As we proceed with the study of these rules the difficulty of interpreting and explaining them becomes increasingly great. We have arrived at a section of the rules which requires initiate-consciousness for right and true comprehension; we are studying ideas for which we have, as yet, no adequate language. Briefly, we have considered certain of the lower aspects of the Laws of Life as they appear to the initiate and are interpreted by him within the sphere of his normal consciousness - that of the Spiritual Triad. The presentation which I gave you had to be confined within the area of consciousness which we call "manasic awareness," which is that of the abstract mind. Just in so far as that abstract mind is developed in you and the antahkarana tenuously constructed will be your understanding of my words.

The difficulty becomes still greater as we arrive at the study of Rule IX. It was of real difficulty when presented in its lower form to applicants. That rule, as you may remember, ran as follows: [168]

Let the disciple merge himself within the circle of the other selves. Let but one color blend them and their unity appear. Only when the group is known and sensed can energy be wisely emanated.

Three major ideas appear in this easier rule:

1. The idea of complete identity with all other selves.
2. The idea of the uniformity of their spiritual presentation to the world when unity is established.
3. The idea that - as a result of the two above achievements - the group force, as a real and focused energy, can then be used.

I have emphasized the above because in the rule for disciples and initiates, this will be found to be still more the case and the results are brought about by a conscious use of the will which is divine synthesis in action; also, the group referred to is not the Ashram of some particular Master, but that of all Ashrams as they in their entirety reflect the purpose of Shamballa and work out the Plan within the active sphere of the hierarchical consciousness.

Ashrams of the Masters are to be found on every level of consciousness in the threefold world of the Spiritual Triad. Some Masters pre-eminently occupy themselves with the mind aspect within all forms, and therefore their Ashrams are conditioned by the manasic consciousness; they are [169] the Ashrams of those initiates who have taken the fourth initiation but who are not yet Masters. They are largely adepts upon the third and fifth rays, and work with the manas or mind as it is developing in all forms. They do foundational work of great importance, but are little understood and their lives are consequently lives of great sacrifice and the term of their service in this particular connection is relatively short. Certain aspects of their developed consciousness have to be kept in abeyance and must remain temporarily unexpressed in order to permit them to work with substance and specifically with the consciousness of the atoms which constitute the forms in all the subhuman kingdoms of nature. They do very little work with humanity, except with certain advanced members of humanity who are on the scientific line, drawing to their Ashrams only those who are on the third and fifth rays and who can continue with the work, being trained along peculiar and special lines.

The Ashrams of the Masters (to be found on all the rays) Who work in particular with humanity, are mostly to be found upon the buddhic levels of the triadal consciousness. There the note of "loving understanding" predominates, but even these words must be interpreted esoterically and not according to their usual and obvious meaning. It is not a case of "I understand because I love," or that "this," with love, understands "that." It is something far deeper, involving the idea of identification, of participation, and of synthetic realization - lovely euphonious words, but meaning little to the non-initiates.