World problems today seem overwhelming to some. The pandemic, climate change, global warming, the increasing transfer of capital into the hands of a tiny percentage of the world’s population and the concentration of power which inevitably follows in its wake, are just a few examples of problems so vast, so complex that they can seem beyond the ability of ordinary people to comprehend their significance, let alone to solve them. This sense of futility can fuel hopelessness, cynicism, and doubt about humanity’s spiritual capacity as well as about our planet’s place in the divine plan Looking at the world’s problems in this way, we might find ourselves wishing we could “clean house” throughout human institutions, sacking those who are deemed the worst offenders, and applying the rule of law—human law—to bring about the needed corrections. However, upon deeper reflection, it has to be acknowledged that such “solutions”, even if they were possible, would only prove to be temporary and superficial, leaving the underlying causes subject to the forces of evolution over decades and centuries.
To recognize evolutionary change requires a long range perspective. The world war which spanned much of the first half of the twentieth century might seem to be “old news” but the esoteric teaching tells us that those decades of war generated a shattering effect on the inner etheric planes which is still being assimilated today. As a result of the shattering effect that the world war had upon the web of etheric matter, the separation between the physical and astral planes was “rent or torn asunder”, according to esoteric teaching. Although the long term effects of this will lead to vast changes in human consciousness and foster the growth of understanding and brotherhood in the Aquarian age, it also released forces which today menace the uncontrolled and the ignorant, according to esoteric teaching. This has ramifications which affect all human beings.
On the etheric level, the world and all that lives within it are integrated, which means that inevitably all living beings share in the problems and successes of the constituent parts. This interrelationship or interconnection exists because the etheric body of an individual is linked with the etheric body of humanity, which is an aspect of the etheric body of the planet, which is likewise an intrinsic part of the etheric body of the solar system. The etheric connection functions as a web or membrane between the astral and physical planes, providing a channel for the transmission of energies and forces of low and high grade to circulate. This provides a means of addressing the pervasive global problems mentioned above, for esoteric teaching tells us that the planetary etheric body is the medium through which thought currents must pass in order to make an impact on the human brain. The uncertain factor is the capacity of human minds to register and respond to thoughts of solution. Thus far, we’re told, few minds have been able to respond to true ideas, actual thoughtforms of solution, being more easily impressed by the mass mind—by public opinion. The growth of mass media and the internet is a major agent of this outreach, for it has led to the development of a communications system that is truly global and instantaneous…for good or ill. Unfortunately, its potential to unite humanity has too often enabled rumors, gossip, conspiracy theories and outright lies to circulate freely, unchecked (in most cases) by the verification of facts.
However, a more subtle, reliable, and ultimately far more potent communication system is available and its effectiveness can be truly transformative upon human consciousness: the meditation service of Triangles. This form of planetary service was founded more than 85 years ago to create a network on the etheric plane for the distribution of the energies of light and goodwill, generating a global outreach that now spans the planet. With this network of triangles now thoroughly anchored, it seems possible to envision its role in the transformation of human consciousness necessary to create lasting solutions to global problems.
Esoterically, ideas are simply channels for the flow of energy, and the work of Triangles is the directing of mental energy—of thought. The triangle is the most appropriate form for this meditation service, for as the visionary Buckminster Fuller noted, the triangle is the most stable of all geometric forms. It follows, then, that energies emanating from the mental plane can flow most smoothly through triangular etheric patterns. This pattern carries up to planetary levels and even beyond. In fact, we’re told that “the Science of Triangles concerns the beneficence of Deity and that, through the intricate combinations of cosmic, systemic and planetary triangles, the purposes of God are working out. Those purposes are motivated by love. It is through these relationships that love expresses itself, brings about the needed changes for that expression, and human consciousness is brought into the required state of inclusiveness.”
This thought triggers our spiritual imagination and, at the same time, offers profound yet practical implications for service. Not only is the etheric web a conductor of the light of mind and the love which manifests as goodwill in human relations, it also carries a physical effect. It’s challenging to try to pull back from viewing the world’s condition as it appears in the immediate foreground, but we must try to see the larger picture now working out. It’s increasingly clear that the present time is a cycle of terrific stimulation when energies and forces are pouring into our planet and making impact on all kingdoms. The implications of this interrelationship or interconnection are vast in scope, but they hinge upon the role that humanity chooses to play, for we’re told that the universal consciousness of the Aquarian age, now dawning, can become expressive just in so far as the individual etheric body is in conscious relation with the etheric body of humanity, the solar system, and—of course—the Earth. The service of Triangles offers a superb opportunity to contribute to the etheric integration which will enable energies of light and goodwill to flow freely throughout human consciousness. In this way we can help to prepare for the new energies that will come with the transition into Aquarius.
