conflict in thought, we call it a paradox, when, in fact, it is simply our own inability to think clearly which prevents us from solving the apparent paradox.

      LH: “There are many paradoxes in what I am here giving you, and apparently some contradictions where orthodox occultism is concerned, but that is ever the case as the teaching expands in content and the earlier all – inclusive facts are seen to be minor aspects of still greater facts.” TEV, 66.

      MDR 18Jun16: What is needed, He implies, is an ever-expanding and ever-deepening point of view. Then as the larger contexts are more fully and deeply understood, the apparent paradoxes of previous assessments are naturally resolved. Thus, the consciousness must continue to grow in scope, depth and refinement.

      I have given a lot of thought to true contradictions and only apparent contradictions. To distinguish one from the other is not easy. Apparent contradictions will be reconciled in time with greater learning and understanding; true contradictions require judgment and decision. One cannot “serve two masters”. Master M. brings this home graphically when describing the sad fate of a very ambitious, spiritually greedy student who took on chelaship from two or more teachers instead of sticking with one. When each of the two or three sent the whirlwind which should have empowered the student, he was instead torn apart by the conflicting, though well-intended, forces.

      LH: 9. Starting with an open mind is beneficial I think – but not so open that our brains fall out, as someone once said.

      MDR 18Jun16: It’s a good caution. We are dealing somewhat with Pisces (and its global receptivity) and Virgo (with its keen selectivity).

      LH: 10. Assertion 1- the works of AAB are dated and passe. I agree with Michael that AAB’s works remain a priceless treasure for the contemporary disciple. It’s called Ageless Wisdom for a reason.

      MDR 18Jun16: It is a limited formulation of the “unfettered enlightenment” of Shamballa—a small part of it, but something foundational and reliable which we must assimilate and apply in service.

      LH: It seems from the mention of a claim that “these writings emanate from a very high Ashram which was formed in the later 1940’s” that this assertion is related to the works of Lucille Cedercrans.

      MDR 18Jun16: The ‘height’ of the Ashram of Synthesis or as DK discusses in the 1946 Wesak Letter, an Ashram which emphasizes the note of Wisdom, must be clearly analyzed. And of course, so often, students of LC speak of the superseded nature of the Tibetan’s writings. I have attempted to show that, so many of them, derived as they are from the Archives of Hierarchy or Shamballa, are hardly to be deemed superseded, passé or dated. Every writing reflects something of the writing style of the time in which it was written, and language changes, of course, but deep students of the Ancient Rules cannot imagine how this second installment of a three-part series of bridging Treatises can be viewed as superseded.

      LH: I think it is important to differentiate between what students of Lucille’s work may think and what the teachings themselves actually say.

      MDR 18Jun16: Of course, this is a good point. Our little minds and brains have only so much capacity, and people do reject that which causes the discomfort of insistent pressure towards expansion. DK asked us if we could “stand the strain of knowing”. Apparently, it is a real strain and not all can withstand it.

      LH: I know of no reference by Lucille to this effect (or is it affect?). In fact, I often hear the same complaint about Lucille’s books.

      MDR 18Jun16: Well, you would know best as you are very familiar probably with all that she has written. I hear what is said or implied in writing.

      LH: 11. Assertion 2 – that certain teachings are all that students of esotericism will need during the impending Age of Aquarius. I’m only familiar with the teachings of Lucille Cedercrans (in addition to Theosophy and AAB) and can’t tell if this assertion is pointed in that direction or not. Without specific quotes it’s hard again to differentiate between the teachings themselves and student opinions.

      MDR 18Jun16: Thus it was earnestly and factually spoken to me by someone I trust and know relatively well. This person was very familiar with the LC teachings—far more so than I. I am sure you have heard this spoken and maybe can locate this assertion or something similar in her writings.

      It is, of course, a tendency among the devotees of certain teachings to consider the teaching around which they gather the be-all and end-all. One cannot do that with the Bailey Work because Master DK has so strenuously warned against it, and, further, promised a third installment in a relatively few years.

      MDR 18Jun16: Maybe there is nothing in the LC teaching which suggests this, even though some of its more avid students may say so? Or did I misunderstand? You will know the teaching better than I.

      LH: If, indeed, this assertion has reference to Lucille’s work, her first two books – Creative Thinking and Nature of the Soul are said by Master R to be just the “beginning” of the teachings. (Of course, not everyone will except at face value that Lucille is writing under impression by Master R, but I refer to it this way to differentiate what Lucille attributes to Master R versus her own opinion about things – another topic in and of itself).

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, I can see this would be another topic and an important one. I am one who questions the attribution of Master R.’s authorship to the LC books. I question for a number of reasons: 1) as Francis Bacon He was a supreme master of the English language; I do not find this in the LC work. In fact, perhaps in some material you provided me with, LC said it was she who wrote the words or at least chose them. Maybe this is the way some amanuenses work. We are told that in the case of Esoteric Astrology, about which A.A.B. knew very little, the impression was pretty much word for dictated word. 2) Another reason which causes me to doubt is the Tibetan’s statement, later discussed, that Chohans would not be working with dictation because of their great world responsibilities. It can be debated whether Master R. assumed the Mahachohanship in 1925 when a majority of the Hierarchy moved to a buddhic plane focus, or later in the 1940’s but by the 1940’s He was certainly in that tremendous hierarchical position. It is very difficult for me to give credence to the idea that a newly made Mahachohan, in the midst of an ongoing world crisis which could spell the end of humanity as we know it, would begin to instruct a small group of students about certain things concerning which (according to the Tibetan) a great deal had already been given on the Teaching Ray. The Master R. does take pupils, but, with the Master H., more along the third ray line (according to the Tibetan IHS 58-59) and not as many pupils as Masters M., KH, DK, and J. The Work of Master R. in the field of esoteric ritual, economics, the reorganization of civilization, etc. seems to me a very different line of instruction than that which is the focus of the LC material, though some books, either given to intended to be given, may relate to those subjects.

      Can I prove this? No I cannot, but this is my impression and causes me to doubt that assertion that R. per se, is behind the LC work as One Who had dictated it. Many disciples receive impression in general from the Ashram with which they are affiliated as members or towards which they are trending, but that is a different matter than direct dictation from the Mahachohan of our planet. But then, LC, said the words were hers, if I am correct, so it probably will be said that the teaching was under the impression of Master R. but was not direct dictation.

      LH: In addition to the 12 or so volumes of Lucille’s work already published, there is more unpublished material and much still in “overshadowing” mentioned by Master R including volumes on Right Human Relations, Esoteric Mathematics,

      MDR 18Jun16: I will be very interested in what comes forth as Esoteric Mathematics.

      It begins to seem that the method is not dictation per se, but impression, left to the capacities (adequate or not) or the receiver, or as students of LC seem to call it, the “station”.

      Let us see about Right Human Relations. Master DK wrote so extensively on it that it will be interesting to compare. It does not seem like a third ray/seventh ray theme—more a second ray theme.

      LH: Every Man a Christ, The Disciple and Economy (the current book by that name has only the original Introduction. The rest of the book is extracted from other teachings via Lucille).

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, The Disciple and the Economy, now that would be a third ray/seventh ray theme. I reference the third ray in relation to Master R. because undoubtedly He is a third ray Monad (though a seventh ray soul), and His responsibility as, shall we say, Brahma among the Three Great Lords, concerns the manner in which the third ray subsumes the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh.

      LH: There was also an 8 volume set of books on Cosmic Law alluded to by Master R that never saw the light of day.

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, it would be great subject. Of course A Treatise on Cosmic Fire is full of discussion about various Laws and Rules, so let us see what emerges. There was an Arcane School set which I believe was called “Cosmic Law” or “Occult Law”—something to that effect. In lieu of what might come forth under another amanuenses (and I am sure that people wonder whether they might be one to bring it forth), we have in DK the Three Cosmic Laws, the Seven Systemic Laws, the Seven Laws of the Soul, the Fifteen Rules for White Magic, the Seven Techniques of Integration, the Three Techniques of Fusion, the Six Laws and Principles of Esoteric Work, the Laws and Rules of Esoteric Healing, the Fourteen Rules for Individual Initiation, the Fourteen Rules for Disciples and Initiates, etc. No doubt I am forgetting something, but the subject is well covered, yet who could deny the possibility of further amplification?

      LH: Lucille was not as well prepared as AAB it seems for her role as a communicating station for Hierarchy and failed to complete much of the work intended.

      MDR 18Jun16: As I understand it, her horoscope showed a Gemini Ascendant with close to the same degree in which A.A.B. had her Sun-sign position. I am familiar with the Aries Sun-sign. The Moon appears to be in Pisces and close to the MC. That position can be the source of interesting phenomena. That Uranus is close to the Moon and the MC is interesting in its seventh ray implications.

      There also seems to be some unusual attribution of the MC as referring most specifically to the personality and its work in the world. That is at best a partial presentation. The Sun-sign (and the planets) must of course be considered.

      LH: 12. Assertion 3 – channeling Chohans. I agree, this is a tough one. Again, I assume that Michael is referring to the work of Lucille – and maybe others as well. He makes good points about why this seems unlikely. Not everything in life is likely, however, as unlikely as that seems.

      MDR 18Jun16: This statement by DK seems to me to be quite convincing and a point to be retained in the midst of all the extensive claims of Chohan-Channeling. Of course, there is LC and the Mahachohan (which I find improbable) but also Morya, KH and DK are ‘speaking’ voluminously through a number of clearly unreliable sources (in ‘pink ink’ as I have sometimes joked), and saying, in my view, next to nothing of value. At this time, and in my thought, given what DK has said, I find the probability of dictation from a Chohan low. That a disciple may receive impression from her Ashram, and bring forth that impression in her own words (as LC appeared to state) is far more probable. That is the task of disciples—to tune in with the Ashram they represent and to write accordingly for the enlightenment of humanity. DK kept his identity concealed until A.A.B. gave it away through a clerical error. He simply wanted the Teaching to stand on its own merits. I think that is a good policy.

      LH: One of Michael’s first points is that the Chohans are too busy trying to prevent a religious war

      MDR 18Jun16: I used that example, but conditions in relation to all Ashram are dire.

      LH: to direct their attention to “any particular disciple in some small field of activity”.

      MDR 18Jun16: Part of the inference is mine, and part belongs to DK. The Christ is attempting to prevent a “final war”. The Chohans are busy in various ways and the world situation is far more dangerous than many may suspect. I do not think the reasons for the lack of Chohanic dictation have at all abated.

      LH: Although not an accurate comparison, we can recall that Master DK himself was dictating personal letters to a large group of not particularly advanced disciples all throughout World War II, possibly the greatest crisis since Atlantean times.

      MDR 18Jun16: I suspect that worse could be on its way. And, of course, in the pertinent paragraphs DK did deal with some Masters who were working on a small scale through dictation, but not Chohans. That was His point.

      “None of the Masters of the sixth initiation (such as the Masters M. and K. H.) are at this time working through dictation with Their disciples. They are too much engrossed with world problems, and with the work of watching over the destinies of the prominent world figures in the various nations, to have any opportunity to dictate teaching to any particular disciple in some small field of activity and upon subjects of which sufficient is already known to enable the disciple to go ahead alone and unaided. Two of the Masters are working telepathically and through dictation with several accepted disciples, and Their effort is to inspire these disciples, who are active in world work, to greater usefulness in the Plan. They are working in this way in order to impress a few of the prominent thinkers in the field of science and of social welfare with the needed knowledge which will enable them to make the right moves in the emergence of the race into greater freedom. But I know of no others, in this particular generation, who are so doing, for They have delegated much of this work to Their initiates and disciples. The bulk of the communicators today (working through aspirants on the physical plane) are active working chelas of accepted degree who (living as they do in the thought aura of the Master and His group) are steadily endeavouring to reach all kinds of people, all over the world, [Page 109] in all groups. Hence the increasing flood of communications, of inspired writings, and of personal messages and teaching. (EP I 108-109)”

      LH: Points 2 and 3 suggest that the Hierarchy wouldn’t waste time repeating teachings that have already been given out in compelling form. That makes perfect sense, however, I would ask, are the books by AAB a repetition of Agni Yoga (as HR seemed to think)?

      MDR 18Jun16: I understand what you are driving at and of course, you know my answer. Those two series of books are entirely different. They don’t use anywhere near the same terminology and their notes are remarkably distinct from each other.

      LH: Is Agni Yoga a repeat of the Secret Doctrine? It seems to me that each has its own purpose, and its own intended audience. Is it possible that there are other audiences and other purposes that Hierarchy intends to fulfill?

      MDR 18Jun16: One cannot fault the intent of your questions here. One has to get into the purposes, the rays involved, the distinction of the various teachings if, in fact, distinct.

      LH: Just a couple thoughts about items 4 -7. There may be some “channelers” that aspire to be a Chohanic amanuensis, but Lucille wasn’t one of them. When she made first contact with what she called the “Presence” (that years later she came to identify as the Master R) she was a 27-year-old high school dropout and mother of five living in Boise, ID who didn’t know her ajna from her elbow.

      MDR 18Jun16: I do not doubt that P/presences contact people and may have something to say. The question will remain for me at least (though not for those who are convinced) whether that Presence was indeed Master R., or from the Ashram, or something other.

