Meditation Triangle Units

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Meditation Triangle Units

How “Triangles” Work

How to Meditateby Philippe L. De Coster, D.D.

(With excerpts from manuscripts by Dr. Robert Assagioli.)

Satsang Press – Gent, Belgium

© August 2010 – Philippe L. De Coster, D.D.



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Meditation Triangle Units

By Philippe L. De Coster, D.D.

(With excerpts from manuscripts by Dr. Robert Assagioli.)

The Meditation Triangle Units seek to support and deepen the practice of

meditation in its various forms as presented in the books of the Tibetan Master

Djwhal Khul, and dictated to Alice Bailey. Our intention is to meditate in groups

of three; or, more in homes as on each Full Moon, or subjectively each member

in own home, all linked together subjectively in thought.

Mentally linked "in Triangle formation," our groups serve as a subjective power

network for directing energy by the power of thought. In Triangles we use thefocused power of thought to invoke and direct into humanity the energies of light and goodwill -- energies desperately needed in our world today.

The network emerged into outer activity as described in a Treatise on the SevenRays, Volume V, the Rays and the Initiations, pages 274/5; 331, and 402. It may

be described as one of the service activities of the "New Group of World

Servers." Through daily invocative activity, the network stands in co-operative

relationship with all who are committed to laying the foundations for a new

civilisation based on the principles of a Soul-oriented and Soul-poweredgoodwill service.

“The function of these Triangles is in reality to facilitate the work of

distributing the pure incoming love energy (expressing itself as light andas goodwill), into the Hierarchy and Humanity. This deeply esoteric

purpose of the Triangles will not be understood by the general public, but

some of you who read this will appreciate the opportunity to serve in thismanner consciously.” (Treatise on the Seven Rays, Volume V, the raysand the Initiations, page 402).

What is a Meditation Triangle Group?

It is an organically, subjective network of three people linked together to work

through invocative thought and action to conduct the energies of the Higher Self (the Soul) of light and of goodwill on Earth.

“The forming of Triangles of light and of goodwill concerns the reservoirof energy upon the inner and etheric side of life, which will automatically

and with full circulatory effect enable the exoteric work of men and



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women of goodwill to make progress. It is not goodwill per se, but the

creation of triangles of energy within the etheric body of the planet, whichare deliberately qualified by goodwill.” (Treatise on the Seven Rays,Volume V, the Rays and the Initiations, Alice A. Bailey, page 274/5).

It is a mental network intuiting the spiritual ideas that inform thoughts andpractice, which underlie the new civilization of science and culture.

“The triangles of light must be qualified by or become the agents of

goodwill, and the two groups are closely interrelated.” (Treatise on theSeven Rays, Volume V, the Rays and the Initiations, Alice A. Bailey page274/5).

It is a world-wide project transcending race, creed, class, economic and political

conviction, helping to lay the foundation as a service to humanity of:

Law of Right Human relations Principle of GoodwillLaw of Group Endeavour Principle of Unanimity

Law of Spiritual Approach Principle of Essential Divinity

It is a unique "energy course" within the New Group of World Servers,

cooperating with and subjectively supporting all groups and individuals seekingto promote goodwill on Earth, with an effective contributory activity.

Our Aims

1. To provide a coherent body of subjective workers through which energies of

light, goodwill and nobility of purpose can be steadily directed on Earth.

2. To support and strengthen all efforts to facilitate the emergence of light andgoodwill on Earth.

3. To sound forth with increasing clarity and wisdom the healing and Sacred

Word “AUM” in true meditation for the welfare of Humanity.

“It will be apparent to you, therefore, that this creative work, with its

intelligent and practical purposes, and its ability when rightly functioning,

to unite the exoteric and the esoteric workers in one spiritual undertaking,

originates in reality in Shamballa itself, and was grasped – as to intent and

purpose – by Masters upon the first and second rays, though primarily thesecond ray disciple and Master understood it the most easily.” (Treatiseon the Seven Rays, Volume V, the Rays and the Initiations, page 274/5).



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The service of Triangles is aiding the development of right human relations

throughout the world. A knowledge and understanding of the relationship

between energy and thought is of definite value in this work. The work of

Triangles is directing energy by the power of thought. In Triangles we use the

focused power of thought to invoke and direct into humanity the energies of light and goodwill -- energies desperately needed in our world today. It is a

deeply scientific work, but fundamentally simple. Invocation, prayer or

aspiration, meditation -- it matters not which word you use -- by means of thesethree methods, spiritual energies are tapped and brought into activity.

Group work is pioneering work. As one Teacher suggested, humanity is in the

infancy stage where group endeavour is concerned. However, the Triangles is

the work which all serving disciples are called. This is the calling of a groupwork of a new order. Individual effort and activity is to be blended with the

Triangle groups objective, the group effort, and with group decision making.The work will not be carried forward by the imposition of some will upon a

group of lesser wills. It is the will of the groups, rather than that of an individual,

unitedly dedicated to a specific objective, which is of major importance.

How is the work achieved?

Basically, the work is very simple, and requires only a few minutes at anappropriate time each day.

1. The member of the Unit, as a living soul, visualizes mentally, a goldenthread, linking him or her with two other members, and then sends the

energies of Light and Goodwill, circulating from point to point within the

triangle thus formed. 2. Then, the member directs the flow of energy into the radiant network of

all Triangles wherever they are active, located within a greater network of

Triangles of light and goodwill, seeing this energy finding lighted outlets

in men and women everywhere on Earth.

3. The Great Invocation is then silently pronounced or sounded withconcentration and intent (very important ), so colouring the united group

effort with the flow of energy from the mind and heart of the UniversalEnergy (God).



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The Great Invocation

From the point of Light within the Mind of God

Let light stream forth into the minds of men.

Let Light descend on Earth.

From the point of Love within the Heart of God

Let Love stream forth into the hearts of men.

May Christ return on Earth.

From the centre where the Will of God is known

Let purpose guide the little wills of men –

The purpose which the Masters know and serve.

From the centre which we call the race of men

Let the Plan of Love and Light work out.

And may it seal the door where evil dwells.

Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth

This world prayer, sponsored by no group or sect, is translated into over sixty

languages. We urge you to use it daily and to encourage others to do so, thereby

effectively establishing goodwill and bringing about right human relationsamong all mankind.

This subjective work is extremely simple in form and yet very powerful. When

made a part of one’s daily duty freely accepted , lighted transformation is

inevitable. The mental network of Triangles groups encompasses the planet

Earth, forming part of the inner network of consciousness which also marks the

presence of the New Group of World Servers of which Triangles are part of.



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How to join the Meditation Triangle Units

Registration of Membership

We are a non-profit organization for Meditation and Triangle Units effort,inspired by the Master Tibetan Djwhal Khul dictated to Alice Bailey. The only

requirement for membership is commitment to the daily invocative work. There

is no membership fee whatever. However, members are encouraged to maintain

active communication with their fellow Triangle Units, and to share their

impressions and experiences with the subjective Group of World Servers, as

they are found everywhere among men and women of goodwill. If you wish to

work with us, just register by email or write surface, forwarding the followinginformation.

Registration for Individuals

"I wish to participate in the daily work of the Triangle to spread light andgoodwill on Earth, and hereby register my commitment to form/work in (delete

as necessary) Meditation Triangle Units for such work." Please give:

Name. Address. Occupation. Institution/Place of Work. E-mail. Date.

Please add a brief statement on the nature of your work the subjective

plane of group endeavour.

Registration for Triangle Units

We would like to register “name of your unit ” as a group participating in thework of Meditation Triangle Units. Our participation is based on ( please

indicate whichever is applicable) :

Our group is linked in a Triangle with members of “name of linked unit ”.

(These groups will not be named in our literature unless they register

independently.) Members of “name of your group” already work in Triangle formation

with each other other ( please certify).

Why register your Triangle Unit?

Meditation Triangle Units is concerned with the development of group

consciousness - the natural consciousness of the Higher Self within. The

registering to Meditation Triangle Units facilitates this process and strengthens



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the network's capacity to serve within the subjective ranks of the New Group of

World Servers.

What is the New Group of World Servers?

The following quotations on the nature of the New Group of World Servers are

taken from the books of Alice Bailey, who played a foundational role in the

establishing of Triangles as a service activity for men and women of goodwill in

the first half of the 20th century.

The New Group of World Servers

"..The New Group of World Servers is composed of widely diverse men and

women, gathered out of all nations, holding many different points of view and

following the many different professions and ideologies; it is therefore more

truly representative of humanity and more truly potent than ever before"

(Discipleship in the New Age, Volume II, page 203).

"It is a group that has no esoteric organisation of any kind, no headquarters, no

publicity, no group name. It is a band of obedient workers and servers of theWORD - obedient to their own souls and to group need. All true servers

everywhere therefore belong to this group, whether their line of service iscultural, political, scientific, religious, philosophical, psychological or financial.

"They constitute part of the inner group of workers for humanity, and of the

world mystics, whether they know it or not. They will be thus recognised by

their fellow group members when contacted in the casual ways of worldintercourse.

"This group gives to the word 'spiritual' a wide significance; they believe it to

mean an inclusive endeavour towards human betterment, uplift and

understanding; they give it the connotation of tolerance, international synthetic

communion, religious inclusiveness, and all trends of thought which concern theesoteric development of the human being." (A Treatise on White Magic, page414).

