This Is The Real World

This  Is  The  Real  World

Martin Exeter   May 5, 1980    from  Assembly — Sunrise Ranch

Emissaries of Divine Light is the name of a college from which we have graduated into the real world

How much are we capable of enfolding and encompassing? When we graduate from school, spiritual school, we become responsible in a real world. In that world there are a lot of unreal people. We're not too interested in the school from which we graduated. I don't think even in the human world, after leaving school, one drags the school around with one, trying to tell everybody about it. Graduating from spiritual school, we have assumed a certain maturity of responsibility which is our own, individually speaking. Of course at this point we are aware of the whole, of the fact that our individual expression, while it must stand because it is the expression of truth, is also an aspect of a far greater truth. We are a part of that far greater truth to the extent that our expression is true—that we are mature enough to be spiritually responsible for ourselves. That doesn't take us into a position of isolation. It offers connection with the far greater truth of which our individual truth is simply an aspect.

We have a field of enfoldment and encompassment, immediately available to us as we assume our mature spiritual responsibilities in the individual sense. Mention is made in the Book of Revelation about the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. I am sure you all recognize that this is the true state of spiritual consciousness, a new state insofar as human experience is concerned, which comes down from God out of heaven. Later, with respect to this holy city, there is indication that nothing should enter into it that defiles or whatsoever worketh abomination or makes a lie. In our own living, here is the holy place in which we abide. We find that there are others who abide in that holy place with us, so it is not merely an individual thing. Here is something coming down from God out of heaven and factually emerging on earth, because of us and all those who provide the means by which it may so emerge—a holy place into which nothing that does not belong may enter in.

Now we may see this, first of all, as a personal state for which we individually are responsible within ourselves. And we also see it as a collective state for which we are individually responsible too, that nothing should enter into that collective of the holy place. Only as there is such a holy place can there be the factual reality of the priesthood on earth. This is the basis for the enfoldment, and beyond that again the encompassment, which is our primary responsibility in the real world.

All that does not belong in the holy place is excluded. But let us not merely look at it in a negative way, because then it would be entirely empty, wouldn't it? It wouldn't stay empty long; nature abhors a vacuum. It is a matter of letting it be filled with the real quality of spirit, consequent upon our own living experience.

But our concern is with this matter of enfoldment. We have individual spheres of enfoldment, which are, of course, at the same time included in the collective sphere of enfoldment. We never try to lift our individual spheres of enfoldment out of the whole, because immediately we would lose the reality of that enfoldment. We would lose our association with the holy place. So we extend an enfoldment to those who are beginning to see the light—we could put it that way. They only begin to see the light because of our expression of the spirit of God, individually and together, moving upon the face of the waters that are present in the consciousness of mankind, and out of that consciousness will come certain individual focalizations in response. These are those in whom the light is beginning to shine, so that they begin to see some more and understand more of the quality of life—and these require enfoldment.

The enfoldment is beyond the holy place, insofar as we are concerned, because obviously anyone coming will have those things that don't belong in the holy place. Therefore you cannot willy‑nilly invite anyone into the holy place who gives some evidence of experiencing an increase of light in their own consciousness. So here is a realm of enfoldment beyond the holy place. We have described this in terms of the outer court and the encampment. But we see this realm of enfoldment and keep it clear as there are those who are welcomed into it.

Within this realm of enfoldment there is rest. I suppose this is the first matter that emphasizes itself to a person. Maybe it did to us—at last we're home, so to speak; a feeling of rest. As the Master put it, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” So there is a place of rest, where the turmoil may begin to drain away out of people. It is also a place of safety, where there is a sense of being protected. It is our responsibility to provide this. It is also a place of education. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.” All right, education. This is the nature of the place of enfoldment which we rightly provide. Are we going to say that this place of enfoldment is a very restricted place, into which only two or three people can fit? Or do we recognize the reality of it, which is vastly more than the holy place?

