from
The Blue Core of the Flame
Martin Cecil September 19, 1982 Glen Ivy, California
All glory to Thee, O Lord Most High! You who are assembled here at Glen Ivy, and you who are assembled at Stillmeadow, share the spirit of these words. Obviously we are not in position to increase the glory of the Lord; that is a fact already; but we may reveal the fact increasingly or, on the other hand, obscure it. It seems that the latter activity has been most usual in human experience, but we have a keen awareness of what it is we are here to do. All glory to Thee, O Lord Most High.
It could be said that there is a factor of self-interest in aligning ourselves with the spirit of these words. Glory relates to life and we are concerned, surely, with the increase of life. “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” This is our natural attitude. We present ourselves this morning in this unified setting, that there might be the increase of life, not merely in our own experience—but there also—for only so is glory given to the Lord. Insofar as our present numbers are concerned we would wish to give all glory, all of us together. I personally am delighted to be here present with you all, that we might share this creative expression, for a purpose; not merely that we might enjoy ourselves or be happy—I trust we are that—but so that something creative might be accomplished beyond ourselves.
For anything to be accomplished beyond ourselves it must first be accomplished in ourselves. There has been a tendency, I think, in times past to imagine that one could radiate accomplishment somehow, so that something would really happen out there, skipping over the requirement of the happening right here. Unless it is right here we have nothing to do with any accomplishment out there. I don't think we are particularly interested in non-achievement, so we are interested per se in letting something happen in our own experience now. If it doesn't we waste our time. So we are gathered together in this unified setting in order to allow something to be brought forth, to clothe the creative cycle which is already on the move. I am sure all of you have a recognition that this is so.
We may have a more vivid recognition at times because we are aligned with that creative movement. If we get off to the side, involved in our own personal human affairs without regard to the creative movement, then it all begins to fade from consciousness and we fail in the fulfilment of our purpose on earth. So we are here to give form to the creative cycle that is already on the move; invisible heretofore, but because we assume responsibility it may take visible, beautiful form, the form of our thoughts, the form of our words and the form of our actions. This is the first form for which we are responsible.
I think usually when form is thought of, it again is thought of as relating to something out there—we are going to have magnificent forms around us. Why? What would make it so? Well there can be a certain amount of arbitrary endeavor in that regard, the imposition of human will which produces what appear, for the moment at least, to be occasionally magnificent forms. But that's not the first order of business. The first order of business is our own thoughts, our own speaking, our own acting. This is the first form, the creative core of what may continue to appear further afield. But if we don't have the core in place, what worthwhile can appear anywhere else? We have this obvious, immediate responsibility. Those within the sound of my voice this morning are the ones who have the opportunity of participating in this particular core, the core of creative expression. To the extent that we do so then something certainly changes in us, and because it changes in us it changes in others. We are not disconnected from the rest of humanity.
It may be said that those who begin to serve the Lord, give glory to the Lord, are a peculiar people, a little odd but also a little different. However, that does not exclude any of us from the composition of the rest of humanity. We are all part of it, and it is because we are part of it that what happens in us on the basis of the creative expression of spirit is effective throughout the body of mankind. It is not because as individuals we are better than anyone else or more important than anyone else but because the spirit has a chance, a shot, shall we say, at the rest of humanity. Well that's why we are here: to let the spirit have a shot at them. But it can't have a shot at them without the shot issuing forth through us. So we provide the facility for whatever is to occur and we share the responsibility of giving beautiful form in our living in a consistent, steady way that is always dependable; it's always there whether anyone is on hand to observe or not. We may be aware that there are always observers, not consciously zeroing in on us, so to speak, but nevertheless in the vicinity: those who are most affected by what we do as individuals, what happens in us as individuals—there are always these on hand.
We are moving in a creative cycle. You know something of the four forces: water, air, earth, fire. That is a nice concept but it is also a factual expression of spirit—it is what happens. Human beings have been divorced from this happening, unaware of it, by and large. But here is something that is happening because of this invisible creative cycle—we have moved into this fire-dominant cycle. When you think of fire there may be a recognition of some creative purpose being served by fire, and when we consider the four forces, of course fire also relates to love, and love is creative. Of course that depends upon where we stand.
