Imitation of the Hierarchy

Walking along this Way (1), or up this stairway, is like starting a journey: aspiration and persistence are needed in order to reach the set goal, flexibility in the face of unexpected events, little baggage, an open mind and heart to welcome the wonder that the journey will offer. Furthermore, along the way, we will also have gifts, or some unexpected travel companion that will make our journey easier and richer.

“Wayfarer, friend, let us travel together. Night is near, wild beasts are about, and our campfire may go out. But if we agree to share the night watch, we can conserve our forces. Tomorrow our path will be long and we may become exhausted. Let us walk together. We shall have joy and festivity. (…) Let our path be one.” (2)

The pilgrims scattered throughout the Earth, and those who, in a subtle way that often goes unnoticed by the consciousness, guide and support them in their progress are part of that chain of souls who, step by step, travel the paths of the spirit until they identify with the Infinity. This chain is called Hierarchy.

“One must learn about the existence of the Hierarchy of Worlds which is infinite.” (3)
“Our Hierarchy lives and grows by the fiery law.” (4)
“Indeed, life is transformed when the spirit consciously ascends, understanding the leading principle—Hierarchy. Only when the perception of a guiding Hierarchy is consciously affirmed will humanity realize its true role in the Cosmos.” (5)
“What, in the last analysis, is this Hierarchy? It is a great salvaging corps of dedicated, liberated Units of Life, working in group formation with all forms and lives in all kingdoms and with all souls particularly.” (6)

The Teaching, therefore, clearly points out how to proceed towards the One and become active members of this chain of Lights: recognising the Hierarchy, sharpening one’s consciousness and tending towards the Fire that feeds It, becoming part of this spiritual Hierarchy and taking on, consciously and responsibly, our role as co-creators of the Manifestation.

“How can one come close to the Source? How will the higher understanding be affirmed? Only by the law of Hierarchy. The Guiding Hand is the Uplifting Hand. The Indicating Hand is the Hand revealing the path to the Highest Law. Thus is created the great step of the law of Hierarchy. Truly!”  (7)

From the Teaching we also know that the Hierarchy is a concept closely linked to those of self-awareness and initiation and that, above all, there is a hierarchy of consciousnesses that crosses and illuminates the entire manifestation, placing itself as a bulwark against the advance of separateness and isolation.

In particular, with regard to the planetary Hierarchy: “(…) the entire Hierarchy of spiritual beings represents a synthesis of forces or of energies, which forces or energies are consciously manipulated for the furtherance of planetary evolution. (…) these forces, demonstrating in our planetary scheme through those great Personalities Who compose the Hierarchy, link it and all that it contains with the greater Hierarchy which we call Solar. Our Hierarchy is a miniature replica of the greater synthesis of those self-conscious Entities who manipulate, control, and demonstrate through the sun and the seven sacred planets, as well as the other planets, greater and smaller, of which our solar system is composed.” (8)

The work of the Hierarchy, therefore, penetrates, feeds and urges each of the five (9) kingdoms of nature on the evolutionary arc and in the Fourth Kingdom (the Human one) the three lines of development of the lower kingdoms “are synthesised and come to their full fruition. He is verily and indeed intelligence, actively and wonderfully manifested; He is incipient love and wisdom, even though as yet they may be but the goal of his endeavour; and he has that embryonic, dynamic, initiating will which will come to a fuller development after he has entered into the fifth kingdom.” (10)

The work of the planetary Hierarchy is structured (11) through a well-defined network of collaborating functions which aim, from the planetary Logos to the lesser of its components, to the common purpose; since the Masters are those “Who have triumphed over matter, and Who have achieved the goal by the very self-same steps that individuals tread today”, they are indeed the primary Models we must look up to in order to “attain the consciousness of the higher self, and subsequently that of the Divine Spirit.” (12)

