We have dealt with the importance of meditation, and I have suggested for your consideration four reasons, out of the many, why the practice should be followed. At this period, when meditation is followed by many of you without the guidance of a teacher personally acquainted with you on the physical plane, it has been impossible to do more than formulate a plan for practice that carries in it the elements of safety and universality.

When a teacher is on the spot, differentiated practice may be carried on, suited to the temperament of the pupil, and having certain attributes that make that particular meditation the line of least resistance from the physical brain of the personality to the causal body.

In formulating methods of meditation, certain factors must be taken into consideration. These factors I will now enumerate. I seek not to give you outlines and methods to be followed; I only indicate the underlying principles that guide the teacher in the choice of method suitable for the pupil. Later, when the teacher comes, and the scientific application of the method to the individual is being demonstrated, you can then see if the rules laid down here are fundamentals or not. These fundamentals and principles are all I seek to give. Method and detail must be worked out through the use of discrimination, experience, courage, and perseverance.

The factors that must be considered by a teacher when assigning a meditation are six in number, if we deal only with the principal ones. They are as follows:

1. The Ray of the pupil’s Ego, or Higher Self.
2. The Ray of his Personality, or Lower Self.
3. The karmic condition of his threefold lower nature.
4. The condition of his Causal Body.
5. The immediate need of the period, and his availability.
6. The groups, inner and outer, with which he may be affiliated.

We will now take them up and consider them one by one.

The Ray of the Higher Self

The ray on which a man’s causal body is found—the egoic ray—should determine the type of meditation. Each ray necessitates a different method of approach, for the aim of all meditation is union with the divine. At this stage, it is union with the spiritual Triad, which has its lowest reflection on the mental plane.

Let me illustrate briefly:

• The Power Ray (First Ray): When the egoic ray is what is termed the Power Ray, the method of approach has to be by the application of the will in a dynamic form to the lower vehicles. It is largely what we term achievement by an intense focusing—a terrific one-pointedness—that inhibits all hindrances and literally forces a channel, thus driving itself into the Triad.
• The Love–Wisdom Ray (Second Ray): When the egoic ray is the Second, or the Love–Wisdom Ray, the path of least resistance lies along the line of expansion, of a gradual inclusion. It is not so much a driving forward as it is a gradual expanding from an inner centre to include the entourage, the environment, the allied souls, and the affiliated groups of pupils under some one Master, until all are included in the consciousness. Carried to the point of achievement, this expansion results in the final shattering of the causal body at the fourth Initiation. In the first instance—achievement via the Power Ray—the driving forward and the forcing upward had a like result. The opened channel admitted the downflow of force or fire from the Spirit, and the causal in time is equally destroyed.
• The Activity–Adaptability Ray (Third Ray): When the egoic ray is the Third, or Activity–Adaptability Ray, the method is somewhat different. Not so much the driving forward, not so much the gradual expansion, as the systematic adaptation of all knowledge and of all means to the end in view. It is, in fact, the process of the utilisation of the many for the use of the one. It is more the accumulation of needed material and quality for the helping of the world, and the amassing of information through love and discrimination that eventually causes the shattering of the causal body.

In these “Rays of Aspect,” or of divine expression (if so I may call them), the shattering is brought about:

• by the widening of the channel, due to the driving power of will in the first case;
• by the expansion of the lower auric egg—the causal body—in the second case, due to the inclusiveness of the synthetic ray of love and wisdom;
• and by the breaking of the periphery of the causal body in the third case, due to the accumulative faculty and systematic absorption of the adaptability ray.

All these three different methods have the same result, and are fundamentally all forms of the one great method employed in the evolution of love or wisdom—the goal of endeavour in this present solar system.

You have:

• The will driving a man on to perfection, through realisation of the Higher, and resulting in the service of power through love in activity.
• The wisdom or love aspect driving a man on to perfection through the realisation of his oneness with all that breathes, resulting in the service of love through love in activity.
• The activity aspect driving a man on to perfection through the utilisation of all in the service of man: first by the utilisation of all for himself, then by graded steps—the utilisation of all for the family, of all for those he personally loves, of all for his environing associates, and thus on and up until all is utilised in the service of humanity.

When the egoic ray is the attributive ray of Harmony through Conflict (the Fourth Ray), the method will be along the line of the inner realisation of beauty and harmony. It causes the shattering of the causal body by the knowledge of Sound and Colour, and by the shattering effect of Sound.

It is the process that leads to the realisation of the notes and tones of the solar system, the note and tone of individuals, and the endeavour to harmonise the egoic note with that of others. When the egoic note is sounded in harmony with other egos, the result is the shattering of the causal body, dissociation from the lower, and the attainment of perfection.

Its exponents develop along the line of music, rhythm, and painting. They withdraw within in order to comprehend the life side of the form. The outer manifestation of that life side in the world is through that which we call art. The great painters and the superlative musicians are, in many cases, reaching their goal that way.

When the Fifth Ray (Concrete Science or Knowledge) is a man’s ray, the method is very interesting. It takes the form of the intense application of the concrete mind to some problem for the helping of the race. It is the bending of every mental quality and the controlling of the lower nature, so that one supreme endeavour is made to pierce through that which hinders the downflow of the higher knowledge.

