Letters on Occult Meditation

by Alice A Bailey

  August 4, 1920.

  Danger from the Dark Brothers.

  I think I gave you earlier practically all that I can as [131] yet impart anent the Brothers of Darkness, as they are sometimes termed. I only want at this point to lay emphasis upon the fact that no danger need be feared by the average student from this source. It is only as discipleship is approached and a man stands out ahead of his fellows as an instrument of the White Brotherhood that he attracts the attention of those who seek to withstand. When through application to meditation, and power and activity in service, a man has developed his vehicles to a point of real achievement, then his vibrations set in motion matters of a specific kind, and he learns to work with that matter, to manipulate the fluids, and to control the builders. In so doing he encroaches on the domain of those who work with the forces of involution and thus he may bring attack upon himself. This attack may be directed against any of his three vehicles and may be of different kinds. Let me briefly point out some of the methods employed against a disciple which are the ones which alone concern the student of these letters:

  a—Definite attack on the physical body. All kinds of means are employed to hinder the usefulness of the disciple through disease or the crippling of his physical body. Not all accidents are the result of karma, for the disciple has usually surmounted a good deal of that type of karma and is thus comparatively free from that source of hindrance in active work.

  b—Glamour is another method used, or the casting over the disciple of a cloud of emotional or mental matter which suffices to hide the real, and to temporarily obscure that which is true. The study of the cases wherein glamour has been employed is exceedingly revealing and demonstrates how hard it is for even an advanced disciple always to discriminate between the real and the false, the true and the untrue. Glamour may be either on the [132] emotional or mental levels but is usually on the former. One form employed is to cast over the disciple the shadows of the thought of weakness or discouragement or criticism to which he may at intervals give way. Thus cast, they loom in undue proportion and the unwary disciple, not realising that he is but seeing the gigantic outlines of his own momentary and passing thoughts, gives way to discouragement, aye even to despair, and becomes of little use to the Great Ones. Another form is to throw into his mental aura suggestions and ideas purporting to come from his own Master but which are but subtle suggestions that hinder and help not. It takes a wise disciple always to discriminate between the voice of his real Teacher and the false whispers of the masquerading one, and even high initiates have been temporarily misled.

  Many and subtle are the means used to deceive and thereby curtail the effective output of the worker in the field of the world. Wisely therefore have all aspirants been enjoined to study and work at the development of viveka or that discrimination which safeguards from deception. If this quality is laboriously built in and cultivated in all events, big and little, in the daily life, the risks of being led astray will be nullified.

  c—A third method frequently employed is to envelop the disciple in a thick cloud of darkness, to surround him with an impenetrable night and fog through which he stumbles and often falls. It may take the form of a black cloud of emotional matter, of some dark emotion that seems to imperil all stable vibration and plunges the bewildered student into a blackness of despair; he feels that all is departing from him; he is a prey to varied and dismal emotions; he deems himself forsaken of all; he considers that all past effort has been futile and that naught remains but to die. At such times he needs much the gift [133] of viveka, and to earnestly weigh up and calmly reason out the matter. He should at these times remind himself that the darkness hides naught from the God within, and that the stable centre of consciousness remains there, untouched by aught that may betide. He should persevere until the end,—the end of what? The end of the enveloping cloud, the point where it merges itself into sunlight; he should pass through its length and out into the daylight, realising that nothing can at any time reach to and hurt the inner consciousness. God is within, no matter what transpires without. We are so apt to look out at environing circumstances, whether physical, astral or mental, and to forget that the inmost centre of the heart hides our points of contact with the Universal Logos.

  d—Finally (for I cannot touch on all the methods used), the means employed may be to cast a mental darkness over the disciple. The darkness may be intellectual, and is consequently still more difficult to penetrate, for in this case the power of the Ego must be called in, whereas in the former frequently the calm reasoning of the lower mind may suffice to dispel the trouble. Here, in this specific case, the disciple will be wise if he not only attempts to call his Ego or Higher Self for the dispelling of the cloud, but calls likewise upon his Teacher, or even upon his Master, for the assistance that they can give.

  These are but a few of the dangers encircling the aspirant, and I hint at them solely for the purpose of warning and guidance, and not to cause alarm. You can here interpolate the earlier letter with the rules that I there give for the assistance of the disciple.

  September 25, 1919.

  The Dark Brotherhood.

  Today I seek to speak to you on the powers of the Dark Brotherhood. Certain laws that govern their actions, [134] certain methods employed by them in work need to be realised and certain methods of protection apprehended and utilised. As before I have told you the danger is as yet inappreciable to the majority, but more and more as time elapses shall we find it necessary to teach you, the physical plane workers, how to shield and guard yourselves from attack.

