Glamour- a World Problem Read online

  GLAMOUR:

  A WORLD PROBLEM

  by

  ALICE A. BAILEY

  INDEX EDITION

  Published by the Lucis Publishing Companies

  The first and only publisher of the

  24 books of Alice A. Bailey

  www.lucistrust.org/books

  COPYRIGHT © 1950 BY LUCIS TRUST

  COPYRIGHT © RENEWED 1978 BY LUCIS TRUST

  First Printing, 1950

  Fourth Printing, 1971 (First Paperback Edition)

  Eleventh Printing, 2014

  Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 50014189

  Ebook first edition 2012. This edition 2016. ISBN No. 978 085330 409 8

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  The publication of this book is financed by the Tibetan Book Fund which is established for the perpetuation of the teachings of the Tibetan and Alice A. Bailey.

  This Fund is controlled by the Lucis Trust, a tax-exempt, religious, educational corporation.

  The Lucis Publishing Companies are non-profit organisations owned by the Lucis Trust. No royalties are paid on this book.

  The book has been translated into Croation, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. Translation into other languages is proceeding.

  LUCIS PUBLISHING COMPANY

  866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 482, New York, NY 10017

  LUCIS PRESS LIMITED

  Suite 54, 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EF

  BOOKS BY ALICE A. BAILEY

  Initiation, Human and Solar

  Letters on Occult Meditation

  The Consciousness of the Atom

  A Treatise on Cosmic Fire

  The Light of the Soul

  The Soul and its Mechanism

  From Intellect to Intuition

  A Treatise on White Magic

  From Bethlehem to Calvary

  Discipleship in the New Age–Vol. I

  Discipleship in the New Age–Vol. II

  Problems of Humanity

  The Reappearance of the Christ

  The Destiny of the Nations

  Glamour: A World Problem

  Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle

  The Unfinished Autobiography

  Education in the New Age

  The Externalisation of the Hierarchy

  A Treatise on the Seven Rays:

  Vol. I–Esoteric Psychology

  Vol. II–Esoteric Psychology

  Vol. III–Esoteric Astrology

  Vol. IV–Esoteric Healing

  Vol. V–The Rays and the Initiations

  Contents

  Cover

  EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT BY THE TIBETAN

  THE GREAT INVOCATION

  PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

  CERTAIN PRELIMINARY CLARIFICATIONS

  SECTION ONE: THE NATURE OF GLAMOUR

  1. Glamour on the Mental Plane . . . Illusion.

  2. Glamour on the Astral Plane . . . Glamour

  3. Glamour Upon Etheric Levels . . . Maya

  4. Glamour upon the Higher Mental Planes . . . The Dweller on the Threshold.

  SECTION TWO: THE CAUSES OF GLAMOUR

  1. The Racial and Individual Growth of Glamour.

  2. The Causes Producing World Glamour.

  3. The Contrast between Higher and Lower Glamours

  SECTION THREE: THE ENDING OF GLAMOUR

  1. The Technique of the Presence.

  2. The Technique of Light

  3. The Technique of Indifference

  SECTION FOUR: THE TECHNIQUE OF FUSION

  THE ARCANE SCHOOL

  INDEX

  EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT BY THE TIBETAN

  Suffice it to say, that I am a Tibetan disciple of a certain degree, and this tells you but little, for all are disciples from the humblest aspirant up to, and beyond, the Christ Himself. I live in a physical body like other men, on the borders of Tibet, and at times (from the exoteric standpoint) preside over a large group of Tibetan lamas, when my other duties permit. It is this fact that has caused it to be reported that I am an abbot of this particular lamasery. Those associated with me in the work of the Hierarchy (and all true disciples are associated in this work) know me by still another name and office. A.A.B. knows who I am and recognises me by two of my names.

  I am a brother of yours, who has travelled a little longer upon the Path than has the average student, and has therefore incurred greater responsibilities. I am one who has wrestled and fought his way into a greater measure of light than has the aspirant who will read this article, and I must therefore act as a transmitter of the light, no matter what the cost. I am not an old man, as age counts among the teachers, yet I am not young or inexperienced. My work is to teach and spread the knowledge of the Ageless Wisdom wherever I can find a response, and I have been doing this for many years. I seek also to help the Master M. and the Master K.H. whenever opportunity offers, for I have been long connected with Them and with Their work. In all the above, I have told you much; yet at the same time I have told you nothing which would lead you to offer me that blind obedience and the foolish devotion which the emotional aspirant offers to the Guru and Master Whom he is as yet unable to contact. Nor will he make that desired contact until he has transmuted emotional devotion into unselfish service to humanity—not to the Master.