The holy place is, in this sense, a small place—there are not too many who are capable of functioning as the priesthood in the holy place, who are capable, individually speaking, of maintaining that holy place in their own experience, never allowing anything that defiles or works abomination or makes a lie to enter in. Only those who are of the priesthood are in the holy place. When there are those, and the holy place is present because of them, then the influence of that extends on out in enfoldment of others. And we have a place beyond us that is far more capable of including people than, presently, is the holy place.

If we use the symbolism of the encampment, well that's a big place, lots of room. We need to have this attitude, that there may be no exclusion of any point of light that begins to emerge because the spirit which we have been offering in our living has been moving upon the face of the waters of humanity. All right, humanity is spread around; there are quite a few of them out there. Are we going to say well, we'll take a dozen? Or is it going to be open?

We are capable individually and together of providing this large place of enfoldment. Perhaps it needs to be larger than it has been thus far. And it isn't the place of enfoldment with anticipation that those who are so enfolded are going to become hooked up somehow with Emissaries of Divine Light. Emissaries of Divine Light is the name of a college from which we have graduated into the real world. While we may have some college reunions on occasion, we are really about the Father's business in the world. And we are introducing people to that on the basis of invitation to the place of enfoldment. There are those who come in, and there is work to be done relative to those we enfold. Obviously there is the general pattern of rest which is offered, the provision of the sense of protection and safety, and then education. This education doesn't merely relate to what we have thought of as spiritual education in the orthodox Emissary sense: “Well, people must be brought to Class,” and so on. It isn't necessarily that at all. There is a far wider field of education than that. This perhaps is specialized education with respect to those who may, if they will, be included in the priesthood, to stand in the holy place. But the vast majority don't, or won't.

And yet there is something of education needful—a reconditioning of consciousness, to begin with. There are various means of providing this—enfolding them where they are, letting people alone, not trying to make them into something that we think would be better, but letting people alone. Let them be enfolded. There are various classifications of people who more easily relate to this area or that area. There are other gatherings we have, of many kinds. And there will be increasing numbers—if we are doing our job—wholistic gatherings for instance, considerations in various fields, into which people may be invited and in which they may be enfolded. On this basis there is a beginning made, at least, with respect to a reconditioning of consciousness.

Some changes may be wrought, so that those concerned may feel more at home in the encampment than they did where they were before they became aware of the fact that there was an encampment. If we play our parts correctly they will have a sense of enfoldment; they will have the increasing experience of rest initially, a sense of protection, and begin to actually experience education without maybe telling them so. As long as we experience the reality, do we need to be told that we are experiencing it? Probably if we were told we would set up a resistance against it. That's the way human nature is.

So we let it be, not a con game—not an Emissary con game—but the provision of what is necessary to allow some things to happen in people, about which they may not know is occurring. But they will only occur to the extent that those concerned are open to let it occur. It's not being imposed. If they are open to receive it they will receive it; if they're not they won't. So there is the enfoldment.

And beyond that again there is encompassment—the encompassment of everything, of all humanity, indeed of the world. It is all‑inclusive. We have our points of contact which increasingly enable a greater effectiveness in that encompassment. It has been, evidently, sufficiently effective thus far to prevent some final disaster from striking. But as it all intensifies there will need to be a greater control extended in a more specific way. It might be said that this encompassment could be compared to casting a net over the world, a net of control and containment, dominion and containment. The net is composed of interlocking meshes which relate to people.

We find ourselves associated with people who have, in one way or another, connections into the state of the tribes of the earth beyond the encampment. Usually these connections are those who come into the encampment, who participate in the enfoldment, and through them there may be an extension of the net of encompassment. We need to be alert in this regard, so that we do not take arbitrary Emissary attitudes with respect to anyone, thereby excluding that person from enfoldment. We see the value of people by reason of their associations. If such people are open to enfoldment, so that they come closer, then through such people we can reach what is beyond.

There are already the beginnings of such a network in various fields with which I am familiar—far more than even those who are the points of connection understand or see. We need to be aware that this is an open‑ended process. We think of things as being small because they are close, but it is through these apparently small things that the larger things are encompassed and the dominion of God begins to be an increasing reality on earth, regardless of the thrashings around of the dragon, regardless of the human‑nature state which still seeks to govern out there.

