Michael Robbins New Video Commentary on
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship
Michael Robbins Written Commentary on the Six Stages of Discipleship
Excerpts from his Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I & II series
Text and Commentary #13 Six Stages of Discipleship
Text and Commentary #14 Continued Discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship
Text and Commentary #15 Continued Discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship
Text and Commentary #16 Continued Discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship
Text and Commentary #17 Continued Discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship; Stage II
Text and Commentary #18 Continued Discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship: Stage III
Text and Commentary #19 Continued Discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship: Stage IV
Text and Commentary #20 Continued Discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship: Stage V
Text and Commentary #21 Continued discussion of levels
Michael Robbins Notes – The Six Stages of Discipleship SXSDVC 06-16-2021
Video/Audio Formats used:
mp4 video files can be watched on-line or they can be downloaded. To download them, start the video and in the bottom right corner you will see 3 dots, click that and you will see the download option.
m4a audio files can be listened to on-line or they can be downloaded. To download them, start the audio and on the play bar to the right side you’ll see 3 dots, click that you will get a download option.
You will need to use a media player when watching from your own computer. We recommend the free open source VLC media player.
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 26: Michael concludes on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 770-773. Focus is now on the Chela within the Master’s Heart. The call of the Hierarchy goes out to humanity as a whole and is caught and heard by many different types of people. Let’s look at some of the types of people who respond to the call. There are the true lovers of humanity, who care enough to do what they can to help. There are psychics throughout the world who are catching the higher impression or who telepathically get some aspect of the projected idea. There are probationary disciples who receive and respond to the impression more promptly and clearly than the above group. There are accepted disciples who get the Master’s idea and plans in far greater completeness, but fail often to work them out as they should in the world of daily service because they are so preoccupied with their own problems as disciples. And there are disciples close to the Master’s heart, world disciples and those who are consciously in His aura, know His plan; they usually play their part successfully. Clear thinking is needed along many lines as groupd begin to cohere and work together. An acute discrimination is also required to distinguish between the lines between the Forces of Materialism and the Forces of Light. When the contrast between the way of love and goodwill and the way of cruelty and hate is being clearly defined on earth, disciples must exercise an unprejudiced attitude. The group must stand firmly on the physical plane against that anything that is destructive and hateful and, at the same time, preserving an inner attitude of complete harmlessness and loving understanding. The present world conflict is analogous to the stern conflict which is going on within the hearts and lives of all the world aspirants and disciples and is inevitably a sign that they are setting their feet upon the Path of Conscious Discipleship. The higher Self and the personality meet face to face for the determination; this is what is also happening with Humanity, at this time. The call to world salvage has gone out and today disciples are assembling all over the world. And so, from stage to stage the disciple passes, going from light to light, from perception to perception, from force to energy, from personality focus to soul integration and, then, from soul to spirit, from form to life. This program was recorded on 24 Jun 2021. Approximately 2 hrs.
Video 984MB .mp4 file
Audio 112MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 25: Michael continued his discussion on Part IX from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 766-769. Focus is now on the Chela within the Master’s Heart. This last of the six stages is where the disciple is always in close touch with the Master, and he is being prepared for immediate initiation or is given specialized work if he has taken initiation. When the disciple reaches this stage he is no longer what you understand by an accepted disciple; he is now an initiate of high standing and has passed out of the supervision and the safeguarding of a Master into a direct relation with the Christ, who is the central point in the Hierarchy. The Master is the heart of His group and the Christ is the heart of the Hierarchy. Within that life, the initiate now consciously stands as a recipient of life as well as a distributor of life. The “Master’s Heart” is a technical term; there is at this stage a direct line of energy or of life—sensed, recognized, active and utilized—between the conscious disciple and 1) his heart center, 2) the heart in the head, 3) the egoic lotus as the heart center of the monadic life, 4) the Master at the center of His group, 5) the Christ as the heart center of the Hierarchy, 6) the life of the Monad which begins to be felt at the third initiation, and 7) the Lord of Life Himself, the heart center of Shamballa. This stage is one which marks a new departure or beginning and a great transition and the beginning of the Path of the Higher Evolution. The world today offers opportunity to all disciples to become world disciples, close to the Master’s heart. It offers opportunity to world disciples to begin their approach to the Heart of the Hierarchy, to Christ. It is with this first possibility that you should be concerned, no matter how old you are; the soul knows no age and can use its instrument if it makes itself into a suitable and available instrument. Is your awareness a constant group-awareness? Or is it a constant self-awareness which comes consistently between you and your fellowmen? The call of the Hierarchy goes out to humanity as a whole; it is sent out through the medium of the groups and Ashrams which are presided over by many of the Masters. It is caught and heard by many different types of people and in their response much distortion of that call creeps in; only the advanced disciple brings it through correctly or responds adequately. The others respond to partial aspects of the call and their consequent activity is spasmodic, based upon erroneous interpretations, colored by personality faults, delayed by inertia and often selfishly based. By the response of the disciples in His group or Ashram, the Master gauges the place and status of the disciple, though there are, of course, many other indicatory evidences. Most people respond unconsciously but react sympathetically because something in them synchronizes with the call, or because they are sensitive to certain vibratory influences. This program was recorded on 23 Jun 2021. Approximately 1.8 hrs.
