"We are on the verge of a great change."
The following is an effort to put into some coherent form the viewpoint of the Masters of the Wisdom regarding the present world situation. We will discuss the state of the world today, the work of the Masters today, and the immediate goals of discipleship and service, given this knowledge.
This article is a work in progress. Much more could obviously be said about many of the points that follow. As time goes on, and I continue to research these matters and discuss them with my friends and co-workers, more may be uncovered. And yet, this article, however inadequate it may be, is probably enough to get the general idea across, and hopefully provide some of us new insight into our present world conditions.
Followers of any and every school of thought will find much in this that they might choose to disagree with. I can, myself, think of several quotes from the Wisdom teachings that directly contradict the following exposition. But we have faced contradictory teachings from the very beginning. There has not been any Teachings that we have received that have not held contradictions in them. Thus we need to find, for ourselves, that thread of truth that will lead us onwards. We need to awaken some measure of inner awareness and not rely so much on our mental reasoning. Only then will we discover for ourselves the knowledge of the soul.
Further, when the Masters find that one method does not work, they move on to other methods. And when the allotted time has elapsed for one method and one teaching, they move on to new methods and new teachings. We must take for granted that the understandings of the past are not necessarily applicable for the present.
Still other things that will be said here will seem so basic that they may be passed by with only a casual glance. But today's world is not as it seems to be. And the Divine Plan is, I think, not as simple as people suppose it to be. So some obvious statements will be made to set the stage for later ideas, and drive home the significance of the new thoughts.
I present this, therefore, only in the hope that it will help each of us tune in to our own soul life, and come into a better rapport with how Spirit is guiding us to fulfill the Divine Plan.
* * * * *
To see the plan of the Masters for this age, we need to step back a few paces, away from the current crises of the day, and view the whole development of civilization in a broad context.
We may first note that the whole history of humanity (and I am speaking of history as the esoteric student understands it) is a series of crises.
First, there was the crisis that occurred when the human kingdom came into existence. This event, many millions of years ago, brought major changes to our planetary life.
Second, there was the crisis that occurred at the end of what we call the Lemurian era, which was characterized by the development and coordination of the human physical body. This crisis ended in a series of catastrophes, including earthquakes and volcanic activity that re-shaped the planet.
Third, there was the crisis that occurred at the end of the Atlantean era. This is documented in the sacred books of the world as the great flood.
Along with these major events were innumerable lesser events and minor crisis points.
Since there were world-changing crisis points in the past, there is every expectation to believe that such crisis points will occur in the future as well. Indeed, esoteric teachings indicate that our current civilization — meaning all of humanity and its works over the last several thousand years — is moving toward yet another major crisis point.
These crisis points are called a "crisis of opportunity" in that — if humanity is wise enough to do so — humanity as a whole and every individual therein may take advantage of the crisis in order to move forward more swiftly on the path of evolution.
"Forget not that humanity grows through the presentation of moments of crisis."
[Alice A. Bailey, "The Rays and the Initiations" pp393.]
Now each of these crisis points did not just happen. In each case, the Masters and the Spiritual Hierarchy, meeting together in conclave, determined that a crisis was necessary, and took action.
"These moments of crisis, based on past karma, conditioned by the point in evolution already achieved, and on the presence in the three worlds of certain appropriate ray forces, are brought to the point of precipitation by united decision in the conclave of the Masters.
"These decisions do not affect man's free will, for the Hierarchy does nothing to condition man's approach to the crisis and, occultly speaking, Their "attitude is deliberately turned to other things" during the period of man's decision; thus the potency of Their thinking does not affect the human mind. Once the precipitation of the crisis is complete, and humanity has begun to take action of some kind, then the full attention of the Masters, working through Their Ashrams, is committed to the giving of full assistance to all those who are seeking to guide humanity along correct lines — a relative few among the countless millions of the ignorant."
[Alice A. Bailey, "The Rays and the Initiations" pp393.]
We can see, therefore, that points of crisis have occurred in the past. We can also see that a crisis point will inevitably appear in the future. This is because the method by which the Spiritual Hierarchy teaches humanity is the precipitation of crisis points.
* * * * *
The Masters, therefore, have had before Them the task of preparing mankind for the next major crisis point. The Spiritual Hierarchy of Christ foresaw the development of the so-called "modern" era, a period in which mankind had dominated the physical plane and the planet earth. In this era, a crisis would be precipitated that would be the recapitulation of the crises that were experienced in Atlantis, and before that, in Lemuria.
