The Halo
Radiance and Protection
Martin Cecil February 21, 1982 am
“The spiritual expression plane should manifest as a Spirit of Gentle Benediction over all,
which is above and beyond those things that tend to produce petty reactions, bickerings and inharmonies.
That spiritual expression plane of our trinity of manifestation should be as a Halo, as a Glow of Heavenly Light,
that rests benignly over and around each member of this Unit, and all that we think and say and do.”
Uranda 1949
Disregarding the arbitrary time differential, which is merely based upon the rotation of the earth, we may find ourselves, to the extent of our openness and willingness, with one accord in one place. The one place is the place of the spirit of God, where accord or agreement is naturally known.
This agreement and accord and unification is made easily possible by reason of what we are sharing now through the sound of my voice and the words which I speak. These words carry authority. There are those who recognize the authority and consequently understand and agree with the words. I trust that you who are present this morning may be counted in this number. Others may recognize the authority but disagree with the words. There are those also who agree with the words but deny the authority, and of course beyond these there are those who neither recognize the authority nor understand the words nor agree with them. So we come back to the first classification: those who are aware of the authority and who consequently understand and agree with the words.
The word agreement perhaps does not define in human consciousness what exactly it is that I have reference to when considering the matter of being with one accord in one place. Most human beings have the experience, as they think, of agreeing with someone from time to time, but this is usually a rather surface thing, and the right to disagree is prominent in consciousness. We are aware that only agreement can be known when there is a sharing of the experience of the One Spirit. The attempt to agree merely upon external forms never succeeds beyond a certain rather limited point, but in spirit there may be absolute agreement, and it is this absolute agreement that is essential to the creative process. By the same token disagreement ensures the destructive process. We are very much aware, in our own experience and in our observation of the world around us, that there is a very great deal of disagreement. There is also, of course, consequently a very great deal of destructiveness. Few have recognized that the destructiveness springs from the disagreement. The common human habit, for the destructive disasters that put in an appearance from time to time, is to try to find someone to blame, a scapegoat; but when we come right down to it the point of origination for the destructiveness always stems from disagreement. We need to clearly see not only that disagreement brings disaster but that true agreement makes sure that what unfolds will be creative. Every time any of us indulge in reactionary disagreement with each other we are, in that moment, denying the spirit and establishing a cause of disaster. The disagreements may seem to be about small things, but it makes very little difference as to what they are about—it is the fact of disagreement that is the destructive cause.
We should be delighted to know that the reality of agreement brings forth the wonder and the beauty and the glory of all things made new. Here is the base of the creative process. We have, ourselves, recognized these things, been aware of the truth of the Master’s words when He said, “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing ... it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” The trick is to agree on earth. There can only be agreement on earth, true agreement, about what should be done, not about what human beings might want to be done, because the agreement is established in the spirit of God and the spirit of God is the source of authority—the authority of words which may be spoken, of thoughts which may be thought, of feelings which may be experienced, of actions which may be brought into form. We are here to exemplify what it means to agree on earth as touching the things of the spirit of God. This is what needs naturally to be done, so that all things may work together to perfection in the creative fulfilment of Divine Purpose.
Spiritual movement is concerned primarily with a process of unification, of agreement consciously known. The authority of the Word which is proclaimed through words and in other ways is made possible by reason of conscious action. The authority remains dim and unfocused, nobody being quite sure of it, until it comes to point consciously and is proclaimed consciously. This relates to the conscious levels of the human mind, which are designed to allow the authority and the direction of God to be brought to focus in action on earth. This is not the conscious mind merely of one individual, or a few individuals, but the conscious mind of the whole body of mankind, for man indeed was made in the image and likeness of God, so that God could be proclaimed on earth and His creative action known on earth in a direct and specific way. The authority of the Son is necessary first if the power of the Holy Ghost is to be a reality in human experience. The power of the Holy Ghost properly relates to the unconscious levels of mind. We have a rather clear awareness that the unconscious levels of the mind of mankind could not be classified as the Holy Ghost—rather, the unholy ghost. Nevertheless here is the facility for the creative movement of the Holy Ghost. Here is the facility in the unconscious levels of mind and here is the realm of power—the power of the Holy Ghost. There is a certain power to the unholy ghost; this is the destructive power based in disagreement.