Why is the “Meditation Triangle Units” founded?

A triangle is a powerful symbol in all world religions and spiritual traditions of

the divine. It is an archetype form, a basic energy pattern within the universe

which can be adopted and used to focus and circulate divine energies within

humanity. By working per three, the triangle forming, facilitate the inflow of



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spiritual energy from the highest spiritual resources available to humanity, and

so create a network through which these energies can circulate amongst men andwomen of goodwill.

A Triangle of three, groups of three, is an endless, ongoing, continuoussubjective movement into ever expanding states of expression, into higher

frequencies of energies. It is a way of living, a daily habit, a progressivesequence of directed energy impacts.

The Triangle work is to be done on the mental plane. As active servers we tendto forget at times that “Meditation is a definite type of active work and service.”

We are apt to think that only when there is something tangible to show to others

has there been active work. Wrong, the Tibetan Djwhal Khul tells us.Meditation is not an abstract activity, but an active type of action

The Science of the Mind in Short

The science of the mind is an empirically based effort to answer long-standing

epistemological questions, particularly when it concerns the nature of knowledge, its components, its sources, its development and its deployment.

1. Thought is creative as it builds by the formulation, development and

clarification of ideas. It is communicative as the mind projects the

„thougthforms‟ to its destination.

“The facts are:

(1) The form absorbs and uses the waters in which it is immersed.(2) As a result it grows in strength.

The three injunctions are:

(1) Let the magician go on building his form until its adequate potency is

assured.(2) Then let the “outer builders” cease from labour. (3) Let the “inner builders” enter on their cycle.

(A Treatise on White Magic, Alice A. Bailey, page 273)

2. Creative thought building demands a calm and equalized emotional

consciousness, a mind that can maintain focused attention and

concentration on an idea or theme without interruption or distraction and



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physical conditions that permit both to be achieved. This is possible for

everybody, but it demands enduring exercises.

3. Purity of motive and intention is needed for the work of creative thought

building. This cannot be at first a work of perfection; but the purpose for

doing the work must be one of impersonal, selfless service for the benefitand upliftment of the entire human race.

4. The mind must be united with the heart in creative, selfless spiritual

service. If the thinker works without a heart open to the flow of love, the

thought will lack the magnetism needed for it to achieve its objectives.5. There are many ways of thinking on a subject, in order to clarify and

develop it. However, all effort should be effected to penetrate behind the

visible appearance to search for real meaning, its significances, for

relationships with other ideas or streams of thought, to look for causes and

not at effects.

“Students would do well to study these cycles of creative building, of

performance and of subsequent disintegration. They are true of a solar

system, of a human being, and of the thought-forms of a creative thinker.

The secret of all beauty lies in the right functioning of these cycles. The

secret of all success on the physical plane lies in right understanding of

law and of order.” (A Treatise on White Magic, Rule Ten, page 279, AliceA. Bailey)

6. The thinker, the meditator should learn to lift the consciousness to the

Higher Self (Soul), reflecting its light, and link in thought with thespiritual Hierarchy, the Custodians of the Plan. This is a “Creative Force”

which lies in us all. This core divinity rendering us potentially divine, has

been the continual message of the world religions and faiths, though very

different from each other.

7. The thinker, the meditator should understand that one is in fact part of a

subjective and unified group of thinkers in any creative service work

undertaken with the energy of thought. By linking in consciousness withthis group while working with thought energy, one adds to the value of one‟s own and others‟ contributions.

8. “What do you then? You build a counter stream of thoughts which (on a

wave of love) you send your apparently erring brother: thoughts of kindly

assistance, of courage and aspiration, and of a wise application of the

lessons to be learnt from the deed he has accomplished. Use not force, forstrong thinkers must not unduly influence other minds, but a gentle stream

of wise transmuting love. (A Treatise on White Magic, Rule Eleven page

487/488, Alice A. Bailey)



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“ A potent thought-form can act like a boomerang. It can return, charged

with increased velocity, to the one who sent it on its mission. .../...

A potent desire for material acquisition will eventually return bringinginevitably that which has been desired, only to find in the majority of

cases that the aspirant no longer aches for possession, but regards it as an

incubus, or, in the meantime, already possesses more than he needs and is

satiated and knows not what to do with all that he has gained.

A potent thought-form embodying an aspiration for spiritual illumination

or for recognition by the Master may bring such a flood of light as to blind

the aspirant and make him consequently the possessor of a wealth of

spiritual energy for which he is unready, and which he cannot use; Again,

it may attract to the aspirant a thought-form of one of the Great Ones, andthus swing him deeper into the world of illusion and of astralism. Hence

the need for humility, for a longing to serve and a resulting self-

forgetfulness if one is to build truly and correctly. Such is the law. (A

Treatise on White Magic, Rule Eleven, Alice A. Bailey, page 488/489)

Read the book, “A Treatise on White Magic, or The Way Of The Disciple”, by

Alice A. Bailey (Lucis Publishing Company).



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THE SPIRITUAL WORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS

AND THE LIBERATION OF HUMANITY

MEDITATION OUTLINE

ALIGNMENT:

We stand within the centre of consciousness of the New Group of World

Servers, as a group unity on the mental plane.

We raise our consciousness to the Hierarchy of the Masters, to the Christ,the Master of all the Masters, and to Shamballa, where the Will of God is

known and wherein resides Sanat Kumara, the Lord of the World. At this

high point of synthesis, we resolve:

In the centre of the will of God I stand.

Naught shall deflect my will from His.

I implement that will by love.

I turn towards the field of service.

I, the Triangle divine, work out that will

Within the square and serve my fellowmen .

HIGHER INTERLUDE: While standing within the periphery of the Great

Ashram, hold the consciousness open to the “peaceful silent Will” ocused

within Shamballa. Seek to become impressionable to divine Purpose.

MEDITATION: In complete, focused silence, visualize the United Nations’

General Assembly, overshadowed by the Avatar of Synthesis and infused

by the Love of the Hierarchy and the Christ. Meditate on the Purpose that

seeks to guide the “little wills of men.”



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PRECIPITATION: Visualize the perpetual flow of Essential Love

throughout the planet, as a constant, ever-present permeation of all planes

and states of planetary consciousness. See this energy electrifying,

strengthening and deepening the planetary Antahkarana connecting the

three planetary centers, Shamballa, Hierarchy and humanity.

LOWER INTERLUDE: In identification with the indwelling, the planetary

and cosmic Christ life, ever pouring Itself out in service to humanity and

the planet, sound the Affirmation of Love with full dynamic intent:

In the centre of all love I stand

From that centre, I, the soul, will outward move;

From that centre I, the one who serves, will work.

May the love of the divine Self be shed abroad

In my heart, through my group, and throughout the world.

Consider the work of the United Nations as it relates to the spiritual welfare

of the Planet. Reflect on the needed planetary conditions that will help

humanity fulfill its spiritual destiny and consider ways in which the United

Nations can help create these conditions.

DISTRIBUTION: Sound the Great Invocation as a word of power and as

an expression of the Sound. Visualize the synthetic outpouring of light, love

and will-to-good, throughout the planet, irradiating and infusing theconsciousness of the whole human race.

From the point of Light within the Mind of God

Let light stream forth into the minds of men.

Let Light descend on Earth.

From the point of Love within the Heart of God

Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.

May Christ return to Earth.

From the centre where the Will of God is known

Let purpose guide the little wills of men--

The purpose which the Masters know and serve.

From the centre which we call the race of men

Let the Plan of Love and Light work out

And may it seal the door where evil dwells.

Let Light and Love and Power restore the Plan on Earth.

OM OM OM



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The Art of Meditation

In the life of every disciple there comes a time when the inner group of disciples

to which one belongs, and the outer group of world servers with which one canand must cooperate, synchronize. When this occurs, much is saved and the

opportunity presented is great.

Group work or “Triangle” work is pioneering work. As one Teacher suggested,

humanity is in the infancy stage where group endeavour is concerned. However,

meditation and what follows from it, is the work to which all serving disciples

are called. They are called to group work of a new order. Individual effort and

activity is to be blended with group objective, the group effort, and with group

decision-making. The work will not be carried forward by the imposition of someone‟s will on a group of lesser wills. It is the will of the group, rather thanthat of the individual, unitedly dedicated to a specific objective, which is of

major importance.

Practicing the Presence Within through Meditation

Carl Gustav Jung was neither asserting or denying the existence of a literal God.

He was describing a psychological reality, not a metaphysical or religious

reality. He was merely presenting something he had encountered time after timein his work with his patients, in his own life, and in his studies of mythology;

i.e., at a certain depth in the psyche, numinous forces brought to awakening

which we experience as godlike.

It is wrong to deny psychological experiences just because it does not fitconveniently into a religious system. His openness to unusual phenomena never

faltered throughout his life.

The Self, the “I” (Higher Self) is not limited by our expectations of morality, ourconcerns are not necessarily its concerns. This amoral, inhuman aspect of the“Self” is far too frequently overlooked by people who talk carelessly about

finding the “Higher Self”.

The “Higher Self”, the “god within” can take many different forms, from a

literal belief that one has encountered Krishna, Buddha of Jesus, to the equally

religious fervor characteristic of social reformers and scientists.