  The Dark Brothers are—remember this always—brothers, erring and misguided yet still sons of the one Father though straying far, very far, into the land of distances. The way back for them will be long, but the mercy of evolution inevitably forces them back along the path of return in cycles far ahead. Anyone who over-exalts the concrete mind and permits it continuously to shut out the higher, is in danger of straying on the left-hand path. Many so stray...but come back, and then in the future avoid like errors in the same way as a child once burnt avoids the fire. It is the man who persists in spite of warning and of pain who eventually becomes a brother of darkness. Mightily fights the Ego at first to prevent the Personality so developing, but the deficiencies of the causal body (for forget not that our vices are but our virtues misused) result in a lop-sided causal body, over-developed in some direction and full of great gulfs and gaps where virtues should be.

  The dark brother recognises no unity with his species, only seeing in them people to be exploited for the furtherance of his own ends. This then, on a small scale, is the mark of those who are being used by them wittingly or unwittingly. They respect no person, they regard all men as fair prey, they use everyone to get their own way enforced, and by fair means or foul they seek to break down all opposition and for the personal self acquire that which they desire. [135]

  The dark brother considers not what suffering he may cause; he cares not what agony of mind he brings upon an opponent; he persists in his intention and desists not from the hurt of any man, woman or child, provided that in the process his own ends are furthered. Expect absolutely no mercy from those opposing the Brotherhood of Light.

  On the physical plane and on the emotional plane, the dark brother has more power than the Brother of the Light,—not more power per se but more apparent power, because the White Brothers choose not to exert Their power on those two planes, as do the Dark Brothers. They could exert Their authority but They choose to refrain, working with the powers of evolution and not of involution. The elemental forces to be found on these two planes are manipulated by two factors.

  a—The inherent forces of evolution that direct all on to eventual perfection. The White Adepts co-operate in this.

  b—The Dark Brothers who occasionally employ these elemental forces to wreak their will and vengeance on all opponents. Under their control work sometimes the elementals of the earth plane, the gnomes and the elemental essence as fo
und in evil form, some of the brownies, and the fairy folk of colours brown, grey and sombre-hued. They cannot control the devas of high development, nor the fairies of colours blue, green and yellow, though a few of the red fairies can be made to work under their direction. The water elementals (though not the sprites or sylphs) move on occasion to their assistance, and in the control of these forces of involution they at times damage the furtherance of our work. [136]

  Oft too the Dark Brother masquerades as an agent of the light, oft he poses as a messenger of the gods, but for your assurance I would say that he who acts under the guidance of the Ego will have clear vision, and will escape deception.

  At this time their power is ofttimes mighty. Why? Because so much exists as yet in the Personalities of all men that respond to their vibration, and so it is easy for them to affect the bodies of men. So few of the races, comparatively speaking, have as yet built in the higher vibration that responds to the key-note of the Brotherhood of Light, who move practically entirely on the two highest levels (or the atomic and sub-atomic subplane) of the mental, emotional and physical planes. When moving on these subplanes the attacks of elementals on lower planes may be felt but effect no harm, hence the necessity of pure living and controlled pure emotions and elevated thought.

  You will notice that I said that the power of the Dark Brotherhood is dominant apparently on the physical and emotional planes. Not so is it on the mental, which is the plane on which the Brothers of the Light work. Mighty dark magicians may be located on the lower mental levels, but on the higher, the White Lodge dominates, the three higher subplanes being the levels that They beg the evolving sons of men to seek; it is Their region, to which all must strive and aspire. The Dark Brother impresses his will on human beings (if analogous vibration exists) and on the elemental kingdoms of involution. The Brothers of Light plead as pleaded the Man of Sorrows for an erring humanity to rise upward to the light. The Dark Brother retards progress and shapes all to his own ends; the Brother of Light bends every effort to the hastening [137] of evolution and—foregoing all that might be His as the price of achievement—stays amid the fogs, the strife, the evil and the hatred of the period if, in so doing, He may by all means aid some, and (lifting them up out of the darkness of earth) set their feet upon the Mount, and enable them to surmount the Cross.

  And now what methods may be employed to safeguard the worker in the field of the world? What can be done to ensure his safety in the present strife and in the greater strife of the coming centuries?

  1—A realisation that purity of all the vehicles is the prime essential. If a Dark Brother gains control over any man it but shows that that man has in his life some weak spot. The door whereby entrance is effected must be opened by the man himself; the opening whereby malignant force can be poured in must be caused by the occupant of the vehicles. Therefore the need of scrupulous cleanliness of the physical body, of clean steady emotions permitted in the emotional body, and of purity of thought in the mental body. When this is so, co-ordination will be present in the lower vehicles and the indwelling Thinker himself permits no entrance.

  2—The elimination of all fear. The forces of evolution vibrate more rapidly than those of involution and in this fact lies a recognisable security. Fear causes weakness; weakness causes a disintegration; the weak spot breaks and a gap appears, and through that gap evil force may enter. The factor of entrance is the fear of the man himself, who opens thus the door.

