Meditation offers an alternative to the purely materialistic values of modern life. It is a means of harmonising or resolving the apparent conflict between the spiritual and material aspects of living. Meditation is not an escape from reality, but a path of discovery of the true Self, the spiritual being, the soul. The basic objective of meditation is to enable an individual to become in outer manifestation what he or she is in inner reality. Meditation leads along the path of becoming, towards the spiritual ability to be, to know, and to do. Meditation, therefore, involves the whole life expression, subjective and objective. It concerns the use of the mind by the soul to initiate action in line with the plan for humanity. Within this Plan-centred process, the meditating unit is stimulated, enlightened and given right opportunity to contribute to planetary evolution the individual richness each one contains contains in potential. True occult meditation is practiced as a service to the human race.

Today the soul of humanity is in process of taking control of the personality way of life. The long process leading towards the soul-infusion of the race has been initiated. The practice of meditation can now serve to speed and implement the process within the planet as a whole; for while, in the past cooperation with the planetary meditative rhythm has been the service of a pioneering few, today it can become a way of life for many.

The technique of meditation governs all expansions of consciousness, including the entire process of evolutionary development within the planet. It is the technique of spiritual contact and apprehension, the means of furthering the evolution of human intelligence, the capacity to love, and the ability to bring the personal will into alignment with the divine will.

Meditation is the single most effective means for transcending the binding, restrictive sense of separateness and isolation which imprison the human consciousness and render it futile. Meditation is the outstanding creative agent upon the planet. The effect of human meditation at this time is to change conditions, to invoke the higher spiritual potencies, to work with concentration–both vertically and horizontally–within the world of men and within the kingdom of God. This vertical and horizontal activity holds the secret of creative meditation.

The intention to be of service to mankind is the essential motivation for all true creative meditation. Expansion of the human mind is based on the ability to love and to serve one's fellowmen. The ultimate result in the consciousness of the individual is illumination, wisdom and the will-to-good, and an expanding ability to cooperate in the creative and redemptive purposes of our planetary life. Meditation as a planetary service is both practical and effective.

The recognition of duality in human nature produces, eventually, the intention to bridge the gap between the personality and soul, for the soul ever seeks conscious union with its personality expression. While aspiration may provide the motive, the real work of bridge building is carried out on the mental level, based on the ability to control the mind through the discipline of regular meditation.

Meditation establishes relationship between soul and personality. It is a cooperative relationship, leading ultimately to soul-personality fusion. The work is based on the simple premise that energy follows and conforms itself to thought. Correct use of the power of the mind will achieve any purpose, good or not so good. Occult meditation involves a focussed mind, the capacity to visualise, an ability to build thoughtforms and to use the creative imagination, plus an accurate grasp of the soul's intent.

This type of meditation enhances the quality of life. It creates a lighted way of relationship and communication between the subjective realm of the soul and its objective expression. the personality. As the personality adapts and surrenders to the dominance of the soul as the real Self, it is in turn redeemed by soul light and energy and all aspects of life on the physical plane are irradiated and uplifted.

Meditation is, or should be, a deeply spiritual experience. It leads to right relationship with God and to right human relationships in everyday life. It is essentially the means par excellence of establishing alignment between the various aspects of planetary life which. from the angle of consciousness and of form, appear to be separate.

Creative meditation begins with an alignment exercise and results in a deeper, more extensive and more sustained alignment between the meditator and his whole environment. Alignment brings the various levels and states of consciousness "into line" with one another, or into correct relative adjustment.

In meditation alignment concerns the mental body–the mind; the emotional/feeling nature–the heart; the etheric or energy body and the physical self. When these are integrated into a unity, they can be aligned with the soul itself, the spiritual Self. A channel of communication is thereby created linking the brain, the heart, the mind and the soul; the life energy of the soul, with its power to illumine and inspire, can then sweep through into activity, affecting every aspect of daily life.

In this process, the mind is the active principle. The mind visions, visualises, concentrates the needed energy, and focusses the required attitude. Without necessarily being conscious of results, the mind can triumphantly act as if the necessary alignment has been created. Constant repetitions and focussed attention provide the building blocks.

Once created in consciousness, the essential alignment is ever present, needing only a moment of directed thought to bring it to life as an active ingredient in the relationship between the inner and outer life.

The way of meditation is much like any other journey, in that one follows a path to reach a goal. And, as with any path, there are certain pitfalls that may face the traveller. Meditation is not harmful itself, but if misused or practiced unwisely, it can create personal problems for the meditator.

The major safeguard in any course of meditation is simple commonsense, and a balanced attitude. Commonsense offsets over-zealousness, fanaticism or a rigid one-pointedness, which can lead to mental or physical strain. With a sense of balance, one realises that progress in consciousness is a long-term affair, and that changes do not occur over-night. This avoids the disappointment felt by the neophyte when great revelations do not come as promptly as desired.

