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Letter 7 -- Meetings and Ceremony Let Us speak now more of groups. When people gather together you must keep this in mind: its purpose is for worship and service. You think it’s strange We use the word worship? Why of course, the fact that you come there to meet, to meditate, to learn, is a form of worship in itself. Because it is the desire of the heart that leads you there in the first place. For why didn’t you go to a movie? a party, etc.? No, you came there to worship Our Lord and His Teachings. This brings up a moot point. Do you know that before one attends a worship service or meeting one should do some form of silence, penitence, sacrifice, or act of kindness? This is so because it prepares not only the Heart but the entire being for the worship. Do not rush around all day, or after work, gulping down your food and then hurrying off to your meeting. *This is an insult to the forces that are already gathering at your meeting place, preparing for your coming. The excuse that you don’t have time to do anything else will not do. If it has to be, then come late and do your meeting preparation before you arrive. Others will understand for they will know what you’re about. Following is what We propose for all Lodge meeting places: (We will from now on use the word Lodge only, but it covers branches, study centers etc.) Prepare a separate room, if facilities at all allow it, no matter how small, that is, a room of its own with a purpose of its own. It shall be a room that, when one enters, the shoes are removed and the head is bowed. It is to have a rug on the floor, and a few chairs and floor cushions for those to choose their favorite way of sitting. This room is to be entered first before going any further, although it may be located in such a situation that you would have to walk through other rooms to reach it; it still to be the first place you attend. There is to be an altar in this room, with a white cloth of silk with gold thread sewn on it as this drawing.
The ends of the white cloth will hang to the floor of the altar. The altar is to be made of a material upon which the group decides. This is very important. Your group is to study what various materials mean esoterically and then choose. For it will then be a hallmark of the Love bond between each other. The altar is to have on it the pictures of the Masters–the authentic ones. Believe Us, this is not done in order for Us to be worshipped. Heaven forbid! But it is a way that will help you to feel close to Us, for We are present in this holy room with you as in other places as We’ve described earlier. Yes, We realize that pictures of all of Us are not available. This is no matter. For you see, We are present. The pictures you do have will suffice nicely to make Our presence felt and known. Upon the altar there are to be three candles burning-made of beeswax. They are to be placed thus:
And
the candles are to be lit whenever anyone has entered the room to
prepare for the meeting. Remember do not blow out the candles; use a
candle snuffer when leaving. Silence is to be kept at all times in the
room for it is where silence of the mouth reigns and *where only the
Heart is heard in all its splendor. What We ask you to do next may not
go too well with some of you but there is a reason for the asking. We
want you to come in, walk over to the altar and kneel before it. Bow
your head in silence and pray these three requests: 1. That you leave your daily cares outside for the entire meeting. 2. That you may be led and guided by the Brothers and your Eternal Spirit as to the contribution you will make that evening to your brothers, sisters and to yourself. 3. That you may be guided by the Brothers and your Eternal Spirit as to the way in which you will thence go forth and Love and Lift the world. Need We go back to the former Letters and recall to your memory the supreme importance of attitude and the necessity of doing this from the Heart and never by rote? Then–go sit and meditate, carrying your prayerful requests with you in your Heart. After a time that feels right for you (do not hurry), stand up and bow before the altar, and quietly leave. There are to be bells placed at the door that you will ring before departing. This will announce that you are coming forth to share the meeting in Love and Service and Worship. This room is the Sanctuary of your Lodge, the Altar is the Godhead of your Heart. The candles are the Spirit burning Eternally within you. The pictures are the remembrances of Us in your presence. *The cloth is the mantle of your holiness trimmed in the brilliance of the Son. Now you see, when you go into the Room, you go to meet your Self. The room is you. Are you not worthy of such honor? Of this have no doubt: that you are. For We are not speaking of your personality, but your Essence. If you have been paying heed to what We have asked of you in the previous Letters, you will begin to feel emerging from within your “everyday being” that Eternal Being that is now moving forth in preparation to call forth the Eternal Being in every other individual. Do you see now why We said you must never stop a Blessing because you dislike someone? When you allow this force to be a directing power in your life, *the Love that will pour forth from you towards others will be the most beautiful experience you’ve ever had It will be an experience you will not let die, because without it will be a death–a separation that you cannot abide. For this Spirit that you now will Live and Breathe has as its basic purpose, Love, and it draws itself to the service of humanity as a magnet, and humanity will in turn be drawn unto your Heart. This leads Us to the next important point. You are beginning now to form a picture of what these first Letters are all about. If you are not willing to be a servant unto humanity with all its woes, its gnashing of teeth*, its pitiful people, then do not, We ask you, do not study even the first Letter. For We are revealing certain occult Laws with their Powers unto you that are to be taken with the utmost sincerity of Heart and dedication. We ask you to approach the Letters and their contents with sincere caution; as all are warned, do not enter the Path lightly. For this reason We ask that new members who have joined the Society and your Lodge do not use the Room until they have studied and worked with the six previous Letters. The most important one will be the teachings on becoming a Blessing Spirit, which is at the root of these first Letters and will forever continue to be one of the most profound Teachings you will ever receive, in all its simplicity. We ask that a period of three months pass before the neophyte uses the Room. And believe Us, this is not because the neophyte is not as good or as holy as the others; in fact he or she may be much more loving. But this amount of time is needed for the new member to search the Heart carefully, study the Letters, and work with them devotedly and to become so acquainted with the Theosophical material that he knows in his Heart that this is where he belongs and wants to work in service to the world. In simple words, We feel that in three months time the neophyte will know and decide if This is for him. There may be other areas that he or she will feel more drawn to–where his talents will be better used–for there are many ways to Love and Serve. No one who is already a member will judge the neophyte; he or she alone. will know if and when he is ready to approach the Sanctuary, which shall be named the eternal Spirit Sanctuary. And when the three month period is ended, he simply enters the Room or not, at his own discretion. The three month time is not a trial period but a personal preparation period. One should surely be a Blessing Spirit for that period before entering. For this reason We also request that the eternal Spirit Sanctuary not be used until three months have passed for all members–for they too need this preparation time–to develop the understanding of the Heart–Love for oneself and Love for others–and to become a Blessing Spirit with all that it entails Ponder on This - Ponder on This All.
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