      LH: She was contacted by a “Presence” one uneventful day in her kitchen, raised to a higher state of consciousness and given the choice to “continue the process, learn the full meaning of life, and become a teacher of this wisdom.” The Prescence went on to say, “This would benefit many people, far beyond family and friends. It is important for humanity.” “Like I even knew who humanity was,” she quips in her autobiography, perhaps revealing how unfit she felt herself to be.

      MDR 18Jun16: OK—I do not doubt the story and, given the manner in which DK contacted A.A.B., it is perhaps not so unusual. So of course, the circumstances and the words here related are inspiring.

      LH: While Lucille may seem an odd choice for such a role, Master R, many years later, indicated that Lucille had been in training in his ashram for several hundred years.

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, of course, interesting. What is said between a source and its amanuensis can only be reported. There is no possibility (for us at this time) of objective evaluation. Let each respond to such statements as he or she will.

      LH: Is communication with a Chohan unprecedented? No – my next door neighbor was in contact with the Master KH and Lord Maitreya on a regular basis. OK, I lived next door to Krishnamurti for a year or so – maybe not your average neighbor.

      MDR 18Jun16: I understand your point. In all fairness and looking at the dates involved, that type of experiment took place well before the statement by the Tibetan that Chohans like M. and KH would not be working that way—i.e., through dictation (and, well before he was your neighbour). But of course, They do work with power on the inner planes and people are, of course, affected.

      LH: In regard to the reappearance of the Christ, Master DK says that “disciples everywhere will find themselves increasingly sensitive to His quality, His voice and His teaching; they will be “overshadowed” by Him in many cases, just as before, He overshadowed His disciple Jesus; through this overshadowing of disciples in all lands, He will duplicate Himself repeatedly. The effectiveness and the potency of the overshadowed disciple will be amazing.

      MDR 18Jun16: No doubt very inspiring and a state of communication to come after many requirements are fulfilled. This is a wonderful section and points to a time when humanity has probably passed certain tests. I have always found it very interesting to consider DK’s thought that when the Christ reappears, it will indicate that humanity has taken the first initiation.

      LH: One of the first experiments He made as He prepared for this form of activity was in connection with Krishnamurti. It was only partially successful.”

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, this is what is reported.

      LH: If the Christ is experimenting with “overshadowing” disciples everywhere, is it possible that the Mahachohan might also do something along the same lines?

      MDR 18Jun16: We cannot say that it is impossible. The ray line of overshadowing would be different—not along the teaching line per se. The Great Ones do try to influence disciples, as Master M. works with statesmen, and KH probably with members of various philosophical and religious bodies. I can certainly see Master R. working in the field of economics, ritual and international organization but not so much dealing with second ray issues like, “the nature of the soul”.

      LH: As another example, high quality transmissions from Master R were purportedly received at Findhorn through David Spangler in the early 1970s.

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, I am familiar with this and with David who is a disciple of high quality and who has attended the SRI/USR Conferences either in person or electronically on a few occasions.

      LH: Findhorn was one of the most well-known spiritual Light centers in the world at the time and closely related to the work Lucille was doing in the US judging from the similar subjective personnel and emphasis on the Avatar of Synthesis (Findhorn at that time was referred by Master R as an outpost of the “Brotherhood of Synthesis”. Lucille called the source of her impressions the “Ashram of Synthesis”.

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, the Ashram the note of which was primarily Wisdom. At least this is how DK referred to it in the 1946 Wesak Message.

      Speaking of this Ashram, I have always considered it an intra-hierarchical Ashram.

      The following with which I am sure you are familiar, is what leads me to conclude that the New Wisdom Ashram concerns Shamballa and Hierarchy more than humanity, per se:

      DK: “April-May 1946

      I have delayed writing my usual Wesak message until this late date because of a certain event in the Hierarchy which was maturing and which necessitated my entire attention. This event was connected with the Wesak Festival and involved among other matters the formation of a new Ashram in which the Wisdom aspect would be of particular importance and not the Love aspect; this Ashram would also be related in a peculiar manner to the Buddha. It had to be formed at this time in order to be the recipient, and then the custodian, of certain “endowments” which the Buddha will bring at the time of the May Full Moon. The endowments concern the will-to-good of the Lord of the World, the Ancient of Days, though they do not concern goodwill as you understand that phrase. This Ashram, when duly formed and established, will enable the Members of the Hierarchy to respond to this aspect of the divine Purpose—the Purpose which as you know lies behind and implements the Plan; this Ashram, related to the Buddha, will be specifically under the close supervision of the Christ, and also of the Lord of Civilisation—at this time the Master R. They are the only two Members of the Hierarchy able to register the divine Purpose (in regard to its immediate objectives) in such a manner that the entire Hierarchy can be informed and can then work unitedly and intelligently at its implementation. More than this I may not tell you about this particular hierarchical move, affecting as it does both Shamballa and the Hierarchy.” (EXH 541)

      I know some of the LC writings which explain to certain students how it was that they (based upon their past) are now members of the Ashram of Synthesis—it was actually you who showed them to me long ago. However, I persist in thinking that this Wisdom Ashram of which DK writes, is very high in its nature and that most who say they are “members” of such an Ashram, could not qualify for the rigors involved in membership in even a lesser Ashram directed by a Master (necessitating the third degree for real membership)—let alone enter an Ashram inspired by the Buddha, the Christ and the Mahachohan for which even Masters, in general, might be unqualified. For me the Wisdom Ashram is internal to Hierarchy, and though students may be enthused about the possibility of engaging in synthesis, that would demand a level of Spirit-identification which few of them possess. It demands an antahkarana close to completion for the human stage and reaching through the spiritual triad to the Monad. This I have not seen. Instead I have seen aspiration towards such objectives (all well and good) but nothing like real and necessary achievement. I have simply heard claims.

      So for the moment I sustain the thought of the intra-hierarchical nature of the Wisdom Ashram.

      LH: 13. Assertion 4 about the etherealization of the earth. Michael makes a very good case that terra firm will be around for quite a while. I’m sold.

      MDR 18Jun16: My objective Lyn (and the objective of those with whom I work) is to attempt to clarify the mental field concerning what may be worthy of belief and what may not be; why people believe what they believe. At least this should be given some thought and the premises upon which we found our belief should be examined. Many in our field accept without analysis. I think we could all do better.

      LH: 14. Assertion about the physical reappearance of the Christ. I agree that both Master DK and Master R (via Lucille) assert that the Christ and his Hierarchy will reappear on the dense physical plane of our planet in physical (or seemingly physical) bodies.

      MDR 18Jun16: Most, I suspect, will express through a mayavirupa which is tangibly physical enough, though created from a triadal impulse through the permanent atoms of the spiritual triad. People seem to forget that the Christ has His own mayavirupa made of physical substance (on its lowest levels) and not simply of etheric, substantial matter.

      LH: Of course, they will also manifest on the inner planes through various forms of energetic presence. (Good to see that common ground is growing).

      MDR 18Jun16: Yes, it’s quite amazing. People in various groups share some perspectives in common while other perspectives they do not share. In Master M.’s words, what we need is “straight knowledge”. This will come with the antahkarana, triadal focus and finally, the fourth initiation and beyond. The importance of Lord Maitreya’s dense physical appearance cannot be overestimated.

      MDR 18Jun16: Lyn, I thank you for your perspectives. You are always a thinking person and fair-minded. I am sure we both want to see aspirants and disciples move forward on the Path of Spirituality in the most successful way and unburdened (as much as possible) by glamour and illusion. It is not possible to clarify all points at this time as to what constitutes glamour and illusion in any presentation of teaching, but the advocates of any teaching must be on the alert.

      Soon I will want to speak to you and others about the possibility of taking five initiations simultaneously. That particular doctrine is in direct collision with tens and even hundreds of pages of DK’s exacting, technical writing. As you know, and as we have discussed, I find the prospect most dubious and misleading and will soon be indicating why. I am sure we can get into an interesting dialogue on that subject.

      Meanwhile, we can continue to discuss what is credible in the field of esotericism and why we believe it to be so. I trust that these various dialogues on various assertions re truth in esotericism have the potential of bringing all true students closer to an accurate understanding of the truth—regardless of what teaching or teacher proposes it, and this would be, I certainly believe, desirable.

      Light, Love and Power,
      Michael

      Reply
7. Lyn Hebenstreit says:

   June 22, 2016 at 9:12 am

   Dear Michael,

   Thanks for your additional comments. Here are a few thoughts from my side.

   1. Regarding your initial Assertion 2 – that Lucille’s teachings are all that students of esotericism will need during the impending Age of Aquarius, you comment that you are sure I have “heard this spoken and maybe can locate this assertion or something similar in her writings.”

   The passage that comes to mind is one from Ashramic Projections:

   “The Nature of the Soul series contains, within a particular frequency, the totality of the Thought-form Presentation. That means that that Thought-form Presentation finds its entry into the world via concepts contained within The Nature of the Soul. If, in receiving an impression from The New Thought-form Presentation as it is held in solution, you receive a concept that seems to be entirely new, look for it in The Nature of the Soul series and you will find it there. It will be new only insofar as your own understanding is concerned. By the time the student has completed The Nature of the Soul, he has touched on the point of entry for every concept held in solution within The New Thought-form Presentation of The Wisdom.”

   While similar to your assertion, I think you will agree that what Master R is saying isn’t exactly what some students might have understood. The tree is in the seed, but the tree and the tree are not the same thing.

   2. Your thought that Lucille might be working under ashramic impression rather than taking dictation from a Chohan is right on. In fact, Master R suggests to Lucille’s students that they read what Master DK had to say about the Science of Impression in Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle.

   Here’s another quote from Ashramic Projections:

   “I, the Master R., do not hesitate at this time, to ask you to aid my disciple, Lucille Cedercrans, in whatever way you can, thus aiding my own as well as your own service effort. I do not ask you to consider or accept her as perfect or infallible, nor to pay her homage, nor to place her upon any pedestal of illusion and glamour, but to see and to accept her in the Light of what she is—a disciple with a specific job to do, plus the training, the experience, and the capacity to fulfill the obligations she has undertaken.

   I ask you not to judge the persona or its life and affairs, but only the work. In so doing, you may come to know and love the Soul. Let it be remembered that Lucille’s work with Me is not that of a machine which takes down words, phrases, and sentences; but rather it is that of the creative artist whose function, in part, is to create the form which will carry a specific concept and energy to a waiting humanity. Reread any paragraph in The Nature of The Soul and understand my meaning. It is not just any or every disciple on the thread who could have created precisely that form.”

   Gretchen Groff, in her book Luminous Sitting, Torturous Walking about Lucille, devotes a whole chapter to an excellent discussion about the differences and similarities between Lucille’s and AAB’s methods. Nothing, apparently, was communicated in word form to Lucille, but only a stream of abstract mental concepts – which she gave form to the best she could.

   The section on Station Training in Applied Wisdom goes into the causes of “error in communication” between Hierarchy and humanity. I find this quite useful when sorting through the various teachings of Lucille. Here’s an example. Sorry for the length, but it bears directly on this issue:

   “First, it would be wise for us to face head-on, so to speak, the problem of apparent misinterpretation of instruction being projected from a member of the Hierarchy to a group through a station—a problem which is uppermost in the minds of some of you who have been particularly close to this type or kind of activity. Until we discuss the questions regarding this subject—which are within many of your minds—until we clarify the problem, face the issues involved, communication of a useful nature between us is impossible.

   Therefore, I am going to begin by presenting you with certain basic factors of major importance which must always be borne in mind if communication of this kind is to be carried out successfully to the benefit of all concerned.

   It must always be realized and held in mind that any communication from one individual to another, or to a group, will be first colored by the individual or individuals who are acting as interpreters. It is colored, first, by the station who is interpreting a communication projection from one language into another.

   Second, it is again colored by every individual who hears or reads the communication, according to his own state of consciousness, according to his own interpretation of that which has been projected.

   Third, one of the most important factors ever to be held in mind by any group receiving instruction by this means, and which is too often overlooked, is that misinterpretation can take place in the actual projection, at the point of the projection from the station to the group, by the astral consciousness of the group itself.

   If the individuals receiving a particular instruction are focusing will-force into an astral desire or fear, that in itself can so communicate itself to the station that misinterpretation takes place as the station endeavors to interpret that which is being projected. This is something that the recipient of instruction must ever hold in mind, if he would receive Truth, if he would receive that which is of Soul value to him, rather than that which is only a personality value.

   And fourth, of course, there is always the misinterpretation by the recipient of instruction in that he believes he has been told—or that he has received—one thing when it is something else entirely. You are all familiar with this type of misinterpretation.

   And, there is, too, that which you consider to be error in instruction, or misinterpretation, when it is not error or misinterpretation, but only your misunderstanding of that which has been projected.”

   Master R goes on to say later in this section:

   “Instruction from Hierarchial levels to humanity cannot be of benefit until that humanity is able and willing to take the responsibility of their own actions, is willing to set forth upon their own planned activity, is willing to make mistakes and to learn by those mistakes, and to take the responsibility of them. They cannot evolve through placing the responsibility for their actions upon another’s shoulders. This is the whole problem, and until the group is able to recognize it and each one resolve it within himself, instruction between Hierarchy and group is of very little use, actually a greater hindrance than it is a help. And this applies to the problems involved in the function of a station as well as it does to any other problems.”