There are those who have found love to be—what they thought of as love at least—very destructive, sometimes very painful. A flame of fire, as we have noted before, is composed of two primary components—the blue part of the flame and the yellow part of the flame. If you put your hand in the yellow part of the flame there will be a smell of burning flesh! If, on the other hand, you are able to enter the blue part of the flame you will find that it is quite cool there. You don't get burned. That's the place of the Emissary ministry, the blue part of the flame. Those who come into the blue part of the flame are those who constitute the core and are participating in the reality of spiritual expression. Spiritual expression springs forth from this core, the blue part of the flame. By the way, blue is also the symbol of truth; so here at the center of the flame of fire we have the truth of love, and functioning on the basis of the truth of love it's cool, it's beautiful, it's perfect. Here is the realm of origination for the expression of the Word. As it moves further out it turns golden in color and is hot.
Everybody has, I am sure, experienced the heat of this, in one way or another. Whether they were aware of what it was or not is another question. But there have been a lot of troubles in the world, a lot of suffering, and I am sure you have suffered terribly at times! Well, come through into the blue part of the flame where it is cool. Why fuss around on the edges where you get burned? And yet people are inclined to do this. They get burned; they complain about it but, like the moths, there is a certain attraction to the flame and they come back to get burned some more. Of course some decide they've had it and move way off into the distance. But no one can come to the experience of the blue part of the flame without coming through the gold part, without coming through the heat.
This is the heat, first of all, of transformation. No changes ever come in a comfortable person. He just sits there like a blob. Discomfort is essential. What a blessing. Thank God for it! In all things give thanks. Give thanks for discomfort. Give thanks for the golden part of the flame. One has to move through it to come to the blue part, where we actually belong; we find ourselves then. But as long as we stay of doubtful mind, halting between two opinions—and this is not always a deliberate thing; it is just that the old hereditary patterns continue to govern and we behave accordingly—we stay out in the fire where it's hot. Come on through to where the truth of love is known, where it's cool, sharing in the expression of the Word, so that all one's thinking, all one's speaking, all one's acting originates there.
As there is in fact a core of people, angels particularly, who compose the blue part of the flame, the fire extends. The gold part of the flame increases; it takes in more people. They get burned; it's uncomfortable. Praise the Lord! Get sufficiently uncomfortable and maybe they will wake up. They will either wake up or they will back out, but there comes a point along the way where there is no place to back out to. We haven't come that far yet, but the world is going to discover this fact. It is possible to do a little backing out still, to get away from the heat, at least for some people. There are a lot of people in the world who have found that it is impossible to back out. No place to go! Well that's a very peripheral thing, down in the very coarsest levels of the experience of the fire. It is far better, while that experience is still somewhat refined, to come on through to the blue, cool center, instead of waiting around, hanging around in the flame, uncomfortable, but still there are some seemingly desirable things which may be experienced in that hot area; people hang around there. But why hang around there so long that it takes a person into the coarsest experience of violence in the external sense? Why not come on through while the coming on through is good? Now we presumably have this in mind, and somewhat in experience. That is wonderful, because that is where we belong, that is where we finally begin to have meaning. There must be a core of those who individually are responsible, spiritually responsible.
We have had the theory for a long time that as individuals we represent many people—there are many people on our vibration. Well that's a lovely idea and maybe it's true, and certainly that emphasizes the fact that our behavior affects many people. But somewhere along the way it begins to emerge in conscious experience, and one becomes aware of the fact, “These are the people that I'm responsible for,” specific people. That has been, after all, my attitude over many, many years. I have been responsible, spiritually responsible, for you, and others. I couldn't shuck it off and say, “Oh well, I've had enough of that.” No, I could say you are my people, my family, my friends, and I have a spiritual responsibility for you. Well exactly the same thing happens individually to each one, relative to their own field of creative responsibility. Somewhere along the way you wake up to the fact that there are real people for whom you are responsible—thousands of them! not just a few cronies round about.