The fundamental disagreement, initially speaking, is a disagreement with the LORD. This engenders disagreement between people, between groups of people, between nations. The world is filled with violence in consequence; the lack of agreement is very obvious. It is made very obvious by reason of the nature of the reports that come to us of goings-on. What is considered to be news is based in an adversary situation of some kind, a proclamation of disagreement, so that the news media are always filled with the evidences of disagreement. There are evidences of this everywhere—even in our own immediate experience, so we could not deny that the world is filled with disagreement. However the fact of a basic agreement emerging is overlooked on this basis; at least it’s not reported, because it is not considered to be news. If two people agree I think that should be news—it’s a rare occurrence! But there is a tendency to get into habit patterns and constantly reiterate the same things over and over and over again. It gets deadly dull, so the disagreements have to be more and more violent to claim people’s attention, because in effect anyone can say, “Well we know about that without having it reported in the newspapers.” But very few people have much conscious awareness of the extent of agreement that is also present—in other words the extent to which the spirit of God is already in motion.
The spirit of God is in motion relative to the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. It is the same spirit in motion, so there is no disagreement there. And if there is the experience of that movement of spirit consciously and unconsciously, the individual knows the reality of agreement within himself or herself. If there are those who know this agreement within themselves, then they will find the same agreement relative to each other. We can have a very good idea of the extent of our internal agreement as reflected by our external relationships. Of course this is not merely a surface thing, so that we smile at people and say, “Good morning. Isn’t it a nice day.” It goes deeper than that presumably, so that the agreement is known even if we don’t say anything, even if we don’t smile. Yet how people keep judging each other by the looks on their faces. Presumably if there is internal agreement, that will tend to be reflected in the individual’s visage and in the way he behaves.
But it is the authority which rightly centers in the conscious mind that makes possible the generation of the substance of agreement. We have spoken of the substance of agreement before; agreement cannot be known without it, and this includes something occurring also unconsciously. We might say, to define it a little more directly, agreement between heart and mind. But this will emerge into experience, the substance of it will be generated increasingly, as there is a sense, an awareness, of authority, consciously speaking. I think a lot of our experience has been based in an unconscious idea of authority. We say hopefully, “Things will work out. Everything’s under control. It’s all right.” Splendid. I suspect it is: “God is the Ruler yet.” But who really knows it? We begin to know it to the extent that there is this absolute attitude consciously. Various things may put in an appearance from the unconscious levels of mind which would distract. Such things become more subtle as time goes on—if it were possible, capable of deceiving the very elect. Fortunately it isn’t possible and we discover who those are, because it is those who reveal the fact that it is impossible to be deceived, and this stable foundation in actual experience comes because of a choice that has been made consciously, regardless of what the unholy ghost says.
The unholy ghost erupts into the level of the conscious mind on occasion in very subtle ways. What is offered is clothed in robes of light in such case. But what is it that maintains the integrity, consciously speaking? It certainly isn’t all the theories and concepts and ideas that human beings have as to how things might be made better in human experience. If you watch the TV you will be constantly assailed by all these wonderful things that are going to improve the lot of human beings on earth. Do you think that is really what is required? I think if it were possible to satisfy all human beings by reason of an improved lot on earth—and I am sure you would agree with me that that would be very doubtful—then God would be defeated. We can all be healthy, we can all be peaceful; we can all be all these wonderful things by our own brilliance, by our own efforts, by all our wonderful discoveries, so that we make use of things to produce this glorious fulfilment for mankind! Who is speaking, if not that old serpent called the devil and satan? It looks so good—but there is the right choice, consciously speaking, to be made. And what does that choice relate to if not to the spirit of God, which is the authority of God revealed through the Word, and the words which proclaim the Word? [greatcosmicstory.blogspot.com/2018/08/from-culture-and-language-of-kingdom.html] Here is the very simple choice. It’s easy for human beings to be distracted by so many seemingly valid things, good things—if we just knew a little more about this or about that, then we would have it made! But who would have it made? Certainly it would not be made by God.
