Group Life

Wisdom Teachings
Groups and Service

On the spiritual path times of silence and aloneness are helpful to reorient. Group lives are something else than gatherings conducted about any topics. Group lives are meant for rising above the conditioning of petty-minded opinions and judgements and to delve into cosmic wisdoms. By tracing the source of our being in group lives we free ourselves from our limited minds. Years of practice lead us to the most sublime thoughts.

Already decades ago the Hierarchy has sown the seed of group life, especially through the books of Master D.K. This has now lead to successful experiments with group livings bringing about an intensified growth of group consciousness. What has been a dream for a long time is now slowly becoming a living experience for more and more people.

Master EK began to give out wisdom to groups of seekers by means of seminars and group lives, which go deeper than public talks. In the group lives he imparted meditations, wisdom teachings, living together and exchange. Later this was continued on a larger scale by Master K.P.K. Basically the rhythm for this was set by Master E.K., with morning and evening prayers and teachings, personal consultations, living under one roof, vegetarian food and light entertainment. The teachings are from the ancient scriptures and the wisdom expressed through H.P. Blavatsky, Alice A. Bailey and Master E.K. The wisdom is eternal, it is not new, but manifests at different times and places with a different terminology.

Thus group lives are an age-old tradition as well; what is new is the style of these meetings. In the east they are called Satsang. In Sanskrit Sang means group and Sat THAT, the truth of existence. The group gathers in order to contact THAT and to be in Its presence. The purpose of the group life is to remember the One at all times, at all places, in all forms and names and not to forget HIM. However, we keep on forgetting HIM and make the unimportant things big. The thoughts of our problems and difficulties captivate us and pull us down. Thus we confine ourselves and disconnect from our source. The group life can help us to find the way back again.

We receive impressions from the subtle planes, so that we feel drawn to group lives. For these meetings we leave behind our mundane activities for a while in order to delve into the wisdom teachings together. We think it is our decision to come together at group lives, but in truth we are gathered, when the souls are ready for it. Some even come against the will of their personalities. We react on the call of the Master in us, provided that we arranged our lives accordingly.

The reasons why we don’t want to participate in a group life are considered invalid from the viewpoint of the Master. It is our own logic which tries to satisfy us: “The circumstances of my life don’t allow me to participate; therefore I will try to experience the presence of the Master at my home. Why should I spend time and money with travelling?” When our lives at home, at work or in society are deviating too much from the instructions of discipleship, it is not possible for us to participate in group lives; something will crop up. From the viewpoint of the personality always some sacrifice is required to walk the path of the soul.

A joint work keeps the group together and helps for progress. Without a joint activity the group will fall apart. Those who do not work for the group will not be stimulated and freshened by the group. They only stay on the sidelines of the group life or even leave it. Therefore in a group life we should always see what we could contribute for the group.

The group and the group relations should come first, beginning with the family group; then only come our individual lives. In the Aquarian age the group and the group consciousness are the Master. The relation to the group is seen as the relation to the master. Master CVV even warns not to develop discord towards the group: “Those who develop disagreement with the group will be removed from Me.” We also should not keep on discussing about the weaknesses of the group, its bad activity or ineffectiveness etc.

The problems we see in others are our own problems. When problems come up, we can work on overcoming them. We want to experience the group soul and not get stuck with the personalities of the group members. When two opinions can meet in a higher dimension, there happens a group initiation. If, however, we stick to our own standpoints, we grow in our personalities, but not as souls. It is a challenge to see people with different temperaments and personalities as a completion. Friction and crises are part of the group life, by which we are rounded off. In a group life there happens a grouping of personalities, so that the one consciousness working through the entire group can be experienced. Groups are the best laboratory for discipleship. Everything that happens in a group life has a purpose, even if we don’t see it. From the standpoint of synthesis there is no useless person in a group life, for if he is there, there has to be some use for him.

At times where we are going through crises and even have the feeling that we don’t want to meditate anymore and would like most to withdraw from a group, the group energy is particularly helpful and supportive. In these situations the group members should find that much respect and loving understanding that an individual in a crisis can continue to come to the group to experience Satsang, group life. A stable group can neutralise the irritations which arise through the feeling of being unable to develop and to control the personality and through the poison of negativity. Breathing exercises, contemplation upon the golden light and the group energy help to overcome the irritations.

The company of persons oriented to the positive builds up and helps us to escape the disturbances and onslaughts of overcritical people. To discuss with them doesn’t help; rejecting them binds us even stronger to them. We can try to help them with a smile – which is mostly impossible – and to grow passive towards them as much as possible. Then their interest will go down with time.

Group lives strengthen us in our practice and in the decision to express good will in everyday life. When we are alone at home, we more easily give way to the tendencies of our personality and we find it more difficult to follow the exercises. Individually we are not as strong as in the community of like-minded people. An individual with a certain degree of accomplishment can help others to link up with the light as well, like he had been helped by the Elder Ones. The tradition of the Teacher-student relation is based on this linkage, and it leads up to the Absolute Light. In the group life its Presence is particularly close and enthrals all who link up to it.

Sources: K.P. Kumar: 25 Years The World Teacher Trust-Global. / notes from seminars / E. Krishnamacharya: Lessons on the Yoga of Patanjali. The World Teacher Trust - Dhanishta, Visakhapatnam, India.