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However, Carl Gustav Jung very often pointed out that the zeal of materialist

scientists to discover the ultimate secrets of the cosmos is essentially an

unacknowledged religious belief.

This is a complete course in meditation. Whether you are a beginner, having hadno experience in meditation whatsoever, or if you are an experienced meditator,

you will get much out of this course.

You will learn how to go beyond thought and concept and into the Source or"Presence” and how to "Practice the Presence" in every moment.

The teachings outlined in this course are not intended to substitute for

professional medical or psychological services. If expert assistance is required,

the services of a competent professional should be sought.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS COURSE

In this course you will learn a method of meditation that will lead you to the

spiritual connection which lies at the depth of your Being. You will learn how to

go beyond thought and concept, to access the “god within”, or, as it may be

called, “the Presence”. Then you will learn to bring this Presence, your True

Self, your Oneness with Divine Energy (God), this unification into every

moment of your life. With greater access to your inner strengths, you will havewhat it takes to write your own new story, a “now” story. You will be able to

embrace it all and ecstatically celebrate every moment.

This is rightly a course in meditation. This course is for beginners and advanced

alike. The process of meditation taught in these final pages is easy and

effortless. Anyone can do it because it is about finding out who you really are

and bringing this realization into every moment of your life. We call this as

many, many other writers have done "Practicing the Presence." Your

understanding will come from practicing the meditation taught here, and not

from reading these words. The instructions in the course are as simple andstraightforward as possible.

Meditation is not something that you do. It is not something separate from

yourself. You are the meditation. Meditation is how you "are" in every moment.

You are the Presence. The Presence is beyond words, beyond thought and

concept. Meditation takes you beyond thought and concept and into thePresence. Our true nature, the Presence, has been overshadowed and obscured

by conditioning, programming, trauma, stress and interpretation into belief and

religious systems by our limited minds. Meditation removes these blockages and



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obscuration. It removes the effects of trauma, stress and conditioning that block

the Presence from being fully lived in every moment of our lives.

GETTING READY TO START -

BEING OPEN AS AN EMPTY CUP The best way to start a meditation session is with an open mind, a beginner's

mind. To have a beginner's mind is like "emptying your cup." That expression

comes from an old Zen story about someone who was very knowledgeable and

had much experience who came to a Zen master for teaching. They started withhaving tea. The Zen master poured, poured and poured tea, and it overflowed

and overflowed the cup. The very knowledgeable person said: "Stop! What are

you doing?" The master said: "Your cup is already full. How can you receive the

teaching?" Just having the attitude of a beginner's mind is enough for now. In

doing the process of "Practicing the Presence," you will open up more and more.

“Practising the Presence”

- Meditation in the Moment -

Practicing the Presence is meditation in the moment. You are the meditation.

You are the Presence. This Presence is not the presence of something andbeyond ourselves, or of someone else. The Presence is your true Self, your “I”,

your “Higher Self”, and is the underlying reality of everything that is. It is the

Absolute, your Oneness with Divine Energy (God), the cosmos. It is who you

are.

The “Presence Within” is not separate from you, nor is it some g reater being in

heaven who is going to punish you if you are bad, or recompense you if you are

good. The Presence is the Absolute. This Presence has no beginning, no end, no

form, no name, no trace, nothing to compare it to and, yet, it makes upeverything that is real.

Thoughts and concepts cannot grasp it. Seeking for it is like chasing a shadow:

the harder you try to grasp it, the more it eludes you. The Presence is everything

that arises. What you saw before, or what you are seeing with “IS IT”. However,

one negative thought about it, one judgment, one whatever interpretation, and

you are lost in whet your carnal mind has made about it. And, you are no longer

in the moment. Your are caught in fear, with its consequences.

What you are making yourself up to be can be called the ego. It is an illusion. It

is made up but not real, yet having constituted an existence. It does everything to

get more power and energy, making it seem as real.



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WHO AM I, AND HOW DO I FACE REALITY?

Meditation is one‟s natural state. There is only this moment. There is only“reality” and then there are the symbols we make up to represent that reality.

Reality is presented to us in the moment, and then we make a representation of itin our minds. Most of us live in this representation of reality, the not now of the

past or future. Symbols are symbols of something. Symbols point to the reality

of something. Thoughts, ideas, concepts and images are all symbols and are all

made up by our mind. This is how we communicate, learn and grow. It is how

our society works. The problem is that we mistake these symbols for reality.Meditation gets us into contact with true reality . Who we really are is the

"Presence." This mistaking symbols and representations for reality has happened

for so long, and we have been so conditioned, programmed and influenced by

our religious made-up reality, that we have forgotten that it is made up. Reality

is now so obscured that we have lost awareness of what is real.

The Only Teacher is WithinThere is an old saying: "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." And

there is a new saying: "When the teaching appears you are ready for it." If you

cannot see it or understand it, it does not appear to you. Now we are beginning

to realize that the teachings and the teachers are not outside of us, though the

teachers or gurus "out there" are still needed by many. The good teachers take

you to a level of understanding where you realize that the true teacher is within.Techniques and practices are to be quickly gone beyond. The essence of what is

being taught here is "Practicing the Presence." This is nothing new and has been

there forever. What is new is our approach and technique, our process, and our

ability to realize and practice this teaching. Even this has been there for the few.

Now in this time of accelerated spiritual growth, a new spirituality is emergingwhich is available to all.

What was secret before is now being revealed to those who can hear. These

techniques, when used correctly, will reveal the real Presence. To hear, you mustlisten. Listen to the depth of your being and let go of all the noise and chatter of

your limited mind. Let go of all ideas of yourself, all concepts, all thoughts, all

grasping, all pushing away. Let go of everything that is not real.

Not everyone can let go of dependence and grasping on to the "out there." We

have been so conditioned and programmed to living in our made-up reality

religiously based that we like it, are attached to it and do not want to give it up.

This is very understandable, but the true teachings forever and everywhere have

pointed to that which is more than our made-up reality.



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The Benefits of Meditation

The power of thought and the fact that thought is a very real form of energy are

truths that are being realised fast. How great, then, is the opportunity that opens

out before us as we stand at the opening of the higher mind, portal to the“Higher Self”. With that high instrument we can set up rapport with aspects, and

qualities which our world today desperately needs, and can help to build theNew Age in which we are living.

Meditation, therefore, is not simply self-centred withdrawal. The benefit is, itcan be a real form of service and a positive and creative contribution to our

fellow-men. It is a method of creating behind the scenes, as it were, of building

without hands. Everything that eventuates on Earth has been born in the world

of the mind, and we should therefore remember that the new world of tomorrow

is hourly being built by our thinking today. The right use of the power of thought, the power of prayer and invocation and the power of our own radiation

are all essential elements in the contribution we are making. The right use of these powers is consequently one of our highest challenges, even in our Triangle

Units work, as we send out to explore the realm of meditation, we have both theurge towards the “Secret Place” and the fire of the heart that looks out to serve

to take us forward.

The Practice of Meditation

The importance of effortlessness

Why is effortlessness so important? Because effort is of the limited mind. Whatwe are learning here is how to go beyond the limited mind and into the Presence

of the Self, the Higher Self (soul). We are that Presence, a “living soul”. Any

effort actually impedes us from being in the Presence. In meetings, the leader

should usually start out by playing a meditation bell. It is a little bowl bell that is

bowed with a wooden stick. In fact, the bell is a great teacher. At first it will

teach us effortlessness. I say that we are going to listen to the bell, just listen.

There is nothing that we have to do, nothing to visualize, affirm or declare. Allwe have to do is listen. This will bring the meditators to calmness.

The Bhagavad Gita teaches us best how to prepare ourselves for meditation:

DIRECTION FOR THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION

Let the Yogi constantly concentrate his mind on yoga, remaining alone in a

solitary place, with mind and body under full control, free from desires and

attachment to material possessions. (6.10)



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Let him for himself set up a firm seat in a clean place, neither too high nor yet

too low, on the sacred kusa grass, covered with a deer-skin and over it a cloth.

(6.11)

There let him sit, and making the mind one-pointed, with the motions of thought

and senses restrained, fixed on his seat practise yoga for the purification of theSelf. (6.12)

Remaining still, holding the body, head and neck erect, let him fix his gaze on

the tip of his nose, without looking around. (6.13)

Serene minded, fearless, firm in the vow of celibacy (of the Brahmachari), the

mind controlled, thinking on Me in total concentration, with intent on Me as the

supreme goal. (See also 4.29, 5.27, 8.10 and 8.12) (6.14)

So, the Yogi ever integrated in the Self, his mind restrained, attains to the peacewhich has Nirvāna (nirvāna…) as its end, and which subsists in Me.(… paramām). (6.15)

However, O Arjuna, yoga is not for him, who eats too much, nor for him who

does not eat at all; nor for him who sleeps too much, nor yet for him who stays

awake too long. (6.16)

But, yoga is for him who is regulated ( yukta) in food and recreation, who isregulated in all his deeds and gestures, who is regulated in sleeping as in

walking, achieving a yoga which destroys all pain. (6.17)

When the well-controlled mind is established in the Self alone, free fromlonging after all desirable things, then it is said, that the one is at peace. (6.18)

As a lamp may stand not flickering in a windless place – this has been likenedwith the disciplined mind of a Yogi, absorbed in the yoga of the Self. (6.19)

When the mind is at rest, quieted by the practise of yoga; when seeing the Self by the Self, he finds fulfilment in his own Self. (6.20)

When he knows that utmost joy which, transcending the senses, can be graspedby the intellect; when standing still (in the Self ), he never departs from reality.

