The Spiritual Hierarchy

“I would like to remind you here that the spiritual Hierarchy of our planet cares not whether a man is a democrat, a socialist or a communist, or whether he is a Catholic, a Buddhist, or an unbeliever of any kind. It cares only that humanity—as a whole—avail itself of spiritual opportunity. It is an opportunity which is present today in a more compelling way than ever before.”
The Rays and the Initiations, p. 748 Alice Bailey

Throughout time there has been speculation about an inner group of knowers, enlightened beings of compassion and wisdom, who work behind the scenes to guard and protect humanity. The subconscious memory of these great teachers exists deep within us, bringing fleeting recollections of a time long past. They have been known by many names in the different wisdom traditions of the world—such as the White Brotherhood, the Illuminati, the Masters of the Wisdom, the spiritual Hierarchy, and the Society of Illumined and Organized Minds. In myth and legend, as well as within the writings of Plato and others, they were known as the wise philosopher-kings who were said to rule in a distant and forgotten time.

According to the teachings of the Ageless Wisdom, however, these Teachers are not merely the stuff of myth and legend but rather living beings, “God-men” who for thousands of years have guarded and protected humanity from the sanctity of their spiritual retreats. It is they who have been the inspiration for so many of the creative and forward looking ideas of the artists and thinkers in the world. 

From time to time, members of this Hierarchy have come forward into the world, particularly at the beginning of a new age or during a time of crisis. We are in the midst of one such process now with the difference being that this externalization will not be an isolated event but rather one in which a number of Teachers will step forward, along varied lines of work, to together reorient the entire tenor of life on our planet. Many people active in the world at this time form part of this group effort, even though they might have no conscious recognition of their affiliation. Humanity’s responsibility is to help prepare planetary conditions so that the more advanced members of this inner group, the Masters of the Wisdom, can eventually come forward.

A Group Effort

This group includes people from all faiths (or no faith), nationalities, and races.  They are active in all the many departments of human living-- politics, human rights, religion, spirituality, education, finance, humanitarian and relief work, education, art, music, science, labor and race relations—to create an atmosphere in which right human religions and goodwill can flourish.

We’re told there are three principle requirements that must be broadly controlling human affairs before the Masters can again begin to work openly upon the physical plane:

• the principle of sharing must be en route to controlling human affairs
• the political and religious groups throughout the world must begin to “clean house”
• the establishment of a measure of peace in the world must be in process

None of these requirements is beyond humanity’s ability to achieve within the coming decades and much progress has already been made along all three lines. The success of this effort depends, in large part, upon the galvanizing of public opinion for this is the most powerful force in the world. It has never been successfully mobilized along the lines of goodwill, but we are reaching a time when this will become possible.

Stages in the Externalization Process

The first stage of the externalization process has been underway for many years now under the impetus of those who in the Ageless Wisdom teachings are known by the somewhat dubious name of the “destroyers.” This group has been given the difficult task of breaking down the old and crystallized structures of the past in order to make way for the new forms that are now coming into manifestation. Destruction is always an essential aspect of any spiritual activity, for it clears the way so that the “builders” can begin their work.  The destroyers work under the influence of the energy of the first ray of divine will and power.  Their task is difficult because they have stood for much that is new and, as a consequence, their work often courts controversy. 

But we have reached a point in our planetary evolution where their work is almost completed and now is the time for the builders to do their work. These are the workers who are bringing in the new forms to house the new energies.  Their work is qualified by the energy of the second ray  but also by the powerful new ray influence that is coming into manifestation at his time—the energy of the seventh ray of ceremonial order and magic. It is this ray energy that will create the new world civilization founded upon the principles of a spiritual worldview, in the broadest definition of that term.  The builders are responsible for laying the foundation for the new age.  While the destroyers worked primarily alone, the builders are evolving new ways of working—models that are more group-centered and organic in their structures.  They are breaking down the authoritarian confines of the past and paving the way for a new level of creativity that will completely alter all aspects of life on planet earth.

Within the coming decades we will see the third stage of the externalization beginning to unfold, when the teachers who have worked primarily behind the scenes begin to move outward onto the world stage. The present period, therefore, is one of intense preparation upon the part of humanity to “prepare the soil” for the coming great events.  And in the never-ending “chain of Hierarchy,” the Masters themselves work to prepare the way for the one who follows them—the World Teacher.

