Dark Robes, Dark Brothers by Hilarion

(Please buy the book, it is very good.)

Chapter One
The Background
The purpose of this small booklet is to show the nature
and the purpose of what has been called the Dark
Brotherhood, and to discuss some of the techniques which
they are permitted to utilize in order to draw human souls
away from their purpose. The dark ones do not seek to cast
any soul "into hell", as the popular religious notion has it.
Rather, they act as testing agents for the race of man, as
forces whose task it is to weed out from among the human
flock the souls whose dedication, wisdom and insight are
not developed enough to allow them to move forward into
the higher ground of spiritual achievement.
This can be compared to the effect of the wolf on a herd of
caribou. Among the caribou are the old, the sick, the
congenitally weak specimens. The wolf attacks only these
defective caribou, and would never think of wasting its
energy trying to chase or bring down healthy specimens.
By weeding out the weaker ones, the wolf ensures that the
herd remains strong.
So it is with the Dark Brotherhood. They know that many
human souls would not be taken in by their seductions,
that many individuals can perceive clearly whenever
attempts are made to draw them away from the light. But
they know too that multitudes of incarnated individuals on
the earth have allowed the attractions of pleasure and
materialism to sway them, have permitted the negative
emotions of hatred, resentment, grief, worry and self-pity
to cloud their days. And it is against these stragglers that
most of the Dark Brotherhood's efforts are directed. They
can only influence those who allow them the necessary
access, and they would not waste their energy on souls
who remain firm in the truth.
We will speak first about the origin of the entities which
we call the Dark Brothers. The early phase of the human
race is far different from that which is believed by
scientists. Man thinks that he evolved upwardly from
unicellular creatures which appeared in the primaeval
swamps of a slowly cooling earth many hundreds of
millions of years ago. It is true that a number of the
simpler animal life-forms were allowed to develop
through natural selection from such primitive beginnings,
but we stress that the evolutionary process as outlined by
Darwin and others is an extremely limited technique for
the development of life-forms. Almost all of the forms that
evolved through natural selection from unicellular
creatures are now extinct, and those that have continued to
the present are mainly of the lizard variety - all being cold-
blooded creatures of relatively simple metabolism and
with no prospect of ever evolving into forms capable of
the emotional or mental experiences of man.
By contrast, all warm-blooded life-forms on this planet
have been "seeded" onto the surface of the planet and
originate   in other parts of the galaxy. In many cases,
specimens were deliberately brought to earth in space
vehicles, and left to procreate on their own. This was the
case for most of the early root-races of man, although in at
least one case a root-race was developed on the earth itself
by genetic engineers who were from another star-system,
using certain techniques now recognized by man and
called "cloning".
We have digressed briefly in order to sketch the real
beginnings of man on this planet, because it is important
to realize that man has been the recipient of many
additions and inputs from other levels and other parts of
this galaxy. One of the most significant additions to
humanity occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago,
when entities from a higher plane - an astral one - came to
the earth, took on certain - physical forms, and interbred
with man as he then was. As a result of this miscegenation
between the groups, a number of mutations occurred in the
offspring, some times giving rise to creatures which would
be looked upon now as quite fantastical. Among the
mutations was one change which had extremely profound
consequences for the human race: this was what Edgar
Cayce referred to as the acquisition of the soul. To explain
that concept, we must point out that, until this time of
cross-breeding, the human group did not know death. This
too will seem quite incredible to many readers, but it may
help to understand that mankind then did not have the
same dense corporeality as the animals did and still do. It
was not necessary to go through an aging process similar
to that which man now knows, because the bodies were
capable of deriving from the ambience itself all the
necessary energies to sustain life indefinitely. This was
aided to a considerable extent by the -presence, in the
atmosphere of the earth at the time, of a large quantity of
the inert gas Xenon amounting to some 3% of the total.
The rejuvenation of all bodies was also made possible by
the fact that the human race was not then subject to the
many negative emotional states which are now common.
Greed, self-pity, hatred, anger, remorse - all of these were
unknown. The damage which these negative emotions do
to present physical bodies is incalculable. If man only
understood that the aging and premature death now so
prevalent is largely due to his negative emotions, he would
surely make some attempt to stop them. But humanity has
blinded itself to this truth, as to so many others. Most
individuals think it is "right" to bear resentment against
someone they believe has harmed them, that they ought to
hate someone who hates them, and that they have every
justification to feel sorry for themselves, or to worry
excessively, or to grieve when parted from a loved one -
never realizing that not a single positive effect can ever
flow from such negative emotional states. For example,
not only does hatred not harm or debilitate one's "enemy",
it actually causes damage to the one doing the hating,
while feeding strength to the opponent. The only way to
disarm one's so-called enemy is to love him, for only in
this way can the feud be sapped of the emotion that was
feeding it. Without the negative feed-back, the enmity
disappears for want of sustenance. So it is too with the
other dark emotions: all of these harm the person
harboring them; none of them produces any positive result
whatever.
Again we have digressed, but we did not wish to miss the
opportunity to stress the true explanation of man's physical
ills, in the hope that some readers of this small book will
be encouraged to change the patterns of negativity and
despair with which their lives are marked. We have said
previously that one of the most significant results of the
time of cross-breeding between man and the group which
came to the earth from the astral planes was the
acquisition by man of a soul. This requires a further
explanation, relating to the idea of permanence.
One of the qualities which is sought by all entities through
the experience of incarnation on the physical plane is the
ability to exist apart from any need for a body. This ability
was not possessed by individual human beings at the
epoch in question. It was a characteristic of the human
family as a whole, but not of the individual fragments into
which- the human life-stream had divided itself. In order
to allow the individual fragments to acquire this quality of
permanence without a physical body, there had first to be
an experience of the body itself. By living for an extended
period in a physical body (even one of less density than
the present vehicle), the individual fragments of the
human life-stream would learn to gather their essence,
their uniqueness, around the body itself - in a sense to
rectify their individual essence with reference to the
physical body. It was intended that the human life-stream -
which prior to its appearance on the earth as man was far
more "amalgamated", far more homogenous and blended
together than it is now - should learn through this initial
phase to differentiate itself into separate but coherent
individuals. Up until the time of the cross-breeding
already mentioned, the process had not been completed. If
the different fragments of the human life-stream had given
up their physical bodies simultaneously, they would all
have been drawn back together into a single unit of spirit-
stuff, because they would not have acquired the necessary
self-picture or self-realization to enable them to remain
apart from each other.
The matter can be compared to the physical substance,
water. If a cup of water is tossed high into the air, it will
disperse into thousands of individual droplets and come
down to earth as a spray. But if all these droplets were
again to be collected in another container, they would
amalgamate into a single mass of water, and thus lose their
individuality.
However, if during the trajectory of rising and falling, a
cold blast of air should suddenly freeze the individual
droplets into particles of ice, then they would not merge
together when again collected. It is a process comparable
to that freezing into ice which was intended to take place
for the human life-stream.
The parallel can be carried a step further. The freezing of
the droplets into ice particles causes them to become
colder. In an analogous sense, the first effect of the
"freezing" of individual human fragments was to make
them emotionally colder toward each other. The warmth
of emotional affection and love would have promoted a
"melting" of the now more rigid self-ness of each
individual, and there fore this had to be avoided until a
stronger cast of individuality could be moulded.