Video 957MB .mp4 file
Audio 106MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 24: Michael began his discussion on Part IX from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 764-766. Each time we consider the various stages of discipleship, it becomes more difficult to give a true picture of the state of consciousness and the inner situation and relationships, because these are advanced stages and they have no correspondence in the experience of even an advanced aspirant. It is not apparent that the initiate of high degree lives in a world of reactions and of subtle phenomena which are totally unimaginable to the average disciple. When he functions on the physical plane or in the three worlds, he only brings the lowest aspect of his consciousness into action. The goal for the majority of aspirants is not to limit their consciousness by a concentration upon the minutiae, such as the permanent atoms and the details connected with the individual form nature. The objective of each aspirant is to expand his consciousness to include that which lies beyond himself, to attain the more elevated states of consciousness in the life of the group and of humanity, and to integrate himself consciously into the Hierarchy, eventually into Shamballa, and occultly to know God in His many phases of all-inclusive extension and perfection. A close concentration upon and study of the spirillae and atoms would be scientifically and technically interesting and possible, but would not lead to increased spiritual development. Instead it would lead to personality emphasis and, therefore, to increased difficulty in treading the Path. The more advanced a disciple, the more dangerous such emphasis and preoccupation would be, whereas the scientist or the aspirant upon the Probationary Path could study such matters with relative impunity because he would not bring in the energy which could galvanise these points of force into dangerous activity. For this reason I am not dealing with the permanent atoms as there is no need for you to give time and consideration to them. If you are living correctly and are training the lower nature properly, then the development of the forces which function as form divinely consecrated will proceed normally and safely. This program was recorded on 22 Jun 2021. Approximately 1hr.
Video 569MB .mp4 file
Audio 62MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 23: Michael continued his discussion on Part VIII from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 762-764. He finishes up Stage V, the Chela within the Aura. The constitution of the Soul is the factor of paramount importance to the Master in the task of training the disciple for hierarchical work and it involves the three higher centers (head, heart and throat). The Master is concerned with the Egoic Lotus. The details of the personality life (its inadequate expression or shadow in the three worlds) make no impact whatsoever on soul consciousness. We are occupied with the theme of the response to hierarchical energy as embodied in the Master’s aura and the channels used to transmit it to the disciple. One channel is from the Hierarchy to the Master, the Ashram, and then the soul of the disciple; another channel is that of Humanity, to the disciple, the Antahkarana, and the three higher centers. This is the broad and general process, reaching from the universal (as far as the individual disciple is concerned), to the particular, i.e., the disciple in a physical body. The descent of energy comes from the Master’s aura, to the egoic lotus. The inflow of ashramic energy comes via the sacrifice petals (will aspect), love petals (love-wisdom aspect), and knowledge petals (mind aspect) and this process is affected by the ray type of the disciple. The response from the disciple upon the physical plane and the receptivity of his centers follows: the sacrifice petals transmit energy to the head center via the sacrifice petals (three of them) in the ring of petals immediately around the Jewel in the Lotus. From there the energy goes to the sacrifice petal in the love petals and in the knowledge petals bringing in five transmitting points of will-energy. The same thing happens with the love petals transmitting love energy to the heart center, via the 5 love petals; and the knowledge petals transmitting the energy of intelligent activity to the throat center, again in the same manner, via the five knowledge petals. This process going on in the egoic vehicle and registered by the disciple upon the physical plane produces an evocative response from the Spiritual Triad in a three-fold manner: 1) Spiritual Triad, atmic permanent atom, sacrifice petals, Antahkarana, physical permanent atom within the egoic lotus, and the head center; 2) Spiritual Triad, buddhic permanent atom, love petals, Antahkarana, astral permanent atom, heart center; and 3) Spiritual Triad, manasic permanent atom, knowledge petals, Antahkarana, mental unit, throat center. These details, when rightly understood, demonstrate the nature of the Science of the Breath. This program was recorded on 21 Jun 2021. Approximately 1.25hrs.
Video 625MB .mp4 file
Audio 74MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 22: Michael continued his discussion on Part VIII from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 758-762. The focus is now on Stage V, the Chela within the Aura. The true accepted disciple passes from point to point within the circumference of a Master’s sphere of influence until he reaches a period wherein he consciously knows his Master’s aura. This means he is aware not only of the Master, but of what is in the Master’s mind. He consciously knows the part he has to play and responds sensitively to the Master’s aura not only upon the inner planes of life and in the Ashram proper, but also with his physical brain. He moves within the aura in his daily physical plane life: he is telepathically en rapport, responding to the Master’s mind; he is mentally aware of the content of the Master’s mind and it affects his life and service; he is relatively free from glamour, so is able to respond from the angle of sensitivity and feeling and bring through the Master’s plans on to the astral plane; etherically, he can use the ashramic force on the physical plane; and his brain becomes consciously aware of the simultaneity of these processes so that he passes into a new phase of conscious discipleship. The neophyte knows that the goal of the occultist is to work with forces; he fails to recognize that this may not be consciously done until he has accomplished 4 things. He needs to become a pure channel and unimpeded distributor of ashramic and group soul energy that are not colored by his personality. This means he must distribute soul energy, and not forces that concern the three worlds. He has to learn the uses of distinction and of synthesis. He must become aware of the dangers incident to the distribution of forces and learn to direct energies in a specific and particular direction. His goal to become this pure channel is realized through purity of life, correct orientation (toward the soul, ashram, and humanity), and non-criticism. Disciples gravitate into world groups and many of them are doing far more efficient work than those gathered together into esoteric groups. The advanced accepted disciple has his own group which he gathers around him for active and creative work; the gauge of a disciple’s capacity lies in his influence upon other people (through writing, speaking, and personal influence). The centers, as used by the disciple in his unfolding progress, are dependent upon the ray type to a great extent, but the Master never uses a disciple’s centers as distributing agencies for force. The centers are (when functioning correctly) reservoirs of force and distributors of energy, colored by specific quality and of a certain note, vibration, and strength. On the final stages of the Path of Discipleship, they are entirely controlled by the soul, via the head center, after the third initiation, the lower centers have no control whatsoever over the outer mechanism of response, and when the disciple is in the Ashram itself, the centers are viewed as simply channels for energy. This program was recorded on 21 Jun 2021. Approximately 2.3hrs.