(See also KaU 3.12) (6.21)

When, having reached it, he thinks that there is no greater acquisition beyond it;

therein established, he is not dislodged by any sorrow, even in the greatestsuffering: (6.22)

That state is known by the name of yoga (viyogan), the unlinking from the union

with pain. This is the yoga which must be brought about with firm resolve and

an undismayed mind. (6.23)



19

(Translated from the Sanskrit by Philippe L. De Coster, D.D.)

In other words, if thoughts, emotions, perceptions, feelings or sensations arise,

we just ignore them, and let them be there like clouds. What do clouds do? They

float by and eventually dissolve. When I say thoughts, I mean anything that

arises in the mind. We do not try to push thoughts away. Nor do we try to grabonto them. If we push them away or try to get rid of them, we are giving themenergy; they become stronger. If we grab on to them, we become more attached

to them. So we just allow them to be there and allow them to float by like

clouds. The more the Presence is there, the more thoughts can just be there and

not bother us. In lesson three, we learn an even better way to handle thoughts

and whatever else arises in the mind. For now, it is sufficient to just let themfloat by like clouds.

Reaffirming what we have been considering above:

It is therefore largely a matter of perfecting the mechanism of the brain so that it

can rightly register and correctly transmit the soul (higher self ) impressions and

the group purposes and recognitions.

This involves:

1. The awakening into conscious activity of the centre between the

eyebrows, called by the oriental student, the ajna centre.

2. The subordinating then of activity of this centre to that of the head centre,so that the two vibrate in unison. This produces the establishment of three

things:

(a) Direct conscious alignment between soul-mind-brain.

(b) The appearance of a magnetic field which embraces both the head

centres and so definitely affects the pineal gland and the pituitary

body.

(c) The recognition of this field of dual activity in two ways: as of a lightin the head, an interior radiant sun, or as dynamic centre of energy

through which the will or purpose aspect of the soul can make itself

felt. (A Treatise on White Magic, by Alice A. Bailey, Lucis Press

1934), page 422)



20

Posture

The Bhagavad Gita in chapter six, tells us everything about posture. Correct

posture is sitting erect with head, neck and back straight in a relaxed, effortless

and comfortable manner. Correct posture is very important. When you sit, sitstill. Do not move. We are learning to still the mind and the body. I recommend

sitting on meditation cushions or meditation benches. If you sit in a chair, I

recommend that you sit toward the front of the chair, with no back support and

the knees lower than the pelvis. Sitting this way creates the same angle as when

you sit on a meditation bench or meditation cushion. Rest the tongue gently onthe roof of the mouth. Place your left hand on top of your right hand on your lap

or let your hands rest naturally on your legs. Relax into your meditation

position.

Do not meditate just after meals or while under the influence of alcohol or

drugs. Try to set aside a time and a place conducive to meditation where you can

meditate every day without being unduly disturbed. If it is the same place andthe same time each day, it will be easy to incorporate meditation into your life.

Meditation is a holy moment of yourself, entering the silence in the presence of

your “Higher Self”.

The Breathing Technique

One of the most effective ways of achieving relaxation is through slow,rhythmic breathing. But breathing exercises should be done with caution, forthey can be harmful if carried out too strenuously. An adequate exercise consists

of a deep breath with short pauses held at the end of each in-breathing and each

out-breathing. This can be done about ten times, rhythmically and slowly. There

should be no sense of strain, either in breathing or during the pauses, steady

rhythm rather than length of time being the aim. The respiratory muscles shouldbe relaxed with the out-breathing; this "letting go" of tension can then be

diffused to all the other muscles of the body and a general relaxation achieved.

Another type of breathing that we may practice is the diaphragmatic method.

The breath comes in and fills from the bottom up, from below your navel to as

full as it wants to go without straining. Like pouring water into a pitcher, it goes

in at the top, and it fills in and rises from the bottom. When you inhale, the belly

goes out and when you exhale, the belly goes in. I often hear people say that

when they inhale, their bellies go in. That is because the breath is filling in the

chest first. When the chest expands first, the stomach is drawn in. With a little

practice, the correct breathing will become second nature to you. It is very

important to breathe in this way. Be gentle, with no effort and no strain. The



21

breath is silent, the mouth is closed, the tongue rests gently on the roof of the

mouth.

Above all, we need to forget the physical body to pursue with our highest

intention, so we must see that it is put at ease. The breathing should now be

quietened and slowed down. Counting, say five, six, seven, or whatever proves acomfortable rate, while drawing in the breath and again with its exhalation helpsto create a rhythm, which has its own quietening effect. Found a count which

steadies down the breathing but does not stretch the capacity, or it will be

difficult to maintain it and, again, the objective is to establish a quiet ease.

Newcomers to meditation should never attempt elaborate breathing exercises.

They can seriously over-estimate, which only mitigates against the need for usto become gradually and steadily aligned and attuned.

Once a rhythm is established, just stop counting, or it can become a mental habitdifficult to break. The breathing must be forgotten once the rhythm is

established. A good way of doing this is to use a phrase with the same numberof syllables as the count, and if we use appropriate words, this takes us smoothly

on to the next stage. For example, if we have been mentally counting six on each

in and out breath, the following phrase, again said silently, will be in the same

rhythm and at the same time establish the next stage:

“I am at ease and all my feelings are serene.”

Any words can be used which embody the stage or quality to be next attained,but no word or phrase should be repeated more than a few times, as if it is

continued it may have a hypnotic effect and this is not the objective of

meditation.

Polarization on the emotional level

Physical relaxation is a first and necessary step to the more important one of

psychological relaxation. The latter comprises emotional and mental relaxation,

which have to be achieved in two distinct phases corresponding to the two

different levels of the inner worlds on which we will be working – the emotionaland mental. Each has to be handled separately and in its own way.

If, after relaxing physically, we begin to observe ourselves psychologically, we

generally find that various feelings come and go These emotions have tosubside. It is not good to repress them forcibly, but the very fact of calmly

observing them from what might be called "above", without being identified

with them, causes them gradually to lose their hold and their intensity, so that

they cease to sway us and quiet down – if not completely, at least to a degree in

which they no longer constitute a serious obstacle; and that is good enough.



22

This forms the first part of psychological relaxation; the second part is mental

relaxation By nature the mind is restless and in continuous activity, and this is

increased by the high tempo of modern life and also by emotional stimulation. If

we have managed to exclude for the moment the activities of ordinary life and

have quieted the emotions, it will be less difficult to deal with the naturalrestlessness of the mind itself.

This cannot be done completely in the preparatory stage; it will be the chief task

in the first part of the actual meditation, which is concentration, In the

preparatory stage it is enough to reach a certain degree of dis-identification from

the mind's activity and to resist being carried by it this way and that,

distinguishing this activity from the consciousness of the self, whom we could

call the "Observer." This provides what might be regarded as a platform fromwhich to go on to the actual meditation, Here, also, the aim is not to suppress by

violence, or by an effort which immediately brings tension and therefore defeatsits object. The method to be used is more that of attrition, of not feeding with

interest any stray thoughts or images which remain in the mind; they will not

then interfere seriously with the inner action of meditation. This preparationcould be described as making room in and around the centre of consciousness

for the exercises of concentration that are to follow, yet without attempting to

clear the whole area completely at this stage. Polarization on the emotional level

is important, and this may be helped, by framing in words the state being aimedat, saying for example:

“I am a centre of calm, clarity and light.”

Visualization can also help in creating this still centre of consciousness. The

emotional body can be imagined and visualised as a smooth and limpid pool,

with a quiet, reflective quality which will offer no impediment to alignment withthe mind.

Concentration

In taking up the subject of concentration the first point to realize is the

difference between spontaneous or automatic concentration and deliberate

controlled concentration. They are different. both in nature and in the way they

work. What is called spontaneous concentration is the functioning of the mind

under the impulse of a strong interest, desire or feeling, which keeps it working

along a certain line. A typical example is the businessman as he plans for the

success of his organization. Another example is the student's concentration onthe subjects on which he expects to be examined.



23

Those who can concentrate effectively in this way are under the illusion that

their power of concentration is good. And it does indicate a certain aspect of it,

but the ability to keep the mind on a task or subject when driven by intense

interest, need or fear, does not necessarily mean that it can be done when that

incentive is lacking. The fact is that when we try to concentrate on some abstractsubject, or on something which entails no personal interest or benefit, we find it

much more difficult and frequently discover that we have no real control over

our minds after all.

It is evidence that our emotions, drives, and thoughts play, almost dramatically,

through us and are the strong forces in our lives. In other words, we are driven

by them and are not ourselves the choosing, directing, controlling factor.

This is one reason why the more purely mental or spiritual interests have not the

driving potential of the usual personal interests of the average nun. Anotherreason is an inherent difference in the nature of these interests. Abstract subjectsare "thinner"; they are more intangible for the mind to take hold of and focus on.

The mind, being less accustomed to this subtler and more difficult way of

functioning, is reluctant to face it and turns away It is a new kind of activity, and

generally speaking any new subject or new area of knowledge presents

difficulties to begin with. Our minds do not like starting to work in new fields;in those with which they are familiar much work has already been done; there is

a background or experience and there are connections which make the work

easier. A new subject requires much more concentration and effort.