It involves also the will element (as might be expected), and results in the wresting of the desired information from the source of all knowledge. As the process is continued, the piercing of the periphery of the causal body becomes so frequent that, in the end, disintegration is produced, and a man is set free.

It is mentality driving a man on to perfection and forcing him to utilise all knowledge in the loving service of his race.

The Ray of Devotion (the Sixth Ray) is pre-eminently the ray of sacrifice. When it is the egoic ray, the method of approach through meditation takes the form of one-pointed application, through love of some individual or ideal. A man learns to include through love of person or ideal; he bends every faculty and every effort to the contemplation of what is required, and in sacrifice for that person or ideal lays even his causal body on the flames of the altar.

It is the method of divine fanaticism that counts all lost apart from the vision, and that eventually sacrifices joyously the entire personality. The causal body is destroyed through fire, and the liberated life streams upward to the Spirit in divine beatification.

When the egoic ray is the Seventh Ray (Ceremonial Law or Magic), the method is that of the glorification and comprehension of form in approach. As said earlier, the goal of all the meditation practices is approach to the divine within each one, and, through that, approach to the Deity Himself.

The method, therefore, is the bringing under law, order, and rule, of every act of the life in all the three bodies, and the building within the causal body of an expanding form that results in the shattering of that body. It is the building of the Shrine under certain rules into a dwelling place for the Shekinah. When the spiritual light flames forth, the Temple of Solomon rocks, reels, and disintegrates.

It is the study of the law and the consequent comprehension by the man of how that law is wielded and why. It is then the definite application of that law to the body of causes so as to render it needless and thus effect its shattering. Emancipation is the result, and the man frees himself from the three worlds.

Many occultists are coming in on this ray at this time to continue the liberating process. It is the method that leads a man to liberation through the understanding and the intelligent application of the law to his own life, and to the ameliorating of conditions in the body of humanity, thus making the man a server of his race.

This suffices for today.

June 5, 1920

 The Ray of the Personality

We have somewhat dealt with the first factor—the egoic ray—in determining the method of meditation. Today we might take up the function of the personality ray in determining this method.

As you know, the personality ray is ever a sub-ray of the spiritual ray and varies with greater frequency than the egoic ray. With evolved egos, such as may be contacted among the thinkers of the race and among the prominent workers in all departments of world work everywhere, the personality ray may vary from life to life, each life being based on a different note and demonstrating a different colour. In this way the causal body is more rapidly equipped.

When the reincarnating unit has reached a point where he can consciously choose his mode of expression, he will first review his past lives, and from the knowledge gained thereby he will guide his choice for the next. Prior to incarnation he will sound his egoic note and will note the lack of fullness or the discord it may contain. He will then decide upon which note he will base his coming personality vibration.

There is much to be done. Two atoms have felt polarisation, and one is receiving the shifting. It is the middle point. At this time the light plays between the three atoms, outlining the personality triangle. But the focal point is gradually shifting more and more into the mental unit, and the egoic body is becoming gradually more rounded out, assuming its proportions.

The man has control of the physical body, and each life he builds a better. He has a desire body of more refined requirements (note the occult significance of that word). He realises the joys of intellect and strives ever for a mental body of greater adequacy. His desires turn upward instead of downward and become transmuted into aspiration—at first aspiration towards the things of mind, and later towards that which is more abstract and synthetic.

The indwelling egoic Flame or Light now radiates from an inner centre to the periphery, lighting the causal body and giving indication of burning. To the onlooking Hierarchy it is apparent that the divine fire is permeating, warming, and radiating throughout the causal body, and that the Ego is becoming ever more conscious on his own plane, and ever more interested—via the permanent atoms—in the life of the Personality.

The physical brain of the Personality is not yet aware of the difference between inherent mental capacity and the directed impress of the indwelling Ego, but the time is becoming ripe for a change of some kind, and evolution is moving with rapidity.

The fourth period approaches. I would here sound a warning. All this proceeds not in ordered sections, if so I may term it. It proceeds as proceeds the greater system, with constant overlapping, and with parallelism, due to the inherent ray of the Spirit or Monad, to cyclic changes, and to the diversity of forces playing astrologically, and oft from unknown cosmic centres, upon the palpitating life within the atoms.

The fourth period is that within which co-ordination of the Personality is completed, and that wherein the man comes to himself (as did the prodigal in the far country) and says: “I will arise and go to my Father.” This is the result of the first meditation. The three permanent atoms are functioning, and the man is an active feeling, thinking entity.

He reaches the consummation of the personality life and begins to shift consciously his polarisation from the personality life to the egoic. He stands upon the Path of Discipleship or Probation, or is close to it. He commences the work of transmutation. He laboriously, painfully, and carefully forces his consciousness higher and expands it at will. At any cost he determines to dominate and function in full liberation on the three lower planes. He realises that the Ego must have perfect expression—physical, emotional, and mental—and he makes, therefore, at infinite cost, the necessary channel.

He attracts the attention of the Teachers. In what way does he do this? The causal body begins to radiate the indwelling Light. It has been constructed to a point where it is fine enough to act as a transparency, and where the contact of the Ego is made with the Triad, a point of Flame appears. The light is no longer under the bushel, but suddenly flames forth and catches the eager eye of the Master.