   One last thought about Lucille’s process. Early in her career as a telepathic communicator, she worked with a “power station” – a male figure with a lot of first ray who helped “protect her alignment” while she was working as a “station”. After many years, she was able to function successfully without one. There seems to be something similar (whether conscious or unconscious) in the process of other well know Hierarchical intermediaries – Peter and Eileen Caddy, Alice and Foster Bailey and Helena and Nicolas Roerich.

   3. In one of your comments about the type of teaching expected from the various ashrams, you say, “I can certainly see Master R. working in the field of economics, ritual and international organization but not so much dealing with second ray issues like, “the nature of the soul”.

   Later on, in a seemingly different regard, you say, “I know some of the LC writings which explain to certain students how it was that they (based upon their past) are now members of the Ashram of Synthesis—it was actually you who showed them to me long ago. However, I persist in thinking that this Wisdom Ashram of which DK writes, is very high in its nature and that most who say they are “members” of such an Ashram, could not qualify for the rigors involved in membership in even a lesser Ashram directed by a Master (necessitating the third degree for real membership)—let alone enter an Ashram inspired by the Buddha, the Christ and the Mahachohan for which even Masters, in general, might be unqualified.”

   My reply to both of these concerns is that the Ashram of Synthesis, from which Lucille claims inspiration, works primarily with the energy of, well, Synthesis – emanating at this time from the Avatar of Synthesis. Of course, this is a big subject and I don’t intend to comment on that here, other than to say that, as Master R explains it, the energy of Synthesis is not a combination of rays (all 7, but primarily 1,2 & 7 at present), but something entirely new. As such, what may have been separate areas of responsibility (ray-wise) may not be so now in the same way.

   Master R explains that he is the primary “Spokesperson” for the Ashram of Synthesis (if such an irreverent term can be used) because of His special relationship to the 7th Ray throat center in the Pacific Northwest. It was intended that that center would be responsible for “public relations” and the outer organizational aspects of the ashram in relation to humanity – just as the head center in Washington DC would be more directly related to Master M and the heart center in the LA area would be more directly related to Master DK.

   Another characteristic of the “New Thoughtform Presentation of the Wisdom” emanating from the Ashram of Synthesis is that it includes “every school of thought, every walk of life, every level in the human consciousness.” It requires aspirants, disciples and initiates at all levels of human consciousness – and many members of the deva kingdom as well.

   As a matter of fact (or esoteric fiction perhaps) according to Lucille, you too are a member of the Ashram of Synthesis (don’t let it go to your head) – at least the original plan was said to be for all disciples in the Ashrams of Master M, Master DK and Master R to be integrated into the Ashram of Synthesis by the end of last century. It was predicted to be a bumpy road, especially at personality levels, but I think you will admit, there has been a measure of integration between disciples affiliating themselves with these three teachers over the past decade or so.

   I look forward to your thoughts on synthetic initiation and other matters of mutual interest.

   In Love and Light,

   Lyn

   Reply
8. Phillip Lindsay says:

   June 22, 2016 at 11:45 am

   Thanks Lyn and Michael for your excellent dialogue, I hope students of both Bailey and Cedercrans are following this conversation or sharing it with others, it is most illuminating. Lyn, you said above, “7th Ray throat center in the Pacific Northwest” – what do you mean by this? DK has given Washington as the head and New York as the throat – so there is a seeming contradiction here? As you may know, I have studied the planetary centres in a bit of depth and have several essays about them, one of which is here: https://esotericastrologer.org/articles/five-planetary-centres-and-five-cities/

   Reply
9. Michael Robbins says:

   June 22, 2016 at 12:33 pm

   Letter from LRH Received 22Jun16

   Dear Lyn, Thank you for your thoughtful letter below. As usual let me offer my interleaved comments after MDR:

   But first I want to go on record as saying that when students gather together around some teaching, giving it their best meditative and studential approach, good may well arise and probably will, regardless of whether there are some errors in the teaching. I do not wish to imply that all concepts must necessarily be correct in a given teaching for students to benefit and make a significant contribution in service to the world. I hope to be understood in this regard. My present search is for Truth in Esotericism, using, I hope, the soul illumined mind and the most trustworthy hierarchical sources in this search. At least it may cause some to question and think carefully about that which they have simply assumed to be true. This approach is, I believe, conducive to spiritual maturity—and we all need that.
   Dear Michael,

   LH: Thanks for your additional comments. Here are a few thoughts from my side.

   1. Regarding your initial Assertion 2 – that Lucille’s teachings are all that students of esotericism will need during the impending Age of Aquarius, you comment that you are sure I have “heard this spoken and maybe can locate this assertion or something similar in her writings.”

   The passage that comes to mind is one from Ashramic Projections:

   “The Nature of the Soul series contains, within a particular frequency, the totality of the Thought-form Presentation. That means that that Thought-form Presentation finds its entry into the world via concepts contained within The Nature of the Soul.

   MDR: Lyn, what is the “totality of the Thought-form Presentation”. I am reminded that as Master DK dictated to A.A.B., she became aware of vast vistas of thought and realization that would never make it into the books the Master was dictating. Perhaps the key lies in the words “within a particular frequency”. Just what is that frequency? I am always cautious when I read words like “totality”, especially given the Principle of the Continuity of Revelation.

   LH: If, in receiving an impression from The New Thought-form Presentation as it is held in solution, you receive a concept that seems to be entirely new, look for it in The Nature of the Soul series and you will find it there.

   MDR: Is this not quite a claim? I want to make sure I understand and do not jump to conclusions. I do imagine that entirely new concepts (new to humanity) will, for instance, be revealed throughout the Greater Platonic Age of Aquarius of some 25,000 + years, and I also imagine that such concepts will not be found in the present Nature of the Soul Work nor in any revelation, including those given by Master DK or Master M. at this time.

   LH: It will be new only insofar as your own understanding is concerned. By the time the student has completed The Nature of the Soul, he has touched on the point of entry for every concept held in solution within The New Thought-form Presentation of The Wisdom.”

   MDR: I know Lucille was an Aries Sun-sign and that for such people the word “new” is often used, as I, another Aries type, have also used it. But what is it that really makes what LC presented the new thoughtform presentation of the Teachings. If Master DK is good to His word, within about nine or ten years, the third installment in His series of “bridging Treatises” will begin to be offered, perhaps with a different amanuensis. What should this concluding offering (for this time) be called? Is it somehow not as new as the New Thoughtform Presentation of the Teachings which LC has offered? Is it “old”? When it presents knowledge from the Hierarchical and Shamballic Libraries, which are ageless what should it be called? Neither “new” nor “old” would suffice, at least in my view.

   As I have been reading some LC books I have, or LC documents which you gave to me, I struggle to find that which is really “new”—or any newer than Agni Yoga, the Blue Books or H.P.B. These authors deal with timeless Wisdom which I think should be held in high regard. The word “new” can be used for separative purposes, implying that other Teachings are old, outworn and should be superseded—which is strange as that which is timeless, ageless cannot be superseded.

   So please clarify for me the use of the word “new” as applied to the LC teachings.

   LH: While similar to your assertion, I think you will agree that what Master R is saying isn’t exactly what some students might have understood. The tree is in the seed, but the tree and the tree are not the same thing.

   MDR: Is there planned a continuity of revelation with respect to the presently extant LC material? Is this in the works? If so, how will it be recognized? If not, how can one possibly imagine that any teaching, no matter how valuable, will not be greatly enlarged and deepened, perhaps by other authors or amanuenses as the centuries elapse? Will the Tibetan’s next installment be read as eagerly by the LC students as they now read LC? Or will Master DK be claimed as a Member of the Ashram of Synthesis? There is always a danger when the principle of the Continuity of Revelation is not respected. I think a revelatory challenge in this respect is imminent.

   LH: 2. Your thought that Lucille might be working under ashramic impression rather than taking dictation from a Chohan is right on. In fact, Master R suggests to Lucille’s students that they read what Master DK had to say about the Science of Impression in Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle.

   MDR: As Francis Bacon, the Count (Master R.) was one of the undisputed masters of the English language. I would imagine reading His exemplary wording in any real dictation He offered. But, as I understand it, LC said she provided the words. So then, we might say that the teaching purporting to come from Him was more impression than dictation. Impression of course is more subject to error and to the interpretation of the receiver, station or amanuensis.

   I have no trouble at all with various disciples tuning into the Ashram with which they are affiliated. By the way, given that by the early 1940’s and perhaps even earlier, Master R. was already the Mahachohan, the stream of His influence would be in the inclusive third ray—including as a Ray of Brahma, the fourth, fifth sixth and seventh rays as well as the normal Third Ray Ashram headed by Paul the Venetian. As for the first and second rays, they would have to come from other Sources.

   I still hold the likelihood that the Chohans on these rays had other things to do, as Master DK set forth in the quotation with which you are familiar and which I earlier shared.

   LH: Here’s another quote from Ashramic Projections:

   “I, the Master R., do not hesitate at this time, to ask you to aid my disciple, Lucille Cedercrans, in whatever way you can, thus aiding my own as well as your own service effort. I do not ask you to consider or accept her as perfect or infallible, nor to pay her homage, nor to place her upon any pedestal of illusion and glamour, but to see and to accept her in the Light of what she is—a disciple with a specific job to do, plus the training, the experience, and the capacity to fulfill the obligations she has undertaken.

   I ask you not to judge the persona or its life and affairs, but only the work. In so doing, you may come to know and love the Soul. Let it be remembered that Lucille’s work with Me is not that of a machine which takes down words, phrases, and sentences; but rather it is that of the creative artist whose function, in part, is to create the form which will carry a specific concept and energy to a waiting humanity.

   MDR: This is similar to the way Mme. Roerich regarded her role. As DK said in one of His rare commentaries on Agni Yoga regarding the book “Heart”: some of the words were provided directly by Master M.; some were written under His impression; and others were provided by the publishers. I believe that the process with AAB and DK was more linguistically exacting.

   Basically in the paragraphs you have offered above, the process is similar to any disciple tuning in on his or her Ashram (and perhaps, I would conservatively say, on the Master) and then offering in his or her own words (apparently much edited by certain members of the group?) a response to the impression. Of course, we must remember what the Mahachohan is—the Leader of five Ashrams! The charts in A Treatise on Cosmic Fire will demonstrate this.

   My impression is that of LC reaching in a general direction towards this larger heavenly group but, herself, being largely responsible for what was written. When we say, “Master R. said or wrote” it would seem more accurate to say LC “said or wrote” while under the impression of the Ashram which she considered to be her own. You already know that I think of the new Wisdom Ashram as being intra-hierarchical, and factually unattainable except by those who are actually members of Hierarchy or Shamballa. (This is a strong point to be considered.) That there may be many students aspiring towards Synthesis I do not doubt, but much more needs to be understood about the Nature of Synthesis than is customarily understood by most students. It will require an antahkarana completed to the monadic level, and only a Chohan has accomplished this. This is why the Members of the new Wisdom Ashram are Chohans of the sixth or seventh degrees, and some Masters Who are rapidly developing such capabilities. On Phillip’s Website, I have written a few points offering my understanding of Synthesis.

   If one studies the Seed Groups carefully, one notices that the 10th Seed Group is the synthetic one. BUT, and this is a big BUT, membership in this 10th group of Synthetic Magical Workers is drawn from the other nine groups—three from each I believe. First must come the ability to prove oneself in a lesser Ashram before one earns the right to enter the synthetic phase. I think a little humility in this regard would be well placed by unready aspirants towards synthesis—and by the way, I consider all of us as unready aspirants towards true synthesis. It is nice word to use, but mostly, students know too little of Pure Being to come anywhere near a state of true Synthesis.

   LH: Reread any paragraph in The Nature of The Soul and understand my meaning. It is not just any or every disciple on the thread who could have created precisely that form.”

   MDR: Well occasionally the Source makes a comment about the condition of the amanuensis. This is one of those comments.

   LH: Gretchen Groff, in her book Luminous Sitting, Torturous Walking about Lucille,

   MDR: Gretchen is a wonderful, luminous individual whom I am happy to know even a little as a result of her attendance at SRI/USR Conferences.

   LH: devotes a whole chapter to an excellent discussion about the differences and similarities between Lucille’s and AAB’s methods.

   MDR: Yes, she is a bridging individual and I would like to read what she has written in this regard.

   LH: Nothing, apparently, was communicated in word form to Lucille, but only a stream of abstract mental concepts – which she gave form to the best she could.

   MDR: OK, then, we are establishing that the process was not one of “dictation”. This would require a reassessment of DK’s statement that the Chohans were not working through dictation.

   Don’t we all, as gravitating towards certain Ashrams, receive such a stream when we are well attuned? It must be difficult to translate such an impression. So much will depend upon the state of mind of the receiver.

   The section on Station Training in Applied Wisdom goes into the causes of “error in communication” between Hierarchy and humanity.

   MDR: Yes, of course, it can happen.

   LH: I find this quite useful when sorting through the various teachings of Lucille. Here’s an example. Sorry for the length, but it bears directly on this issue:

   MDR: OK—I appreciate the care with which you are seeking to make your point.

   LH: “First, it would be wise for us to face head-on, so to speak, the problem of apparent misinterpretation of instruction being projected from a member of the Hierarchy to a group through a station—

   MDR: It is a very dignified way of referring to “channeling”.

