SPIRIT OF GOODWILL

The New World Religion

As mentioned above in the discussion on the Twelve Spiritual Festivals, there is a natural time-piece already in place for the scheduling of a synchronized approach to divinity in the cycle of the full moon.  The moon itself has no influence; it merely indicates throughout the world a time each month when a free and unimpeded alignment exists between our planet and the sun.  The sun is the energy source for all life on earth.  Just as it stimulates the growth of plants, it also has a stimulating effect on our thoughts and ideas.  The sun is not the object of our prayers and invocation.  Its energy simply stimulates and strengthens our approach to divinity, amplifying the impact of humanity's stream of prayers and appeals for divine aid and inspiration.  The establishing of spiritual festivals at the time of the full moon each month will bring about a strengthening of the spirit of invocation, and the resulting inflow of divinely released inspiration, illumination, revelation. 

Observation of the twelve spiritual festivals need not replace any existing religious practices or affiliations.  One may take part in this new approach to divinity while continuing one's current religious practices.  Others may choose to focus more on the twelve spiritual festivals if their former religious practices no longer serve their spiritual needs.  The choice is up to the individual.  

We have seen that throughout the 20th century many changes have been made in virtually all religions.  Women are accepted as rabbis and priests in certain branches of the Jewish and Christian faiths; the Catholic Church instituted major reforms via the Vatican Councils of the 1960's; and continues to look inward in an effort to "clean house".  Another example of the grace of understanding among religions is that despite strong allegiance to their own ideology, representatives of most religions participated in the World Council of Religions and in other interfaith conferences held during the last decades of the 20th century. 

So what are a few of the major beliefs shared by many different religions? 

The fact of God and the host of spiritual helpers called by different names in different faiths, such as the Communion of Saints, the Kingdom of God, The Ascended Masters, the Spiritual Hierarchy. 

The fact of "God Immanent" i.e. the belief that a spark of divinity ensouls each human being.  In other words, the recognition of "God, greater than the created whole, yet God present also in the part".  This soul is also referred to in various terms, such as the Higher Self, the Christ Within, the Atma. 

Another shared belief is that of the human being's essential relationship to God.  We are all children of the One God.  As children of God we are endowed with immortality, that is, an eternal persistence of the spirit which ensouls every human being. 

A fourth shared belief is indicated through the ages by the repeated approach of human beings to the Divine via prayer, supplication, meditation, invocation; all of which attest to humanity's instinctive awareness of the Path to God and of the need for every individual to tread it and, in so doing, render service to God and humanity. 

This never ending demand for light on our way has ever been met by a saviour, or avatar, messiah or world teacher, who has acted as a messenger of the wisdom and love of God. 

A new world religion is in the process of manifesting; its keynote will be "divine approach".  This phrase refers to both the innate urge within the human heart to approach divinity, as well as the loving response of divinity to approach humanity with new revelations to deepen our understanding of ourselves, our responsibilities to one another, and to the cosmos. 

Another aspect of the new religion will be a greater emphasis on ritual and mantra in order to elevate prayer and worship to a higher turn of the spiral: that of a conscious use of formulas of invocation that can amplify the cry of all humanity for a closer relationship with God and the Hierarchy of Masters.  This work will indeed evoke response from the Hierarchy up to and including the head of the Hierarchy, the World Teacher, the Christ. 

A keystone of this new approach to religions is the belief in the reappearance of the Head of the Hierarchy, the spiritual entity known to Christians as the Christ, and to other religions by different names. 

He is expected to reappear from the remote regions of the world that has been his home these last 2,000 years when "a measure of peace has been restored, when the principle of sharing is at least in the process of controlling economic affairs and when the churches and political groups have begun to clean house."  (Reappearance of the Christ" by Alice A. Bailey, p 163) 

Perhaps the major change in consciousness in recent decades has been the realization that among the many different religions there are more points of agreement than disagreement.  Along with this recognition is another of major importance: that of a more accurate understanding of what "religion" really is; and this is summed up quite nicely in the following quote, "Religion is the name given to the invocative appeal of humanity and the evocative response of the greater Life to that cry."  (Reappearance of the Christ by Alice A. Bailey, p 157) 

 

From the Point of Light within the Mind of God, let Light stream forth into human minds, let Light descend on Earth.   From the Point of Love within the Heart of God, let Love stream forth into human hearts, may the Coming One return to Earth.  From the center where the Will of God is known, let Purpose guide all little human wills, the Purpose which the Masters know and serve.  From the center which we call the human race, let the Plan of Love, and Light work out, and may it seal the door where evil dwells.  Let Light, and Love, and Power restore the Plan on Earth.