Video 1.27GB .mp4 file
Audio 133MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 21: Michael continued his discussion on Part VIII from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 755-758. The focus is now on Stage V, the Chela within the Aura. The Master’s aura (which determines the aura of the entire Ashram) has three outstanding radiations as far as the responsiveness of the disciple is concerned. First is the radiation from the higher levels of the mental plane (lowest aspect of the Spiritual Triad) and is based on the sphere of influence to which the Master is spiritually in touch with the Mind of God. It is this particular radiation which evokes a response from the embryonic abstract mind of the disciple when the antahkarana is being built. A direct line of influential approach is made between the Master and the awakening disciple through the disciple’s manasic permanent atom, the knowledge petals of the egoic lotus, the lower concrete mind (held steady in the light), the throat center, and the physical brain. The moment that the disciple has established this line of approach to the Spiritual Triad (even in a small measure) he makes his first response to the aura of the Master. The distinction between the aura of the Master and the aura of the Ashram is that the Master’s aura is dynamic and the group aura is influential, yet the two together constitute the group aura. When this initial response is made it results eventually in the disciple becoming the chela within the aura. The second radiation from the Master’s aura is an expression of the love nature of the Master and is that which enables Him to be in touch with the Heart of God. The line along which this vibratory activity of the Master reaches the disciple and draws him finally within the aura is the buddhic permanent atom, love petals of the egoic lotus, highest aspect of the astral body, and the heart center. The third radiation from the Master’s aura is that which comes from the atmic level or the will aspect of the Spiritual Triad. This is the emanatory expression of the capacity of the Master to enter into the Council at Shamballa; only the advanced initiate-chela can register this radiation. It is transmitted into the physical consciousness of the disciple is through the atmic permanent atom to the sacrifice petals of the egoic lotus, the highest aspects of the etheric vehicle, the head center, and the center at the base of the spine (which is aroused into activity in response to the vibratory radiation of the other four points of transmission). These three radiations emanating from a Master and enhanced by the similar, though much less powerful, radiations of the inner members of the Ashram are the factors which put the Master and the Ashram in contact with that which is occultly spoken of as the physical Sun, the heart of the Sun and the Central Spiritual Sun. Michael paused here in his reading to bring in and discuss the diagram from Rays and Initiations page 160 that indicates the past, present, and future relationships between Humanity, Hierarchy, and Shamballa. Continuing on with the reading on the radiator quality of the Master and His disciples. In every Ashram, there is always at a given moment some one disciple who is being trained to take the Master’s place eventually, thereby releasing Him for higher and more important work. When this process of identification takes place, a moving forward of every member in the entire Ashram becomes possible, even though it seldom happens. Symbolically speaking, it might be described as a potent expanding impulse which widens the circle of the Ashram so that higher levels can be touched and lower spheres of influence can be included. The Master always has three disciples who are His closest cooperators and intermediaries. They have emerged into His consciousness in response to the radiatory activity of His threefold spiritual nature. They work very closely with Him and watch over the other disciples in the group according to their need, their ray and their point of development. The number of disciples in an Ashram varies constantly, but always there are the three who are responsible to the Master for all ashramic activity, who are in His closest councils and who carry out His plans. The chain of Hierarchy is great and immutable and the sequences unalterable. This program was recorded on 20 Jun 2021. Approximately 2.75hrs.
Video 1.25GB .mp4 file
Audio 156MB .mp3 file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 20: Michael began his discussion on Part VIII from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 749-754. The focus is now on Stage V, the Chela within the Aura. It is an advanced stage of discipleship that connotes almost complete at-one-ment between the disciple and the Master’s group. He is a trusted agent and his orientation is now fixed and his responsiveness to the group need of humanity means that the whole is of greater importance to him than the part. This in no way negates his ability to work with individuals or to give understanding love and compassion to those in his path who need it, but he has arrived at a sense of right proportion and of correct organization of his life processes and activities in time and space. The Master knows He has a dependable instrument. Each step forward necessitates care on the part of the Master in order to see that the Ashram is preserved from all disruptive activity. It is only when the chela has achieved “occult serenity” that he can be permitted to focus himself permanently within the group aura. Serenity signifies a deep calm, devoid of emotional disturbance; the surface of his life may be (from the worldly angle) in a state of violent flux, but in spite of all, he stands firm, poised in soul consciousness and the depths of his life remain undisturbed. This is intensity of feeling transmuted into focused understanding. An accepted disciple, therefore, advances through the medium of three vibratory realizations: 1) he reacts to the vibration of an Ashram according to his ray type; 2) he realizes the nature and note of his Ashram and advances from the periphery into the sphere of influence of the Master, participating more and more in the group life; and 3) he responds powerfully to the vibration of the Master as He functions at the very center of His group. The aura of any form of life can be defined as the quality of a sphere of radiatory activity. It is usually spoken of in terms of color and of light, due to the nature of the vision of the one who sees and the apparatus of response being used. Two words only describe an aura from the point of view of occult knowledge and they are “quality” and “sphere of influence.” Seeing an aura is in reality a state of awareness. These spheres of radiatory activity are present even when unregistered and unrecognized; the evolutionary process is one of developing a response apparatus with which to register them; having done so, the next step is to react intelligently to such contacts, producing an ever increasing range of awareness. The factor lying behind each of the six stages of discipleship is the existence in the disciple of qualities, radiatory activities and emanatory impulses which correspond to those emanating from some particular Ashram. These, when they have evoked a response and drawn the disciple to the periphery of the sphere of activity of such an Ashram, gradually intensify their magnetic, attractive quality. They awaken to still greater potency the same qualities in the disciple, occultly pulling him closer to the central point at the very heart of the Ashram. Each disciple who penetrates into the aura of the Master through similarity of quality and vibratory activity enriches and intensifies the group with which he is affiliated; ass time elapses, the Ashram of a Master becomes increasingly potent, magnetic and radiant. Within that aura the initiate-disciple carries forward his work outwards in service. He always protects the center from any quality of his own aura which is not in harmony with the quality of the Master and keeps outside his own consciousness any thoughts or desires which might disturb the group aura. Every Ashram radiates some one major quality according to the ray of the Master at the center; in the same way the Hierarchy radiates the quality of the second divine aspect, just as the all-inclusive Ashram (to which we give the name Shamballa) has the outstanding characteristic of the first aspect, life itself. This program was recorded on 18 Jun 2021. Approximately 3.25hrs.