As the aeons passed, the individuality of each fragment
did become stronger, but only in the last few thousands of
years has it solidified - to the point where it is no longer
dangerous to allow true love and affection to flower
between members of the human family. That is why the
major teaching of the most recent Way-Showers, including
Jesus of Nazareth, has been that of Love for all. But we
have got ahead of our story, for we have not explained in
detail how the step of "freezing" the individual fragments
of the human life-stream was accomplished. It is this
process which has been called the "gift of the soul".
When the cross-breeding between the human and the other
group produced offspring with a parent in - each group,
the offspring all had the one capability which human
beings then lacked: the facility to remain focused and
individualized without the aid of the physical body. This
was due to the fact that the entities that ensiled the
offspring were not part of the human life-stream, but
rather were beings from another star system who had
asked for and received permission to incarnate on the earth
through the mutant bodies that were then created.
For reasons which can now be explained, a decision was
then taken by the guides of the human life-stream - to
allow a speeding up of the individualizing process for
human beings, to bring them quickly to the point where
they could exist apart and separate from their physical
bodies. One of the reasons was to allow the beginning of
the reincarnation scheme, in which human entities would
live repeated lives in different bodies and would sojourn in
the astral realms between earthly lives. However, until
each human entity became capable of retaining a separate
existence   apart from the physical body, without allowing
itself to be drawn back and absorbed by the life-stream as
a whole, it was not possible to allow the death experience
to begin. And of course, without death, rebirth into the
physical level could not take place.
The reason for wishing to initiate the death/rebirth pattern
was related to the various effects which the astral group
was having upon mankind, both during and after the cross-
breeding. These entities were of many levels in terms of
their understanding of the cosmic laws, and some of them
were extremely base in vibration, motivated solely by
selfish concerns. These latter proceeded to teach to the
more innocent human group many techniques relating to
the manipulation of others, hypnotism, and selfish pursuits
- so that the original purity of mankind was rapidly
becoming debased. It was recognized by humanity's
guides that the only way to short-circuit this downward
spiral which had been initiated by the astral group was to
cut off the physical lives of men through death, to take
them into the astral realms for higher teachings and a
purging away of the dross of selfishness and materialism
resulting from the physical existence just ended, and then
to arrange for rebirth into the physical plane with the loss
of complete memory regarding the earlier lives.
Once the decision was taken, it remained to decide how
the necessary additional individuating force could be
applied to mankind. Because of the part which the fallen
astral entities had played in the Temptation of man, it was
decided that a portion of each of the ones who had
engineered the debauchery would be removed from them,
and then distributed among all of the human beings, in
proportions which were just sufficient to allow each
human entity to hold itself together as an independent unit.
Although this distribution did succeed in bolstering the
self-picture of humans to the necessary degree, it also had
a negative effect: by incorporating into each human being
a small part of one of the fallen beings, there was planted
in each human a seed of negativity that could, unless
purified and cleansed, lead to a downward spiral for that
human entity.
The plan was explained fully to the human group before it
was implemented, and all human entities agreed. It was
promised that, in order to compensate for the addition of
the negative "seeds" to mankind, other members of the
astral group ones that had not taken part in the cross
breeding - would act as guides and guardians for human
beings up until the end of the reincarnation arrangement.
Among the astral beings whose vibrations were
particularly low were several that could not be fragmented
in the manner just described. They were the main
instigators of the debauchery and the evil teachings that
were conveyed to mankind, and for the part they played,
the karmic burden was very heavy. These beings were
allowed to "serve" the advancement of the human race in
another way: by directing a Brotherhood whose duty it
would be to try again and again to tempt man away from
purity and spiritual advancement. The function of these
entities would be to draw the weaker specimens off the
path, so that those who remained strong could constitute a
group of uniformly dedicated entities - who had passed
through the tests of selfishness and materialism and had
won. The Brotherhood is that which we have called the
Dark Brotherhood.
Although the worst of the fallen astral beings did not
contribute fragments to the individuating of the human
race, there were others whose vibrations were also
extremely low, and who did contribute. There was then a
problem as to how to decide which of the human group
would receive these particularly dark fragments. It was
realized that any who allowed such darkness into
themselves ran a greater risk of failure because of the
darkness within. It was decided   that any who volunteered
to accept the darkest fragments   would be helped in two
ways: 1) they would also receive a fragment from one of
the astral beings who had not fallen and Who had
remained pure, and 2) they would be given special help
throughout their series of incarnations.
There are still human beings on the earth now who were
these special volunteers. They are generally those who
appear to have more "essence" or "spirit" than others.
Often they are responsible for the greatest good - and the
greatest evil. Some among them lost the battle which they
had assumed, and became the worst of men. Others
succeeded, and became the best.
The Black Brotherhood drew its members mainly from the
astral entities who had fallen but some of them are souls
who were originally human, who had received the
powerful dark fragments along with the light, and who had
allowed the temptations of materialism and selfishness to
draw them into the downward spiral. They had enough
unified essence (as a result of the extra contributions) to
remain individualized even in the very difficult vibrations
where the Dark Brotherhood are confined - an
environment which most human souls could not bear. We
have mentioned the confinement of the Dark Brother
hood, and this will be explained in the next chapter.
Chapter Two
Where They Are
There are many regions in the astral realms which are
distinct from one another. Some levels are full of light and
the warmth of spiritual wisdom; others are permeated by
the darkness of despair and the chill of hatred and revenge.
The latter regions are small in comparison with the former,
and are the locations where the coarsest souls and entities
are either drawn or confined.
The darker levels are all akin to the earth plane in
vibration. Because of this vibrational similarity, the
influence of the dark inhabitants upon those in incarnation
on the earth is particularly strong. For example, many
souls who die after a life of drunkenness and debauchery
are attracted to the lowest of the astral areas, and from
there can influence and, in a sense, obsess those who are
still alive.
Their victims are only those who suffer from the same
weaknesses, and who frequent bars, brothels and other
locations of coarseness and debauch. The discarnate souls
attach themselves to their victims, from the astral side, and
are enabled to participate vicariously in the old habits by
urging these unfortunates to indulge as they also had once
done.
However such human souls are not confined to the lowest
and darkest astral levels. If at any time they are able to
raise their vibrations and spiritual insight high enough to
gain access to the lighter and warmer levels, then they are
welcomed into those levels. We stress here that the matter
is automatic. The darkened soul of low vibration literally
could not gain access to the higher astral realms while he
remains at a base vibration. To place him in such a high
frequency would cause him great pain and suffering - due
to the mismatch between his basic nature and that of the
higher astral realm. Therefore, he would immediately
return to the darker abodes, where the pain is less. It is
only by raising one's vibrations to match those at the high
er astral levels that any soul can gain access to them.
In the case of the Dark Brotherhood, however, there is an
important difference. The entities in that brotherhood are
able to shield themselves from the pain of existing in a
field of light and love, because of certain mental
techniques which are known to them. These techniques
would allow them to have access to all of the astral realms
as well as to the physical plane, if there were not some law
restraining their movements. There is such a law, and it
had to be decreed because of the danger which these
entities represented to the vulnerable human souls on the
earth plane and those sojourning between lives on the
astral. In the case of these dark entities, a superior force
was brought into play which normally does not permit
their free movement, but which can be suspended under
certain circumstances. This force fully restrains all of the
dark brothers, and is such that they cannot annul it. We
have spoken of the suspension of the restraining force
under particular circumstances, and we now wish to
explain this concept further.
