A talk at Lucis Trust, New York for Wesak, 2003

Adjustment, alignment, orientation, and relationship. These are all terms familiar to any student of the Ageless Wisdom. They are terms that suggest dynamic movement and change, therefore dominating our theme today. I would guess that most of us think of these concepts in terms of our own development, our own place on the Path, or our own particular problems. But couldn’t we also consider these themes in relation to the activity of the spiritual Hierarchy? Do we ever contemplate the kinds of difficult adjustments and new kinds of alignments they will have to handle in their ‘Act of orientation’?
 

In the book, The Externalization of the Hierarchy, there is much discussion about the tremendous upheaval and change going on within the Hierarchy today. Alice Bailey and The Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul, frequently use highly active words such as stimulation, re-orientation, adjustment, and advancing alignment to describe the process of the great movement; of “Chohans passing out of the Hierarchy into the Council Chamber of the Lord of the World,” of “senior Masters…taking higher grades of initiation,” and of “initiates above the third degree (are) rapidly taking the 4th and 5th initiations and becoming Masters.” This movement and shifting goes on all along the line of “the Great Chain of Being”, from the most exalted expression of enlightenment beyond our imagination to the smallest of life forms. All life is moving and evolving, transmuting and rotating as old forms are destroyed and discarded and new forms arise which can house the newer and more vibrant expressions of life.
 

Our conference keynote, “Let the group life emit the Word of invocation”, is taken from Rule 7 for Disciples and Initiates. In referring to this vast change and movement, the discussion around this Rule uses even stronger words such as “great upheaval,” “stupendous destruction” and the startling phrase, “the potencies of the mineral kingdom have been disintegrated, distributed and devastated”. We can see the truth of this today in noting the many tons of heavy metals put into our atmosphere every year, the bombs dropped in wartime, and also by the fact that the money in our bank accounts, represented by the mineral kingdom, is now merely a blip in someone’s computer data base. Surely, this change and destruction is simply signaling the growth of new life which requires new forms. We are not in a static condition and change is upon us!
 

Websters’ defines the word ‘orient’ as, “To acquaint with or adjust to the existing situation or environment”. Interestingly, the archaic definition is, “lustrous, sparkling, radiant or glowing”, an intriguing description especially in relation to Hierarchy, who we typically think of as light filled and luminous. After all, it is this light which we endeavor to bring closer to the earth plane.

A study of the idea of Hierarchy’s ‘Act of Orientation’, reveals a strong emphasis on the concept of alignment, adjustment and great change. Occult meditation practice helps us learn to clarify and constantly adjust all our relationships, and there is much importance placed on alignment and adjustment in the Arcane School work. We align with our own souls, with the world wide esoteric group, with others in our environment and with the superhuman and subhuman kingdoms as well. This adjustment never ends. The increasing or “advancing” alignment between our own individual centers of the head, heart and throat, the upper triangle, is a reflection of the macrocosmic process of the three planetary centers, Shamballa, Hierarchy and humanity growing into a deeper rapport and relationship. Today, the door between Hierarchy and humanity stands wide open and all is becoming close and more familiar as Hierarchy “…turns toward(s) a new and more intimate type of relation with humanity.” What will this new “intimate relation” look like and what should we expect? What can we do to facilitate this transition? And, are we ready for a new spiritual intimacy?
 

The teachings cite that the period we are now in until the year 2025 is called technically, “The Stage of the Forerunner” and that there is a great deal of experimental activity taking place on all levels, as we have seen. Undoubtedly, if there is a direct and unimpeded relationship between Shamballa, Hierarchy and Humanity, a drastic re-orientation in one of these centers will affect the others. Hierarchy’s orientation becomes our orientation. Their work is our work. Wherever we may stand within the One Life, nothing can be separate or isolated.
 

We can be certain that a culture and civilization resulting from humanity’s closer intimacy with Hierarchy will be characterized by right human relations, by universal sharing of natural resources and by a spiritual outlook and educational system honoring the whole person. We should expect this heightened intimacy to enable mankind to demonstrate an increased ability to express the qualities of love and will. We, members of the NGWS, the subjective group bridging between Hierarchy and humanity, will create institutions and systems which recognize the fact of the One humanity as well as the fact of our essential divinity. Humanity at large is beginning to recognize the reality that all lives are interconnected and are parts of the greater Life “in which we live and move and have our Being”, and this truth can become a universal recognition taught from the earliest years.