Video 1.8GB .mp4 file
Audio 159MB .mp3 file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 19: Michael continued his discussion on Part VII from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 747-749. The focus is now on Stage IV, Chela on the Thread. The driving urge of his life is the need of humanity and his expanding awareness of the immediate next step that man must take. When he first enters the Master’s Ashram, he must become decentralized, shifting consciousness from himself to that of the work to be done and to know what his tasks are. The Ashram is externalized only in so far as it provides a point of spiritual tension; from that Ashram, disciples go out to work in the world with the outer group reflecting the radiance of the inner Ashram and establishing a magnetic field of spiritual power. An Ashram is a center of group activity, swept by energies that enable the group to carry out the Master’s plan and meet human need. This is a need that is the main and urgent principle of invocation (evoking hierarchical response and thus putting two centers—that of Humanity and the Hierarchy—en rapport). When the individual disciple becomes a chela on the thread, it is as the reward of selfless service—carried forward at any personal cost. Chelas on the thread employ a peculiar technique, according to their ray; they work always through the head center, sounding out the call (an inaudible call, from the physical plane angle) that vibrates along the thread and reaches the Master. This thread is not the antahkarana but a linking thread of living light that the Master projects as the disciple’s service evokes a response from Him. This evocation increases its potency as the disciple builds the antahkarana between the personality and the Spiritual Triad. The chela on the thread eventually has the life thread (one aspect of the antahkarana) connected with this ashramic thread and hence the establishment of monadic control of the individual which (in its group form) signifies the control of the Hierarchy by Shamballa. These lesser and the greater relationship must always be kept in mind. This program was recorded on 17 Jun 2021. Approximately 1.5hrs.
Video 773MB .mp4 file
Audio 86MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 18: Michael began his discussion on Part VII from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 741-747. The focus is now on Stage IV, Chela on the Thread, the stage where the disciple is taught how (in emergencies) to attract the Master’s attention. Disciples know that psychism in its lowest phases is a part of the divine expression and is of an essentially higher nature than the purely physical processes of living in the body. A disciple has to be prepared for all experiences and to face the fact that eventually all disciples have to become psychics, both higher and lower, as was the Christ. The only safeguard is to prevent the lower powers demonstrating until the higher psychic faculties are functioning; then the lower are controlled from the level of the higher consciousness. You must understand the correlation between the chela, the Ashram in which he is working and the Master. This triangular relationship is always brought about through a realization of tension. There has been much given to students upon the theme of the thread, the sutratma and the Antahkarana; this thread leads from the Hierarchy and a point of tension in that Hierarchy (such as the Master at the center of any Ashram) to distant places, to many planes and into many hearts. This thread enables the disciple (if he has been permitted to learn how to use it) to return instantaneously to his center of work and to reach his Master at any time. The entire subject of the chela on the thread and the techniques involved in this state of consciousness are all related to the capacity of the human being, under soul control, to be magnetic and to “emit the vibratory call which can penetrate to the ear of the One Who holds the thread.” This fourth stage is only possible to a disciple who has been an accepted disciple for more than one life and who has demonstrated his ability to work with selflessness and pertinacity (he is decentralized, he works impersonally, he has a sense of proportion to the work and his contribution to the Ashram, he is conscious simultaneously of the spiritual tension he needs to be focused on as well as the sphere of activity he is working in the three worlds in which he works). In these words you have the key to the true science of discipleship, to the developing relation of the human center and the hierarchical. Most disciples are not yet working from a point of spiritual tension, but from a point of personality focus; as long as a man is focused in his personality, the point of spiritual tension will evade him. He will be driven by personality aspiration and not by ashramic force and this focus in form will lead to trouble both to the individual aspirant and to his group. Spiritual tension, as a result of complete dedication of the personality to the service of humanity, stimulates and empowers but does not evoke the lower life of the personal self. These are the requirements which the disciple must meet before he is taught to reach the Master at will and when an emergency arises (the disciple at this point is permitted to call the attention of the Master because he can be trusted to use the privilege solely for purposes of group service and never for himself). It implies a chela of such devotion and essential basic selflessness that the Ashram needs no protection from his vibratory activity; the Master knows that if a call comes from the chela on the thread, it will not be a waste of His time to respond, because the call will always be launched on behalf of group need and for the establishing of group purpose. This responsive relationship and interplay is only attained after a long cycle of the outer relation of the accepted disciple upon the periphery and finally within the Ashram. It is the almost unconsciously achieved result of self-effacement and self-forgetfulness which distinguishes the accepted disciple; he is decentralised and engrossed in the fulfilment of the divine Plan to the best of his ability. This program was recorded on 16 Jun 2021. Approximately 3hrs.
