Each of us (every one in the world) is part of a shared group consciousness; this is not only true for spiritual aspirants but is true for everyone. Each is in a group, and there are many different groups. This is of course true on a physical or cultural level; yet it is also true in the levels of mind and emotion. Overall, everyone here is part of the overall collective world mind – which is simply a convenient term that also includes world emotion as well as the thoughts, ideas and intentions of everyone. The world mind is the world collective pool of mind and emotion, thoughts and desires, etc; which could also be understood as the shared world air-waves that each of us are connected to, contributing to, and also subjectively influenced by, to some degree or another. Yet within this collectively shared world mind are more particularized groups of mind – group enclaves, sort of like particular 'stations' or 'channels', or 'mind-sets', or spheres of shared beliefs and interests, shared ideas and hopes.
And so every one is part of at least one kind of group thinking or group within the overall world mind. In other words, each person is in some kind of shared consciousness – a particular group consciousness. Individuals can also be in multiple groups. But mainly understand that the world mind is made up of many different groups (groups of mind), some of which are interrelated and have common affinity, but many groups being quite different from other groups.
So there is no getting around this fact of being in and part of a particular group mind, or perhaps a few. Yet the majority of people are unconscious of this, or maybe they just have never given this any thought. However, it is possible to more consciously choose one's group, or groups.
From the esoteric spiritual perspective, one of our spiritual aims is to progress from lower groups to higher groups, or in other words, evolve from being unconsciously part of a lower group to being a more conscious participant in a higher group. Now what is meant by lower and higher? – for some people might accuse these teachings of being prejudice or ethically snobbish. This distinction is as follows. A lower group means there is less real consciousness in that group, less integral intelligence and less world-inclusive love in that group. These groups have been called groups (or spheres) of 'consciousness' – but this is relatively speaking. Lower groups really have less consciousness, are less spiritually awake, have less inclusive-love and less integral enlightenment. So our evolutionary potential is to progress/evolve into higher groups, or higher spheres of group consciousness, which will have greater degrees of real consciousness, integral intelligence and inclusive-love. So, other terms meaning the same as 'higher' would be more expansive, inclusive, integral, and generally more enlightened.
Also important to mention is that each participant, in any kind of group mind, has the potential to help raise others in the group, or even raise the whole group, up into a higher group consciousness. Thus, each person can help evolve the others and the whole group mind, as well as him/her self. One does this, first, by individually 'breaking free' from the restrained and limited thinking of one's group thinking. This is the difficult task of breaking free from the group-glue, or group gravity. Second, each person will need to gradually (or quickly) 're-identify' with a higher level of thought. Of course though, there will be others in this group attempting and working towards the same, so this 'evolving sub-group' within one's group will become a shared group-support for each of the individuals working on their own freedom and evolution.
When we awaken to more of the Reality of being and to our inner relationship with all others in life, we will realize that we are interconnected in mind with the whole world. We are especially connected in mind with a unique group, who are our closest spiritual bothers and sisters. This is the 'Group consciousness' we are in.
Everyone is part of a larger Group. This is of course true on a physical or cultural level; but we are speaking here of a Group within the World Mind and within the Hierarchy of souls. But this is only recognized when one has become soul conscious, or when mind connects with the dimension of soul and Hierarchy. Then, in this higher level of consciousness, it is realized that one's mind-consciousness is not alone but is part of a larger Group-consciousness. The lower part of one's mind is sort of a separate mind, though nonetheless influenced a lot by other minds and by culture. But our higher mind, or higher consciousness, is more of a shared mind – our thoughts, ideas, understandings, and higher emotions are shared in a Group consciousness. In other words, we are part of a larger Group.
Everyone is connected and related with the whole wide world and the whole world mind, and so we are all sharing a lot of thought, ideas and emotions. But we each are especially related with and part of a particular Group within the whole World Mind and whole Hierarchy of souls. This is our soul-group, which is the larger soul-consciousness in which we participate. It is made of all those other souls who share in similar awakening, interest, and level of spiritual being.
This can also be understood as a group-mind; which is a shared space of mind and a shared level of mind and heart. This does not mean that there is no individuality of mind, nor does it mean that all those in the shared mind constantly have the same thoughts or have become automatons of the group-mind. No. It just means that all those in the group contribute to this shared pool of mind (and heart) and have access to all ideas, understandings and inspirations in the shared space.