The realization that we are not the masters of our minds may shock us, but if it

does, that is good; it will galvanize us into making efforts towards such mastery,

and will help to provide the emotional incentive which was lacking previously.

Another important result of these discoveries about ourselves is awareness that

there is a difference between ourselves and our minds and emotion The

unsuccessful effort to keep the mind at work has shown that there is a conflict

and conflict means that there are two factions which disagree. This awareness of

conflict is valuable, therefore, in bringing to light the difference between the "I"with its own will, and the mind, which is often unruly, reluctant or lazy, and has,in a way, a life of its own.

These preliminary but vital recognitions provide a foundation for the task of

learning to concentrate the mind at will. They bring understanding of ourselves

and give the incentive we need to become masters of this precious instrument,

the mind, which is so excellent a servant when dominated, but which gives suchtrouble when it goes its own way.



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The initial technique to be used in acquiring mastery over the mind, and ability

to concentrate at will is to begin with concentration on simple and neutral

subjects which have no interest for us. In this way we learn to hold the mind

steady without the help of personal interest and desire There are many types of

such exercises in concentration which can be practiced Visual perception is asimple one and consequently a good one to work with first It is a training of

attention, not of thought processes, and it develops an elementary ability to

focus the attention, which is the first step in the more advanced and complexprocesses of meditation on abstract subjects.

A simple exercise in visual perception is to observe a set of objects rapidly and

accurately. For instance, observe the contents of a room for half a minute, and

then write as detailed an account of them as possible. The same exercise can bedone by looking in a shop window or examining a picture.

Exercises in observing outward objects are a preparation for concentration oninner objects – on inner pictures or images An exercise which provides a

transition between the two is to observe a picture for twenty or thirty seconds,

then close the eyes and try to keep the image of the picture in the "mind's eye"

or "inner eye. " We all have this power of imagination in the sense of being able

to picture objects, faces and so on, which are familiar. It is more developed andvivid in some people than others, but for the present purpose it is not so much

the vividness which is important as the power to keep the picture steady before

the mind's eye, and to be able to concentrate the attention on it. Looking at thepicture for a time helps considerably in getting a clear image, and therefore inthe holding of it.

A second exercise of this type is to evoke an image and keep it steady for a short

time without having looked at it just before. One can start with some familiar

object, such as a building that is seen every day, a view one knows, or a member

of the family. The image should be built precisely, with concentration on thedetails, and then held steady for a certain time.

Here begins a real fight – an interesting but sometimes exasperating skirmish –

between our will to keep the image steady and the fluid nature of the

imagination, which is accustomed to pass from one thing to another in rapid and

often disordered succession. It will play all sorts of tricks; it will distort the

image, enlarge, add some alien element to it, divide it into two or more parts,

substitute something else for it, in fact do anything and everything except let the

picture remain quietly before the mind's eye.

This fact is again revealing. Once more we have undeniable evidence that we are

not the masters of our mechanism and that there is conflict between it and



25

ourselves. It. is here that the process of self-mastery really begins in the sense of

controlling, directing, and using – at will – our whole mechanism.

Apart from these specific exercises, there is ample opportunity for us to train our

concentration during everyday life. It means simply giving full attention to thematter at hand without letting the mind wander. Habitual actions are frequently

carried out in a more or less dreamy way, with stray thoughts about extraneousthings playing through the mind This creates a state of passive dissociation

which can grow to harmful proportions, and is in any case a waste of energy.

Concentration on the other hand enhances the ability to live in the present in

general, and specifically in that focused section or area of the present where our

immediate activity lies.

There is a higher and more important form of concentration than those types so

far dealt with. It is that of the Observer or inner Spectator who, perfectlyconcentrated himself, observes the flowing panorama of the psychological life – called by William James the "mind stream" – and in a detached way perceives it,

assesses it and, when needed, intervenes to change it. Such an inner attitude is

not at all easy to maintain consistently. Being what might be termed "on the

bank" of the mind stream, we tend to be drawn into it by its currents. The

attention is easily caught by some surge of emotion, by some interesting idea, bysome impelling drive, and we have to draw it back continually to the center of

concentration, to the sell, the awareness, the part in us which is persistent and

unchanging throughout all the variations of the psychological flow.

The key to acquiring the power of concentration is, as in every other skill,

prolonged patience and repeated practice. Two extremes should be avoided. One

is doing these apparently uninteresting exercises in a more or less perfunctory

way, as a kind of routine; this would be too superficial to serve much purpose.

The other extreme to be avoided is working with them too strenuously and

forcibly. Nor should we attempt to do these exercises when tired for then there is

little likelihood of success, and any progress made will be at the cost of too great

a strain.

Another point is that we should not be discouraged by initial lack of success,

especially the inability to maintain concentration for a certain time, At first it is

good enough if we can achieve real concentration for ten and then twenty

seconds; a minute or two is quite long. So it is better to carry out repeated short

exercises with some success than try forcibly to keep the attention fixed for a

longer time.

Finally there are two helpful attitudes which, as the Observer, each of us should

try to maintain through all the experiments and exercises. The first of these is



26

patience with ourselves or, more accurately, with our mechanism – the attitude

that we would adopt towards an unruly child whose cooperation we hoped to

gain in the end The other attitude is confidence that persistence will bring

success, The following words of Hermann Keyserling – from his Travel Diary

of a Philosopher – will reinforce our confidence as well as emphasize the valueof what we are attempting to achieve:

Undoubtedly the power of concentration is the real propelling power of the

whole of our psychic mechanism. Nothing heightens our capacity for

performance as much as its increase; every success, no matter in what domain,

can be traced back to the intelligent use of this power. No obstacle can resist

permanently the exceptional power of utmost concentration. Attention forces

every problem sooner or later to reveal all of its aspects which are capable of recognition by a specific nature. ( Excerpts from Dr. Robert Assagioli’smanuscripts.)

Visualization

Another group of exercises are those of visualization. The first and most simple

is that of imagining (with eyes closed) to "see" a number as if it were written ona blackboard. Beginning with a single number, the student develops his/her

ability -- through practice -- until he/she becomes able to "see" numbers of many

digits. Other subjects suitable for further visualization exercises are: coloured

geometric forms (squares, triangles, circles), then three- dimensional forms(cubes, pyramids, spheres), eventually more and more complex human figuresand landscapes. These exercises are also useful in offering to students: proof of

the results of the training. A further step, in the case of adolescents, is that of visualizing their ideal model -- the model of what they wish to become.

Dedication

Dedication as an attitude has become out of fashion, but it holds a very definite

propulsive power and should be included at the beginning of every meditation. Itis both an emotional and mental activity, in fact, it is a combined use of the

aligned threefold nature – brain cells, feeling and thought all being required. It

gathers up this triple energy and directs it in the way we wish it to be used, so

setting afoot both an orientating and a propulsive power.

There is more to the technique of dedication than may first appear. The act of

dedicating ourselves to a specific objective clarifies the intention and, ensures

that the meditation has a recognized purpose and an acknowledged goal to



27

which we aspire. Then the assertion of our aspiration not only focuses the

personality forces, but brings in the will.

Dedication has also a subtler and more lasting effect. It is an act of “lifting up”.

Our forces, after being gathered, are projected towards the chosen goal, and thisaids in the process of raising the vibration. In religious terms it has “redeeming”

power, and this is its inner, even occult, effect, brought about by law.

Aspiration, which must be present to a certain extent for all meditation, is the

heart – literally – of all dedication. It is the urge, deep-seated in the heart, toreach the goal we see or sense, to serve the high purpose we have chosen. “Fiery

aspiration” is the first means of union with the Higher Self (Soul) taught by

Patanjali, and Alice Bailey, in her commentary on the Sutras of that greatTeacher:

“It is well to point out here that this quality of „going forth‟ towards the

idea or of straining towards the objective must be so profound in the

aspirant that no difficulties can turn him back... Fiery effort, steady

persistent longing and enduring faithfulness to an ideal visioned are the“sine qua non” of discipleship. These characteristics must be found in all

three bodies, leading to the constant disciplining of the physical vehicle,

the steady orientation of the emotional nature and the mental attitude

which enables a man to “count all things but loss” if he can only arrive at

his goal. (The Light of the Soul, pages 189/90)

This takes the attitude of dedication right into our lives, but as a stage in each

meditation, the assertion of these qualities and affirmation of the higher

intention bring to bear a projective power which opens up a channel towards theobjective. It is a valuable technique for achieving rapport with the realms we

seek. Any simple form can frame our dedication, and we may make it to the

Higher Self within (Soul), to Divine Energy (God), or the Universal and CosmicCreator, to the service of mankind, or to whatever may be our immediate goal.

Types of Meditation

Introduction

In keeping with conventional practice, we can call meditation the process of

sustained, controlled mental attention and activity. Under this general heading

qualifying words will then define the various specific kinds, stages, and

techniques. We have already dealt with the first stage of meditation-

concentration The principal types of meditation should now be looked at briefly,



28

before we go on to deal with some of them in detail. They are the broad, basic

steps of the silent path, the classic stages to be mastered, and defined as:

Reflective and receptive Meditation

Reflective meditation is a strictly mental process. It is sequential, coordinated

thinking on or about a definite subject, theme, word, or thought – such as those

which are called "seed thoughts"; this is an apt term because the original orstarting thought is the "seed" of all the subsequent development of the subject.