   LH: a problem which is uppermost in the minds of some of you who have been particularly close to this type or kind of activity. Until we discuss the questions regarding this subject—which are within many of your minds—until we clarify the problem, face the issues involved, communication of a useful nature between us is impossible.

   Therefore, I am going to begin by presenting you with certain basic factors of major importance which must always be borne in mind if communication of this kind is to be carried out successfully to the benefit of all concerned.

   It must always be realized and held in mind that any communication from one individual to another, or to a group, will be first colored by the individual or individuals who are acting as interpreters. It is colored, first, by the station who is interpreting a communication projection from one language into another.

   Second, it is again colored by every individual who hears or reads the communication, according to his own state of consciousness, according to his own interpretation of that which has been projected.

   Third, one of the most important factors ever to be held in mind by any group receiving instruction by this means, and which is too often overlooked, is that misinterpretation can take place in the actual projection, at the point of the projection from the station to the group, by the astral consciousness of the group itself.

   MDR: Yes, I am understanding these qualifications. The use of “words” in the A.A.B./DK interplay, was, so it appears, much more intensive, and the process was, shall we say, “more concrete” Given the kinds of words which appear in Esoteric Astrology, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire and The Rays and the Initiations (and given A.A.B.’s lack of understanding of the technicalities of these matters) it would have to be! A.A.B. could not formulate such words. I do not believe there is any receiver who could—maybe H.P.B., (as the former initiate Cagliostro) would come closest in ability.

   LH: If the individuals receiving a particular instruction are focusing will-force into an astral desire or fear, that in itself can so communicate itself to the station that misinterpretation takes place as the station endeavors to interpret that which is being projected.

   MDR: This may shed light on why A.A.B. kept to herself in her dialogues with the Tibetan.

   LH: This is something that the recipient of instruction must ever hold in mind, if he would receive Truth, if he would receive that which is of Soul value to him, rather than that which is only a personality value.

   And fourth, of course, there is always the misinterpretation by the recipient of instruction in that he believes he has been told—or that he has received—one thing when it is something else entirely. You are all familiar with this type of misinterpretation.

   MDR: I think the foregoing covers the bases when it comes to possible reasons for error or misinterpretation.

   LH: And, there is, too, that which you consider to be error in instruction, or misinterpretation, when it is not error or misinterpretation, but only your misunderstanding of that which has been projected.”

   Master R goes on to say later in this section:

   “Instruction from Hierarchial levels to humanity cannot be of benefit until that humanity is able and willing to take the responsibility of their own actions, is willing to set forth upon their own planned activity, is willing to make mistakes and to learn by those mistakes, and to take the responsibility of them.

   MDR: This, of course, is common sense.

   LH: They cannot evolve through placing the responsibility for their actions upon another’s shoulders. This is the whole problem, and until the group is able to recognize it and each one resolve it within himself, instruction between Hierarchy and group is of very little use, actually a greater hindrance than it is a help. And this applies to the problems involved in the function of a station as well as it does to any other problems.”

   MDR: If a disciple does not take responsibility for his or her actions, then he or she is no real disciple. This is clear.

   LH: One last thought about Lucille’s process. Early in her career as a telepathic communicator, she worked with a “power station” – a male figure with a lot of first ray who helped “protect her alignment” while she was working as a “station”. After many years, she was able to function successfully without one. There seems to be something similar (whether conscious or unconscious) in the process of other well know Hierarchical intermediaries – Peter and Eileen Caddy, Alice and Foster Bailey and Helena and Nicolas Roerich.

   MDR: I am not familiar with such “protectors” in the cases of A.A.B., FB, and the Roerichs. It is an interesting thought and I am sure that hierarchical Sources do their best to make sure that what they say or impress gets through in the best possible form.

   LH: 3. In one of your comments about the type of teaching expected from the various ashrams, you say, “I can certainly see Master R. working in the field of economics, ritual and international organization but not so much dealing with second ray issues like, “the nature of the soul”.

   Later on, in a seemingly different regard, you say, “I know some of the LC writings which explain to certain students how it was that they (based upon their past) are now members of the Ashram of Synthesis—it was actually you who showed them to me long ago. However, I persist in thinking that this Wisdom Ashram of which DK writes, is very high in its nature and that most who say they are “members” of such an Ashram, could not qualify for the rigors involved in membership in even a lesser Ashram directed by a Master (necessitating the third degree for real membership)—let alone enter an Ashram inspired by the Buddha, the Christ and the Mahachohan for which even Masters, in general, might be unqualified.”

   My reply to both of these concerns is that the Ashram of Synthesis, from which Lucille claims inspiration, works primarily with the energy of, well, Synthesis – emanating at this time from the Avatar of Synthesis.

   MDR: Lyn, I must be frank with you in considering this a very high stretch. We are dealing with an inter-planetary Avatar Who may, in some respects, be more advanced that the Planetary Logos He is overshadowing. I simply share my impression that that claim is exaggerated. That there are student who aspire to the understanding of and conscious participation in Synthesis, there can be no doubt—and the trend is good, considering that the Yoga of Synthesis is being released in various ways. Given, however that the Avatar of Synthesis is overshadowing that becoming-seventh degree initiate we call the Christ, I do not see any direct contact between a “station” or between the students and that Great Being. It is would be a filter down situation at best. Perhaps, however, you are not actually claiming that there was direct contact, but only a stream inspired by the Avatar of Synthesis. Frankly, I will leave it to the Christ to understand what is intended.

   LH: Of course, this is a big subject and I don’t intend to comment on that here, other than to say that, as Master R explains it, the energy of Synthesis is not a combination of rays (all 7, but primarily 1,2 & 7 at present), but something entirely new.

   MDR: I always am a bit concerned when I hear about “something entirely new”. (We know how often such statements are used to negate that which has been tried and true and is well established. One leaves the ‘old’ which really works, because the so-called ‘new’ is inviting. I am very watchful about all such claims.)

   I also think that the Third Ray of Aspect (on which ray the Monad of Master R. must necessarily be) is always left out of the line-up when the sources of Synthesis are discussed. If anything, Master R., as Mahachohan, is synthesizing the five Rays of Brahma, through the use of the third ray of Creative Intelligence. That the seventh ray is focally powerful at this time, and that Master R. through His Egoic Ray (i.e., Triadal Ray) has a very close relation to the seventh ray, are not to be denied, but without the 1, 2, 3—one does not have triune Synthesis.

   LH: As such, what may have been separate areas of responsibility (ray-wise) may not be so now in the same way.

   MDR: As with all claims, maybe, maybe not. The Ashrams still have distinct things to accomplish as Master DK sets forth clearly. There are indeed separate areas of responsibility and there is no use blurring these areas. KH deals with the Reappearance of the Christ focally. Master H. deals with scientific discovery and application. Master M. deals with leadership and politics, focally. Master DK deals with training aspirants for initiation. Master R. as Mahachohan with the restructuring of Europe along the line of economics.

   Here is the quotation from The Rays and the Initiations, p. 586:

   “1. The group in which the initiate is working upon the physical plane and which is an externalisation (existing on the mental and astral planes) of some phase of work sponsored by the New Group of World Servers. All disciples and initiates in physical manifestation are at this time members of that group, which is the focal point of the present effort being made by the Hierarchy. Through it spiritual energy from five of the Ashrams is flowing. These five are:

   a. The Ashram of the Master K.H., particularly in regard to the work of education.
   b. The Ashram of the Master D.K. (myself), particularly in regard to aspirants for initiation.
   c. The Ashram of the Master R., particularly in regard to the reorganising and the reconstruction of Europe, from the point of view of economics.
   d. The Ashram of the Master Morya, as He seeks to find, influence and direct the activities of workers in the political field throughout the planet.
   e. The Ashram of the Master Hilarion, as He supervises the discoveries (and the application of such discoveries) of the scientific movement in the world today.

   You will note, therefore, the profound and widespread interest of this field of energy wherein ray energy is now active.”

   MDR: Shall we doubt this, written just a few years before LC began receiving?

   LH: Master R explains that he is the primary “Spokesperson” for the Ashram of Synthesis (if such an irreverent term can be used) because of His special relationship to the 7th Ray throat center in the Pacific Northwest.

   MDR: It’s quite a claim. Can it be rationally justified according to the Law of Correspondences? What type of center is this—in the USA, or planetary, and if so how does it square with the Five Planetary Centres given by DK—their rays as cities and as global centers. This must be investigated.

   LH: It was intended that that center would be responsible for “public relations” and the outer organizational aspects of the ashram in relation to humanity – just as the head center in Washington DC would be more directly related to Master M and the heart center in the LA area would be more directly related to Master DK. MDR: What happened to KH?

   MDR: What do you think of the idea that Washington D.C. will soon no longer be the head center or at least the center of power?

   “Like Russia, this country is in the making and — as I have told you elsewhere — as the nation’s power shifts, as it will and as it now really is shifting from Washington to New York, the Cancerian influence will steadily lessen and the country will take its place as an adult among the nations.” (DON 89)

   MDR: All the above are assertions. Time will tell in all cases.

   LH: Another characteristic of the “New Thoughtform Presentation of the Wisdom” emanating from the Ashram of Synthesis is that it includes “every school of thought, every walk of life, every level in the human consciousness.” It requires aspirants, disciples and initiates at all levels of human consciousness – and many members of the deva kingdom as well.

   MDR: If we are dealing with what has thus far been given, my reservations are strong. It seems an excessive claim. To me, given the present evidence, it is over-reach. The scientific aspect, especially, would need much more work, as would the artistic aspect. Why should Master DK bother with further “revelatory” writing through the last of the three “bridging Treatises”? Does one include such writings as He intends to make within the NTPOTW? If so, we may have to discuss right appropriation and its opposite.

   Of course, I know that the LC teaching includes Master DK and Master M. in the Ashram of Synthesis, and so maybe what DK writes, imminently, will be claimed as a revelation from the Ashram of Synthesis? Maybe it is not only Master R. who is ‘projecting’ etc.

   That the Seven Ashrams contain all this—that is necessarily true and each will play its precise part in the coming Revelation for the Age of Aquarius, just as each nation has its role to play according to its soul and personality rays and its astrological equipment—and this regardless of the fact that synthesis among the nations is intended. That the Factor of Synthesis is necessarily growing under the influence of the Avatar of Synthesis and the incoming energies of Aquarius is also true, but I think we must walk before we can run. To me, I see a significant number of aspirants reaching towards an intra-hierarchical Ashram for which even some Masters cannot qualify. I do not see evidence in the character or service of these aspirants and disciples that they are any different from the aspirants and disciples who seek to serve and who are applicants for the privilege of standing on the periphery of some ‘ordinary’ Ashram. Claims aside, this is what I see after close observation over quite a few years.

   LH: As a matter of fact (or esoteric fiction perhaps) according to Lucille, you too are a member of the Ashram of Synthesis (don’t let it go to your head) – at least the original plan was said to be for all disciples in the Ashrams of Master M, Master DK and Master R to be integrated into the Ashram of Synthesis by the end of last century.

   MDR: There is no doubt in my mind that the objective of realizing the Nature of Synthesis and participating in it is an objective of all those who are focally working on building the antahkarana, and not just its initial stages. However, the third initiation, minimally will be required to participate in what Synthesis really is, and a Chohan is the One Who can claim to be truly synthetic—as a Self-realized Monad. I also go on record as saying that I am doubtful in the extreme that any kind of “synthetic initiation” (which jumps over life-times of necessary training for initiation) will solve the problem. The great majority of aspirants for initiation are focused somewhere between the first and second initiation, though not all have taken even the first. I am familiar with hundreds of aspirants, some of them who claim to be members of the Ashram of Synthesis. I do not see any contrast between them (the supposed members of the Ashram of Synthesis) and the many aspirants who simply are working towards the second initiation.

   I will stick to the Seed-Thought Model and look to the formation of the Tenth Seed Group for hints about how a Synthetic Ashram is reached—by paying one’s dues in the lesser Ashrams I am quite sure (though I did read LC’s explanation concerning why certain people were rightfully members of the Ashram of Synthesis). While I respect the striving of any aspirant or disciple, I remained entirely unconvinced by her words. I would say, let those who are clearly unqualified for true ashramic membership in ordinary Ray Ashrams prepare with due diligence for this more humble but exacting task!

   LH: It was predicted to be a bumpy road, especially at personality levels, but I think you will admit, there has been a measure of integration between disciples affiliating themselves with these three teachers over the past decade or so.

   MDR: I personally, have always worked for this, especially in integrating the teachings of DK, M. and H.P.B. With respect to the Teachings of Master R., I continue to reserve judgment. When I see that which truly convinces me that the claims of LC are hierarchically correct, I will not hesitate to accept them. So far, I see a number of claims which I consider to be incorrect, though I certainly do not say there is no disciplic value in her work.

   Further, my reservation does not mean that I do not honor the aspiration and efforts of those who have gathered around the LC teaching. They are fellow aspirants and disciples and I wish them well in all their efforts to unfold spiritually and serve humanity and the planet. I think they will achieve some measure of success, because they are all souls and are attempting to cooperate, and because there is much of value in the LC teaching.

   As time goes by, errors in thought and understanding will be seen and corrected. I am sure that people gathered around the Blue Books and the Agni Yoga Books are making many errors in understanding and interpretation.