One does not need to specifically know who is in one's Group. Usually, one will not know the physical identity of those in the group, and one might not ever physically meet any of one's Group. It does not really matter. This is a Group Consciousness (of mind and heart). Though it would be wonderful if those in the Group actually got together physical and in physical space, which would help facilitate physical service activity.
So, we are each a part of a Group Mind, or Soul-Group, which is at our own level of the Hierarchy. This is the Group we are in, at our present level of being. But we are also part of a Higher Group of Souls, at the next higher level, and this Higher Group guides and inspires the groups below it. From the Higher Group we can receive very high spiritual inspirations, realizations and visions.
But we can also receive inspiration and helpful realizations from the Soul-Group at our own level. This is the Group Mind from which we can most receive encouraging help, ideas, love, and group strength. This is also the Group in which we are most responsible – for contributing to and working with. So as an opportunity, we each can receive from the Group Consciousness that we are in. And as part of our responsibility, we each can contribute to the Group we are in.
To receive from our Group, all we need is a receptive mind – tuned into a wider mind-consciousness. Open up to the Group Mind. Not to the group mind of one's culture or to the larger conditioned mind, and certainly not to any part of the world mind – since a lot of that is unfortunately distorted. So no, don't just tune into and receive from whatever. Rather, open up to and receive from the highest possible level of thought and heart, and inwardly connect with those of whom we share a similar mind-wave.
By analogy, this is the group we are presently traveling with. This is the boat we are presently on. In other words, we are traveling together in this Group, and we go on further together. We share mind together, in some degree, and also we share heart together. We work together (on the level of consciousness and soul), and we progress together. So what is being examined here is the Group Consciousness that we are in.
Two questions come from this:
Another question is: How can we build more Quality into our Group?
This is a question about what we [the Group] can do, but it is also related to what I can do. The question concerns what kind of Group we hope to create, or what quality of Group. Being more clear about this will help us know how to best contribute to the Group and to the building of the Group.
The Group aim is to develop greater spiritual love, wisdom, and power. This is the Group aim and its goal. As we develop greater love and wisdom in our Group, there is then more love and wisdom to share with each other. The Group becomes a reservoir of love and wisdom. Then, each soul-person in the Group has an opportunity to receive from this group-reservoir of pooled love and wisdom, whenever individually needed. This is the beautiful usefulness of being part of an inner spiritual Group; that we can givingly contribute to the Group Consciousness by adding forth our own love and wisdom, whenever we are able, and thereby add to the group's quality of the spiritual energy, but then receive love and wisdom when needed, when thirsty in need. So the energies built into the Group Consciousness, of which each person contributes, becomes like a reservoir of healing water when especially needed by each person. Thus, more love and wisdom is built into the Group, by the love and wisdom contributed by each person.
Love is the spiritual energy which brings people together into unity, cooperation, sharing, and synthesis. Wisdom is an understanding of spiritual principles and spiritual purposes. Principles help to guide right decision and action. Knowing purpose helps one to be more in alignment with the Divine Will and also guides our direction.
The Group is also building its own spiritual power, which is its power to be spiritually effective in the world. Power is often mistakenly thought to be unspiritual; but we need spiritual power to be spiritually effective. Thus, a more powerful spiritual Group, on the inner level of Mind, will be more effective, more spiritually influential in the world; which is needed to at least counterbalance, if not overcome, the many negative powers and influences in the world. Spiritual power is importantly related to spiritual will– which is the power of goodwill in action. Will is our power to do, and goodwill is having a spiritual-loving will – which can be effective in making positive changes in the world.
So, in our Group we give effort to building more love, wisdom, and spiritual power (or spiritual goodwill) in our Group, which then becomes a reservoir of spiritual energy to draw from when needed, but also this is what our Group shares with the world. Our Group shares with the rest of the world, through and in the dimension of the World Mind, its quality and degree of love, wisdom, and good-will. Our Group also helps to inspire other groups and other people on its periphery of relatedness. Remember that an important aspect of the spiritual Work is to inspire – which is like bringing the love-flame to others, or igniting the love, wisdom and goodwill that is spiritually inherent in them. The third aspect of spiritual groups, (besides sharing and inspiring love, wisdom and goodwill), is the work of healing.
