Let us proceed to a consideration of the techniques of integration, bearing in mind that we shall here be dealing with the integration of the threefold lower nature into an active, conscious personality, prior to its fusion into a unity with the soul. We must remember that we are here dealing with the consciousness aspect of manifestation and its apprehension and appreciation of purpose and of truth. We are so apt always to think in terms of form and form activity, that it seems necessary again and again to reiterate the necessity for thinking in terms of consciousness and awareness, leading to an eventual realization. This purpose and truth, when grasped, brings into direct conflict the will of the personality (the separative individual, governed by the concrete, analytical mind) and the will of the soul, which is the will of the Hierarchy of Souls, or of the Kingdom of God. In the fourth kingdom, the human, the controlling factor is that of desire, ending in aspiration. In the fifth kingdom, the spiritual, the controlling factor is that of divine purpose or the will of God. Then we find this purpose, though free from what we call desire, is actuated by love, expressed through devotion and service, wrought out into full expression upon the physical plane.
Ray Four
” ‘Midway I stand between the forces which oppose each other. Longing am I for harmony and peace, and for the beauty which results from unity. I see the two. I see naught else but forces ranged opposing, and I, the one, who stands within the circle at the center. Peace I demand. My mind is bent upon it. Oneness with all I seek, yet form divides. War upon every side I find, and separation. Alone I stand and am. I know too much.’
The love of unity must dominate, and love of peace and harmony. Yet not that love, based on a longing for relief, for peace to self, for unity because it carries with it that which is pleasantness.
The word goes forth from soul to form. ‘Both sides are one. There is no war, no difference and no isolation. The warring forces seem to war from the point at which you stand. Move on a pace. See truly with the opened eye of inner vision and you will find, not two but one; not war but peace; not isolation but a heart which rests upon the center. Thus shall the beauty of the Lord shine forth. The hour is now.’ “
It is well to remember that this fourth ray is pre-eminently the ray of the fourth Creative Hierarchy, the human kingdom, and therefore has a peculiar relation to the functions, relationships and the service of man, as an intermediate group, a bridging group, upon our planet. The function of this intermediate group is to embody a type of energy, which is that of at-one-ment. This is essentially a healing force which brings all forms to an ultimate perfection through the power of the indwelling life, with which it becomes perfectly at-oned. This is brought about by the soul or consciousness aspect, qualified by the ray in question. The relation of the human family to the divine scheme, as it exists, is that of bringing into close rapport the three higher kingdoms upon our planet and the three lower kingdoms of nature, thus acting as a clearing house for divine energy. The service humanity is to render is that of producing unity, harmony, and beauty in nature, through blending into one functioning, related unity the soul in all forms. This is achieved individually at first, then it takes place in group formation, and finally it demonstrates through an entire kingdom in nature. When this takes place, the fourth Creative Hierarchy will be controlled predominantly by the fourth ray (by which I mean that the majority of its egos will have fourth ray personalities, thus facilitating the task of fusion), and the consciousness of its advanced units will function normally upon the fourth plane of buddhic energy or intuitional awareness.
It is this realization which will provide adequate incentive for alignment. This alignment or sense of oneness is not in any way a mystical realization, or that of the mystic who puts himself en rapport with divinity. The mystic still has a sense of duality. Nor is it the sense of identification which can characterize the occultist; with that there is still an awareness of individuality, though it is that of an individual who can merge at will with the whole. It is an almost undefinable consciousness of group fusion with a greater whole, and not so much individual fusion with the whole. Until this is experienced, it is well nigh impossible to comprehend, through the medium of words, its significance and meaning. It is the reflection, if I might so express it, of the Nirvanic consciousness; the reflection I would point out, but not that consciousness itself.
When this fourth ray alignment is produced and the disciple becomes aware of it, a crisis is evoked. The phrase “the disciple becomes aware of it,” is significant, for it indicates that states of consciousness can exist and the disciple remain unaware of them. However, until they are brought down into the area of the brain and are recognized by the disciple in waking, physical consciousness, they remain subjective and are not usable. They are of no practical benefit to the man upon the physical plane. The crisis thus precipitated leads to fresh illumination when it is properly handled. These crises are produced by the bringing together (oft the clashing together) of the higher forces of the personality and soul energy. They cannot therefore be produced at a low stage of evolutionary development, in which low grade energies are active and the personality is neither integrated nor of a high grade and character. (Is such a phrase as “low grade energies” permissible? When all are divine? It conveys the idea, and that is what is desired.) The forces which are involved in such a crisis are the forces of integration at work in a personality of a very high order, and they are themselves necessarily of a relatively high potency. It is the integrated personality force, brought into relation with soul energy, which ever produces the type of crisis which is here discussed. These constitute, consequently, a very difficult moment or moments in the life of the disciple.