   My goal is to clarify certain relationships between concepts and practices which cannot all be true and useful. Erroneous teaching, wherever it appears, may seem harmless at first, but eventually is will lead its devotees into various delays and traps. In speaking of this, I am surveying the entire field of modern esotericism and not focusing on any one teaching.

   MDR: I hope that we may examine these apparent conflicts from the plane of mind illumined by the soul and with a necessary detachment. In the end, we will accept what we will accept. For many, only bitter experience will reveal the nature of the glamours or illusions (or both) in which they have been willingly ensnared. The awakening (and I am ready to be awakened to my errors in thought and understanding) can be at first painful, but in the long run will save the awakened one much time and grief—perhaps a number of incarnations. So different teachings have to be examined carefully for self-consistency and also for consistency or contradiction amongst themselves. This is far from an easy task and the astral body of many will rebel before the task has hardly begun. The most careful thought must be applied and then greater light may come. And perhaps, one day, it shall be so, that the occult groups will no longer be the most glamoured of all world groups!

   Always with appreciation for your thoughts and your intention to clarify important points.

   Light, Love and Power, Michael

   LH: I look forward to your thoughts on synthetic initiation and other matters of mutual interest.

   In Love and Light,

   Lyn

   Reply
10. Luka Kovač says:

    June 22, 2016 at 3:28 pm

    Thank you all for starting this important discussion.
    The question of Hierarchical inspiration is actually also addressing the unity of the light workers of the world. This was a profound problem in the past and it remains one today. It is a problem of not being able to look past the form of a teaching. Hierarchical inspiration can be ascertained through the essence of a teaching and this can be sensed only by intuition and realized by a soul illumined mind and also common sense.
    It is my understanding this discussion aims at two things:
    1. To question the authenticity of those teachings that claim to be hierarchically inspired, by comparison to those teachings that are accepted as being hierarchically inspired.
    2. To shed light on the glamours and distorted presentations of those teachings proclaiming to be hierarchically inspired.
    Hierarchy can be viewed from two angles. It can connote that group of enlightened beings that serve as guides for the developing humanity and are the custodians of the Plan, the Masters and their ashrams. This is the narrow angle. The wider angle would be that the word Hierarchy is simply another word for the kingdom of souls, the fifth kingdom.
    The same distinction can be made of the teachings. The primary ones could be attributed to inspiration by the Hierarchy of Masters, the secondary and tertiary teachings to soul illumined personalities (of various degrees). There exists a difference in quality and depth between the two groups of teachings, yet in my opinion both are hierarchically inspired. The outstanding qualities of such teachings, something they can be recognized by, are the fundamental hierarchical ideas, the essence of hierarchical teachings, for example unity, sacrifice, respect, tolerance and many others.
    There is however a great distinction in form of these teachings. We are many and diverse, so also must the teachings reflect that diversity if they hope to find entrance into the human consciousness. The differences in karma, culture, ray, stage of development, and many others, all must be taken into account. It is therefore the secondary and tertiary teachings are so necessary. They step down and adapt the various hierarchical ideas and make them appealing and accessible to a wider circle of humanity. Of course this necessarily means many of the original ideas are distorted. Glamour creeps in and things tend to become complicated, but there is no other way.
    The difficulty is to look past the form of the teaching. The task of senior students of ancient wisdom is to approach any teaching from the world of meaning and to emphasize that within the teaching that does resonate with the essence of hierarchical teachings. If we battle a lie we strengthen it and will lose. If we fight for truth, as little as is accessible to us, we just might contribute something that will help to penetrate the veils of glamour and illusion.

    So, to return to the two points above, I believe we should be cautious when establishing authenticity of a teaching and gauging if it is hierarchically inspired or not. For many of us the teachings presented by DK represent the highest teaching publicly available at this moment and we recognise it incontrovertibly as a hierarchically inspired one. These are the path we have trodden to approach the truth, the deepest well we have dug in search for it. But as we stand on the bottom of our well if we look up the view of the sky is narrow. It is then we must remind ourselves that is the water below that is important, the same water that is reached by any well if it is deep enough, and not our particular well that is the way we have approached truth.
    For example about a year ago I came across a book called The Book of Knowledge, written by Mevlana (a pseudonym) under supposed inspiration of a supreme center that was responsible also for the Bible and Koran. They have strict rules how to disseminate the teachings of the book, so I was allowed only to get a glimpse into the first booklet of it. I was not very impressed by the words; they were simplistic, repetitive and foreign to me in their approach that is based on Islam. I did however sense that there was something good and true these words were connected to, so I agreed to participate in reading of the book which is a form of group meditation. In this reading I came in contact with energies which were incontrovertibly (for me) similar to hierarchical energies. As I explored The Book of Knowledge further I came to a conclusion this was a sixth ray teaching method from a high source (does it really matter if it is hierarchical or not). Sixth ray is peculiar and so are the teachings tailored to sixth ray types. I presented this book to sixth ray friends and there was an immediate resonance. Its presentation is foreign to me, but familiar to them. To someone that could be interested I am attaching some links:
    https://archive.org/stream/TheKnowledgeBook/TheKnowledgeBook_djvu.txt
    http://www.dkb-mevlana.org.tr/
    http://www.bulentcorak.com/
    Had I not sensed the energies connected to its teaching, I could easily dismiss the book as being one of the tertiary inspired writings at best. But it is far more than that. Such experiences remind me how different we really are and how different must necessarily be the forms through which our guides and watchers are attempting to lift us and bring us closer to the truth and how cautious I must be not to judge too quickly.
    There is also the aspect of time that has to be considered. All teachings come out tinged by energies of that particular time. The form of any teachings hierarchically inspired or not, becomes outdated as the world changes. But with hierarchically inspired teachings their essence is timeless. The ideas of Bhagavad-Gita are contemporary and relevant and will remain so, yet its form may be foreign to many. Jose Becerra addressed this in a couple of his points. The forms of a teaching must in my opinion change and adapt to the need of the world so that its essence is brought closer to the existing state of mind of the people – something that is changing quite rapidly in these times. Yet to do that, to adapt the form, one has to understand the essence, and therein lies the problem, doesn’t it?

    As for the second point it is a real problem of the moment. In the last 150 or so years the West has received an immense influx of esoteric teachings from the East. It was a time of very strong sixth ray influence and its accompanying idealism. It was easy for westerners to adopt the high ideals of the teachings but somewhat ignore the more down to earth teachings on discipline, sacrifice, watchfulness, mindfulness and other basic requirements for treading the path. The many so-called hierarchically inspired writings are a continuation of the same delusion – for example that there can be achievement without self induced effort, or that supreme achievement can be attained without taking into account the necessary time factor. If there is one thing that dignifies hierarchically inspired teachings, it is the difficulty of spiritual progress, the supreme effort that is necessary to achieve anything and also the time it takes to mount one step at a time that winnows through them. This of course does not appeal to the personality. It appeals however to the soul, the Lord of Sacrifice. Many so-called spiritual teachers have consciously ‘modified’ the spiritual teachings so that these would appeal to a wider circle of people. This is not what I had in mind above where I mention that the form of hierarchical teaching should be adapted to the world need and the consciousness of the young generation. Many teachings, ancient ones and more contemporary ones have been seriously distorted. So what can the more experienced workers do to help clear the overwhelming confusion and to turn the eyes of the public from the distortion towards truth?
    I do not presume to know the answer to that question, but I would suggest one thing. Wherever some truth is found within a teaching however distorted, deluded or glamoured it may be, that truth should be emphasized and everything else well… ignored. Why do I propose this somewhat gentle approach? Because it conserves energy and uses it to strengthen only that part that is good and worth cultivating. Emphasizing what is false in the teaching (any teaching) and bringing the glamour to the light, as desirable as it may seem, is rather futile. In most cases it fosters conflict and really strengthens the glamoured position. Much energy is so expended with little hope of success.
    One of the most effective ways of battling glamour is by attrition. With joy I observe how many people are now slowly becoming sick of the teachings with empty promises and high but unrealistic ideals. Slowly the new age spirituality will realize that the true spiritual work is necessarily hard and slow. With this realization better discernment what is a hierarchically inspired teaching and what is far from it will dawn.

    Reply
    1. Michael Robbins says:

       June 23, 2016 at 10:31 am

       Dear Luka,

       Thank you for your thoughtful letter below. I will offer a few thoughts after MDR:
       Luka Kovač says:
       June 22, 2016 at 3:28 pm
       LK: Thank you all for starting this important discussion.

       LK: The question of Hierarchical inspiration is actually also addressing the unity of the light workers of the world.
       MDR: Agreed, and at a time when the unity of such workers is a very important part of preparation for the Externalization of the Hierarchy and the Reappearance of the Christ.

       LK: This was a profound problem in the past and it remains one today. It is a problem of not being able to look past the form of a teaching.

       MDR: I would say, “perhaps”, because there should be reasonably close correlation between substance and form. The words which are used will often convey the substance and word-forms cannot be entirely dismissed as irrelevant.

       LK: Hierarchical inspiration can be ascertained through the essence of a teaching and this can be sensed only by intuition and realized by a soul illumined mind and also common sense.

       MDR: All these are necessary, of course, and these are the factors which a number of us have tried to apply when looking for the truth-value of all kinds of writings in the esoteric field. Still, may I say that I do not sense there is necessarily a great disjunction between the substance meant to be conveyed and the words which are used to convey it. That relationship must be studied carefully and may often be closer than we think.

       LK: It is my understanding this discussion aims at two things:
       1. To question the authenticity of those teachings that claim to be hierarchically inspired, by comparison to those teachings that are accepted as being hierarchically inspired.

       MDR: From my perspective, this is partially true. If real authenticity is to be determined, more than comparison with other valued sources is to be utilized: illumined reason and pure reason (as much as possible) must be applied, and, as you say, “common sense”. Comparison, however, can be useful, especially when certain standards are firmly maintained. I think there are very few who doubt the integrity of Master DK’s Teaching, whether through H.P.B. or A.A.B. Master DK’s Teaching is not the only “touchstone”, but it is extremely useful in this regard.

       LK: 2. To shed light on the glamours and distorted presentations of those teachings proclaiming to be hierarchically inspired.

       MDR: The important thing here is to clarify the mental and astral fields of disciples within the esoteric community. Everyone must see to his or her own condition, of course, but there is a necessity to turn one’s eyes upon the general mental and emotional condition of the esoteric world group—at a time when so much may be expected of them in cooperation with Hierarchy.

       LK: Hierarchy can be viewed from two angles. It can connote that group of enlightened beings that serve as guides for the developing humanity and are the custodians of the Plan, the Masters and their ashrams. This is the narrow angle.

       MDR: I am not sure the word “narrow” applies. I would call it “elevated and “specific”.

       LK: The wider angle would be that the word Hierarchy is simply another word for the kingdom of souls, the fifth kingdom.

       MDR: A legitimate definition, I think, though we must be careful, as one does begin to enter the fifth kingdom at the very first initiation, and is, at that time, nowhere near membership in Hierarchy defined as the “society of organised and illumined minds”. For me, the true Spiritual Hierarchy begins at the fifth initiation, though I can see a more inclusive, less intensive way of regarding Hierarchy.

       LK: The same distinction can be made of the teachings. The primary ones could be attributed to inspiration by the Hierarchy of Masters, the secondary and tertiary teachings to soul illumined personalities (of various degrees).

       MDR: This makes sense.

       LK: There exists a difference in quality and depth between the two groups of teachings, yet in my opinion both are hierarchically inspired.

       MDR: It is simply a question of degree, intensity and depth. In a way, the soul (considered as the Higher Self of the individual—either within the egoic lotus or spiritual triad) is a member of Hierarchy, and soul-inspiration is, in this sense, hierarchical inspiration. This is not the same thing, however, as the perspective of a Master of the Wisdom or a Chohan.

       LK: The outstanding qualities of such teachings, something they can be recognized by, are the fundamental hierarchical ideas, the essence of hierarchical teachings, for example unity, sacrifice, respect, tolerance and many others.

       MDR: These are all sound and to them I would add impersonal love and ageless wisdom.

       LK: There is however a great distinction in form of these teachings. We are many and diverse, so also must the teachings reflect that diversity if they hope to find entrance into the human consciousness.

       MDR: By “we” do you mean those intelligent individuals who can at this time benefit from hierarchically inspired teaching?

       LK: The differences in karma, culture, ray, stage of development, and many others, all must be taken into account.

       MDR: Of course, and this is one of the reasons why there will be, spread across the globe, Fourteen Preparatory Schools and Fourteen Advanced Schools. Many types of needs will have to be met, but the “ancient landmarks” and the foundational principles must not be ignored or supplanted.

       LK: It is therefore the secondary and tertiary teachings are so necessary.

       MDR: Simplified, yes, and preferably not glamour-ridden and full of illusion. When I studied what Richard Feynman said to the layman about nuclear physics, I found brilliant simplification but no distortion. Distortion is not necessary at foundational levels; simplification is. With simplification there need not be distortion, though some might disagree.

       LK: They step down and adapt the various hierarchical ideas and make them appealing and accessible to a wider circle of humanity.

       MDR: Yes, reasonable—even what we are receiving from Masters DK and M. is much stepped-down for our level of understanding. I would not, however, call it “distorted”.

       LK: Of course this necessarily means many of the original ideas are distorted.

       MDR: Here is where I must disagree with you. I think it is possible to simplify without distorting. One simply says less; does not go into such ramifying detail; does not overwhelm. What the Christ said to the masses and to His perhaps first degree initiates, was simplified and sometimes in need of interpretation, but not distorted.