Then there is what can be called receptive meditation because its purpose is thereception by the mind of "light" on some subject, truth or realization.

It is important to realize that receptive does not mean passive or negative; it

indicates, instead, a state of intense alertness without any autonomousfunctioning. It can be compared to listening or trying to see something which is

far away, or, using electronics terms, to the mind acting as a receiving stationand trying to tune itself to the transmitting station. This transmitting station is

primarily the Transpersonal Self; the process is called inspiration, or in some

cases intuition, and the result is illumination of the mind. But the effects of such

meditation are not limited to that alone, for the new and higher truths perceived

have a transforming and elevating power over the whole personality; theychange the whole man.

The third type is creative meditation which aims first at the building of a

dynamic, effective, well-defined thought or idea, then at changing it with theenergy of feeling, and finally at animating or propelling by will, so that it fulfils

a definite function or purpose; this function may work out either in the innerworlds, or in the world of outer action by supplying a pattern or an incentive.

There is still another aspect of meditation which has been called elevation or

ascent . Initially it leads to receptive meditation. Here the endeavour is to raise

the centre of consciousness deliberately to ever higher levels of the inner world.

It is like mounting an inner ladder towards the Transpersonal Self, andsometimes contacting it for a brief moment. When the highest point has been

reached, an active interplay between the mind and the Self may take place; thishas been called by Martin Buber and others the inner dialogue.

Reflective Meditation

The simplest definition of the first kind of meditation mentioned reflective

meditation – is just "thinking". This is a correct definition as far as it goes, but it

does not go very far, for generally we do not give much thought to thinking! We



29

imagine that, being intelligent, we can think whereas just thinking about

anything that interests us is in fact only an elementary state of mental activity.

It has been said that usually the mind "thinks in us", rather than that we think.

This means that the activity of the mind is a process that as a rule goes on prettymuch by itself promoted by stimuli or drives of different kinds and flowing in a

disorderly way, one train of thought driven out by a second, the second by athird, and so on. To describe this state of affairs in a more exact way, we can say

that normally the mind is largely independent from the "I" and from the will; it

is interfered with all the time by emotions, drives, images, and external stimuli,

and reacts to them. Such mental activity scarcely deserves the name of real

thinking, for it is only when a strong urge or interest keeps the mind at work thatit functions in an orderly and productive way.

Spontaneous – what we might call unconscious or unrealized – meditation isoften practiced by people who do not give it that name The scientist working outa problem, the philosopher thinking out a concept, the business man intelligently

planning the organization of his affairs, are all examples of this, for they are alldemonstrating coherent organized use of the mind – of the thinking function.

As a preliminary to true meditation, we must realize that the mind is in fact a

tool, an inner tool, from which we must dis-identify ourselves in order to

facilitate its proper use. The practice of concentration teaches us the first step –

how to control the mind, how to keep it steady and one-pointed in the chosendirection. Now comes the next step – that of not keeping it still but making itproceed, walk, so to speak, along the way we want it to go, towards somechosen goal.

Thinking in this sense means reflecting or brooding upon a given, well-defined

subject, and working out all the implications, ramifications, and meanings

implicit in it. And meditation can be said to be an unbroken flow of thoughttoward the object of concentration.

The first requirement, then for developing the art of thinking is to give close

attention to the actual process of thinking, for example, to notice immediately

when its course begins to deviate as a result of either emotional reaction or

preconceived mental attitude, or – as is frequently the case – in response to theprocess of mechanical association, which carries the mind through a series of allied subjects to a point far from the starting place.

The second requirement is persistence – thinking through. Here some rather

curious things happen. At first, after a few minutes of reflective thinking, it may

seem that the subject has been exhausted, that there is nothing left to think



30

about. But if we persist through this blank period and continue to reflect, we

begin to discover other unrealized aspects; we may even find what appeared at

first to be a dearth of content is, in fact, an overabundance – what the French call

an "embarras de richesses," Then a new difficulty appears – how to explore all

the now perceived aspects and complexities of the subject, and how to deal withthe inrush of new thought-trains.

Innumerable subjects are suitable for reflective meditation, and mention can be

made here only of the different categories. Psychological and spiritual qualities

offer an almost endless series – courage, harmony, serenity, joy, will, and so on.Symbols constitute another type.

One can also meditate on a phrase embodying a thought. Such "seed thoughts"

are, of course, also innumerable, but they can be divided broadly into two

classes; first those that appear simple and obvious, but which turn out to conceala world of meaning; second, those that are formulated in a paradoxical andtherefore challenging way. These are often in the form of an apparent

contradiction, the reconciliation of which lies in a higher or more comprehensivesynthesis of the two opposite terms, for instance:

"Act with interest and without interest." "Suffer with joy." (Which does not mean to enjoy suffering) "Make haste slowly." (An old Latin saying, "festina lente.")

"Live in the eternal and in the moment." "See action in inaction and inaction in action."

Technical Suggestions on Reflective Meditation

The first suggestion is never to concentrate on negative aspects but to direct the

attention to those that are positive. The second is to write down immediately any

worthwhile thoughts or conclusions arrived at, Concepts that seem clear andvivid at the time have a way of disappearing from the consciousness very

quickly and are lost – at least temporarily – if not fixed right away. The

formulation of thoughts verbally also forces us to clarity of thinking and

precision, and exposes any confusion and vagueness in our minds. The process

of writing is itself a stimulus to meditation, and may lead to further valuable

thoughts, "flowing from the pen," so to speak. Writing in this sense is ameditation technique; it definitely helps in keeping the mind oriented and activealong the desired lines and in maintaining its focus.

The length of time to be spent on meditation varies, but to begin with it should

not exceed ten or fifteen minutes; that is quite long enough. The length of period

during which one subject should be used as the theme also varies, but it should



31

not be less than a week, and after some practice one often finds a month none

too long. In fact some subjects appear to be virtually inexhaustible. A good

method is to meditate on certain themes cyclically, that is, a series of subjects

may be listed and each one be used in turn for a week, after which the series is

gone through again.

At this point the time factor should be mentioned This is a problem thateveryone comes up against. Nearly all feel that they have so much to do, their

lives are so complicated, there is so little privacy today and the demands of work

and family leave so little spare time or energy, that, although they realize the

value of a time of meditation each day, they feel that they cannot undertake it.

These difficulties are real. The whole organization and machinery of modern

living take no account at all of the rights of the inner life, and so the whole trendat present is against it. But in spite of these formidable problems, if we feel the

value of the inner life strongly enough and really intend to give it some time, wecan usually find a way of making room in the day for at least a short meditation.

Ten or fifteen minutes is not a long period to fit into a twenty-four hour

program.

It is plain, however, that it is almost impossible to have ideal conditions for this

in modern life, and any quiet time that we find in the day is an oasis to be takenadvantage of. A good rhythm to establish is that of meditating in the same place

first thing every morning, before entering into the melee of the day. Regularity

is most valuable, but we should not be dependent upon such rhythm and, even if it takes longer to attune ourselves to the inner work and is more difficult, it is

better to learn to do this quite independently of our surroundings. Each one of ushas his own problems on this and each has to solve them as best he can.

The rewards of reflective meditation are many. First it brings increasing

proficiency in using the mental tool and a growing sense of mastery of the mind.

This, of course, is reached only by degrees, and We cannot expect to achieve

perfection; but even a fair degree of control of the mind is gratifying and most

valuable, for the mind is a bad master, but a most useful servant. Other resultswill emerge if we seriously undertake and continue this form of inner action,

which is also a necessary preliminary step to the other types of meditation It

begins our training in this field of work and lays the foundations for all future

achievement.

Receptive Meditation

Receptive meditation is a most valuable part of our mental training, but,

although it may seem quite simple, it is actually the most difficult kind of

meditation and one in which we are quite likely to commit mistakes. There are



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also real dangers attached to it and we might, therefore, feel inclined to leave it

alone. Indeed, it is not advisable for everyone, but there are good reasons for

training ourselves in it and adopting it as a regular part of our inner action, andso its right and safe use will be explained.

First of all we should realize how invaluable receptive meditation is and how

helpful is the insight it can bring, both in our spiritual realizations and in guidingour personal lives. Second, increased sensitivity, or receptivity to "impressions"

is a natural and spontaneous result of inner harmonization, and of relationship or

contact with the Transpersonal Self. Third, if rightly practiced it is not only

without dangers, but is of great help in avoiding the dangers of unconscious

receptivity This point is so important and of such constant application that it willbe good to deal with it at some length.

We should start with a clear recognition that we are exposed to countlessindividual, group, and mass influences all the time. These last take the form of waves of excitement, of panic, or of hostility which sweep through humanity, or

large sections of it, and sway or even engulf those who do not know how to deal

with them. These waves or impacts, increasingly recognized today under the

general term of "vibrations", may reach us through the normal channels of the

senses, telepathically through psychic impressions, or from mental levels.

It is most useful – although it may shock us – to realize how much we are tools

or victims of influences of which we are unconscious, or to which we yield in apassive way. An outstanding example – which can be regarded as a giganticexperiment in mass suggestion and in influencing behaviour is advertising, the

effectiveness of which can be evaluated in billions of dollars. At first it was used

more or less empirically, although with unconscious psychological skill; but

today it is being used quite deliberately, consciously utilizing definitepsychological techniques.