One of the major pitfalls of meditation is also one of the best known: the case of an individual who becomes so lost in his own subjective world that he tends to withdraw from physical reality. Meditation should lead to a well-rounded life expression. Too much mental strain or over-stimulation can be corrected by expressing mental experiences as physical facts. This might be done by attempting to translate one's highest visions or ideas into some project or activity which will benefit others.

A second possible danger of meditation lies in emotional overstimulation. Meditation brings an increased flow of energy into the meditator's life, which tends to accentuate both positive and negative qualities, and to bring them to the surface where they can be clearly seen. Each meditator is responsible for handling this greater energy flow. He has to discover his own emotional weaknesses and endeavour to maintain a balancing focus of attention on the mental plane.

The student of meditation should proceed slowly and cautiously. Anything worthwhile requires time and effort. The results that occur from a slow building process are more likely to endure than the results of work done hastily in hope of instant success. The student should also aim at regularity in meditation. Twenty minutes' work daily is worth more and is safer than four hours of work once a month.

The most reliable safeguard is to be found in a life of service. Meditation brings in energy and inspiration. If this is not expressed through some form of service, it can result in congestion or overstimulation. Service is the right use of soul energy, vision and inspiration.

Although meditation may begin as a solitary activity, like any other field of interest sooner or later the individual becomes part of a greater whole from which he derives his sense of meaning and purpose. Through meditation, one emerges into a state of consciousness shared by others, a state as real as physical existence, although characterised by different types of perception. The meditator finds a community, or brotherhood, in consciousness. He engages in group meditation.

This does not mean that individuals must work together in the same place or even at the same time. The true meeting place of the group is the plane of mind, or the mental plane.

In metaphysical terms, meditation takes place outside time and space, but what is important in group meditation is the sense of a common focus and interest, of group attention on the object of meditation. The individuals who comprise a group are united by a shared idea and interest, and not so much by a personal rapport. Groups may work together and meditate on many different subjects, but the underlying theme in group work is service to humanity. In this way the group plays its part within the planetary life. Groups may work to bring about a greater light in human affairs and to condition the subjective atmosphere of the planet. They work with such energies as light, love and the will-to-good, helping to relate these subjective energies to daily, physical life. Although these groups may be working to enlighten the human environment, they do not use force. They do not, for instance, attempt to direct energy at the mind of some individual or group in the attempt to change or influence them. But they make light available, or create a subjective condition whereby an individual or a nation can more easily stand in the light of its own soul.

Participation in group meditation work often has side effects on the individuals involved. As one works in group meditation, one gradually gains a greater insight into one's own affairs, into world affairs, and into the nature of group interplay. Meditators develop a sense of integration with their co-workers, as well as a sense of identity and oneness with all those who serve humanity. In the process, participants gain a priceless knowledge: they learn from their own experience that there is a force for good in the world, that there is a Plan for human evolution, and that what they do in their own lives and contribute in service does make a difference.

There is a gigantic group meditation going on in differing phases upon our planet. All the meditating units and reflective groups are related to each other through their unified spiritual purpose. That purpose is service of the Plan for the furthering of human evolution. In this meditation, two major planetary centres, or groups, are working in concert with the human kingdom: one is the spiritual Hierarchy of the planet and the other is the new group of world servers. The spiritual Hierarchy is known by many names; to the Christians it is known as "the Kingdom of Heaven and of God;" in the East as the "Society of Illumined Minds." It is comprised of those sons of God who have travelled further along the path of evolution than the rest of humanity, who have transcended the limitations of the strictly human state of consciousness, yet who continue to serve humanity and the Plan.

Today a growing number of men and women are becoming sensitive to the Plan and working for its unfoldment. They are all part of a subjectively unified group known as the new group of world servers. This group represents an evolutionary success. For the first time in human history, substantial numbers of men and women are recognising the role of the human kingdom in the continuity of life and consciousness on this planet. Humanity stands as a bridging kingdom between the Kingdom of God and the lower kingdoms–animal, vegetable and mineral–and as such fulfills the task of divine mediator. The new group of world servers mediates between the Hierarchy and humanity, maintaining a vibrant and radiant channel through which inspiration can flow. Members of the new group of world servers consciously accept this responsibility for planetary redemption.

Members of the new group of world servers may or may not be aware of the group as a whole or their place within it. They are linked together by their love of humanity and by their constant endeavour to enhance the human condition, "thinking through" the ideas and principles to be given worldwide application. Through the creative use of the mind, or meditation, these men and women are able to penetrate into the realm of the soul and bring forth that divine energy for human use. They perceive and adapt the Plan for humanity and aid, by their meditative thought, in producing practical ideas that will serve the whole human race.