       There are ten thousand technical things we could say about “the Kingdom of Heaven is within”, but the statement is not a distortion.

       LK: Glamour creeps in and things tend to become complicated, but there is no other way.

       MDR: Well, we have our different perspectives here. The great gift of great Teachers like the Christ and the Buddha is the ability to speak simply yet without distortion. A study of the words of the Buddha will reveal this in a remarkable way. He eschewed complicated esoteric doctrine in order to present the fundamental Laws of Life, in a very simple way. Check out DINA II 518, concerning simplicity opening the Door to Shamballa.

       LK: The difficulty is to look past the form of the teaching.

       MDR: As long as the form is not responsible for distortion.

       LK: The task of senior students of ancient wisdom is to approach any teaching from the world of meaning and to emphasize that within the teaching that does resonate with the essence of hierarchical teachings.

       MDR: Good things can be found in many teachings which contain distortions and rather serious errors—but the good can indeed be found and emphasized and perhaps, in time, it will dissolve the distortions.

       LK: If we battle a lie we strengthen it and will lose.

       MDR: In my view, this is partially true, but it was not true for the Christ with His ray one mind and the direct pronouncements He made to the perpetrators of falsehoods. His words were amazingly direct and often confrontational.

       LK: If we fight for truth, as little as is accessible to us, we just might contribute something that will help to penetrate the veils of glamour and illusion.

       MDR: Of course, we must fight for truth. Of course! Taking an analogy however, it may indeed be possible to overcome a serious cancer by strengthening the archetypal defense systems of the body, but sometimes, this strengthening is not enough, and preliminary surgery is needed. Then the body can recover. Once the cancer of glamorous, illusory thought has infected the many, it may be too late to save the esoteric body.

       LK: So, to return to the two points above, I believe we should be cautious when establishing authenticity of a teaching and gauging if it is hierarchically inspired or not.

       MDR: Of course, and this is where reason and “pure reason” (intuition) and the factor of comparison with firm standards come into play.

       LK: For many of us the teachings presented by DK represent the highest teaching publicly available at this moment and we recognise it incontrovertibly as a hierarchically inspired one. These are the path we have trodden to approach the truth, the deepest well we have dug in search for it.

       MDR: There will always be more, of course, according to the principle of the Continuity of Revelation. The Teaching is more than the books, but all that can be reasonably and intuitively generated from the ideas within the books, and many authors could be included. Every solid teaching invites intuitive extension. I find that in Master DK’s actual words in His tangible books, ten times as many books are implicate—maybe more.

       LK: But as we stand on the bottom of our well if we look up the view of the sky is narrow. It is then we must remind ourselves that is the water below that is important, the same water that is reached by any well if it is deep enough, and not our particular well that is the way we have approached truth.

       MDR: I know this analogy and it has served many. Again, I must say, not all wells will reach water. One has to be digging in the right place. There are many legitimate approaches to Truth—each Ashram has its ways. AND there are distorted approaches which lead to delay or nowhere.

       LK: For example about a year ago I came across a book called The Book of Knowledge, written by Mevlana (a pseudonym) under supposed inspiration of a supreme center that was responsible also for the Bible and Koran. They have strict rules how to disseminate the teachings of the book, so I was allowed only to get a glimpse into the first booklet of it. I was not very impressed by the words; they were simplistic, repetitive and foreign to me in their approach that is based on Islam. I did however sense that there was something good and true these words were connected to, so I agreed to participate in reading of the book which is a form of group meditation. In this reading I came in contact with energies which were incontrovertibly (for me) similar to hierarchical energies. As I explored The Book of Knowledge further I came to a conclusion this was a sixth ray teaching method from a high source (does it really matter if it is hierarchical or not).

       MDR: There are number of transmitting sources. Some sources are simply disciples of the Great Ones who have something of value to say. The soul too is a source for inspired writings, about 8% of the time says Master DK.

       The following from Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle (75-77), pretty well covers likely sources of “inspired writings” in what appears to be a fairly accurate way

       “1. Messages emanating from the relatively nice, well-trained subconscious nature of the recipient. These well up from the subconscious but are regarded by the recipient as coming from an outside source. Introspective people frequently penetrate into the layer of subconscious recollection and are quite unaware of so doing. Their interest in themselves is so intense. Not knowing that they have done this, [Page 76] they regard what they find as unusual, beautiful and important, and then proceed to formulate it into messages, which they expect their friends and the general public to regard as spiritually based. These messages are normally innocuous, sometimes beautiful, because they are a mixture of what the recipients have read and gathered from the mystical writing or have heard from Christian sources and the Bible. It is really the content of their right thinking along spiritual lines and can do no one any harm, but is of no true importance whatsoever. It accounts, however, for eighty-five percent (85%) of the so-called telepathic or inspired writings so prevalent at this time.

       2. Impressions from the soul, which are translated into concepts and written down by the personality; the recipient is deeply impressed by the relatively high vibration which accompanies them, forgetting that the vibration of the soul is that of a Master, for the soul is a Master on its own plane. These are true soul impressions but usually have in them nothing new or of major importance; they are, again, the result of past ages of soul development (as far as the personality is concerned); they are, therefore, that which an awakening personality has contributed to the soul of the good, the true and the beautiful, plus that which has entered into the personality consciousness as a result of soul contact. This accounts for eight percent (8%) of the writings and communications put before the general public by aspirants today.

       3. Teachings given by a senior or more advanced disciple on the inner planes to a disciple under training or who has just been admitted into an Ashram. These teachings bear the impress and conclusions of the senior disciple and are frequently of value; they may—and often do—contain information of which the recipient is totally unaware. The criterion here is that nothing (literally nothing) will concern [Page 77] the recipient, either spiritually or mentally or in any other way connected with his personality, nor will they contain the platitudes of the religious background of the recipient. They will account for five percent (5%) of the teaching given, but this is in relation to the entire world and the percentage does not refer to some one occult group, one religious faith or one nation. The recognition of this is of vital importance.

       4. Communications from a Master to His disciple. This accounts for two percent (2%) of the entire telepathic receptivity, demonstrated by humanity as a whole throughout the entire world. Western students would here do well to remember that the subjective Eastern student is far more prone to telepathic receptivity than is his Western brother; this has a definite bearing on all the above classifications, which is somewhat humiliating for the Western mystic and occult student. The World Scriptures emanate from another department of the second ray teaching faculty. In this statement I do not include The Old Testament except such passages as the Twenty-third Psalm and certain passages out of the Prophets, particularly the Prophet Isaiah. The World Scriptures were written for mystics, occupied with beauty, comfort, and encouragement, and were not written for occultists. I would call this to your attention.”

       LK: Sixth ray is peculiar and so are the teachings tailored to sixth ray types. I presented this book to sixth ray friends and there was an immediate resonance. Its presentation is foreign to me, but familiar to them. To someone that could be interested I am attaching some links:

       MDR: Many good ideas and much inspiration can come from many authors who may be inspired by their soul or by an Ashram with which they are consciously or unconsciously affiliated. Advancing the Knowledge of Hierarchy in the mind of humanity is another matter. Such uplifting writings are one thing and The Secret Doctrine or A Treatise on Cosmic Fire another.

       https://archive.org/stream/TheKnowledgeBook/TheKnowledgeBook_djvu.txt
       http://www.dkb-mevlana.org.tr/
       http://www.bulentcorak.com/

       LK: Had I not sensed the energies connected to its teaching, I could easily dismiss the book as being one of the tertiary inspired writings at best. But it is far more than that.

       MDR: We all make our own evaluations and entitled to do so.

       MDR: I would also consider triggers. We may be sensing our own higher sources triggered by exposure to what—sometimes to anything, even things which are not especially spiritual. At least, so I have found it in my life.

       LK: Such experiences remind me how different we really are and how different must necessarily be the forms through which our guides and watchers are attempting to lift us and bring us closer to the truth and how cautious I must be not to judge too quickly.

       MDR: The advice is sound. Further every modern student of these things has the influence of a Solar Angel pervading the egoic lotus. This Solar Pitri is a member of the Council within the Sun:

       “Perfected men are in the councils of the planetary Logos of their particular ray; the solar Pitris are in the council of the solar Logos.69” (TCF 843)

       We certainly are connected with amazing heights through the agency of that solar angelic Being which supervises our development. There are as many ways to Truth as there are antahkaranas and as many antahkaranas are there are human Monads. So each individual is, in fact, a Way to the Truth of Spirit.

       That said, there are Busiric teachings which delay, mislead and can even cause disaster. These must be noted to help clear the way of the less experienced, aspiring ones. The Master does “protective work” and His disciples must undertake some such work, on their own levels, when necessity is indicated.

       LK: There is also the aspect of time that has to be considered. All teachings come out tinged by energies of that particular time. The form of any teachings hierarchically inspired or not, becomes outdated as the world changes. But with hierarchically inspired teachings their essence is timeless.

       MDR: Teachings on the Seven Laws of the Soul, on the Seven Solar systemic Laws, on the Fourteen Rules for Disciples and Initiates…etc. So many Teachings from the Archives of Hierarchy and Shamballa. And these are the very kinds of Teaching which less experienced students, unable to assimilate them, declare to be outdated and outmoded. Can we not agree that it would be foolish to adopt that point of view yet think one is moving ahead spiritually?

       LK: The ideas of Bhagavad-Gita are contemporary and relevant and will remain so, yet its form may be foreign to many.

       MDR: It all depends how deeply we want to go into the translations available to us, or, should we choose, to learn Sanskrit and deal with the original. Your discussion is very much on substance vis-à-vis form. DK has translated for us many classics of times more ancient than Atlantis. The form in which He presented them (such as the Six Trumpeted Words, DINA II 285) have given us access to Timeless Truth.

       LK: Jose Becerra addressed this in a couple of his points. The forms of a teaching must in my opinion change and adapt to the need of the world so that its essence is brought closer to the existing state of mind of the people

       MDR: As long as in the process the essence is preserved and not distorted by the purportedly ‘new’ word-forms chosen. Curiously, following the death of A.A.B., and not at all long after, various teachings emerged. My assessment is that the forms of words were not so very different from those used by DK/A.A.B. (though not as polished, in my evaluation). Such teachings claim to be “new”, but the world and world need had not changed dramatically in a few short years.

       Making a general statement now, much distorting novelty lies associated with the word “new”. People like that word. Master M. does like it very much—for Him every moment is “new” and I surely agree. But too often the use of this term is a way of ignoring or dismissing the “ancient landmarks” which never change—at least on our globe and for millions of years. Thus the truly ageless Teaching is dismissed by the attractive word “new”, when that which is offered has far less substance to it than that which is found in the Libraries of Hierarchy and Shamballa.

       LK: – something that is changing quite rapidly in these times.

       MDR: Yes, but not so rapidly that the “ancient landmarks” should be ignored. So often people who do not wish to assimilate what has been given by Hierarchy rush forward into the “new” simply because it relieves them of the necessary assimilation.

       LK: Yet to do that, to adapt the form, one has to understand the essence, and therein lies the problem, doesn’t it?

       MDR: I think you are correct here. This is where Master DK, translating from the Old Commentary and from the Archives, really excels. It was also, I believe, Master KH Who translated the Slokas in The Secret Doctrine into English for H.P.B.’s commentary.

       The ‘new clothing’ may not fit very well at times and may entirely disguise the one who wears it.

       LK: As for the second point it is a real problem of the moment. In the last 150 or so years the West has received an immense influx of esoteric teachings from the East. It was a time of very strong sixth ray influence and its accompanying idealism. It was easy for westerners to adopt the high ideals of the teachings but somewhat ignore the more down to earth teachings on discipline, sacrifice, watchfulness, mindfulness and other basic requirements for treading the path.

       MDR: Well stated.

       LK: The many so-called hierarchically inspired writings are a continuation of the same delusion – for example that there can be achievement without self induced effort,

       MDR: Yes, as in the case in which the entire dense physical plane is expected to disappear into etherealization in a rather few years. Not much you can do about it! Or in the case of what is called “synthetic initiation” (about which I hope to write in some depth)—it is conferred, and you who may not even be a first degree initiate, emerge (as a result of this conferred process) as a Master of the Wisdom. This turns all we know about initiation, and the careful presentation over years and years DK’s writing, on its head. But more later.

       LK: or that supreme achievement can be attained without taking into account the necessary time factor.

       MDR: Inexperienced students are impatient, just as the novice is always more conceited than the more experienced disciple. Initiation is labour-intensive and takes time. What happened to the “battle-scarred warrior” who over lives and lives had to fight his or her way into the light? Well, in no time at all, and with no scars—that warrior emerges as a Master! Very satisfying to the personality! I think we have to get serious now about time, effort, struggle, pain, etc. No one likes these necessities and so, a teaching appears which does away with them. For me, such teaching did not emanate from Hierarchy.

       LK: If there is one thing that dignifies hierarchically inspired teachings, it is the difficulty of spiritual progress, the supreme effort that is necessary to achieve anything and also the time it takes to mount one step at a time that winnows through them.

       MDR: With this I must totally agree.

       LK: This of course does not appeal to the personality. It appeals however to the soul, the Lord of Sacrifice. Many so-called spiritual teachers have consciously ‘modified’ the spiritual teachings so that these would appeal to a wider circle of people.