This fourth ray crisis, evoked by a right understanding and a right use of the fourth ray formula, produces the following sequential results:
- A sense of isolation. Putting this into more modern language, a complex is produced of the same nature as that which temporarily overcame Elijah. He was overwhelmed with a sense of his clarity of vision in relation to the problem with which he was faced, of his unique response to it, and also with a sense of aloneness which devastated him.
- A sense of despairing futility. The forces arraigned against the disciple seem so great and his equipment so inadequate and feeble!
- A determination to stand in the midst and, if not victorious, at least to refuse to admit defeat, taking with determination the position which St. Paul expressed in the words: “Having done all, to stand.”
- A sudden recognition of the Warrior within, Who is invisible and omnipotent but Who can only now begin His real work when the personality is aligned, the crisis recognized, and the will-to-victory is present. We would do well to ponder on this.
When, therefore, this state of mind is achieved, and the disciple and inner Master, the soldier and the Warrior are known to be at-one, then there takes place what has been called in some of the ancient books “the breaking forth of the light of victory” – a victory which does not inflict defeat upon those who are at war, but which results in that triple victory of the two sides and of the One Who is at the center. All three move forward to perfection. This is typical of a fourth ray consummation, and if this thought is applied with due reflection to the problem of the fourth kingdom in nature, the fourth Creative Hierarchy, humanity itself, the beauty of the phrasing and the truth of the statement must inevitably appear.
With this blazing forth of light comes the revelation expressed for us so adequately in the closing words of the fourth ray formula. Man sees and grasps the final purpose for the race and the objective ahead of this fourth kingdom in the great sweep of the divine manifestation. It is valuable also to remember that this revelation comes to the race in three stages:
- Individually, when the disciple “relinquishes the fight in order to stand, thereby discovering victory ahead, achieving oneness with the enemy, the Warrior and the One.“
- In group formation. This approach to the revelation is today going on in the world, and is producing a moment of extreme crisis in connection with the work of the New Group of World Servers. Their moment of crisis lies immediately ahead.
- In the human family as a whole. This revelation will come to the race at the end of the age and with it we need not for the moment, therefore, concern ourselves. It is essentially the revelation of the Plan as a whole, embodying the various aspects of the Plan as – from cycle to cycle – the race has grasped the smaller aspects and revelations and succeeded eventually in bringing them into concrete manifestation. It is a revelation of the purposes of Deity – past, present and future purposes – as grasped by those who have developed the divine aspects and are, consequently, in a position to understand.
This series of spiritual happenings or unfoldments of consciousness in the life of the individual and the group produces a definite integration upon the three levels of personality work (mental, emotional and physical). It also lays the ground for those processes of fusion which will blend the rays of the personality and of the soul. If you will carry this concept of integration (achieved upon the three levels of the three worlds of human endeavor) into the activities and relationships of groups, you will find much of interest and of informative value anent the work of the New Group of World Servers. This group is, if I might so express it, an effort at an externalization of the group personality of the disciples, connected with the Hierarchy. If we ponder on this, the function and relation will be apparent.
Let us now add to the three words expressing the three ray formulas already given, the word for this ray: Steadfastness. Therefore we have:
- Ray One – Inclusion.
- Ray Two – Centralization.
- Ray Three – Stillness.
- Ray Four – Steadfastness.
As we brood on these words and on the remaining three which are indicated hereafter, we shall bring clearly into our consciousness the keynote for the disciples of the world at this time, who are in a position to discover that their personalities or their souls are on some one or other of these rays. The use of these words by those who are not pledged disciples in connection with their personality rays and personality expression might be definitely undesirable. The third ray personality, emphasizing stillness, for instance, might find himself descending into the sloughs of lethargy; the first ray personality, seeking to develop inclusiveness might go to extremes, deeming himself a center of inclusiveness. These are Words of Power, when used by a disciple, and must be employed in the light of the soul or may have a striking harmful effect.