At the heart of this serving group stand those individuals who use the technique of occult meditation to align themselves consciously with the Hierarchy and thereby reveal the Plan to a needy world. All men and women of goodwill can take part in this great spiritual transition. No matter where an individual may be, he or she can assist in some way to create a better future and by so doing, can become a part of the new group of world servers.

Meditation at the time of the full moon is one important form of service. The full moon each month is a time of intensified energy and of heightened spiritual activity; a time of inspiration, of vision and insight, and of increased opportunity to serve. Meditation at the time of the full moon is a technique for effective contact with the light and love needed today in human affairs. At the time of the full moon festivals, the moon stands on the far side of the earth, away from the sun. This leaves a full, direct and unimpeded relationship between the earth and the sun, the source of our life, energy and consciousness, symbolic of the relationship between the human personality and the soul. The time of the full moon is the high tide of spiritual energies both in the planet and in the world of human thinking. Those who choose to serve this way undertake the mental work of redemption and renewal, transforming and illuminating the inner atmosphere of human consciousness. A subjective alignment with the planetary group of meditators is necessary, in order both to carry forward scientific work of this scope, and to protect the individual from possible overstimulation. The participation of people in many nations increases the effectiveness of this service work through meditation; the group is greater than the sum of its parts.

The pouring in of spiritual energy at the time of the full moon is augmented by the focussed thought of cooperating meditators. This has several effects: it strengthens the subjective relationship among all members of the human kingdom; it also influences the relationship between humanity and all other kingdoms coexisting on this planet. Right human relationships are an indication of right relations between man and man, and between man and God this in turn, clears the way for the emergence of a higher quality of life.

Each month during the full moon the sun is aligned with one of the twelve zodiacal signs. The signs indicate the quality of the subjective energies available for transmission during that month. In the annual cycles humanity as a whole is exposed to the full range of experience. These energies and qualities stimulate the evolution of human consciousness; all zodiacal energies can be used by all individuals.

Conscious work with these various types of spiritual energy brings inspiration and ideas into the reach of human minds and hearts. Meditation, especially in subjective group formation, stimulates a new factor in human awareness–a growing spiritual maturity. This vast, planetary work of world service contributes to the task of spiritually civilising planet Earth.

The science of meditation is based on work with subjective energies. The skilled meditator is able to cooperate in meditation with others in distributing such energies where they are most needed through the power of thought . The primary energy underlying all life on this planet is the energy of love radiating from God, or the One in Whom we live and move and have our being.

Just as the human heartbeat sets the rhythm by which blood circulates through the body, the energy of love flows through life with its own rate and rhythm. In the case of our planet earth, the ebb and flow of love from the heart of the sun is indicated by the cycles of the moon. The time of the full moon is the high tide of the planetary flow simply because the moon is out of the way; it is directly opposite the sun. During the period of the full moon everyone can participate more fully in the flow of divine love while the energy flow is at its peak. Each full moon makes it possible to become a conscious part of a great planetary process–the sweeping tide of energy known as the sixfold progression of divine love.

'This progression begins symbolically in the planetary head centre (Shamballa), the centre of planetary purpose and will, the centre where the will -to-good originates. This will-to-good is transmitted as essential love. From the planetary head centre the stream of love moves to the planetary heart, the spiritual Hierarchy. The Hierarchy is the Kingdom of Souls, the fifth kingdom in nature or the kingdom of God. It is comprised of those who have passed beyond the strictly human stage of evolution to what might be considered the superhuman stage. The Hierarchy is the repository of planetary love and wisdom and formulates the Plan of light and love which implements God's Purpose and draws mankind forward.

As the flow of love reaches the Hierarchy it is focussed into a single point– the heart of love within the Hierarchy, the Christ. 'This is the living Christ, the teacher of angels and men, the eldest within that great family of brothers, humanity. The Christ, standing as the head of the spiritual Hierarchy is the same great world Teacher who is known by many different names in the major world religions.

From the Christ, the stream of divine love flows into the new group of world servers, a group of subjectively linked individuals working in their own place and way to embody the light and love needed in the world today. This group of servers transmits the flow of light and love into the hearts of men and women of goodwill everywhere–those who are responsive to love and to the idea of right human relations.

The flow of love finally emerges into physical expression by means of various focal points through which the Christ can work. A focal point might be, for example, a major planetary centre such as New York, London or Geneva, or a significant world organisation such as the United Nations.

This is the sixfold progression of divine love underlying all meditation. From the centre where the will of God is known, through the spiritual Hierarchy of the planet, through the point at the heart of the Hierarchy, the Christ, from the Christ through the new group of world servers who, in their turn, direct it towards the men and women of goodwill all over the world, and then into human activities on the outer physical plane of life.

