Letters On Occult Meditation
Received and Edited by
ALICE A. BAILEY
INDEX EDITION
Published by the Lucis Publishing Companies
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of Alice A. Bailey
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Dedicated to
THE TIBETAN TEACHER
who wrote these letters
and authorised their publication
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First Printing, 1922
Tenth Printing, 1972 (First Paperback Edition)
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Ebook first edition 2011. This 2018. ISBN No. 978-0-85330-411-1
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LUCIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
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LUCIS PRESS LIMITED
Suite 54, 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EF
BOOKS BY ALICE A. BAILEY
Initiation, Human and Solar
Letters on Occult Meditation
The Consciousness of the Atom
A Treatise on Cosmic Fire
The Light of the Soul
The Soul and its Mechanism
From Intellect to Intuition
A Treatise on White Magic
From Bethlehem to Calvary
Discipleship in the New Age–Vol. I
Discipleship in the New Age–Vol. II
Problems of Humanity
The Reappearance of the Christ
The Destiny of the Nations
Glamour: A World Problem
Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle
The Unfinished Autobiography
Education in the New Age
The Externalisation of the Hierarchy
A Treatise on the Seven Rays:
Vol. I–Esoteric Psychology
Vol. II–Esoteric Psychology
Vol. III–Esoteric Astrology
Vol. IV–Esoteric Healing
Vol. V–The Rays and the Initiations
Contents
Cover
EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT BY THE TIBETAN
THE GREAT INVOCATION
FOREWORD
LETTER I - THE ALIGNMENT OF THE EGO WITH THE PERSONALITY.
LETTER II - THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDITATION
Four things meditation does:
LETTER III - POINTS CONSIDERED WHEN ASSIGNING MEDITATION.
1 - The Ray of Higher Self
2 - The Ray of the Personality
3 - The Karmic Condition of the Threefold Man
4 - Condition of the Causal Body
5 - Immediate Need of Period and Man's Availability
6 - The Groups, Inner and Outer, with which the Pupil is Affiliated
LETTER IV - THE USE OF THE SACRED WORD IN MEDITATION.
1/2 - The Dual Effect of the Sacred Word; constructive and destructive.
3 - Pronunciation and Use in Individual Meditation.
4 - The Seven Centres and the Sacred Word.
The effect of occult meditation on the centres.
LETTER V - DANGERS TO BE AVOIDED IN MEDITATION.
1 - Dangers inherent in the Personality.
2 - Dangers arising from the Karma of the student.
3 - Dangers arising from subtle forces.
LETTER VI - THE USE OF FORM IN MEDITATION
1 - The use of Form in raising the consciousness.
2 - Form as used by the occultist and the mystic.
3 - The use of specific forms for specific ends.
4 - The use of Form collectively.
LETTER VII - THE USE OF COLOUR AND SOUND.
1 - Enumeration of the Colours.
2 - Microcosmic and macrocosmic correspondence.
3 - Effect on the Environment.
4 - The application of colour.
LETTER VIII - ACCESS TO THE MASTERS VIA MEDITATION.
1 - Who are the Masters?
2 - What access to the Master entails.
3 - Methods of approach and effects obtained.
4 - Five effects of Meditation in the three worlds.
LETTER IX - FUTURE SCHOOLS OF MEDITATION.
1 - The one fundamental School.
2 - The National subdivisions of the one school.
3 - The Location, personnel, and building of the occult school.
4 - The Grades and Classes.
LETTER X - THE PURIFICATION OF THE VEHICLES.
1 - The training of the Physical Body.
2 - The refining of the emotional body.
3 - The refinement of the mental body.
LETTER XI - THE RESULTANT LIFE OF SERVICE.
1 - The motives for service.
2 - The methods of service.
3 - The attitude following action.
THE ARCANE SCHOOL
GLOSSARY
INDEX
EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT BY THE TIBETAN
Suffice it to say, that I am a Tibetan disciple of a certain degree, and this tells you but little, for all are disciples from the humblest aspirant up to, and beyond, the Christ Himself. I live in a physical body like other men, on the borders of Tibet, and at times (from the exoteric standpoint) preside over a large group of Tibetan lamas, when my other duties permit. It is this fact that has caused it to be reported that I am an abbot of this particular lamasery. Those associated with me in the work of the Hierarchy (and all true disciples are associated in this work) know me by still another name and office. A.A.B. knows who I am and recognises me by two of my names.