Also to build in our Group are spiritual ideas and visions. These are subtopics of spiritual wisdom. Most simply, we can add more spiritual thought into our Group Sphere. The Group is a shared reservoir of higher ideas, which come forth from higher intuitional thinking. We are really talking about truths and understandings. The first kind of spiritual ideas are intuitionally discovered Principles – which are fundamental truths about the Cosmos, God, life, world, or oneself. The second kind of spiritual ideas are realized Aims, Goals, or Visions – of what can be possible. For instance, we might have a Vision as to what is spiritual possible or spiritually meant to be. Or perhaps we realize a spiritual Aim, which is possible to achieve, though not without effort. This kind of realization – of a spiritual Vision or a spiritual Goal – is also related to our realization of spiritual Purpose. For the Goal is a way to fulfill this higher Purpose; and the Vision is a seeing of the Goal fulfilled in some manner. The third kind of spiritual ideas are practical ideas about how-to-manifest spiritual Aims or Visions. These practical ideas are no less spiritual than our realizations of Principles and Visions.
So, in summary, those connected in the same Group Sphere of consciousness can each contribute to the overall quality and higher energies of the whole Group. The Group consciousness, or Group sphere, is made from what its individuals bring to it. Nothing is 'taken' from each individual; or in other words, the individual loses nothing and still maintains individuality and freedom. Yet the Group consciousness builds from the many individuals, from who they all are in consciousness and beingness, and from all that they give to the Group in love, wisdom-thought, and inspirational spiritual will. The Group is built from what its individuals contribute to it.
The quality and level of spiritual consciousness and realization that makes up the Group consciousness then becomes a Group power in the world, via its inspiring influence in the overall World Mind (which is the collective sum of all individual and group thought, love and motive). The Group sphere of consciousness becomes a synergistic power in the overall mental and emotional energies of the whole world; and this Group power is greater than any single individual power.
Now again, we must remember that power is not something that spiritual people ought to avoid; on the contrary, spiritual minds and hearts Need to collectively come together, first of all subjectively-mentally then secondly objectively-physically. This is needed because the spiritual mind and heart Needs to be heard and felt in the world, and needs to be effective and influential in the world; otherwise, those individuals and groups with a self-centered and uncaring motive and a thirst for power-over others will continue to dominate in the world – not only dominating the physical and economic structures, but also dominating the mind set and subjective realm of the world.
So, spiritual power, or power from the good, or good-will, or the
power of love and wisdom, must become a stronger synergistic power of
influence in the world. This is a power to spiritually influence and
to spiritually inspire the rest of humanity, by way of love and
goodwill that is vibrationally resonated out from each sphere of
spiritual Group consciousness. We are not trying to dominate anyone,
nor force anyone, nor manipulate anyone. Rather, we are offering a
new and higher kind of consciousness – which is an inclusive,
expansive love consciousness supplemented by an integral holistic
wisdom and realization of divine purposes and principles.
Now, to the extent that the Group, or anyone in that Group, leaps into a greater consciousness or realization, and develops a much greater intensification of the will-to-serve, then this Group (or individual in it) will be raised up into the next level of Hierarchy, thus entering into a joining with a next higher level of Group consciousness. Therefore, as part of the structure and principle of Hierarchy, each individual as well as each collective Group has opportunity to progress/evolve up the levels of Hierarchy. And at each step upward is an ever-wider expansive consciousness, which is evermore inclusive of all other souls. Such is the esoteric truth.
Meditation can be used for world service – in other words, for helping to transform and evolve the overall consciousness of humanity. This includes the mental and emotional 'spheres' of humanity, because meditation is effective both mentally and emotionally.
But there is an even greater power in group meditation when people unite in a group effort to use meditation for world transformation. This is known as 'esoteric group service'. It is 'esoteric' because it is hidden from ordinary view. Outward (exoteric) service is of course also needed; world transformation requires actual physical work and social action, as it cannot occur by just spiritual thought. But there is a great power in group meditational work, due to the power of vibrational resonance and group synergy, when combined together with the great power of mind and thought. Thus, the synergistic power of group meditation is an important aspect in world transformation.
So what is the needed intentional
work?
First, work with the power of Invocation. Ask (or
pray) the Light of God to bring enlightened understanding, wisdom,
and a more holistic intelligence into the minds of humanity, men and
women. See God's Vision of ALL people awakened in their spiritual
being, realizing greater purposes in life, and using their
intelligence for the benefit of others
Ask God's Love to bring into the hearts of humanity an inclusive, compassionate, and caring love for ALL people, even those once viewed as enemies or as in the wrong. See God's Vision of ALL people loving one another, caring for each other, and helping every person feel safe, loved, and free to pursue their happiness.
