from
Seven and Twelve
Martin
Cecil September 20, 1981
There
is one level of consideration with respect to numbers which we need to
understand—seven and twelve. This is not by chance, even though there may
heretofore have been little real understanding of what it was that was being
considered. It is clear that in the unfoldment of the Emissary ministry as
such, seven has been predominant. We have just completed seven cycles of seven
years; we now move into the eighth cycle of seven years. This is presuming that
the seven-year pattern continues as before. There is always the possibility
that the days may be shortened somewhat. So there is the seven-year cycle,
which has been clear enough, relating directly to the responsibilities carried by
reason of the Emissary ministry.
At
the same time, of course, these seven years are made up of one year at a time.
The year itself relates to the passage of the earth in its orbit around the
sun. This orbit, from the standpoint of human calculations at least, has been
divided up into twelve months. It is not by chance that this pattern has come
to be accepted in the world: twelve months on the one hand, seven days in the
week on the other hand. Here are two aspects of one thing. They say there are fifty-two
weeks in a year, but it isn't quite right. They say there are three hundred and
sixty-five days in a year, and that isn't quite right either. But there are
these divisions, which relate to something with which human beings everywhere
are familiar.
We
ourselves may see that the seven has a particular relatedness to this Emissary ministry. We recognize here the emergence of a
conscious spiritual focus for mankind. We may recall the story of creation in
the Book of Genesis, where emphasis is placed there upon seven: seven days,
seven periods of time, seven cycles. Here was a deliberate creative process for
a specific purpose, conveyed, on this basis, as relating to seven. Being a
deliberate process, we could say it would be a conscious process. So the seven
relates very particularly to this conscious focus provided by what the Emissary
ministry actually is.
What
it actually is and what people may have thought it to be could be different.
But there is a reality here which we have used Emissaries of Divine Light to describe. The reality, of course,
needs to emerge as it actually is so that, in a sense, words to describe it
would be unnecessary. But there are words to describe it and we are content
with these words—Emissaries of Divine Light—which bring to focus the conscious,
deliberate action necessary in the creative process by which the restoration of
mankind may be achieved.
We
recognize that there is no conscious mind without the subconscious aspects of
mind. You can't really separate the two, any more than you can separate the
surface of the water from the water underneath. So there is a subconscious
aspect, which relates very particularly to the experience of mankind over the
centuries and the millennia; and this is indicated by the use of the number
twelve. There are the twelve tribes of the earth which were, back along the
way, represented by the twelve disciples, the twelve tribes of Israel; in other
words here is something that is all-inclusive of mankind—in a more particular
sense the subconscious aspect of the mind of mankind.
There
has been a certain amount of deliberation in this subconscious level of human
experience. In other words it could be said that there has been a certain
amount of what human beings would probably describe as conscious action in the
world. All the human achievements that are seen round about are apparently
consequent upon this conscious action. But, as we have noted before, this
relates very much to a dream state, where there is apparently someone present—who
maybe one thinks of as oneself—in the dream, doing various things and being
done unto by various other things in the dream. And this is pretty well what
has been occurring in the world as human beings have known it. It all is
included in this subconscious level, symbolized by the twelve.
Of
course, seven is a number that is included in twelve. It's part of the whole
mind of mankind but refers in a particular sense to the surface conscious
levels, which are rightly brought to focus by those who may be properly called Emissaries of Divine Light. So we have
these two aspects here.
The
twelve, of course, is very inclusive of far more than the immediate earthly
experience. Certainly the earth moves around the sun in its orbit, and that
orbit may be divided into twelve segments; but obviously the earth is not alone
in moving around the sun. And the solar system is not alone, in an isolated
sense, but is a part of the galaxy, and so on. So the twelve may be seen as
relating to something far vaster than the subconscious levels of the human
mind; the subconscious levels of the human mind simply represent something much
vaster. The twelve, therefore, refers to the planetary system as such, the
solar system, the galaxy and the universe. Here is the particular connection
that mankind has with this vastness: through the twelve.
So
there is the twelve aspect and the seven aspect. Our concern has been
especially with the seven aspect. Whereas this seven aspect is made up of years,
of course, it is immediately related to the twelve, which refers, amongst other
things, to the twelve months of the year, the movement of the planet around the
sun. So the connection is there in the year. Each individual year as it comes
around is directly connected to the twelve of the subconscious aspect of the
whole body of mankind.
I
am trusting that you have some spiritual discernment which enables you to
comprehend what it is that I'm talking about; because if you try to
intellectualize it you will lose it. But it is clear, obvious, actual, real,
when it is spiritually discerned.
These
heavenly elements will be reflected in external factors, yes, but we may be
reminded of the verse in the Book of Job: "Knowest thou the ordinances of
heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?" This
is our direct and immediate responsibility. First of all, the ordinances of
heaven must be known. One couldn't very easily set the dominion of the unknown
in the earth; so the ordinances of heaven must be known. In a sense I've been
speaking of this now, utilizing these particular terms relative to the numbers
seven and twelve. All this relates to the ordinances of heaven.
Life
is the evidence of these ordinances, and life is always characterized by
movement and change. So there is something moving, something changing
constantly, relative to the ordinances of heaven. They are based in what we may
call the Law, but the Law is not static; it's constantly moving, relative to
the requirements of the creative process. And so we have ordinances of heaven,
which need to be discerned momentarily. We have the responsibility, in the
creative cycles that are before us, to bring to focus these living pulsations
and allow them to take their fitting form in their fitting seasons. Coming
events, the events brought forth by these living pulsations, may in some
respects cast their shadows before, so that we are not entirely blind relative
to the future. But though we may discern something with respect to the future,
we are not wrapped up in what we may discern in that regard, because we don't
know exactly what form it is going to take.