Previously in this dissertation we pointed out that the Dark
Brothers had an important function to fill with regard to
the human race, namely to test and weed out the weaker
specimens: those without the resolve and insight to allow
them to advance to higher spiritual realms by increasing
their vibrations. We emphasize that, at the time of the
setting up of the Dark Brotherhood, human beings were by
no means all equal in characteristics. Some had developed
great wisdom and insight through the efforts put forth in
the long experience since their beginning on the earth;
others had never bothered to investigate the purpose and
goal of their sojourn in the material plane, and were
possessed of very little insight or discrimination. The
function of the Dark Ones was and is to facilitate the
division between those wishing and able to advance and
those who have doomed themselves to failure.
In order to allow the Dark Brotherhood to carry out its
function, it is necessary to allow its members under certain
conditions - to gain access to other planes and regions that
are normally denied them. The permission, however, must
be properly requested and then granted. The matter is
never solely up to the Dark Brothers themselves. When the
Dark Brotherhood asks to be allowed into a given plane, it
must present its reasons, and it must offer something in
return to the White Brotherhood, which is the broad term
defining the Spiritual Hierarchy of this planet. For
example, we at this level are a part of the White
Brotherhood.
Generally, any specific request coming from the Dark
Brotherhood and which involves actions or access
normally not allowed them, must be accompanied by an
offer of equivalent advantage for the White Brotherhood.
These offers are then considered by the Hierarchy, which
may or may not give its assent to the exchange. The final
decision is made at a very high plane, effectively beyond
the level of any commitment to one side or the other. To
be specific with an example, there was a point during the
early development of this channel, back when it was still
largely a pendulum technique, that the Dark Brotherhood
decided to attempt to destroy the channel. They knew that
it was our plan to upgrade the channel into a telepathic
one, and they knew too that we had planned to write
several books through this instrument. At one of the
meetings between the White and the Dark groups, held
usually every full moon, the Dark Brother who was then
the spokesman proposed that they be given access to the
channel exclusively for a period of three weeks, so that
they could attempt to steer the channel away from his
spiritual direction. In return they offered to allow us to
speak directly through several of their channels, thus
giving us the opportunity of affecting a number of souls
who had allowed themselves to become mesmerized by
certain earth personalities who were of negative purpose.
We had no concern over the dedication of our contact, and
for this reason we accepted the offer at our level - even
though we knew the odds against fully rescuing the
trapped souls were great. However, the final determination
had to be made from the higher level mentioned before,
and therefore the plan was submitted for a decision. The
exchange was allowed, and as a result, the pendulum
channel was handed over to the Dark Brotherhood to do
with what they wished, without informing our contact. The
agreement stipulated that the Dark Brotherhood could not
do any thing to the substance of the channel, i.e. the fine
material from which the link was at that time forged. They
could only act through the information which the channel
carried. In order to protect the various bodies of our
contact from the negative vibrations available in the astral
region of confinement for the Dark Brothers, a filter was
attached to the linking conduit along which the
information travelled.
At first, our contact was confused by the answers which
were being given. The Dark Brotherhood attempted
initially to sound like us, but could not fully accomplish
that deception. After a few days, it occurred to our contact
that the control of his channel might have shifted, and so
he asked directly the nature of the source then
manipulating the other end. It had been agreed that in
answer to a direct question, the Dark Brothers would have
to admit to their identity, and this occurred.
We were interested to observe that, rather than simply
cease to use his channel, our contact decided to take
advantage of the opportunity to learn as much as he could
about the Dark Brothers, by asking questions of the one
who was responsible for the other end of the link. Because
the Dark Brothers realized that there was now no hope of
succeeding in their attempt to steer him away from the
light, they went along with his wishes and provided all of
the information he wanted. Our contact had rightly-
concluded that the turning over of his channel to the Dark
Brothers had been part of an agreement of some kind, and
assumed that at a later point the link would be re-
established with us. This did happen some three weeks
later, but in the meantime many pages of notes had been
collected through the willingness of the dark entity to co-
operate.
Another instance of an exchange between Dark and Light
Brotherhoods is recounted in Other Kingdoms, in relation
to a letter which our contact attempted to write to another
person who had been channeling the messages of a
mischievous and malevolent entity belonging to the Dark
Brotherhood. The entity was one who had been
responsible for so much pain and destruction at the time of
the Temptation of humanity, that it had been forced to
undergo the suppression of its own mental faculty. It is
thus incapable of rational thought by itself, and can only
think clearly when it has attached itself to the mind of
someone in incarnation who has allowed it in. This
parasitic arrangement had been in effect for some years by
the time the victim became aware of the writings through
this channel. Because of a similarity between the name to
which these writings are attributed and the name claimed
by the evil entity, the entity's victim decided to send to our
contact certain of the writings which the dark brother had
transmitted. After weeks of receiving this unsolicited
information, our contact finally decided to write to the
other channel and explain his misgivings about the
information coming through.
When the evil entity became aware of the plan to write
such a letter, it immediately petitioned for permission to
make a direct attempt to stop him, requiring the right to
invade the home in which he lives. This request was
considerable, and amounted to more than is usually either
asked for or granted. Because of what was being asked,
the White Brotherhood required a substantial offer in
return. We are not permitted to explain what was offered,
but it was accepted, and has allowed us to reach many
thousands of souls which we otherwise would not have
been able to influence. Again in this instance we were not
concerned about our contact. Even if the entity had
managed to put a halt to the letter, we were certain that it
would not be able to deflect our contact from his path. In
the end, our contact was able to complete the letter, after
commanding the entity, in the name of the Christ, to
begone. The remaining details are available in the book,
Other Kingdoms.
In the next two chapters, we will describe the main areas
of influence which the Dark Brotherhood exerts upon
those incarnate on the earth.
Chapter Three
Preying Upon the Average Person
The influence which the Dark Brothers have upon average
individuals is very widespread. It reaches from the depths
of the depravity which is found in brothels and drinking
dens, all the way to the boardrooms of large companies
and the highest levels of government.
In essence, what the Dark Brothers are able to do is to fan
into life the red embers which were taken into each human
being at the time when the "gift of permanence" was
conveyed. This we have already explained. Because the
gift entailed adding to each human entity part of the
essence of one of the fallen beings, these same beings,
now of the Dark Brotherhood, are readily able to tune
themselves to the vibrations of any human soul that has
allowed itself to be colored strongly by the negative
qualities of the "seed" which was taken in.
Through this attunement between a human being and a
Dark Brother, a magnification of the effect of that negative
seed can take place. This is the origin of the concept that,
just as each human soul has its guardian angel, so too it
has its own "demon" or fallen angel. Strictly speaking this
is not true, since the essence of a given one of the fallen
beings is distributed between a large number of humans.
However the notion that a given human soul is more
susceptible to the influence of one particular evil entity
than of others is in general true, for the reason that we
have now explained.
When the plan to distribute fragments of the fallen beings
among humans was adopted, it was expected that the
human entities would strive to purify and cleanse the dark
seeds that were then implanted. Many have indeed
accomplished this purification, and such individuals are
far less susceptible to the whisperings of the Dark
Brothers than are their fellows who have never attempted
to eradicate the darkness within.
The whisperings we have just mentioned fall generally
into three categories. Each attempts to spur the human soul
toward a particular action or thought which leads away
from soul-advancement, and which, followed far enough,
would lock that human being into a downward spiral from
which it could not escape.
