In dealing with this subject (and it can only be done very briefly) two things must be borne in mind:

1. That we are considering solely an idea in the mind of the soul and dealing with the basic fact of the illusion which has controlled the entire cycle of incarnation and so held the soul a prisoner to form. To the soul, the personality connotes two things:
   1. The soul's capacity for identification with form; this is first of all realized by the soul when the personality is beginning to react to a measure of real integration.
   2. An opportunity for initiation.
2. That the elimination of the thought-form of the personality, which is consummated at the third initiation, is a great initiation for the soul on its own plane. For this reason, the third initiation is regarded as the first major initiation, since the two previous initiations have very little effect upon the soul and only affect the incarnated soul, the "fragment" of the whole.

These are facts which are little realized and seldom emphasized in any of the literature hitherto published. The emphasis up till now has been upon the initiations as they affect the disciple in the three worlds. But I am specifically dealing with the initiations as they affect or do not affect the soul, over-shadowing its reflection, the personality, in the three worlds. What I have said, therefore, will have little meaning for the average reader.

Infinitely more difficult is the attempt I am here making to depict the attitude and the reactions of the soul, the one self, the Master in the heart, as it recognizes the stupendous fact of its own essential liberation and realizes, once and for all, that it is now incapable of responding in any way to the lower vibrations of the three worlds, as transmitted to the soul by its instrument of contact, the personality form. That form is now incapable of such transmission.

The second reaction of the soul, once this realization has been focused and admitted, is that - having achieved freedom - that freedom now conveys its own demands:

The soul now vibrates between the two points or pairs of opposites and acts as an invocative and evocative center.

None of the above realizations may be registered in the brain consciousness or in the mind of the illumined personality. Theoretically, some dim vision of the inherent possibilities may be sensed, but the consciousness is no longer that of the serving disciple in the three worlds, using mind, emotions and physical body to carry out behest and hierarchical intent, as far as may be. That has disappeared with the death of the personality consciousness. The consciousness is now that of the soul itself, aware of no separation, instinctively active, spiritually obsessed by the plans of the Kingdom of God, and completely free from the lure or the faintest control of matter-form; the soul is, however, still responsive to and immersed in substance-energy, and its higher correspondence is still functioning on the levels of the cosmic physical plane - the buddhic, atmic, monadic and logoic planes.

What then must take place if the life of the soul is to be full and complete and so thoroughly inclusive that the three worlds form part of its area of awareness and its field of service? The only way in which I can make clear to you what the soul must do after the third initiation is to sum it up in two ways:

• First: The soul now becomes a conscious creator because the third aspect - developed and mastered through experience in the three worlds during the long cycle of incarnations - has reached a point of perfected activity. Putting it technically: the energy of the knowledge petals and the energy of the love petals are now so actively fused and blended that two of the inner petals, surrounding the jewel in the lotus, are no longer acting [518] as veils to that jewel. I am here speaking symbolically. Because of this happening, the death or the elimination of the personality is the first activity in the drama of conscious creation, and the first form created by the soul is a substitute for the personality. Thus an instrument for service in the three worlds is created. This time, however, it is an instrument with no life, no desire, no ambition and no power of thought of its own. It is only a sheath of substance, animated by soul life but - at the same time - responsive to and suited to the period, race and the environing conditions wherein the creating soul chooses to work. Think this statement out and emphasize the words "suited to."
• Second: The soul then prepares itself for the coming fourth initiation. This is basically a monadic experience and results - as you know - in the disappearance or destruction of the soul vehicle or causal body, and the establishment, therefore, of a direct relation between the monad on its own plane and the newly created personality, via the antahkarana.

If you will think clearly about this statement, you will see that a very complete integration is now possible. The personality life has been absorbed; the personality form is still left, but it persists without any real life of its own; this means that it can now be the recipient of energies and forces, needed by the working initiate or Master in order to carry on the work of salvaging humanity. Students would find it of value to study the three "appearances of the Christ" as recorded in the Gospel story:

1. His transfigured appearance upon the Mount of Transfiguration. That episode depicts symbolically the radiant soul, and also the three vacated bodies of the personality, and hints also at a future building of a vehicle of manifestation. St. Peter says, "Lord, let us here build three huts" or tabernacles.
2. His appearance as truth itself (silent yet present) before the bar or judgment seat of Pilate - repudiated by the world of men but recognized by the Hierarchy.
3. His radiant appearances after the resurrection initiation:
   1. To the woman at the sepulchre - symbolizing His contact with Humanity.
   2. To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus - symbolizing His contact with the Hierarchy.
   3. To the twelve disciples in the upper chamber - symbolizing His contact with the Council Chamber of the Lord of the World at Shamballa.