Video 1.6GB .mp4 file
Audio 176MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 17: Michael continued his discussion on Part VI from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 735-740. The focus is now on Stage III, Accepted Discipleship. The majority of disciples are not even 60 per cent effective because their points of tension are scattered all over the personality and are not focused where the point of individual tension should be. Each has to discover that point of spiritual tension for himself. The reason that disciples are not sensitive to the Master, to the life of the Ashram and to each other is that they are extended and not tense; they are working and living on the periphery of consciousness and not at the center. Their service, therefore, is partial; their consecration is weak and they are overwhelmed by inertia, by lack of interest in others and by many preoccupations with the form side of life. Another thing to consider is the distinction between love and the will to-love. It is a question often asked in the early stages of the path of discipleship and is based on a sense of individual as well as group need. The will-to-love involves the recognition of limitation, of desire, of the forcing of an issue and of the intense aspiration really to love. (It does not indicate the inflow of Shamballa energy through the medium of the soul, whose intrinsic nature is spontaneous love.) Where there is a determination to be loving, certain attitudes emerge. The disciple knows that he lacks love because he is constantly finding himself isolated from and not identified with others; he is irritated by others; he is critical of his brothers. Throughout this phase, the attitude is definitely that of the will-to-love, coupled with a deep realization of the handicaps to the expression of love (this is all a form of self-centeredness). The true way to love is to reflect and meditate deeply and constantly upon the significance and the meaning of love, its origin, its expression through the soul, its qualities, goals and objectives. Love is never worked up; it is a free unimpeded inflow from the higher and is spontaneous, carrying the free spirit of Christ. Give up emphasizing the will-to-love and emphasize in your own consciousness the need of others for understanding, compassion, interest and help. The cry of the disciple is: “Aid the work. Forget yourself. The world needs you.” While a large number of people have passed through the stages of Little Chelaship and Chela in the Light, many others today are passing through the stage of Accepted Discipleship. The keynote of that stage is establishing contact with the Master; it is primarily and technically the task of the Master to evoke the direct response and the conscious reaction of the disciple. Along with these reactions, the Master looks for an effort on the part of the disciple to be impersonal in his dealings, both with Him and with his co-disciples; impersonality is the first step upon the road to spiritual love and understanding (when that has been achieved, criticism dies out and love can pour in). The Master also looks for an effort upon the part of His disciples to work on a larger and more generous scale in connection with His work in the world of men; He leaves them free to work as they may choose but He most certainly looks for the effort to take place along the lines of the specific activities which constitute His intention. To achieve this vital effort, there must be the ability to focus upon the work and to develop the power to cooperate with those also engaged in similar work (this involves impersonality and right focus, a sensitivity to world pain, and divine indifference to outer events in the life of the little self). Impersonality has also to be developed in connection with the Master (He is not occupied with making His group of disciples satisfied with themselves, their status or their service; rather He frequently lays the emphasis in His rare contacts upon their failures and limitations). His work is primarily to help them detach themselves from the form aspect of life and fit them to undergo certain great expansions of consciousness. He closely watches their vibration and indicates where changes must be made in attitude and expression and to more effective service. The Master has to protect the larger Ashram as a whole from the reaction of those who are learning to work in smaller supervised groups and in cooperation with their more experienced brothers. Sometimes disciples become discouraged and try to resign from the Ashram (they can only do this exoterically, for the esoteric link always persists). One of the first lessons a disciple has to learn is to recognize his place within the Ashram (those he can assist and those who aid him), as an Ashram is composed of all degrees, ranging from that of a disciple who is taking his first steps upon the path up to that of a disciple who is a Master of the Wisdom. The moment you step into the the radiation of a Master or of any disciple senior to you, then things begin to happen in your life. Eventually when the disciple’s vibration is constant and responsive to the higher one, the two can then be synchronized; synchronization is the key to initiation. This concludes Part VI, Stage III, Accepted Discipleship. This program was recorded on 14 Jun 2021. Approximately 4.5hrs.
Video 2.2GB .mp4 file
Audio 260MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 16: Michael began his discussion on Part VI from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 732-735. The focus is now on Stage III, Accepted Discipleship. The angle of the contacts which become possible upon the Path of Accepted Discipleship vary according to person and ray. There are several approaches from the Master or his representative at different stages, for an accepted disciple, it is usually direct contact with the Master in meditation or an interview in the Master’s Ashram. And while there can be some illusion or glamor involved with these contacts, it is the task of the accepted disciple to interpret them correctly. Disciples grow by the answering of their own questions; the task of the Master is to suggest to the disciple’s mind the type of question which warrants his thought and then to stimulate his abstract mind so that he can successfully find the answer; the answering of these questions has a conditioning effect upon the group. One of the difficulties confronting all ashrams is to absorb new members and disciples, either singly or in groups. Disciples in their consciousness have to learn to avoid differentiating between aspects of the Ashram, inner and outer, and between the few Ashram members whom they may know and recognize, and the vast number who remain unknown to them. An Ashram is one group or band of disciples, initiates of various degrees, world disciples and neophytes at the very beginning of the Way of discipleship. Disciples must not think in terms of different Ashrams but in terms of the Ashram as a whole. The key to this realization is Intensity (working from a point of tension that will bring in the revelation). Tension, when focused rightly, is the great releasing Power. Right tension is brought about first by correct orientation; this necessitates a true sense of values and freedom from those minor preoccupations which produce extension instead of tension. If you are preoccupied with your physical condition, you will not experience the tension which will make you a magnetic center of power and love. This program was recorded on 13 Jun 2021. Approximately 1hr.