"For some time, ever since 1425 A.D., ( a date to which I referred earlier) the Hierarchy has been aware that the time would come when this projected move would take place. Preparations have gone steadily forward."
[Alice A. Bailey, "The Externalisation of the Hierarchy" pp568.]
In order to prepare mankind for this crisis, two efforts were put underway.
First, the Spiritual Hierarchy had the task of developing and strengthening the human mind so that humanity would be capable of apprehending the nature of the soul and of Reality. This was necessary so that humanity would have the ability to consciously and with wisdom deal with forthcoming events. The development of the mind has therefore proceeded over the last few hundred years.
Second, the Masters sought to develop the spirit of cooperation and integration within humanity so that the separateness of the human mind would be countered. The Masters, therefore, sought to do two things:
"First of all, humanity must have its consciousness elevated to the mental plane; it must be expanded so that it included not only the world of emotion and of feeling but also that of the intellect. The minds of men must be made widely and generally active, and the entire level of human intelligence must be raised. It was necessary, secondly, that something should be done to break down the barriers of separateness, of isolation and of prejudice which were keeping men apart from each other and which They foresaw would increasingly do so. Cycle by cycle, men were becoming more and more wrapped up in their own selves — satisfaction and exclusiveness, and racial pride. The result of this would lead inevitably to wide cleavages and the erection of world barriers between nation and nation, and between race and race."
[Alice A. Bailey, "A Treatise on White Magic" pp405.]
The Masters therefore foresaw that humanity would deal with this forthcoming crisis point in one of two ways. Humanity would either learn the lesson of cooperation and brotherhood, and willingly create the new civilization on the foundations of the old, or it would reject the message of the Masters. The latter choice of humanity would result in the destruction of today's civilization, just as Lemuria and Atlantis were destroyed.
We can see the results of this effort to further mental development over the last several hundred years in the growth of the human intellect, the powers of science over nature and the universe, and the development of universal education and universities in every land. We may note the appearance everywhere of potent and independently-minded individuals who think for themselves.
We can likewise see that billions of people are still subject to the authority of others. The rule of law — the rule of the gun and the prison — still dominates the planet. The divine law of cooperation and goodwill has not yet seen the light. The rule of money — obtaining personal goods through the provision of labor — also has covered the earth and enforced a materialistic consciousness. The rule of Love has not supervened. Barriers still exist between nation and nation, and between race and race.
* * * * *
Starting in the year 1875 the Masters put forth Their greatest effort to awaken humanity. This effort started with H.P. Blavatsky and the founding of the Theosophical Society. But it did not rest there; that was only a beginning. Throughout the world, in every land, the messengers of the Masters have appeared. Disciples, Initiates, and Masters have appeared in the midst of every religion, every nation, every race, and every culture. A few have been recognized and followed. Still more often, the Masters and Their representatives have done Their work silently and in the background of human consciousness, while humanity remained oblivious to Their presence. But such was the need that a huge effort was made by the Spiritual Hierarchy to prepare mankind for the forthcoming crisis.
"We are on the verge of a great change. It depends upon man himself whether it does or not. If humanity will not turn about or change, it may and must happen, and very shortly if the present humanity will not hear and obey the voice of the prophets of the people who are speaking from all the ends of the earth today. Never in the annals of time has such an effort been put forth for the salvation of the human race, as today."
["Teachings of the Temple, Vol. III" pp 195]
The Masters have been working in the hope that humanity as a whole could make a conscious transition from the old civilization to the new. This would avert the need for worldwide destruction of the old forms in order to make way for the new civilization and the new culture of Love. The Masters therefore worked to rally the "Forces of Light" — those humans who could respond, in some measure to the need of humanity to prepare for the new civilization — to action.
To some extent, this was successful. Yet the world situation has, if anything, deteriorated over the last fifty years. The required effort has not been possible.
"At certain definite periods such knowledge as is requisite for the races in manifestation during said periods, is given out by the Initiates who are appointed by the Hierophant of that Degree of the White Lodge which holds the records and which is the guiding power of that period. If the race will not accept and heed the information given, it must bear the results of its indifference or wilfulness. A perfect stream of such knowledge and information has been poured out on the humanity of this age within the last half century [1875-1925]. In isolated cases it is appreciated and utilized, but the world-wide enthusiasm and effort, the impulse, the wave of ardent endeavor which should rise and swell to such a height as to overwhelm the error, supineness and self-satisfaction of those to whom that knowledge has been given, have hardly started, and time is flying."