The first category we wish to discuss relates to violence,
aggression and loss of temper. In its ultimate
manifestation, this category of influence brings war on a
large scale. It is not an inherent part of the human make-
up, as originally created, to feel the hostility and hatred
that are now seen so often in the world. These feelings
have been introduced due to the combined effect of the
dark seeds taken in at the time of the "gift of permanence",
together with the influence of the planet which man calls
Mars. We have already explained, in The Nature of
Reality, that the red planet harbors an immense thought-
form of hatred and aggression which can strongly
overshadow thoughts and events on the earth whenever it
comes to a close approach to this planet. These two
factors, spurred by the constant efforts of the Dark
Brotherhood to fan the flames of bitterness and hostility
between men, have been sufficient to allow warfare and
violence on an unprecedented scale to sweep over this
earth. In some countries, notably Iran and Iraq, the hostile
attitude has put its foul roots down into the very heart of
the nation, darkening almost every citizen with its poison.
There is little hope that the bloodshed and horror can be
stopped in countries such as these. Only in the final death
throes of the evil world-system will the inhabitants of
those unfortunate lands perceive the wrongness of their
ways. But by then, it may be too late to snatch them from
destruction.
The second category of temptation relates to the idea of
the self. While it was always intended that humanity
should develop a strong and stable image of the self, there
was never any intention that such development should lead
to a permanent coldness between humans. Nor was there
the aim to allow the selfishness now rampant on the earth
to permit one soul to control or manipulate others for
purely personal reasons. Vain, glory, pride, haughtiness,
and other manifestations of selfishness have developed
only since men learned to think of themselves as better
than others, more deserving, more powerful, or whatever.
These attitudes poison the relationships between souls, and
lead to permanent estrangement - producing a coldness
and distance which can last over many lives in the joint
experiences of souls who have allowed this to happen.
The last category we wish here to discuss relates to
materialism. This is a very broad topic, but can be
summed up under two headings: possessions and atheism.
The lust for material possessions has been abetted by the
rich life-style of twentieth century living, at least for
countries in the west. However, even in the so-called
"have-not" lands, there is a great desire for material
possessions among those who have been exposed to the
kinds of goods which are available in other places. This
arises because, in most cases, the souls who are born into
the have-not countries are there because, among other
reasons, they must learn not to covet material things for
their own sake. When these individuals again see the kinds
of goods that might be available, they re-kindle the old
covetous streak which they have brought over from a
previous incarnation, and they suffer because their desire
to possess these things cannot be fulfilled.
The idea that atheism is related to materialism may seem
strange to some, but perhaps we can explain by pointing
out that the surest way to lose sight of the higher realities
is to fasten one's attention on the things of the earth to an
extent that one forgets the truth that the material
possession is only one realm of experience, and that earth
life is but a passing phase lived on a plane which is not
really the "home" of the human race. If the mind becomes
too obsessed with things and possessions, there is a great
likelihood that the truths of the spirit will be forgotten. For
many souls, this is precisely what has occurred. How is
one to combat temptation? The answer is simple: Love. It
is love alone that can surmount the barriers of distrust and
hatred which man has thrown up due to his violent and
aggressive ways. It is love alone which allows one to
perceive that selfishness and the manipulation of others
are not noble or spiritual paths to follow. And it is love
alone which can displace the lust for possessions in the
mind of one who is caught in that dreadful trap. For only
love can broaden the understanding to the point where the
soul sees that the purpose of life is not to collect but to
give, not to hinder but to help others, not to aggrandize the
self, but to place it into the service of the creative forces
that have made this realm of earth, man, and all the
myriads of creatures which inhabit its many planes and
sub-realms.
In the next chapter we will show how the Dark Brothers
have laid their most subtle traps for the very person to
whom these books are directed: the Seekers after a Higher
Wisdom.
Chapter Four
Attacking Those on the Path
Among mankind there are many souls who know
instinctively that there is a "Path" somewhere - a route
which, if followed diligently, will allow them to achieve
spiritual progress and a true grasp of the meaning and
purpose of life. But these striving souls are not all of the
same discernment. Many are very "young" in the sense of
experience. Perhaps an example will show what we mean.
Imagine that a soul has had many lives of a common kind,
living within the various traditions into which it has been
born, adopting the attitudes of the region, including all of
its prejudices and narrow thought-patterns, never
awakening fully to the realization that life has a purpose
entirely different from that which conventional wisdom
maintains. Then, suppose the soul lives a recent life in
which its experience is touched deeply by another person,
someone who had this special awareness of the higher
truths, someone who demonstrated the beauty and love
which could be manifested by one who is on the path of
spiritual achievement.
In some cases, though not all, the soul who had previously
been following a conventional series of lives might
suddenly become inspired to strive harder, to climb out of
the common mold, to gain a deeper understanding of the
meaning of existence.
So the soul is born into the current life-pattern. Because of
that previous contact with the spiritually advanced person,
the soul is born with a goal. It watches, keeps looking. It
feels that something is just around the corner - some clue
which will give it the understanding it lacks, the grasp of
meaning which is not there. Then it happens: a chance
meeting (or so it seems) introduces the soul to a different
way of living or thinking, some teacher takes the soul into
his circle of influence, some book seems to contain the
signposts that are sought.
But here is the test of discernment, of the inner recognition
of truth. There are many false teachers upon the earth at
present, many so-called gurus and sages who hold out a
certain philosophy of living and acting. These may attract
the new seeker for a time, but if the teachings are not fully
in tune with the higher truths, or if the teacher himself
does not behave in accordance with the philosophy he
proclaims, then the seeker is expected to see the
dichotomy and to become aware that perhaps this mode of
thought is only a half-way house, a way-station on the
path to a better and broader wisdom.
But many souls do not recognize the trap into which they
have fallen. They embrace the teachings, join the
movement and become devotees of their supposed
"master", defending him against all attack by those who
have become disillusioned, often cutting themselves off
from family and former friends - never realizing that any
movement that produces division, coldness and
estrangement between human beings - even though it does
not openly espouse these attitudes - must be impaired in
some way.
There are many movements now on the earth which fall
into this category. Because of the Cosmic Law governing
the operation of these testing factors, we are not permitted
to name specific groups, teachers or movements, nor do
we wish to do so. However we can list the kinds of
teaching and activity which identify such forces, and the
reader can form his own conclusions as he examines the
various movements which are now on the earth.
The most obvious traps are set by the movements which
claim to be spiritual, but which are headed by individuals
whose personal life-style is clearly the opposite of the
teachings that are held out. An example is the self-
proclaimed guru who sends his devotees out to sell
flowers to raise money, and who then pockets a large part
of the proceeds of these sales. Even if the teachings of the
movement are in the direction of spirituality, the seeker is
expected to be able to discriminate, i.e. to take only that
which is in accord with his own feeling of the truth for
him, and to reject that which is not in accord. Most of the
so-called gurus who fall into this category are counting on
the inability of the new convert to discriminate. They
expect the convert to swallow everything about the
movement, on the grounds that some of the teachings are
in accordance with the cosmic truths of love and light. As
an example, a body of teaching may include an insistance
that love between mankind is the only hope for the
salvation of the race, or it may refer to the functions of the
guides and teachers on other planes, or it may stress the
need to subjugate the self and undertake service to others.