To do this, to attain Mastery, it is therefore necessary to strive with all our forces towards the Imitation of the Hierarchy, the fourth goal of the planetary Plan for this evolutionary cycle: “(…) To imitate means to create, however surprising, at first. He who imitates a Model goes by increments. When he has perceived an aspect, he tries to express it, evaluates what he has completed and compares it with what he sees of the Model. If his consciousness progresses, he realizes that the result is still very distant from that and with loving patience he tries again. He approaches the inexpressible by degrees. (…) If one thinks that even the planetary Logoi, sublime Intelligences, pursue Their great Models, and that, copying them, they are elevated from sphere to sphere, drawing with them innumerable masses of a lower consciousness, one understands the power implicit in the act of imitating the Superior creatively and one sees how the evolutionary process appears discontinuous in the effects whereas it flows from a constant impulse.” (13)

“Teacher and disciple are indissoluble. Each Teacher remains also a disciple, for amid Hierarchy he will be a link in the Chain of Eternity. Likewise in the descending line, each disciple will also be a teacher. It is a mistake to think that certain initiations elevate one to the step of absolute Teachership; only continuous discipline of cognition can be the living source of perfectment. Let us not look for limits in Infinity. Let us not understand cognition as something finite; in this limitation we lose the joy of Be-ness.” (14)

Imitating the elder Brothers of Humanity (and not just that; it is also possible to imitate the mighty orbiting of a Luminary around the Sun, the Sun itself, the stars …) has an implication that is not only individual, but, above all, it introduces every consciousness into that Group of souls who, silent and unnoticed, serve Humanity and the planetary and solar evolutionary project, helping to trace the guidelines of a New Culture.

“It is interesting to note that the cycle now being inaugurated in the world is that of “Growth through Sharing”, and that advanced humanity can now share the work, the responsibility and the trained reticence of the Hierarchy…”. (15)
“The Hierarchy is called “Brotherhood” also to recognize the link which unites humanity to its Superiors. And to this relationship no limit can be seen: it connects every creature to all the others in the Universe. Hence it is possible and correct to look Above to seek the model of human social life.” (16)

The light of Mercury in perfect alignment with Vulcan and Earth therefore guides us to recognise the Heavens, and their dazzling psycho-geometries, such as the mantle, and the path, to which to turn, in full consciousness, as Models of every human work.
Imitating the higher, and reflecting the light that derives from it to the lower, is part of the human destiny, that destiny which sees humanity climb, with both effort and joy, the stairway of Life, an infinite ladder, in infinite Brotherhood, in infinite Unity.

“For each one on the path there is but one immutable Might—Hierarchy. Upon this sacred Principle one may construct; from this sacred Summit one may contemplate the world; upon this Stronghold the spirit becomes winged; upon this Summit can be built a mighty evolution.” (17)

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1 – Today, October 9, we celebrate the second of the two conjunctions of this year between Mercury (4^th Ray) and Earth (3^rd Ray not sacred), which, attuned, turn the inner Eye to the radiant splendour of the Sun/Vulcan (1^st Ray). Light and Harmony resonate in Space and feed the transfiguring power of the solar Heart, the supreme Model of every heart that beats in harmony with the One.
2 – Agni Yoga Series, New Era Community § Introduction
3 – Fiery World II § 107
4 – Hierarchy § 4
5 – Fiery World III § 67
6 – Alice A. Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, p. 526
7 – Hierarchy § 33
8 – Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 20
9 – The five Kingdoms of nature are: mineral, vegetable, animal, human and spiritual.
10 – Alice A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 22
11 – For more on the structure of the planetary Hierarchy and the multiple phases of the initiatory process see Initiation, Human and Solar by Alice Bailey.
12 – Ibidem, p. 64
13 – From Asserting the Planetary Plan, Goal 4.1
14 – Aum § 492
15 – Alice A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age II, p. 316
16 – From Asserting the Planetary Plan, Goal 1.4
17 – Hierarchy § 217