This marks the period between twenty-eight and thirty-five in the life of the adult. It is the period wherein a man finds himself, discovers what his line of activity may be, what he can accomplish, and— from the worldly standpoint—comes into his own.

During the fifth period, the Flame gradually breaks through the periphery of the causal body, and “the path of the just shineth ever more and more unto the perfect day.”

It is in the fourth period that meditation commences—the mystic meditation that leads, in the fifth period, to that occult meditation that brings about results, being under the law and hence following the line of the ray. It is by meditation that the man, as a Personality, feels out the vibration of the Ego, and seeks to reach up to the Ego and bring the egoic consciousness ever more and more down, so as to include consciously the physical plane.

It is by meditation, or by retreating within, that the man learns the significance of FIRE, and applies that fire to all the bodies, till naught is left save the fire itself. It is by meditation, or the reaching from the concrete to the abstract, that the causal consciousness is entered, and man—during this final period—becomes the Higher Self and not the Personality.

The polarisation shifts during the fifth period (the period of the Path of Initiation) entirely from the Personality to the Ego, until, at the close of that period, liberation is complete and the man is set free. Even the causal body is known as a limitation, and the emancipation is completed. The polarisation then shifts higher into the Triad—the shifting beginning at the third Initiation.

The physical permanent atom goes, and the polarisation becomes higher mental. The emotional permanent atom goes, and the polarisation becomes intuitional. The mental unit goes, and the polarisation becomes spiritual. The man then becomes a Master of the Wisdom and is of the symbolic age of forty-two, the point of perfected maturity in the solar system.

A still later period comes, corresponding to the ages forty-two to forty-nine, wherein the sixth and seventh Initiations may be taken, but this period concerns not the readers of these letters.

June 9, 1920

The Specific Gravity and Content of the Causal Body

This subject, anent the causal body, opens up for the thinker much food for speculation. The literal figures and the dimensional lines cannot be given. They form one of the secrets of initiation. But certain ideas may be suggested and submitted to the consideration of all interested.

Just what do you mean when you speak of the causal body? Say not glibly, “the body of causes,” for words thus spoken are oft but nebulous and vague. Let us now consider the causal body and find out its component parts.

On the involutionary path you have what is termed the Group Soul, aptly described (as far as earth words permit) as a collection of triads, enclosed in a triple envelope of monadic essence. On the evolutionary path, groups of causal bodies correspond and are similarly composed, three factors entering in.

The causal body is a collection of permanent atoms—three in all—enclosed in an envelope of mental essence. What happens at the moment when animal-man becomes a thinking entity, a human being? The approximation of the self and the not-self by means of mind, for man is “that being in whom highest Spirit and lowest matter are linked together by intelligence.”

What do I mean by this phrase? Just this: when animal-man had reached a point of adequacy—when his physical body was sufficiently coordinated, when he had an emotional or desire nature sufficiently strong to form a basis for existence and to guide it by instinct, and when the germ of mentality was sufficiently implanted to have donated the instinctive memory and correlation of ideas that can be seen in the average domesticated animal—then the descending Spirit (which had taken to itself an atom on the mental plane) judged the time ripe for taking possession of the lower vehicles.

The Lords of the Flame were called in, and they effected the transfer of polarisation from the lower atom of the Triad to the lowest atom of the Personality. Even then, the indwelling Flame could come no lower than the third subplane of the mental plane. There the two met and became one, and the causal body was formed.

All in nature is interdependent, and the indwelling Thinker cannot control in the three lower worlds without the aid of the lower self. The life of the first Logos must be blended with that of the second Logos, and based on the activity of the third Logos.

Therefore, you have at the moment of individualisation— the term used to express this hour of contact—on the third subplane of the mental plane, a point of light, enclosing three atoms, and itself enclosed in a sheath of mental matter. The work then to be done consists of:

1. Causing that point of light to become a flame, by steadily fanning the spark and feeding the fire.
2. Causing the causal body to grow and expand from being a colourless ovoid, holding the Ego like a yolk within the eggshell, to a thing of rare beauty, containing within itself all the colours of the rainbow.

This is an occult fact. The causal body will palpitate in due course of time with an inner irradiation and a glowing flame that will gradually work its way from the centre to the periphery. It will then pierce through that periphery, using the body (that product of millennia of lives of pain and endeavour) as fuel for its flames. It will burn all up, it will mount upward to the Triad, and—becoming one with that Triad—will be reabsorbed into the spiritual consciousness. It will carry with it—using heat as the symbol—an intensity of heat, or quality of colour, or vibration, that before was lacking.

Therefore, the work of the Personality (for we have to view all from that angle until egoic vision may be ours) is:

• first, to beautify, build, and expand the causal body;
• secondly, to withdraw within it the life of the Personality, sucking the good out of the personal life and storing it in the body of the Ego.

We might term this the Divine Vampirism, for always evil is but the other side of good. Then, having accomplished this, comes the application of the flame to the causal body itself, and the joyous standing by whilst the work of destruction goes on. The Flame—the live inner man and the spirit of divine life—is set free and mounts to its source.

The specific gravity of the causal body fixes the moment of emancipation and marks the time when the work of beautifying and building is completed, when the Temple of Solomon is erected, and when the weight (occultly understood) of the causal body measures up to the standard looked for by the Hierarchy. Then the work of destruction supervenes and liberation approaches.

