Esoteric Psychology

Alice A. Bailey (1880-1949)

From a conservative British background, Alice Bailey’s life journey led her in many directions, always converging towards a profound synthesis of outlook and understanding. Through extensive personal experiences, she developed an unwavering conviction in the divine life that pervades and animates all of humanity. She believed the Plan for humanity necessitates the cooperation and service of dedicated individuals, intelligently informed about global affairs, working in collaboration with the spiritual Hierarchy, the planet’s inner government.

Her life’s work became intrinsically linked to this synthesis and realization. Without compromising her human qualities or involvement, her soul committed to her Master, while her personality fully cooperated in her chosen service. Her work essentially developed along two lines: her discipleship service, which included establishing an esoteric school, and her initially reluctant agreement to collaborate with the Tibetan, Djwhal Khul, in writing a series of books. These books aimed to present the next phase of the Ageless Wisdom teachings for the present and near future.

An extract from the Tibetan teacher, written in 1934, briefly outlines the intent of these teachings:

“The books that I have written are sent out with no claim for their acceptance. They may, or may not, be correct, true and useful. It is for you to ascertain their truth by right practice and by the exercise of the intuition. Neither I nor A.A.B. is the least interested in having them acclaimed as inspired writing, or in having anyone speak of them (with bated breath) as being the work of one of the masters. If they present truth in such a way that it follows sequentially upon that already offered in the world teachings, if the information given raises the aspiration and the will-to-serve from the plane of the emotions to that of the mind (the plane whereon the Masters can be found) then they will have served their purpose. If the teaching conveyed calls forth a response from the illumined mind of the worker in the world, and brings a flashing forth of the intuition, then let that teaching be accepted. But not otherwise. If the statements meet with eventual corroboration, or are deemed true under the test of the Law of Correspondences, then that is well and good. But should this not be so, let not the student accept what is said.”