Who are These Teachers?

There is, unfortunately, a great deal of misunderstanding and misinformation being given out about the great Teachers. It is important, therefore, to try and present a more realistic picture of them and the work they do. They are different from the way they have been presented by many of the spiritual and religious groups active in the world at this time.  They do not head these groups nor do they run any of the outer, physical plane ashrams, spiritual communities or esoteric groups that are so widespread in the world today. Spiritual teachers who do work in these groups are usually well-meaning individuals but they are, nonetheless, dim reflections of the Masters of the Wisdom. But sometimes teachers step forward who distort the whole message of the Masters and the work that they are coming to do with wild claims and all sorts of purported contacts. Such claims and their so-called channeled messages only serve to bring the whole subject into disrepute.      

The coming Teachers will not be throwbacks to another age. They will not present themselves as gurus or sages offering blessings, dressed in robes and spouting platitudes to the gullible masses; rather they will come forward as contemporary individuals who will be exceedingly powerful in the work that they come to do. They possess extraordinary leadership abilities and inhabit levels of consciousness that are unimaginable to humanity. They could, in a certain sense, be compared to the generals in a powerful “army” only this particular army is not consumed with the machinations of war, but rather with the upholding and the implementing of the divine Plan of love and light for our planet.

These teachers will be professional, effective leaders in many different fields, capable of implementing sweeping changes of a positive and far-reaching nature. They do not need proclamation and will not call themselves Masters or the like. They will be known and admired because of the changes they will implement, with the cooperation of humanity, to transfer the power base of the planet from those who work along the lines of materialism, selfishness and greed into the hands of the men and women of goodwill—so that they will become the new power base and dominant voice within the world. They will be strongly identified with humanity and its problems, but they do not come to “save” us, as many individuals seem to think. Neither does one have to be “saved” in order to recognize them. Instead, they will work in conjunction with humanity to arrest the negative conditions within the planet that have, until now, been so successful in holding back the forward progress of the race.

The Masters will not come forward onto the world stage in any spectacular way, through some type of global proclamation that will force men and women everywhere to recognize them. That would only arouse ridicule and suspicion. Their appearance will, instead, be a natural, gradual process that is unfolding now and will continue over the coming decades through the work being undertaken by people in all fields.

A Challenge to the Hierarchy

Despite the many challenges that their reappearance will pose, they have committed themselves to the task that stands before them. Surely the entire prospect of entering this world, with its massive distortions of living and thinking, and the coarseness of its vibrations, can hold little joy for them. They are, however, strong and pragmatic individuals, prepared to withstand the tremendous pressures with which they will surely be confronted. But clearly no amount of preparation or planning on their part will enable them to have their message reach certain types of people.  Universal acceptance of who and what they are is not, and never has been, a goal towards which they strive or which they could possibly hope to see realized.  Many people do not have eyes to see and suffer from that state of consciousness in which the mind becomes “the slayer of the Real.” In such cases, the intellect blocks out the light of truth and little can be done to contact this type of person. The coming Masters of the Wisdom understand full well the weight of human ignorance and arrogance inherent in the present stage of human evolution and are prepared for conditions as they exist in the world.  More than anything, the Teachers find the depth of human ignorance and selfishness a heavy weight to bear. Yet, despite all this, they have committed themselves to return into this world of pain, misconception and false values. They know the basic goodness of the human heart—a goodness that will make it possible for many people to respond positively to their message.  In any case, they are not seeking converts to any cause or ideology. Their spiritual intention is to serve humanity, no matter what the cost to themselves.

Let us do all we can, within our daily lives and service work to aid in the great process of planetary redemption that will help to tip the scales towards the light.

It’s said that the Hierarchy waits--having done all they can with regard to their presented opportunity. We cannot know the exact timing as to when these events will to unfold.  We are told, however, that the time has been set and the plans set in motion. It is now up to humanity to take the lead; everything, it is said, now depends upon the right action of the men and women of goodwill.

This article is adapted from ideas presented in the writings of Alice Bailey, particularly The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, Lucis Publishing Company

Printed with the permission of the Lucis Publishing Company that holds copyright.