["Teachings of the Temple Vol. I" pp353]
We were also told that the whole period from 1950 to the year 2000 must be a time of renewal and transformation:
"The remainder of this century must be dedicated to rebuilding the shrine of man's living, to reconstructing the form of humanity's life, to reconstituting the new civilisation upon the foundations of the old, and to the reorganising of the structures of world thought, world politics, plus the redistribution of the world's resources in conformity to divine purpose. Then and only then will it be possible to carry the revelation further."
[Alice A. Bailey, "The Destiny of the Nations" pp 106]
Each of us needs, now, to thoughtfully come to their own conclusions as to whether these events did indeed occur between 1950 and the year 2000. Did humanity "rebuild the shrine of man's living"? Has the new civilization been built upon the foundations of the old — which means that the old civilization was swept away? Are structures of world thought and politics fundamentally different than they were fifty years ago? Are the world's resources distributed in accordance with divine purpose?
I think a moment's reflection will indicate that none of these tasks have been accomplished.
Is there a "wave of ardent endeavour" that is even now overwhelming all selfishness and materialism throughout the planet? Is the new civilization of Love and goodwill in evidence? Does love dominate relationships between human and human, race and race, and nation and nation?
It does not seem so.
It is no wonder, therefore, that we have not had any new "revelation" or new teachings from the Spiritual Hierarchy for the last fifty years. We are not ready for it, and the world is not ready for it.
The world is consumed with the process of buying and selling things, the entertainment and strengthening of the lower self, and holding on to the feelings and thought forms that people hold dear. The world is controlled by money and the gun rather than by Divine Love and Power. As such, this civilization is doomed to destruction, just as Lemuria and Atlantis were destroyed.
* * * * *
You may say, "Well, we just haven't succeeded yet. With a little more effort and a little more time, the world will be transformed."
This may seem to be the case because the vast majority of the esoteric teachings that we have received were written during a period in which this was actually true. There was indeed yet time, 100 years ago, 75 years ago.... maybe even 50 years ago. There is no such time span available to us today. We have reached the crisis point.
There is only so much time available to accomplish world transformation. The Masters:
"...Work slowly and with deliberation, free from any sense of speed, towards Their objective, but — and herein lies the immediate interest of what I have to communicate — They do have a time limit. This is based upon the Law of Cycles. It concerns the operation of certain periods of opportunity which necessarily have their term. During these times of opportunity, forces, influences, and energies are temporarily at work, and of these the Masters seek to make use."
[Alice A. Bailey, "A Treatise on White Magic" pp404]
We would like to imagine that there is always more time — more time to live, to learn, to grow. But someday, our bodies will die, and a new life will be forced upon us. Likewise for humanity, we imagine that this civilization will go on forever, living and learning in ever new ways. But at some point, in accordance with cyclic law, the energies that allow this civilization to exist will be withdrawn and this era will come to an end. There will then no longer be any possibility for growth; the path will be set towards dissolution and destruction.
We can close our eyes and imagine that the world can be saved. Or we can face the fact that this world has not awakened for the last 100 years despite every good effort of the Masters and disciples everywhere. Why do you suppose, then, that the world will wake up now? What miracle do you propose to perform to transform the human consciousness? What can you say to humanity that has not already been said by the Masters? What have the Masters not already done to save humanity from itself?
This world cannot be saved. The moment of opportunity has passed.
"A human order to the world exists at present. But this will be destroyed. From the way in which people have worked in the past and how they work today — the world cannot be improved."
["The Wellspring of Good: The Last Words of the Master Peter Deunov" Compiled by Bojan Boev and Boris Nikolov, pp 200.]
A Divine Order will soon take the place of the material, human order, and the world will be changed forever.
* * * * *
Others may say, "Oh its just millenialism. People have predicted the end of the world in every decade, and it hasn't ever happened."
Well, Atlantis — if you believe the story of Atlantis — did fall. Over several thousand years there were probably many people predicting the end of the Atlantean civilization, and nothing ever happened... until one day it did.
"Many times the end of the world has been proclaimed, but the planet still exists. The ignorant will again find therein cause to triumph, but they also scoffed on the eve of the fall of Atlantis."