I am a brother of yours, who has travelled a little longer upon the Path than has the average student, and has therefore incurred greater responsibilities. I am one who has wrestled and fought his way into a greater measure of light than has the aspirant who will read this article, and I must therefore act as a transmitter of the light, no matter what the cost. I am not an old man, as age counts among the teachers, yet I am not young or inexperienced. My work is to teach and spread the knowledge of the Ageless Wisdom wherever I can find a response, and I have been doing this for many years. I seek also to help the Master M. and the Master K.H. whenever opportunity offers, for I have been long connected with Them and with Their work. In all the above, I have told you much; yet at the same time I have told you nothing which would lead you to offer me that blind obedience and the foolish devotion which the emotional aspirant offers to the Guru and Master Whom he is as yet unable to contact. Nor will he make that desired contact until he has transmuted emotional devotion into unselfish service to humanity-not to the Master.
The books that I have written are sent out with no claim for their acceptance. They may, or may not, be correct, true and useful. It is for you to ascertain their truth by right practice and by the ex
ercise of the intuition. Neither I nor A.A.B. is the least interested in having them acclaimed as inspired writings, or in having anyone speak of them (with bated breath) as being the work of one of the Masters. If they present truth in such a way that it follows sequentially upon that already offered in the world teachings, if the information given raises the aspiration and the will-to-serve from the plane of the emotions to that of the mind (the plane whereon the Masters can be found) then they will have served their purpose. If the teaching conveyed calls forth a response from the illumined mind of the worker in the world, and brings a flashing forth of his intuition, then let that teaching be accepted. But not otherwise. If the statements meet with eventual corroboration, or are deemed true under the test of the Law of Correspondences, then that is well and good. But should this not be so, let not the student accept what is said.
August 1934
THE GREAT INVOCATION
From the point of Light within the Mind of God
Let light stream forth into the minds of men.
Let Light descend on Earth.
From the point of Love within the Heart of God
Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.
May Christ return to Earth.
From the centre where the Will of God is known
Let purpose guide the little wills of men—
The purpose which the Masters know and serve.
From the centre which we call the race of men
Let the Plan of Love and Light work out.
And may it seal the door where evil dwells.
Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth.
“The above Invocation or Prayer does not belong to any person or group but to all Humanity. The beauty and the strength of this Invocation lies in its simplicity, and in its expression of certain central truths which all men, innately and normally, accept—the truth of the existence of a basic Intelligence to Whom we vaguely give the name of God; the truth that behind all outer seeming, the motivating power of the universe is Love; the truth that a great Individuality came to earth, called by Christians, the Christ, and embodied that love so that we could understand; the truth that both love and intelligence are effects of what is called the Will of God; and finally the self-evident truth that only through humanity itself can the Divine Plan work out.”
ALICE A. BAILEY
FOREWORD
The following letters were received during the period included within the dates, May 16th, 1920, and October 20th, 1920, with the exception of the two letters which were received in 1919. With the consent of their author they have been gathered together for publication.
They are published in full as received, with the exception of certain parts which have a purely personal application, those having reference to a certain occult school, and those of a prophetic or esoteric nature, which may not now be communicated.
It is hoped that those who read these letters will endeavour to do two things:
1. Read always with an open mind, remembering that the truth is a many-sided diamond, and that its different aspects will appear at different times, as those who guide the race see a need which must be met. Many books on meditation have been written, some too abstruse and some too superficial to satisfy the average educated man. The writer of these letters has apparently attempted to supply the need of a brief yet scientific exposition of a rationale of meditation, emphasising the goal immediately ahead and the intermediate stages.
2. Judge of the letters on their merits and not upon claims put forth on behalf of the writer. For this reason he has chosen to preserve his anonymity and has requested the recipient of the letters to publish them under his pseudonym.
If the subject matter of the letters is of value it will call forth a response from the readers and serve to help some onward towards the goal, and prove to many the inspiration and aid it already has to a few.
ALICE A. BAILEY. New York, 1922.
The constitution of man (see diagram above), as considered in the following pages, is basically threefold, as follows:—
I. The Monad, or pure Spirit, the Father in Heaven.
This aspect reflects the three aspects of the Godhead:
1. Will or Power. . . . . . . . .The Father
2. Love-Wisdom . . . . . . . .The Son
3. Active Intelligence . . . . The Holy Spirit
and is only contacted at the final initiations, when man is nearing the end of his journey and is perfected.