Spring has been experienced, the full verdure of summer has succeeded; now must be felt the disintegrating force of autumn—only this time it is felt and applied on mental levels and not on physical. The axe is laid to the root of the tree, but the life essence is garnered into the divine storehouse.

The content of the causal body is the accumulation, by slow and gradual process, of the good in each life. The building proceeds slowly at first, but towards the end of incarnation—on the probationary Path and on the Path of Initiation—the work proceeds rapidly. The structure has been reared, and each stone quarried in the personal life. On the Path, in each of its two divisions, the work of completing and beautifying the Temple proceeds with greater rapidity.

The Size and Circumference of the Causal Body

Briefly, and in conclusion of this matter, I would seek to point out that the circumference of the causal body varies according to type and ray. Some egoic bodies are of a form more circular than others; some are more ovoid; and others more elongated in shape.

It is the content and the pliability that matter, and above all the occult permeability of the lower auric egg that permits of contact with other egos, yet retains identity; that merges itself with its fellows, yet reserves individuality; and that absorbs all that is desirable, yet keeps ever its own shape.

June 11, 1920

The Immediate Need of the Period and the Man’s Availability

We have seen how the egoic ray and the personality ray affect the method of meditation, and we have also considered somewhat the condition of the causal body. Today we can take up the question of the immediate need of the period and the man’s availability for service.

The first three factors are of profound and lasting importance; they determine the trend of many lives and the work of the man for many aeons. The last three factors—though not so fundamentally important—are those that the Teacher takes into careful consideration, and that His judgment has most to do with, when assigning meditation. The immediate need of the man, His availability, and his group affiliations are things of a more passing moment and affect one incarnation only. They are not to be disregarded.

A man’s immediate need may be one of many things:

• He may need the development of his mental body;
• He may require the strengthening of his emotional nature and its stabilisation;
• He may need the building in of certain qualities, such as sympathy, steadfastness, or courage;
• He may require, perhaps, a hardening of his mental body, so that it may be a stronger channel for the Ego;
• He may require more rapid co-ordination of the physical body;
• He may need definite work on the emotional permanent atom, through the subjugation of the emotional body;
• Or he may need work on the mental unit, by controlling the mind and rendering it receptive to the Ego.

All these points the Teacher considers before assigning a meditation. According to the immediate need, so will be the form of meditation. Sometimes the meditation will aim at the development of a particular body; sometimes it will aim at the rounding out of a deficiency; sometimes it will aim at stabilising a vibration; sometimes it will aim at co-ordination.

The Groups, Inner and Outer

Finally, the groups with which a man is affiliated play their part in deciding the method of meditation. These groups, inner and outer, will carry with them obligations and responsibilities.

Outer groups are, for instance, his family group, his associates in work, his national group, and his racial type. Inner groups are his group of pupils under some one Master, the band of servers with whom he may be working, or the band of disciples with whom he is linked on egoic levels. These groups—some karmically linked, some voluntarily chosen—have their bearing upon his meditation.

Suppose, for instance, a man is affiliated with a group of musicians. His line of meditation will be different from that of a man affiliated with a band of politicians. The inner need is different, the polarisation varies, the inherent group quality differs, and the meditation will be suited to bring out that which is required in each case.

The Teachers of meditation, therefore, have to consider wisely and weigh carefully all these factors before assigning definite work. Thus safety is assured, the man progresses as desired, the group benefits, and the race is carried along on the crest of the wave.

This closes what I had to say on the assigning of meditation. We have considered:

1. The ray of the Ego.
2. The ray of the Personality.
3. The karmic condition of the threefold man.
4. The condition of the causal body.
5. The immediate need of the period, and his availability.
6. The groups, inner and outer, to which he is affiliated.

When you, therefore, ponder on meditation, keep all these factors in mind, for they carry in them much of weight and will, if carefully studied, lead to wise consideration.

This suffices for today.

June 21, 1920

The Function of Meditation

We have studied together the importance of meditation and its assignment. We saw how in the careful assigning of a meditation to any one pupil, the teacher had to take into consideration the egoic ray, the personality ray, the condition of the causal body, the immediate need of the period, and the man’s availability. We saw also how he had to weigh carefully the group affiliations of the pupil, both inner and outer, and the karmic condition of the threefold lower man.

All this involved complexity and demonstrated the necessity of proceeding with caution, with knowledge, and with due appreciation of the dangers involved. Meditation, occultly used, is of profound significance; if unwisely used, it may result in the arrest of development, in a shattering of the bodies, or in a dangerous stimulation. But if wisely used, and if combined with intelligent service and pure living, it will bring about results of the most satisfactory kind.

We might now briefly consider the function of meditation and its place in evolution. Meditation is the means whereby the egoic consciousness is contacted, the method whereby the Personality mounts upon the ladder, step by step, rung by rung, until the Ego is merged with the Monad, and the lower is lost in the higher.

It is the ordered process of contacting the Self, and of becoming at-one with that Self, until the consciousness of the lower man is blended with the consciousness of the Higher, and the man is then no longer what he seemingly was, but stands forth as the Higher Self.

Meditation is the process of transmutation, whereby the personal life is gradually subjected to the life of the Ego, and whereby the consciousness is transferred out of the lower into the higher. It involves the steady withdrawal of the consciousness from the threefold lower man into the egoic body, and from thence into the Triad, until the Monad is contacted and the man is set free.