Video 613MB .mp4 file
Audio 62MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 15: Michael finished his discussion on Part V from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 730-732. The focus remains with Stage II, The Chela in the Light. Each Master has reached the point where the vision is clear to Him; he identifies Himself with it and interprets it in terms of His contribution to the whole. In the early days of the present cycle of hierarchical effort (between 1925 and 1936), the ray at work upon humanity was the first ray. The activity of this ray culminated in the declaration of war by Great Britain in 1939, when the destructive force of that ray—misapplied and misdirected—led Germany to invade Poland. In 1932, the influence of the second ray began to assert itself and will continue to do so until 1945 when the seventh ray will swing slowly into activity. You will then have three rays producing simultaneous effects upon mankind, coming into activity in combination with the other two—the will-to-love and the will-to-order—producing beauty out of the present chaos. An Ashram is a vortex of force and a center of energy that allows both force and energy to flow order that the vision may be materialized. This force and energy is, directed by a Master, by a group of three senior initiates and by another group of lesser initiates, representing (in each Ashram) a miniature of the planetary government. They step down the inflowing energy so that accepted disciples can handle it safely and act as distributing agents. The energy with which the Masters work comes from Shamballa; the forces with which They work are provided from within the Hierarchy itself, and just in so far as the accepted disciples react to the combined forces will it be possible for them to be used in service. In other words: the initiated disciples in a Master’s group focus the inflowing energies; the accepted disciples, through the medium of their souls, focus the force which the Master directs outward into the world of men in conformity with the Plan of the Hierarchy, working in accordance with the revelation, coming from Shamballa. Initiated disciples have no interest in anything but the vision, the Plan and its direction and materializing upon earth. The Master of an Ashram and the senior initiates in His group are responsible for the relation between Shamballa and the Hierarchy. Accepted disciples and the lesser initiates are responsible for the relation between the Hierarchy and Humanity. Thus the great chain of the Hierarchy of Being is preserved inviolate. This program was recorded on 12 Jun 2021. Approximately 1.7 hrs.
Video 827MB .mp4 file
Audio 96MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 14: Michael continued his discussion on Part V from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 727-729. The focus remains with Stage II, The Chela in the Light. Remember that these stages are related to work in the Ashram and to the life and vitality of the inner group (disciples, and initiates in various stages of development). It is these widely different types of active disciples which bring about the inter-relation between the outer and the inner Ashrams, between the objective group upon the outer plane and the very much larger inner group. Disciples need to realize that an Ashram is not confined to a few who may know each other; an Ashram is an international group composed of souls in incarnation and out of incarnation. It is a synthesis of initiates of various degrees and of accepted disciples. The point of importance to each disciple in an Ashram is whether he can step up his conscious response to the ashramic vibration so that he does not hinder the planned activities of the Ashram. The task of the Master is to stimulate as many as possible in His group to work consistently on levels of spiritual activity, wherein the fire of the will-to-love may animate and dominate. Where all the group are aflame with love and are living as souls, then the Ashram becomes a vital vortex of force and is dynamically effective. This program was recorded on 11 Jun 2021. Approximately 1.15 hrs.
Video 650MB .mp4 file
Audio 65MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 13: Michael continued his discussion on Part V from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 724-727. The focus remains with Stage II, The Chela in the Light. The aspirants being trained are the nucleus of the future world servers. The aspirants, disciples and senior disciples are establishing magnetic influence, setting up telepathic rapport and making basic karmic readjustments. In this process, the chela in the Light is trained to recognise members of the Hierarchy by first becoming aware of disciples more advanced than themselves and learning to give due weight to their words and suggestions. The developing process of telepathic interplay is one that needs careful study. All groups of disciples, working in or out of an Ashram, should be in close telepathic rapport and thus provide a training ground for the development of this type of sensitivity. The first thing that has to be established in a group of disciples is love and trust, for without that there can be no true transference of thought. A second rule governing this telepathic relationship and this is that all criticism must be carefully avoided by all disciples if they want to bring about the needed rhythm. The disciple or aspirant who has glaring faults and who fails to make the required changes himself creates a barrier which he must in time destroy by removing all causes for criticism. These barriers prevent free telepathic communication. In the mastering of the task of karmic adjustment, the guiding disciple is governed by certain requirements. He must ascertain just what karma must be worked out by the aspirant in his charge, during this incarnation. He must then induce him to add to this established karma further freeing karma voluntarily and by free choice by taking on some karma which ordinarily would be precipitated in some later life. And he begins to shoulder some of the general karma of humanity, thus increasing his own load of karma, and begins to comprehend something of planetary karma (though he has no responsibility for this yet-only after the third initiation does he consciously and as an individual cooperate with the karmic responsibility of the planetary Logos). When the demand of the aspirant, the guiding disciple’s recommendation, the karmic condition and the note which the Master registers coincide in time, then the third stage is reached. This program was recorded on 9 Jun 2021. Approximately 2.35 hrs.