So there are those who acknowledge the authority of the Word, understand and agree with the words. These are the ones who provide what is necessary for the creative achievement that is to occur in the world. Here is the reality of agreement by which what needs to be done is done spiritually speaking—to weave a Halo around the earth. Halos are usually around the head. They are not around the arm. There may be these fancy auras around the arm, around the body, and seemingly associated with the head; but a Halo relates to the head very specifically, to the conscious mind, to the Son consciousness, those who acknowledge the authority of the Word because they speak the Word themselves and their words are a proclamation to this effect. There are those who are present in our unified gathering today who might come into this classification so that the world may be encircled in this way.
It is interesting to note that for the last while there has been very little variation in the numbers of those who are included on our mailing lists, but from my standpoint there has been a vast increase of emissaries. The mere fact of being on the mailing list of course doesn’t establish anything particularly except that the individual will receive the mailings. But there are those who are making themselves increasingly known, very often directly to me, that they are emissaries of divine light. We’ve had so few of these on earth for a long time, and relative to the population of the world there are very few yet; but I think that’s all right. I recall the story of Gideon and his troop. He had to whittle them down, didn’t he, before he had those who could be trusted. Now this is the point. From whatever base it is that is established—here in a particular sense, but of course the base that is established on this North American continent in a larger way—here should be the immovable mass, so that the irresistible force may go forth to accomplish that whereunto it is sent around the world, all relating primarily at the moment to the conscious mind of the body of mankind. You can’t have a conscious mind without a subconscious mind, so that is included; but the choice can only be made consciously and agreed to unconsciously. So until it is made consciously there is nothing to agree to insofar as the unconscious mind of humanity is concerned.
We have some awareness of the vast numbers of those who might be particularly related to the unconscious levels of the mind of humanity. There has been a longing in these in a very wide sense for the appearance of the authority of the Son. They have been disappointed a number of times already because the one who put in an appearance, in the conqueror role as a rule, hardly could be said to be the Son. But finally, if there is a focus of the conscious mind present, the Son is present, or may be present, by reason of this, and there is something toward which the unconscious mind of humanity may orient. How does it orient? Well unconsciously, if it’s the unconscious mind. However, obviously there is, what shall we call it, a twilight zone between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind, where things of the unconscious are close to the surface of consciousness; and so we find this beginning to occur relative to various aspects of the population of the body of mankind who are just discerning, sensing, the presence of the Son. Presumably there will be a certain amount of skepticism involved because of prior disappointment, but clearly there can only be a fulfilment in the right way to the extent that the Son is present, that there is something absolute, consciously absolute, that cannot be tempted, that cannot be distracted, by all the glorious kingdoms of this world. And those kingdoms, you know, nowadays reach out into space, that strange envelope that seems to enfold the earth and indeed the solar system.
There is a short passage here out of the 3rd chapter of Revelation which may be seen in the context of our own experience: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”
“I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.” I think probably that might be better translated “keep thee from succumbing to the hour of temptation,” because that comes upon the world and, after all, that’s where we are. Every individual will be tried, in other words, for him- or herself. Let us be careful not to be overly concerned with respect to others in this regard—personally we are tried, and we are responsible for that. We can’t be responsible for the attitudes taken by others. If we get involved with those attitudes we ourselves will fail. It has been said that God is no respecter of persons. If there is an acceptance of the spirit of God in our own living we can be no respecter of persons: each individual will prove him- or herself out. This has been happening all along the way, hasn’t it? Do you think the job has finally been done: everybody is now absolutely tried and true? I don’t think so yet. There’s a bit more burning to be done. Let us not fool ourselves that it is not going to happen. It is happening now.
I don’t say these things to make anyone afraid. It is said that perfect love casts out fear anyway; so there you are, no problem! But if you become involved with something other than love, then look out! But love, how? Love, as this centers in the authority of the Word and the words which proclaim the Word. Here is the vital provision that has been made on earth by the Lord. There have been some words here in the Bible, and other scriptures, which have been available to human beings for a long time. It hasn’t done them all that much good. But there is the reality of the living Word in the present moment now and this is what provides the point of centering, the point of love. If that is absolute there is no problem. If it isn’t, so that there is a little doubt, a little sucking of teeth, whatever people do when they doubt, then you’re not very safe.
