Points of Consideration for Ashram Participation
Entry into an Ashram, as given by the Masters, is not a simple or external act, but rather a profound process of inner alignment and transformation. An Ashram is not a physical location but a living field of consciousness, an energy center held within the aura of a Master and His group of servers. To draw near to such a center, the disciple must first establish within himself the qualities of purity, harmlessness, detachment, and unwavering aspiration. The Ashram vibrates at a high frequency of spiritual fire, and only those who have transmuted much of the dross of the personality can enter without disruption or dissonance. Thus, the first difficulty lies in the preparation of the disciple’s lower vehicles, the physical, emotional, and mental bodies, which must be harmonized and refined to withstand the greater inflow of soul energy.
Another difficulty arises from the nature of the Ashram itself, which is impersonal and wholly dedicated to group service. The disciple who still clings to separative tendencies, personal ambition, or the need for recognition will find it impossible to enter into the rhythm of Ashramic life. The atmosphere of the Ashram is one of pure inclusiveness, where the good of the whole overshadows the desires of the individual. This requires the candidate to relinquish many of the attachments that still hold sway over ordinary consciousness. The test is often subtle, presented through circumstances that reveal hidden glamours, illusions, or crystallized patterns of thought. Until these are recognized and dissipated, the disciple cannot fully blend with the living organism of the Ashram without causing friction.
A further difficulty is the intensity of the energy transmitted through the Ashram. The Ashram of a Master is a radiant focal point of the Hierarchy, linking human consciousness with planetary and even solar purpose. To come within its sphere is to stand in a field of fire, where all that is inharmonious is revealed and intensified. Many aspirants mistake this fiery revelation for failure or punishment, not realizing that the burning away (burning ground) of impurities is itself the sign of approach. The Ashram magnifies both the soul’s light and the shadow of the personality, and thus only those with courage, humility, and perseverance can withstand the pressure without retreating. It is in this crucible that the disciple learns the deeper meaning of purification, transformation, and surrender to the higher Will.
Ultimately, entry into an Ashram is not gained by effort alone, but by resonance. When the disciple’s inner note harmonizes with the note of the Ashram, the door opens naturally and silently. This harmony comes when the soul dominates the personality and service becomes the keynote of life. The “difficulties of entry” are therefore not obstacles imposed from without, but conditions that safeguard the integrity of the Ashram and ensure that its energy flows without distortion into the world. The process demands that the disciple become a conscious cooperator with the Plan, able to hold the light steady amidst world confusion. In this way, the door to the Ashram becomes both a threshold of initiation and a call to deeper responsibility, where the individual is absorbed into the greater life of the One who leads the Ashram.
Here is a proposed step-by-step outline of the inner stages of approach, testing, alignment, and entry into an Ashram as described in the Ageless Wisdom. Each stage builds upon the former, and together they form a map of the disciple’s journey toward true Ashramic contact:
Approach
1. Approach
At first, the disciple becomes aware of the Ashram not through outer means, but through a subtle inner impression—a call of the soul that awakens an aspiration to serve and to participate in a greater purpose. This stage is marked by preparation and purification: disciplines of thought, refinement of the emotions, and control of physical habits. The disciple begins to orient life around the soul rather than the personality, and the magnetic field of the Ashram starts to register faintly within consciousness. The “approach” is therefore an act of resonance, initiated when the disciple’s vibration is sufficiently responsive to the note of the Master’s group.
Testing
2. Testing
As the disciple draws closer, the hidden weaknesses of character and motive come into sharp relief. The Ashramic energy works like a mirror, revealing glamours, illusions, and lingering attachments that prevent full alignment. Tests are not imposed arbitrarily but arise naturally as opportunities to prove steadiness, detachment, and sincerity of purpose. Common difficulties at this stage include the temptation of spiritual ambition, the pressure of outer world responsibilities, and the strain of inner conflict between the soul’s demands and the personality’s resistance. Successful passage through this stage requires humility, courage, and the willingness to face the fiery light of truth without retreat.
Alignment
3. Alignment
Once the major obstacles have been recognized and partially overcome, the disciple enters a phase of alignment. Here, the threefold personality (physical, emotional, and mental) is consciously subordinated to the soul, producing harmony and stability. The disciple also begins to sense the group life of the Ashram more directly, realizing that entry depends upon group consciousness rather than personal advancement. In alignment, meditation, service, and self-forgetfulness become natural modes of living. The individual’s note blends more steadily with the group note, creating the inner “bridge” that links disciple and Ashram in conscious rapport.
Entry
4. Entry
When the inner resonance is achieved and the disciple stands ready to cooperate without reservation, entry into the Ashram occurs almost imperceptibly. There is no external recognition, ceremony, or reward—only a quiet fusion into a higher rhythm of life. Entry means that the disciple is now a functioning cell within the body of the Master’s group, sharing responsibility for the radiation of light and love into the world. This stage brings both greater power and greater responsibility: the disciple must hold steady under intensified energies, act as a channel for the Plan, and safeguard the integrity of the Ashramic vibration. True entry is thus both a consummation and a beginning, for it opens the way to deeper initiatory unfoldment and a lifelong commitment to planetary service.