Twofold Work of Meditation

The function of meditation may be seen as twofold:

1. It is the means of development for the man himself. By it he builds into his causal body that which is required; by it he expands the content of that body; by it he works off karma, builds in quality, and develops the powers of the Spirit. By it, he transfers his consciousness into the higher, and finds his way back to his source.
2. It is the means whereby he can serve the race. As meditation brings the lower man into conscious touch with the Higher, the fire of the Ego, and later of the Triad, can pour through into the lower planes. This results in:
   • The strengthening of group vibration.
   • The quickening of the race.
   • The construction of thought-forms that will serve the race.
   • The stabilising of the higher vibration on the physical plane.

Thus, meditation is a personal need, and at the same time a racial need. By it, man works at his own liberation, and at the liberation of the whole.

The Goal of Meditation

The ultimate goal of meditation is union with the Divine, conscious realisation of oneness with the Monad, and thence absorption into the Logos Himself. The path of return must be trodden, and meditation is one of the means of treading it.

Meditation is therefore the process of at-one-ment, the ordered movement of the Self to its source. It is the steady scientific means whereby man, having identified himself with the lower, re-identifies himself with the higher.

This is the true function of meditation: the expansion of consciousness, the development of the faculties of the inner man, the revelation of the divinity latent in the lower. By meditation, man comes to the realisation of himself as divine.

This suffices for today.

June 22, 1920

The Use of Form in Meditation

Today we can take up our next point: the use of form in meditation. This subject is of real importance, for on the wise use of form will depend the safety of the pupil and the rate of his progress. Form may be expressed in many ways.

1. There is the form of words, or of a set meditation.
2. There is the form of visualisation, such as the picture of a Master, the picture of a lotus, or of a triangle.
3. There is the form built up in mental matter by the power of concentrated thought.

All these forms are utilised in meditation, but must be applied with discretion.

The use of forms in meditation is of great service in the early stages, because it provides a seed or nucleus around which the forces can rally and energy be employed. A form is something that can be built into an instrument for service, but it has its dangers. A form, once constructed, becomes a thing of power, and the student should be careful that he builds rightly. He may construct a form that is separative, and then the result will be disastrous to his development; he may build a form that will bring forces to bear upon him that he is not able to handle. Hence the emphasis I have laid upon the need of a teacher who can wisely assign the forms, who can supervise their construction, and who can guard the pupil from danger.

Later, as the man develops, the forms will be dispensed with, and meditation will become more abstract. In the beginning, forms are essential, but as the student advances, he learns the value of formlessness and seeks union with the One without limiting form.

June 23, 1920

The Dangers of Meditation

We might here touch briefly upon the dangers of meditation. These dangers are threefold:

1. Over-stimulation of the vehicles. This is brought about by the pouring in of force from the Ego before the bodies are ready to receive it. It results in nervous disorders, mental trouble, or even in the shattering of the vehicles.
2. Contact with undesirable entities. This happens when the student, in his meditation, builds forms which are of a separative or undesirable kind. These forms act as magnets to the lower entities, and thus obsession or disturbance may result.
3. The danger of pride and illusion. When a man begins to meditate and to get results, he is apt to think he is of great importance, that he is chosen, or that he has received special revelations. The disciple must cultivate humility, discrimination, and a sense of proportion, or he will go astray.

Meditation must therefore be carried forward with sanity, with balance, with humility, and with a sense of service.

June 24, 1920

The Teacher’s Share in Meditation

The teacher has his part to play in guiding the meditation of the pupil. He knows the pupil’s ray, his condition, his karma, his group work, and his need. He assigns the meditation, he supervises the work, and he guards the pupil. He sees to it that the forms are rightly built, that the dangers are avoided, and that progress is made.

On the inner planes, the teacher works with the pupil in his meditation. He impresses his thought upon the pupil’s mind, he helps him to build the form, he protects him from undesirable entities, and he steadies the vibration. Therefore the relationship between pupil and teacher is of real importance.

But until the time comes when the teacher is known and contacted, the pupil must rely on general rules, on the safe forms of meditation given in books, and on his own discrimination. He must also cultivate purity, humility, and service, for these are safeguards.

June 25, 1920

The Right Attitude in Meditation

The right attitude of mind and heart in meditation is of profound importance. The student must cultivate:

1. Humility—the recognition that he is but a learner, that he has much to acquire, and that pride will hinder him.
2. Perseverance—the steady persistence in practice, day after day, year after year, regardless of results.
3. Love—the recognition that meditation is not only for his own development, but for the service of humanity.
4. Discrimination—the wise recognition of what is right, of what is safe, and of what is true.
5. Balance—the cultivation of sanity, of moderation, and of the avoidance of extremes.

With these qualities, meditation becomes a safe and fruitful practice.

June 28, 1920

The Results of Meditation

The results of meditation are many, and may be briefly enumerated:

1. Expansion of consciousness, and the recognition of the Self as divine.
2. Control of the mind, and the subjugation of the lower nature.
3. Contact with the Ego, and later with the Triad.
4. Liberation from the limitations of the lower planes.
5. Development of the powers of the inner man.
6. Service to the race, through the outpouring of force, through the building of thought-forms, and through the strengthening of group vibration.