So there are many on our vibration but we find out what that means, and it isn't just an imaginative theory anymore—it becomes flesh-and-blood people. The assumption of spiritual responsibility, then, is a very conscious thing. I have been conscious of it for a long time; others are increasingly becoming more conscious of it. It emerges into experience as this creative cycle is allowed to move and to be made visible in our living, through our thinking, through our speaking, and through our acting; so that it isn't an imaginary thing anymore. Somewhere along the way there is a recognition that what is being imagined is real. When we awaken to that we can't help ourselves from taking responsibility for it. If we start to back out at that point, what do we back out into? Well into the yellow part of the flame—ouch!—and that's splendid, that's splendid. Maybe we'll come forward again when it burns our back!
So there is a fire of transmutation—obviously it's necessary, necessary in us. Something has been happening. There is something new in experience, isn't there? Are we ready to acknowledge the fact that it is so? I trust we are. There are a lot of people then who are already connected up and available to move with the creative cycle if there is someone on hand to show them the direction. I recall some words which were recorded as having been spoken by the Master long ago, right at the conclusion of His ministry, when He said, “And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” Of course Philip piped up to indicate that he didn't know at all. Well what are we going to do? that's the question. Are we going to take the same attitude: “I don't know the way; I don't know whither we are going”? We do! We know exactly. You may not be able to define it mentally every time, but you know nevertheless. You know why we are here. You know why you are here, individually. Don't deny it.
“And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” What is your answer to that? “Yes, I know. Yes, I do.” We don't want any more Philips around giving rationalized excuses. We know. We know what those for whom we are responsible do not know. And if we are not on hand to provide the direction, we fail. There are many, many people the world around who are waiting for that direction—conscious acceptance of responsibility for providing that direction, by whom if not by those who in fact know? Factually, whither I go ye know, the direction I am going you know. That's right, isn't it? We share the opportunity of moving along together. Whither I go ye know! The way you know! Let us never deny it, but accept the responsibility, stand in the blue cool part of the flame because we know we belong there and because only when we are there do we really know whither we go and the way to go there.
There are lots of fine people with spiritual potential in the world who don't know where to go. There are those on earth however who do know where to go, and I trust that you are counted among these, that that focus of direction may be provided, the focus of orientation, not just something imagined: “There is this emanation emerging through me which will direct many people in the right way.” I suppose there may be an emanation. One would have to question as to just what it would smell like. It only becomes of value when there is a conscious, deliberate acceptance of spiritual responsibility and not merely a hopeful radiation of some beautiful thing which factually may or may not be there. So we know where we go, whither we go; and spiritual expression, the speaking of the Word, carries with it, out of the blue part of the flame, the yellow part, so that those who are in the vicinity are acted upon. Changes begin to be wrought.
We need to be alert to this, because no matter how responsive a person may appear to be, how ready to move in the right direction, when provision is made so that they can move in the right direction, then they begin to find the fire, the necessity for change. A lot of people are all gung ho to move spiritually and they are all ready, all open, apparently, but when it actually begins to happen, direction is actually provided, the individual begins to run into the hereditary factors that are present—the intrinsic hereditary factors of human nature and the extrinsic factors of human experience, which are all present in a person; and the fire will begin to act on these things. So things come up: “Oh, I'm uncomfortable. I didn't think it was going to be this way. I didn't think the direction was going to be the way we seem to be going. I'm not sure I like this.” No, the person is getting burned. But if there are those who are consciously aware, assurance can be given: “It's all right; these things are necessary.” Transformations must occur; we can't drag along the past with us; it has to go.
If all things are to be made new how could we bring anything old along with us? I don't think too many have thought of that point. Glibly it is said that we must let all things be made new. That is a delightful theory, but then what of the old that we want to drag along with us? Obviously if we drag along anything, then all things can't be made new—just some things perhaps, but not all things. But it is necessary that all things be made new. The creative cycle is moving and we had better move with it. We know this, so let us do it. Other people do not perhaps know what it is that is happening, so they need someone to point the direction, someone to provide the correct orientation. Then others may become aware that there is a consistency here, there is an understanding here. We know the direction that we are going; we understand what is happening. It's all right. And those who stay close, move with us. If a person begins to veer off a little bit, pretty soon he's gone, because the fire gets so hot he can't stand it and there is no one there to pour a little cool water over.