There is a level where one may make a conscious choice. Where else but at the level of the conscious mind? And when that choice is absolute—here is the point of centering, here is my loyalty absolutely—then the unconscious mind has something to orient to and the Holy Ghost rises up through the unconscious mind and there is power to achieve whatever it is that is necessary. It’s the only way it works. Human beings in general have been trying to get around that for a long time. It becomes more and more obvious in these days, very largely because there begins to be the reality of a focus of authority of the conscious mind, not limited to one or two people but including increasing numbers.
I am concerned particularly with this as it relates to people, that all may have the opportunity to make a deliberate conscious choice, in a clear awareness that there are those things which rise up, sometimes quite powerfully seemingly, out of the unconscious levels, seeking to sow the seeds of fear and doubt and uncertainty and to generate reactions of various sorts. From the human standpoint it might be said that it would be easy to succumb. We have such a beautiful example of absoluteness in the story of the Master in His experience with what are called the temptations in the wilderness—no equivocation, no: “Well perhaps we might make a little bread out of stones, I suppose. Or if I don’t go too high up on the pinnacle of the temple maybe I can safely cast myself down. Or if I don’t aspire with too much ambition to the glories of this world it will be all right.” Do you think so, really?
You will note in the story as it has come down to us, for a reason presumably, there was something absolute each time. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God … Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Get thee hence, Satan ... Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve”—a conscious choice, but there is an available focus point, so that it may be held absolutely steady. It has never been done on earth, even in whatever measure it may have been done in the past, without a manifest focus point; otherwise everybody has the idea that they can go their own way, being true to their own conscience, as they might put it. But then consciences are not very reliable, because they are very largely based in human heredity of various sorts. No, it is the spirit of God, something that has been very largely foreign to human experience.
So a focus is provided and we see ourselves as being associated with that focus, giving it form on earth so that it may be available to the children of men. That’s the only chance they have. That has seemed like too big a thing for many. It has been the producer of doubts: “How? It couldn’t be me!” Well who is the “me” that it is then? As long as everybody says that, there isn’t any; there isn’t any way. “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” So we share in providing now the immovable mass of absolute substance from which the irresistible force may proceed to go forth, to weave, to accomplish, what is essential in the fulfilment of the purposes of the Lord. And let no one imagine that he understands fully what those purposes are. Just let’s move with the spirit and let it be done. The mind certainly doesn’t have to know everything; it couldn’t know everything anyhow. So we share in providing this rock, and then from this rock springs the irresistible force by which all things are made new, by which the Holy Ghost may be released in the experience of human beings the world around, rising up in response to what at the moment is not seen consciously but sensed nevertheless. There is a level of those who represent the unconscious mind of humanity, where there begins to be a little awareness, the level of the unconscious that is closest to the conscious; something is seen there. As the union begins to occur the power is released and the greater fulfilment comes, something that no human being can in fact prevent.
I delight to have shared this morning hour with you. It’s good to establish the basis for conscious agreement in this way relative to what it is that is now happening and which shall be in the days to come. How delightful to be with one accord in one place in this hour, but what a continuing delight it is to be with one accord in one place in every hour which is yet to come. Here is the immovable mass once this is so. As there is an immovable mass in this sense there can be the irresistible force, and if that force is in fact irresistible certainly the job gets done, a job which we are here to do together in agreement. Glory to God in the highest of our understanding, based in the authority of the spirit of the living God.
Uranda 1949
The Shadow of the Almighty is properly the Spiritual Expression Plane of Being,
which overshadows all and permeates with the Spirit all things of mind and body —
and of the whole material realm which respond thereto.
There are various ways by which a specific focalization of Identity might be established in this regard,
but for the purposes of the Sanctuary and this cycle we shall recognize Grace in this focalization
as being the Spirit of Benediction — Blessing.
The Benediction is a Blessing and properly contains within it all Blessing.
So the Spirit of Benediction is seen as the Spirit of Blessing manifesting in all things —
for Blessing must be the actuality of the Spirit of the Living Christ made manifest in form.
So, having recognized the Spirit of Benediction,
we come next within the scope of the Nucleus to the focalization of the Second Plane —
Therefore, with respect to this focalization within the Nucleus,
we recognize and acknowledge the Spirit of the Single Eye.
© emissaries of divine light