WATER OF LIFE AM I, POURED FORTH FOR THIRSTY MEN

Service is the keynote of the energies of the Festival of Aquarius occurring during the full moon period. This is an opportunity to attune to the energies of the constellation Aquarius, dominated by the second Ray of Love-Wisdom, the fourth Ray of Harmony through Conflict, and the seventh Ray of Order and Organization. The seventh ray energy is vital because it builds relationships made of spiritual energy. The influence of the rays two, four and seven, stimulate man to love and serve others in inclusive compassion. They provide an opportunity for greater sharing of what we have and what we are, wherever we recognize a need, the hallmark of a server.

"Water of Life am I, poured forth for thirsty men" is the keynote of the disciple in Aquarius. The symbol of Aquarius is a man with a water jar lifted high over his head, with water pouring out to thirsty humanity, a physical symbol of service. Service is characteristic of the soul and the disciple. It denotes a state of being rather than an act of doing, because beingness is the expression of group consciousness. As we get in rhythm with the new age, the theme of service will increasingly dominate our thinking and being. Aquarius is the sign of group consciousness.

Humanity is awakening to the recognition that service is the supreme expression of group consciousness and group awareness, when there is no emphasis on ones individual effort. Service is the natural and ultimate expression of the soul, because it is the spontaneous effect of soul contact and soul urge. When service is of the soul, it provides abundance for others and us. Only the true server understands the corollary of giving so that they may give again. We are never depleted when we give to others of our beingness, for our cup will be filled, that we may give again. Group consciousness naturally leads us to the sense of universality with its group life and group service, where we become active members of the New Group of World Servers. This recognition causes the intention to serve the Plan, to serve those whom the Plan serves, and those who serve the Plan. Service is a law of the soul that Alice Bailey wrote so much about in her series of books, and it makes a fascinating study. The compilation "Serving Humanity" available from Lucis Publishing gathers together this important teaching on service.

The Aquarian energies of universality and brotherhood are the dominant energies of the new age that are seeping deep into the consciousness of humanity. Group consciousness is the new impetus for humanity as we realize that through it comes a new way of service. There is tremendous power in dedicated servers working together to accomplish and share their visions for the future. Triangles and World Goodwill are excellent examples of world group endeavour we can contribute. During this Festival period, join with others using Aquarian energy to serve humanity. Through your meditation, study and service, make each a potent life expression.

AQUARIUS, January 21st - February 19th

Excerpted from Alice Bailey's book, "The Labours of Hercules" Lucis Publishing Company, New York.

The Myth

Within the Place of Peace the Great Presiding One poured forth the radiance of his exalted thought. The Teacher drew nigh.

"The single flame must light the other forty-nine," the Great Presiding One affirmed. "So be it," the Teacher answered. "Having lit his own lamp Hercules now must bring the Light to others." Not long thereafter, the Teacher summoned Hercules.

"Eleven times the wheel has turned, and now you stand before another Gate. For long you have pursued the light which flickered first uncertainly, then waxed to a steady beacon, and now shines for you like a blazing sun. Turn now your back upon the brightness; reverse your steps; go back to those for whom the light is but a transient point, and help them make it grow. Direct your steps to Augeas whose kingdom must be cleansed of ancient evil. I have spoken."

Forth went Hercules through Gate the eleventh in search of Augeas the king.

When Hercules approached the realm where Augeas was the ruler, a horrid stench that made him faint and weak assailed his nostrils. For years, he learned, King Augeas had never cleared away the dung his cattle left within the royal stables. Then, too, the pastures were so amply dunged, no crops could grow. In consequence, a blighting pestilence was sweeping through the land, wreaking havoc with human lives.

To the palace then went Hercules and sought out Augeas. In formed that Hercules would cleanse the stenchy stables, Augeas displayed distrust and disbelief.

"You say that you will do this mighty task without reward?" the King declared suspiciously. "I have no faith in those who make such boasts. Some cunning plan you have contrived, O Hercules, to take my throne from me. Of men who seek to serve the world without a recompense, I have not heard. At this point, though, I'd welcome any fool who sought to help. But a bargain must be struck, lest I be chided as a foolish king. If you, within a single day, shall do what you have promised, one-tenth of my great flock of cattle shall be yours; but if you fail, your life and fortune will be in my hands. Of course, I do not think you can fulfil your boast, but try you may."

Hercules then left the King. He wandered through the blighted place, and saw a cart go by piled high with dead, the victims of the pestilence.

Two rivers, he observed, the Alpheus and the Peneus, flowed quietly nearby. Standing on the banks of one, the answer to his problem flashed upon his mind.

