Doug Fisichella...
Douglas Fisichella is a Student of the Arcane School founded by Alice A. Bailey and a life long student of the worlds religions
The Master In The Heart
This is a meditation taught by the Tibetan Master Djwahl Kuhl in the book Letters on Occult Meditation by Alice Bailey. I have simplified it somewhat so that it is easier and safer for the beginning student. It may seem complex at first glance, but once the general stages have been memorized and the explanations unnecessary, it is a fairly simple form.
I believe there are many purposes served through the Master in the Heart meditation. The student is asked to do certain exercises while concentrating his attention in the Heart and Ajna (behind the brow) centers within his body. These are the anchoring points for the life and consciousness threads and so are of particular concern.
Alignment:
The first stage is a centering of the consciousness and visualization of the threefold lower man coming into alignment with the higher self. The student is asked to see the lower self on rapport with, and as a channel for expression of the soul. This is done along with physical relaxation, the quieting of the mind and release of the sensory apparatus of the body. The sounding then of the sacred word, the OM, three times is done first quietly to stabilize and further quiet the mind, then more loudly to do the same for the emotional body, and then even more loudly to work on the physical structure. The physical vibration of the sound against the roof of the mouth and throughout the body is intended to awaken the Ajna and heart centers into activity.
Affirmation:
The next stage is to proceed as if this blending and harmonizing process is complete. When we project ourselves into this future stage of alignment we hasten the process. As a man thinketh so is he. The student is asked to repeat an affirmation. This is one I use every day at the close of my meditation.
I live in light and love
I am surrounded by beauty
I am expanding every day in every way
Visualization:
At this stage the student is asked to turn his attention to the etheric heart center. This is between the shoulder blades at the spine, not at the location of the physical Heart. Once this concentration is attained, he is to visualize a closed lotus bud. The lotus is used as a symbol of humanity for a number of reasons. It has its roots in the earth, the physical world, which is the first area of human consciousness. It grows through the waters, a symbol of the astral plane where man must grow through his emotional nature and overcome the tides of emotion in order to flower in consciousness in the manasic plane. The flower blooms in the air above those waters. The lotus is, as man, complete though unexpressed in its seed form. All of the petals to come are present in the seed. They have simply not come to full expression as of yet.
The golden 12 petaled lotus is visualized in the heart center. This is a visualization in the mind of the student of the existing, though unrealized flowering of the Egoic Lotus, the connection being forged with the causal body or soul through this visualization. The bud is seen to expand and open in response to the sacred word as he repeats it silently. This is an expression of the will of the student to open the channel of communication and the response of the soul seen in the opening of the heart. This energizes the heart center into greater activity. The petals of Love, Knowledge and Sacrifice open revealing the inner petals holding the jewel of soul consciousness, pictured as an electric blue spark or flame, to be born within the cave of the human heart.
Within that jewel of cosmic fire the student is asked to build an image of himself with “The Master” in the heart. This master is his higher self. This is the God within. The first point of contact with the students own divinity. This is the Christ consciousness we will all come to know. The first place we will know God is within our selves, as we are all an expression of divinity. As the student builds this image with loving attention, he is opening up to the conscious knowledge of his soul’s existence. As occultists we are form builders and we are simultaneously developing our ability to work with etheric, astral and manasic matter.
Meditation
The student is then asked to move his attention to the Ajna center between the brows. This fosters and builds the natural connection between those two centers. His mind is prepared now for the concentration on the seed thought for the month. Within the Arcane School, these thoughts are changed in a progression designed to take the student farther and farther down his path. They are used by all students of the same level and changed on the same day so that all of the student’s meditations become group meditation. All of the seed thoughts have as their core, the fostering of communication of the lower self with the higher through self forgetfulness, harmlessness and service. I have found this to be an extraordinarily powerful stage in the meditation.
A simple seed thought for this section of the meditation could be:
With self forgetfulness I gather what I need for the helping of my fellow men.
The student is then asked to recite the Great Invocation. I have done this silently. This is the most overt act of service within the meditation itself. While the student is asked to contemplate the nature of service throughout other stages, and the work the student is accomplishing on himself does constitute service, this is an outward expression more than inward work.
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 center where the will of God is known
Let purpose guide the little wills of men
The purpose that the Masters know and serve
From the center 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 great invocation and its recitation goes outward to humanity to help raise the group consciousness in a different way. This is a wish for the raising of consciousness of all humanity. It is a wish that Love, Light, and Power should stream forth into all of humanity. It anchors for the student the fact of the divinity of all and that regardless of the work he does for himself, the real work is for all.
This is culminated in the final affirmation in the meditation. The student is asked to breathe forth, through the use of the sacred word, (OM) energy into the New Group of World Servers. All of the power and love he becomes capable of wielding through his personal development is then put to use in strengthening the group and it’s effectiveness to meet its goals. He is a repository and a conduit for loving energy and strength which he now pours forth. The part (or unit) is put into the service of the whole. As it becomes more powerful, more awake, and more effective, it is of greater and greater use to the group which it seeks to serve.
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