It might seem, therefore, that we should try to become non-receptive to outer

influences, but this is not the true solutions It is practically impossible to be non-

receptive and it is also undesirable We do not live in isolation; we are intimately

connected and interacting with both individuals and groups. Isolation would

mean self-centeredness, and this is such an unnatural condition that it often

proves painful and even unbearable. The anguish of solitude produced by

isolation has been described vividly by several existentialist writers, such asKirkegaard and Kafka.

Human relations imply receptivity, and lack of receptivity excludes love. The

true solution requires clear thought and skill in action, and is arrived at through

three stages of inner activity – awareness, control of mastery, and wise



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utilization. These functions of receptive meditation offer the best way to turn the

liabilities, the mistakes, and the dangers of receptivity into assets. It is well to

realize and remember that receptive meditation is a definite form of meditation –

it is a conscious and controlled mental activity. It is quite different from merely

psychic receptivity which opens us to influences of an emotional andimaginative character, and its mental quality enables us to discriminate between

the various kinds of impression, to register them correctly and later to interpret

them rightly. These points will be developed further when describing thetechniques of receptive meditation.

Stages of Receptive Meditation

As the first condition of safe receptive meditation is the ability to keep our

consciousness steadily on the mental level of awareness, it should be done only

after the preparation described as necessary for reflective meditation. Thatmeans we must go through the stages of relaxation, mental preparation by meansof appropriate reading, dis-identification of the self from the body and the

emotional life, the elevation of the centre of consciousness and the achievement

of the inner attitude of the Observer. This is a condition of positive, wide-awake

awareness. It is also advisable at this point to make whenever possible a short

reflective meditation; this will consolidate the positive inner attitude anddevelop the ability to use the mind as an obedient tool.

To realize the difference between reflective and receptive meditation it is usefulto consider the mind as an "inner eye", which in a certain respect it truly is. Inreflective meditation the eye of the mind is directed, figuratively speaking,

horizontally, trying to see beyond the apparent, or rightly interpret what has

entered the field of consciousness. On the other hand, in receptive meditation we

direct the mind's eye "upwards" and try to discern what is "above", on a higher

level than that on which we are aware. This can also be described in terms of

hearing – we try to catch some inner sound or message coming from a higher orsubtler region.

The Great Positive Silence

This stage should be defined carefully, because there are various kinds of

silence. The safe and true kind needed is a positive silence, that is, themaintaining of an alert inner stillness for the desired period, in which weeliminate as much as possible all the spontaneous activity of the mind.

This phase of silence is a necessary condition for receiving and registering

higher influences. Someone endeavouring to reach this inner silence once wrote

of it in the following amusing way: "I was in deep meditation and knew I had



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reached a very clear and lucid place and like a flash came the thought: 'I know

that I am in a very, real inner place and yet I am deaf and blind, seeing and

hearing nothing.' Another split second and there came a sort of humouringresponse: 'If you were also dumb you might possibly see and hear.'"

To achieve and maintain the inner silence is a difficult task which calls for

persistence and a firm determination; it is a sustained act of the will. Ourpsychological mechanism is not accustomed to such discipline, it resents it and

tries in every way to shake it off. A flood of impressions, sensations, emotions,

images, and thoughts invades the field of. consciousness and a fierce fight for

mastery begins It seems we will never succeed in expelling the intruders which

appear to come from every side at once. But it is not necessary to be drastic; toostrenuous an effort is undesirable and defeats its own ends.

There are several techniques we can use; one is to repeat over and over a phraseor word; another is to evoke an image and keep it clear and steady at the centerof the consciousness. The best words and images for this purpose are those

which suggest a state of calm, of peace, or silence. An effective phrase for

example (from a Hymn used in the Greek Mysteries) is: "Be silent, O strings,

that a new melody may come to me." Images such as the following are helpful in

stilling the mind: a quiet lake reflecting the blue of the sky; a majestic mountainpeak; the starry sky in the stillness of the night.

Those who have already had some training or practice in meditation will be ableto use the technique of watching the flow of the mental stream in a detached,dispassionate way, as something objective and not belonging to oneself. If we

succeed in maintaining this positive watching attitude long enough the stream of emotions and thoughts becomes slower and slower until it becomes still.

An opposite condition, that of drowsiness sometimes occurs. This is to be firmly

avoided because it is not conducive to the receiving of higher impressions and,instead, it may bring about a condition which is undesirable and even dangerous.

The achievement of a true inner silence is well worth the effort and the

persistent training which it takes. Besides being necessary for receptive

meditation it has a value of its own; it is conducive to a condition of harmony,

peace, and quiet joy, and it produces a sense of expansion of consciousness; it isalso essentially restful and refreshing.



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Invocation and Prayer

Invocation and prayer are another kind of meditation, in which help is asked for,

something higher or greater appealed to, forces that are needed called upon.

Invocation and prayer are two different forms of making this appeal.

Methods of Reception

When a state of silence has been reached, that is, after a period of effort and

struggle to achieve silence, then we are ready for the further stage of reception.

The inner attitude is one of quiet watchfulness and patient waiting; it can also be

described as a state of keen but unemotional interest in what may happen and of

what we may become aware. The source from which we await impression, and

to which therefore we direct our one-pointed attention, should be the

Transpersonal Self. That is the sure source of true impression. But it is not theonly source; impressions from other sources, if these are high and true, are oftenchannelled or conveyed through the Self to the conscious mind.

Inner Seeing

The methods of reception are various; an impression may reveal itself to our

consciousness through seeing, hearing, contact, urge to action and in other

ways. The most frequent is perhaps through seeing or illumination. The mind is

indeed symbolically an inner eye, and the symbolism of vision is often used, Wespeak of insight, of illumination, of "seeing" in the sense of realizing the

meaning or significance of some fact or event, and we talk of "seeing" thesolution of a problem and of having a "bright" idea, Sometimes an abstract

geometrical figure or some other symbolic form enters into the field of

consciousness However, a series of concrete images and forms and colours may

also appear, but these are the product of the imagination and are not mental in

character. During receptive meditation this latter type of image should not bepaid attention to or at the most can be observed quietly for a short time withoutundue interest.

A higher form of spiritual "seeing" can be called intuition This word may be

misleading because it has been used in different senses. Etymologically it is

connected with vision, it means "seeing into." Intuition in its higher and purer

sense can be considered to be a direct, suprarational understanding or

comprehension of the true nature and reality of something – comprehension of

its true quality, purpose, and essence. It is quite different from what are called"hunches," which are psychic impressions about people or events of a personalcharacter and having personal interest.



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Inner Hearing

The second way of receiving impressions is that of inner hearing. Here, too, we

must discriminate carefully between the psychic hearing of voices and the much

higher inner spiritual hearing. This discrimination is not easy and calls for asubtler sense than that needed for discriminating between images and true

spiritual insight. The difference can be termed one of quality and level. Aftersome practice in receptivity one becomes more and more aware of the level on

which the consciousness functions. If it functions on the emotional and

imaginative levels the voices heard are apt to give messages or impressions of apersonal character, highly coloured with feeling of some kind.

Inspiration coming from high levels, on the other hand, is generally impersonal

in character. The messages are short, incisive, and meaningful. They are

generally concerned with one's spiritual advancement and will contain wiseadvice, perhaps pointing out some fault to be eliminated, some spiritual qualityto be developed or some high aim to be attained. Sometimes the message is

symbolic in character, even though the phrase may appear to have a concrete

meanings Such was the case with the well-known message received by St.

Francis – "Go, and restore my church." He interpreted it at first as an injunction

to build up a half-ruined little church, but later he recognized that it was acommand to restore the Roman Church of his time.

To this kind of impression belong also many artistic, literary, and musicalinspirations. The poet or musician has the impression that something in himself or somebody else dictates them; he seems to "hear" inwardly, and the poem or

idea or theme appears spontaneously in his field of consciousness. The symbol

of the Muse inspiring or speaking to the attentive ear of the poet has expressedthis through the ages.

Sometimes a dialogue is established between the conscious personality and the

Self; a question put by the meditating mind receives a prompt and clear inner

answer which seems to formulate itself and appear to the consciousness. If the

personality comments on it and replies, a further reaction is then registered. This

dialogue has been dealt with in its more general sense by Martin Buber in

several of his books, and he applies it to all kinds of spiritual relationships This

dialogue can be facilitated through the use of one of the symbols of the Self – that of the Old Wise Man.

Inner Contact

The third form of receptivity can be called contact, because it is analogous to the

physical sense of touch or feeling by contact. But this expression should not be



37

taken too literally; it corresponds to our meaning. When we say we "contact

somebody," or are "in touch with someone." It does not mean that we touch the

person physically, but indicates a relationship, a rapport, an easy interplay at

will. The same can be said of inner contact , alluding specifically to the Self. It

means an easy rapport or alignment with the Self which permits receptivity to itsinfluence and awareness of its quality and nature, and gradually enables us to

identify or unify ourselves in consciousness with it, however partially and

momentarily.