These results come slowly and gradually, through steady practice, pure living, and unselfish service.

June 30, 1920

The Use of the Sacred Word in Meditation

We come now to a very practical matter: the use of the Sacred Word in meditation. The Sacred Word is the Word of the Ego, the Word that unites, that builds, that brings into being. It is the Word of creation.

Its use in meditation has several effects:

1. It acts upon the student’s vehicles, purifying them, stimulating them, and bringing them into closer contact with the Ego.
2. It acts upon the environment, producing certain results in matter and calling forth response from allied vibrations.
3. It acts upon the inner planes, building forms, contacting groups, and strengthening the link with the Master.

But it must be used with care. The sounding of the Word sets up a vibration, and unless the student is pure, humble, and selfless, the results may be dangerous.

The Sacred Word must be sounded with the attention fixed in the head, and with the consciousness as high as possible. It must be sounded mentally, softly, and slowly, sending it forth as a stream of force.

Used rightly, it is one of the greatest helps in meditation.

July 2, 1920

The Place of Meditation in Daily Life

It is necessary to point out that meditation must not be divorced from daily life. It is not something apart, something done in the morning and then forgotten. It must permeate the whole life, colouring the thought, the feeling, and the action.

Meditation is the means of contacting the Ego, but the results of that contact must be shown in service, in purity, and in love. Meditation that does not result in better living, in kinder service, and in greater love, is useless.

Therefore the student must see to it that the fruits of meditation are seen in his daily life, in his work, in his family, and in his service to humanity.

July 5, 1920

The Time and Length of Meditation

There are certain practical points that should be borne in mind in connection with meditation. One is the time and length of the practice.

Meditation should be regular. It is better to meditate every day for fifteen minutes, than once a week for two hours. Regularity is of more importance than length.

The best time is in the early morning, before the day’s work begins, while the body is fresh, and the mind is clear. But if that is not possible, then choose a time when you can be quiet and undisturbed.

The length of meditation should be suited to the student’s capacity. Begin with a short time, and gradually lengthen it as the power of concentration increases. But never overdo it. Fatigue and strain are harmful. Balance, moderation, and regularity are the watchwords.

July 7, 1920

The Place of Silence

Meditation must be accompanied by silence. Silence of the tongue, silence of the emotions, silence of the mind. Only in silence can the voice of the Ego be heard. Only in silence can the higher impressions be received.

The student must cultivate silence in daily life:

• silence of speech, avoiding gossip and idle words;
• silence of desire, avoiding unnecessary emotion and agitation;
• silence of thought, avoiding useless thinking and restless imagination.

Then, when he sits for meditation, his whole being is quiet, receptive, and ready.

July 9, 1920

The Goal of Meditation Reconsidered

We have already said that the goal of meditation is union with the Divine. Let us now look at it from another angle.

Meditation is the path of return, the path whereby the lower is lifted up to the higher. The Personality is lifted up to the Ego, the Ego to the Triad, the Triad to the Monad, and the Monad to the Logos. Step by step the ladder is climbed, and union with the Source is achieved.

But each stage has its own goal:

• For the beginner, the goal is control of the mind.
• For the disciple, the goal is contact with the Ego.
• For the initiate, the goal is union with the Triad.
• For the Master, the goal is union with the Monad.
• For the perfected man, the goal is union with the Logos.

Thus the goal is relative, ever rising higher as the man ascends. Meditation is the means whereby each stage is achieved.

June 30, 1920

The Attainment of Meditation

We will now consider the attainment that comes through meditation, bearing in mind always the practical application to daily life.

Through meditation, the student attains:

1. Control of the mind. He learns to hold it steady in the light, to prevent its restlessness, and to make it a true instrument of the Ego.
2. Alignment. The Personality is brought into alignment with the Ego, and the Ego with the Triad. This alignment permits the downflow of force and illumination.
3. Illumination. The student becomes aware of light, of knowledge, of understanding. The darkness disappears, and the path becomes clear.
4. Inspiration. Contact with the higher brings ideas, plans, and intuitions that can be used in service.
5. Union. Gradually, the sense of separateness disappears, and the student realises his oneness with all.

This attainment comes slowly, step by step, through steady practice, pure living, and unselfish service.

July 14, 1920

The Rules for Meditation

There are certain rules that must be followed if meditation is to be safe and fruitful.

1. Meditation must be regular, at the same time each day if possible.
2. The body must be healthy, pure, and clean.
3. The place of meditation should be quiet, clean, and used only for that purpose if possible.
4. The mind must be concentrated, and wandering thoughts excluded.
5. The heart must be pure, free from selfish desire.
6. The aim must be service, not personal gain.

If these rules are followed, meditation will bring safe and good results. If they are neglected, there may be danger.

July 16, 1920

The Place of Service

Meditation must always be linked with service. If a man meditates only for his own development, he may gain powers, but he will not advance spiritually. True progress comes only when the fruits of meditation are used for the good of others.

Therefore, every meditation should be followed by some act of service, some attempt to help, to heal, to teach, or to inspire. In this way the energy contacted in meditation is rightly used, and the link with the higher is strengthened.

Service is the safeguard of meditation. It prevents selfishness, it balances development, and it ensures right progress.