Video 1.3GB .mp4 file
Audio 135MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 12: Michael continued his discussion on Part V from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 721-724. The focus continues with Stage II, The Chela in the Light. When a man becomes a chela in the Light, certain developments take place enabling him to see the vision more clearly and to know what he must do, for the Light ever reveals. These include making a transition in consciousness from the astral plane to the mental, learning to distinguish between the pairs of opposites, and becoming aware of glamor as something he needs to free himself (and eventually the world) from. It is under the guidance of a chela who is far more advanced than the chela in the Light (though not yet adept) that the first lessons in these three processes are learned. While this is going on, the aspirant remains unaware of the Master’s interest in him, but the Master is receiving regular reports (based on certain charts) from the senior disciple who has the neophyte in charge. It is in this way that many hierarchical relationships are established. This program was recorded on 8 Jun 2021. Approximately 1 hr.
Video 2.47MB .mp4 file
Audio 61MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 11: Michael began his discussion on Part V from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 719-721. It focused especially on The Chela in the Light (Stage II). This stage is one where probationer is occupied with overcoming glamour and curing the distorted, myopic vision of the man immersed in form. He is now seeks a new vision and to control his emotional reactions by working in the Light. This stage involves so many aspirants in the world today. As far as these aspirants are concerned, Masters are trying to stimulate the flame of the spirit in them so that they may set the world on fire. Fires of judgment and of substance (of karma and its vehicle, matter) are raging in the world at this time, and fire must be countered by fire to stop the raging inferno that is currently devastating the world. The fire of spirit must effectively used by the disciple – the fire which must, in the final analysis, be used by the disciples in the world is the fire of the will-to-love (the love of the greater Whole and the ability to do what is needed for the good of the group in the right way and with the needed skill in action). The disciple needs a long range vision and is not misled an immediate perspective; he works and prepares for the future. This program was recorded on 7 Jun 2021. Approximately 1.5 hrs.
Video 2.789MB .mp4 file
Audio 91MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 10: Michael continued his discussion on Part IV from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 711-719. It focused especially on Little Chelaship but the other stages are preliminarily set forth. In the relation of a Master and His group, it has little to do with the attitudes and procedures of a disciple. Directed, hierarchical impression is not imposed until the man has fitted himself through self-discipline to respond the Master and has established group response (to the sensed human need and to impression from the soul that leads to spiritual sensitivity. The stages we are talking about are the stage where the disciple is contacted by the Master through some chela upon the physical plane (Little Chelaship), the stage where a higher disciple directs the chela from soul levels (Chela in the Light), the stage where Master contacts the chela (Accepted Discipleship), the stage where the disciple is taught how to attract the Master’s attention (Chela on the Thread), the stage where he may call the Master (Chela within the Aura), and the stage where the disciple has the Master’s ear at any time (Chela within the Master’s Heart). Little Chelaship is when a person has reached the stage where a light flashed out and attracts the Master. Through meditation the Antahkarana is built and a path of light and energy is established between two divine aspects; as time goes on, there is a linking of lights through the egoic group. Spiritual habits are formed, but group resonance hasn’t been established yet, so the Master pays no attention to the aspirant at this stage. Little Chelaship is related to the first initiation (that of the physical plane) and is referred to as Isolated individuality; it relates to the third Ray of Active Intelligence. Next comes Isolated Identity, connected to the astral plane, and governed by the sixth Ray of Devotion. Isolated identity (with the soul) is that of the disciple up to and including the third initiation (Chela in the Light, Accepted Discipleship, and Chela on the Thread). Isolated unity is connected with the mental plane, is governed by the fifth Ray of Concrete Knowledge or Science; it is the consummation of the Aryan consciousness and the third initiation. The Hierarchy builds for the future; it is not occupied with the present. All that it does is done with the intent to open the way into a wider and more expansive world. Humanity is preoccupied with the things of the present; the Hierarchy is working and laying plans for the future; Shamballa is engrossed with the Eternal Now and with the dynamic life which has created the past, which controls the present (the centre of illusion) and [page 719] with the future. Lemurian consciousness focused on the past and concerned the physical plane, people with the Atlantean consciousness focused on the present and are found everywhere, and people who are definitely Aryan in their state of awareness (mentally focused) are occupied with the future. The three constitute one race of men and embody the whole of mankind. This program was recorded on 6 Jun 2021. Approximately 4.15 hrs.
Video 2.1GB .mp4 file
Audio 241MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 9: Michael reviewed the 3 important things a disciple learns as he integrates within the Ashram: that we all share human tendencies (good and bad), that what we most despise or fear is the thing that exists most strongly within us (yet is unrecognized), and that past attitudes and dogmatic ways are useless when they separate us from our fellowmen. Then Michael began his discussion on Part IV from the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 709-711. As we learn to consciously learn to live in the world of meaning we are irradiating our daily lives. With the first stage, Little Chelaship, the Master prepares the probationer to step off the Probationary Path and onto the Path of Discipleship as he learns to develop love and group consciousness. Members of a Master’s group must become increasingly sensitive to the Master and his pledged workers. The Master is only interested in what he knows of your inner life, at your highest times when the light of the Soul pours through; he needs decentralized, forward-looking, loving and intelligent workers to work effectively together for the goals of the Ashram. This program was recorded on 5 Jun 2021. Approximately 1.25 hrs.