Everyone is a part of this living process. Anyone can become a conscious participant in this flow of love, in this subjective planetary reality which underlies the outer world of affairs.

There are essentially two types of meditation–mystical and occult. And both of these differentiate into various meditation techniques.

Mystical forms of meditation depend largely upon an active feeling nature and an intense desire for spiritual union; or for some personal spiritual experience. This type of meditation tends to be introspective and self-centred. Occult meditation, on the other hand, builds upon whatever mystical experience may have occurred, taking the whole idea of meditation a step further. The goal is no longer personal illumination and inspiration, but the right use of the meditative technique to serve in the upliftment and the transformation of the human kingdom and the world in which we live. Occult meditation is a method of cooperating with the process of planetary evolution and planetary redemption.

Today, when so much nonsense and inaccuracies are attributed to the term "occult," it's useful to bear in mind one simple definition. Occultism is the science of energy flow and energy relationships. Occult meditation is a means of consciously and purposefully directing energy from a recognised source to the creation of some specific effect.

It is, of course, quite possible to meditate for selfish, personal goals; to acquire a facility in contacting sources of powerful energies and to utilise those energies for one's own ends, material or subtle. Energy per se is impersonal. It can be used for good or evil ends. The motivation of each individual is the determining factor. And if we seek in meditation to channel the energies of light and love and the will-to-good, these carry their own safeguards from misuse.

The most powerful energy available to us at the present time is that of love. The very nature of love is selfless and harmless. If the inherent qualities of the energies we receive in meditation are not also a part of the quality of the meditator, those energies cannot be safely and effectively transmitted. There's a blockage, a hindrance, in the channel of energy transmission which prevents or deflects the flow of energy and aborts its true usefulness. Effective occult meditation depends on the quality, the motive, the state of consciousness, the spiritual status and the defined purpose of the meditator.

Occult meditation is a mental activity, requiring a condition of alignment, or at-one-ment, between the three aspects of the mind: the lower or concrete mind, the soul, and the higher or abstract mind. This alignment integrates all three aspects of the individual meditator, spirit, soul and body, making available to him the spiritual resources of life, consciousness and form.

By way of this alignment the meditator is also united with the life principle in all things within the planet, and with the soul or consciousness of all manifestation. Thus, alignment is dual; vertical and horizontal. And this creates the basic form of all truly spiritual occult meditation.

Today, the most effective type of occult meditation is called Raja Yoga, the "kingly science of the soul." A yoga is a disciplined way of achieving union or alignment, and a measure of control on some plane of consciousness. Raja Yoga uses the creative imagination, the art of visualisation and the use of a seed thought to exercise and expand the mind into the world of meaning and significance. It is in becoming aware of life's meaning and significance that we train ourselves to function fully as souls in incarnation.

Raja Yoga is for the spiritually awakened individual intent on the right application of all available energy and resources. A typical form of Raja Yoga method of occult meditation might run something like this:

First, find a time and a place where the work can be done without interruption or distraction. Early in the morning is the best time, before the mind becomes preoccupied with the mundane affairs of the day. And daily regularity is important.

Sit in a straight-backed chair with the spine erect, yet with the body comfortable and relaxed. Fold the hands lightly in the lap and cross the ankles. Take a few slow, deep breaths while you empty out of the consciousness any personal matter that tends to cause anxiety or distract attention.

Lift the consciousness, through the creative imagination, to a focal point outside and above the top of the head. See this as the lower mind, the analytical critical mind stilled and quiescent, a quiet pool of light. Project a line of light upwards to the soul centre, seeing the soul as a brilliant sun a radiant source of energy. This is the real spiritual self.

Visualise a further projection of the line of light towards the higher or abstract mind, the lowest aspect of the divine Self. Hold that lighted alignment in the imagination and by visualisation. This should only take a few minutes.

Pause for a moment of interlude, aware of the light and energy of the soul as the central point in consciousness. Then, holding the mind steady in the light, meditate for a few minutes on a seed thought, for example, "Let the soul control the outer form and life and all events. Let love prevail. Let all men love."

Examine the words first with the analytical mind, then seek to penetrate to the real inner meaning. What would it mean if the soul were in control of all life on earth and if love were the energy relating all mankind?

Then visualise the flow and precipitation of energy throughout the planet from the highest point of divine life to its lowest point of physical manifestation.

Pause for a few moments of reflection on the ways and means of working out the energies of light and love in all areas of human life, in all parts of the world.

Finally, acting as a channel for the transmission of energy and as an act of service to humanity, pour out the energies released during the meditation process. Use the Great Invocation to visualise light and love and power irradiating and inspiring human consciousness:

THE GREAT INVOCATION