Here we have a consciousness of ministry which transcends, I am sure, the usual Emissary viewpoint, because it begins to become no longer an illusion, but the actuality. The actuality is related to people—and what we extend as enfoldment and encompassment is not some little viewpoint as a cult on earth. This is the real thing, and we reach a point of actually being willing to acknowledge this. There has been a hesitancy to acknowledge this, and the endeavour to maintain a cult, because it felt safer. But to really reach out—that is what is required!

© Emissaries of Divine Light

Heart Awakening

Heart  Awakening

Martin Cecil   July 30, 1979    from  Assembly — Sunrise Ranch

 

Our words rightly carry weight, if they are the words springing forth by reason of spiritual expression. And words are found to be creative commands in spiritual expression; therefore we need to be very, very careful with our words. We have a tool here for spiritual expression, and if it is the tool of spiritual expression it will be used with competence and effectiveness. And the impact of it will extend way beyond the immediate situation. The One who sits upon the throne says "Behold, I make all things new." We let Him sit on the throne that we provide, and He makes this statement through our spiritual expression.

“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” It is so. “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” There is nothing outside of the competence of the One who sits upon the throne. He has lacked a throne upon which to sit in this human world. Now we provide Him with one. The throne is the symbol of authority. “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” That's spiritual expression. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” What was the Master's statement? “I and my Father are one.”

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things.” In human nature the thought is “Oh goody; everything that I need is going to come to me; this will be a worth­while exercise.” Will inherit all things; it doesn't say all good things; all things, the whole range. All this is brought to us. It comes to us, part of our inheritance. If we look it over and say, “Well I rather like this but that I don't like so well; I'll accept this but I'll reject that.”—What sort of an attitude would that be toward the one who is providing us with this inheritance? The inheritance is of all things, that we may reveal the fact of our son‑ship, one with the Father, in the handling of all these things in the process by which all these things are made new.

There may be some things that come to you that you like. You say, “Well these don't need to be made new, I like them.” But there are other things that probably you say “Well I don't like them. Well clearly enough they need to be made new then.” However, of course what does appear, correctly, is not based in any human likes or dislikes. It simply is what it should be. And we have the responsibility of handling our inheritance.

Inherit the kingdom. All right, if that is to be done all things need to be made new. If we are taking the attitude that our inheritance is the kingdom of heaven on earth, well we have the responsibility of receiving it, and if it is to be received into outer form and expression all things must be made new. We have been looking at this from the standpoint of the field of education—it applies to every other field—but it is spiritual education that has been lacking in the world. The tools for the rest of the education are all there presumably. We are not particularly concerned with the form of things. We know that that is going to be transformed—that's what we're there for. That relates to form; it's going to be transformed. It is what it is.

The weight for us is in spirit. You know, if there are to be those who are spiritual leaders, it means that there must be an awakening to the reality of spirit in the individual's own experience—that is spiritual education. That can't be brought about by explaining the principles of reality. The individual may nod his head sagely but have no more awareness of spirit than he had before the explanation. There must be an awakening to spirit.

People say they believe in God, some of them. The only way that God may be known is by reason of His spirit. Therefore, awakening to His spirit, there is an awakening to God. But awakening to His spirit is not merely learning something mentally. It is the heart that awakens to spirit—the organ by which spirit may be sensed. This organ, as we know, has been occupied with other things; but when it is purely concerned with discerning spirit, then there is a spiritual awakening and the consequent possibility of spiritual expression.

Spiritual expression is impossible on the basis of intellectual learning. It is a heart awakening, a heart perception, a heart sensing, of spirit, so that we become aware of spirit. We become aware of many things by our eyes or by our ears or by the sense of touch or smell, but we become aware of the reality of spirit, and therefore the reality of God, by reason of the heart sensing. That's the organ that is used. If it's occupied with other things we have no tool for that use.