But each of these teachings can be perverted to an
unworthy cause. For example, the love between souls may
be used to require the neophyte to love the guru or teacher
unconditionally, or to give all of his possessions to the
movement to demonstrate his love. Or again, the reference
to guides on other planes may be used to convince the new
seeker that the body of teaching provided by the
movement must be correct because it comes through direct
revelation from such guides. Finally, the subjugation of
the self can be carried to the point where total self-
abnegation is required, so that the neophyte will be willing
to work 18 hours a day to raise money for the movement -
to be dipped into freely by the leader.
The soul caught in such movements is not left without
guideposts. He is not abandoned by his own guides, who
are anxious to move him on to a broader perspective on
reality. This can only happen when he sees the sham of the
movement which has trapped him, and this perception can
come if the seeker watches the signs and clues which
come his way. The easiest way to discern the truth of any
movement is to study its leader or founder. If he is living
richly off the sweat of the converts, then he is a false guru.
That is the most obvious way to detect fraud. However for
those who understand the cosmic laws there are other
ways. For example there is a law that any individual on the
earth plane must show on his physical form some sign or
characteristics which identifies his true essence. The law is
in conformity with the assertion that those who have "eyes
to see" can always find the truth by direct observation.
Look at the face of the leader; look at this bodily build.
Does he have a serene and loving countenance, or is there
something sinister about him? Is he grossly over weight,
or crippled in some way? Does his appearance give you
any reason to doubt that he has only the best interests of
the race at heart? There are other areas to study as well.
Has the leader ever been hounded through the courts, or
banned from any country? Have any of the followers ever
developed mental aberrations or schizophrenic traits as a
result of their exposure to the movement? Do the
spokesmen for the group want you, first and foremost, to
give an appreciable sum of money or to take some
expensive course as an introduction to the teachings? Does
the movement offer mainly success in the physical world
(money, business, love) rather than a deepening of the
understanding or spiritual wisdom?
We have dealt with the groups and movements which are
intended to trap the unwary seeker. Most of these things
are abetted and encouraged by the energies of the Dark
Brotherhood - which is not to say that the leaders or main
instigators are themselves mere puppets of the dark ones.
In some cases this is true, but in the majority of such
movements, the Dark Brotherhood merely spurs on the
innate negativity of the leader prompting him to seek
wealth in the movement, or control over others, or fame.
As to the souls who become entrapped by the movement,
they too are influenced wherever possible by the Dark
Brothers, who are attempting to keep them locked up in a
movement where they will not be able to use their
enthusiasm and energy in reaching directly out to their
brothers living normal lives. The idea is to trap the unwary
seekers in a "backwater", to take them out of the
mainstream, and (in many cases) to bring about
estrangement between the seeker and members of his own
family, so that the energies of the seeker will be tied up in
the emotional struggle and thus be unavailable to help his
brothers. There is another phase, however, to the efforts of
the Dark Brotherhood to deter the advancement of the race
through side-tracking seekers. They know that those who
are impelled to find a spiritual path through life are the
best hope of the world, for these souls have the possibility
of reaching many many other souls through their words
and deeds. Because such souls are so pivotal to the
salvation of mankind, the Dark Brotherhood desires above
all else to cause them difficulty, to side-track their
energies, and to sow confusion and contention between
them. Let us deal with each of these in turn.
In terms of causing the seeker difficulty in his life-pattern,
the Dark Brothers are permitted to insist that certain
karmic burdens which such souls carry be discharged at a
time convenient to the Dark Brotherhood. In most cases,
the petitions by the dark ones are granted, and the karma is
allowed to fall upon the seeker. The exceptions are made
when the seeker is at a sensitive phase of his quest, and
has placed himself in a position from where he could
accomplish much which would lead others to seek a
higher way through life. Aside from these exceptions, as
we say, most such requests are allowed. This is why
certain souls who are closely aware of higher truth will
from time to time be visited by misfortune that does not
seem to be tied directly with lesson-learning, and which is
not even indicated by the planetary positions.
We have already dealt with the question of side-tracking
the energies of the seeker, and have explained that most of
this is accomplished through the various movements now
on the earth and which act as "backwaters" into which the
seeker can be trapped.
Finally there is the question of the attempts by the Dark
Brothers to sow confusion and dissention between seekers.
This is accomplished primarily through the telepathically
or psychically transmitted material which has found its
way into books. Naturally we realize that our writings too
must be scrutinized in the light of the comments we are
about to make, but we have no doubt that the careful
seekers will be able to make their own determination as to
which source they feel is the more "right" for them.
There are certain specific kinds of teaching which are
precisely calculated to confuse the unwary. To explain the
most important of these we must first point out what many
seekers already well know: that the person and mission of
the individual who was called the Christ should be
regarded as the very summit of revealed truth for mankind
thus far. Because of certain of His teachings - indeed, the
simplest of the teachings - He represents a direct frontal
attack upon the Dark Brotherhood and all which they have
attempted to accomplish in the millennia since the rebirth
scheme was initiated. Specifically, by asserting that one
should love one's enemies, Christ presented the single
most effective way to overcome the temptations of earth
lite and to confound the whisperings of the Dark
Brotherhood. By looking on one's enemies - or better, on
all of creation - with pure love in one's heart, all of the
negative emotions, all of the enmities and frustrations of
life, simply fade away. And without these annoying
factors, the Dark Brothers cannot succeed in their declared
aim of dragging human souls down to destruction.
The Dark Brotherhood knows full well that the Christ's
teachings in this regard are the single most effective
means for gaining higher ground spiritually, and therefore
they seek in any way possible to undermine the reality of
the figure of Christ and the validity of His message. This
they do in two ways: the first is to cast doubt upon
whether He ever lived at all on the earth plane. There are
certain so called "messages" from other planes which
contend that He was a reality on certain planes but not on
the physical. Now, any who can understand that all of
Creation is one, can surely perceive that if Christ was a
reality on one plane, He must have manifested on all
planes. To do otherwise would detract from the
completeness of the message which His life represented.
Other transmissions contend that He was merely a man,
and that there was nothing special about Him aside from
the wisdom which He had attained through revelation or
study. Again, this is intended to undermine the importance
of His life, and to sow doubt as to whether He represented
some special factor which had entered the earth realm to
live and walk with mankind.
In short, any contention that Christ was less than a
manifested special being whose life was dedicated to the
spiritual uplift of the human race, and who was
overlighted during the ministry years by the pure Glory of
the Father, must be carefully scrutinized to see whether
there is a deliberate attempt to detract from the importance
of the Christian message.
Other supposed teachings from other planes are also
directed to undermining the certainty and understanding of
the seeker. For example, some sources contend that the
passage of time is an illusion, that all lives are lived
simultaneously, and that there is no real distinction
between past, present and future. Now, in a certain sense
which can only be understood from a vantage point which
is outside of the physical plane, this contention may be
looked on as true. However the result of trying to fully
grasp this philosophical notion from within physical
incarnation can only be confusion. The consciousness of
man has been given to him in order to allow him to
perceive time as a flow, so that he could understand the
great Law of Cause and Effect, or Karma. Man does X,
and Y is the result. This concatenation always takes place
in that order, and is intended to allow a perception of the
truth that man, by virtue of the thoughts and emotions he
harbors, makes his own reality. If this latter idea can be
grasped, then the even higher purpose can be served,
namely to allow each incarnated soul to understand itself.
