What shall be our creations in the next cycle of 365 days? As a new year dawns, many of us feel an inner quickening, an impetus toward growth, a new incentive to work. Is it not the part of wisdom to stop and consider, to plan that which we desire to accomplish in the coming cycle? New cycles are always inspiring, in reality a challenge. And what greater cycle is there than now, this moment? Now do I think the creative thought, which will take form and live, becoming an active force for good or evil, a blessing or a curse, not only to myself, but to all, for all are one.
What a responsibility! What a privilege! How shall we at-one ourselves with the vast, creative scheme of harmony, peace, beauty, law and order that illumines the heart of all the evolving schemes of Boundless Space? How — but by the power of creative thought; thus living grandly, with our faculties, our powers attuned to the Divine Love and Compassion that is the Heart of the Heart of the Great All. For —
when a man's character and constitution are made harmonious with the Universe, then he knows. Wisdom flows into his mind; he does not have to search for it. Cognisance of the natural verities of the Universe comes to his intellect, because his intellect works in harmony, in musical modulations, with the beating of the heart of the Universe. — Wind of the Spirit, p. 309
So, I ask myself what do I wish to accomplish in the coming cycle of 365 days? Each of course, must answer for himself. From one who was a wise and faithful Teacher we have these words, which might be taken as a criterion by which to measure our individual aspirations.
To do our utmost to fill this emptiness in human hearts, more than anything else I believe to be our duty — to teach men the direct path to wisdom, to teach men to make the inner emptiness a filled richness, a richness of wisdom and of quick and understanding sympathy, so that human lives by it may become grand and strong and true. Then we shall work justice, and gentle reason will preside in all our doings. — Op. cit., p. 64
Having decided what — we wonder how. In The Hill of Discernment by A. Trevor Barker, there is a chapter on "The Creative Power of Thought in which the higher consciousness in man is spoken of as follows:
The higher part of us, the Divine part of us, is actually omniscient. therefore all we have to do is to find the means of opening ourselves to the inflow of this knowledge — and it can be done by asking for it, by aspiring toward it, by opening our minds to it, . . . and if you have a sufficiently strong desire and a sufficiently developed will, and enough confident expectation (which you may, if you wish, call faith), the result is quite certain. . . . This of course is a law which is constantly used by all of us all the time — generally perhaps more or less unconsciously; but it is a law which works, and it is an extremely creative law.
In trying to analyze this quotation we notice there are seven steps by which we open ourselves to the inflow of Divine Knowledge and we are reminded of the sevenfold structure of all embodied creation.
First — we sense the "Ideal" and ask for it.
Second — aspire toward it.
Third — open our minds to it.
Fourth — have a sufficiently strong desire.
Fifth — have a sufficiently developed will.
Sixth — enough confident expectation.
Seventh — the result is certain (the "Ideal" becomes embodied).
To ask — starts the flow of the Atmic Force. To aspire — is Buddhic activity by which the Ideal begins to have an illuminating quality. To have an open mind — allows for Manasic illumination by the Buddhic Light. Strong Desire — is the desire body of our creation. Developed will — is the Prana, the integrating aspect. Confident expectation — is the pattern body, held consistently in mind and is like unto Linga-sarira. The result — is the "Ideal" embodied and is the Sthula-sarira.
So we have a sevenfold working out of our plan, our Ideal, which quite consistently follows the embodying of any ideal or thought throughout the Universe. It is the pattern by which our creative thought is objectified.
Beauty-full will be our creations, if we, their creators, heed the words of the great Teachers who have so plainly pointed the way. Our creations are our thoughts embodied and no creation can be greater than the Thought which engendered it.
Therefore it is necessary to emphasize the tremendous importance of submitting every such determination, aspiration, desire, to the dictates of the Higher Self in each one of us, to the Silent Witness of all our endeavors — Op. cit.
What a responsibility! What a glorious opportunity to be co-workers with Divinity!