The Monad reflects itself again in
II. The Ego, Higher Self, or Individuality.
This aspect is potentially :—
1. Spiritual Will . . . Atma
2. Intuition. . . .Buddhi, Love-Wisdom, the Christ principle.
3. Higher or abstract Mind . ..Higher Manas.
The Ego begins to make its power felt in advanced men, and increasingly on the Probationary Path until by the third initiation the control of the lower self by the higher is perfected, and the highest aspect begins to make its energy felt.
The Ego reflects itself in
III. The Personality, or lower self, physical plane man.
This aspect is also threefold:—
1. A mental body . . .lower manas.
2. An emotional body . . . astral body.
3. A physical body . . .the dense physical and the etheric body.
The aim of meditation is therefore to bring man to the realisation of the Egoic aspect and to bring the lower nature under its control. This is the immediate goal for the average man.
LETTER I - THE ALIGNMENT OF THE EGO WITH THE PERSONALITY.
Sunday, May 16, 1920.
The Aligning of the Three Lower Bodies
[1] It is in the aligning of the three vehicles, the physical, the emotional, and the lower mind body, within the causal periphery, and their stabilising there by an effort of the will, that the real work of the Ego or Higher Self in any particular incarnation can be accomplished. The great thinkers of the race, the true exponents of lower mind, are fundamentally those whose three lower bodies are aligned; that is to say those whose mental body holds the other two in circumspect alignment. The mental body, then, is in direct communication, unobstructed and free from interference, straight through to the physical brain.
When the alignment is fourfold and when the three above-mentioned bodies are aligned with the body of the Higher Self, the causal or egoic body, and held steady within its circumference, then the great leaders of the race,—those who emotionally and intellectually sway mankind, can be seen working; then the inspirational writers and dreamers can bring down their inspirations and dreams; and then the synthetic and abstract thinkers [2] can transfer their conceptions to the world of form. It is, right through, a question of an unimpeded channel. Study, therefore, in this connection and when time permits, physical co-ordination; then to physical co-ordination add emotional stability, and you have the two vehicles functioning as one. When the co-ordination extends to the mental body, the threefold lower man is reaching his apotheosis, and has rung most of the changes in the world of form.
Later comes co-ordination perfected with the Higher Self, the channel of communication reaching in line direct,—via an unimpeded funnel, if so I might express it,—to the physical brain consciousness. Heretofore it has only been direct at rare intervals. The four lesser brain centres are functioning at high vibration in the man of a highly co-ordinated personality; when the Ego is nearing alignment with the lower bodies, the pineal gland and the pituitary body are in process of development; and when they are functioning with correlation (which eventuates by the time the third Initiation is taken), then the third, or alta major centre, intensifies its hitherto gentle vibration. When the fifth Initiation is taken, the interplay between the three centres is perfected, and the alignment of the bodies is geometrically rectified; you have then the perfected fivefold superman.
For the average man, then, this alignment occurs only at intervals, in moments of stress, in hours of needed
humanitarian effort and in times of intensest aspiration. Abstraction of a more or less degree has to enter in before the Ego takes continued notice of the personality or lower self. When that abstraction involves the emotions, is based in the mentality and contacts the physical brain, then alignment is commencing. [3]
Hence the work of meditation, for it tends to abstraction and seeks to awaken to abstract consciousness both the emotions and the mentality.
Alignment and Vibration.
Forget not either that it is largely a question of matter and vibration. The abstract levels of the mental plane consist of the three higher levels, the first being that termed the third subplane. As I have explained to you before, each subplane has its correlations on the major planes. When, therefore, you have built into your bodies,—physical, emotional and mental,—matter of the third subplane of each of those planes, then the Higher self commences consciously and ever more continuously to function through the aligning Personality. Perhaps we might reverse the idea and state that it is only when third subplane matter of a certain percentage (which percentage is one of the secrets of Initiation) is contained in the vehicles, that the Personality as a conscious whole recognises and obeys that Higher self. After such a percentage is attained, it is then necessary to build in matter of the two higher subplanes on the physical and emotional planes; hence the struggle for the aspirant to purify and discipline the physical body and to subdue the emotional. Purification and subjugation describe the work to be done on the two planes. This involves the use of lower mind, and the three lower vehicles thus become aligned.
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