But the Dark Brothers do not wish man to fully understand
all of the ramifications of Karmic Law, and they attack the
possibility of such a grasp by trying to confuse the seeker
with regard to time. For, if one concludes that the flow of
time is an illusion, and that "all lives are lived
simultaneously", then how can karma from one life
possibly affect another? But karma does pass from life to
life, and at the level where these karmic results manifest, it
is quite correct and certainly adequate to consider that one
life precedes another in an orderly sequence. The
reconciliation of the earth-based point of view with the
higher grasp of time as a single instant which is "pulled
out" into a stream by man's consciousness, must wait until
the seeker has reached the spiritual lane from which these
ideas can be seen in their full light.
One other example of misleading teachings will be given.
There are sources which contend that the galactic
observers now in the region of the earth are not all friendly
to mankind. There is the suggestion that some are
distinctly alien and even hostile, and that certain of these
beings kidnap humans and kill animal life for
experimental purposes. It is difficult for us to present a
line of argument which will fully set aside the fears that
such messages engender, but we will attempt to do so.
Firstly, it is true that not all of the civilizations in this
galaxy are highly evolved in a technical and spiritual
sense. Some are comparable to earth civilization, which
presently is at the very bottom of the scale due to the self-
annihilation which mankind practises through war,
violence and murder. However, the present phase of
evolution of the galactic entity itself is such that only those
civilizations which have attained a state of awareness of
the cosmic laws and who have overcome the base passions
which lead to war, tyranny and self-annihilation are
allowed to develop the technical means which are
necessary to permit them to move to other parts of the
galaxy. The ones who remain imprisoned in their own
negativity and violence must also remain prisoners of their
own planets. Hence, the other unevolved civilizations in
this galaxy are also confined to their own local region of
space, because they are not allowed to develop the
technological means for escaping. In the case of man, the
minor successes in terms of reaching the moon are the
maximum which can be achieved using the current
technology. The secret of energy-free space flight will not
fall into man's hands so long as he threatens to pollute the
rest of space with his hatred and his uncontrolled passions.
It thus follows that those civilizations that are able to make
the journey to this part of the galaxy must be of an evolved
nature, and this is true. If they were not, then with their
vastly superior technology they could easily decimate this
planet, kill all life, or set themselves up as absolute
dictators. No force known to humanity could stop them.
But they are stopped . . . by their own spiritual evolution.
The galactic observers would never dream of attempting to
interfere with man's path on his planet. They adhere to the
law of separate development, which requires them to
respect man's right to do what he wishes upon this planet.
That law is over-ruled only when a planetary civilization
has descended so far into self-destruction - as man will
have done within a few short years - that it threatens not
only to destroy itself, but to poison or damage other
regions of space into the bargain. Because man has been
allowed to develop nuclear energy, there is a serious
danger that, during the coming nuclear war, the explosions
could actually damage the fabric of space itself. It is for
this reason that the observers are here in such numbers.
They have a duty to the Galactic being, namely to preserve
it from damage committed unknowingly by humanity as it
unleashes centuries of hatred and violence upon itself in
the last death throes of the evil world-system which has
been erected upon the earth. And at the same time, the
observers understand that they must be prepared to step in
and rescue the noblest fraction of the race from the
holocaust which man's unevolved passions will unleash.
Without the possibility of such a rescue, there is a danger
that man really could accomplish the complete
annihilation of himself and all other life-forms on the
earth.
The above instances of misleading and confusing
information will suffice to illustrate the efforts exerted by
the Dark Brothers to detour seekers from their path. Only
one further area remains to be explained, and that relates
to the direct attempts to physically interfere with the
projects that seekers undertake in the service of their
brothers. We must emphasize first of all that direct access
to the physical plane of manifestation is extremely limited
for the Dark Brothers, as it is for the other more positive
brotherhoods as well. The law in this regard is that both
they and we must primarily work through those who are in
incarnation. Hence, the good that can be done in the world
must ultimately depend on the willingness of incarnated
individuals to put their time and energy into the endeavor.
Likewise, the energy that manifests on the earth plane
must do so through the agency of those in bodies who are
prepared to do the work of the Dark Brothers. If all who
were attuned to darkness should cease to inhabit physical
bodies, the evil afflicting the earth would disappear,
because there would be no more "instruments" through
which the Dark Brothers could accomplish their aims.
Now, the rule that governs direct influence in the plane of
matter is simple to state: the energy required to
accomplish a given interference within the three-
dimensional material plane is directly proportional to the
amount of good or evil which that interference can
accomplish. For example, if a given interference is
directed to producing a clearly negative action - like a
murder - the energy required from the Dark Brothers to
accomplish it directly (without one of their disciples being
used) is enormous. Usually, unless they considered such
an act indispensible to their cause, they would not be
prepared to lose that amount of energy. However, the
force required to cause a fire to suddenly emit a shower of
sparks, for example in order to jolt or frighten those sitting
around it, is not nearly so great. The main point which
needs to be understood here is that they - and we - are
under the law of economy of Energy. This means that
neither we nor they have access to limitless amounts of
energy with which to seek our respective goals. If only
one side were restricted in this way, and the other had
access to as much energy as it required, then the battle
would not be balanced. If both sides were given all of the
energy they wanted to use, the earth plane would turn into
an arena in which discarnate forces battled ad infinitum,
leaving no room for man to pursue his spiritual
pilgrimage. Hence the only workable scheme is to limit
both sides equally.
The Dark Brothers utilize the following means to directly
bring about events on the earth plane:
a) They can create robot-like entities at the aetheric level
programmed to directly interfere with reality. For example
if the Dark Brotherhood wished to delay the publication of
a book, they could send such entities to the location where
the actual printing is to take place, after programming
them to cause break-downs and mistakes during the
printing process. (Now, if the printer were subject to a
particularly heavy karmic burden, then the Dark Brothers
would also have the right to call for certain portions of the
karma to be met at times and in ways favorable to their
own wish to interfere with the printing. Alternately, if the
person responsible for the running of the press were
subject to fits of temper or became rash when annoyed, it
might be possible for the Dark Brothers to irritate him to
the point where he would make errors in his work, thus
ruining the job. However, these last two processes do not
fall into the category of direct physical manipulation).
In order to create robots of the kind mentioned, the Dark
Brothers must actually donate a part of their own essence.
When the job is completed, the essences are re-absorbed
back into those who donated them. However, if the
material going to create the robots should be destroyed by
means known to certain seekers, before reabsorption can
take place, then the re-combining cannot occur and the
contributing Dark Brothers permanently lose the
respective parts that sustained the destroyed aetheric
robots.
The technique for destroying such aetheric entities is to
command them, in the name of Jesus Christ, to disappear
and to cease to exist. Being far lower on the scale than a
man, such entities must obey the command. It is important
not to direct them merely to depart, since that does not
entail disintegration.
These robot-like aetheric beings are the source for the old
tales regarding gremlins. Even today, there remains the
notion that if some machine is constantly breaking down
or malfunctioning, it must be full of such "gremlins". It
will now be understood that these entities are quite real
and serve a very definite purpose - even though it is one
which falls on the dark side.
b) The Dark Brothers can also manipulate many of the
currents and elementary forces which are most attuned to
them in vibration. For example, although the element fire
is a great purifying power on the earth plane, it is also
attuned to the notion of karma, the trial by fire, and the
destruction of that which is consumed. Especially when
the fire is burning coal (coming from the darkness beneath
the surface of the earth) the Dark Brothers are enabled to
manipulate it to their own ends. We should emphasize that
such use of fire cannot be allowed to step outside of that
called for karmically, but the karmic burden of the race as
a whole is still so great that the Dark Brotherhood has
great latitude in terms of how they may wish to use this
elemental force.