  3—A standing firm and unmoved, no matter what occurs. Your feet may be bathed in the mud of earth, but your head may be bathed in the sunshine of the higher regions. Recognition of the filth of earth involves not contamination. [138]

  4—A Recognition of the use of common-sense and the application of this common-sense to the matter in hand. Sleep much and, in sleeping, learn to render the body positive; keep busy on the emotional plane and achieve the inner calm. Do naught to overtire the body physical, and play whenever possible. In hours of relaxation comes the adjustment that obviates later tension.

  LETTER VI - THE USE OF FORM IN MEDITATION

  August 6, 1920.

  [140] Your very natural desire to have me give you in this sixth letter certain specific forms to achieve certain results cannot be fully acquiesced in. I do not propose to outline for you any forms for careful following. The risks, as before I have pointed out, are too great apart from the supervision of a teacher at hand to watch reactions. These forms may later be given. The work is duly planned out for the coming generation of students, this series of letters having its place within that outline. What I intend to do today is something different. I purpose to do four things which we will separately take up and elucidate. These things, if duly assimilated and acted upon, will lead to further enlightenment. In the occult method of teaching step by step is given, point by point slowly laid before the pupil, and only as each step is taken and each point is grasped, will the next in order become clear. The teacher gives an indication, drops a hint, and touches some high light. The pupil follows the point emphasised, and finds on thus acting that further light pours in, another stage appears and other hints are dropped. In joint action and reaction therefore the occult student is trained by the occultist.

  In studying the topic, “The use of form in meditation,” the four divisions under which I seek to place the intended data are as follows:—

  1—The use of Form in raising the consciousness.

  2.—The use of Form by the mystic and the occultist. [141]

  3—The use of specific forms for specific ends.

  4—The use of Form collectively.

  In the exposition of these subjects you will see that what I am endeavouring to produce is a just apprehension of the value of forms in meditation and not the imparting of any definite method. I seek to show the essential nature of proceeding under law in this the most important means of bringing about union with the divine, and of producing that at-one-ment between the higher and the lower that is the aim of all evolution. I desire to leave in the minds of those who read these words a just apprehension of the relationship between spirit and matter which is the basis of all work of this nature.

  The method employed by the Logos in this the second solar system is definitely the use of form for purposes of manifestation, as a medium of expression and as the vehicle whereby the indwelling life may grow, expand, experience and find itself. This is the case whether the form is an entire solar system, whether it is a human being in his complexity, or whether it is a form built by that human being in his endeavour to realise and know,—a form built for the very purpose of providing a vehicle whereby the consciousness may, by set stages, raise itself step by step to some visualised point. This brings us to our first point:

  1 - The use of Form in raising the consciousness.

  We have under this heading to consider three things:

  a—The Consciousness itself.

  b—The goal towards which it seeks to rise.

  c—The steps whereby it succeeds.

  Each unit of the human race is a part of the divine consciousness, and is that which is conscious of, or is [142] aware of something without itself,—something which knows itself to be differentiated from the vehicle which encloses it or the forms which environ it.

  At this particular stage in evolution the average man is simply conscious of differentiation, or of being separated off from all other members of the human family, thus forming in himself a unit among other units. He acknowledges this and acknowledges the right of all other separated units so to consider themselves. He adds to this a recognition that somewhere in the universe there exists a supreme Consciousness, Whom he theoretically calls God, or Nature. Between this purely selfish point of view (I use the term “selfish” in the scientific sense and not as a belittling adjective) and the nebulous theory of God immanent there are to be found numerous stages, at each of which occurs an expansion of consciousness, or an enlargement of the point of view, that leads that self-recognising unit, step
by step, from self-recognition to the recognition of superior selves, to the fitting of himself to be likewise recognised as a superior self, and eventually to the occult recognition of his own superior Self. He comes to recognise his Higher Self or Ego as his true Self, and from that stage passes on into that of the group consciousness. Here he realises first his egoic group and then other egoic groups.

  This stage is succeeded by the recognition of the universal principle of Brotherhood; it involves not just a theoretical recognition, but a merging of the consciousness into that of the human consciousness, in its entirety; this is really that development of consciousness which enables a man to realise not only his egoic group affiliations but his place in the human Hierarchy on its own plane. He knows himself in fact as a part of one of the great Heavenly Men. This expands later into an almost [143] inconceivably vast point of view—that of his place in the Grand Heavenly Man, as represented by the Logos Himself.

  This is as far as we need go for our purpose, for this series of letters, aims not at the development of cosmic consciousness.

  It will therefore be apparent to you that all these stages have to be taken systematically and that each one has to be mastered step by step. It is necessary first to grasp that the place where the expansion takes place, and the realisation has to be felt, has to be finally in the thinking, waking consciousness. The Ego on its own plane may be well aware of the unity of its consciousness with all other consciousnesses, and be realising his group as one with himself, but until the man (in physical plane consciousness) has raised himself to that same plane and is likewise aware of his group consciousness, and likewise regards himself as the higher Self within the egoic group and not as a separated unit, it is of no more use than a recognised theory is of use when not carried out in experience.