Ask for God's Power to transform the separative wills of humanity into united spiritual wills, for the benefit of the larger whole, and aligned with higher spiritual purposes. Ask that God's Will become our human will; for our own self and for all.
The second aspect of the work, evocation, is to mentally see, or to visualize, a better world – a world with greater harmony, peace, love, caring, and a greater holistic intelligence towards bringing our social and political decisions more in harmony with the immanent reality of Nature. See what is possible, then will it to be.
Together, we can use the energies of Will. We can participate in the Divine Will. This is our power and capacity for Evocation, which is to use the power of our will and intentional visualization. Primarily, evocation is our use of mental will. Mind is the meta-physical medium for creativity and transformation of energies. Mind has vision and can visualize. Will is our power-force to direct the mind. Or metaphysically, Will is the power to decide and manifest, using the ideas and visions within Mind.
We can be the agents of God, the agents of this creative power. In other words, those spiritually evolved also have great potential spiritual power, or greater creative power, because of their finer alignment with the Divine Will; so can be powerful transforming creative agents in the realm of humanity. Potentially, we are all creative agents for the Will of God, and this power of Will can come right through us. But even more significant is if we can reach a consciousness of actually being the one who wills, as a conscious agent for the One with Will.
In Group consciousness, or together in a Group, pool together all of this Group consciousness and will, towards the Goal of humanity's spiritual enlightenment and evolution. Each united group consciousness, combined with the united group will, and thirdly combined with the united group love, will produce a great synergistic power to transform the world. The united group, if aligned with and inspired by the greater Divine Will, will produce transforming results.
The key is to be working from the Greater Will to help spiritually awaken and inspire love in all humanity. We work from being in the Divine Will, working from that ultimate Good-Will, and being aligned in the highest Divine Purpose. We do this as best as we can, as best as we are capable at this time, and we do this with the spirit of goodwill and service to all life.
From being in the Divine Love, we become radiant hearts of love, becoming like chalices of love pouring out to all humanity, nourishing the hearts of men and women with the healing waters of love. We allow the love we know and the love we are to spread across the whole earth. This Love, which we are consciously in, and which we are consciously sharing, has a resonating effect throughout the whole world; such that our expressed love inspires and evokes love in many others. This is the power of Divine Love, which brings everyone in humanity together in One Love and one Unity of Spirit.
From being in the Divine Light, radiate this Light out to humanity, to awaken the intelligences of men and women, and also to dispel false illusions, hatreds and bigotries, and evil desires (these are the unfortunate skewed desires of man to harm others). [evil is whatever harms or goes against the sacredness of life]
The esoteric work at this time is a work involving meditation and consciousness, for the evolution of all humanity. Each participant in this esoteric work will use their own realized and actualized powers of soul. These are the powers of light, love, and spiritual will (or the will-to-good). These essential three Rays of Divine Being are given to us, according to our ableness to receive and assimilate them into our conscious being. The esoteric worker consciously and intentionally uses these three divine energies for the purpose of world evolution.
Yet it should be realized in this meditation work that each of the Ray-aspects come from the Universal Being (God). For we are, essentially, channeling the Divine Energies (of Light, Love, and Will) into the minds, hearts, and wills of humanity, through our own being and consciousness. And this spiritual work is made more powerful by Group-synergy, the Group effect; as the many individual workers subjectively connect in mind, then work synergistically together as a Group.
Each soul-conscious worker, and the Group at a higher level, radiates (sends out) each Ray-energy from their own being (or the combined being of the Group) – as received from the Universal Divine Being, the One in Whom we are. We can only radiate out what we already are and conscious of. So we send out (share) the Light, Love, and Good-Will from our own being.
Light comes through our consciousness. This Light awakens our own mind and intelligence, but it can also be shared and radiated out to many others. In fact, the very nature of Light is to radiate out. So, to the degree that we ourselves have a lightened mind (an enlightened consciousness/intelligence), this degree of Light can be shared abroad throughout the world, awakening minds and dispelling illusions. For this Light that awakens our mind will also awaken the minds of humanity; though this is only being offered, not imposed. This is an important part of the esoteric work (a work that is not merely for one's own self).
