The Destiny of the Nations

Contents

Introduction
The Influence of the Rays Today
The Nations and the Rays
The Nations and the Governing Signs
An Analysis of Certain Cities
Spiritual Life in the New Age
Initiation in the Aquarian Age
Christ and the Coming New Age

Pages 3 – 7

Introduction

It is of major interest for us to know something about the energies and forces which are producing the present international situation and presenting the complex problems with which the United Nations are confronted.  In the last analysis, all history is the record of the effects of these energies or radiations (rays, in other words) as they play upon humanity in its many varying stages of evolutionary development.  These stages extend all the way from those of primeval humanity to our modern civilisation; all that has happened is the result of these energies, pouring cyclically through nature and through that part of nature which we call the human kingdom.

To understand what is today taking place we must recognise that these energies are seven in number.  They are called by many names in many different lands, but for our purposes the following seven names will be used:

1. The energy of Will, Purpose or Power, called in Christian lands the energy of the Will of God.
2. The energy of Love-Wisdom, called frequently the Love of God.
3. The energy of Active Intelligence, called the Mind of God.
4. The energy of Harmony through Conflict, affecting greatly the human family.
5. The energy of Concrete Knowledge or Science, so potent at this time.
6. The energy of Devotion or Idealism, producing the current ideologies.
7. The energy of Ceremonial Order, producing the new forms of civilisation.

These energies are ceaselessly playing on humanity, producing changes, expressing themselves through successive civilisations and cultures, and fashioning the many races and nations.

This in no way infringes upon man’s freewill; these forces have both their higher and their lower aspects and men respond to them according to their mental and spiritual development, and so do nations and races as a whole.  Humanity has reached a point today where there is a most sensitive response to that which is higher and better.

This teaching anent the seven rays remains a profitless speculation unless it is susceptible of investigation, of eventual proof and of general as well as particular usefulness.  Too much is written at this time which will have to be relegated to the discard as useless, as not warranting acceptance as a possible hypothesis and as not demonstrating a truth which can be proved.  I am, therefore, seeking here to do two things:

1. Indicate, as you have seen, a new and powerfully efficient esoteric psychology, and also
2. Show the lines of development which are inevitable, for the reason that certain major potencies are coming into play at this time.  Certain forces are becoming increasingly active whilst others are steadily becoming quiescent.  It is these active forces which we will now consider.

I would like to pause here and point out that these forces come into play either cyclically or through demand.  This is an interesting point for students to remember.  The work done through the Great Invocation is not then necessarily invalid.  It might perhaps clarify the subject if I pointed out that there are five energies (and there are usually five dominant ray energies active at any time) coming into play:

1. Those energies which are passing out of manifestation, as the sixth Ray of Devotion is at this time passing out.
2. Those energies which are coming into manifestation or incarnation, as the seventh Ray of Ceremonial Order is at this time emerging into expression.
3. Those energies which are — at any given time — expressing the ray type of the bulk of the manifesting humanity.  Today these ray types are predominantly the second and the third.  Relatively large numbers of first ray egos are also to be found acting as focal points for certain first ray forces.
4. Those energies which are today being invoked as the result of human need and human demand for succour.  This demand curiously enough remains largely in the realm of the first ray influence for the desperate need of humanity is evoking the will aspect and that ray embodies the divine will-to-good and remains immutable and is — for the first time in the history of humanity — being invoked on a large scale.  This statement is definitely encouraging, if you study its implications.

You have, therefore, in the present field of divine expression the following energies manifesting:

The 24 books of Alice A. Bailey were written between 1919-1949. Most of the books, including this one, were written  in cooperation with a Tibetan teacher. They constitute a continuation of the Ageless Wisdom – a body of esoteric teaching handed down from ancient times in a form which is always suitable to each period.

The Alice A. Bailey writings were intended to precede and condition the coming era [of the Aquarian Age].

EXTRACT FROM A STATEMENT BY THE TIBETAN

“Suffice it to say, that I am a Tibetan disciple of a certain degree, and this tells you but little, for all are disciples from the humblest aspirant up to, and beyond, the Christ Himself. I live in a physical body like other men, on the borders of Tibet, …” Read more