Thoughtline  April 1998

Since we are entering into a cycle of immense importance I thought that it might be a good idea to recall and ponder for a few moments upon the purpose which lies behind these festivals and then look at the general aspects that are true for all 12 of the festivals, the more specific aspects as regards the Three Linked Festivals and then at the Festival of Aries, in particular. I think that this approach will serve to illuminate somewhat what I do say about Aries because, as you all know, nothing under that immense dome we call the sky stands alone. all things are parts of a greater and more wonderful whole.

Plainly speaking, the 12 festivals which are set according to the time of the full moon in each of the zodiacal signs (hence the name "full moon" festivals) are an effort to shift Humanity's spiritual approach to God from the separate, form-centered systems of the various world religions which it has become to a system of universal brotherhood that depends on no single form at all but rather tries to maximize the power of approach through a synchronization of efforts. Through this synchronization of efforts, the common purpose which has always underlain and linked the various systems of approach into a vast human community of spiritual brotherhood will be rediscovered and reaffirmed.

The 12 festivals are truly meant to be panhuman events. There is no correct or sacrosanct rule of etiquette, ritual, costume, and order. All rules, etiquette, rituals, costumes, and orders are specifically sacred to and right for the group or religion that employs them. And all are I am sure, of equal beauty, wonder and power in the eyes of God and certainly in the eyes of anyone who would consider him or herself to a world citizen or human-centered person.

What is important about these 12 events is the effort to synchronize Humanity's approach to Divinity. Simple as it may see, there is power in numbers. And at the very core, all religions, groups and individuals are seeking the same thing for humanity: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness; food, shelter, education, medical care; decency, freedom, and meaning in their lives. These are worldwide issues. By gathering up the inchoate appeal of the masses, and synchronizing the prayerful approaches of the various world religions with the meditative efforts of the world's esotericists, Humanity, the world disciple, approaches God on the part of the whole community of man and demands help, aid, light, direction. It may sound simple, but the united invocative appeal of Humanity is powerful beyond our comprehension and cannot, will not be denied.

So, the 12 festivals are designed to do tow things: 1) Realign Humanity's scattered and fractured approach into a single powerful appeal. 2) Rediscover and reaffirm the single purpose of the human family, which should and does demonstrate in a community of diversified beauty and wonder.

While all of these festivals are significant and sacred events in the process, three of them are of supreme importance because of their position in the cycle of the Great Unfolding. These three linked festivals occur at Aries, Taurus and Gemini. These three festivals are actually thought of as three parts of one festival. This is so because these festivals precede and determine the events that will manifest, develop, grow, be weighed, judged, tested, point the direction toward the mountain top and initiate the next step is service and sacrifice to be taken in preparation for the next cycle in the Great Unfolding.

And then the whole thing starts over, with a majesty of purpose and a grandeur of design of which we can only gain a feint glimpse as we once more "reach out of sight for the ends of being and ideal grace." Which brings us to Aries. Aries is the beginning. But it is a beginning so far removed from an "thing" that it is to our minds, even the finest minds among us, totally beyond description. But it is not beyond faith. It is for us a shapeless, nameless awesome Will, which is moving toward Humanity with unstoppable intention and power. In Aries, we send ahead to greet this incoming "Gift Wave" our will to serve - our will to serve IT.

That is all. We signal our willingness, our Will to participate consciously and deliberately, and to the degree we are successful in synchronizing our invective effort, collectively in the Great Unfolding. We do not, at this point, try to say what this is or should be. We simply try to present our Will to work with God, to deliberately participate in His Purpose, whatever that may be.

And that, as far as I can see is the point of Aries and the point of our collective meditative effort at this festival. Come to this festival with the notion of putting your quota of Will into the effort to assist The Great Unfolding.

I have a couple of other things to say about Aries. However, they are of a more pragmatic and day to day living on the planet nature than the foregoing. Aries is a seed planting time. As far as Plant Earth goes and that group of beings called the Community of Man who live and move and have their being on Planet Earth goes, God or Sanat Kumara is the Great Seed Planter. But as far as Joe Brown or May Jones goes, as far as each of us goes, we are our own seed planters. This thing called free will is actually inescapable. And what I have to say regarding Aries is by way of a caution. In Aries we plant seeds. I suppose it would be a good idea for us to be conscious of the seeds we are planting because, conscious or not, we are planting.

And boy, Will they grow!
April 1998