MY BROTHER AND MY FRIEND:

The past six months have produced in you a definite orientation towards your next expansion of consciousness, and of this you are yourself aware. It is this state of awareness which is of great importance to you. It would also be of value to you if you could - clearly and in words - express what you believe (in your highest and deepest moments) is the next step which lies immediately ahead of you. As a soul, functioning through a personality, what is the next recognition or realization which your soul seeks to have your brain consciousness register? To aid you in doing this, permit me to formulate three questions which may be of assistance in this effort to express clearly something perhaps only dimly sensed:

1. What exactly is the vision, as I see it, in connection with my immediate unfoldment?
2. What will be the practical outcome in my daily, outer life of the materializing of this vision?
3. What will be the quality of the experience when I have made it fact in my mind and brain consciousness?

You have done much of mind preparation and of personality coordination. Your fifth ray personality makes the reception of illumination easy, for your intellect and your intuition could be put en rapport with facility. You have achieved much that others are still struggling to achieve. It is your astral body now that should receive the largest measure of your attention and then through it the world of true being will open out before you and you will add to knowledge, wisdom, and to intelligent understanding, its practical but mystical aspect, the vision which is motivated by love. It is your astral body which presents you with your major problem.

It interested me to see that you discerned the seed thought which was intended to arouse your resistance. It was, for you, the most important of them all. The idea is not negative, as you suppose. The personalities of the "weary pilgrims on the Way" are indeed tired and worn. Humanity today is very weary. The vehicles have been used for many cycles and their potency (in a positive sense) is wearing out, which is the approaching goal. For long cycles, the soul has been negative in its effect upon the personality, and the personal equipment has been the positive expression of the spiritual man. Then that lower aggregation of forces begins to wear down; its vibration weakens and, because much of the consciousness is still identified with the body nature, the disciple is conscious of fatigue, pain, distress and a deep weariness. It has been the "personality fatigue" of the human race which partially was responsible for the excessive misery complex, the sense of inferiority, and the pining-for-release psychology of the Christian presentation of truth.

As still further progress is made, the joy of the soul begins to pour through the worn and weary vehicles, and gradually the positive nature of the soul takes hold. When this is strong enough and the man is sufficiently decentralized, it is the soul quality which will persist in spite of physical limitations, and the inner sense of weariness will then be carefully negated and consciously and intelligently transmuted. There will be the recognition of personality distress but also a planned effort to transcend it. This process of "divine imposition" gradually brings in the healing force and thus perfect health in some life is the reward of the initiate's effort to live as a soul and not to feel as a personality. It is this divine pouring in of the soul's quality of life which is the true key to self-induced healing.

Will you remember, what I have elsewhere pointed out, that:

1. Happiness is the goal of personality desire and its most desired sentient reaction.
2. Joy is the quality of soul life and that quality can be imposed upon the personality, thereby superseding happiness and imparting the gift of truth. [558]
3. Bliss is the nature of the spiritual Being and is, in its turn and in due time, imposed upon the rhythm of the soul. It is the gift of synthesis.

You see clearly from the angle of mental observation, acutely and intelligently applied. Now learn to feel as clearly that which you see, both the good and that which is not so good, and love steadily in both directions. As yet, you love not where you criticize. This you must learn to do and that love will shed new light on that which you perceive and you will learn to feel. Life will then open up before you in new rhythms of service and of usefulness.

It is not my request that the three questions I put to you earlier in this instruction should be answered by you for any eye but yours and mine to see. Should you, however, care to answer them in such form that they may be of service to your group brothers, that is entirely your own affair.

I give you now three phrases upon which to meditate during the next six months. During the first three months will you meditate upon them within the head consciousness, and during the last three months will you repeat the meditation but this time within the heart and seek to feel their significance. Thus will realization come.

Phrase I.

Like a golden butterfly, which flies towards the sun, I find myself poised upon the lotus petal of the earth. [559] Held by the breath of love I hover. I stay a little moment and then I fly into the golden pathway which leads into the sun.

Phrase II.

There is no darkness and no fog. There is no night nor day. There are no storms nor peace; no rest, nor strife. Only the changeless love of God, which works towards good.

Phrase III.

Down from the mountain top I come, bringing the light of love, the love of God. Into the chalice of all forms I meet, I pour this love which light confers, this love which life sustains. I see the love of life divine pour through the form, my own and others. It heals and soothes. Thus is the task performed. Thus is a man of earth transformed into a Son of God.

In summarizing the ray qualities with which you have to deal in fitting yourself for progress in world service, they might be, stated to be as follows:

1. The soul ray - the Ray of Will or Power.
2. The personality ray - the Ray of Concrete Science.
3. The ray of the mental body - the Ray of Intelligent Activity.
4. The ray of the astral body - the Ray of Devotion.
5. The ray of the physical body - the Ray of Will or Power.

For your reassurance and that of your co-disciples, I would like to point out that the group work of healing can be started, if the group continues with its work of integration and grows in love and understanding. Continue with the group meditation and with the work of the Full Moon Approach, paying close attention to the latter. Learn the way into the Ashram of the second ray through the open (though secret) door of your own heart.