Humanity is on the cusp of its next stage of evolution, and your individual part in this Plan can only be achieved through contact with your master and the practice of universal love. Through you and fellow workers, an era of intelligent love and unity will commence.

The teenage years prove difficult for many; for the young Alice Bailey, this reality was only exaggerated when a mysterious man appeared to her, claiming she was destined to perform an important task for the world if (and only if) she learnt self-control. Driven by this call, Bailey worked as a Christian missionary in India before moving to the United States with her husband. They would eventually separate, however, after his abusive habits became apparent. Nearly penniless and caring for three children, the promise of her mysterious visitor seemed as distant as ever. That is, until her turbaned visitor appeared once again, this time framed upon the walls of the Theosophical Society. The man, named Koot Hoomi, turned out to be one of the celebrated masters who trained legendary theosophist Helena Blavatsky.

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Inspired by the work of Blavatsky, Bailey soon rose to prominence within the Society, and her effort did not go unnoticed. In November 1919, she was again contacted by a spiritual master, yet on this occasion, it was a Tibetan monk named Djwhal Khul. While initially reluctant, Bailey agreed to transcribe his teachings – a task that would culminate in 24 books over the following 20 years. These writings would form the foundation of the Lucis Trust, an organisation dedicated to the propagation of her work. Through their labour, the often-intimidating size of her literary corpus has been distilled into succinct compilations, such as Serving Humanity, which highlight the essential ideas from her remarkably influential texts.

There is a Divine Plan, and it includes you. First, however, it is vital to grasp that you, along with everyone else, are all children of God and, as a result, belong to one great cosmic family. However, our selfish, individualistic behaviours create the unnecessary divisions that fuel wars, religious rivalries, and factions. Thankfully, we have not been left to ourselves. A spiritual hierarchy tirelessly guides humanity towards the fulfilment of the Plan: the realisation of the Aquarian age. The dawning of this age will be marked by universal brotherhood and love and an end to the excess of hatred that informs our current Piscean age.

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The great majority, however, remain ignorant of this truth and hence tied to the four lower kingdoms (elemental, vegetable, animal, and human). A fifth kingdom beckons as the next stage of human evolution. Until now, very few have taken steps towards this stage and become members of the New Group of Leaders. This group is defined by its contact with the great spiritual masters. Each master guides their dedicated ashram, or community, with the hope of steering the political, religious, and scientific development of the world. Their members belong to no party or partisan agenda, yet they themselves recognise all. They can be found in every nation on earth, yet no physical distance can sever their telepathic union. Their goal is the re-education of the masses in the path of ‘intelligent’ love and the ending of global competition and greed. In short, their wisdom, though as old as time, is the key to a brand-new world.

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If you want to tread this path yourself, you must succeed through a series of initiations. Initiations define the points in the arduous spiritual journey where higher stages of reality are mastered. The first three initiations result from the mastery of the physical, astral, and mental bodies. With the fourth and final initiation, the personality unites with the soul; such individuals are perfected for the Plan of the Hierarchy and can fully participate in this grand vision.

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The method for achieving this final stage of mastery begins with meditation. Meditation allows one the clarity of thought to pierce through dense astral and mental clouds to connect with our souls. Subsequently, only through the commitment to loving service will higher sensitivities be awakened. The governing principle being that insofar as we serve the world, we serve ourselves. Accordingly, in losing yourself, you gain your Self. Along the way, our pride and selfishness dissolve, replaced by an impersonal passion for all humanity. And through this work, others will see the light and initiate their own respective journeys of self-discovery. The hierarchy previously only sensed by a few will soon be perceived by all, and together a new dawn will rise, ushering in an era of harmony and connection.

The desire for a new world free of competition and hatred rules the imagination of many, yet few can agree on how this ideal ought to be achieved. According to Bailey, the perfect Plan is already in place; our goal is to find our purpose within it. Yet while many today feel the call to serve the world, Bailey and Djwhal Khul warn us that not all service is created equal. Only once we have developed a sensitivity to the Plan and connection to our master will we know the role we are to play. The journey, they caution, is not easy, and many dangers imperil the spiritual aspirant. Yet the reward is great for those who are diligent, for they discover not only enlightenment for themselves but become a blessing to all they touch.

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The world, now more than ever, needs such spiritual leaders – ones who put aside creed and national pride for the sake of the greater good. Too often, wise sages are accused of forsaking their neighbours for the call of the Divine, yet Bailey presents us with a vision where the Divine is found not by leaving the world but serving it. In other words, God can only be found through the love we offer God’s children. For spiritual seekers, Bailey’s work serves as a wholesome reminder that we never rise or fall alone. We are all pilgrims on one great journey.