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A Reflection on Discipleship Training
Changing Expectations
The Divine imperative moves cosmic unfoldment on. It is a sobering realisation that with every feeling, thought, attitude, decision and action we consciously or unconsciously either help to further that imperative, or we hinder it. If we make a conscious choice to assist the working out of the Divine plan on earth the next question becomes, ‘How can I be of use, and what training do I need to undertake to increase my usefulness?”
Not a uniquely Christian phenomenon, much as some Christians would want to claim it as such, the notion of discipleship, and the training of disciples, has been common to most of the great religions and schools of philosophy.
The word ‘disciple’ comes from the Latin discipulus (from discere – to learn), the origin also of our word ‘discipline’. In usage from around 500 BCE (the second threshold of the Age of Aries and seeding point for the Age of Pisces), it has traditionally been used to describe ‘one who sits at the feet of, or follows, a specific master and way of life, to learn and be disciplined’. Different in quality from ‘student’, discipleship has always emphasised the relationship between the two individuals and the depth of what is being learned, which goes way beyond mere assimilation of information.
Traditionally there have been three keys: loyalty to and total focus on one specific master or school, dedication to learning at depth, and willingness to be disciplined by (or undertake often rigorous disciplines set by) that master as part of the process. More often that not, the person has, like all of Jesus’ disciples, come to the training ‘raw’, and while that training has been essential it has often created, on the part of the disciple in training, both dependency and a fixation on the person of the master. Great masters like Jesus or Buddha tried to prevent this from happening by focussing the attention outward, setting their disciples-in-training independent service work from the outset, usually in small groups.
Throughout history, discipleship training has changed as each Age has provided its unique emphasis and humanity has evolved. In earlier times the focus for those in discipleship training centred on the feeling relationship of the individual to his soul and to his or her master. During the past two thousand years it has been this feeling response in Pisces, with its resultant outpouring of compassion and genuine heart-based love, which has been of tremendous use in lifting humankind toward the light. Over the past three hundred years, however, with the growing impulse of Aquarian (and seventh ray) energies, humanity as a whole has begun to be more mentally focussed. This has already begun to call forth discipleship training with a far greater emphasis on the dual rational-intuitive development and use of the mind, a shift foreshadowed by Jesus’ addition of the words ‘with all your mind’ to the Great Commandment.
Clearly, discipleship itself, like everything else, is in an ongoing process of unfoldment (growing up) and the twenty-first century Aquarian disciple will look very different from his or her twentieth century and still largely Piscean influenced counterpart.
At the cusp of a new Age, worlds come into collision. In this context it is helpful to think of each two thousand year Age, with its unique energies, challenges and possibilities, as an intrinsic part of Divine purpose and plan, and a divinely ordered catalyst to human and planetary unfoldment. It becomes clear that if the greater cosmic energies remained fixed or static throughout history then unfoldment would occur at a much slower pace than it does. Great changes on the planet (including profound changes to the nature of discipleship), and the movement of humanity to a new life stage, are catalysed by complex interactions between God’s will and purpose, the flux of impacting cosmic energies, and human responses and initiatives based on freedom of choice.
Already the changes are becoming very apparent as disciples are being called to act far more maturely, autonomously and free of dependency. In fact, over this century the expectations on disciples will be far greater than they have ever been, the standard of discipleship that much higher, and the level of global outreach and service initiative far more intense.
What is being asked in this new millennium of those who consciously serve the furthering of the Plan? What type of awareness and focus is crucial? What needs to be the nature of both their training and their world service?
Disciples-in-training, whether their training is formal or ‘life and service based’, must show in their lives:
• High ethical standards and the capacity to live a disciplined life. Those new to training will often be called ‘aspirants’, or awakened aspiring seekers striving to learn discipline.
• A sense of vast divine Purpose. A very real appreciation of and capacity to live in the reality of that Purpose.
• Recognition and understanding of the intelligent guided unfolding of the divine Plan through history.
• A deep understanding of and capacity for far more complex and encompassing relationships, with God, with humanity, the other kingdoms of nature (lower and higher), and the planet itself.
• A synthesis of spirit and matter. Refusal to see matter or form as inferior and to be avoided.
• The steady alignment of personal will with divine Will, Purpose and Plan so that the life becomes a clear and radiant reflection of that Will.
• Evidence of clear and accurate spiritual guidance, untainted as much as is humanly possible by ego or personal agenda.
• A clear recognition of the part of the Plan which is on the point of emerging and a capacity to work with right timing.
• A clear understanding of and capacity to work with right power and effective manifestation.
• A consciousness which is naturally and habitually focussed on the welfare of others.
• Service to all. Refusal to get into ‘conversion’ mode on behalf of any exclusivist group.
• The capacity to serve powerfully, lovingly and intelligently (from the head and heart) across boundaries and without agendas, both individually and as part of a group.
• The capacity to work with the energy of divine fire.
Note: For an expanded version of these qualities and skills see the article Distinguishing Features of Discipleship.
None of us can avoid being part of the Divine Plan, because it embraces the cosmos in its entirety. There is, however, a huge difference between the unconscious unit, pulled along by the gradual working out of the Plan and the conscious, committed and trained serving disciple – the ‘intelligent agent’ – who purposefully aids outworking and grounding of the Kingdom of God on earth.
It is very easy to convince ourselves that we are effective agents – or would be if the circumstances were different. We use excuses – ‘I could serve more effectively if there was more time, more money, if people were more responsive, if I had support.’ Our list of ‘outs’ is lengthy.
Yet in the end none of these is a valid reason for lack of effectiveness. In the end effective service comes about solely as the result of deep, preferably conscious, commitment and the perseverance to act as an intelligent agent on behalf of divine Purpose every moment of every day, no matter where we find ourselves, no matter what it takes. Anyone who makes this type of commitment is, without exception, also making a deep soul commitment to undertake the intense ongoing training needed. That training will thrust us into God’s refining fire. It is in the fire, and only in the fire, that we will be equipped with the knowledge, understanding, tools – and the beginnings of loving wisdom – that we will need to be effective.
During Piscean times discipleship training was often undertaken in seclusion from the world. That has changed. The impetus is clear. We are now being called to be, simultaneously, turned toward God and the world. To be in training and to serve. Such intense and ongoing parallel and integrated training and service demands stickability, courage and daring, growing understanding, and real focus on the task in hand – the ‘yeasting’ and externalisation of the Kingdom of God on earth. It demands that disciples begin to add to their humanitarian work on behalf of the poor, the needy and the disenfranchised a push toward greater alignment with Divine Purpose and Plan throughout every field of human endeavour in co-operation with other committed, aligned and steady disciples.
At this critical moment on the cusp between the Age of Pisces and the incoming Age of Aquarius, as humanity is being called to more consciously undertake the next phase of the journey of unfoldment, all disciples are being asked to act as ‘intelligent agents’ for the fire of divine Purpose and Will. Are we equipped for this task? And what further training do we need to be of maximum service?
By Jan Lawson
www.ists-spiritualschool.org
From section: 21st century Discipleship
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