  The books that I have written are sent out with no claim for their acceptance. They may, or may not, be correct, true and useful. It is for you to ascertain their truth by right practice and by the exercise of the intuition. Neither I nor A.A.B. is the least interested in having them acclaimed as inspired writings, or in having anyone speak of them (with bated breath) as being the work of one of the Masters. If they present truth in such a way that it follows sequentially upon that already offered in the world teachings, if the information given raises the aspiration and the will-to-serve from the plane of the emotions to that of the mind (the plane whereon the Masters can be found) then they will have served their purpose. If the teaching conveyed calls forth a response from the illumined mind of the worker in the world, and brings a flashing forth of his intuition, then let that teaching be accepted. But not otherwise. If the statements meet with eventual corroboration, or are deemed true under the test of the Law of Correspondences, then that is well and good. But should this not be so, let not the student accept what is said.

  August 1934

  THE GREAT INVOCATION

  From the point of Light within the Mind of God

  Let light stream forth into the minds of men.

  Let Light descend on Earth.

  From the point of Love within the Heart of God

  Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.

  May Christ return to Earth.

  From the centre where the Will of God is known

  Let purpose guide the little wills of men—

  The purpose which the Masters know and serve.

  From the centre which we call the race of men

  Let the Plan of Love and Light work out.

  And may it seal the door where evil dwells.

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

  “The above Invocation or Prayer does not belong to any person or group but to all Humanity. The beauty and the strength of this Invocation lies in its simplicity, and in its expression of certain central truths which all men, innately and normally, accept—the truth of the existence of a basic Intelligence to Whom we vaguely give the name of God; the truth that behind all outer seeming, the motivating power of the universe is Love; the truth that a great Individuality came to earth, called by Christians, the Christ, and embodied that love so that we could understand; the truth that both love and intelligence are effects of what is called the Will of God; and finally the self-evident truth that only through humanity itself can the Divine Plan work out.”

  ALICE A. BAILEY

  PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

  [x] In Discipleship in the New Age, Volumes I and II, certain personal instructions given by the Tibetan to a group of disciples were made public. These instructions together with certain esoteric teaching were first published by Alice A. Bailey, with the consent of the disciples involved, in 1944.

  Unpublished manuscripts containing additional instructions and esoteric teachings as completed by Mrs. Bailey are now available. This text was written from time to time over a period of nine years from 1935 to 1944.

  In various places in the text of Glamour: A World Problem references are made to the same discipleship group.

  In the present volume certain forms of group work in meditation are included because of their informative value and because they illustrate the practical value of the teaching given. The reader, however, should recognise that meditations suitable for special group purposes are not in general as effective when used as an individual exercise.

  The potency of an integrated group composed of disciples who have a common vision and an established group purpose is very great, and can be a real service to mankind. The newer Aquarian techniques include such group endeavours. The published writings by the Tibetan and Alice A. Bailey provide information for wise and useful experimentation in group work which is undertaken as a spiritual world service and not as a means of spiritual unfoldment of the
individual aspirant.

  Such group action, voluntarily entered into, when not dominated by autocratic leadership control, and if undertaken with due humility and caution, is greatly to be desired at the present time. Such action should be recognized as being pioneering experimental ventures.

  [xi] Groups of this sort have already appeared in various parts of the world and may well contribute to the success of the work of the New Group of World Servers. Information about this worldwide group of servers is given in A Treatise on White Magic and in A Treatise on the Seven Rays, Vol. II.

  FOSTER BAILEY, July 1950

  CERTAIN PRELIMINARY CLARIFICATIONS

  [1] All groups involved in esoteric work have their own dharma or duty and all have their peculiar objective. In order that you may clearly vision what you, as aspirants to discipleship have to do, and so intelligently cooperate, I will concisely state the purpose:

  Dharma means duty, or obligation, and it is your definite and specific obligation to develop the intuition. The means or methods whereby this development is to be brought about, can be by the study of symbols.

  I would ask you to note that generalities concerning the intuition, and attempts to define it are very common, but that a real appreciation of it is rare.

  We are told by physicians and scientists that thousands of cells in the human brain are still dormant and, consequently, that the average human being uses only a small part of his equipment. The area of the brain which is found around the pineal gland is that connected with the intuition, and it is these cells which must be roused into activity before there can be any real intuitive perception which, when aroused, will manifest soul control, spiritual illumination, true psychological understanding of one’s fellowmen, and a development of the true esoteric sense, which is the objective before you at this time.