We live in a great ocean of energies with exchanges back and forth across the "Chain of Hierarchy", referred to as a “life line” by the Tibetan. This dual lifeline carries the united and invocative Word constructed by our group life, all the way to the highest center, thereby precipitating a response, a response which by law, the Hierarchy must act on. It is along this completed and open channel, this planetary Antahkarana, that the ‘orienting Hierarchy’ will travel as they approach our earth plane. Also, our group meditations strengthen and anchor into matter this “lifeline” every time we extend our lines of lighted energy toward the Christ, the Heart of Hierarchy, or to Shamballa. “The love and life of God” travel freely back and forth along this line of contact connecting and blending the three planetary centers. The quality of our group life conditions the channel with the energies of love and will, making it easier for Hierarchy to make their approach.

We know that for untold eons, Hierarchy has been working to “set up a closer and more understanding relation with Shamballa”, again emphasizing the never ending play of relationship. Obviously, this orientation toward Shamballa involves unfoldment of the will aspect. Christ came to Earth 2000 years ago to express and reveal the quality of love for humanity, but one of His final acts in preparation for the future reappearance, was also to anchor the first aspect, the will, in human consciousness. This is reflected in His comment, “Father, not my will but Thine be done”. Now, for the Hierarchy, the Ashram of the Christ, the center of love for our system, there is a great turning, a tremendous re-adjustment and re-orientation as they prepare their approach along this life line, this planetary Antahkarana, to enter into a closer association with humanity at every level. “The “Hierarchy has been invoked,” DK says plainly, and they are responding to the “invoking sound of humanity”, the Word of invocation emitted by our group life.

What can we do to assist this transition, this tremendous Hierarchical adjustment? There are several things really: This exalted group of advanced souls is preparing for physical plane manifestation and needs to create a responsive “apparatus” to facilitate their work on earth, an environment which is said to “cause Them the acutest discomfort and pain.” It makes sense to imagine that this so called apparatus must be a cohesive and synthetic group of people trained to receive spiritual impression. The Hierarchy is “endeavoring to establish a closer telepathic rapport and more intimate relationship with their disciples…” so we can see how important it is to step up our own efforts to become sensitive to impression. The NGWS is in place to fulfill this need of Hierarchy, and we therefore find ourselves more than a little responsible for helping in this transitional orientation. After all, humanity itself will eventually become the World Disciple.

The use and distribution of the Great Invocation are among the most effective methods available to help prepare human consciousness for the reality of Hierarchy. This universal world prayer is a potent invocative mantram belonging to no one group, but to all of humanity. Its power lies in the fact that it facilitates the fusion of the three planetary centers. It invokes the energies of light, love and the will-to-good and its use helps permeate the subjective environment with a familiar atmosphere welcoming to the orienting Hierarchy.

The Triangles project we know is “dear to the heart of Hierarchy.” Three people, often in different locations, agree to mentally link up daily to invoke spiritual energies using the creative power of thought. They inwardly link in purpose and intention with the two other members of their triangle and see the vital energies invoked by the Great Invocation circulating through the planetary network of light and goodwill. This daily subjective activity is an act of invocative service that creates a direct relationship with the 5th Kingdom and facilitates Hierarchy’s adjustment and orientation.
 

As good gardeners, we know how important it is to thoroughly prepare the ground for our spring planting. In this period of the Forerunner, our task is vividly set before us. We must engage the will to good and courageously face the challenges ahead in building a new civilization based on spiritual values and sharing. We must transform politics, business and bring inclusive thinking into education, arts and culture and into all fields of human activity. We must strengthen the United Nations, which at the core, is basically a spiritual institution composed of men and women of goodwill, working for the betterment of all mankind. The Great Invocation and Triangles project are the powerful tools we have available, and our group skill in action helps to prepare the way for the externalization. Thus can we serve the orienting and adjusting Hierarchy.

The reappearance of the Christ on the Earth and the externalization of the spiritual Hierarchy into physical plane manifestation should be an event and process regarded with great joy in expectation. Wouldn’t we like to welcome the Hierarchy into an environment pervaded by happiness, joy and bliss? Agni Yoga tells us that, “Joy is a special wisdom”, and we can certainly observe humanity desperately in pursuit of happiness, especially in times of crisis such as today. Humanity, in its preparation to receive the Hierarchy needs to develop more soul qualities and joy, as we know, is a quality of the soul. The Tibetan sums it up the best, “ So work, not for joy but towards it; not for reward, but from the inner need to help; not for gratitude, but from the urge that comes from having seen the vision and realisation of the part you have to play in bringing that vision down to earth. “