Video 736MB .mp4 file
Audio 73MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 8: Michael continues his discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 707-709, continuation of Part III of the Six Stages of Discipleship. Emphasis on the externalization of the inner Ashram upon the outer plane during the Aquarian Age, where disciples, initiates and world disciples will meet for the first time in human history, recognizing each other and the Master of their group. The inner Ashram is a focus of souls (free and unlimited); the outer Ashram under the future Aquarian experiment will be composed of personalities and souls. An Ashram is the state of mind of a spiritual group, a point of united thought and a center for clarification of the vision (not the physical plane methods of work). As disciples learn to integrate themselves into a Master’s Ashram, they discover that they must establish harmony between themselves and their fellow disciples, and to reinforce the contact between their own souls, the ashramic group and the Master. This program was recorded on 2 Jun 2021. Approximately 1.2 hrs.
Video 620MB .mp4 file
Audio 68MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 7: Michael continues his discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 703-707, continuation of Part III of the Six Stages of Discipleship. Emphasis on the magnetic pull of the heart of the group (the Master) and the physical exteriorization of the Ashram. The Master lays great emphasis on the approach of the entire group towards him, as the disciples learn to blend and fuse the energies of the group under the urge to serve. When any group—working in this way under a Master—is moved by one spiritual impulse and functions through one firm organization like electrons around the positive nucleus in an atom, the potency of the group will become immediately effective and not before. The purpose of the Ashram is to enable the disciple to live on every plane which he has succeeded in opening up to his consciousness (no one is integrated into an Ashram until he is soul conscious and has become sensitive to the ray and quality of the Master of the Ashram. Ashramic consciousness involves responsibility to the Ashram, is devoid of self-interest, and represents spiritual living. This program was recorded on 31 May 2021. Approximately 1.25 hrs.
Video 664MB .mp4 file
Audio 72MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 6: Michael continues his discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 698 to 703, continuation of Part III of the Six Stages of Discipleship. Emphasis on the energies and forces carried by the etheric body, as well as the true definition of an Ashram. An Ashram is not a group of people working under some Master. Rather it is a magnetic point of tension, a fusion of energies directed towards a common center and involving two magnetic factors (a united urge towards group forrmation on the mental plane, and the magnetic pull of the positive center at the very heart of the group – the Master). This program was recorded on 5 Mar 2021. Approximately 2.15 hrs.
Video 1GB .mp4 file
Audio 126MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 5: Michael continues his discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 693 to 698, Part III of the Six Stages of Discipleship with emphasis on the accepted disciples and their relation to the Master and the Ashram. There is a great difference between the Master’s group and His Ashram (many people can be found in the group, but the personnel in His Ashram are picked out of that group and nothing of the personality is allowed to enter the Ashram). In order to work their way from the group into the Ashram, disciples need to carefully discriminate between their high grade personality inclinations, their responses to truth and ideals and their true soul reactions, spiritual wisdom and intuitive perception. This program was recorded on 3 Mar 2021. Approximately 2 hrs.
Video 1GB .mp4 file
Audio 111MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 4: Michael continues his discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 686 to 693, Part II of the Six Stages of Discipleship. Two questions arise, the problem of occult obedience and the nature of vision. The obedience required in not to the Master, but to the Plan, based on your growing recognition of the Plan for humanity, as it emerges in your consciousness through meditation and service. It is obedience demanded of the personality to the soul as soul knowledge and soul light control the disciple. Obedience can only be rendered when there is developed understanding and inclusive vision. Vision is a gradually unfolding process that is symbolic of revelation. The Master recognizes those who recognize the Plan and are trying to help bring it about; he stimulates them as a group and this enables them to become more effective. Disciples, therefore, must recognize the vision, recognize the Plan, recognize the Master and group he is working with, recognize the Master’s ideas and goals, and recognize each other as souls and servers. When these recognitions are understood, then the group of disciples can be used as a channel for spiritual energy, light, and love can be poured into the world. This program was recorded on 27 Feb 2021. Approximately 2.5 hrs.
Video 1.2GB .mp4 file
Audio 135MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 3: Michael continues his discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 680 to 686, Part I of the Six Stages of Discipleship, covering certain rules that form a foundation of truths which Masters use to weld their groups into service; how the life of a disciple is to gradually move towards the center of the ashram. A Master’s group is not a place where disciples are taught to make personality adjustments and soul contact, rather the rules of instituting soul control must be practiced for a long period of time before the stage of accepted discipleship is reached. The Master’s group is a focus of power, built up by the Master’s own thought life, by his ability to integrate his center of power into the activity of the Hierarchy, and by his wise choice of disciples within his group. This program was recorded on 24 Feb 2021. Approximately 1.6 hrs.
Video 871MB .mp4 file
Audio 94MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 2: Michael continues his discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 676 to 679, with an emphasis on the important and great stanzas from the Old Commentary (the sublimation of the five human stages, discipleship and pain, discipleship and its end). This program was recorded on 23 Feb 2021. Approximately 2 hrs.
Video 1GB .mp4 file
Audio 114MB .m4a file
Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, the Six Stages of Discipleship, Program 1: Michael began his discussion on the Six Stages of Discipleship from Discipleship in the New Age, Volume I, pages 673 to 676, with an emphasis on the Six Stages (Little Chelaship, Chela in the Light, Accepted Discipleship, Chela on the Thread, Chela within the Aura, Chela within the Master’s Heart), and the beginning of the Stanzas from the Old Commentary. This program was recorded on 22 Feb 2021. Approximately 1.5 hrs.