       MDR: This is an important perception and, in my view, exactly what has happened.

       LK: This is not what I had in mind above where I mention that the form of hierarchical teaching should be adapted to the world need and the consciousness of the young generation.

       MDR: An important distinction. Adaptation need not be dilution or distortion.

       LK: Many teachings, ancient ones and more contemporary ones have been seriously distorted. So what can the more experienced workers do to help clear the overwhelming confusion and to turn the eyes of the public from the distortion towards truth?

       MDR: OK, so now you are getting into the very concern which impelled some of us to undertake this analysis of certain types of thoughts and doctrines which are circulating with misleading effect in the consciousness of the world esoteric group.

       LK: I do not presume to know the answer to that question, but I would suggest one thing. Wherever some truth is found within a teaching however distorted, deluded or glamoured it may be, that truth should be emphasized and everything else well… ignored.

       MDR: I understand your reasoning, and I do agree with it in part. There is much good to be found in many teachings which contain serious distortions. Of course, it is not so easy to emphasize the positive and ignore the negative, because the adherents of such teachings tend to find acceptance of the entire body of teaching a necessity. They will be damaged by the distortions, even if the good aspects are there.

       LK: Why do I propose this somewhat gentle approach? Because it conserves energy and uses it to strengthen only that part that is good and worth cultivating.

       MDR: Is this a practical approach? Maybe. I do not fully know.

       LK: Emphasizing what is false in the teaching (any teaching) and bringing the glamour to the light, as desirable as it may seem, is rather futile.

       MDR: Here I cannot agree. Pluto serves a purpose in the general cleansing of the aura of each of us and of humanity as a whole. And Pluto is doing its work before the Reappearance of the Christ becomes possible. It is best, of course, if each individual and each group discovers for themselves what is undesirable, but this is unlikely as glamors and illusions are notoriously hard to see, within oneself or within one’s group.

       LK: In most cases it fosters conflict and really strengthens the glamoured position.

       MDR: It may or may not, in my view. And conflict may as easily result in that which is good as that which is bad. I had rather a dentist tell me the full story, than let me blissfully walk away with a tooth that needed a root canal—only to return later with a greater infection and in much greater pain.

       I do understand your concern for the conservation of energy. I also know that ray two types (and I am one—I think you have that strongly in your nature, too) may prefer the gentler path which tends to disrupt the form—less.

       LK: Much energy is so expended with little hope of success.

       MDR: I realize that this is your perspective—that there will be little hope of success. But the Teacher spends quite a bit of time pointing out (however tactfully, though sometimes very directly) what the student needs to change or improve. When He does that, are some of us who have perhaps fifty years in the esoteric field, to do nothing similar within the lesser range of activity in which we may be effective. Though it is not very pleasant—subjectively, I can tell you—sometimes one must point out the abuse and be ready to have one’s own abuses pointed out—in love or in retaliation!

       LK: One of the most effective ways of battling glamour is by attrition.

       MDR: Yes, you are correct. Yet, nine years remain in the Era of the Forerunner until the big decisions of 2025 are made at the Hierarchical Conclave. Time is apparently short.

       LK: With joy I observe how many people are now slowly becoming sick of the teachings with empty promises and high but unrealistic ideals. Slowly

       MDR: Ah, Luka—“the wise use of slow action”—a ray two giveaway!

       LK: the new age spirituality will realize that the true spiritual work is necessarily hard and slow.

       MDR: I appreciate you saying this because one of the most prevalent glamours related to the exaltation of the lower ego is (let us call it) the Glamour of Remarkably Rapid Spiritual Achievement. Of course the time equation is in our hands, but within reason. There cannot be a sudden break from the record of past achievements. One just cannot encapsulate perhaps 5000 years of struggle (I am being conservative) into one sublime and all-inclusive initiatory experience. Common sense militates against this assumption.

       LK: With this realization better discernment what is a hierarchically inspired teaching and what is far from it will dawn.

       MDR: I think you have presented a very reasonable point of view. I have responded as best I can, given my present perspective. I think your thoughts are sound and where I have a different point of view, I have simply said so. Many are the perspectives and difference does not necessarily equate to distortion in one or the other.

       Thank you for the knowledge, wisdom and insight conveyed.

       Light, Love and Power,
       Michael

       Reply
11. Lyn Hebenstreit says:

    June 23, 2016 at 7:48 am

    Dear Michael,

    1. You ask, “what is the “totality of the Thought-form Presentation”. I’m not sure that isn’t a rhetorical question, but it’s one I have pondered for a long time. My best guess is that it includes everything humanity needs in the way of spiritual understanding to establish the Fifth Kingdom of Nature on earth over the coming age. In my opinion, it goes back to the Hierarchical conclave in 1775 when (so it is said) Master M and Master KH first suggested that the teachings of the mysteries, formerly the province of secret societies like those spearheaded by Master R, be brought to the attention of the inquiring public. I would include within this purview the work of HPB and the Theosophical Society, AAB’s 30 years work, Agni Yoga, Lucille’s work and, to a lesser degree possibly, the work of such teachers as Rudolf Steiner and Henry T Laurency – all of these “thought-form presentations” being expressions or interpretations of the same living Truth we call the Ageless Wisdom, or in the case of Lucille, simply the Wisdom.

    2. You ask, “what is it that really makes what LC presented the new thoughtform presentation of the Teachings?” and say, “please clarify for me the use of the word “new” as applied to the LC teachings.”

    The world is always changing, and as Master DK has informed us, Hierarchy is always changing its methods to meet evolving conditions:

    “You who read and study the ways of the Ashrams at this time are witnessing a period of extreme change and adjustment and of a far-reaching reorganization.” DINA II, pg. 357

    “This ancient and intelligent effort has created and conditioned what you know as the Hierarchy. However, it is constantly subject to change in response to new situations and developments.” Externalization, pg. 564

    “People are apt to forget that with each forward advance of humanity, the demands upon the Hierarchy change, new needs must be met, new techniques used, new and experimental methods must be employed.” Rays & Initiations, pg. 245

    Lucille’s work describes some of these changes in Hierarchical approach as embodied in the new Ashram of Synthesis – at least this is my working hypothesis. There are a number of “new” concepts introduced, but much of this “new” information concerns practical application of the Wisdom via a 7th ray orientation.

    Here in Lucille/Master R’s words are a few of the characteristics which differentiate the “new” approach of the Ashram of Synthesis from those that have preceded it.

    1. The hierarchical approach to humanity is more direct and inclusive. While the Senior Disciple at hierarchical levels continues to work with humanity as a group life, he does, nonetheless, work directly with every level of development within that group life. Thus, the ashramic presentation of The Wisdom is formulated for, and has its application to, every state of consciousness from the heights to the depths of human development. It does not exclude those who do not “measure up”, so to speak, but works with that state of consciousness which the man or woman is, where he is. The aspirant or the group of aspirants cannot “fall out of Grace” with his Senior, through any act, or series of acts, which are deemed unworthy. His acts will produce their karma, and more quickly than would otherwise be the case; but so long as he maintains his higher alignment and perseveres in his effort, regardless of the mistakes he makes, his new hierarchical focus will include him (as an evolving Son of God a Soul) in Its attention.
    The connotations of this are great and will undoubtedly cause much controversy within the field of discipleship itself. The aspirant, probationer, and disciple, working within the new ashram may not be a perfect example of The Wisdom, but they will be a perfect example of Its action or growth within the self-initiated evolutionary process.
    2. The hierarchical experiment (for such it is) handles the opposition in a uniquely different and more functional way. The three masters who are responsible for the new Synthetic Ashram and Its efforts on behalf of humanity pre-cognize the seeds of opposition within the presentation itself, its methodology and techniques, and relate or equate that opposition to its correspondence within the body of humanity and the world of affairs at any given moment. Then, working in cooperation with the Lords of Karma, They focus upon that related opposition through their service group in the world, evoking such opposition into appearance within the life and affairs of the group as a problem of humanity to be met and overcome in that specific time and place.

    3. The organizational structure of the serving group in the world of affairs will follow the Seventh Ray or Order with the emphasis being placed upon etheric organization around a group center system rather than an outer framework, or form. Every effort will be made from higher levels to guide the group away from an outer legal structure, which would limit and confine its service effort to any class, sect, or section of humanity. The individual disciples must remain outwardly free from group affiliation via a legal organization (that is, insofar as the ashramic group is concerned); his brotherhood and his cooperation resulting from a commonly realized purpose and goal which he shares in consciousness with his group brothers. Thus, the ring-pass-not of the group life never descends below the frequency of the etheric network, the group being in the physical plane of affairs unlimited by fixed boundaries.

    4. Continuity of the effort from incarnation to incarnation will be attempted through the application of newly created meditative recall techniques. Every disciple of a certain degree serving within this Thought-form Presentation will undergo a process of Spiritual Soul analysis via meditation techniques which recall the past experience and state of consciousness into the present awareness. Thus, continuity of effort, growth, and function will, it is hoped, be established and kept on record.

    As a reminder, here’s some advice from Master DK about opening to the “new”:

    “One of the great needs of all disciples and aspirants is the detached relinquishing of pet theories as to life, discipleship and the Plan; the preserving of that open mind which is ever ready for the unexpected presentation and able (when the spiritual vision is strong enough) to achieve a quick reversal of all preconceived ideals. This must be done when it is deemed spiritually wise and it involves also that waiting attitude which expects the new vision to appear, the newer truths to emerge into formulated clarity and the new potencies to become increasingly effective. Such attitudes are peculiarly difficult for those disciples who have the sixth Ray of Devotion and Idealism dominant in their energy equipment, for the ideals of a sixth ray aspirant crystallise most rapidly and are quickly distorted thereby. The temporary ideal (intended to guide the undeveloped aspirant) can become a barrier, separating him from truth and from the realisation of a truer vision.

    “So I would beg you, my disciples, to aim at a wide open simplicity which waits expectant of that new thing which is so ready today to precipitate but which is being hindered from so doing by the idealists of the world far more than by the man in the street. The latter is simpler in his reactions and more ready to grasp and see a way out of the immediate impasse than the mystic or the occultist because he thinks in terms of humanity. The disciples of the world (with their nicely formulated ideals and their neatly expressed idealistic concepts) are oft glamoured by the future beauty because they are oblivious of the present opportunity. Many of them will find out later that they have been left behind as far as registering the new truths is concerned. To this Christ referred when He said that it was not possible to put new wine into old bottles for that which is old will be destroyed by the expanding new life.

    “The initiate, therefore, stands ready, for what? For the instant recognition of what is new, for its immediate grasp and the treading of the new step in the unfoldment of the pioneering human consciousness, for the revelation—steadily and constantly presented—of the new and superseding concepts. These concepts possess a dynamic expulsive power and satisfactorily meet human need in the immediate cycle. He is ready for the instant relinquishing of all that seems futile and unnecessary and inadequate to the need of the hour, and for the reception of the power from on high which breaks and destroys that which has become crystallised, which has served its purpose and become old and useless; he is ready to work as a practical occultist (and not only as a mystical idealist) upon the levels of vision as well as upon the levels of practical human affairs.” DINA I

    5. I may be wrong, but I sense some reservation on your part to enthusiastically embrace all that Lucille has to say about the Ashram of Synthesis, its membership and the characteristics of the energy of Synthesis itself. It’s probably best to go straight to the source. I recommend that you temporarily put aside your own interpretation of the Ashram of Synthesis while reading this (rather long) excerpt because the way Synthesis is characterized by Lucille may be different from what you are accustomed to (I heard that).
    “The Synthesis of First, Second, and Seventh Ray energies brings the planet and humanity a new energy, a new force, and a new substance with which to shape and mold a new civilization.
    The Synthesis reaches us from the Avatar of Synthesis, Who, acting under the direction of a greater Cosmic Life, synthesizes the energies into a lower correspondence of a Cosmic energy as yet of too high and subtle a frequency for us to reach.
    The Avatar releases the new Synthesis to the Planetary Logos and the Christ, Who, in turn release it to the new Ashram of Synthesis via its focal point, the Masters M., R., and D.K.
    These three use several methods of release for the distribution of the energy to humanity and through humanity into the devic lives of the planet. Among these methods is that with which we are here concerned, is released to seven disciples on the thread, each functioning as a Soul in the Ashram and each serving in incarnation as disciples in a particular department of human living. The seven disciples, each in his own field, continue the distribution of the Synthesis energy via a threefold method:
    1. Through a creative service activity which gives body and form to the incoming energy. We are referring here to creativity such as in the fields of art, literature, music, medicine, psychology, etc.
    2. Via groups of disciples working with them both esoterically and exoterically in all fields of human endeavor for human betterment.
    3. Via special meditation effort carried out both individually and in company with co-workers, which directs the energy along those paths of manifestation indicated by the Divine Plan for humanity.
    The many disciples who are attracted into a relationship with one or another of the seven disciples on the thread form seven major groups which continue the distribution process via:
    1. Their chosen service activities.
    2. An application of the Synthesis energy into their daily lives and affairs.
    3. And via a radiation of it through that network which is humanity.

