Hint Five. "The key to the correct interpretation of a hint lies in its association with the idea of direction in time and space."

Disciples, in their novitiate, make more mistakes as regards time than any other; that would naturally be expected, because time is only a word for daily, eventual living. I would have you note the word "eventual" in its connotation with current events. Time is naught but a succession of events, as registered by the physical brain consciousness; these events are apt to have undue and too powerful an effect upon the disciple. Once, however, he can think of events as aspects of time, he not only begins to develop a needed continuity of consciousness, but he develops also a sense of proportion which has a stabilizing and sound effect. Students [396] would do well to take the words "direction in time and space" and use them as a seed thought in meditation. The reward would be great.

It is wise to remember that "space is an entity" - as H.P.B. expressed it. When he so defined space, he gave humanity one of the most important hints it has ever received. The realization of the existence of this entity leads to a practical recognition of the aphorism that "in him we live and move and have our being." It explains the necessity for the esoteric teaching anent planetary centers and the planes as states of consciousness. The disciple then begins to study himself in relation to this "all-enveloping Entity," to ascertain the "direction" from which the various energies (which empower his life and motivate his actions) come, and to familiarize himself gradually in "the location of these power stations and of those radiant centers of light which - founded by the divine Creator - are the sources of life and the origin of light and knowledge." Thus is it expressed in the ancient archives which, at times, I attempt to translate for you.

The disciple moves always in a world of energies; they make an impact upon him from many and varying directions. He has to learn which energies should be rejected and those to which he should be receptive; all these energies are moving in space and are in reality the life-aspect of the space-entity; all are determined by the time factor with which the disciple [397] must familiarize himself. On the other hand, the process is reversed at times. The disciple learns to use energies - located and found by him in space - within a set time and then to direct them accurately (via the ajna center) into the work and into the group which is under hierarchical influence, through his own immediate efforts. Ponder on this, for in these words lies hid much illumination.

The remaining two hints will be covered in my next communication, and then the teaching upon the Hints will be concluded. The teaching upon the Formulas was concluded in the earlier instruction because enough had been given anent these abstruse forms to serve the purposes of instruction during the coming cycle.