Here is an opportunity to mention another process at work
in relation to fire: the manner in which human beings
provide the energies which manifest in many of the fires
which destroy property. Fire is the phenomenon which
most closely corresponds to rage and anger. "Fire in the
blood", is one expression. "He was all fired up over that",
is another. These connections of fire with anger come not
by accident. When any two persons indulge in a fierce
argument, with much shouting and anger - but without
giving full vent to the anger in a physical way, there is
created at the aetheric level a seething cloud of fire-like
energy which seeks expression on the earth plane. If it
cannot find expression in violence between the two
persons who created it, then it will, given the right
circumstances, release itself in a destructive fire. Naturally
some spark must be present to allow the fire to start, but
once it is initiated its full fury will manifest. Many readers
will be familiar with stories about house fires which burn
ferociously and spread great damage in only minutes -
burning much more intensely than would normally be
expected. It is likely that such a fire would be the
mechanism for release of an aetheric cloud of pent-up
anger like that we have described.
c) Finally, the Dark Brothers are able to literally take over
certain persons for brief periods of time, and through them
carry out specific actions. This can even happen to those
who are normally of a spiritual nature, if such persons
open themselves up to the dark forces. Such opening up
comes most typically through the over-indulgence in
alcohol. When one takes alcohol into the system, in any
form, an access opens up at the back of the head, through
which the darker forces, if they put enough effort into it,
can gain access. Because this process requires great
energy on their part, it happens only rarely. Moreover, the
time of the actual control of the body is usually short.
However, much can be accomplished in a short time by
one properly placed, and the Dark Brothers will normally
only undertake this procedure if it promises to yield rich
dividends for them.
Whenever a seeker is confronted with another human
whom he suspects has been taken over, however briefly,
by a darker enemy, there is only one proper way to deal
with the situation. Address the entity that is in the body,
say to it that it does not belong there, and then, in the
name of Jesus Christ, command it to depart the body. It
will in every case do so almost immediately.
Although we have set forth the main techniques by which
the Dark Brothers seek to influence humans in incarnation,
we must point out that there are many instances which do
not fall into the categories we have described. In every
case, however, the seeker whose intuition is open, and
who asks for the power to be able to decide for himself
when the Dark Brotherhood is behind any particular
manifestation on the earth plane.
In the next chapter we wish to explain the five main tests
for those who are on the Path, because an understanding of
these experiences - which almost all seekers are called
upon to undergo at some time - will enable the reader to
find his way with greater certainty through the temptations
and difficulties which befall him.
Chapter Five
The Five Tests for Seekers
We have spoken in earlier books about the symbolism of
various areas of the human hand, and in particular about
the five fingers. We have explained these symbolic body
parts as they relate to the average person, i.e., one not on
the Path. However for seekers, the five fingers have a
particularly important meaning in terms of the tests which
they must undergo, and it is our purpose here to elaborate
on these tests.
While the Dark Brotherhood does not play a direct part in
bringing these tests to bear upon those who have tackled
the Path, they do try to drag the seeker away from his
resolve, and to lead his steps into error as he undergoes
these particular trials. For this reason the inclusion of this
material in the present book is, we feel, justified.
The main meaning of the fingers - as they apply generally
are as follows:
Thumb - Energy, will, the self, with the basic lesson being
the ability to "turn the other cheek" when presented with
aggravating circumstances or provocation.
Forefinger - The area of faith, not only in a God, but in the
whole concept of realities higher than the material plane.
Middle Finger - The self-image or self-picture, this being
normally tested by throwing the individual "on his own" in
terms of his personal relationships.
Ring Finger - The area of money.
Little Finger - The area of sex.
Now, the tests for seekers are in several cases directly
derivable from the foregoing list. For example the tests of
sexual indulgence and of money are almost always
presented to the seeker at some point on his Path. Let us
be more specific. When one embarks on the Path, there is
a phenomenon which tends to lend to him a greater
"allure" or attractiveness than he might have had
previously. In most cases the attractiveness is not directly
from any increase in personal magnetism of a sexual
nature, but rather because the fact of having taken up the
Path automatically calls into the person's aura an
additional power and knowledge.
It is this additional power which others sense, but because
people today are so accustomed to interpreting this kind of
impact in sexual terms, they mistakenly see the seeker as
desirable for this reason. Indeed, there is an enhanced
attractiveness but it is by no means at the sexual level.
This problem arises most often with men who are not on
the Path, and who become hopelessly enamoured of
women who are. In most cases the woman will sense that
the suitor has somehow misjudged some quality of hers,
but few women will fully understand the dimensions of
the situation, and just why they appear so attractive. We
hope that what we have now explained will allow greater
insight into this kind of problem.
Naturally, the test is for the seeker - the one who has
acquired the enhanced magnetism. For with this greater
attractiveness to others, and the propensity of others to
read their own reactions in sexual terms, there is often an
abundant opportunity for the seeker to indulge himself
sexually if he wishes to. Of course any exaggerated
indulgence of this kind would pull the seeker off the Path,
because it would side-track his energies into exhausting
pursuits and draw his attention down to the purely
physical level of indulgence. Many, many potential
seekers have succumbed to this elementary trap and have
been lost to the hierarchy as really useful instruments for
the salvation of the human race of man.
The test of Money, as represented by the ring finger, is
again a straight-forward one. As the seeker acquires more
and more ability in terms of helping his brothers, the
opportunity invariably presents itself to make money from
his spiritual endeavors. The main point here is not how
much money should be charged for spiritual help, but what
are the true desires in the heart of the seeker. For some
seekers, because their services require them to assume
certain expenses, a relatively large levy is justified, and
does not represent a failure in this test. For others, even a
small charge would represent taking personal advantage of
a gift from God which was meant to be shared freely with
all, just as God gave the gift freely, and therefore this levy
represents failure. Each seeker must look into his own
heart on this matter, for it is his own judgement which is
written down in the scrolls of heaven. Each knows full
well the motives in his own heart, and whether he has
failed the test of money.
An interesting sidelight on the two tests which we have
just described relates to the "vows" which monks and
priests of many religions have traditionally taken through
out the centuries. Two of the most important vows have
always been that of chastity and that of poverty. Now, by
having an individual undertake these two vows, the church
or religious organization was allowing the soul to side-step
the temptations which would surely be placed in his path.
By subscribing to these two abstinences, the soul
effectively makes a promise which it feels is very binding
upon it, and because of this feeling of being bound, the
soul tends to be less likely to fail in these ways. Of course
for some whose resolve and self-control are insufficient,
even these vows fail to keep them from transgressing. But
for the majority, the result of a life lived in the cloister or
the trappings of formalized religion is to put off the
running of tests till a later life. Now in many cases this is
precisely what the soul needs. Perhaps there has been great
over indulgence in sexual pleasure, say, through a series of
previous lives. But the soul wished fervently to be allowed
to begin a path of service to mankind so that it could
prepare for even greater service later. So the decision was
taken to have the soul project a personality into conditions
which made it likely that he would be attracted to the
cloister or pulpit. This would allow the soul to get an early
taste of the devotional life, without the danger of being
pulled down by the old temptations. Thus, the taking of
the religious vows discussed above is in most cases not a
final solution. It is merely a suspension of those particular
tests until the time when the soul feels better able to meet
the temptations and overcome them.