By this inner nearness, by this "touch" of the Self, we are harmonized, vivified,

recharged with energy, or with that which we specifically need at the time, and

which the Self is trying to convey to us Its effects are clarifying, and

enlightening; we are filled with certainty, courage, joy; we feel renewed andready to go back to the arena of personal life and meet its emergencies and

challenges. We feel that some higher power has descended upon us and added acertain degree of blending or infusion by the Self of the radiation fromsuperconscious levels.

Urge to Action

The fourth way in which we may receive impression from the Self is through an

urge to action. We become aware of it as a definite urge to do something, to

undertake a task or duty in some field of service, or sometimes it may be an urge

toward inner action of some sort, to the changing of something in ourselves Thistype of impression is what the Quakers who have practiced extensively this artof receptive meditation and silence, call "concern."

Again we need to discriminate carefully between urges coming from the Self orsome high, superconscious level, and those coming from the middle or lower

unconscious. The way in which they appear in the consciousness is similar, but a

difference will be found in the quality and content of the urge. Whenever it takes

the form of a call to a great mission or to some action of personal advantage we

should regard it with suspicion. An urge of this type is normally of lower originand is spurious and should be dismissed.

Registration

After reception comes the stage of registration. Every impression whatever its

type or the way in which it is received, should be accurately and immediately

registered in writing. As mentioned previously in connection with reflectivemeditation, the higher impressions are often vivid and clear at the moment of

reception, but they have a curious tendency to disappear rapidly from the field of

consciousness and if not caught and registered at once they are apt to be lost.



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Also, the very fact of formulating them and writing them down helps us to

understand them better; sometimes during writing the impression will develop,

and we will continue to receive it. Writing can, in fact, be used as a technique

for evoking inspiration; it creates a convenient channel for the higher

impressions. But while writing one should always remain alert and fully aware,not permitting any form of "automatic" writing, which can easily haveundesirable and even dangerous effects.

Delayed Reception

Another interesting aspect of receptivity is the delayed reception of impression.

It often seems that nothing happens during receptive meditation; we remain in a

state of blankness and do not become aware of anything new except, perhaps, a

sense of quiet, rest, and refreshment. But this does not necessarily mean the

meditation has been useless and unsuccessful, for quite frequently someimpression or inspiration will come into our consciousness later in the day oreven another day. It may be in another meditation or at some time when we are

engaged in quite different activities; it may be in some moment of relaxation or

on waking in the morning, but whenever it is we will recognize a connection

between the apparently unsuccessful meditation and the subsequent inspiration.

This connection will be evident when the answer which we sought to somequestion or problem flashes into our minds, but there can also be a less dramaticbut equally true delayed reception of impression to which we should be alert.

Therefore, after meditation we should always keep an inner attitude of watchfulness and attentiveness – what is called, when developed, a "meditative

attitude" – during the whole day. We can train ourselves to develop a state of

dual consciousness, that is being normally concentrated on our outer activity

while at the same time keeping a part of our attention turned toward the inner

world. This is the "attitude of the Observer", watching what happens both in theouter world and on the various inner levels of life.

Dangers and Mistakes of Receptive Meditation

There are several possible dangers which are real and therefore should be

understood and carefully offset. The two main dangers are negativity or

passivity on the one hand and over stimulation or excitation on the other. A stateof passivity allows the intrusion into the fields of consciousness of forces or

elements coming from the unconscious, including its lower levels. They are not

always recognized, but even when they are it may be difficult to offset their

influence and resist their onrush. The difficulty is even greater when they delude

us by an alluring appearance; they may seem harmless or even of a high order,

yet not only are they without real value, but they can be entirely misleading.



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The consciousness can also be invaded by influences from sources outside the

individual unconscious, Using a general expression, we can say that they come

from the collective unconscious; this term may include general psychic currents,

general symbols and forms (called by Jung "archetypes"), and specific group

centres of influence. This field is extensive and as yet relatively little known andwe cannot enter here into further discussion of the subject. It is enough for ourpresent purpose to point out the reality of the danger.

The chief safeguard against this danger is a constant positive watchfulness, as

has been said already. Another safeguard is the striving to make a clear

distinction between spiritual impressions and the multifarious psychic influences

of a lower kind. Psychic phenomena have no inherent value toward spiritual or

even personal development, and undue interest in them can become a definitesidetrack to our growth. It is wise to remember that primitive people and even

animals have psychic faculties. Scientific investigation of such phenomena onthe other hand has its definite place, but that is quite a different matter and itrequires different methods from those used in receptive meditation.

The other danger which must be guarded against is over-stimulation. This is

independent of both the nature and the source of the impressions received, for

even a high spiritual influence, if it rushes into the personality with full force,can cause undesirable effects in some cases; effects which range from nervous

tension and exhaustion to emotional excitement, fanaticism, excessive and

feverish activity, or manifestations of uncontrolled psychic phenomena. Butundesirable consequences can be prevented by wisely regulating the practice of meditation or by suspending it for a time when there are indications of trouble.

The reality of the dangers certainly calls for caution but should not arouse fear

or discourage the practice of meditation. Everything effective can be a source of

danger; even the most beneficial medicine can be harmful if taken in excessive

doses. And to use another analogy, both inner ascensions and mountain climbing

can be dangerous, but with proper preparation, caution, and skill in action the

dangers are minimized – and in the case of meditation the benefits far outweighthe risks.

It should be repeated that receptive meditation rightly carried out – that is, with

constant, positive watchfulness – and followed by discriminating and wise

interpretation of the results, can protect effectively from influences and

suggestions coming from either the outer or the inner worlds which may not

have been previously recognized or satisfactorily dealt with. Meditation focuses

the consciousness on the mental level, from which it can on the one hand

exercise an intelligent guidance over the realm of emotion, imagination, and



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psychic phenomena, and on the other receive light, inspiration, and power from

above.



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Outline for a reflective meditation on a lotus

1. Preparation

Relax and make a raid alignment. The physical body is the house of our

feelings and reactions, and with the brain cells we carry out the activity of

the mind. The quiet co-operation of the physical body is therefore a first

essential when we start to meditate. Right poise and relaxation help tobring this about.

2. Visualisation

Imagine a closed lotus bud. Visualise the shape of the bud resting on its

broad green leaves on the water. Picture the smooth texture of its pedalsand their yellow or white closely folded form. Next, visualise the bud

opening very slowly, revealing petal after pedal, as each unfolds. As the

flower opens wider, see its full beauty emerging and its golden centre

radiating in the sun.

3. Recognition

Hold the picture of the open lotus for a few minutes with a sense of joy

and admiration. Recognise it as a symbol of inner growth, unfoldment and

expansion. Consider the significance of its roots being in the mud, its stemin the water and its flower in the air and the sun.

4. Reflection



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Reflect on the correspondence between the Self and the lotus with its

hidden potentialities for growth, harmonious development and radiation.

See how the life within the lotus resembles the emanation of the Soul or

Self, unfolding through the form and expressing its essence, quality and

aims.

5. Realisation

Realise that the Higher Self (Soul) can unfold through you, just as pedals

of the lotus open out. Identify yourself with this symbol of the Higher Self (Soul) for a minute and see the pedals as qualities to be expressed in dailylife.

6. Affirmation

Close the meditation by anchoring or “earthing” the inner work you have

done with the words:

“So let it be. And may I be helped to fulfil my part.”

The Master Tibetan Djwhal Khul, who has taught and written extensively onmeditation, speaks of it having two general aims:

1. The formation of thoughts, the bringing into form on the concrete levels

of the mental plane of abstract ideas and intuition. This, he writes, might be termed “meditation with seed.”

2. The aligning of the personal vehicle and creation of a vacuum, orunimpeded channel, between the physical brain and the Higher Self or

Soul, which results in a divine outpouring. This he terms “meditationwithout seed.”



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A last thought

Behind the great quest for the alleviation of suffering and the cure of disease

abide the eternal pursuit of the philosopher‟s stone and the strange, alchemicaldreams of youthful immortality that haunt the human race:

“The sons of God, who know and see and hear (an knowing, know they know)

suffer the pain of conscious limitation. Deep in the inmost depths of conscious

being, their lost estate of liberty eats like canker. Pain, sickness, poverty and loss

are seen as such, and from them every son of God revolts. He knows that in

himself, as once he was before he entered prisoner into form, he knew not pain.Sickness and death, corruption and disease, they touched him not. The riches of

the universe were his, and naught he knew of loss.” (Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise

on White Magic, Lucis Press 1934, page 532)



Contents

Meditation Triangle Units 2

The Great Invocation 5How to join the Meditation Triangle Units 6

What is the New Group of World Servers? 7

The Science of the Mind in Short 8

The Spiritual Work of the United Nations and the Liberation of

Humanity – Meditation Outline

11

The Art of Meditation – Learning from this course – Getting ready to

start.

13

Practising the Presence – Meditation in the Moment 15

Who am I, and how do I face reality? The Only Teacher is Within 16

The Benefits of Meditation – The Practice of Meditation 17

Posture – The Breathing Technique 20

Concentration 22Dedication 26

Types of Meditation –

Introduction –

Reflective and ReceptiveMeditations 27

The Great Positive Silence 33

Invocation and Prayer 35Inner seeing: Inner hearing; Inner contact; Urge to Action 35

Delayed Reception; dangers and Mistakes 38

Outline for a reflective meditation on a lotus 41

A last thought 42

Contents 44

Satsang Press – Gent, Belgium

© August 2010 Philippe L De Coster D D

Documents

Meditation Triangle Units