July 19, 1920

The Pitfalls of Meditation

There are certain pitfalls that the student must avoid.

1. Pride. Thinking himself important because he meditates, or because he has had some experience.
2. Selfishness. Using meditation to gain powers or influence for himself.
3. Impatience. Wanting quick results, and being discouraged if they do not come.
4. Neglect of daily duty. Thinking meditation excuses him from his responsibilities.
5. Overstrain. Doing too much, meditating too long, and injuring the health.

The student must be humble, unselfish, patient, faithful in duty, and moderate. Then meditation will be safe.

July 21, 1920

The Way of the Disciple

Meditation is the way of the disciple. It is the means whereby he contacts his Ego, learns the plan, and fits himself to serve. It is the way whereby he treads the Path, develops the faculties, and attains liberation.

But meditation is not for all. It is for those who are ready, who have purified their lives, who are unselfish, and who long to serve. For others, prayer, devotion, and good works are better.

Therefore let each one find his own way, and not force himself into practices for which he is not yet fitted.

July 23, 1920

The Future Schools of Meditation

In the future, schools of meditation will be founded in every nation. These schools will be under the guidance of trained teachers, disciples who have causal consciousness. They will assign meditations suited to the pupil’s ray, his karma, his need, and his group.

Admission will not be easy. The pupil will be tested, his life examined, his service weighed. Only those who are pure, unselfish, and earnest will be admitted. Records will be kept of their progress, and their health will be cared for.

These schools will differ somewhat in different nations, but the fundamentals will be the same. They will be the training grounds for disciples, and the preparation schools for initiation.

July 26, 1920

The First Objective of Meditation

The first objective of meditation is control of the mind. Until the mind can be held steady in the light, no real progress is possible. The restless, wandering mind must be subdued, quieted, and made the obedient servant of the Ego.

Therefore, the first task of the student is to practise concentration. Let him take a simple seed-thought, and hold his mind to it, shutting out all else. At first he will fail, but by steady practice, day by day, he will succeed. Gradually the mind will become steady, obedient, and still.

When this is achieved, then true meditation becomes possible. The mind, held steady in the light, becomes a reflector of the Ego, and the lower consciousness is illumined.

July 28, 1920

The Second Objective of Meditation

The second objective of meditation is alignment. The Personality must be aligned with the Ego, and the Ego with the Triad. This alignment is the bringing of the lower into line with the higher, so that force can flow through.

In meditation, the student seeks to raise his consciousness to the Ego, and to bring the Ego down into the Personality. This produces an alignment, a direct channel from higher to lower. When this alignment is made, illumination, inspiration, and guidance can flow through.

Therefore, the student should practise lifting his consciousness upward, and opening himself to the downflow. Step by step the channel becomes clearer, until the alignment is steady and sure.

July 30, 1920

The Third Objective of Meditation

The third objective of meditation is illumination. When the mind is controlled, and alignment is achieved, then light begins to pour in. The student becomes aware of new knowledge, of truth, of understanding. The darkness of ignorance disappears, and the path is seen.

This illumination comes from the Ego, and later from the Triad. It brings guidance, certainty, and peace. It shows the plan, reveals the work, and inspires to service.

Illumination is one of the great results of meditation, and is the reward of patience, purity, and perseverance.

August 2, 1920

The Fourth Objective of Meditation

The fourth objective of meditation is inspiration. When illumination has come, then inspiration follows. The student becomes a channel through which higher forces can work. Ideas, ideals, and plans flow in, and he becomes an instrument for service.

Inspiration comes from contact with the higher, and is always for the sake of service. It is not for personal gain, but for helping the race. Therefore, the student must use his inspiration in work, in teaching, in healing, in building, in any way that will help.

Inspiration is a sign of true progress, and proves that the student is becoming a conscious server.

August 4, 1920

The Fifth Objective of Meditation

The fifth objective of meditation is union. This is the goal of all meditation: union with the higher, with the Self, with the Triad, with the Monad, with the Logos. Step by step the union is achieved, until all separateness disappears, and the student knows himself as one with All.

This union is the consummation, the liberation, the attainment. It comes slowly, gradually, but surely, as the student perseveres in meditation, purity, and service. It is the reward of many lives, but every effort brings it nearer.

Union is the crown of meditation.

August 6, 1920

The Six Stages of Meditation

Meditation may be seen as a process of six stages:

1. Concentration—the fixing of the mind on a seed-thought.
2. Meditation proper—the sustained pondering on that thought.
3. Contemplation—the stillness that follows, when the mind is held steady.
4. Illumination—the light that pours in when the mind is still.
5. Inspiration—the ideas, ideals, and guidance that come.
6. Union—the merging of the lower in the higher.

These six stages are successive, but they overlap. The student passes from one to another, gradually mastering each, until the whole process is his.

August 9, 1920

The Work of Meditation

We have considered the objectives of meditation. Let us now look at the work that meditation does.

1. It builds into the causal body the good that is gained in each life.
2. It expands the causal body, enlarging its content, and developing its faculties.
3. It transmutes the lower, raising desire into aspiration, and mind into intuition.
4. It transfers the consciousness from the lower to the higher, step by step.
5. It builds the antahkarana, the bridge between Personality and Ego, Ego and Triad, Triad and Monad.
6. It aids the race, by pouring in force, building thought-forms, and strengthening group vibration.