Because there is an awakening to spirit, there comes an awakening to the expression of spirit, because spirit is not static. You don't touch spirit—“Ah, there; now I see spirit. Not with the eyes but I sense it. There it is.” But spirit is not just sitting there waiting for you to sense it. Spirit is constantly moving. Life is one of the primary characteristics of spirit, isn't it? And life is characterized by movement. So sensing spirit we sense movement. We don't sense some ethereal structure. The sensing is of motion, of energy. And sensing that we are compelled into the expression of it, into movement with it.

You can't sense spirit without moving with spirit—without experiencing that measure of spiritual expression. You can’t sense spirit as some sort of an isolated, static entity. It isn't that. It is an experience of life, of motion, of energy; something on the move. And one finds that touching what is on the move one is associated with that. You would have to withdraw your touching of that in order to stop the expression of that. And this, of course, is what frequently happens, because the heart becomes in­volved with this over there, and that over here, and loses contact with what it is that is actually moving—the spirit of God.

When we are associated with that spirit and it is a habitual thing with us, then it doesn't matter where we are, what we are doing, that movement of life, of spirit is present there. And it has a strong effect. We may say “I am come that they might have life and that they might have it abundantly—because that's what I am.” Sensing spirit is not sensing something separate from our­selves. It's sensing what we are and engenders the experience of what we are, which is life in motion. So there's always a pressure brought to bear where there is spiritual expression.

You have known this from the standpoint of being recipients of that pressure, maybe in this hour, and you have known it also from the standpoint of the fact that you have seen evidences of the pressure that you have brought to bear in a situation. You may often not have associated what happened with the pressure you brought to bear, but you begin to see the creative word being spoken: “Behold, I make all things new.” Because you carry the authority of the One who sits upon the throne. You carry that authority in your living—spirit in expression, spiritual expression.

That is what happened to the disciples at one point, wasn't it. They were sent forth to preach the gospel. We begin to understand what that means. We don't retire into our ivory tower but go forth to do what needs to be done in the transformation process. “Behold, I make all things new.” That is the command. All right, the command has always been there. What has been lacking has been the throne, so that the One might sit upon the throne where the command is needed. And once that happens the authority of the One who sits upon the throne is conveyed by reason of the throne. The throne is a symbol of au­thority and in spiritual expression, as has often been said, the job gets done. But let us not look upon that as a platitude either. It's an active experience.

© Emissaries of Divine Light

The Fact of Oneness Permits the Fact of Radiation

The Fact of Oneness Permits the Fact of Radiation

from   Directions For The New Day #38

Uranda   November 24, 1946

Life itself is evidence of the Spirit of God that pervades all things, and which gives each one an opportunity of entrance into that realm of consciousness where we know the Oneness of all things Divine. Unless that vision, which begins to recognize at least the possibility of the Oneness of all things Divine through the all-pervading Spirit, can be inspired, it is impossible to draw any individual into a true awareness of the fundamental principles of life. That is one thing which, as yet, while it is recognized by those of us here, and to some degree has been experienced, needs still deeper realization. 

Sometimes it is difficult for the human mind to grasp clearly, or with conviction, the idea that is signified by our use of the word, Radiation. First, of course, we recognize the One Law, the Positive and Negative polarities, and that we can provide a Positive Point in the world only according to our negative or responsive attunement to the Lord. If there is negative attunement to the Lord, so far as we are concerned, there is Light shining through us whether it can be seen or not. Jesus said, “Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven”. We have undertaken to fulfill that admonition. We might call it the basic instruction for Emissaries of Divine Light. It is the keynote back of the very name by which we are called. 

We know that light by its very nature radiates. The admonition is: “Let your light so shine.” Attunement allows Radiation, but there has to be a light before there can be any shining. The individual has to be attuned to the Lord, the Source of Light, or he does not shine, no matter how hard he may try. If there is to be Radiation, the individual must have his lamp lighted. The Oil of Love must be in the individual, in Response to the Source of Light, if his lamp is to be trimmed and burning. It is only as the individual is filled with Love for God that his Light can shine. That was clearly revealed and taught by Jesus.