With might and main he laboured. By great exertions he succeeded in diverting both these streams from courses they had followed for decades. The Alpheus and the Peneus were made to pour their waters through the dung-filled stables of King Augeas. The rushing torrents swept away the long-accumulated filth. The realm was purged of all its fetid murk. Within a single day the task impossible had been performed.

When Hercules, quite satisfied with this result, returned to Augeas, the latter scowled. "You have succeeded by a trick," King Augeas cried out in rage. "The rivers did the work, not you. It was a ruse to take from me my cattle, a plot against my throne. Rewards you shall not have. Go, get you hence ere I cut down your stature by a head."

The angry King thus banished Hercules, and bade him nevermore set foot within his realm on penalty of sudden death.

Having performed the task assigned, the son of man who also was the Son of God went back to him from whom he came.

"A server of the world you have become," the Teacher said when Hercules drew nigh. "You have gone on by going back; you have come to the House of Light by yet another path; you have spent your light that the light of others might shine. The jewel that the eleventh labour gives is yours forever more." The Tibetan (Djwhal Khul)

"The Labours of Hercules," pp. 180-182, by Alice A. Bailey, Lucis Publishing Co., New York.

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What the Eleventh Labour for Aquarius means:

"Augeas, the son of Neptune, the god of the waters and the sun, kept herds of animals and for thirty years the stables had not been cleared so that the filth had accumulated. Hercules was told to do something about it; many people had attempted to clean the stables and failed; it was always beyond them."

"Hercules being an initiate and having much common sense, which real initiates always have, went down from the mountain top and contemplated the problem; he studied the stables."

"First he broke down the wall that surrounded the stables, then he made two great holes in its opposite sides, and turned two rivers through them. He did not try to sweep and clean, as others had, but he broke down barriers by using two rivers. Without effort on his part the stables were cleaned."

"Very pleased with himself Hercules rushed off to Augeas and shouted, "I have cleaned the stables. They are perfectly clean." And we read that Augeas turned his back on him, refused to recognise what he had done, and said it was a trick."

"What are the two things that Hercules did? He broke down the barriers. That is the first thing that has to happen in the Aquarian age. We are just beginning to do it. We are just beginning to think in broad terms, to leave off being exclusive. Emerging in the world are groups of men and women everywhere who are wrestling with themselves in order to be inclusive in their thought, because in the Aquarian age nations as we know them now will have to go; nations fighting for themselves and for what they want, nation against nation, the cultivation of patriotism which is frequently the cultivation of hatred. We have to teach people that they are human beings with certain responsibilities, yes, but we can begin to get a larger picture, develop the consciousness of humanity as a whole..."

"Inclusive consciousness does not mean humanly conscious; it is more, you must become time conscious. The time is coming in Aquarius when past, present and future will pass out altogether and you will always have the eternal present that will include every sphere and aspect of consciousness which we can call strictly human. That is the position of the humanist, as I interpret it; he takes the position 'Let us be truly human' before we attempt to be superhuman. We are now only emotional, watery, fluidic creatures that are as yet unilluminated, struggling with separativeness. We are not able to be world conscious, to be en rapport with every phase of human thought. We shall be some day..."

"When we have broken down barriers of separativeness, then we let in the two rivers, the water of life and the river of love. I cannot talk, about those two rivers because I do not know what they are. Many talk about life and love; they use words. I do not know what life is yet, and we certainly do not know what love is..."

"When you have done all you can to break down the walls and to express life and love, aided by your own soul whose nature is love-wisdom, do not look for recognition; you won't get it. The hard task of the pioneer in any field of thought, of any person who is endeavouring to express the new ideals, is always non-recognition and sometimes worse. You won't be praised, you won't be pitied, you will have a difficult time, but remember, you are hewing the path so that in the future, hatred and separation may die out."

Alice Bailey says, "I like to think of Aquarius as the 'John the Baptist sign' in terms of the initiate. We are leaving Pisces in one respect and we are headed toward a Piscean era in another respect when the World Saviour will come. And as we look upon the Aquarian age as a John the Baptist sign, so we can look upon ourselves in our own fields wherever we may be. In view of the cosmic picture, doing all we can do at this particular time, we are fulfilling the function of John the Baptist and preparing the way for that extraordinary happening that is going to take place individually when the World Saviour will again emerge and humanity will learn the next great truth and step forward and up." Commentary by ALICE A. BAILEY

"The Labours of Hercules," by Alice A. Bailey, pp. 190-194, published by Lucis Publishing Co., New York.