  I would like to divide what I have to say into three parts, and I plead for a close study of my words:

  I. I seek to define for you the intuition.

  II. I shall deal with its mode of development through the study of symbology. [2]

  III. I shall close by giving some specific instructions as to a useful mode of procedure.

  Should you, therefore, find these articles hard to understand and your reaction slow, you must bear in mind that this indicates your need for this study and corroborates what I am telling you. If you will seriously consider with me what the intuition is not, I think my words will find in you an inner response.

  I. DEFINITION OF THE INTUITION

  The intuition is not a welling forth of love to people and, therefore, an understanding of them. Much that is called the intuition is recognition of similarities and the possession of a clear analytical mind. Intelligent people who have lived in the world for some time and who have experienced much and who have contacted many other people can usually sum up with facility the problems and dispositions of others, provided they are interested. This they must not, however, confound with the intuition.

  The intuition has no relation to psychism, either higher or lower; the seeing of a vision, the hearing of the Voice of the Silence, a pleased reaction to teaching of any kind does not infer the functioning of the intuition. It is not only the seeing of symbols, for that is a special sort of perception and the capacity to tune in on the Universal Mind upon that layer of Its activity which produces the pattern-forms on which all etheric bodies are based. It is not intelligent psychology, and a loving desire to help. That emanates from the interplay of a personality, governed by a strong soul orientation, and the group-conscious soul.

  Intuition is the synthetic understanding which is the prerogative of the soul and it only becomes possible when the soul, on its own level, is reaching in two directions: towards [3] the Monad, and towards the integrated and, perhaps (even if only temporarily) coordinated and at-oned personality. It is the first indication of a deeply subjective unification which will find its consummation at the third initiation.

  Intuition is a comprehensive grip of the principle of universality, and when it is functioning there is, momentarily at least, a complete loss of the sense of separateness. At its highest point, it is known as that Universal Love which has no relation to sentiment or to the affectional reaction but is, predominantly, in the nature of an identification with all beings. Then is true compassion known; then does criticism become impossible; then, only, is the divine germ seen as latent in all forms.

  Intuition is light itself, and when it is functioning, the world is seen as light and the light bodies of all forms become gradually apparent. This brings with it the ability to contact the light centre in all forms, and thus again an essential relationship is established and the sense of superiority and separateness recedes into the background.

  Intuition, therefore, brings with its appearance three qualities:

  Illumination. By illumination I do not mean the light in the head. That is incidental and phenomenal, and many truly intuitive people are entirely unaware of this light. The light to which I refer is that which irradiates the Way. It is “the light of the intellect,” which really means that which illumines the mind and which can reflect itself in that mental apparatus which is held “steady in the light.” This is the “Light of the World,” a Reality which is eternally existent, but which can be discovered only when the individual interior light is recognised as such. This is the “Light of the Ages,” which shineth ever more until the Day be with us. The intuition is therefore the recognition in [4] oneself, not theoretically but as a fact in one’s experience, of one’s complete identification with the Universal Mind, of one’s constituting a part of the great World Life, and of one’s participation in the eternal persisting Existence.

  Understanding. This must be appreciated in its literal sense as that which “stands under” the totality of forms. It connotes the power of recession or the capacity to withdraw from one’s agelong identification with form life. I would like to point out that this withdrawal is comparatively easy for those who have much of the first ray quality in them. The problem is to withdraw in the esoteric sense, but to avoid at the same time the sense of separateness, of isolation and of superiority. It is easy for first ray people to resist the tendency to identify themselves with others. To have true understanding involves an increased ability to love all beings and yet, at the same time, to preserve personality detachment. This detachment can be so easily founded on an inability to love, in a selfish concern for one’s own comfort—physical, mental or spiritual, and above all, emotional. First ray people dread emotion and despise it, but sometimes they have to swing into an emotional condition before they can use emotional sensitivity in the right manner.

  Understanding involves contact with life as an integrated personality, plus egoic reaction to the group purposes and plans. It connotes personality-soul unification, wide experience, and a rapid activity of the indwelling Christ principle. Intuitional understanding is always spontaneous. Where the reasoning to an understanding enters, it is not the activity of the intuition.

  Love. As earlier said, this is not affectionate sentiment, or the possession of a loving disposition; these two later aspects are incidental and sequential. When the intuition is developed, both affection and the possession of a spirit [5] of loving outgo will, necessarily, in their pure form, be demonstrated, but that which produces these is something much more deep and comprehensive. It is that synthetic, inclusive grasp of the life and needs of all beings (I have chosen these two words with intent!) which it is the high prerogative of a divine Son of God to operate. It negates all that builds barriers, makes criticism, and produces separation. It sees no distinction, even when it appreciates need, and it produces in one who loves as a soul immediate identification with that which is loved.