In
order to make right use of what is occurring we must remain at the balance
point where we belong. Human beings are inclined to swing to extremes. There
are definitely pulsations. These pulsations are related very particularly to
the twelve, or the subconscious aspect of things. But consciously we need to be
at the balance point and not swung around by whatever is happening in the
subconscious level. What is happening in the subconscious level, from the
standpoint of heaven, needs to happen, not in order to push us around but to
provide us with the material that is needed for the deliberate achievement of
what it is that should be achieved. So we may recognize the necessity of
standing at this balance point.
The
balance point, which can be looked at in various ways, relates first of all to
the horizontal component. We may see it in terms of the past on one side and
the future on the other. Well we need to be in the middle; that is, exactly
now. That doesn't deny the fact that there is a past stretching away and a
future stretching away; but here we are now, in this present moment. There is
this pulsation moving from the heavenly standpoint, of which one may be
consciously aware. And we need to be consciously aware of it, not to be thrown
around by it but because here are the facilities for creative action that we
consciously and deliberately can make use of.
So
we may observe what is happening, we may be aware of the pulsations. These are
part of the ordinances of heaven, mistranslated by human beings. But we're here
to translate them correctly, not to do away with them. We need to be steady in
the middle, but this doesn't prevent us from discerning, and being aware of,
the pulsations which are moving on each side of that central point.
These
pulsations can be seen in different ways too. It's interesting to note that the
anniversary of this ministry falls approximately, in the northern hemisphere at
least, at the time of the autumnal equinox. This is a balance point, not only
for the northern hemisphere but for the southern hemisphere, when the length of
the day and the night are the same; the same thing in the north as in the
south. This is indicative of a balance point. When you come to the solstice in
the summer or the winter, you have a directly opposite experience in northern
and southern hemispheres. In other words, it looks as though in the northern
hemisphere it's unbalanced in one direction, but in the south there is evidence
of unbalance in the other direction. There is nothing wrong with that, is
there? It's quite all right. We at least enjoy the long days of summer; we
should enjoy the short days of winter. It's all part of the cycle. But we
ourselves are not being flung around by this; we stand where we belong, and are
in position then to use rightly what it is that is actually happening.
What
is actually happening is what is happening from the standpoint of the
ordinances of heaven, not what is happening from the standpoint of human
mistranslation of these ordinances. And we have all sorts of events, very
troublesome things going on in the world, based entirely in human
mistranslation. Well here we are, back where we belong, in order to provide the
balance point which allows all these movements, pulsations back and forth that
rightly occur as part of the living process, to be rightly used, rightly
translated in our own experience.
We
can't immediately start translating them out there somewhere. We live right
here, we live in the immediate environment, and here's where the balance point
needs to be. One can see, even from the rather surface viewpoint, that if there
are enough people who stay in that balance point around the world, we have a
balance point represented everywhere. And this begins to assume responsibility,
then, for the creative process which is working out, designed to permit the
restoration of mankind.
Most
of the things that are going on in the world apparently have no relatedness to
that; no one even thinks about it. But we think about it, we know something
about it, and we are aware of our responsibility with respect to it. And this
is very real to the extent that we are in position, in the real position. If we
go off from side to side we're not where we belong, and we lose an awareness of
what we would know if we were where we belong. I'm sure that you could all
testify to this experience. The reality which you know when you're on the beam,
as they say, seems to fade away, disappear, when you begin to swing off to one
side. Well that should be fair warning: Get back where you belong!
This
morning I am emphasizing this balanced position particularly because certainly
the swinging will likely occur with greater vehemence in the world around us as
the days and years go on, and we need to have very sure footing where we belong
if we're not going to be carried with it. Of course, if that goes too far
things are flung right out, and we can see a cleansing process occurring on
this basis. But let not everything be cleansed away! If half of it is flung
this way and the other half that way, there's nothing in the middle. There
needs to be something left, something that is stable and solid and provides a
connection for all those who are in the vicinity of it, not physically
necessarily but vibrationally.
We
have a certain sensing of a point of stability. Now you know there are many who
are awakening in this way, sensing the point of stability. Let's not keep the
door closed. Let the door be open, because there are more who properly
participate in this focus of the conscious aspect of the mind of mankind. It
requires, certainly, more than are presently available. So the door needs to be
kept open. There should never be a sense of shame with respect to the Emissary
ministry, because it is the means by which this conscious aspect of the mind of
mankind has been brought to focus. Isn't that a tremendous thing! Why deny it?
For those who don't understand we wouldn't particularly shout it from the
housetops. But there are those who are ready to understand; for them the door
should be open.
We're
not isolated in some conscious level of understanding, because there would be
no conscious level of understanding without the subconscious. It's all one
thing; it's all properly unified. But we have the point of conscious stability
in the middle where we stay. We are not swung around by all the things that are
going on in the subconscious mind and heart of mankind. Lots of things are
going on there; we sometimes inadvertently get hooked up with them. Well we
need to be alert so that we don't stay with that sort of a ride; we come back
to where we belong. And others will tend to come with us and stand where they
belong too. Altogether there may be the true ordinances of heaven and the
dominion of them set in the earth. When that is so, the earth is known once
again to be the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell
therein.
© Emissaries of Divine Light