That shining of the Light, when there is a Light, is Radiation. If there is no Light, there is no shining; there is no Radiation. These are the basic principles back of a beginning of an understanding of Radiation as we use the word. The next phase of the matter, insofar as its influence upon others is concerned—if there is actually a Light so that there is Radiation—requires a recognition of that Oneness of Being that is established by the Spirit with respect to all things Divine. 

The things of God cannot be separated from the things of God. That which is sacred is never out of tune with that which is sacred. That which is pure is never out of harmony with that which is pure. All of those things that characterize the nature of the Divine are always harmonious to those things that characterize the nature of the Divine. The Spirit of God is that Spirit of Divine Being by which all things that are of God are actually one. They may manifest at different points and in different ways, through millions of individuals or God-Beings in this world or some other, but that which is of God is always harmonious to that which is of God. When that is realized, what we speak of as Oneness is not difficult to comprehend. 

There is a separation between the things of God and the things of the unreal which man has brought forth. That separation has seemed to man to cause a separation between man and God, and, in fact, it has, but it does not need to be so. The point is that as we, or any anywhere, turn attention to the things of God, so that by reason of the Oil of Love our lamps are lighted, so that there is a Light and so that there is a consequent Radiation, then we are attuned by that very fact to those expressions which are of God which may appear anywhere on the face of the earth, or in the Cosmos, for that matter. The things of God are never separated from the things of God, regardless of time or space or distance. That is the basic Reality of what we call Oneness. 

When one is Radiating, that is, when one is letting the Light shine, we know that that Light will be seen, recognized and comprehended, only by those who are themselves letting the Light shine, or by those who are attuned to things Divine sufficiently to let themselves be aware of what we call Light, which, in this instance, simply means the Light of God's Love. The Light is shining either to those who are a part of the expression of God, through whom the Light is also shining, or to those who are attuned to that which is of God, so that they are not separated, at least at that particular point, from the things of God. At whatever point any individual is in tune with the things of God, there he is in tune with the whole, and is thereby open to the Radiation of the Light of God's Love which is caused to manifest on earth through the instrumentality of human beings. 

When we recognize this, there should come a deepening Realization of what Oneness really means. Without a consciousness of Oneness, there cannot possibly be any truly effective Radiation. When there is a consciousness of separateness, there is no shining, at least not beyond the immediate range established by the walls of the consciousness of separateness. As I said a moment ago, there is a great need here for each one to come into a deeper Realization of the actuality of that Oneness, not trying to delude yourselves into believing something intellectually, but, rather, to reach a point in vision and understanding where there is a Realization of the fact. 

As long as the mind is under the conviction of separateness, it seems to the mind that a consideration of Radiation, to any distance at least, is something that is futile, and to attempt to arbitrarily make the mind believe that it works, when it is under the conviction of separateness, causes the mind to feel that a delusion is being imposed upon it. If there is, in the beginning, any sense of delusion with respect to the actuality of Radiation, then that mind is not what we have called an Open Window between Heaven and earth. It may be open to some degree; there may be some light coming through, but there is still a shade drawn, so to speak. 

A consciousness of separateness from God still is present to some degree in every one of you. How can I, by use of words, by example, through Radiation, through inspiration or instruction, assist you into a deeper, more vivid, consciousness, not of something that you try to believe, but of something that you come to recognize as an actual fact? Trying to believe something is of small value. Until you reach a point where you can see it and know it as a fact, you cannot possibly have the absolute conviction that is properly called faith. 

Faith depends upon a recognition of the Laws of Life, upon an absolute conviction that they work, and an assurance that, by working with those Laws, results are certain. Then one can properly say that he has faith. That faith requires, in its actual operation, a consciousness of Oneness, and a deep Realization that the things of God can never be successfully separated one from another. 