Love too can be shared and radiated out to many others, as part of the esoteric work. But this cannot happen unless we already know and have love in our being. We can only radiate the light and love that we actually have, so these energies have to come through our own being, and they are only offered, not imposed.
Love is in everyone already, but in each person's potential (which is one's soul). Love is already in the very core of our being, in the core of our heart centre, because Love is a primary essence of Divine Being that is also inherent in each human being. Yet this innermost Love may not yet be realized, just as a child may not yet realize his or her full potentials. From the perspective of the Infinite Divine Knower, we are all children in the process of realization and actualization.
So each person already has Love, but this Love needs awakening or realization. And what can awaken this inner Spiritual Love in people is our shared love; for love awakens love. Similarly, a shared light awakens the inner potential light of others; as one consciousness can awaken many consciousness', as one mind can awaken many minds.
Anyone having at least some degree of love-realized might understand that their love was once dim but is now brighter, was once hidden but is now much more expressive. So love can be, from its core potential within us, progressively discovered, realized, and expressed. Yet everyone knows that their own realization of love owes tribute to those who gave their love, so that one could feel and know they were loved. Most usually this love comes from others, to evoke in us the knowing that we are loved. But this experience of being loved can also come from a spiritual source, or essentially from God.
The point here is that our own love has been inspired from either other people or from the God; so that we can be grateful for the love we received, which evoked in us a greater experience of love. Thus in the esoteric meditation, our sincerely felt love for others, and even for all people, is transmitted-radiated outward and can be felt by those people, which will then provide for them an inner experience of being loved and also help awaken the underlying love inherent within them.
So the first realization of love is the experience of being loved. This first might be given by another person, most especially from one's mother, but then by other relatives, friends, boyfriends or girlfriends. Yet this experience of being loved takes another leap forward when it is realized as coming from God, the Universal Being in Whom we live. Universal God is beyond gender, but it could still be experienced distinctly as either God or Goddess. This is the spiritual realization of love, which might even be experienced as 'being in Love Itself'.
The second realization of love, or second phase of love, is the awakening of loving. This is the will-to-love that is inherent within us, which is now being realized and brought into activity. This is the love impulse within us, which is to love others, to be connected with others and give to others. It has a lot to do with our growing realization of being spiritually related with everyone and all lives; of being in essential unity with everyone and all life.
Hence, our esoteric radiance of love to all others on earth involves these two modes of love. First, our own knowing of being loved can help people realize that they too are loved. Second, our will-to-love or loving-good-will, our energy of love towards others, not only helps others realize they are loved, but it also inspires their own inherent will-to-love, which is their spiritual will.
This now brings us to the power of spiritual will, or the will-to-good, which we can also radiate out to others, and which can also inspire or awaken the spiritual will in others. Our good-will is our will to help all life have what they need to have a finer existence. This we send out with our will. We will this to be. We ask God and the higher powers to help, which is invocation, but also we will it to be from our own power of will, since will is a power we have as given from the Divine. And we use this power for good; which is to use our power for God. In addition, our will is that the Divine Light of Intelligence awaken all of humanity, and that the realization of Divine Love (in Unity) be shared by all.
Thus, the power of spiritual will is a doing; or it is an energy that motivates doing. Yet with spiritual will, doing is always for the greater good, not merely for one's own personal gain. This is what distinguishes spiritual will from ego will. Therefore, spiritual will is an energy that activates doing, and as part of this is the activation of good intention, the intention to do good. As well, spiritual will is related to Divine Purpose; because any intention, will, or doing shall have a corresponding purpose involved. This is why we need to align our will with the highest Purpose that we can know, which then connects us to the higher Divine Will.
Lastly to mention is that spiritual will is also intrinsically related to self-sacrifice. In some esoteric teachings, spiritual will is even called the will-to-sacrifice. But this does not have to be a morbid or unhealthy sacrifice of oneself. Each person is as important and dignified as everyone else, so no one person needs to sacrificed for the good of other people, including our own self. Instead, the meaning of spiritual self-sacrifice is to sacrifice one's own little ego and its ego self-centered desires, in order to serve the higher Divine Purpose and Will of God. So we are not sacrificing our self for other people, specifically, but rather for the Divine, its Purpose and Will. Thus, we enter into participation in a much greater Work, than merely the work of satisfying our little self.