The true passing of these tests, of course, results when one
meets the temptations squarely and does not allow his
experience in either area to draw him off the path of
service. The solution to the sexual temptation is to see
sexual reality in its true light, and to allow it to be part of
the life pattern if such appears called for. To deny the
physical expression of affection between two souls when
such is a natural outlet for love energies is, in many ways,
just as much of a contortion as the over-indulgences in sex
for its own sake purely for pleasure motives. The trick is
to find balance, and to experience all facets of life with an
understanding of their essence. Remember that God did
not make pleasure with the intention that man should turn
his back on it. This is like refusing to gaze upon a
beautiful sunlit scene because the joy of beholding it is
somehow wrong. No - joy, laughter and physical pleasure
all have their place. The important thing is not to deny or
avoid them, but to participate in the right circumstances
and for the right reasons. It is like the analogy we have
given several times before: God does not make anything
that is inherently evil or inherently good. It is man that
determines the way in which the gifts of God shall be
treated. He can use a hammer to build and he can use it to
destroy; he can use a knife to heal and to kill. The
determining factor is the motive in man's heart, and thus it
is man that determines the good and the evil in the world.
So it is with both money and sex. It is man who
determines whether they shall become sullied and
negative, or whether they shall be made into tools for
serving creation and love.
Turning now to the middle finger, we have explained
previously that this digit represents the area of the self-
image. Many souls do not have a strong or positive self-
picture. They are unhappy with their own essence, and this
reflects in the personality, which tends to develop feelings
of inferiority or worthlessness. Now, it is unsuitable in the
extreme for any seeker to lack a positive self-image. He
must be happy with himself, for the simple reason that the
Path which he is electing to tread is often a lonely one. He
will be called upon to walk it alone for certain periods and
if he cannot find contentment merely being with himself
with no other company, then he will in all likelihood break
down in his resolve to serve the race, and his
dependability will be in doubt. When the guides of the
human race decide to entrust an important task to a soul in
incarnation, they must first be satisfied that the vagaries of
earth life will not throw him off the Path, that the loss of
friends or a separation from a loved one will not break
down his determination to continue on the high road. So
the guides test the soul severely in this area. The most
common testing procedure is one which arises almost
naturally very soon after any individual places himself on
the Path: it is the breakdown or severe testing of whatever
personal relationship the individual might have had at the
time of the decision to serve.
Many seekers reading this book will attest to the accuracy
of the point just made, for many of them will have seen
their personal relationship whether a marriage or some
other close inter-connection - founder or nearly founder on
the rocks of disagreement as to the importance of spiritual
advancement. Typically the other partner will sense that
the seeker has somehow placed spiritual matters above the
relationship, and usually this is so. If that other partner is
unable to accept such a state of affairs, then he/she will
often present the seeker with an ultimatum: "It's me or all
this spiritual stuff", is a typical refrain - one which many
seekers will instantly recognize.
If the seeker gives in for the sake of preserving the
relationship then his path will be different from what
might have occurred if he had adhered to his resolve.
Neither choice is "better" than the other. The karma that
would come to the seeker if he chose to abandon the
partner who could not co-exist with the spiritual
commitment would not be great enough to deter the
seeker. Indeed, it usually happens that, even though the
karma must quickly descend and be met, the rewards of
having chosen the spiritual path would more than make up
for the hardship of meeting that particular karma. We
cannot be more specific here, since the "extras" which are
given to seekers are highly individual, and are exactly
tailored to the preferences of the individual.
The next finger is the forefinger, which refers generally to
faith. However for the seeker, who presumably already has
an abundance of faith, the forefinger designates a different
kind of test: It is the test of glamour. This particular test is
extremely important, because many unwary seekers are
drawn off the Path by it. Let us try to characterize the
attitude of mind that represents having failed the test.
There are those who, upon first discovering a channel to
one of the higher planes, or upon first developing their
own "source" of information, become overly fascinated
with the information for its own sake. They become
excited to too great a degree. They think: "Isn't this
wonderful! We can see all these past lives; we can talk to
entities on other planes; we can find out things nobody
else knows!" Or they might find themselves drawn into the
circle of influence of a teacher or psychic on the earth
plane whom they consider to be very special. The person
of that leader may take on a heightened importance for
these seekers, and they might "glamourize" him out of any
proportion to what he is really trying to do. Of course
some leaders do allow their students or followers to
glamourize them, and this is a serious failing on the part of
the leader. But the truly discerning seeker will be able to
see through such silliness, and realize that what is
important is the service he can render to others, and the
understanding he can attain in terms of the great spiritual
and cosmic laws. The pursuit of the spiritual Path has no
other legitimate justification.
Finally, the test represented by the thumb will be quite
clear to all seekers, for it is the test of self. Many souls,
upon first becoming part of a group following spiritual
goals, will be tempted to think of themselves as special, as
somehow being better or more spiritual than their brothers
who are still living normal lives. No thought could have a
more insidious result, because the very fact of putting
oneself ahead of others has the precise reverse effect: the
guides who watch the progress of seekers with special care
will immediately relegate to the bottom of the list any
individual who presumes to think of himself as holier or
more spiritual or more worthy than any of his brothers, no
matter how low the vibrations of those brothers have
descended. The truth of the matter is simple: God loves all
of His children equally. God has no favorites, for in a
sense all are His favorites. And it is here that the
admonitions of the Christ take on their true dimensions:
He who would be first must be last; Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth. Any who meditate upon the
real significance behind these apparent riddles will surely
see that they express the greatest of all the truths in terms
of seekers: namely that the purpose of the Path is to teach
one to serve, not to lead; to give, not to take; to love, not
to despise. Those who fail in this greatest of all the tests,
must lose the right to be among those to whom is given the
great privilege of serving the salvation of the race of man.
Chapter Six
Conclusion
Out of all the billions of planets and satellites strewn
through this galaxy like cosmic dust among the living
bodies of the stars, a crucial drama is being enacted on a
single one: the earth on which you are living. The drama is
that of separation: the separation of the nobler from the
baser fraction of humanity.
When the final decision in the heart of each individual can
be put off no longer, when each must make his choice
either for or against his own spiritual advancement, that is
when the race of man will crack in two. It will be a
wrenching experience deep in the soul of billions of
humans, for they will be the ones who must be separated
forever from others whom they have loved through many
lives.
The time of that choice fast approaches. In the few years
that yet remain, much can be done, many can be salvaged
from the dissolution which awaits those who cannot set
their feet upon the upward path. That dissolving, though it
will not obliterate the essence of any soul, will remove the
uniqueness that so many lives and so much effort have
created. And the ones that are drawn back into the
common pool will never see their more advanced brothers
again out of the same eyes.
The Dark Brotherhood wishes to promote the split so that
the greatest number will have failed to move forward into
spirituality and light. We are seeking to bring as many as
possible into the love and radiance of the New Age of
man. You who are reading this book can throw your
energies behind either side, for that is your choice. But it
is now that you must decide. It is now that the human race
cries out for help. It is now that the dedication and pluck
of the seekers is being tested.
Do not fail the race; do not fail your brothers; for then you
have failed yourself. May the peace and blessing of all the
higher beings who care for humanity's struggle be with
you forevermore.
OM MANI PADME HUM