[Agni Yoga, "AUM" #521]
Of course we cannot say when this civilization will end. No one will know until it happens. We might say that it won't even happen in our lifetimes. Yet the final effort of the Masters to save humanity from destruction has already been made so we have some justification for believing that the end is not so far off.
This is, after all, nearly the end of the "transition period," which is said to be between 1875 and 2025. During this period the Masters are seeking to awaken humanity to certain realizations, otherwise this civilization must come to an end.
"Above everything else required at this time is a recognition of the world of meaning, a recognition of Those Who implement world affairs and Who engineer those steps which lead mankind onward towards its destined goal, plus a steadily increased recognition of the Plan on the part of the masses. These three recognitions must be evidenced by humanity and affect human thinking and action if the total destruction of mankind is to be averted. They must form the theme of all the propaganda work to be done during the next few decades — until the year 2025 — a brief space of time indeed to produce fundamental changes in human thought, awareness, and direction...."
[Alice A. Bailey, "Discipleship in the New Age Vol. II pp 164]
Again we might ask ourselves: does humanity recognize the world of meaning? Does humanity acknowledge "Those Who implement world affairs," the Masters and the Christ? Is there a steadily increasing recognition of the Plan on the part of the masses? Are we seeing fundamental changes in human thought, awareness, and direction? And if not, are we not squarely looking forward to the "total destruction of mankind"?
Esoteric students are often fond of reading the texts of their books carefully, and extracting every meaning possible when it comes to the relationships of rays and nations, Planetary Lives and constellations, and all manner of cosmological and astrological issues. I am here asking that equivalent time be spent considering carefully the meaning of these quotations. If the words of the Master are truth to you, then consider what is said here carefully!
We have had a century or so to do the work necessary to transform this civilization. No more time is available. We must begin to consider the consequences rather than endlessly hope that something will happen. There is no more time for "something" to happen.
"The accumulated evil of the age has reached the zenith of its power and readjustment must follow. A short day of grace is still ours, a single century [the 20th century]; for, if before the end of that century the peoples of the earth have not awakened sufficiently to enable them to behold the canker in the bud of their great so-called civilizations, and destroy that canker, nothing can save them from decay and annihilation. The kingdom of Satan or Evil, and the kingdom of God or Good, cannot exist simultaneously in one place and age; one must give way and the kingdom of God, holding all the positive power of the Infinite, must eventually overwhelm the kingdom of Satan, or negative power."
["Teachings of the Temple Vol. I", pp587]
It is now the year 2003. Who realistically expects humanity to learn the needed lessons at this point? While a few individuals, here and there, have awakened, humanity as a whole has not. It is time to accept this, and start thinking about the consequences.
* * * * *
We conclude, then, that this civilization will soon be destroyed, just as Lemuria and Atlantis were destroyed. We conclude that nothing can now stop this destruction, as humanity as a whole has not listened to the teachings of the Masters, nor paid any attention to the still, sweet voice of the soul.
"Unfortunately, the present time fully corresponds to the last period of Atlantis. The very same psuedoprophets and a pseudosavior; the same wars, the same treasons and spiritual barbarism. We take pride in the crumbs of civilization; the Atlanteans likewise knew how to fly across the planet in order to speedily cheat each other. The temples likewise became defiled, and science became a subject of speculation and dissension. The same occurred in construction, as if they did not dare to build solidly! Likewise, they rebelled against Hierarchy and were stifled with their own egoism. Likewise, they disturbed the equilibrium of the subterranean forces, and by mutual efforts a cataclysm was created."
[Agni Yoga, "Hierarchy" #145]
This is not said out of pessimism. Everything happens in accordance with the Divine Plan, and this destruction, as in Atlantis, will fulfill Divine Law. We should see the destruction of this evil and materialistic civilization as a positive and uplifting event.
We come to these conclusions because we choose to see clearly. We come to these conclusions because we accept the teachings of the Masters as truth. We come to these conclusions because we refuse to fool ourselves any longer with a false hope.
We accept that humanity as a whole rejects the soul in favor of a materialistic way of life. We accept that humanity as a whole prefers selfishness and separateness to brotherhood and the Divine Life. So be it. But the Divine Law also demands that humanity takes the consequences of its decisions. The Wave of Fire will come, and this civilization will be swept away.
* * * * *
Are you wondering what we do now that the world cannot be redeemed? Then please read The Wave of Divine Love.
Are you dismayed by the possible destruction of our physical world and civilization? Then please read Being and Duality.