    In addition to the above, these seven groups of disciples step the energy down to the lower kingdoms in nature, both consciously and unconsciously, thus further conditioning the planetary life with the new Synthesis.
    It might be of interest as a side note to those for whom this instruction is specifically projected to know that The Nature of’ The Soul series is a specific instance of a disciple on the thread having created a body and a form for an incarnation of the new Synthesis energy. So also are other works such as this one; therefore, a certain quantity and quality of the energy, force, and substance of Synthesis has already been released to humanity in this way and one might add has also been placed in availability for humanity’s direct appropriation.
    The question has been placed before me—what determines the choice of those disciples on the thread for the function of Ashramic focal points in the reception and distribution of the Synthesis? I am going to endeavor to answer that question for the benefit of the many interested individuals both in the present and the future who have the right to know.
    First, however, let me clarify one major point in all of this questioning and wondering. Each of these seven has been chosen by a Council made up of seven members of the Hierarchy, plus the Avatar of Synthesis and the Christ, acting in an advisory capacity. The initial choice was made by the then Masters of the First, Second, and Seventh Ray Ashrams. It was then passed upon by the others after due consideration of the total Council.

    The seven were chosen from among a group of disciples on the thread, because for various reasons (not always the same in each case) they were more readily receptive and adaptive to the new energy; more in tune, as it were, with the mind and consciousness of one or more of the Masters directly involved, and thus more capable of communication with Him, and finally each in his own way had earned the right to both office and function.

    One other point of interest I should like to make here: each of these seven were chosen long before this incarnation, their training began, and even their service initiated, several hundred years ago within the Ashrams of the Masters M., R., and K.H.

    These seven disciples of Synthesis, for such they truly are, should not be expected or requested to demonstrate perfection in the persona nor to be very different in the outer sense from other disciples in the field, yet they should receive the respect, love, and cooperation that is due them. Their task is one of the most difficult to be undertaken in any Ashram, and for three or more incarnations they have been hard at it, so to speak, building an instrument in the three worlds sufficient to that task.

    If it is difficult to understand them, it is primarily because they are becoming an embodiment of Synthesis in what might appear to be both its positive and negative aspects. They do not manifest exactly the characteristics of the rays with which we are familiar, but rather they manifest the characteristics of the new Synthesis energy. They do not readily understand themselves (but then my brothers, who among you does?), nonetheless they are learning to do so. They have not as yet learned the most economical use of this energy, force, and substance, but their time is coming.”

    You may note the similarity between this teaching and some of that emanating from Findhorn at a slightly later date. In Revelation: Birth of a New Age by David Spangler, “Limitless Love and Light” speaks of a new heaven and a new earth – “in preparation for a Being whom you have invoked in your desire to embody and to pioneer a new dimension of consciousness for mankind, a Being who is the Regent for energies brought from beyond your system.”

    Interestingly, Master R was the overshadowing Presence of both Findhorn and the groups Lucille was forming in the US. A highly evolved being known as John also provided a great deal of teaching under Master R’s direction in both centers. As I mentioned before, both centers also understood themselves as outposts of the Ashram of Synthesis (or Brotherhood of Synthesis in the case of Findhorn).

    5. You ask, “What happened to KH?” Beats me. I assume that Master DK advanced to the point that he was able to fulfill the role that Master KH had served in the incipient ashram which allowed KH the opportunity to focus his attention upon the Reappearance of the Christ.
    6. You say, “I am doubtful in the extreme that any kind of “synthetic initiation” (which jumps over life-times of necessary training for initiation) will solve the problem.” I have doubts about many aspects of initiation as well. This is a big subject that will probably arise in another of your missives, but I will preface that discussion with a quote from Master DK:
    “As you together study this subject of initiation, I would ask you to keep an open mind. I have told you that changes are imminent in the training of the initiates of the future, and that the techniques of developing a disciple’s consciousness will be different to those used in the past.” DINA II

    With respect and much love,

    Lyn

    Reply
12. Lyn Hebenstreit says:

    June 23, 2016 at 7:53 am

    Hi Phillip,

    The throat center in the Pacific Northwest is particular to the Ashram of Synthesis – not the US or the planet. There is also a “Synthetic” or “Cave” center in the area of Estes Park, Colorado – with correlated centers in the Canadian Rockies and the South American Andes according to the teachings.

    Best,

    Lyn

    Reply
    1. Phillip Lindsay says:

       June 23, 2016 at 1:23 pm

       Lyn, Where did this information come from, the LC teachings or was it “divined” by other students?

       Reply
       1. Lyn Hebenstreit says:

          June 24, 2016 at 1:18 am

          The center locations were based on information transmitted to the groups Lucille established in each particular location. The teachings primarily concerned Master R’s instructions for the activation and function of each center – head, heart, throat and center of synthesis.

          Reply
13. Lyn Hebenstreit says:

    June 23, 2016 at 7:55 am

    I appreciate the deep wisdom in your comments Luka.

    Reply
14. Jerry Salem says:

    July 8, 2016 at 10:07 am

    Michael, heartfelt thanks for the work you have put into this. I agree wholeheartedly with the points you have presented which will give us all much food for thought and meditation.

    Reply
15. Glen Knape says:

    August 5, 2016 at 6:02 am

    Muchael and Lyn, sorry i missed this discussion. Only heard about it a couple days ago. I have been contemplating whether or not there is sufficient subjective demand to justify writing a book on the common misunderstandings of the R/Cedercrans works by the students of the DK/Bailey works. As demonstrated here, there is certainly much to discuss, and the quality and patience shown here is admirable.
    However, i must also consider the effectiveness of such an effort.
    To date, i do not know of anyone who has come to a useful understanding of the R/Cedercrans works through any other method than performing them (as was intended). Study alone will not accomplish it, nor will rational discourse or mental examination.
    Now this is hardly unique to these teachings. The same can be said about anything that is intended to be experiential in nature. But, while recognizing that some are called to serve via such discussions, some of us are called to serve in other ways.
    Thus, while i find these sorts of discussions interesting, and there is much i could contribute, i would prefer not to engage in them.

    Reply
16. James Davis says:

    July 24, 2017 at 11:01 pm

    I must say I found the discussion and Michael’s critique and comparison of the Bailey/Cedercrans teachings most interesting.

    I noticed that many of Michael’s critical comments had to do with ambiguity, vagueness, or imprecision in LC’s use of Ageless Wisdom terms as viewed through the lens of their DK correspondences. While some of this seems to be just and on-target, on the other hand the whole question of consistency, vagueness, ambiguity, and imprecision of terms and concepts is something that I have always thought was a characteristic of many things in DK’s (and of course certainly of Blavatsky) writings. In other words, it seems to me, some of the same type of criticisms that Michael put under the microscope in relation to a DK/Cedercrans comparison could in many cases with similar justification be used as a critique of many parts of the DK writings themselves.

    I also noticed that many of the criticisms hinged on, what to us must remain, very high level and technical abstractions and very subtle distinctions that seem necessarily far beyond the direct experience of even quite advanced disciples. So we are trying to make subtle comparisons between words and concepts far beyond our ken, and that in meticulous detail. And I often wonder to what degree it is valid to take the ageless wisdom terms and concepts in quite as solid, precise, and non-fluid way as must be done in making such a comparison of DK/LC.

    That said, I have in reading Cedercrans, found several very specific things that look like obvious errors. On the other hand, I have found in Cerdercrans not only much that is admirable but also some esoteric things that I’ve always known but that DK never voiced or elaborated on. LC writing has about it a modern (dare I say “new”) quality that comes across as more up-to-date and exact, and often address quite important things in detail that are either missing from, or merely implied or touched on in DK but that are skillfully and insightfully elaborated with clarity in Cedercrans.

    Reply
17. James Davis says:

    July 30, 2017 at 6:00 pm

    Some time ago, in a talk with a friend, I wrote that:

    HPB’s Master Morya does not sound like Master Morya of Agni Yoga and neither of these sounds like Master Morya of the Cedercrans writings.

    According to Bailey, her D.K. was the main author behind Blavatsky’s “The Secret Doctrine” and yet the voice/voices in the Secret Doctrine do not “sound” like the voice of D.K. in Alice Bailey.

    The D.K. in Cerdercrans however, sounds very much like that of D.K. via Alice Bailey–so much so that many students of D.K. assumed it was plagiarize from AAB’s books. In fact, though there are some differences, all the other voices of the Masters (R., M., John, etc) in Cedercrans also sound like the D.K. voice of Alice Bailey.

    Personally, I think the role of the personality vehicles/rays of the amanuensis in each case colors the apparent style of the Master/Source. I think what we experience in the “voice” in each case is a kind of fusion of the consciousness of the Master/Disciple. And this must be further modified by how direct or indirect the communication is and to what degree we can correctly think of it as “dictation,” “impression,” “projection,” one of a number of kinds/grades styles of teleapthy or merging of consciousness, etc.

    Someone said that the Masters never communicate in words in the ordinary sense, unless one is in their physical presence. I’m always cautious of absolute terms like “never” and “always.”

    In “The Nature of the Soul” (Cedercrans) we read:

    “That contact is via abstract concepts and energy, never via thoughts or words, except in the case of a Divine Incarnation, such as the Master Jesus.

    In other words, a Master of the Wisdom may impart certain Truths to the Spiritual Soul, via the trans-ference of concepts on higher mental levels. The man in the brain must merge his consciousness with that of the Soul to realize such communion, or receive an imparted Truth into his awareness via a contact with his Soul. The words or pictures used to trans-late the Truth will be his own, formulated within his own brain as it translates the inflowing abstraction into concrete form.”

    In another place in Cedercrans is the statement:

    “Never in a transference in contact with the Master does He ever utilize the word form.”

    As said, I am always cautious of the word “Never.” It seems to me that it should have said, “Usually” or “almost always.” If I am wrong about this and “Never” is actually correct, then how would we explain the following narrative in Cedercrans biography:

    “Initially, her recognition of the Presence was verbal. She heard words directing her to engage in certain activities or meditations. Over time, this contact shifted to a more intuitive understanding. she didn’t need to “hear” the words to understand what was being said. Eventually, this method developed into what became know as the ‘Science of Impression.'” Biography/autobiography of L.C. : Luminous Sitting, Torturous Walking,” page 29-30

    It seems to me, that while the best and most essential nature of contact and communication is as Master R stated above. However, in the light of the biographical text (and the AAB correspondence to it below), it seems to me that the word “never” as Cedercrans translated the Masters thought above, is not correct or at least somewhat misleading.

    Here is the correspondence in the case of AAB. In her initial contact with AAB, as she describes in her autobiography, she heard a musical note followed by DK’s voice in her head.

    “The Tibetan’s style has improved over the years. He dictated a cumbersome, poor English in the beginning, but between us we have managed to work out a style and presentation which is suited to the great truths which it is His function to reveal, and mine and my husband’s to bring to the attention of the public.

    In the early days of writing for the Tibetan, I had to write at regular hours and it was clear, concise, definite dictation. It was given word for word, in such a manner that I might claim that I definitely heard a voice. Therefore, it might be said that I started with a clairaudient technique, but I very soon found, as our minds got attuned, that this was unnecessary and that if I concentrated enough and my attention was adequately focussed I could register and write down the thoughts of the Tibetan (His carefully formulated and expressed ideas) as He dropped them into my mind. This involves the attaining and preservation of an intense, focussed point of attention. It is almost like the ability which the advanced student of meditation can demonstrate to hold one’s achieved point of spiritual attention at the very highest possible point. This can be fatiguing in the earlier stages, when one is probably trying too hard to make good, but later, it is effortless and the results are clarity of thought and a stimulation which has a definitely good physical effect.” The Unfinished Autobiography, by alice a. Bailey

    To all this, let us add the case of HPB as it relates to the same questions and themes:

    From: Case 56
    Charles Johnston
    Spring 1887
    London
    Web link Blavatsky Archieves:
    http://blavatskyarchives.com/mastersencounterswith.htm

    “‘Well, what about it?’ asked HPB, immediately interested.

    ‘They say that you wrote them yourself, and that they bear evident marks of your handwriting and style. What do you say to that?’

    ‘Let me explain it this way,’ she answered, after a long gaze at the end of her cigarette. ‘Have you ever made experiments in thought-transference? If you have, you must have noticed that the person who received the mental picture very often colors it, or often changes it slightly, with his own thought, and this where perfectly genuine transference of thought takes place. Well, it is something like that with the precipitated letters. One of our Masters, who perhaps does not know English, and of course has no English handwriting, wishes to precipitate a letter in answer to a question sent mentally to him. Let us say he is in Tibet, while I am in Madras or London. He has the answering thought in his mind, but not in English words. He has first to impress that thought on my brain, or on the brain of someone else who knows English, and then to take the word forms that rise up in that other brain to answer the thought. Then he must form a clear mind picture of the words in writing, also drawing on my brain, or the brain of whoever it is, for the shapes. Then either through me or some chela with whom he is magnetically connected, he has to precipitate these word shapes on paper, first sending the shapes into the chela’s mind, and then driving them into the paper, using the magnetic force of the chela to do the printing, and collecting the material, black or blue or red, as the case may be, from the astral light. As all things dissolve into the astral light, the will of the magician can draw them forth again. So he can draw forth colors of pigments to mark the figures in the letter, using the magnetic force of the chela to stamp them in, and guiding the whole by his own much greater magnetic force, a current of powerful will.”

    To all this add this quote from DK:

    “The Master K.H., in one of the few (the very few) paragraphs in The Mahatma Letters which are genuine and not simply the work of H.P.B…”

    Reply