Service
Unselfish action for the General Good.
You may be asked how the entrance upon the path of Service is defined. Certainly the first sign will be renunciation of the past and full striving to the future. The second sign will be the realization of the Teacher within one’s heart, not because it is necessary thus, but because it is impossible otherwise. The third sign will be the rejection of fear, for being armed by the Lord one is invulnerable. The fourth will be noncondemnation, because he who strives into the future has not time to occupy himself with the refuse of yesterday. The fifth will be the filling of the entire time with labor for the future. The sixth will be the joy of Service and completely offering oneself for the good of the world. The seventh will be spiritual striving to the far-off worlds as a predestined path. According to these signs you will discern a spirit ready and manifested for Service. He will understand where to raise the sword for the Lord, and his word will be from within his heart. (HIER, 196)
Let us see how people understand Service to the Lord and Hierarchy. He who thinks of ascending only be prayer is far from Service. He who in his labor hopes to bring the best efforts for the good of humanity must adopt the Lord with his heart. He who does not relinquish his own comfort does not know how to serve Hierarchy. He who does not accept the Indications of the Hierarchy does not understand Service. Only when the heart is ready to accept consciously the affirmation sent by the Highest Will can it be said that the realization of Service is adopted. (HIER, 295)
Service to the Hierarchy of Light is service to the General Good. Of course, striving to the General Good opens the gates of higher knowledge and Service. But I would like you to realize clearly what qualities you must first develop in yourself for advancement on the path of Service. Many people are dreaming about the General Good and even are ready to work for it as long as it does not interfere with their habits and prosperity. But true service to the General Good, which leads to the gates of the Stronghold of Light, requires sacrifice and complete disdain for everything personal, in other words, the complete abandonment of selfhood. When the consciousness is broadened, when all feelings and comprehension are refined, the law of sacrifice will be accepted as the highest achievement. There will be no room for self-pity, fear of the future, offenses and envy because with every breath will sublimity, beauty, and the highest joy of service be realized.
The mature spirit who consciously chooses the path of Service knows the joy of a broadened consciousness and the fiery striving to the Highest Consciousness; he knows the joy of fulfillment of the Higher Will; he knows the joy of discovery and the destination of life; and in the appointed hour he will learn the sublimity and beauty of the final sacrament.
And so, after understanding and accepting with our heart the significance of the great liberating and crowning sacrifice, let us strive to develop in ourselves love, devotion, gratitude and obedience to Hierarchy. Let us be ready to take any burden, remembering that the heavier the burden the shorter will be our path. Truly speaking, from love and devotion issue all the other qualities which help our advancement. Thus, let us cultivate them as the most precious flowers; and, since these flowers of spirit grow and nurture each other, the greatest love will bring the greatest answer. Therefore, let us surround the Great Teacher with the fire of love. Let us guard our respect for Him. Let us evince the most careful, the highest understanding of the Teaching and the Indications, and sacredly, reverently, with the tremor of the heart, face the beauty and the majesty of his creativeness. Remember, those whose understanding is higher will ascend higher.
And now to quote from the Teaching: (Hierarchy) “Some people pour a daily gruel over the Image of the Teacher and imagine themselves to be in the Great Service. The Teaching and Service first of all presuppose the expansion of consciousness on the basis of adherence to the Teaching and reverence to the Teacher. In studying Infinity one should first of all realize the limitlessness of love and devotion. It is not wise to say that love has overflowed and devotion has withered because the consequence will be the disintegration of one’s self. One should understand the limitlessness of love and devotion as the first steps toward Service and Yoga. One should set oneself this task at least as a means of self-progress. One should advance only in the direction of the Teacher. Then only does relief come. But making a daily onion-gruel out of the Teacher will not lead to success. Sacredly, limitlessly, let us sustain our love and reverence to the Teacher, as a healing remedy toward regeneration.”
So, my dear friends, the vulgar conception, the scoffing at the sacred ideas by small consciousnesses because of their lack of co-measurement, and the belittling of the highest and fundamental must all be banished from our life if we wish to enter the path of Service.
Some are searching for the happiness of life, but bliss can come only through the fulfillment of the Will of the Teacher. There is no other way. And one must keenly grasp these wonderful, profound words of the Teacher and constantly remember them: “In fulfilling My Will, thou givest Me the possibility to fulfill thy will.” For who else, if not the Teacher, knows our sacred wishes and strivings? And by purifying and crystallizing them by the given Teaching, that is, by the broadening of our consciousness, who but He gives us the possibility of realizing them? Would one want to be so foolish as to ruin one’s own happiness?
Let us ardently strive to fulfill the saving Will, which leads us toward the envisioned service of the General Good! (LHR I, pp 60-61)
Is it not the greatest happiness to be able to move ahead to the indicated goal, fully realizing the events and knowing that our destiny is to achieve maximum broadening of our consciousness for the best service to the Common Good?
(LHR I, p 24)
see also Great Service
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