The Destiny of Nations: Chapter 7: Initiation in the Aquarian Age

The Destiny of Nations
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	Metadata
	Introduction
	Chapter 1:The Influence of the Rays Today
	Chapter 2:The Nations and the Rays
	Chapter 3:The Nations and their Governing Signs
	Chapter 4: An Analysis of Certain Countries
	Chapter 6: Spiritual Life in the New Age
	Chapter 7: Initiation in the Aquarian Age
	Chapter 8:Christ and the Coming New-Age

Chapter 7: Initiation in the Aquarian Age

7. Initiation in the Aquarian Age

I have hinted at the orientation which has been or will be carried out in connection with the three major world centers; I have also hinted at the relation of certain of the major initiations to these centers. These hints constitute a new line of thought. In this connection there are one or two points which I would like to develop in connection with this, so as to make the entire subject considerably clearer than it is at present. I would like also to relate these centers to the rays which are now in manifestation (either coming in, passing out or in full expression). Speaking with brevity, we could say that:

The first initiation is closely related to the planetary center which is humanity itself. It will produce, when over, an increased stimulation of the intellect as it expresses itself as ordered activity upon the physical plane. It is also closely connected with the third Ray of Active Intelligence. This third ray has been in objective manifestation since 1425 A.D. and will remain in incarnation throughout the Aquarian Age. Its cycles are the longest of any of the ray cycles. However, within these major cycles there are periods of intensified activity which are like the beat or pulsation of the heart and these periods last approximately three thousand years. They are, when out of incarnation, called [137] "cycles of withdrawal but not of abstraction." They are three thousand years also in incarnation. One of these three thousand year periods of expression is now here and we can look for much development of the intellectual faculty and a marked increase of creative work during this time. This particular cycle of expression marks a climaxing point in the larger cycle. During the coming age, the intelligence of the race and its active development will assume real proportions and this with much speed.

The intensification of the life of the human center will proceed apace and this is the reason why so many people (as I have earlier hinted) will take the first initiation. Students are apt to forget that the first initiation can be described, in reality as:

The grounding or externalization of the Christ principle in humanity as a whole and upon the physical plane.

The flowering of the intelligence so that the initiate can work powerfully upon the mental plane and humanity itself be lifted up and aided throughout every part thereby.

The coming into activity of the throat center and (because the third ray is closely connected with the first ray) the first faint orientation of the spiritual man towards Shamballa can take place, becoming more and more intensified and pronounced at the time of the third initiation. I would like here to point out the numerical correspondences:

The third great world center - humanity.
The activity of the third ray - active intellect.
The third initiation which marks the consummation of the 1st, just as the 4th initiation marks the consummation of the second, and the fifth of the third. [138]
The third major center - the throat center.
The third race - the Aryan, as it expresses the first strictly human race, the Lemurian.
The third plane - the physical, the reflection of the third highest plane, the atmic.
The third periodical vehicle - the personality.
The third divine aspect - intelligence.
The third grade of divine messenger - Hercules.
The sustaining Life, the third or outer Sun - the physical sun.

These are a few of the correspondences which it is helpful for us to bear in mind in so far as they reveal divine quality, spiritual intent and universal objectives.

Discipleship and the Rays

Ray I	Force	Energy	Action	The Occultist.
Ray II	Consciousness	Expansion	Initiation	The true Psychic.
Ray III	Adaptation	Development	Evolution	The Magician.
Ray IV	Vibration	Response	Expression	The Artist.
Ray V	Mentation	Knowledge	Science	The Scientist.
Ray VI	Devotion	Abstraction	Idealism	The Devotee.
Ray VII	Incantation	Magic	Ritual	The Ritualist.

In the Aquarian Age, as a result of the existing combination of ray influences, humanity enters into an expansion of consciousness which will reveal to him group relations instead of his individual and self-centered personal relations. I would remind you that Aquarius is to be found in the upper half of the zodiacal circle and is exactly opposite to Leo which is found in the lower half. Leo is the sign of individual unfoldment and of the self as self-assertive. This highly individualized sign consummates in Aquarius wherein the individual finds full expression through the medium of the group, passing from service to himself and expression of himself as a personality to service of the group and a growing expression of the Hierarchy to which he steadily draws closer. To this end, the ray influences will increasingly and steadily be directed. Humanity has reached a stage where the sense of individuality is rapidly emerging. In every field of human expression, men and women are becoming definitely self-assertive. The Old Commentary refers symbolically to this in the following words: [146] "The Lion begins to roar. He rushes forth and, in his urge to live, he wields destruction. And then again he roars and - rushing to the stream of life - drinks deep. Then, having drunk, the magic of the waters works. He stands transformed. The Lion disappears and he who bears the water pot stands forth and starts upon his mission." Those with vision can see this happening upon every side today. The water-carrier (another name for the world server) is starting upon his self-appointed task. Hence the anchoring upon earth of the New Group of World Servers, whose representatives are found in every land and in every great city. This, I would remind you, has taken place without exception in every land and they work on all the different rays; they express many points of view; their field of service is widely differing and their techniques so diverse that in some cases comprehension is not easy to the smaller minded person. But, they all carry the pitcher containing the water of life upon their shoulder, reverting to the language of symbolism, and they all emit the light in some degree throughout their environment. To you, who live and work in this interim period and in this cycle of transition, with all its resultant outer chaos and upheaval, is given the task of expressing steadfastness, service and sacrifice. Those are the three words which I give you. I have no spectacular information to give you, as has sometimes been the case. Too much of this engrossing and novel information can lead to deep seated insensitiveness. You need to absorb and to act upon the information you already have, before there is evoked from you that basic demand for further light which necessitates response from those of us who work within the limits of the Hierarchy. For that demand, we patiently wait. [147]