Thus meditation is constructive, transmutative, and liberating.

August 11, 1920

The Science of Meditation

Meditation is a science, not a vague or emotional practice. It is an ordered method, a scientific process, based on laws.

1. It is based on the law of vibration. By meditation the student raises his vibration, and comes into contact with higher vibrations.
2. It is based on the law of attraction. By meditation he draws to himself the higher, and unites with it.
3. It is based on the law of cause and effect. By meditation he creates causes that will have their effects in illumination, inspiration, and union.

Therefore meditation must be carried out with intelligence, with understanding, and with obedience to law. It is not a sentimental practice, but a scientific process of evolution.

August 13, 1920

The Group Use of Meditation

Meditation is not only for the individual. It has its group use. When many meditate together, on the same thought, at the same time, a great force is generated, and a powerful form is built.

This form can be used by the Masters for helping the race. It can be a channel for force, a centre of light, a means of inspiration.

Therefore group meditation is of great importance. It links the members together, strengthens the group, and provides a vehicle for higher force.

In the future, group meditation will be widely used, and will be one of the chief means of world service.

August 16, 1920

The Dangers of Wrong Meditation

We must again emphasize the dangers of wrong meditation. These dangers are:

1. Over-stimulation of the vehicles, leading to nervous disorders, insanity, or death.
2. Contact with undesirable entities, leading to obsession or delusion.
3. The development of pride, separateness, or selfishness.

Therefore meditation must be guided by a teacher when possible, must be carried out with purity, humility, and service, and must be balanced by practical work in daily life.

Only thus is it safe.

August 18, 1920

The Value of Persistence

One of the greatest needs in meditation is persistence. Results come slowly. Progress is gradual. Many lives are required. Therefore the student must persevere, day after day, year after year, life after life.

Let him not be discouraged if results seem small. Every effort counts. Every meditation leaves its mark. The building goes on, though unseen.

Persistence, patience, perseverance — these are the keys. With them, success is sure.

August 20, 1920

The End of Meditation

The end of meditation is liberation. Step by step the student frees himself from the limitations of the lower planes, until he stands free, a Master of Wisdom.

Meditation is the ladder by which he climbs. It begins with concentration, it ends with union. It begins with control of the mind, it ends with liberation of the Spirit.

Therefore let the student value meditation, practise it faithfully, and use it for service. It is the royal road to freedom.

August 23, 1920

The Right Conditions for Meditation

There are certain conditions that make meditation more fruitful:

1. Purity of life. The student must live purely in thought, word, and deed. Purity opens the channel and allows the higher force to flow through.
2. Regularity. Meditation must be done every day, at the same time if possible, with steady persistence.
3. Quiet. The place should be quiet, clean, and free from disturbance.
4. Aspiration. The heart must be full of aspiration, longing for the higher, yearning for union.
5. Service. The aim must be service, not personal gain.

With these conditions, meditation becomes safe and effective.

August 25, 1920

The Inner Results of Meditation

Meditation produces certain inner results:

1. Increased light, understanding, and knowledge.
2. Increased love, sympathy, and compassion.
3. Increased power, will, and ability to serve.
4. The awakening of the intuition, the opening of the inner senses.
5. The building of the antahkarana, the bridge between higher and lower.

These results come gradually, as the student perseveres.

August 27, 1920

The Outer Results of Meditation

Meditation also produces outer results:

1. Greater calmness, balance, and self-control.
2. Greater efficiency in work, clearer judgment, wiser action.
3. Greater influence for good upon others, radiating peace and strength.
4. The ability to teach, to inspire, to help.
5. The manifestation of spiritual powers, but only as by-products, not sought for themselves.

Thus meditation changes the outer life, as well as the inner.

August 30, 1920

The Need for Discrimination

In all meditation, discrimination is needed. The student must distinguish between the true and the false, between the real and the unreal, between the voice of the Ego and the voice of desire.

Many mistakes are made for lack of discrimination. Students think they have had revelations, when it is only their own imagination. They think they have seen a Master, when it is only a thought-form. They think they have received inspiration, when it is only their own desire.

Therefore cultivate discrimination. Test all experiences by their fruits — do they make you more humble, more loving, more selfless, more ready to serve? If so, they are true. If not, reject them.

September 1, 1920

The Future of Meditation

Meditation has a great future before it. In the coming age it will be widely practised, not only by the few, but by the many. Schools of meditation will be founded, under trained teachers. Group meditation will become common. Meditation will be recognised as a scientific method of evolution.

Through meditation the race will be lifted, consciousness expanded, and union achieved. It will be one of the chief means whereby humanity will enter into the New Age.

September 3, 1920

The Closing Words

We have now completed our brief study of meditation. We have seen its importance, its objects, its methods, its dangers, its results. We have considered the factors that must be weighed by the teacher in assigning meditation. We have looked at the conditions, the rules, the objectives, and the safeguards.

Remember always that meditation is a means, not an end. The end is union with the Divine, liberation, service, and love. Meditation is the ladder; union is the summit.

Therefore practise steadily, humbly, patiently, with purity and with love. Seek not results for yourself, but seek to serve. Trust the inner Guide, the Ego, the Master.

So shall you reach the goal.