The things of God can be separated from the things of man—but no one can actually separate the things of God from the things of God. One may think he has done it, and it may seem that it is so, but it cannot be done in actual fact. The things of God are always in tune with the things of God. There is always harmony between those things that characterize the nature of God, whether they manifest here or there, regardless of the individual or race or color or creed. Those things that are the expression, through the individual, of the characteristic nature of God are always in tune with the expression of those things through any other individual on the face of the earth. The degree of recognition, the degree of attunement and the degree of expression in and through various individuals does vary greatly, yet if there is even a small degree of actual expression of the things of God through any one individual, that means that he has a contact point that is in tune with the things of God and is, therefore, to the degree of Response, open to the Radiation of the Spirit—the Light that shines from the Fire of Divine Love made manifest on earth through human instrumentality. 

The individual through whom no characteristic of the nature of God finds expression, the individual who is completely out of tune with the Spirit, so that nothing Divine, nothing noble or nothing real manifests through, is that individual who has committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit. Not because God is not willing to forgive, is it called the unpardonable sin, but because the individual has reached a point where he has no attunement with things Divine, and, therefore, is beyond reach of the Spirit, and there is no way left by which he can be drawn into a Realization of things Divine, so he himself causes it to be the unpardonable sin. 

As we recognize these factors which we have considered in various ways before, there should come a deepening Realization of the fact of Oneness. It is the fact of that Oneness that permits the fact of Radiation. Human beings have come to the point of recognizing that a radio broadcast, vibration or wave impulse, at one point may be picked up at some other point far distant. The principles involved are exactly the same, but there has to be an actual Radiation, an actual broadcast, if there is to be reception, but beyond the fact that there must be a broadcast, or Radiation, there is also the fact that the receiving station must be tuned in on the broadcasting station. 

What is it that causes individuals to tune into the things of God? Sometimes it is despair. “Man's extremity is God's opportunity.” Sometimes it is a Realization of the futility of man's working in his own strength; sometimes it may be the fact that the individual feels, through joy or through some blessing, Love Response to God. That is the ideal means of attunement, and it is the reason why thanksgiving to God for the blessings that we have is so important. I think there has not been a sufficient Realization throughout the School as to the reason for thanksgiving to God and an attitude of praise. The real reason is that it keeps the individual open to, or tuned into, that which properly Radiates from God. It inspires Love Response to God by which the individual may receive the Radiation of God's Love. 

Just as there is no point of separation, actually, between the individual who Loves God and God Himself, so there cannot be, actually, any point of division between those who truly Love God. If there seem to be divisions, it is because of limited vision or because the individuals do not, to the same degree, Love God. There are divisions between the things of God and the things of man, but to the degree that the things of God are expressing through the individual, he is not separate from God, and in him there is no separation from those who are attuned with God. 

When you recognize that the positive point of polarity manifest on earth is a point of orientation for all those who are letting that which is of God find expression in daily life, we see that the Reality of the Oneness of Divine Being begins to have positive expression on earth. It is a real influence; it begins to be a force, a true factor, then, in the lives of men. 

Although thousands of individuals have loved God, they have not understood the Law, and have not been aware of true Oneness with God or one another. They have been working in a state of separateness; therefore, the mere fact that they loved God to the degree that they did was not effective in daily life, but when there is a true coordination on earth, with a consciousness of understanding, then the Will of God begins to be done on earth. The Current of His Love and the expression of His Will on earth causes a true Radiation that is responded to by those who find joy in letting His Will be done on earth. Therefore, in the actuality of Radiation and through attunement thereto, we have the fact of Oneness realized, and when it is realized it becomes a means for the release of the Power of God on earth. Without that Realization there is no way by which the controlling Power of God can manifest on earth; therefore, without that Realization, individuals, even though they love God to some degree, are still puppets of circumstance, controlled by outer conditions, and are still subject to the same things to which everyone else in the world is subject. 

It is only as there is established in you, as a Unit, in actualized Realization of Oneness, the fact of Radiation and the fact of Response thereto, that the Power of God, manifesting according to the Will of God, can begin to be a controlling, effective factor in the lives of the children of men.

© Emissaries of Divine Light