So we have this individual responsibility which is a matter of staying close to the core. I think that has been the experience, by and large, that has increased. There is a greater sense of closeness with me, for instance. We have a sense of closeness, yes; we are all part of a family, we are all friends. And it is that increase of love that brings us into the cool of the flame. Some people were a little reluctant to get too close to me because they felt they might be burned. But if they actually do it—oh, it's the cool part of the flame! It isn't hot at all. It's just right, just the way it should be, and there begins then to be a core of people who know, people who understand, people who can provide that right direction to others. Not that others are not going to have to come through the flame too and find their own individual points of responsibility—they are. But we find it easy because we are all associated with one thing. We all share one spirit. We differentiate it in beautiful ways, give it beautiful form in thought, in word and action. And because this creative expression is brought forth increasingly, with greater intensity, the fire burns hotter, but we stay in the cool part of it.
It is this increased heat which transforms and transmutes the whole population. It does it. If it can do something with us, surely it can do something with anyone! I sometimes think that the creative cycle takes the toughest nuts first. If it can crack those nuts, then all the lesser nuts will come along. So in a way I suppose it could be said to have been hard work, but now there is a momentum, now the spirit is actually in expression because there are a sufficient number of people who are honest and trustworthy and in position to let it happen. The transformation can occur, not because one tries to be so good. One stops trying to be that anymore, because that, after all, is just a concept of somebody's mind; it isn't the real thing. But we learn to trust the spirit and to allow that to find expression. It is a matter of letting, isn't it? “Let your light so shine.” Let. And so we let it happen.
We are delighted to share in the happening because we associate ourselves with this invisible creative cycle, which is not known to most people. But we know it is there. We know it is there to the extent that we have associated ourselves with it and to the extent that we have allowed it to take form because we are on hand to give it form, beautiful form. And because beautiful form appears in our own thinking, speaking and acting, then round about the reflection of that comes. “All glory to Thee, O Lord Most High.” It is not for us, it is not for our fulfilment, it is not for our comfort; it is not to satisfy us in any way whatsoever, but nevertheless it is a delight to us. It always is a delight—if you let de-light shine! And we share that delight.
It is good to be together, and to continue to be together in every hour, whether we brought our souls along to be close to each other or not. The together state is a spiritual one, not because of form. And so I thank God for you who are here present at Glen Ivy and at Stillmeadow to share this hour as we have done. And I would invite Chris Jorgensen to bring something to focus from Stillmeadow for us so that we can make sure that you have been there.
Chris Jorgensen — Yes indeed, Martin, we've been here. And I would say, speaking for many tough nuts in this room, we are indeed in fullest agreement with you in giving glory to the Lord. We would stand with you in the blue part of the flame acknowledging, rightfully acknowledging, our responsibility to administer the creative cycle as it moves in these days. Those who are on hand and willing to move may do so through a transition that brings them too into the blue of the flame. I would speak particularly a word of heartfelt appreciation for you who have invited all of us over many years to come into the blue of the flame with you. Certainly that has not been a comfortable experience. It has taken patience and wise enfoldment and encompassment and lots of spiritual expression. And I know all of us are indeed thankful for that, and most particularly that now we have the chance to stand with you, taking responsibility for the creative cycle, that the Lord's glory may indeed shine fully upon the earth. Thank you.
Martin Cecil — Thank you, Chris. And now I invite John to say a word so that you at Stillmeadow may know that all of us were here.
John Gray — Certainly we have been here as well, and how wonderful to be with you, soulwise in person, this morning, Martin. As the invitation that you've extended over the years has been accepted, to come into the cool of the flame, that invitation is expanded, is magnified. And our word, with you, is “Come on in, it's fine,” or “All is well,” or perhaps, in the vernacular, “It's cool, man.” And that invitation brings with it strength, great power, and the transformation that is at work is absolutely inevitable. I'm reminded of the burning bush, an analogy which we tend to see perhaps in an individual sense, but this whole earth is the bush that burns and is not consumed. That fact is being made manifest to a greater degree. How glorious!
Martin Cecil — And out of the core of the burning bush comes the Word of the Lord, spoken on earth, now, in this day.
© Emissaries of Divine Light
